Thing 10 - My experience in Libraries so far...and what is round the corner

I have always loved Libraries but never really thought of working in one until I saw my current role advertised. I didn't really know what the full extent of working in a Library would entail but I loved visiting them and borrowing books and thought it would be a lovely environment to work in after my previous disappointing experience working in a call centre. I applied for the job as a Library and Learning Resource Centre Assistant and was so excited then I got to the interview and saw how many applicants there were and thought that was it, as I had no experience I didn't stand a chance. Amazingly I did get the job and have been working in this role now for almost six years!

A lot has changed during that time. When I started here we all did a bit of working in the main Library and spent some time working in the LRCs and did a bit of everything to do with processing stock and all of the other 'workroom' duties involved in running a Library. A few years ago however we changed so that we are a lot more responsible for different areas and take ownership and the service has greatly improved. I am now responsible for the day to day running of OARC LRC (Outdoor Activities and Recreation Centre). This is basically the Learning Resource Centre for Sports and Public Services. I liaise with the departmentsla staff and what resources they require, update displays and promote resources and run inductions on the resources available to students of those subjects. I still work in the Main Library and get to work in some of the other LRCs as well so the job never gets boring!  I am also responsible for journal management, so I order new journals and process renewals, ensure the stock is up to date, tidy and weed old stock out. I also produce circulation reports, process stock, create displays for the Library, help select stock and promote it and I am currently working on a project to see how QR codes can be used in a Library setting.

After working in my role for a couple of years I completed an NVQ level 2 in Library and Information Services. It was interesting to look at the Library World from a theoretical viewpoint and I got to meet people from other Libraries and talk about how different libraries from different sectors work. Once I completed this I then decided that I wanted to be more involved and take my career further so I decided to start work on Certification. I found a mentor who was really helpful and managed to get through Certification quite quickly. It was interesting to reflect on what training I had undertaken and looking at what I needed to do in the future.

I have then had a bit of a break as I was off work on maternity leave and spent a year not thinking about Library's at all!

I have now been back into the swing of things since February and I have decided I am ready to take the next step. I have been offered a place on the PostGraduate Diploma course at Northumbria University and looking forward to the new challenge. Where I will go after that, who know? I really love where I work so I don't really want to leave anytime soon. My ideal job would be to work up to a senior level within the Library here although vacancies don't seem to come up very often!