Institute of Advanced Legal Studies
Nicola Dellow (2009-2010)
Hi, my name is Nicola and I am one of the three trainees at the Institute of Advanced Legal studies. I was prompted to apply for the trainee position because I wanted to learn more about law and have the experience of working in an academic library. IALS predominately caters for researchers. It is also a busy lending library, so I have had a good experience of working on the issue and enquiry desk. The readers are mainly academics and postgraduate students from the various colleges of the University of London. I think in many ways the issue desk work been the most interesting part of my traineeship, as it is lovely to have the interaction with readers. I would definitely consider reader services as a future vocation.
The first few months I spent in Continuations, which is the team that deal with subscriptions to serials. It was always busy, as there are lots of journals and legislation coming in….law seems to move at a very fast pace! Here I learnt how to process material and get it onto the shelves quickly as well as update the catalogue for the library users to see. I then moved to Academic Services, where I had to send overdue notices for books and review the subject guides to make sure that readers were aware of the current editions. The other main department at IALS is the document supply service, which caters for law firms and organisations which need copies of cases and other legal material. Working in this busy area can be rewarding as you feel that in a small way, you are contributing to the action in the courts.
There has been one less trainee this year than in 2008/9, which has actually worked out well, as we have all been kept on our toes and have had to rise to challenges beyond our allocated roles. I knew relatively little about law when I first came here, so I have gained valuable experience in this field. The staff at IALS arranged a variety of training sessions for us to attend over the year, both in the institute and at other libraries. I found these incredibly useful, especially when working on the enquiry desk, as I was more equipped to point readers towards the relevant material.
I would definitely recommend the graduate trainee placements for anyone with an interest in library services, as the skills acquired over the year are non-restrictive and can be transferred to jobs in other sectors. I plan to study the MA in library and information studies at UCL in September. Hopefully by the time I finish, I will have a better idea about which area of librarianship I would like to specialise in. In the future, I would also like to gain some experience from working in public libraries.
Jordan Phillip (2009-2010)
My name is Jordan and I joined IALS on a one year graduate traineeship in September 2009.
I completed my LLB in 2007 but decided that practising as a lawyer was not the right path for me. I was therefore looking for a career opportunity which would allow me to put some of the skills and knowledge I learned during my degree into practical application. That is why I applied to IALS, as I was aware of its reputation as the most expansive and highly regarded legal library in Europe. I also felt that by completing my trainee year in such a well respected institute would stand me in good stead for either applying to do a postgraduate course in Library and Information Studies or if applying for another job in the future.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my trainee year and I have now worked in 3 different departments; Distant Services, Serials and Academic Services. Distant Services required processing requests for legal materials to be sent to various law firms and legal organisations. This was a very busy department which required a lot of accuracy and good time management as these documents were on many occasions being used in court.
Serials required processing new volumes of journals and legislation for the shelves and updating the online catalogue. As the Institute subscribes to a vast array of periodicals it meant that there was always something to be getting on with, which is ideal if you prefer to be kept busy! I am currently in Academic Services, this involves a bit of everything really. My main role is to support the issue desk and monitor overdues. I’m also responsible for ensuring leaflets and guides are kept up to date and well stocked. I have an ancillary role in assisting Distant Services 1 day a week as well as one morning a week in Serials.
Apart from all the staff being really friendly and great to work with, another good point about working for IALS as a trainee is the extensive training you receive, from learning about international and domestic legal materials to learning how to develop and build webpages, it covers a wide range of useful skills which really prepare you for working as a librarian.
I’m still undecided about what I am going to do after my trainee year. But whether I decide to do a postgraduate qualification or whether I go straight into another job, I know my year at IALS will have given me many great experiences which will stand me in good stead for the future.
Mark Leonard (2008-2009)
My name is Mark, and I’m one of four graduate library trainees at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS). The library here is huge, and makes up a large part of the Institute. As the national law library, it has a world-renowned collection of law volumes and a dedicated team of specialist law librarians. The focus of the library is on research facilitation, and so the readers tend to be academics, postgraduates and some practitioners – there are no undergraduates here.
My year here has been very well structured; throughout the year each trainee moves through four different positions in the library - my own route has been: document delivery services; continuations; a different role within continuations; and finally, academic services. The document delivery service is an award-winning department which supplies legal documents to subscribing law firms, primarily via email. I then spent six months in continuations, which is the section of the library that handles law journals. I undertook some cataloguing, and made contact with some suppliers, which was a good experience. There was also a lot of time to undertake special projects, which gave a variety and depth to the role. I have now joined academic services, where I will support the enquiry desk and perform a wide range of duties, such as creating reader guides and producing leaflets.
I have enjoyed being part of a team of four trainees, and it has been a big plus point of the position. One trainee has gone to each library visit organised by the other SAS trainees, we have all attended weekly training sessions on law and librarianship within IALS, and have also attended visits to other libraries organised by IALS.
I am very happy that I have had the opportunity to work at IALS for a year, and to have done so on the graduate trainee scheme in particular. It has been a great year, in which I have met some wonderful people and had some very interesting experiences, and feel that this will prepare me well for my future career.
Sandra Chlebowski (2008-2009)
Silvia Giannitrapani (2008-2009)
Alessandra Orlandi (2008-2009)
Sarah Hall (2007-2008)
Whilst doing my BA in Ceramics at Camberwell College of Arts, I became fascinated by the library collection there and at the other colleges of the University of the Arts in London. I began to think about librarianship as a way to build on my knowledge and experience and to have a career which suits my skills and incorporates my personal interests as part of my working day.
I decided to apply to IALS as it is both an academic library and highly specialised collection. Additionally and importantly, it offers an excellent training programme. The placement at IALS has prepared me for MA study as I now have a working knowledge of many of the areas covered in the core modules at University College London (UCL), where I will start in September.
Abigail Knight (2007-2008)
I have always loved the atmosphere and service that libraries offer and consequently I started researching careers in librarianship. I have to admit that I was a little apprehensive about working in a law library when the only thing I knew about law was how to spell it and that under no circumstances should I break it! However, I was reassured at my interview that a background in law was not essential.
The trainee year at IALS provides a brilliant opportunity to really get stuck in to every aspect of (law) librarianship – from working on the issue/enquiry desk to checking in all the journals that pass through the serials section. The graduate trainee post here is a great opportunity for any aspiring librarian and offers a fun and varied working year in one of the most beautiful and vibrant cities in the UK.
Lloyd Roderick (2007-2008)
In the final year of my degree in Art History at the University of Nottingham I began pursuing positions as a Graduate Trainee Library Assistant through the CILIP website.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time so far working at the Institute, and I quickly learned that my unfamiliarity with the material kept in the collection wasn't a problem at all. The variety of work the four trainees here undertake keeps you on your toes and gives an excellent introduction to the different facets of library work.
Following the trainee year, I intend on working as a Library Assistant in another library, preferably in an arts/humanities library, in order to enhance these skills before continuing on to library school to further my professional understanding.
Petra Zahnhausen (2007-2008)
Holding a MA in Jewish Studies as well as Medieval and Modern History, I wondered what it would be like to work in a legal research library without having studied law by myself. But when I came to the IALS I soon realised that there was nothing to worry about. Moving through three different sections of the library and having regular shifts at the enquiry and issue desk provided a good opportunity to gain experience in working in a large academic library. All in all, I spent a great and instructive year at IALS and really enjoyed working with very nice and helpful colleagues, who were always committed to impart their considerable knowledge. After my trainee year I intend to take up a postgraduate course in Information and Library Studies by distance learning.
Institute of Classical Studies
Louise Flynn (2009-2010)
My name is Louise and I am the Winnington Ingram Graduate Trainee at the Institute of Classical Studies Library. It is a unique academic library with a small team, currently only five, including me, all with specialist knowledge. The library is focused on the Classical world; mainly language and literature, history and archaeology, alongside more unusual subjects such as numismatics.
I studied Classics at undergraduate level and am finishing off my Masters part time whilst also being a trainee. I both work and study in the same place so I have firsthand experience of just how comprehensive the library’s collection is. The library holds c.107,000 books and c.19,000 bound volumes of periodicals, thereby bringing the total to over 126,000 volumes; Most of the Library's stock is on open access and we have readers from all corners of the globe using the collection.
The advantages of working in a small library is that you get to know the readers and their work, which makes it very personal. Most of our readers are researchers or PhD students. Fortunately, I knew lots of people who use the library regularly through my studies, there is a community atmosphere which is heightened during the exam period or with approaching deadlines! My main responsibilities include circulation, membership, reader enquiries and research. I am in charge of the postal loans and research (which we do a lot of) and inter-library loans.
I try to make it to as many library visits as possible as it is a great opportunity to see the different types of libraries and also to meet up with the other trainees. These visits have made me realise how diverse this job can be. I also have been improving my computer skills thanks to the many IT courses at the University. My future plans are still a bit uncertain at the moment; I hope to pursue more of an academic career, perhaps returning to librarianship at a later stage.
Katie Rose (2008-2009)
My name is Katie Rose, and I'm the graduate library trainee at the Institute of Classical Studies. This library is unique, to say the least. With a small number of staff and a high level of expertise, our collections reflect the high level of research our readers are engaged in. Our attention is focused on obtaining the best scholarly material available on all aspects of the ancient world, particularly the Greek and Roman worlds. We acquire new books daily, and so far have been fortunate in not having to weed our collections too often, despite having had to relocate the library three times in the past ten years (our third move is scheduled for March 2009).
For me, the readers are the best bit of the library; they include undergraduates, postgraduates and academics from universities in the U.K and all over the world, and people who just love Classics. I love talking to them and learning about their work. I am stationed on one of the circulation desks and my main responsibilities include circulation, membership, reader enquiries and research. I am in charge of the postal loans and research (which we do a lot of) and inter-library loans.
I think this year has taught me to create my own work schedule and priorities, and to be more independent. During the year I have gone to many training events, visits and lectures organised by CILIP and CPD25, and I have really valued being part of the SAS/ULRLS trainee group- that has actually become much more important than I previously thought it would be.
My current career plans are to see if I can get funding to do the MA in Library and Information Studies at UCL. If I don't go to UCL next academic year, I will continue to work in libraries until I decide to do the MA and become qualified. This year so far has opened my mind to the fact that there are so many different sorts of libraries and librarians, and I would love to gain experience in sectors outside the academic research library.
Mark Sutcliffe (2007-2008)
I had considered a career in Librarianship at several points during my University career, but wanted some time to travel after graduating so I spent time studying languages abroad. When I returned I realised that this was the right career for me and researched the trainee positions available.
As well as the Library's reputation and its location in Bloomsbury, I was also attracted by the idea of working for the University of London and the training and support it offers.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here and have had a varied experience of work and learning opportunities. I hope to undertake a Masters course in Library and Information Studies at City University in September.
Institute of Commonwealth Studies
This library ceased having a trainee in 2009.
Sheena Ginnings (2008-2009)
My name is Sheena. I am the graduate trainee at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies As its name suggests the collection focuses on the affairs of Commonwealth countries. It also has a fascinating archive which people come from all over the world to consult, in particular material relating to slavery in the Caribbean and the anti-apartheid movement. Coming from Zimbabwe, a lot of the material has a particular interest for me.
Most of the users are either teaching or studying at a UK university. The majority of users are doing an MA in Human Rights at the Institute. Their course material is in the reading room and can be borrowed by them. The rest of the collection is closed access and for reference only. We also have a regular flow of overseas visitors, especially to consult the archives. In total there are 6 people working in the library so I have the opportunity to become involved in a wide range of library tasks including inter library loans, accessioning, downloading records, checking in serials, monthly statistics, and helping to prepare training material for library users, as well as regular duties in the reading room and anything else that I am asked to do.
The graduate training year has turned out to be full of more opportunities than I expected. I am the trainee co-ordinator and help to put the training programme together, a role which I am enjoying enormously. I am also enjoying the chance to network with other trainees. There are regular visits to different libraries, as well as IT training as part of the University of London's staff development programme, and access to University lectures and seminars.
I have a place on the MA in Library and Information Studies at UCL. My feeling at the moment is that I would eventually like to work in user services in either an academic or specialist library, but I will have the opportunity this year to visit a number of other libraries to test this out, including a medical library and two public libraries.
Beth Sockett (2007-2008)
I started thinking about becoming a Librarian shortly after graduating with a degree in English Literature and History, and attended one of the CILIP open days in order to find out more about what was involved. I realised that I had missed the deadlines for the Traineeships that year, but decided to gain some experience working, and apply the following year. Working at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies has been a great experience. I'm part of a small team, and as such I get a lot of hands-on experience of the varying jobs involved in working in a library, from desk duties and re-shelving through to cataloguing. This year has cemented my interest in pursuing a career as a Librarian, and next year I will be going on to study for the MA at UCL.
Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies
This library ceased having a trainee in 2009.
Sonja Siegenthaler (2008-2009)
Hi, I'm Sonja and I am working at the Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies Library (Germanic Studies Library for short). It is a very small library with an even smaller team (currently only three, including me). The library is focused on German language and literature, holding about 75,000 volumes, 25,000 periodical issues and some archives.
As I have studied German I find it inspiring to get in touch with the whole variety of German Studies. I keep noting down the titles of books that I want to have a look at one day (this list grows steadily!) I mainly deal with acquisitions, invoices, periodicals and standing orders, and of course shelving and reader inquiries (of which we unfortunately don't get too many).
What I really like about working in a small library is that you get to know the readers and their work, which makes it very personal. The downside of being such a specialized library is that we usually don't have many readers in and I would personally prefer a bit livelier surroundings. Most of our readers are researchers or PhD students, most of them with some sort of a German background. And as we get a lot of books directly from Germany, Austria or Switzerland, I am corresponding quite a lot in German. I like this bilingual work, even if it sometimes results in a little language mix-up.
I try to make it to as many library visits as possible because it is a great opportunity to see all different kinds of libraries and also to meet up with the other trainees. These visits have actually made me realise how diverse this job can be. I also have been improving my computer skills thanks to the many IT courses at the University. My future plans are still a bit uncertain at the moment. I have applied for the MA in Library and Information Studies at City University, and am excited about the prospect of continuing studying in London. However in the future I would like to move back to Zurich and work in libraries there.
Shannen Chu (2007-2008)
Whilst completing my MA at the University of Bath, I was involved both in part-time work in the University Language Centre and in Bath Central Library. Inspired by my manager in the language centre, I realised that a library traineeship is not only the best way to gain transferable skills before doing the postgraduate qualification, but also can been seen as a starting point to build up a professional career.
Since August 2007 I have been working in the Germanic Studies library, where I can continuingly use my knowledge of German. Apart from working in the library, other benefits of the year include the comprehensive training sessions and library visits scheme provided by the University. I think that I will find a full-time job in a library after my traineeship in order to earn money to undertake a part-time course the next year.
Institute of Historical Research
http://www.history.ac.uk/welcome.html
Sarah Guy-Gibbens (2009-2010)
My name is Sarah Guy-Gibbens and I’m currently the Graduate Trainee at the Institute of Historical Research (IHR) Library. As the name implies, the library’s collections aim to provide resources and space for those engaged in historical research, mostly post-graduate students, researchers and historians but also members of the general public who have an interest in history. Many historical societies also make use of the IHR for seminars and conferences and there is space in the library set aside for this purpose. Most evenings at least two societies will have rooms booked in the library. Three research centres also reside within the building: the Centre for Metropolitan History (CMH), the Centre for Contemporary British History (CCBH) and the Victoria County History (VCH).
The collections’ main focus is on the history of Western European countries and their former colonies, specialising in providing primary sources for research purposes, such as government and ecclesiastical documents, charters, diaries and letters. For each collection there are also secondary sources provided for reference, such as historical dictionaries, encyclopaedias, guides to archives, atlases, biographical sources and works concerning historiography. History theses from the University of London are also housed in the library. The vast majority of the collection is available on open shelving, though no part of the collection is available for borrowing, and the collection of e-resources is continually expanding. As Graduate Trainee I have been lucky enough to enjoy a varied job role. Most of my time is spent on acquisitions, searching new catalogues for potential purchases, dealing with suppliers and processing new books and invoices as they arrive. I also spend time answering queries in the main library office and on reception plus working on the main library floor, organising new displays and re-shelving books. As well as my work within the library, I have been the Trainee Co-ordinator this year, helping to organise trainee visits to different libraries around London throughout the academic year. The programme has been very interesting and useful as a way for the trainees to see libraries of all types, regardless of where their year was spent, and also to meet other people in the same position as them. All of the other library staff who we met on the visits have been friendly and informative, during both tours and training sessions, and the chance to meet up with other people in the process of applying to library school has been brilliant. Overall, I feel that this year I have been able to learn a lot about both the IHR and the library sector in general, which has been both useful and enjoyable. I have been offered a place at UCL to do the Library and Information Studies MA next academic year and I feel that the trainee programme here has helped me to prepare for that in the best way possible.Micol Barengo (2008-2009)
Hi, my name is Micol and I am the trainee at the Institute of Historical Research. The IHR’s aim is to promote the study of history and provide a meeting place for researchers. In order to achieve this, numerous seminars and conferences are organised every day, as well as MA courses. The Institute also houses three research centres: the Centre for Metropolitan History (CMH), the Centre for Contemporary British History (CCBH) and the Victoria County History (VCH). More crucially it also has an amazing library!
The collection is mainly focused on printed historical primary sources for the medieval and modern history of European countries and their former colonies. Therefore, we collect things like diplomatic papers, ecclesiastical records, charters, correspondences and diaries. The collection also has substantial holdings of reference works, such as guides to archives, bibliographies, historical dictionaries, atlases and biographical sources. In short, anything that could help a researcher with his work.
As a graduate trainee I am mainly involved in acquisitions, dealing with sellers and suppliers and processing invoices. I check the books in when they arrive, classify them and on some occasions, catalogue them. Luckily a cataloguer checks my bibliographic records so we don’t end up with bizarre entries! I also answer enquiries from the readers, which I find particularly interesting and challenging.
I really enjoy working here as it’s a very varied kind of job and I am constantly learning new things. Moreover, I studied history at university so reading book reviews of newly published works in this field and finding out what historians are working on is great. I also love the training programme and the visits to different libraries; it is helping me form an idea of where I would like to work later. Next year I should hopefully start the MA at UCL. I am really looking forward to that.
Claire Davies (2007-2008)
As I approached my final year at university, I started to explore the many career options available to a history graduate. Wanting to find out more about librarianship, I undertook some vacation work experience at the University of Surrey Library.
As a trainee at the IHR, working within a small team of supportive colleagues, I have been encouraged to take every training opportunity I wanted to pursue, even if it means taking time off work. Most of all, working here has given me an excellent grounding in librarianship, particularly the more traditional side such as cataloguing and classification. Consequently, I am due to start an MSc in Library and Information Studies at City University this September where I will focus more on IT and information management in general.
Warburg Institute
Tabitha Tuckett (2007-2009)
I came to the Warburg after a doctorate and research fellowship in Classics and English, followed by work as a lexicographer and then as a musician. After work experience in libraries, archives and museum education, I decided that librarianship was for me.
The traineeship offers a wide range of experience, including cataloguing, processing book orders and inter-library loans, introducing new readers, learning to digitize books and to update web pages.
I am very pleased to have been offered the opportunity to continue working at the Institute while I study for a part-time MA in library studies one day a week. I have found the Institute to be a warm, welcoming and stimulating place to work and I would thoroughly recommend this traineeship.
Birkbeck College
Lindsay Tudor (2009-2010)
Hi, my name is Lindsay and I’m the graduate trainee at Birkbeck college library. The college is a specialist provider of evening higher education, and the library’s extended opening hours (including weekends) and emphasis on e-resources that can be accessed outside of the college reflect the needs of part-time and distance learners. The nature of the college invites a diverse range of students, which makes the customer-facing aspects of the job interesting, varied and often rewarding.
I began the traineeship with no prior experience of library work, but over the year I’ve gradually gained a good introduction to and knowledge of different aspects of academic library work by spending time in each department, including Reader Services, E-services, and Acquisitions and Metadata (AM), as well working on the issue/admissions desk on a daily basis. During my time in AM I’ve assisted a major reclassification project, as well as being taught to classify literature items and catalogue theses. These jobs can be challenging and have a nerdishly satisfying quality, so I think cataloguing and classification is an area I’d like to develop in, certainly if I continue working in academic libraries.
The IALS/ULRLS trainee library visits are a valuable part of the trainee year and often a real eye-opener to the library profession. Although many of the visits are to other academic libraries (interesting all the same), we also take in visits across different sectors, including public, governmental and research libraries, as well as the odd archive. The visits that stand out for me so far are the Kubrick archive, the BFI library, Westminster Reference library and the splendiferous House of Lords library.
What is also significant is the enthusiasm and dedication of the librarians we meet on the visits and the pleasure with which they talk about the library and their roles. It’s inspiring, and shows that it can be a rewarding job in which you’re always learning new things. It’s also been great to spend time with the other graduate trainees and to discuss our experiences and expectations of the library world.
The knowledge gained from the traineeship at Birkbeck, and the insight from the library visits has given me some idea of where I might want to go in my career. I’ve enjoyed working in an academic library, but would also be interested in progressing into specialist libraries in the cultural sector and develop my skills in cataloguing and classification and/or electronic resources. I’m hoping to start the MA at UCL this September on a part-time basis.
Deborah Butcher (2008-2009)
My name is Deborah Butcher, and I’m the graduate trainee at Birkbeck college library. Birkbeck is London’s only specialist provider of evening higher education. Our library’s extended opening hours, and its emphasis on providing and extending its broad range of e-resources, reflect the needs of part-time and distance learners.
As a trainee at Birkbeck, and part of a large team of staff, I have been fortunate enough to be able to sample the work of each department, spending at least a month with each individual team. However, the bulk of my time is spent within the Resource Management team where I have been responsible for accessioning items, cataloguing theses and reclassifying items. I have also worked extensively with the e-journals assistant, and learned much about managing online subscriptions and troubleshooting access queries. At the beginning of term, I had the opportunity to work on updating the library’s webpage, which I really enjoyed.
On a daily basis, I work on the busy issue desk, dealing with membership and circulations enquiries, and I very much enjoy the interaction with the readers that this provides. I have also given library tours and brief training sessions in the use of the library Opac to groups of students at the beginning of term, which gave me the opportunity to chat with new students and to discover more about their research needs and expectations of an academic library.
Before my graduate traineeship, I had already spent a year working at City University’s Reader Services’ department. I had also worked for 2 years in public libraries, mainly in the children’s section, organising outreach events and homework clubs, liaising with local schools, and creating displays. I liked this work because it gave me the opportunity to get to know the individual children and to work as part of a small team, which of course gave me the opportunity to get involved in many different activities. After gaining my masters, I would like to broaden my experience of different information sectors, and possibly to work in prison, media or health libraries.
City University
Lauren Dalton (City Law School) (2009-2010)
Hi, my name is Lauren Dalton and I am the graduate trainee at The Cyril Kleinwort Learning Resource Centre (Cass Business School). Although currently situated at Cass, I have the unique opportunity to cross over to City University Library half-way through my traineeship; something particularly valuable to my training as both sites offer very different library environments in terms of structure, speciality and skills. It is an exciting prospect as I’m hoping the contrast will offer a comprehensive encounter of library work, providing a broader sense of what to expect when embarking on a career in the field of librarianship than would perhaps be possible if I were placed solely at either site.
I have enjoyed my time at Cass so far; it is a specialised Learning Resource Centre, which incorporates library and computing services, and as such, I have had the chance to see how libraries dedicated to a specific subject area (in this instance, Business) can be adapted to fully meet the research needs of their students. To aid their studies, students at Cass have access to approximately 30,000 books, thousands of journals (mostly online with about 70 print titles) and over 50 specialist databases, and this combination of traditional and modern information resources has led to the site becoming quite a varied workspace. The site itself is comparatively small (it comprises a single floor), so this extensive collection is made possible through the integration of electronic resources with traditional hard copy formats, thus offering students a choice and breadth of information that extends far beyond the capacity of the building itself.
The aesthetic is quite modern (predominantly open-plan with lots of glass walls and partitions) and is in keeping with the business/technological bias. There is such a wealth of computer technology available, and as it is part of what makes Cass so distinctive, it needs to be mentioned, but I will try to keep it short:
There is a central, partitioned computer room, a further enclosed computer room (for more quiet working or booked study sessions), desktop computer stations (some are for more general access, whilst others are specifically allocated for browsing the library catalogue or specific databases only) and laptop-ready workspaces located in various areas around the library; thus the necessity for computer technology to meet the users’ needs is evident. In the Financial Resources Area there are bespoke database terminals, such as Bloomberg, which help emulate the environment that would be found in the workplace on a trading floor. Some are multi-screened to allow the processing/comparison of manifold data simultaneously. As such, there is a strong sense of the LRC as a cross between the worlds of study and business, which is reflective of the users, who are academics and professionals alike.
As for myself, as a trainee information assistant I am responsible for manning the helpdesk and assisting users with enquiries, processing reservation requests and occasionally shelving duties (but this is only when the dedicated shelvers are not working, or when demand is excessive); contacting students regarding billing, lost property or card collection, processing and repairing books, and various bits of data input on the database. One job that I am particularly in charge of is processing the interlibrary loan requests (this is when we source books or journal articles from other libraries at the request of a user when it is not available in our collection). There is a small processing fee, but it means that via our library users have the potential to access information beyond our collection, so the true extent of available information is actually quite impressive.
This is a new field of work for me, but one that I knew I wanted to embark on, so I am relishing the opportunity to gain hands-on experience of the job, and the chance to become qualified (through enrolment into the Library/Information Science MA course). The graduate trainee visits have been very worthwhile, I have learnt so much about the diversity of jobs available in the library sector and it is a fantastic opportunity to meet people in the same situation as me. I really enjoy working at Cass as it is such a varied job and I am looking forward to the prospect of the new challenges and skills yet to learn in the second half of my placement, at City University Library.
Hilary Vieitez (City Law School) (2008-2009)
My name is Hilary and I am the graduate trainee at The City Law School Library, part of City University. The library is in Gray’s Inn Place, close to the central London law courts and the Inns of Court. The library’s collection includes: practitioner texts and loose-leaf works, law reports, legal journals, practical skills books, legal encyclopaedias and mooting DVDs. It also makes available electronic law resources to the students, such as Westlaw, LexisNexis and HeinOnline.
The library’s users are mainly students enrolled on City University’s Bar Vocational Course, Legal Practice Course or LLM courses. I have a legal background myself, so the library is the ideal place for me to work! My main duties are: assisting at the enquiry desk for a few hours each day; carrying out finance related tasks such as maintaining the invoices register and other relevant spreadsheets; dealing with withdrawals of old stock and book returns, and gathering statistics.
I really enjoy being able to help the students with their legal research enquiries and one of the best things about the job for me is that I have been able to help out with training the students on how best to use the legal resources available to them. I also post information on the website for our Law School students: www.lawborepro.net. Through this website, our students access legal resources, find out about news and events, and read articles on different areas of the law.
On Fridays I work in the law library at City University’s main (Northampton Square) library. I assist the law librarian there with preparing material for City University’s legal portal www.lawbore.net. I also sit at the enquiry desk on the law library floor and answer any questions that the students might have about the collection there. Most recently, I have been involved in the marking of online legal resources assessments which test the students on their legal research skills.
In September I am going to do the MSc Information Science course at City University, which I am really looking forward to.
Sophia Hendrikx (City University) (2008-2009)
My name is Sophia Hendrikx and I am the graduate trainee at City University's main library. The library covers a broad range of subjects including informatics, law, engineering & mathematical sciences, arts, social sciences and health sciences. Our readers are mainly the university's own students, both under and postgraduate, and staff, as well as members of the broader academic community. More than 40% of our students are international, and I enjoy the diversity of our readers.
At the moment, the library is executing a long term project making a significant portion of its resources, and the majority of its 1500 current journals available electronically. This is being combined with a large scale refurbishment increasing the study space and providing a mix of group and informal, as well as individual and silent study spaces. Although personally I have my reservations about electronic libraries (for starters a library without many printed books is a somewhat sad sight!) it is certainly an exciting project and it is interesting to see it take form. However, my hours spent on the issue desk are often my favourite part of the day. I enjoy the interaction with our readers and particularly getting feedback about the new electronic resources.
My professional background is in the rare books trade and when I started my graduate trainee year it was quite a change and I found it hard to adjust sometimes. But so far my experiences here have been very positive and I definitely would like to keep working for university libraries in the future. At some point I intend to take the MSc in Library and Information Studies at City.
Courtauld Institute of Art
Nicholas Brown (2009-2010)
Hi, my name is Nicholas Brown and I am one of the two Graduate Trainees at the Courtauld Institute of Art. The Courtauld is the most prestigious university in the country for the study of the history of art and the library is part of what makes it so special. The collection follows the taught courses at the institute and therefore covers art and architecture from the Paleolithic era right up to the present, as well as taking in the history of dress and much else besides.
I have found it a fabulous place to work, with beautiful surroundings as well as intelligent and interesting staff and students. The training programme has been great and I now catalogue independently. One thing that I love about the role is that it is part of my job to constantly develop my knowledge of the field and keep up to date with new resources. While here I have helped to set up a new blog for the book library which you can see here.
My background is in contemporary art practice. I previously completed a Masters at the Slade School of Art and am trying to find the balance between library work and painting. I have worked for several years in public libraries and worked for the Whitechapel Gallery to organise and catalogue their book collection.
I have been offered a place on the Library and Information Studies course at University College London, which unfortunately I will not be able to take up due to lack of funding. I am determined that this is the correct career for me and will continue to pursue every avenue available to find the money to allow me to obtain the prerequisite professional qualification.
Victoria Adam (2008-2009)
Hiya, I'm Victoria and I'm a trainee at the Courtauld Institute library. A bit about the Courtauld library: The Courtauld Institute of Art is a centre for the study of art history and conservation. Hence the majority of library users are Courtauld BA and MA art history students and Courtauld research and teaching staff.
The Library’s collection reflects this, covering the history of western art and comprising of books, exhibition catalogues, permanent collection catalogues, sales catalogues, theses, rare books, pamphlets and some online and digital material. The Institute is based at Somerset House (a pretty swell location) and the library itself is underground, in the old brick vaults which apparently used to be grain storage and cellars. This has the advantage of having no mobile phone reception but also a worrying tendency to flooding and leaks!
Most of the collection is catalogued on the online catalogue however there are still a large number of items only recorded on the old card catalogue. There are no plans for retrospective cataloguing; instead such things are catalogued on an as-and-when basis, (ie. if a user wishes to borrow them). Most of the collection can be borrowed and is on the open shelves but some of the older and more precious material is stashed away and staff retrieve material several times a day.
My own background is in art and I’m a total bookworm so I love working here. On a day to day basis I do a bit of everything: issue desk, cataloguing, accessioning, serials and helping sort through some of the special collections. I’m currently torn between applying for library school and returning to art college!
Boris Knezevic (2008-2009)
The Courtauld Book Library is a small specialized art history library serving mainly the academic community of the Courtauld Institute. Our users are primarily the Courtauld academic staff and students, although we do also get external visitors - mainly students and researchers from other universities, galleries and museums. We allow access to members of the public on a 'last resort' basis, for example, if they are looking for a resource not available elsewhere in London.
Our responsibilities as trainees are varied. We are solely responsible for receiving and accessioning books, managing the inter-library loans service, answering general telephone enquiries, and opening and distributing the post. However, on a day to day basis we help with tasks such as processing and cataloguing of books, staffing the issue desk, processing periodicals when they arrive and assisting the special collections librarian. All the staff take part in shared duties on a rota system, such as retrieving items from special collections/pamphlets and theses, and replying to e-mails in the library enquiries account.
My personal challenges during the trainee year have been: finding affordable and good-quality places to have lunch. Also, resisting the temptation to spend the day reading, looking at pictures and flipping through new journals and exhibition catalogues. My current career plans are a bit vague at the moment as my work visa expires at the end of my trainee year and is non-renewable, so I will probably be leaving this country to start a rock band somewhere.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Simon Messenger (2009-2010)
My name is Simon and I’m the Graduate Trainee Librarian at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Legal Library.
Located in the FCO’s Main Building, the Legal Library caters primarily for the needs of the departmental Legal Advisers. Their remit is to provide legal advice to the various FCO Directorates, and across Whitehall. To this end, the Library has a small, but thorough, collection of textbooks, journals and legislative material which relate to international and diplomatic law. The Library also houses smaller collections of UK, EU and British Overseas Territories’ material.
Working as part of a small team, I have been involved in a great deal over the course of my traineeship. It has been a good mix of both routine library work (stock ordering, indexing, cataloguing), and more complex research enquiries, some of which have been as challenging as they were interesting!
I have also been involved with an information sharing pilot. As the basic tenets of library work are the efficient classification and retrieval of information, this experience has been invaluable in providing an insight into the Knowledge Management needs of an organisation such as the FCO. In this respect I feel my traineeship has well exceeded my initial expectations.
Being a member of the SAS/ULRLS trainee group has been a great experience; the opportunity to visit some great libraries, several of which I knew nothing about, was excellent. My personal favourites were visits to the British Film Institute and the House of Lords. It has also given me the opportunity to network with other likeminded trainee librarians, and this was particularly reassuring during the MA application/interview process!
Although I qualified in 2008 with a BSc in Psychology, tenuous comparisons with brains and libraries aside, I have worked in libraries and bookshops throughout the duration of my professional career. It is my intention to do a Masters degree in Library and Information Studies at University College London.
Holly Bates (2008-2009)
My name is Holly and I am currently a graduate trainee in a government legal library. The library caters, primarily, for the departmental legal advisers. We maintain a small collection of books, journals, government reports and international material, as well as subscribing to a number of electronic databases.
As the trainee my tasks include, book ordering, cataloguing, checking in journals, processing invoices for payment, indexing, inter-library loans, caring out research, providing access to electronic databases, distribution of journals and general library maintenance. Working within a small team I have had the opportunity to contribute to most aspects of the running of the Library and have been included in decision making processes regarding the services we offer.
Attending visits with the London University trainees has been a real privilege, giving me insight into the variety of libraries our capital has to offer. It has also been really helpful to be able to meet other budding librarians and share ideas on MA applications and future career choices.
Working with in the legal sector has been really interesting and rewarding. I have really enjoyed learning about the wealth of legal resources on offer and how best to navigate through them. I hope to take the MA in Library and Information Studies at UCL next year. On graduation I would like to further my experience in a Legal Library.
London School of Economics
Hannah Dare (2009-2010)
Hi, my name is Hannah Dare and I am the graduate trainee at the London School of Economics and Political Science Library (BLPES for short as it is quite a mouthful!). BLPES is one of the premier libraries devoted to economics and social sciences in the world and home to over 4 million printed items.
I have greatly enjoyed my time at LSE and I have got an interesting insight into librarianship. My role is very varied. I am based in the Special Acquisitions Department which deals with sourcing Grey Literature. However I deal with the processing of Law Standing Orders, Book Standing Orders, Donations, Official Documents and I also manage the UN collection. I also spend one day a week in User Services, where I have worked my way through the Admissions, Circulations and Inter-Lending department. I have particularly enjoyed the work of the Inter-Lending department as the processes are quite complex and varied.
In addition, I have scheduled shifts on the service counter, reception and Help Desk, when I answer students’ and members of the public’s queries regarding research. I greatly enjoy this aspect of the position, as I like training the users and allowing them to discover new resources.
During the graduate trainee year, I have found the visits to other libraries and training events provided by ULRLS invaluable as well as the support of my fellow trainees. I have also enjoyed the opportunity of visiting different departments within LSE Library and talking to members of staff about their roles.
I am pleased to have spent the year in an academic library, as I enjoy helping users with their research. I have met some wonderful people this year and also improved my skills, which will help me for my future career.
Ruth Murphy (2008-2009)
Hi, my name is Ruth and I am the trainee at the London School of Economics Library, also known as the British Library of Political and Economic Science. It is the largest social science library in the world and a great place to work!
My roles within the library are many and varied. I am based primarily within the Special Acquisitions Unit of Bibliogrpahic Services, which in turn is part of the Technical Services Department. My duties here include researching, sourcing and acquiring rare, out of print and ‘grey’ literature for our collection. (For those of you unfamiliar with 'grey lit' as I was before I started, these are one of publications by charities, unions, corporations and similar organisations.)
I also accession incoming books and do some basic cataloging amendments. In addition, I have responsibility for maintaining our law standing orders, government publications and UN deposits. I also have a combination of service counter, admissions and information/help desk duties throughout the week. I enjoy most being on the information desk and having direct contact with the students and staff, learning about their research, helping them with queries and promoting our resources.
I spend one day a week in User Services, last term I was working with the Inter-Library loans team and this term I am working with Circulation. I have also spent an afternoon a week moving about all the other teams, so far I have spent time with serials, print collections, teaching support services, and within the Information Services department with collection management, user information and eprints.
I'm planning to do the UCL MA in Library and Information Studies next year. I have also partaken in several internal and external training courses and library visits. I have really enjoyed meeting all the other trainees and I think the network is a great idea.