YVONNE LIBRARY STAFF MEMBER

This is an appropriate title for me as this is exactly what I do as a job. I have worked at UEL for 25 years come this September among the stacks of books in the library. It has always been a pleasure to work in the library and over the years I have seen many changes of Staff, Students, Buildings and Resources. But the one thing that stays the same is the books and journals. I take great pride in the variety of books on offer to the students and staff, the old and the new books on display for all to see and use. If a resource is not on the shelf there is an E version.

Even though I have seen and worked through many changes doing the same job, the same tasks day after day, 100% customer service is given every time. The variety of staff are very supportive and the key to UEL. The students have the freedom to explore the resources at their fingertips.

I get pleasure in seeing a student’s face light up when they find the resources they have been searching for. It is like giving them a gift they have been wanting and they get pleasure when I quickly show them how to find the books themselves for next time.

The resources themselves have been pulled from pillar to post (or stack to stack), over the years: new shelves in new buildings, new books added and old mended and cleaned to have a few more years of use. But here comes my favourite bit:

Fantasy Part: Sometimes when it is nice and quiet and the students are sitting in all the different areas using the books and I am putting the books back onto the shelves, I wonder about the journey of the book. If the book could tell you a tale other than the information on its pages, what a tale it could tell. The traveling from home to home, perched on a shelf, on a table, in a bag ready to be opened and read for its knowledge. The different surroundings of its user, the culture, the music, the food and family and friends. What a story it could tell.

Reality Part: The books on the shelves to many that use the UEL library are just there, but everyday someone must put back the books that have been borrowed or scattered around the areas, and tidy the shelves that become messy after use. That person is me!

So, after 25 years I still enjoy working among the stacks. I also have a great team member who between us keep the resources of the UEL Stratford library ready to use at any time. To walk among the stacks is a fulfilling job.