Supervising and Managing Taster [TG1/Taster]
Curious about what it really means to supervise or manage others in a library setting? Join us for a practical session exploring the key skills, responsibilities, and development opportunities involved in both supervision and management. Our speakers will also share insights into supporting teams who work beyond core hours such as evenings and weekends and how to navigate the unique challenges this can bring. This will suit those new to the library profession and anyone preparing to take on supervisory or managerial duties.
Programme:
Speaker biographies:
Halcyon Frost, Assistant Academic Support Librarian, University of the Arts London: I began my library career as a lot of us do – as a student shelver (during my time studying at Central Saint Martin’s in the late 00s). Following my studies I continued working in academic libraries part time as I juggled a new freelance career – and when I was able to go fully freelance, libraries took a back burner, and I spent many years working as a scenic artist (specialising in painting techniques) in the theatre and set world. After having my kid in 2019 and facing an uncertain covid world (and a changed theatre industry), I decided to apply for a part time library assistant job at London College of Fashion – and I’ve not looked back! Further experience as an LA at Chelsea College of Arts library followed, before starting my current assistant librarian role at the new UAL School of Pre-degree Studies library. Here I have had my first taste of supervising – overseeing a small term-time only shelving contract.
Lauren Spiller spent over 12 years working in commercial law firm and business libraries before joining the library team at the University of Roehampton during Covid. For the past two years, she has been the User Experience Coordinator for the Extended Hours team, managing the evening and weekend customer service in Royal Holloway Library.
Nuala McLaren is Deputy Director of Library Services at Goldsmiths, University of London. Having worked across public and academic libraries from Library Assistant to senior leadership roles, she brings extensive experience of library services, staff development and career progression.
Her interests include customer service, user experience (UX), community engagement, equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), learning space design, digital and academic literacies, using data to improve services and outcomes and creating inclusive library services.
Nuala is Chair of Customer Services Group UK (CSGUK), a member of Liberate Our Library and a Trustee of Camberwell Arts. She is passionate about developing people and teams, supporting career growth and helping library staff build creativity and confidence in leadership roles.
Sarah Hawton is Head of Library Experience at Goldsmiths, University of London. She began her career as a Library Assistant in Content and Metadata before progressing into supervisory roles within Reader Services and Library Experience. Her previous positions include Shelving and Night Team Supervisor and Assistant Librarian.
In her current role, Sarah leads a team of Supervisors and Library Assistants to deliver high-quality frontline services, working collaboratively with stakeholders across the university. Her professional interests include customer service excellence, staff development, and staff wellbeing.
Siu-Ying Yip has had over 21 years of experience working in academic libraries, with over 12 of those years as an Acquisitions and Metadata Librarian at University of the Arts London (UAL). She moved into her current role after being first, a peripatetic cataloguer, working across the six UAL libraries at the time, then as an Assistant Librarian in the Centralised Bibliographic Services, when UAL decided to standardise their acquisitions and cataloguing procedures to one location, overseen by one team. Siu eventually became the manager of this centralised service in 2014, now named Acquisitions, Subscriptions and Metadata (ASM), currently consisting of three Assistant Librarians and three Library Assistants, who also works alongside one other manager, in charge of subscriptions. Siu manages ASM operationally and strategically, and provides direct support to the whole team, with the three Assistant librarians aiding as supervisors. A lot of her time is spent on troubleshooting and ensuring technical issues are not stopping the team from working effectively. She also spends a lot of time working with suppliers, providing reports to senior library managers, and giving ordering and cataloguing support to front-facing librarians based at the colleges, now spread across eight UAL libraries.
Information for joining:
- This session is virtual and will run via Zoom. Once your booking has been confirmed, joining instructions will be emailed the day before the event.
- Electronic CPD attendance certificates can be provided on request. Please request via cpd25@london.ac.uk
Cost
£25 members
£50 for other institutions.
Cancellations less than one week before the event will be charged a 50% cancellation fee. In the event of a ‘no-show’ on the day, the full fee will be charged.
To book a place, please use our online booking forms.