ASPECTS 9: So you want to be a Subject Librarian? [TG1/ASPECTS9_SUBJECT]

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This workshop is part of the cpd25 Aspects programme, aimed at library staff looking to acquire additional skills and knowledge or staff working towards Chartership.

The position of Subject Librarian – or Liaison Librarian, or Information Specialist, or any number of other variations – remains a key one in most academic libraries and is one that many new professionals aspire towards.

However, it can be difficult for staff in Library Assistant or similar roles to make the move up into this area of library work as it is often a significant leap up the career ladder. It can be difficult to gain experience in this Subject Librarianship and few libraries have roles such as Assistant Liaison Librarians that allow a smoother transition.

In this online event, both recently appointed and more experienced Subject Librarians will discuss their routes into Subject Librarianship and what they have learned along the way. They will discuss the key aspects of the role and provide advice for those who want to take a similar path. A Subject Team manager will also discuss what skills are required for Subject Librarians and what opportunities you might wish to look at in order to successfully make the transition. Presentations from the speakers will be followed by a panel Q&A, where you will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Programme:

10am    Welcome –  Paul Terry, British Library & Zoe Thomas, Kingston University

10.05    Paula Funnell, Faculty Liaison Librarian, Queen Mary University of London: ‘Top tips for effective teaching’

10.30    Q&A

10.35    Lauren Dolman, Subject Liaison Librarian, Middlesex University: ‘Master of one? Moving from generalist roles to a subject specialism.’

11.00    Q&A

11.05    Break

11.15    Michelangelo Staffolani, Senior Subject Librarian, British Library: ‘Library and Information Apprenticeship at the British Library’

11.40    Q&A

11.45    Panel Q&A

Speakers:

Paula Funnell: I have been a Liaison Librarian at Queen Mary University of London since 2009, after spending a number of years working in and supervising frontline library services. I am the Faculty Liaison Librarian for Medicine and Dentistry, based at our Whitechapel campus library. I like the varied work of a liaison librarian and working with a wide variety of students, academic and support staff, and library colleagues. I particularly enjoy information literacy teaching, both to big groups, but also on a one-to-one basis. I have a PGCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education and am a Fellow of Advance HE. I am particularly interested in e-learning and using learning technologies within teaching and am a Certified Member of the Association of Learning Technologists. The challenge over the last few years of moving to online teaching and now mixed mode education has enabled me to further develop in this area and explore new tools and methods for effective learning in a variety of formats. In 2021 I was awarded an Education Excellence Award by the University for my work developing innovative pedagogical approaches, tools and technologies to enhance the student learning experience for the teaching of information literacy

Lauren Dolman is Subject Liaison Librarian for Criminology and Sociology at Middlesex University. After several years in a career trying to sell books, she decided she would prefer giving them away and was awarded an MA in Library and Information Studies from UCL in 2017. She has worked in a range of Higher Education libraries including in specialist Art and Law libraries.

Michelangelo Staffolani is Senior Subject Librarian at the British Library where he has worked in a variety of roles since joining the organisation in 2002. His academic background is in Economics, and before taking on his current role in 2015, he worked on a number of digitisation projects (2002 – 2010) and as Subject Librarian, Social Sciences, specialising in Economics, Management & Business Studies (2010 – 2015). In his present role, he manages a team of seven Subject Librarians responsible for content development and management across all disciplines (Arts &Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, IP, Science, Technology and Medicine), service delivery (in person and online) and user engagement. At the start of this year, he recruited and now manages two apprentices who combine work with the Subject Librarians Team with study towards a Library Information and Services Assistant Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard with Westminster Adult Education Service.

Cost
£25.00 members
£50.00 non member institutions

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

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 form. Please remember to include your PO number as bookings cannot be confirmed without this.