Achievement Unlocked: Completion of 1st Week, No Tears

Hello there, internet world. I'm Emma, and I've started on a little bit of an adventure...

I've taken on a position as a Graduate Trainee at a university library. Not quite the adventure you were expecting, huh? Well, it's actually a huge adventure. The world around us is changing fast, technology is evolving at an extraordinary rate, and libraries seem to have become fairly stagnant, and reluctant to change. However, libraries are important, and well... kinda fun. Maybe it's sentimental value, but books, and the access to knowledge, have both been central to my personal, and professional development. I don't think that many people are aware of the necessity, and proactive nature of library useage. Especially in the Higher Education environment. I will go into this later.... (grits teeth) 

So, this has been born; a journal of my journey into becoming a professional librarian. Exciting stuff.

So, week one has come to an end, sat in my little annex, on my little annex for a time of reflection. Here's what's going through my head:

Day One:

*Dramatic entrance sequence* *corrupt sound*, I can't get in the door. Good start Em.

At lunchtime, I remember I felt like crawling up into a little hole and crying. As a literature student, I am used to taking in lots and lots of information. However, this was all entirely new. Therefore, I decided to just let it wash over me, and see what happened. I was introduced to the ins and outs of Heritage.

3 hours into the next 6 months. Just got to get through the first week, and remember that it's only day one. Things will get better. Push on. Press on.

I really enjoyed talking with a Subject Librarian about what the job entails. From what I've heard, it's something I could really see myself doing, perhaps, in the future.

Shelved til home time. No comment.

Day  Two:

To be honest, I remember the day starting pretty pear-shaped. The internal servers were down, so students couldn't access online databases, journals, and ebooks. However, I was able to use the 'free-time' to learn how to use the circulation forms for the Issue Desk. After this enthralling (haaaa...) time was over, I was talked at about the print journal collection. The system appears to be pretty dated, and evidently fading fast. The evidence of this is proven in the dwindling supply of both current, and archived journals. I view this as simultaneously sad, and exciting, as the availability for online journals is vast. I'll need to learn more about the budgets for these, but we'll see.

Refworks: Seems to be a very useful tool for reference management, and is a central focus for the e-resource librarians.  If staff and students become literate in it's usage, it's a research tool that can be kept for life, or no doubt, will be able to be exported into new emerging technologies.

Found out I'm the first intern that the Library have had for a very long time! Going to spend some time thinking about why they've chosen this year to recruit someone in my position. They've clearly been reluctant in the last decade, so why now?! *detective face*

Shelving. Snooze.

Day Three:

Attended a student induction, which was interesting to scope how the libraries can engage with students, without appearing dated, intimidating, daunting, and condescending. It is however, hard, not to assume a condescending manner when the staff are dense, dense, DENSE with their computer literacy. I do not understand how tutors expect their students to access e-resources, when they can't even do it themselves! I was genuinely, raging inside. Anger. Angerrr.

Shelving.

Day Four:

By now, I have a basic understanding of Heritage circulation forms and how to implement them at the Issue Desk. Confident enough to be left on my own down there now, really. Can issue, return, renew, and enter user details onto the system. A mundane task, but at least it's the first thing, other than Refworks and Summon, that I've got my head around.

Staff and students appear to be having issues with the transfer from one interface to another, which occured just before the summer break. Thought that it might be useful to provide online feedback forms to make the interface reflective of their needs, rather than have it littered with library jargon. Let's face it, some people are not the brightest crayons... they need as much help as they can get. Ahem.

Attended a user induction for Psych students. They were stone cold silent for the whole hour. Apparently Psychology students are vampires who switch off all day, to absorb the chemicals in human brains for analysis. Maybe not. However, this highlighted the need for a more engaging communication system for the more... challenging... students.

Shelving.

Day Five:

I made it! My first week here is over! Today was  mostly used for reflection and review of what I have picked up over the last 5 days.

Issue Desk on the first light of morn, which was very quiet.

Shelving.

Back on the Issue Desk, where I'm feeling really confident now, so that's good. It was slow again though, so ended up having a rather in depth conversation about literature, and House of Leaves (my ultimate obsession), got a bit carried away... forgot the time.

I noticed that there really, really, needs to be some uniformity with the way Heritage is used, there seem to be a lot of complications between staff, the majority of which could be avoided with a set standard.

Felt very encouraged by my first review with my mentor, my enthusiasm isn't inward after all! It's been picked up upon already! Wheyy! So, my first week into becoming a progressive librarian has come to an end. If nothing else, it has ignited a fire within me, to never allow the libraries to stagnate, but instead to move forward, and to create an information service which is up to date with emerging technologies. They should be embraced, and used in favour of the users and staff.

USE LIBRARIES AND LEARN STUFF.

Signing out for this week as a freshly inspired, aspiring librarian.


Ciao,

Emma.