Librarian’s Report

Librarian’s Report

BY SUZANNE TONKIN

This has been another busy year for us in the Library with enhancements of the Library’s space and book stock. The College’s Giving Week in October saw many donors supporting the expansion of the Library’s collections in preparation for our expanded cohort in 2020-2021 and 2021-2022. Our work each summer always involves checking reading lists and updating the book collections, but this year we bought many additional titles. We also upgraded the subject, study skills and careers collections and greatly expanded the availability of textbooks in preparation for the arrival of our new students.

A donation also underpinned the early support we were able to give to several of our undergraduate offer-holders through the establishment of an introductory collection of books which we then posted out to students over the summer. Feedback on this new service has been very positive with one student stating “As someone who wouldn’t have easily had the funds to buy these books, I would like to express how much I appreciate this!”

We are incredibly grateful for the work of the Development Office and the support of so many generous donors, who have made such a difference to the Library’s collections.

The summer also saw a refurbishment and upgrade of some of the Library’s study spaces, most notably in the basement rooms, where a new Careers and Enterprise Hub has been created to support collaborative work. A state of the art video-conferencing system, screensharing software, a visualiser and a large whiteboard are now available in a much lighter and brighter space. Other facilities include large write-on tables and as I write we are awaiting delivery of a “Zoom booth” – soundproofed space to allow students to conduct Zoom calls privately. We have also brought together the Library’s skills equipment to form a coherent practical skills collection, with support for disciplines that involve hands-on teaching. The collection holds such varied items as a cutting mat and light box for Architecture students, molecular model kits for Natural Sciences students, and even a kit to help our Medics and Vets practise their handwashing.

The academic skills programme – MAP: Maximise your Academic Potential – has gone from strength to strength with our largest programme yet of skills sessions to support our students at whatever stage in their studies they may be. All our sessions this year moved to Zoom or Teams, which not only had the advantage of allowing our students to attend wherever in the world they were based, but also removed the cap on numbers so there was space for everyone. We were particularly pleased to be able to include broader “lifeskills” sessions as part of the timetable this year and workshops on mindfulness, resilience and managing stress were particularly well received.

As ever, grateful thanks go to our sterling Library Team of Assistant Librarian Amanda Hawkes and Library Assistant Gill Saxon, whose hard work ensure the Library supports our students in their work and remains the friendly and welcoming space that it has always been.