Page 22 - link magazine

22
AT YOUR LIBRARY
Meet Isabel Mason, mainstray at West Swindon Library
A profile by Librarian Linda Black
This month we are profiling the she remembers the trauma of the
mainstay of our library - our move and admits she felt 'a real
senior assistant, Isabel Mason. outsider' at the 'Little Village
Many of you will know Isabel School' in the centre of Chisel-
from the days when she worked don. That feeling did not last
in other libraries in the Swindon long - making friends and set-
area. She is the member of staff tling down, she feels pleased at
most likely to be smiling at you being able to remember Swindon
when you return your books - as a small town - no large super-
from our point of view, she is a stores and no western expansion.
great chivier, always positive A special thrill was visiting the
when the rest of us become Empire Theatre before it was
demotivated and with a sense of knocked down. There is note of
humour hard to resist. nostalgia in her voice when she
Dare I say, Isabel also has her describes the heydays of British
roots firmly in North. Born in Co. Rail in Swindon - memories of a
Durham, she moved to the small hardworking people and a cer-
village of Lincluden, just outside tain degree of poverty.
Dumfries, when she was only a Isabel's family had now Where most visitors meet Isabel Mason. At the desk..
few months old. Her recollec- moved to Wroughton which in with regular responsibility for a another three months went by
tions belong in a Miss Read novel those days was seen as being small clerical team. It was her and it was all still not enough! In
- picnics by the local river, gath- very separate from Swindon. organizational and administra- a record six months, Isabel found
ering wild strawberries, tadpo- She chose to go to Commonweal tive skills which were to prove so herself working full-time and
ling and tobogganing - sunny Grammer School after passing useful to the library service some promoted to her first senior assis-
days and rural peace. Isabel also her 11+. Although still a compul- time later. tant post at Walcot and Old
became aware of her love of lit- sive reader Isabel admits she did On marrying a Swindon man, Town libraries. Her commit-
erature at this early period of her not really enjoy her school days it was convenient to settle ini- ment to libraries was consoli-
life - junior classics, and would (rules of the old grammer schools tially near her work in the centre dated in her attainment of the
you believe boys adventure were too restrictive), but is of Swindon but a short time later City and Guilds Diploma in li-
books! pleased that the education she Isabel moved to Greenmeadow brary skills and administration.
Although her first eight years received gave her a grounding to think about bringing up a For the next six years Isabel de-
were spent north of the border, for life. Keen for independence, family. She calls it time for reflec- voted her energies to her two
you will not detect an 'och' or a Isabel sat her '0 levels and the tion. On finishing work tempo- libraries, but then in 1984 she
'wee' in her voice - it all disap- British Rail entrance examina- rarily, she looked at what she had caught wind of the new West
peared when, at the age of eight tion. She was to work for B.R. for most enjoyed and realized that Swindon library scheduled to
her parents moved to Wiltshire eight years, firstly in the accounts the 'public' part of her job had open in 1985 - there was no stop-
and settled down in Chiseldon, section. As a hard and capable offered most satisfaction - this ping her now! The senior assis-
just outside Swindon. Even now worker she soon found herself was to become a major objective tant post at the new library of-
in her life in the future. fered the maximum responsibil-
THE ACTION BANK THE ACTION BANK THE ACTION BANK
Ne At home with two children, ity without going through a full-
Z
books became a way of life for the time course to qualify as a librar-
If it's anything family and inevitably, as the chil- ian.
Amidst enormous competi-
dren grew, fresh thoughts about
a working future took hold. Is- tion for this prestigious post, Is-
to do with money abel says mast emphatically, it abel was elated to be appointed
LU had to be a job with the library in January 1985, and from that
service. With great stamina, she moment had a total involvement
I you'll find no one obtained the necessary qualifica- with the development of the li-
tions at North Star College before brary as it is today. Not only
co applying for the first vacant post. responsible for the direct super-
works harder Isabel joined Wiltshire Library vision of a large working team,
0 and Museum Service on a part- Isabel is the one who make sure
time basis in 1978. Based at the place is kept tidy and organ-
on your account Covingham library, most of her ized and who ensures you get all
twelve hours a week, were spent those difficult requested titles,
on the mobile which served not to mention keeping all the
I than NatWest. Grange Drive and Green- books in a good state of repair.
meadow. There were no shocks Last word from Isabel herself, "It
ACTION )INVE N0113V H1 in store, working in a library is has been very very hard going
exactly what she wanted and was but has given me immeasurable
exactly as she expected it would satisfaction and I wouldn't have
THE At home or away, business or private, big or small, be. She admits the work was missed it for the world!"
basic, and after only three
now or next year, income or outgoings.
So why not call in at your local NatWest branch, months realized she wanted Until 20th August there
will be a display of
more responsibility. With an
in West Swindon District Centre, or
Z 3Hi increased number of working information about the
telephone (0793) 870466 hours, Isabel was promoted to be Autumn
Z a member of the staff relief team Adult Education programme
0 the manager and his staff will be pleased NOII3V
I- - this entailed working in nearly in the West Swindon
V9 all the libraries in the Swindon Library. All details to be
0 to welcome you.
area - her flexibility and adapta-
bility suited her for the addi- published in next months
THEACT,ONBANK414 NatWest THE ACTION BANK tional responsibility, but alas Link Magazine.