I genuinely loved preparing assignments for my course

I'm currently working part-time for Bath University library, in the digitisation department, for which I scan books for teaching and inter-library loans.

Mostly, however, I cover the front desk of the Copy and Print Team, where I help students with their printing. This can be very busy, especially during the exam period. I also supporting the acquisitions team by ordering books for reading lists. My role is varied, which helped me greatly with completing the MA Libraries and Information Services Management (LISM) course, as I was able to put into context what I have learned.

The joy of learning

It's rare that students will say that they enjoy their assignments, but I genuinely loved preparing the assessments for the LISM course. The lecturers provided detailed guidance while at the same time, I had the freedom to explore what I was interested in. This made each assignment fun and I learned so much! I prepared a sketch plan for a public library, created a playful portfolio to explore information organisation, and used fungi as a metaphor to understand Information and Knowledge Management theories.

Flexibility and tailored support

I loved that the lectures were recorded and I was able to access them at any time. It was also good that they did not take place at the same time or day each term, which made it possible to take part in all of them for at least some modules. Google Spaces was a great tool to keep in touch with others and to discuss what we learned - it made me feel part of a community, despite the distance.

Unfortunately, I had quite a few negative and shocking experiences outside my studies. The team at the iSchool and the wellbeing team of the university were so supportive and helpful, that I was able to continue my studies without any delays. The university offered counselling sessions which gave me the chance to talk about these stressful experiences, which made a real difference to my mental health. The process of booking the sessions was very easy.

Advice for future Librarians

My advice is to compare all available courses and decide on the one which you think will make you learn the most. I had my heart set on Sheffield early on because I loved the choice of modules, especially Information Literacy, Public and School Libraries, and Academic and Workplace Libraries, but was unsure if I should choose a cheaper option. I am very glad I chose Sheffield. I have made so many connections to other professionals, through, for example, getting in touch with guest lecturers, and winning the bursary for the LILAC conference.

In the future, I'm hoping to find work with more responsibilities so that I can reach my full potential in an academic or specialist library. I am also considering studying for PhD in part-time in the field of Information Behaviour as I'm really enjoying researching for my dissertation at the moment!