I’m all alone, all by myself…

Maybe it was my aftershave.

Just returned from “running” by PhD chemistry databases session. I say “running” as despite having been there a good ten minutes early to clear the room of errant undergrads and there until 2.35pm not a single solitary PhD Chemistry showed their face in the room.

It’s enough to give a librarian a complex.  Ah well, I’ve been stood up before and doubtless I’ll be stood up again.  At least the weather was fine and a walk in the sun was lovely.

I will say that Twitter proved a very valuable tool though during these bleak 35 minutes as I discussed the issue of student inattendance, how long is polite/permissible to hang around before you have to call the deal done and even discussing chemistry resources with another academic.  So at least the time wasn’t wasted.

Personally I found the day and half of teaching prep and production of the handouts useful in my own learning and development.  I know a lot more about CrossFire and SciFinder Scholar than I did before this week.

Now the session was mandatory for the students, so I popped by the office of the Graduate Secretary to fill her in on the situation and I have to say she was wonderful.  I think she was more miffed than I was about them not turning up.  Handed over all the guides, so maybe somehow the students will learn something from my endevours – and next year’s prep won’t take half the time!

Now enough of that and onto a spot of bibliometrics…

Slides from the session are at: http://tinyurl.com/6aycg6