The Straits Times interviews this liblogarian

A journalist with The Straits Times, Sandra, emailed me yesterday, requesting for an interview. Said she discovered my blog during her routine Internet surfing (it shouldn't surprise me that journalists do this too) and asked if I'm interested to be interviewed for a story she's writing, on Singaporean bloggers.

Her piece was partly in response to the latest blog-related report from the Pew Internet & American Life project (see also an earlier report, The State of Blogging). Sandra explained over the phone that her intent was also to show what other Singaporean bloggers are there, apart from the more well-known and high profile ones. She said she was particularly interested in the community of liblogarians!

Ah, that clinched it for me! I agreed to the interview, as I felt it was appropriate to show that librarians are also blogging.

However, even though the interview was about my personal blog(s), I informed Sandra the interview request ought to be cleared with my colleagues from Corporate Communications (Corp Comms). Afterall, a large part what I blog in RamblingLibrarian has to do with the public library services with the NLB.

You could say I was following the organisation's public communications policy but to me, it's all part of being transparent -- a simple act of keeping my Corp Comms folks informed, just in case they had any concerns that might not be apparent to me. Afterall, my agreeing to be interviewed was to publicise what a librarian in NLB does, and if NLB wasn't comfortable with that, I certainly should not go ahead.

In anycase, the green light was given.

At 5pm today, I met with Sandra and Desmond from The Straits Times -- journalist and photographer respectively. Nice folks, who put me at ease. After asking me a few questions, we then went around the library where I had to pose for pictures.

It then occurred to me that I ought to blog about the interview process. Besides, if I were to appear in their publication, it was only fair that they appeared in mine, eh? So they sportingly agreed to have their picture taken and posted here:

(When I related this to my wife, she said, "Yah, journalists and photographers hardly get their own pictures or stories published". So kinda fitting, don't you think?)

Sandra and Desmond looked a lot more natural than me when posing for pictures. Aiyo, I had to smile (which was something that I know I need to do more often, on a daily basis) and then pose for pictures, which I felt really self-conscious. Ah well, I shall see how the picture turns out (if at all) and then decide if I need a paper bag to put over my head for the rest of the year.

We picked this book -- "Blogging For Dummies" -- for me to pose with. They appeared when I said I was borrowing it home. They must've thought I fibbed my way about being a blogger. Heh.

NLB Call No.: 006.7 HIL -[COM]
by Brad Hill
(look for it in the "Computer & IT" section)

As to what was asked during the interview, you'll have to read about it when it comes out in this Sunday's issue. The story isn't entirely about me of course. Sandra said she interviewed two others before me. Also, I'm prefectly aware that sometimes, for various reasons, the story might not be printed at the last minute. So we shall see.

Oh, I learnt something new today -- apparently SPH photographers worked in shifts. Desmond said his shift just started for the day (at 5pm). I asked Desmond if he had a blog. He said no. I said if he had one, it would be quite interesting. I'm sure he would've captured many interesting pictures on a daily basis.

[update: Celebrity Blogger? No lah. But please feel free to come up and say Hi, 30 Jul 06]

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