Kia ora koutou,

Here is a long and newsy sort of bulletin containing some goings on in ELS.

With our big recruitment phase coming to an end, we next need to turn our attention to the permanent selection of the Team Leader role that was Tomo and is being ably held under a fixed term by Isabella due to end on 3 March. Given the very tight timelines to complete a selection process before the end of the fixed term, and the other work we have on at the moment, I decided to seek a three-month extension to the fixed term for Isabella until 9 June 2024. As a consequence of this, we have also extended Roman’s fixed term (he is covering Isabella’s substantive role) through to the same date.

My thanks to both Isabella and Roman for agreeing to this extension.

Ishbel was on a fixed term filling Roman’s substantive role. With Ishbel being successful in gaining our continuing 37.5-hour role (which was Hugh’s), we will have a fixed-term vacancy of 30 hours per week available until 9 June 2024. This will be recruited via an internal Expression of Interest. A Counter-Culture and email to staff will be the next thing I write.

Monday is the beginning of the new academic year. That means we are back to our longer (normal) hours of opening in our PJH and EPS libraries (MB Library keeps standard hours throughout the year). I will circulate the opening hours on the Teams All Staff General channel.

This leads to a timely reminder about the reserved carpark spaces near PJH – the ones we have near Angus Tate. They are marked reserved for library staff only at all times. Their purpose is to allow members of my team who are coming in to work late nights through to 9 or 11 to have a shot at getting a park that is near to their work and doesn’t require them to walk a long distance back to their car at the end of their shifts. Especially as the nights draw in, it is important that these parks are only used by members of the team that need them. Please refrain if you are not working a late shift on the roster.

Ngā Mihi, Simon