National Libraries Day & Librarian Day in the Life 3

  Wednesday was our event for NLD12.

 When considering what to do we wanted to go outside the library & try to engage with non users. As our canteen area is currently being ripped apart & rebuilt we thought it 'd be a good idea to do something aimed at students when it was re-opened. So we decided to do an event in the staff room to try & meet staff who don't make it into the library. Naturally they needed a bit of encouragement so my boss & I baked cakes as a bribe incentive.

The display included posters from Phil Bradleys collection encouraging everyone to read rather than cook, and another adapted to say "your library needs your reading lists"! A list of things that your professional libarian can do for you; examples of our e-books & e-journal databases; and a variety of statistics & facts for last academic year...

* most borrowed book - Campbell / Biology

* most requested book & most used e-book -   Fowler /  Restraint & handling of wild &

   domestic animals

* received 257 reservations

* issued (& returned) 33,777 books & DVDs  (nearly 1,000 per week)

* delivered information skills sessions to 300 FE   & 190 HE students 

* over 3 weeks in Septemeber inducated over 1,500  students

I had some interesting conversations with staff I'd never met before; chatted with some library regulars; was promised a variety of reading lists & stock suggestions; and introduced many staff to the delights the library had to offer.

And to get cake? They had to look at the display & promise to visit their public library this weekend for NLD12.

All in all a very good exercise that we shall repeat next term.

So after lunch back to the library, where we had a student focused display for NLD12 too.

While the other staff munched through the remaining goodies (not many!) I unpacked a delivery containing a new in tray - my previous having snapped in half under the strain! Then a spot of cataloguing again. Todays titles included books on sea horses; extreme skiing; guinea pigs; calf rearing; animal behaviour; white water rafting safety & rescue. A sample that pretty acurately reflects our subject coverage.

Then to finish off my Library (3) day(s) in a life a discussion with colleagues over who was staffing which days over half term (so we all get a bit of time off) and producing the posters, sending e-mail notifications, & amending the library page on the VLE.