We have been informed of three new COVID cases over the long weekend.
1 in Access and Collections. Last on campus w/b 10 October.
Brian McElwaine in Learning Teaching and Research. Last on campus on Wednesday.
1 in Engagement and Learning Support. Last on campus on Friday.
We are balancing our response to a national increase in cases with the need to maintain services through the exam period (31 Oct – 12 Nov). I expect many staff to continue working from home unless they need to be on campus, e.g. to support a training session or in person meeting.
Please check with your manager if you have questions and read the university guidance.
We now have 4 COVID cases within the Library Access and Collections team. Details below
Glenna Wong – last day on campus Friday. Tested positive Saturday
Maria Veronese – last day on campus Friday. Tested positive today (Tue)
Chris Lyall – Tested positive and gone home today
Romy Forrer – Tested positive and gone home today
In light of this cluster, we recommend Library staff wear masks and remember hand hygiene (20 seconds!). If you are experiencing cold/hayfever or other symptoms, please test. Free tests can be ordered for collection from the UniPharmacy.
To reduce the risk of this spreading further, the majority of Library staff on Level 5 will work from home for the rest of this week. This will affect interloans and distance, i.e. there may be delays in postal services.
Please talk with your manager if you have any concerns. Take care!
I mainly want to post pictures of my holidays but that doesn’t feel wholly professional…
So, in more appropriate fashion
University Librarian recruitment… This is underway. Interviews took place in the last week and an announcement will be following shortly (possibly next week?). Please accept my apologies that you could not be part of the recruitment process. Ian decided this in order to protect the candidates’ right to privacy in their application.
Te Pātaka… we have agreed to pause further development for 2022. This gives everyone involved time to work out how best to support students with the next stage of development. Aurelia and I have been talking with Facilities Management and we’re looking at the development of a “Precinct Plan”. This is in VERY EARLY stages, i.e. we’re just talking about it. The aim will be to review use of the whole of Puaka-James Hight (from Undercroft to Level 11) and map out what is needed for the next 5-10 years. The Library will have its own plan within this plan.
Editor’s Symposium… shout out to the organising team on this. I have heard a couple of lovely comments from academics. So, if the aim was awareness raising and increased understanding of publishing… a job well done!
And I’ll end with a holiday photo, because I couldn’t resist
I am pleased to be able to share that Tim Stedman will be Pou Tuarua | Associate University Librarian Research. This role is fixed term until 30 November 2022.
Tim’s starting date is Monday 8 August.
This appointment creates a vacancy in the role of Kaiwhakahaere Whiwhi Rauemi | Content Manager. We are currently preparing for this role to be backfilled.
