"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore. "Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't get a single pair. People insist on giving me books."
J. K. Rowling
Wednesday, 25 December 2013
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
A Visit from St. Nicholas
A Visit from St. Nicholas
A Visit from St. Nicholas
'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (Random House Inc., 1983)
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds;
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow,
Gave a lustre of midday to objects below,
When what to my wondering eyes did appear,
But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny rein-deer,
With a little old driver so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment he must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blixen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the housetop the coursers they flew
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too—
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples, how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard on his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke, it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly
That shook when he laughed, like a bowl full of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight—
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”
Source: The Random House Book of Poetry for Children (Random House Inc., 1983)
Monday, 16 December 2013
Literary Gift Company
For those of you who are still Christmas Shopping, and for you all to keep in mind for birthdays etc, there is a really lovely website that supplies a hand-picked selection of beautiful and practical gifts for book lovers, including clothing, jewellery, perfume, reading tools, games, and much much more.
Friday, 13 December 2013
Literature Christmas Gift Ideas
Christmas is fast approaching everyone and it can be
difficult to decide what gift to give to your friend or loved one. Most people
enjoy reading over the Christmas period so a book is always a fantastic choice
for a Christmas present. Even for those who aren't big readers, these two books
I have chosen are an easy, delightful read and a fantastic way to get lost in
your imagination over Christmas.
If Nobody Speaks
of Remarkable Things, Jon McGergor - Price:
Approx. £7.99
“You must always look
with both of your eyes and listen with both of your ears. He says this is a
very big world and there are many many things you could miss if you are not
careful. There are remarkable things all the time, right in front of us, but
our eyes have like the clouds over the sun and our lives are paler and poorer
if we do not see them for what they are. If nobody speaks of remarkable things,
how can they be called remarkable?”
Jon McGregor develops his plot through the voice of a
female who lets us take a peek into the lives of the people who live on her
street, on the last day of summer. A subplot slowly reveals the female narrator
as she remembers the tragedy, that was the last day of summer. The reader gets
to learn and fall in love with the individuals and the families that take
residence in the street, snipets into the lives behind closed doors, that one
would not usually experience. You cannot read this book without finishing it as
the revelation at the end leaves you literally open-mouth dumbfounded, shocked.
Jon McGregor's style of writing makes this novel poetic in its reading and
appreciative of the remarkable things in life, that no one speaks of. I don't
know anyone who has read this book and walked away on completing it,
considering a little bit more of the world around them. It is a beautiful book
that suits all audiences and would make a great Christmas read.
As an author he has published many other books,
which are also worth checking out as they are just as brilliant!
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Student Services: Library Catalogue
The library catalogue can be confusing for both the first years and the
third years, but here is a very basic easy guide on how to use the online
library catalogue the University of Cumbria provides.
The library catalogue can be accessed easily from the ‘current students’
section on the University of Cumbria website here: www.cumbria.ac.uk/InformationFor/CurrentStudents/Home.aspx
From here
you should be greeted with the library catalogue homepage:
The search
bar will allow you to search for any book you are looking in the topic or
subject you are looking to research. If you do not know specifically the exact
book you are looking for it is advisable to search keywords or phrases.
I have used;
for example, ‘William Wordsworth’ for my search and I am presented with a list
of results.
From here, select
books that you feel are relevant to your search and list the lending collection
number which will usually appear as a series of numbers and letters e.g. 821.7/Wor
There are occasions
when the book you require may not be available at Lancaster campus, but accessible
from other University of Cumbria campuses such as Carlisle for example. There
is a reservation process and the selected book will become available at
Lancaster campus. This is as simple as clicking ‘reserve’ on the webpage.
From here
the library staff will notify you when the book becomes available at Lancaster
campus, where you can get it from a section in the library designated for
reserved books. This is easy to find as it is in the main entrance of the
library, but if you are unsure there is always a member of staff available to
help you, don’t be afraid to ask!
If you do
not have direct access to the library at the time you are checking for the
books you need, you can easily login to your account and create a list of the
book you wish to get, and save it for later. This means when you login you your
library account the list of books will be already therefore you, making the
process faster when finding the books.
This step to
step post has been designed to make your library browsing easier, and remember, the library books are split
into different sections also so finding the books becomes easier again. If you
need help, always ask a member of staff as they are there to help you.
UCSU: Blackpool Rocks Festival
The University of Cumbria is sponsoring Blackpool Rocks – the biggest indoor winter music festival in the North West. The festival takes place at Blackpool Winter Gardens on Saturday 21 December with The 1975, Disclosure and Wretch 32 headlining.
As part of our sponsorship, students are being offered a fantastic
travel and ticket deal for £36. This includes return travel through Stacey’s
Coaches with pick-up and drop-off points
in Carlisle, Ambleside and Lancaster.
Ticket bookings can be made by ringing Stacey’s Coaches on 01228 511127.
If you want to buy a ticket without travel, Blackpool Rocks is offering
a no booking fee discount to students which costs £26.50 and can be
bought here.
For more details about the festival and the full line-up, click here.
This is a fantastic way to start the Christmas break and with a
fantastic line-up at such an inexpensive cost who could resist!!
Monday, 9 December 2013
Dissertation Advice!
Doing a dissertation can be a very scary prospect, the process is long and working independently is often just an easy way for you to become a master of procrastination!
So, to give the students who are doing their dissertations - and those who will be in future - a little boost, here are some key points for writing dissertations, followed by the websites they are from and some other useful sites for you to use.
1. There will be one day, probably a couple of months before deadline, when you will freak out, doubt your entire thesis and decide to start again from scratch. You might even come up with a new question and start working on it, depending on how long the breakdown lasts. You will at some point run out of steam and collapse in an exhausted, tear-stained heap. But unless there are serious flaws in your work (unlikely) and your supervisor recommends starting again (highly unlikely), don't do it. It's just panic, it'll pass.
2. If your dissertation supervisor isn't right, change. If you don't feel like they're giving you the right advice, request to swap to someone else – providing it's early on and your reason is valid, your department shouldn't have a problem with it.
3. Think of a dissertation like a series of linked essays; each chapter is self-contained and has its own purpose, but they all connect together to contribute to the argument of your dissertation.
4. You don't have to start with the introduction – start at the chapter that seems the easiest to write – this could be the literature review or methodology, for example. Alternatively you may prefer to write the introduction first, so you can get your ideas straight. Decide what will suit your ways of working best - then do it.
5. If you're feeling overwhelmed, try identifying the one thing that you need to do next; often this will logically lead to further steps, and you'll be able to get started again.
6. Start with what you already know. When writing, pretend to tell someone the story. Then write the story. You may actually find it useful to record your own voice as you tell yourself the story so you can play it back as you write.
7. Keep full records of all your reading. Referencing tends to be marked very strictly in dissertations, and you can save yourself a lot of time and effort if you assemble the reference list / bibliography as you read, rather than leaving it until the very end of the process. (You can easily delete any sources that you do not ultimately use.
8. Plan for plenty of time to edit and proofread your drafts, and remember to allow time for binding.
So, to give the students who are doing their dissertations - and those who will be in future - a little boost, here are some key points for writing dissertations, followed by the websites they are from and some other useful sites for you to use.
1. There will be one day, probably a couple of months before deadline, when you will freak out, doubt your entire thesis and decide to start again from scratch. You might even come up with a new question and start working on it, depending on how long the breakdown lasts. You will at some point run out of steam and collapse in an exhausted, tear-stained heap. But unless there are serious flaws in your work (unlikely) and your supervisor recommends starting again (highly unlikely), don't do it. It's just panic, it'll pass.
2. If your dissertation supervisor isn't right, change. If you don't feel like they're giving you the right advice, request to swap to someone else – providing it's early on and your reason is valid, your department shouldn't have a problem with it.
3. Think of a dissertation like a series of linked essays; each chapter is self-contained and has its own purpose, but they all connect together to contribute to the argument of your dissertation.
4. You don't have to start with the introduction – start at the chapter that seems the easiest to write – this could be the literature review or methodology, for example. Alternatively you may prefer to write the introduction first, so you can get your ideas straight. Decide what will suit your ways of working best - then do it.
5. If you're feeling overwhelmed, try identifying the one thing that you need to do next; often this will logically lead to further steps, and you'll be able to get started again.
6. Start with what you already know. When writing, pretend to tell someone the story. Then write the story. You may actually find it useful to record your own voice as you tell yourself the story so you can play it back as you write.
7. Keep full records of all your reading. Referencing tends to be marked very strictly in dissertations, and you can save yourself a lot of time and effort if you assemble the reference list / bibliography as you read, rather than leaving it until the very end of the process. (You can easily delete any sources that you do not ultimately use.
8. Plan for plenty of time to edit and proofread your drafts, and remember to allow time for binding.
As well as the above websites our University website has some really useful advice on http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Learning/SkillsCumbria/AcademicWriting/Dissertationstructure.aspx.
Friday, 6 December 2013
Creative Writing: 'Parade' by Alexandra McCauley
Alexandra is a third year studying joint honours in English and Creative Writing at the University of Cumbria.
The following poem was awarded joint first in the University of Cumbria Andrea Pendlebury poetry prize.
Parade
We hear the ‘duddlum,
duddlum’
of the lambeg drum
their arms swinging
possessively
all the youngsters
love to copy
all ages are marching
in the band
keeping flags in their
hands
and the stalls full of
tack,
shiny plastic toys
covered with the union jack
the roads are cordoned
off by police
as the crowds flood
the street
here they come, right
incline
marching without a
foot out of line
drunken protestants
fight and curse
here for the parade,
but no faith to the church
they yip and yo as
King Billy arrives on the horse
every year the
tradition is enforced
now comes the bowler
hats and oranges sashes
loyalist men in black
with handlebar tashes
the people line the
route that the bands take
Granda taps his foot
and to the sound the flutes make
a security
announcement is made to the crowd,
there has been a bomb
scare, everyone must leave now.
By Alexandra McCauley
Wednesday, 4 December 2013
Student Services: Quest and JSTOR
When it comes to writing assignments, secondary resources are essential to write at university level and also to obtain the grade that you want. The library has a fantastic selection of books that are selected specifically to each individual module that you are taught, but as there are many students in each of the years, it can be competitive to get the selected books you need from the Library. Also, you should expand your secondary resources further than books in the library. Journals, eBooks and data that is provided online through systems like Quest and JSTOR.
Quest
Quest
Quest is a service that is brought to the students by the University of Cumbria Library. It is a fast search service that can quickly allow you to search and access all the journals, library catalogue and journals that the university has to offer.
The search process is easy. You simply search any key words or phrases you consider useful to a secondary resource you may need and you will be provided with results. From these you can save your results so it will allow you to refer back to them so no data is lost. This is service provides a wide range of secondary resources and will require you to check and read thoroughly through the information you access to ensure it is relevant to what you are writing your assignment on.
Quest can be accessed here: http://ehis.ebscohost.com/eds/search/basic?sid=39fb1745-2b7b-4dd0-ac39-9a861ede3899%40sessionmgr110&vid=1&hid=101
JSTOR
JSTOR is an external system that is similar to Quest but it has access to a much wider range of information and resources. It was designed in 1995 especially for colleges and universities to ensure the widest possible access to resources for students. It works very similarly to Quest just as before, be sure to thoroughly research through any resources you select as they may not be relevant to what you are studying.
JSTOR can be accessed here: http://www.jstor.org/action/showBasicSearch
Both services will require you to use your University of Cumbria login details to allow you to gain access to the information they provide. If you are unsure of your password and login detail you can contact the IT services that the University of Cumbria provide by emailing: itservicedesk@cumbria.ac.uk
Tuesday, 3 December 2013
Prize Giving Event for the Andrea Pendlebury poetry prize and the Helen Clark prose prize
The event will be held on Wednesday 4th December, in the View, between 6-9pm.
The poetry winners: Alex McCauley, Helen Pye and the prose winner Hannah Tosh will be presented with their prizes and will read from their work.
After this there will be an open mic session where people are invited to step up and read their own work. There will be some nibbles and a glass of wine or soft drink provided.
All English and Creative Writing students and staff are welcome, and would be lovely if we could all go and support our fellow students.
The poetry winners: Alex McCauley, Helen Pye and the prose winner Hannah Tosh will be presented with their prizes and will read from their work.
After this there will be an open mic session where people are invited to step up and read their own work. There will be some nibbles and a glass of wine or soft drink provided.
All English and Creative Writing students and staff are welcome, and would be lovely if we could all go and support our fellow students.
Twelfth Night - The Dukes
Filter Theatre in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company present 'Twelfth Night' at the Dukes, Lancaster.
'Filter Theatre return to The Dukes with their explosive take on Shakespeare’s lyrical Twelfth Night. This show played to sell out audiences last time it came to Lancaster, so book early to avoid missing out. Olivia’s melancholic, puritanical household clashes head on with Sir Toby’s insatiable appetite for drunken debauchery. Orsino’s relentless pursuit of Olivia and Malvolio’s extraordinary transformation typify the madness of love in Illyria: land of make-believe and illusion. This story of romance, satire and mistaken identity is crafted into one of the most exciting and accessible Shakespeare productions of recent years. Experience the madness of love in this heady world where riotous gig meets Shakespeare.'
The performances are schedules to start on Tuesday the 11th February 2014 to Saturday the 15th February 2014. The performance times are as follows:
Tuesday 11th Feb - 19:30
Wednesday 12th Feb - 14:00
Wednesday 12th Feb - 19:30
Thursday 13th Feb - 19:30
Friday 14th Feb - 19:30
Saturday 15th Feb - 14:00
Saturday 15th Feb - 19:30
Ticket prices range from £12.50 - £18.50 (concessions a further £2 off)
All tickets for the Matinees are £8.
If you book before the 10th January, you will recieve a £2 discount on each ticket.
Go to http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/book-tickets to book your tickets!
University of Cumbria Drama Production - Romeo & Juliet
The final year degree students studying Drama, will produce and perform 'Romeo and Juliet' at the Dukes Theatre, Lancaster.
'Jealousy, betrayal, two families at war… Can true love conquer all?
Romeo and Juliet, one of Shakespeare’s earliest and most performed plays, is the archetypal tale of two star-crossed lovers, whose young-love and tragic deaths ultimately reconcile their feuding families.
Join us as we recreate the greatest love story of them all.'
Performance dates start on the 22nd January, and end on the 25th January. The performances start at 7.30pm.
Ticket prices for Friday and Saturday are £10 (£8 conc), and for Wednesday and Thursday are £8 (£6 conc).
Friday, 29 November 2013
Creative Writing: 'Woman of Sin' by Kirsten Glen
Kirsten Glen is a third year student
studying English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Cumbria.
Woman of Sin
I
am a woman of sin.
With
each sunrise I struggle,
like a sloth with lethargic claws.
like a sloth with lethargic claws.
I
see through mine eyes
the
slow pace of life.
I
am a woman of sin.
Over
indulging like a pig
in
the mud. I trough
my
treats, my pink lips
stained
with temptations.
I
am a woman of sin.
My
skin’s the deep emerald
of
a green tree python, I twist
and
hiss. My mind is
so
simple, my nature so vicious.
I
am a woman of sin.
A
grizzly bears temper
so
tame in comparison
to
my own. My red haze
hits
like the power of its paw.
I
am a woman of sin.
The
tallest antlers, the
sleekest
neck, my pride,
like
a stag’s, always on show.
My
saunter on others lips.
I
am a woman of sin.
With
each night, a temptress
escapes,
sleek velvet on my hide.
A
panther; so risqué in nature,
dangerous
in temperament.
I
am a woman of sin.
My
monochrome feather’s
a
warning to all that shines,
their
glistening; an addiction.
My
beak a thief, my wings an escape.
I
am a woman of sin.
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
University Services: Careers and Employability Service
One of the scariest
things about being a third year is thinking about the future. It can sometimes be
hard to see yourself in a career after so much time spent in education, and you
might even need some direction as to what you would like to do as a career.
The Careers and
Employability Service at the University of Cumbria are there to help! Whether
it’s throughout your course to assist you with a long term plan or to help you
find part-time work whilst you study – the careers service even offer help to students
for up to three years after they graduate.
They are available
online, by email, by phone and in person – and it really is very easy to get in
touch. They use a number of social networks and online media sites to
communicate and engage with students, staff and general public. You can find
the links to these on the website, http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Support/Careers/Home.aspx.
The website also
offers a job search facility, for both long term careers and part-time jobs.
You can also find links on careers, courses and finding jobs at www.diigo.com/user/uoccareers
The Careers Service
(like LiSS) offer 30 minutes appointments with an adviser. The adviser will
discuss your requirements and may suggest that a follow-up appointment might be
useful. You can make these appointments via the library front desk, or by
emailing careers@cumbria.ac.uk
(allow up to 5 working days for a response). You can find the opening times for
the library via this link; http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Learning/Resources/Libraries/LancasterCampus.aspx.
It is also easy for
students to get help finding part-time work – something which can make a big
difference to a student. Having a part-time job not only increases your income,
but it increases your skills and experience in the work place, allows you to
meet new people and could even open some doors for your career after you
graduate.
You can search for
part time jobs in the local area at various places, including the Lancaster
Guardian at www.lancasterguardian.co.uk/jobs.
All full and part
time job vacancies and placements that the careers service think students would
be interested in are advertised on the University’s Virtual Job Shop: http://cumbria.prospects.ac.uk/. If
you register to this website you will receive regular emails about all types of
work and placement opportunities including part time and summer holiday work as
well as graduate opportunities locally, nationally and internationally.
If you would like
to get involved on campus, Student Ambassadors help the university with
marketing activities and outreach work – i.e. open days, Higher Education fairs
etc – you can contact Louise Gray for more information on Louise.gray@cumbria.ac.uk.
You can email jobsandplacements@cumbria.ac.uk
to receive their weekly Opportunities Knock Bulletin.
If you are looking
to volunteer rather than gain employment, you can also get advice and links on
the Careers website. To find out more about voluntary positions, and the roles
available contact Emma at the University of Cumbria Students Union, emma.egglestone@cumbria.ac.uk
or you can phone 01524 590 810. There are also helpful websites like www.ucsu.me and www.do-it.org.uk.
There is so much
available on the Careers Service website, and it is a very helpful tool for all
students, from first years to three years following graduation. The website is
so easy to navigate, and everything you need is available, even if you cannot
find what you are looking for there are contact details available, which make
it even easier for you to find what you need.
Just go to http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Support/Careers/Home.aspx
to find out more.
Monday, 25 November 2013
World Book Night, April 23rd 2014
World Book Night is a celebration of reading and books. It is celebrated on April 23rd in the UK, Ireland and the USA. April 23rd is a symbolic date for world literature, it is both the birth and death day of Shakespeare as well as the death day of Cervantes (a great Spanish novelist), so is very fitting for a literary event!
From late November 2013 it is being run by The Reading Agency – the charity with a mission to give everyone an equal chance to become a reader. World Book Night is about giving books and encouraging those who have lost the love of reading – or are yet to gain it – to pick up a book and read.
World Book Night sees volunteers gift books to people who don’t regularly read, to encourage them to do so – there are also hundreds of events from small community gatherings to author readings. Volunteers do not have to pay or make a donation to take part and anyone can sign up to be a World Book Night volunteer giver.
The books our volunteers gift are either provided by us as World Book Night editions of specially chosen books or, for the first time in 2014, chosen and provided by the volunteers themselves.
Before World Book Night we recruit the volunteers who make World Book Night happen. Volunteers who wish to gift the books we provide have to prove they can reach people who don’t regularly read. Book givers who are giving their own books are still asked to sign up but don’t have to fill in a full application form.
This would be a really interesting thing to participate in, and also enables you to spread your love for literature and reading.
If you would like to get involved or find out more about World Book Night please go to http://www.worldbooknight.org/ .
From late November 2013 it is being run by The Reading Agency – the charity with a mission to give everyone an equal chance to become a reader. World Book Night is about giving books and encouraging those who have lost the love of reading – or are yet to gain it – to pick up a book and read.
World Book Night sees volunteers gift books to people who don’t regularly read, to encourage them to do so – there are also hundreds of events from small community gatherings to author readings. Volunteers do not have to pay or make a donation to take part and anyone can sign up to be a World Book Night volunteer giver.
The books our volunteers gift are either provided by us as World Book Night editions of specially chosen books or, for the first time in 2014, chosen and provided by the volunteers themselves.
Before World Book Night we recruit the volunteers who make World Book Night happen. Volunteers who wish to gift the books we provide have to prove they can reach people who don’t regularly read. Book givers who are giving their own books are still asked to sign up but don’t have to fill in a full application form.
What are World Book Night’s aims?
· To raise the profile of reading through a mass engagement project which works at a grass roots level to inspire those who don’t regularly read to do so
· To place books into the hands of those who don’t regularly read
· To raise the profile of reading for pleasure through a series of celebratory events
· To improve literacy in the UK and Ireland
· To bring communities together
How does World Book Night achieve this?
· Getting people involved in distributing books and organising events in their communities
· Using a grassroots approach to encouraging more people to gain the reading habit
· Emphasing that reading is something to be enjoyed not just about education
· Selecting high quality books across a variety of genres to appeal to the broadest range of people, with high production values and meeting good accessibility standards, including those for people who are not yet confident readers
· Providing an incentive to carry on reading while they are still fired up and excited by providing hand-picked recommendations and opportunities to get involved in other community reading programmes run by The Reading Agency
The list of 20 books has been released on the World Book Night website, and are as follows:
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Four Warned by Jeffrey Archer
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
After the Funeral by Agatha Christie
Short Stories by Roald Dahl
Confessions of a GP by Dr Benjamin Daniels
Hello Mum by Bernardine Evaristo
Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon
Theodore Boone by John Grisham
The Humans by Matt Haig
The Perfect Murder by Peter James
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
Today Everything Changes by Andy McNab
Geezer Girls by Dreda Say Mitchell
CHERUB: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore
Whatever it Takes by Adele Parks
Black Hills by Nora Roberts
The Boy with the Topknot by Sathnam Sanghera
Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith
59 Seconds by Richard Wiseman
· To raise the profile of reading through a mass engagement project which works at a grass roots level to inspire those who don’t regularly read to do so
· To place books into the hands of those who don’t regularly read
· To raise the profile of reading for pleasure through a series of celebratory events
· To improve literacy in the UK and Ireland
· To bring communities together
How does World Book Night achieve this?
· Getting people involved in distributing books and organising events in their communities
· Using a grassroots approach to encouraging more people to gain the reading habit
· Emphasing that reading is something to be enjoyed not just about education
· Selecting high quality books across a variety of genres to appeal to the broadest range of people, with high production values and meeting good accessibility standards, including those for people who are not yet confident readers
· Providing an incentive to carry on reading while they are still fired up and excited by providing hand-picked recommendations and opportunities to get involved in other community reading programmes run by The Reading Agency
The list of 20 books has been released on the World Book Night website, and are as follows:
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Four Warned by Jeffrey Archer
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
After the Funeral by Agatha Christie
Short Stories by Roald Dahl
Confessions of a GP by Dr Benjamin Daniels
Hello Mum by Bernardine Evaristo
Getting Rid of Matthew by Jane Fallon
Theodore Boone by John Grisham
The Humans by Matt Haig
The Perfect Murder by Peter James
Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
Today Everything Changes by Andy McNab
Geezer Girls by Dreda Say Mitchell
CHERUB: The Recruit by Robert Muchamore
Whatever it Takes by Adele Parks
Black Hills by Nora Roberts
The Boy with the Topknot by Sathnam Sanghera
Gorky Park by Martin Cruz Smith
59 Seconds by Richard Wiseman
This would be a really interesting thing to participate in, and also enables you to spread your love for literature and reading.
If you would like to get involved or find out more about World Book Night please go to http://www.worldbooknight.org/ .
University of Cumbria's English Society Presents: Open Mic Night
After a very successful first open mic night run by the English Society, they are holding another on the 27th November 2013.
The venue for the event is upstairs in Starbucks, on Market Street in Lancaster, and will be on 6-8pm, admission is free!
Hope to see you all there!!
For more information about the English Society, you can get in touch with them through their facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/English-Society-University-Of-Cumbria/253660334781253?fref=ts
Lancaster Litfest: Charlotte Kovac, an experience.
This year Lancaster
My volunteer duties were basic,
helping with the box office and tickets sales, showing people to their seats
and generally being on hand and helpful when needed. Although these tasks seem
small, without volunteers performing them, the event wouldn’t run as smoothly
or successfully. It’s also a great and easy way of gaining experience if you
want to be involved in literature events in the future.
The biggest perk of volunteering at
Litfest is being able to attend the event after. I helped out at the ‘Short
Stories: Wide Horizons’ event where Alison Moore and Aamer Hussein coincidentally
both read out short stories relating to swans. Moore Moore
Hussein’s short story entitled ‘The Swan’
showed just how varied two stories relating to the same thing can be. ‘The
Swan’ is a love story, based around Hussein’s own real-life experiences. The
swan, lovingly named ‘Satin’ is the catalyst of the entire story, the man and
woman often go for walks in the park where Satin resides and develop an
unspoken relationship. The story tells us of how the two people flit in and out
of each other’s lives, and has an interesting and unique ending.
Litfest is a great way of interacting with
writers, whether it’s enjoying old favourites or being introduced to something
new, as I was with Moore and Hussein. Litfest has been running for a long time,
and should keep running and be a part of Lancaster
Friday, 22 November 2013
Volunteering at Bowerham Road Primary School by Maeve Lane
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There are 2 teaching assistants, a teacher and me in
the class I work in. I get on well with everyone and I do different jobs every
day. These can vary from helping individual children on work they are
struggling with in class, to helping to design displays for the classroom, to
listening to children read. The days in which I volunteer have always been very
flexible from the beginning and I volunteer for 6 hours a week. Ms Pollock also helped me in becoming a tennis
coach in America for 8 weeks during the summer 2013, through the company CCUSA.
I enjoy working at the school as it has given me
valuable work experience and has taught be to organise my time between
volunteering and university work. It has taught me to be patient and to think
of more exciting ways to engage the children to work. I would highly recommend
any trainee teachers and fellow students to gain as much work experience and volunteering
experience as soon as possible. This will increase your chances of getting a
job when you graduate.
The teaching experience has been very rewarding. It has
given me an interest in working with children and potentially becoming a
Primary School teacher in the future. It has also given me valuable experience
of working. This experience will hopefully stand to me when I look for a job
once graduating at the end of this year.
Wednesday, 20 November 2013
April Poets: The Storey, Thursday 21st November, 7.30pm
April Poets:
poetry with a touch of class and a dash of music
Thursday 21st November, 7.30 pm
The Storey Auditorium
Meeting House Lane, Lancaster, LA1 1TH
Jim Turner
prize-winning poet of remote and beautiful places
Jean Harrison
whose poems are episodes of acute attention to fragments of experience
Kim Moore
bridging the gap between feeling and utterance with a genuine lyric gift
Mike Barlow
a sinewy strength to image and line... from a strongly articulated voice
Music by the inimitable
Hymas&Lewis
a mix of spoken and sung voice, acoustic and electronic sound bringing you 'the expanse of ocean and confines of an onboard cabin'
(limited floor spots - first come first served)
Entrance: £4 or £2 unwaged
Student Services: LiSS
The Library can seem like a daunting place when you first step inside. There are different zones, and special codes for books, and it can sometimes seem like it’s going to be hard to find the resource you were looking for. However, the Library and Student Services (LiSS) at the University of Cumbria are there to make this experience very easy for you.
LiSS is responsible for libraries, information advice and guidance, employability and information and academic skills, student health and wellbeing and development. The learning advisers will always be eager to help you, and will always point you in the right direction - you can find them in the main lobby of the library.
Although LiSS are there to assist students, it is very simple for students to access self-help resources, which are available online (at the University website) and on Blackboard. You can access these services anywhere, 24/7 and this has proven to be incredibly helpful.
- online learning materials – FAQs, tutorials, podcasts and guides – these are available on the website at: www.cumbria.ac.uk/skills
- dedicated subject resource web pages are available at:www.cumbria.ac.uk/subjectresources
- Quest, the easy to use online discovery tool will help students search the University's journal collections, bibliographic databases and library catalogue from one search box at: www.cumbria.ac.uk/quest
- online resources are also available on the skills@cumbria tab of the University’s Blackboard site including access to the online version of Cite Them Right and the Turnitin test area.
These are incredibly useful to students, especially when the library is closed – perfect for those late nights essay writing! The opening times for the library, should you need to speak to somebody in person are available at http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Learning/Resources/Libraries/LancasterCampus.aspx.
Students can also take part in group workshops – in liaison with course tutors – where the Learning Enhancement Advisers deliver skills development workshops, tailored to the subject discipline and level. You can request these workshops by emailing skills@cumbria.ac.uk.
You can also get individual advice and guidance (this is generally prioritised for students with specific identified needs, e.g. referral by tutor, borderline pass grades or reassessment). If you have accessed the online resources, and still don’t feel 100% about how to improve your grades, or want to discuss a specific issue you can arrange an appointment by either arranging an appointment at the LiSS desk in the library, or by emailing skills@cumbria.ac.uk. The initial appointment lasts 30 minutes, to determine priorities, next steps etc. This individual advice is available through face to face, telephone, email or virtual (e.g. Skype) appointments.
The Learning Advisers in LiSS have also created subject specific resources to assist students with learning. Follow this link, www.cumbria.ac.uk/subjectresources, and click on the relevant subject area. This will direct you to useful websites, news feeds, journals, books and e-resources.
To find out more about LiSS and the services they offer, please go to: http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/AboutUs/Services/LiSS/Home.aspx.
Alternatively, if you want to contact LiSS here are the contact details:
Tel: 01524 590871 (internal 5871)
Email: liss@cumbria.ac.uk
LiSS is responsible for libraries, information advice and guidance, employability and information and academic skills, student health and wellbeing and development. The learning advisers will always be eager to help you, and will always point you in the right direction - you can find them in the main lobby of the library.
What can LiSS do for you?
Although LiSS are there to assist students, it is very simple for students to access self-help resources, which are available online (at the University website) and on Blackboard. You can access these services anywhere, 24/7 and this has proven to be incredibly helpful.
- online learning materials – FAQs, tutorials, podcasts and guides – these are available on the website at: www.cumbria.ac.uk/skills
- dedicated subject resource web pages are available at:www.cumbria.ac.uk/subjectresources
- Quest, the easy to use online discovery tool will help students search the University's journal collections, bibliographic databases and library catalogue from one search box at: www.cumbria.ac.uk/quest
- online resources are also available on the skills@cumbria tab of the University’s Blackboard site including access to the online version of Cite Them Right and the Turnitin test area.
These are incredibly useful to students, especially when the library is closed – perfect for those late nights essay writing! The opening times for the library, should you need to speak to somebody in person are available at http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/StudentLife/Learning/Resources/Libraries/LancasterCampus.aspx.
Students can also take part in group workshops – in liaison with course tutors – where the Learning Enhancement Advisers deliver skills development workshops, tailored to the subject discipline and level. You can request these workshops by emailing skills@cumbria.ac.uk.
You can also get individual advice and guidance (this is generally prioritised for students with specific identified needs, e.g. referral by tutor, borderline pass grades or reassessment). If you have accessed the online resources, and still don’t feel 100% about how to improve your grades, or want to discuss a specific issue you can arrange an appointment by either arranging an appointment at the LiSS desk in the library, or by emailing skills@cumbria.ac.uk. The initial appointment lasts 30 minutes, to determine priorities, next steps etc. This individual advice is available through face to face, telephone, email or virtual (e.g. Skype) appointments.
The Learning Advisers in LiSS have also created subject specific resources to assist students with learning. Follow this link, www.cumbria.ac.uk/subjectresources, and click on the relevant subject area. This will direct you to useful websites, news feeds, journals, books and e-resources.
To find out more about LiSS and the services they offer, please go to: http://www.cumbria.ac.uk/AboutUs/Services/LiSS/Home.aspx.
Alternatively, if you want to contact LiSS here are the contact details:
Tel: 01524 590871 (internal 5871)
Email: liss@cumbria.ac.uk
Monday, 18 November 2013
Open Mic Night: In Pictures
Some pictures from the fantastic open mic night! You can see more pictures on the English Society Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/English-Society-University-Of-Cumbria/253660334781253?fref=ts
English Society: Open Mic Night by Freya Gallagher-Jones
Freya is a third year student studying BA(Hons) English here at the University of Cumbria, and as head of the English Society, she reviews the first major event for the society this year. For more information on the English society see the Facebook page for updates, news and events.
“They have seen where you sit
each day,
They have even seen where you
buy those cigarettes,
despite you saying just the
other day you’d quit,
They have seen your meetings,
both the ones people know
about
and the others you’d hope to
keep secret” - Extract from London Pigeons by Jake Tinsley
Like the disapproval of those
London Pigeons, performing your own work in front of a large group of people
can more often than not feel like the beady eye of judgement waiting to peck at
the foundations of your art. And while the daunting prospect of the proverbial
pigeon of criticism is what often drives many creative types to avoid publicly
performing their work, it really needn’t.
For many of the performers at The University of Cumbria English Society
'Open Mic Night', found nothing but a warm, witty atmosphere, laden with
pre-empted Christmas themed coffee and an audience of open minds.
The event took place from 6-8 on Wednesday the 30th of
October, and was held on the second floor of Market Street Starbucks,
Lancaster; which was kindly lent out to the society, for free, after hours!
Students from the University of Cumbria and locals alike came to the
first major event since their re-establishment last year. The event was arranged
by the society's newly appointed Long Term Events Organiser, Jake Tinsley, and
my what a mighty job did he do too. Around 40 people packed into the cosy
coffee shop to watch around 16 diverse performances.
The intent of the event was to
offer a free, friendly public forum, in which people could perform. The range
of performances varied between poetry, prose, improv, and dramatic monologues,
however, basically any art form that required a relatively low amount of
technical savvy was warmly welcomed.
Many people chose to read out their own work, though we did have a
dynamic reading from Livvy Stringer of a favourite poem; Carol Ann Duffy's Dementer
. There was a fantastic range of genres and styles on offer; from Roz
Stimpson's intertextual children's story
Buttons, Geraint Straker's beautifully crafted Sonnet sequence, Sonnets
of the Seasons’, Rachel Strachan's short story Death Row, and John Sharpe's dark and satirical
epistolary reaction to Bram Stoker's Dracular titled The Crumb
Correspondence. Athena Draper read her darkly comic and jovial short story
One Girl and Her Satan. Sam Williams' performed an extremely witty and
ironic piece Non-Sensical, his dry, humorous delivery leaving the
audience rollicking in their seats. The hauntingly apt love poem Tonight was
performed by Roxy Emery, who's performance had my attention locked throughout.
Arguably, the most entertaining performance of the evening was Connor
Simkins' gut-bustlingly, hilarious rendition of "The
Most Lamentable Comedy and Most Cruel Death of Pyramus and Thisbe" from
Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. He
narrated the story and requested 5 willing volunteers to come to the stage and
act as the characters. But, as with any improv performance, the script itself
was a mere backdrop to unplanned interactions between the actors, and provided
a thoroughly entertaining piece.
All in all, the event was an incredibly relaxed evening, and a
brilliant opening to a new tradition of Open Mic Night's from the English
Society. I was certainly proud as punch to see the society do so well. The
second one is set to be around the end of November so keep a look out!
'A Christmas Carol' at The Dukes Theatre
The Dukes present their unique take on this seasonal classic.
It's Christmas Eve in Lancaster and the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge is looking forward to yet another night with perfect company: Himself. But little does he know of the fun and fantasy that fate has in store for him tonight...
When three spirits come knocking in turn, Scrooge must come face to face with the consequences of a lifetime of bitterness and discover the true meaning of Christmas in the process.
Charles Dickens' memorable story is given a proper Northern twist in an all new adaptation by Debbie Oates that is packed with songs, humour and plenty of Bah Humbug.
Price ranges from £5.00 - £16.50 for a ticket, and groups of five or more qualify for a new Friends & Family offer.
(The preview is on 29th November and all tickets are £5.00)
The play will be run from Fri 29 Nov 2013 to Sat 4 Jan 2014.
For more information and booking go to http://www.dukes-lancaster.org/christmas.
Friday, 15 November 2013
Creative Writing: 'Time' by Rachel Strachan
Rachel is a third year student at the University of Cumbria, studying joint honours in English Literature and Creative Writing.
Time
This smile has been fading
since the year of ‘92
Off his Lovable, caring lady
But if only you really knew.
since the year of ‘92
Off his Lovable, caring lady
But if only you really knew.
My Dear Michael, I do wish
I could tell you, no detail small
But I’ll highlight our major parts
Right here, no time at all.
I could tell you, no detail small
But I’ll highlight our major parts
Right here, no time at all.
In my life I have never met
Such a charismatic man
Who truly lived everyday
and acted like Peter Pan.
He saw life as a gift
Every morning needed a smile,
We woke up bright and early,
If only it were for a while.
We’d dance into the night,
He’d bring me flowers in the day,
‘For you, my loveable caring lady’
That is what he used to say.
Such a charismatic man
Who truly lived everyday
and acted like Peter Pan.
He saw life as a gift
Every morning needed a smile,
We woke up bright and early,
If only it were for a while.
We’d dance into the night,
He’d bring me flowers in the day,
‘For you, my loveable caring lady’
That is what he used to say.
We loved, laughed and shared
Talked adoringly about future life,
We were together till the end
And at twenty he made me his wife.
Talked adoringly about future life,
We were together till the end
And at twenty he made me his wife.
Our house wasn’t all that much,
And we barely had a dime,
We made our house into a home
what we valued was our time.
We were blessed with our children,
Smitten by waves of love,
He taught them all they know
From the Earth’s ground, stars and above.
And we barely had a dime,
We made our house into a home
what we valued was our time.
We were blessed with our children,
Smitten by waves of love,
He taught them all they know
From the Earth’s ground, stars and above.
Grand kids completed our family
You were all his world, it’s true.
We still laughed, danced and cared
Before bed saying ‘I do love you.’
These are my dearest memories
I long for one more dance,
Only seems like it was yesterday
When he had me at first glance.
You were all his world, it’s true.
We still laughed, danced and cared
Before bed saying ‘I do love you.’
These are my dearest memories
I long for one more dance,
Only seems like it was yesterday
When he had me at first glance.
Every day I sit and wonder
How fast time passed us by,
Only seems like it was yesterday
I heard our first born’s cry.
How fast time passed us by,
Only seems like it was yesterday
I heard our first born’s cry.
The highlighting has been done,
Of my life spent with one man,
who treasured all In sight
and promised he was Peter Pan.
Even then his pride still shone
Though pain was seen in his smile,
We continued to wake up bright
But we haven’t now for a while.
In my dreams we are still dancing,
He’s still picking me flowers every day,
‘For you, my lovable caring lady’
I can clearly, still hear him say.
Of my life spent with one man,
who treasured all In sight
and promised he was Peter Pan.
Even then his pride still shone
Though pain was seen in his smile,
We continued to wake up bright
But we haven’t now for a while.
In my dreams we are still dancing,
He’s still picking me flowers every day,
‘For you, my lovable caring lady’
I can clearly, still hear him say.
Rachel Strachan
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
Jane Lumley's Iphigenia, November 2013 at Lancaster Castle
'The Tragedie of Euripedes called Iphigeneia' dramatises how Iphigeneia is brought to Aulis to be sacrificed so that the Greek ships can sail to Troy. The play was first translated into English in 1555 by Lady Jane Lumley, and is the first known dramatic text by a woman in English.
For tickets and enquiries contact:
What can Cumbria University do for you?
The University of Cumbria has a range of services for a
students on the Lancaster campus but due to many students being new to the
university or requiring more of the services for research purposes, we are
going take each week to explore and help you understand the services that are
readily available for you.
These informative blog posts will be coming to you every
Wednesday with an insight into each individual service, how to use it and how
it can benefit you. You may already be aware of the services that are available
but are apprehensive or unsure how to go about getting in contact with people
or how to use them effectively.
We will be looking and talking
with the staff that are involved with:
- LiSS – Library and Student Service. LiSS is accessible for all students and it focuses on the library services, student support and research.
- Careers – the careers service is a fantastic support team who can help you throughout many apects of university and your future prospects.
- Quest/Jstor – online resources that are accessible to aid you with research and secondary research which is essential throughout your degree.
- Library Catalogue – the library catalogue informs you of all the books that are accessible from the library.
- Finance – the finance team cover a range of money issues that a student can be faced with throughout their studying period.
- Health and Wellbeing – university can be a stressful time and your health is important!
Monday, 11 November 2013
'Ruskin Among the Giants' - The Mikimoto Memorial Ruskin Lecture 2013
For those of you who are either studying John Ruskin at the moment, or those of you who are just simply interested in him, there is a lecture being held on Thursday 14th November at 6pm.
This has been highly recommended by some third year students who attended the lecture last year whilst doing their Ruskin assignment, and have said that it proved to be incredibly useful.
If you would like to go along the details are as follows:
This has been highly recommended by some third year students who attended the lecture last year whilst doing their Ruskin assignment, and have said that it proved to be incredibly useful.
If you would like to go along the details are as follows:
'Ruskin Among the Giants'
Professor John Batchelor
(Emeritus Professor, University of Newcastle)
at the Cavendish Lecture Theatre, Lancaster University
followed by refreshments
Thursday 14th November at 6pm
The link for the Mikimoto Memorial Ruskin Lecture 2013 is http://ruskinlibrary.wordpress.com/mikimoto-memorial-lecture/
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