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Library Staff Development home
Library Staff Development Adviser
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Library Staff Development Adviser
Background
Contact details
Each year the General Board Committee on Libraries (GBCL) http://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/libraries/local/GBCL0910.html conducts visits to faculty and department libraries prior to a scheduled full review, in order to ascertain any particular resource or organisational problems that might be addressed. A persistent comment has been a perceived need for more broadly based, library-oriented "continuing professional development" and for more "specific library training".
In 2003 the GBCL issued a 'Development needs of library staff' questionnaire to all faculty and departmental library staff to determine for the first time exactly how far their needs are currently being met. (See 'A framework for staff development' by Ian Hewes, Staff Development Officer, Personnel Division, hosted on the CamTools site, in the 'Useful Information and Links' section of the 'Librarian in Training' page. The replies reflected how diverse and complex library operations throughout the University are, with a mixture of general and specialist posts, resulting in a wide variety of training needs. The replies also reflected recent improvements in the University's wider career development and training provision, but wide disparities in how the information about training opportunities is communicated, the subsequent feedback arrangements, and of support for attendance at courses already offered, particularly externally to the University.
No single body could appropriately be charged with taking remedial action on the results of the survey. The GBCL, with advice from Staff Development, concluded that the appointment of a temporary 'Library Staff Development Adviser' could draw together various areas of expertise, and take some immediate practical steps to improve the profile and content of library career development and training, and also ensure that existing opportunities are exploited to the best advantage.
In February 2004, Clair Castle (Librarian of the Zoology Department) was seconded to the GBCL as the temporary 'Library Staff Development Adviser', under the Accelerated Experience Scheme. She undertook this work for three months, full time, and beginning from Monday 17th May until Friday 13th August 2004. She represented the development needs of library staff of all grades in faculties and departments, and also in colleges, and while investigating these, she saw how they were similar to those of the staff of the UL and its dependent libraries.
The aims of the three-month project were to:
* Devise and implement centralised points of reference for all grades and types of library staff
* Identify any specialist courses that might usefully be added to the University's training programme
* Determine any ongoing personnel and financial resources required
Ms Clair M. Castle MCLIP,
Library Staff Development Adviser (Temporary)
University of Cambridge
c/o Department of Zoology, Downing Street, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ
e
mail: cmc32@cam.ac.uk,
Telephone: 36648.
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