The Central team were glad to welcome Max back to work this week. Max will work reduced hours until he comfortable working fulltime again.
Joan Simposn

The shelving contractors have finished the bracing in the warehouse. So it is considered safe for staff to return.
Please be careful moving the shelving just in case items fall. Each aftershock could make the stock on the shelves unstable. Library IT have been asked to change the catalogue to enable items from the warehouse to be requested.
Joan Simpson

The books on Level 3 of the Central Library within the PR – PT collections can now be requested. If staff require access to the level 2 or 3 book area then you need to access the key from the key press in Lending.

Joan Simpson

The access to the four main lifts in the Central Library has been changed to staff only. If students get in the lift, and the doors close the lifts return to level 5 with them ,at which point they can’t go anywhere else. I am working on this. There are notices but students get in anyway. I will try additional notices in the lifts.

From a staff point of view you must have your Canterbury Card with you when you get in the lift. Otherwise the same thing will happen to you the lifts will move to 5 and stay there without opening the doors. It has also been noted that the emergency call button is not functioning in all of the lifts and a request for service has been placed.

The staff left from 5 – 1 is functioning without the need for a Canterbury Card.

Joan Simpson

The Central Team are holding a farewell function for Victoria and Helen as their last day working for UC LIbraries will be Thursday 11 November.

If you would like to join the team then please add your name to the document linked here.
Partners are welcome.

Venue
Thai Rendezvous Restaurant and Bar
250 Barrington Street
BYO as well

Farewell to Victoria and Helen

Please remember to resave the file.

Joan Simpson

Hi all
I have expanded some of my comments on what is happening at the Central Library for your information.

Expanded Central Library Update

Joan Simpson

It is good to have the front doors of the Central Library open again and people moving about. We currently have about 200 students studying. The new apple computers look very smart.

Library IT are still working from Level 2, however the Collections Team have moved to Level 5 and the Library Management team are back on Level 3.

The Central Library staff room is also available again.

The report from the shelving consultants was received today so, I am now in a position to recommend what work is completed next. About half of the shelving on Level 4 is to be removed which I think well take 4-5 weeks. All stock in this area will be boxed and taken off site until we have another area ready to shelve into.

Additional bracing needs to be done on all other floors. Level 6 appeared to have faired well, with minimal stock coming off the shelves. However even in this area there are stacks which will need to be demolished.

Please stress to students and staff that the delay in reopening is not as a result of the RFID project. The reality is that a large earthquake causes a lot of damage to shelving which on a first look is not obvious. Also there is no new shelving available to purchase, I have now been waiting for 3 weeks just for a quote for new shelving let alone actually getting an order in.

Level 4
This week most work is happening on level 4. Glaciers, Crown, builders who are dismantling shelving, casual staff who are picking up books ready for Crown staff to scan and pack.

Any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Joan Simpson

Level 2 and part of Level 3 will be available for study from 8 am on Monday. Students will not have access to any of the lifts. They will only be able to enter through the main doors up the steps in via the lift at the front.

The stairwells will be locked off. Please do not take students in any lifts with you. All staff access should be returned but if for some reason your access is not correct please email Philip.

The North stairs to level 4 and back of level 3 will be bolted off. Able to be unlocked from the inside.

The Central staff are on a roster to ensure there is someone available on the floor at all times. Please check the roster and ensure you are moving around the floor itneracting with students if needed.

By the end of Friday Level 2 and Level 3 will look ready to receive students back again.

Joan Simpson

We are pleased to announce that Jessica McVicar has been seconded to the role of Assistant Librarian – Interloans. She will start in this new role from Monday 11 October. There will be no further vacancies within the interloans team until the new structure is in place.
Joan Simpson and Heather Jenks

The area on level 3 of the Central Library between the lifts has been cleared of all collapsed shelving. The books have been packed into 1608 boxes which are now stacked around the closed off areas of level 3. It took 8 days to clear this area.

The area will be cleaned up and furniture will be moved in, ready for opening of the study zone on Monday 11 October.

Work on Level 4 will start tomorrow with shelving being dismantled and the scanning and packing of the books will start on Monday.

Crown staff will be scanning and packing the collections in the following ranges. Jk – JN and PG – Z. There will be 3 teams from Crown scanning so maybe the work will be completed within 3 weeks.

The shelving in these ranges will be dismantled and removed from the building by staff employed by image projects.

The recommendations from Cemac regarding which shelves should be removed and which need to be strengthened should be with University early next week. Once we have this report more definate plans can be made regarding the collection.

Any questions please get in touch.

Joan Simpson