I am humbled and delighted to be awarded the inaugural joint LAI-CILIP Ireland Library Staff Champion Award 2020.
Congratulations to my fellow nominees. I find myself in outstanding company. Any of the nominees would have made a fantastic Library Staff Champion.

 

 

Thank you, to my wonderful colleagues at Maynooth University Library. Much appreciation to Johanna Archbold, AIT (Athlone Institute of Technology) and all the members of the Library Ireland Week (LIW) 2020 Taskforce. Many thanks to the LAI and CILIP Ireland, the judging panel and everyone who nominated me.

 

Library Staff Champion 2020 Judging Panel
Credit: Johanna Archbold, LIW 2020 Taskforce

About me
I came to librarianship in my mid-forties and I have worked in academic libraries for almost 17 years. Following redundancy and a return to education, my library career started as a library assistant at Maynooth University (MU) Library in 2005.

In 2007, I decided to undertake the Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) in UCD and completed it in 2008. Unfortunately, 2008 with the economic downturn, was not the best time to look for jobs in libraries or elsewhere. Luckily, I got a few weeks project work at MU Library followed by a temporary part-time contract working on MU’s institutional repository. This was followed by several temporary part-time contracts at MU Library and RCSI Library.

In 2010 I got my first permanent part-time library post and in 2016 a fulltime and permanent role.

The many and various roles have involved cataloguing rare and antiquarian books, subject librarian, listing archives, eResource manager and currently as a systems librarian. The move to systems librarian was unexpected but very rewarding. It has included project managing the operational aspects of implementing a new library services platform during the COVID-19 pandemic.

While I have enjoyed all these roles, the experience of working at the library desk as part of reader services is fundamental to how I view my profession to this day. I ask myself: how does what I do affect patrons? Will it help them to navigate what the library has to offer successfully and find what they need when they need it?

What have I learned?
Library desk staff are at the ‘front line’ and to most patrons, are the library. If the opportunity to work at the library desk arises take the opportunity.

Engage with the profession and outside the profession. Professional and other groups provide opportunities to engage with other professionals, vendors, event keynotes and other speakers. Your workplace will provide you with a certain amount of experience. Joining one of the many groups, sections or committees available through professional organisations such the Library Association of Ireland (LAI) and CILIP Ireland is an excellent way to enhance your experience and develop new skills. It also offers the opportunity to engage with people working in other sectors of interest to libraries. If you are finding it difficult to find a role in a library or related areas there are opportunities for learning and development through membership of your professional association. Both the LAI and CILIP offer discounted membership rates for students of recognised library and information courses and unemployed members. They have a wide range of committees, groups and interest areas.

I was a member of the Academic & Special Libraries Section (A&SL) Committee of the LAI for ten years. I learned many practical and transferable skills while on the committee e.g., networking, project management, event management, chairing of meetings, minute taking, people skills, mentoring and advocating for the profession. While the development of experience and acquisition of skills is a key aspect of membership, the most important part of any of the groups, sections and committees are the people.

Representative roles offer great opportunities to gain experience e.g., CONUL Conference Committee and CONUL Groups. Consider applying when expressions of interest are requested.

Networking, collaboration and engagement with a diverse range of organisations and people provides wonderful opportunities for listening and learning. Consider how are information professionals using their skills, in what might be considered non-traditional settings?

In your workplace join internal groups and committees. Let colleagues know you are interested as it is not always obvious.

With the support of your workplace enter for awards such as the CONUL T&D Library Assistant Award. Alternatively submit to present at a conference. Many conferences have short sessions or the opportunity to submit a poster e.g. the CONUL Conference and the Library Association of Ireland and the Chartered Institute Library & Information Professional (CILIP) Ireland annual joint conference. Groups and sections of professional organisation often host annual conferences, seminars, workshops with the opportunity to speak or present a poster.

The LAI and CILIP offer members the opportunity to apply for professional awards. LAI awards include three professional awards available at the various career stages. CILIP offers three levels of Professional Registration including Chartership to all CILIP members. Awards are an opportunity to reflect on your skills, knowledge and professional engagement at early, middle and late career.

If personal and professional circumstances allow, try and take up some of these opportunities.

Currently CILIP Ireland are looking for members to join the Committee from across all sectors and at any stage in your career. Committee meetings are held online so if you are a CILIP Ireland member looking to progress your career, learn new skills and develop your professional expertise then volunteering on the CILIP Ireland Committee could be just the experience you need. For more information or an informal chat please contact the CILIP Ireland Relationship Manager Gerardine Blee (gerardine.blee@cilip.org.uk).

If networking, joining a group or committee, applying for awards or presenting is a challenge for you, consider engaging with colleagues in your workplace. Informal catch-ups and chats can help new colleagues settle. We can all learn from each other.

Follow people and organisations of interest on social media, particularly Twitter. @CILIPIreland @LAIonline @CONULIreland are some suggestions to get you started.

Consider nominating a colleague for the Library Staff Champion Award. It is a tremendous honour to be nominated.

Further details will be available on the Library Ireland Week website later in the year.

Finally, I have learned the world does not come to you. You have to go out to the world in whatever way works best for you.

Marie G. Cullen, MLIS, PGDHE, ALAI
Maynooth University Library
LAI CILIP Ireland Library Staff Champion 2020.
Twitter @cullenmarieg