Following on from the workshop with Ilona Kish on Advocacy in Libraries, a project group has been formed to create an Advocacy Plan for UC Libraries. One of the drivers for this, is that we know there will be a change of senior UC management next year with the appointment of a new Chancellor and Vice Chancellor. We want to make sure that they understand the value of the Libraries for UC, and we think we need an Advocacy Plan to make this happen.

We are following this model (which you might notice looks a bit like the problem solving circles).

If you would like to know more about this project have a nosy in the project folder at our Project Plan and resources K:\LIBR-Library\Projects\Advocacy Plan or talk to one of the project team. We will make sure there are opportunities for you to feed into the plan in future.

The Advocacy Planning Group

Jo, Jenny, Stuart, Linda, Brian M, Nick F, Lisa, Anton

Gary Busch from FM has provided the update below on work due to begin in the library warehouse next month. This is part of an ongoing programme of work to upgrade our heritage storage, and has been made possible by Joan and Helen’s work on the Henry Field Store. Once the remediation is completed, we will be installing a new mobile storage system for architectural drawings and oversized items.

“We will be starting stage 2 of the Library Warehouse roof insulation work on Monday 16^th April. The first week will involve setting up dust protection, scaffolding and the installation of the perimeter timber work. Chubb will also disconnect the first three bays of the sprinkler system. We will complete the work in two stages and I expect the work to take around the same time as stage 1 (8 weeks total). There will still be access to the southern section of the Warehouse but staff entering from the existing main entrance will need to notify the builders when in that area.”

Fumigation has been scheduled by Campus Services on Easter Friday  30^th March in the following areas:

• EPS Library
• Central Library
• MB library
• Henry Field Library store
• Library warehouse

No one should enter any of these spaces for 48 hours after fumigation occurs. Kavit Sharma is the contact person for this.

We’ve had a fantastic response to our survey so far – thank you to everyone who has taken the time to fill it out.

I’m closing it off tomorrow so this is the last chance to have your say https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R6FWL6M

Lydia will be reducing her hours to 0.8 as a voluntary measure which helps the Library to meet the 2018 budget challenge. This reduction in hours will start from the week beginning 2 April, which is the week following Easter. Lydia will work from Monday to Thursday during 2018.

I appreciate Lydia’s professionalism throughout an unsettling past few months, in which we’ve seen changes imposed on the Exhibitions and Art Acquisitions. We have had a strong exhibitions programme over the past few years which has allowed the MB team and our student interns to develop useful skills for the future. The Art collection has continued to develop as a nationally renowned collection and I have hopes that we can re-establish an art purchasing budget once UC is in a stronger financial position.

We are currently working on our next edition of Kaweroko, the Macmillan Brown Library newsletter for library staff. While we enjoy putting this newsletter together, we are also mindful that we need to make the best use of our time.

Kaweroko is intended to share what we do, so that you can feel confident in referring customer to us.

We would really appreciate your response to our survey on Kaweroko, whether you currently read it or not. The survey will be open until Friday 23 March.

Access the survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/R6FWL6M

With the change of season, and the rise of nasty cold and flu bugs, I wanted to just remind everyone to please stay at home if you are sick.

Yeah I know, I know, you  have that important meeting/tutorial/event/long list of things to do…but…I’m pretty sure the world won’t end if you stay home for the day.

Apart from needing to look after yourself, also think about your workmates and our students. Keep in mind your colleagues and and their families who may have underlying health issues that could be seriously impacted by catching your bugs. If you are worried about a lack of sick leave talk to your manager – there are things that we can do to manage this. Also maybe have a back up plan in mind for important events.

Let’s all try and help each other to  stay safe and well this winter 🙂

As part of the 2018 budget challenge, some changes will be taking place in the MB and LT&R teams from 12 March 2018. The role of Special Collections Librarian will be reduced to 0.5. and Damian has accepted a 0.5FTE role in LT&R as a subject librarian so will continue to work full time for UC Library.

While it is disappointing for the MB team to lose half of Damian’s role, the work he has done on collection research and collection management has made the Special Collections more accessible for teaching and research. Having involved the library assistants in a lot of the collection management and research has meant that we have a wider base of knowledge of the Special Collections in our team. We appreciate the professionalism that Damian has shown throughout this process, as this was not a voluntary change.

So what will Damian be doing in his new role in LT&R? Stuart and his staff are very pleased to be able to welcome Damian into the Research team.  While Jo will remain Damian’s primary manager he will report to Stuart for his other role, and will be based at EPS Library.

Damian will work in two subject areas:

1. He will work approx. 0.35 FTE with Nick on his science subjects (Biological Sciences, Geological Sciences, Geography and Antarctic Studies). Nick and Damian will work out how they will divide their workload, but will probably work as a team across those departments.
2. He will work approx. 0.15 FTE with the UC research centres that aren’t currently covered by other SLs or Macmillan Brown specialists. This work will initially involve understanding how we can help those research centres.

In turn, Nick will be freed up by 0.3 FTE to work on Research Data Coordinator tasks with Anton. This would serve three purposes:

1. Nick will be able to learn the Research Data Coordinator BAU tasks as a much needed back up for Anton
2. Nick will gain professional development in a rapidly growing area of librarianship
3. Anton will have an opportunity to grow the strategic and communications aspects of his role.

Damian’s hours of work in each team will be:
Monday: Macmillan Brown team
Tuesday to Wednesday: Research Team
Thursday: Research Team morning, Macmillan Brown afternoon.
Friday Macmillan Brown Team.

Jo Condon and Stuart Broughton

Thanks to everyone who has offered fans for MB, they’re really helping!

🙂

We are finding that due to our lack of aircon at MB, our upstairs area has been getting very hot lately. In preparation for the high temperatures forecast tomorrow and Wednesday we would be grateful for the use of any fans, large or small to help us and the customers stay cool and safe.

Please email me if you have any spare and I will come and pick them up.

Thanks, Jo