A Room with a View
Setting: Early January Morning
St. Patrick’s College, Maynooth
Photo: (B. Gardiner)
When I asked my colleague Fiona to talk about her acting career I was thrilled when she accepted my request to do a guest post. She is very modest in this piece. She has worked in numerous successful productions and continues to entertain audiences with her funny engaging style. She draws you in and you forgot that it is Fiona from work that is on stage. She recently appeared in the following production. Please enjoy reading her guest post below.
***Posted on behalf of Fiona Tuohy, Learning, Teaching and Research Development, The Library, NUI Maynooth***
As a young girl, I dreamed of being the next star of stage and screen and studied hard to hone my craft as an actor. Sadly, Spielberg never called and so a childhood dream became a hobby I have carried through my adult life. Almost every year I take part in a play with my local drama group and it requires a lot of time and dedication. I’ve worked as a Library Assistant in NUI Maynooth for ten years and have been asked many times – has your involvement in drama enhanced the work you do in the Library?
In response to this question I would have to say yes. I’ve been involved in training within the Library for a while now and although I find it easier to stand up on stage in front of hundreds as an actor, what I’ve learned has helped me engage with students and to find the confidence in myself professionally to deliver training. I remember the first time I stood in a lecture hall in the John Hume building with my heart beating in my ears and just hoping the students would listen to what I had to say. The adrenaline I felt before going on stage was there, but this time I was standing there as me, which was a terrifying realisation! You can’t “act” what you want to get across and hope to connect with students; you must find the sincerity and passion in what you are saying. Thankfully, I love what I do and could talk for hours about the NUI Maynooth Library and the services we offer.
When you are acting in front of an audience you have to learn to take pauses – to let them laugh or hold the suspense. This carries over to when I deliver a training session – give students time to process what you’ve said or time to find the confidence to ask a question. In both instances listening is key. Over the years I’ve gained more confidence in myself as a professional and will jump at the chance to challenge myself using what I’ve learned through my hobby. There may never be a call from Spielberg, but as I wait patiently for it, you can find me preparing for the next group of students to arrive to hear all about what our “totes amazeballs” Library has to offer them.
Library Staff Development 