Irreplaceable Pam!

Pam,

Generally, I avoid blogging but this is a special one for a special person and I think it’s a brilliant idea by Bertha. The 21^st century sticky label – love it! It has been an honour and a privilege to work with such a smashing person over the years. You are absolutely indominatable and you never EVER give up. In the early 90s, we worked together with Val and with our colleagues from WRLIS and SWeHSLinC to make ‘probably the best health care library network in the country’. I think that you and Val set the trends that other networks followed up in the years that were to follow.

I have happy memories of the gentle art of persuading the odd Dean or two, that the best destination for surplus money is a LIBRARY. I think our network libraries did well out of PGMDE didn’t they! We were always thinking of brilliant ways to spend non-recurring dosh and (bit by bit) we managed to get more money into the SW health library economy. We also had some big scary battles with the odd Deanery Rottweiller but I think we usually won (although the Rottweiller didn’t know it). Your political antennae and canny sense of strategy was a delight. We also did loads of work with statistics and also with the first generation of library accreditation schemes, with Maggie Haines’ help.

When you moved to the West Midlands with your job, I was so impressed at your stamina for travelling and for hot desking. You are the most resourceful and resilient person that I have ever encountered. You’ve continued to do brilliant things in WM and I’ve watched from a distance and just marvelled at what you take in your stride as a day job. You are caring and compassionate and I don’t reckon that some of the librarians over the years had even the slightest idea of how much hard work you put in behind the scenes to improve the lot of the Trust librarian.

Your contribution to NHS librarianship and to wider health care librarianship over your career has been absolutely outstanding and you have always given the most fantastic contribution whether it was local, regional or national level. A lot of people would not be where they are in the profession without your encouragement and mentorship role.

I hope that you and Laurie have a peaceful and contented time back in the West Country and I hope that good things come to both of you in spades from now on, as you both really deserve it. Both of you should come down and stay with us in Wombat Monster when you have the time. Keep in touch.

Love, Chris