Tuesday 27 October 2009

Half term

As it's half term this week we're only open to students on three days - we only had one student in yesterday. I'm the only member of staff in the library because everyone else has leave or is term time only.
It's good to have the chance to get on with projects that are difficult with students in. I'm putting up some information skills displays to tie in with workshops we'll be running after half term. Yesterday's 'Evaluating websites' display looks good, but I'm having a few problems trying to make a display on bibliographies look appealing to 16-19 year olds! And I'm going to paint some shelves this afternoon (don't ask).
We're starting a student volunteer programme after half term which I'm going to be very involved with. I've written some training notes and am working on creating a certificate that they'll receive after completing 10 hours with us. I'm trying to make it seem grown up so that we'll only get serious students. I'm aware that I don't want to give students cause to believe that in a few hours of volunteering that they are able to do our jobs so I'm going to avoid letting them use the LMS. Beyond the fact that it is bad for our professional esteem/profile within the college, it could give someone higher up the idea that perhaps the library could cope with less staff and more volunteers - which is not the case. Hopefully I'll get some time later this week to do some more research and planning on this.
Also, I keep forgetting that I'm still waiting for my final MSc mark, then remembering and feeling a bit queasy! We should get them in a month..

Monday 12 October 2009

New Job - first week went well

My first week at my new job has been fantastic. It looks like a role where I can get lots of valuable professional-type experience.

My first two days were the usual whirlwind of trying to learn names and tick boxes on induction and training forms. I've already been given some interesting projects to work on. I've been cataloguing new stock, helping students with their homework and we've done a book move.

The college uses the Eclipse LMS which is a bit quirky but easy enough to use. On Eclipse there is a 'Linked' function where similar items can be linked to one another to recommend them to the user. I've been given the ongoing task of linking items - for me it's a dream project! I've been busy on the fiction section.

I've taken over the journals which is fantastic. The college has an interesting set up of having five faculty Study Centres staffed by Learning Mentors as well as the central LRC. Most of the journals are stocked in the Study Centres, so each day I'll be visiting the Study Centres to drop journals off and hopefully learn more about how they work.

I'm doing academic liaison for two of the faculties: Humanities and Business & IT. At first I was a bit disappointed not to have got Creative Arts, but it'll be great getting experience in different areas.

It's really exciting to be in a small institute and a small team where it's possible to make changes. My manager is new to the institute as well and is keen on discussing ideas and trying new things.
At her request I've designed and implemented a new spreadsheet and procedure for recording student usage. We have a signing in sheet rather than having an automatic gate counter. She's really nice as well which is always good.

So far, so good! Let's hope it stays this way.

Tuesday 6 October 2009

CILIP Graduate Day 1st October 2009

I would really recommend the next one of these for people who are considering entering the profession, considering qualifying or possibly are in the process of qualifying. CILIP possibly could have been clearer about what type of graduate this was aimed after - first degree grad not library school grad - but nonetheless.
I attended two talks. Emma Illingsworth gave an interesting talk about the different skills required for librarianship, the different types of users in different sectors and how to market your services to those user groups. It involved lots of brainstorming and discussion in small groups.
The second talk was by Jo Alcock about promoting yourself and networking through microblogging, blogging and social networking. Again this was really interesting. At the moment I'm spending a lot of time thinking about micro/blogging and the netiquette involved. As a novice twitterer I'm always concerned about replying promptly, RTing without plagiarising, being friendly without being overfamiliar etc. I'm also wracked with e-shyness. Jo said some interesting things about branding yourself - I'm going to do some work on customising this.

Thursday 1 October 2009

Reading habits

Saw this meme on Woodsiegirl’s blog and can see through the Twitter that all the cool kids are doing it, so thought I would too.

Do you snack while you read? If so, favourite reading snack?
Just endless cups of tea.


Do you tend to mark your books as you read, or does the idea of writing in books horrify you?
I do in pencil. Obviously only in books I own. I quite like using the tiny post-its rather than marking the page.
I used to write in books a lot when I a photography undergrad and now feel embarrassed looking through at my naive comments in the margin of Susan Sontag, Roland Barthes etc.


How do you keep your place while reading a book? Bookmark? Dog-ears? Laying the book flat open?
I use bookmarks – usually flyers, tickets or postcards. My favourite is a Morrissey flyer that I can angle so that Moz peers over the book at me while I’m reading.


Fiction, Non-fiction, or both?
I usually have both on the go at once. I enjoy a good biography.

Hard copy or audiobooks?
Hard copy. I am tempted to try audiobooks for some of the classics. I’ve got a complex about the fact that I haven’t read any Dickens, Bronte etc and see this as a sign that I might be uncultured and/or thick.


Are you a person who tends to read to the end of chapters, or are you able to put a book down at any point?
I like to read to the end of the chapter.


If you come across an unfamiliar word, do you stop to look it up right away?
I would if I was reading for academic purposes, but I wouldn’t if I was reading for pleasure.

What are you currently reading?
I’ve just finished Dorian: An Imitation by Will Self which was really good, and am starting We Are All Made of Glue by Marina Lewycka. I’m currently reading War Paint: Elizabeth Arden and Helena Rubinstein, Their Lives, Their Times, Their Rivalry by Lindy Woodhead but am struggling a bit to get into it.

What is the last book you bought?
Talk of the Town by Jacob Polley. It was in the bargain bin at Borders. I usually get everything from the library (I juggle accounts in 4 boroughs), anything I can’t get I put on my Christmas list.

Are you the type of person that only reads one book at a time or can you read more than one at a time?
I read multiple books at a time. My bedside book is usually something that is hardback/too heavy to carry around. My tube/tea break reading is usually something portable. If my tube reading is something a bit dark then I have another book to read when I’m home alone!

Do you have a favourite time of day and/or place to read?
I read every night to help me go to sleep and read on the tube. I guess my favourite place to read would be by the pool on holiday, knowing that I’m not going to be interrupted and have nothing to do for a week other than read and eat!
Do you prefer series books or stand alone books?
I rarely read series, but I go through phases of reading everything by a particular author then moving on to another one.

Is there a specific book or author that you find yourself recommending over and over?
Probably Nicci French, my favourite is Killing Me Softly. And Jodi Picoult, my favourite is The Pact.
This could be more indicative of who I recommend books to rather than my own tastes. I tend towards slightly bleaker writing (Jean Rhys, Heather Lewis, Tama Janowitz, Sylvia Plath, Suite Francais, anything about Kurt Cobain) and rarely have the opportunity to recommend this type of thing.

How do you organize your books? (By genre, title, author’s last name, etc.?)
I have one shelf of not-read-yet items and library books. Other than that I loosely keep non fiction within genres: art/photography books, my other half’s cookery books. Biographies mix in with fiction and both are wherever there is space on the shelves.
I’ll probably get kicked out of CILIP for admitting this, but my bookshelves at home are a complete state. This is due to the constrictions of sharing a one bed flat. I dream about moving to our next home and having my own study with custom made shelving.