Utenteshepdog

I don't believe I can characterize my library easily, though it reflects my interests. I have several sub-libraries. There are books relating to sheep and sheepdogs, and to the Border Collie specifically; and books on dogs in general. These include fiction and children's literature. There are books relating to textiles and fiber, to sheep and shepherding, and to Britain and British history, particularly Scottish history. There are books on language relating to Britain (English in various stages of development, Gaelic, Welsh, Norwegian, etc.) because I use them in my research; and on language in general including dictionaries because I have an interest in language. And there are books on folklore and folk music, art, archaeology, anthropology, and so on. There is much overlap among these topics. And books that I can't categorize.

I am a British folk music enthusiast and an Anglophile (of all of Britain, not just England). I ran a sheep and wool tour of Scotland for ten years and have visited Britain many times. I was a sheep farmer for 25 years (retired), and have had working Border Collies for over 30 years. I am a writer and editor, co-author of a book (on Border Collies), and publisher of a magazine (on Border Collies) for 15 years (retired). I maintain a large website called The Border Collie Museum (www.BorderCollieMuseum.org) and I also own an online bookstore called The Shepherd's Dog (www.theshepherdsdog.com). In my copious spare time, I am a fiber artist (spinner, weaver, and feltmaker: www.ThistleWoolworks.com).

Currently, I am writing a series of articles on The History of the Shepherd's Dog for International Sheepdog News, the magazine of the International Sheep Dog Society in the UK. I'm also doing research for a book on the history of felt.