A Day in the Life... of the Bute librarian
The Bute librarian Alison Charles, February 2008
The Bute library is the home library for six Schools of the University. Alison is the overall library manager and subject librarian for one of them, the School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies.
8.45am Starting the day
Talk to Library Operations Manager re staffing matters. We have vacancies and staff sickness and I need to ensure that we have enough staff available to enable the library to open and that we can provide the services our users expect, for example support with computer problems and information enquiries.
Discuss the forthcoming installation of the new email system and how it will affect us in Bute library. Look at the specific training sessions on offer and how we can allocate staff to them.
Phone a colleague to discuss a staffing matter.
Check email.
Talk to IT support assistant about the provision of A3 printing provision in the computer rooms in Bute library and the Glamorgan building. Liaise by email with senior colleague over purchase of an appropriate printer.
9.30am The Cudlipp Trust
Meet with Amanda Hopkinson, visiting from University of East Anglia. She is a former Senior Research Fellow in the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies (JOMEC) and daughter of Sir Tom Hopkinson, who founded the Centre for Journalism Studies in Cardiff, now part of JOMEC.
Discussed developments regarding the Cudlipp Trust. INSRV has the personal papers (http://www.cudlipp.cardiff.ac.uk/) of Lord Hugh Cudlipp, a major figure in the development of popular journalism and Editorial Director of the Daily Mirror and who was born in Cardiff. The Trust, founded by his widow Lady Jodi Cudlipp, aims to encourage young journalists. Amanda and I are both on the Trust Committee. She is in touch with Jodi Cudlipp and brought some letters for the Cudlipp Collection.
Put some thought into how to move forward with archive developments in JOMEC... Agreed to liaise with appropriate staff in JOMEC. A two-pronged attack – me in Cardiff and Amanda in UEA.!
11.30am Time for a quick catch-up
Back in the office. Catch up on email, which includes an invitation to a meeting of the University disability representatives. It is good to keep in touch with what’s going on in Schools regarding disability provision and also to disseminate INSRV developments.
12.00pm eBooks
Trawl through JOMEC reading lists for suitable texts for electronic full-text book purchase.
About £K10 HEFCW Learning and Teaching funding is still available for this in INSRV and today is the deadline for submissions to Rebecca Mogg, the co-ordinator of the project.
eBooks are essential in providing 24/7 access to course texts both for students working outside the library and also for disabled students. Those with e.g. dyslexia, visual impairments or mobility problems can read recommended texts using appropriate assistive software or access them at home if they have difficulty coming into the library. INSRV is committed to providing as many eBooks as possible, funding permitting.
1.15pm Recharging the Batteries
Lunch and a walk to recharge the batteries.
1.45pm New Book Reviews
Check THE (the weekly Times Higher Education) for any useful new books reviews for JOMEC.
Cross-check with the library catalogue and send the information to the JOMEC library representative and relevant staff for their views on possible purchase.
2.15pm Back to the eBooks
Back to checking eBooks selected from reading lists against the NetLibrary and MyiLibrary lists. These are two of the major multidisciplinary suppliers of eBooks.
Complete the checking. Pleased to find 23 items. Prioritise these and mail the list to Rebecca. She tells me that she may have to prune my selections if she receives too many suggestions from other subject librarians in INSRV. The funding is not enough to purchase all the required teaching and research texts that we need and I have to be very selective in my choices.
4.15pm Student Survey
The Project Consultant devising the forthcoming INSRV Student Survey mails me the draft questionnaire for appropriate questions concerning disability.
I consult with a colleague and we come up with two questions which we hope will give us some useful data.
Mail to the Project Consultant.
5pm Handing over to the evening staff
Talk to evening staff when they come on shift and update them with any relevant information, for example on forthcoming projected staffing changes.
5.30pm Finish for the day
Finish for the day, having achieved progress in key areas of my role: liaison with JOMEC on development of their archives, the provision of further useful eBooks for disabled students and taught course students in JOMEC, and essential input into the key INSRV student survey regarding disability.
Finally in my role as Bute Librarian I was able to make progress on Bute staffing and improved IT provision.
A day with some positive outcomes!