More Than Just Shelvers: Student Workers In The Library

1. More Than Just Shelvers: Student Workers In The Library Nadia Mahernia, Learning Spaces Co-ordinator Susan Murray, Head of Library Service

2. Content • University Ethos • Library Roles • Special Collections • Student Ambassadors • Peer Academic Writing Mentors • Interns • Future Plans • Benefits/Issues • Things to think about

3. University ethos • Liverpool Hope has made a commitment to provide as much on campus employment for students • Hope Works through our Employability Hub co-ordinates recruitment • Students register their interest and are matched to roles • Covers a whole range of roles e.g., catering, student ambassadors, resident tutors, graduate advocates, etc

4. Library Roles • Traditionally employed students • as shelvers More recently more roles have been added: • Student Ambassadors • Internships (for recent graduates) • Special Collections Workers • Peer Academic Writing Mentors All are paid roles and some are year round roles

5. Special Collections Student Workers Working with the Special Collections Librarian undertake a range of tasks: • Processing new materials • Stock moves • Checking stock for duplicates • Cleaning books using our museum vac

6. Job role at The Sheppard-Worlock Library • Providing custodian support (monitor users and visitors entering the building) • Support student use of the library and learning spaces facilities and equipment (distribution of keys for lockers, issue laptops, pin numbers, photocopiers) • Referrals • Job role at the Creative Campus • To staff the student study space and cover the library lunch hour Library Student Ambassadors

8. History of the student ambassadors • Why do students apply for this role? • Fund their Education • Improve their CVs and Career Prospects • Improves skill set (budgeting/managing time) • Experience • Gain application and interview experience • Flexibility • Meet other students of our students in 2012 were either in employment or full-time study within six months of their graduation. 92%

9. Impact of student workers A study led by Gary R. Pike, an Associate Professor at Indiana University-Bloomington, explains in an article on insidehighered.com titled “The Impact of Student Employment”: • Managing Student Workers • Accessible • Flexible • Cover • Time consuming “students who work less than 20 hours a week on campus reported a net positive gain in grades, while those who worked off campus felt a significant negative effect” • Student Workers in the work place • Quick to adapt • Flexible workforce • Students assisting other students • Building relationships with library assistants "creating meaningful work experiences for students on campus is a key element in an overall strategy designed to foster student achievement and success“ Lederman, D. (2009) The Impact of Student Employment [online]. Insidehighered. Available from: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/06/08/work#sthash.YrUmgxCf.wcDZSFiw.dpbs. [Accessed 23 June 2014].

10. Peer Academic Writing Mentors Out of 82 students 72 students rating the service extremely helpful, 9 students rating it helpful and 1 student was undecided. • Introduced new service at the end of November • 7 masters/postgraduate students employed • Independent role • Workshops and one-to-ones • Weekly meetings (time to offload and share good practice) • Support from academics • Why do students apply for this role? • Knowledgeable in specific area or experienced • Enjoyment and satisfaction from the role • Develops skills • Meet new students • Improves CV • Paid role • Managing Mentors • In-depth training and constant development • Monitoring and support system in place • Professionalism • Not as flexible or quick to adapt “Mentor very approachable, extremely helpful and patient. I felt comfortable and him to be non-judgemental. I think the service is excellent, having one-to-one support. I have gained confidence and I feel less anxious about the essays ahead. Absolutely brilliant”

11. Interns • University initiative offering up to 60 three month paid internships each year (central fund) • Aimed at recent graduates • Run January – March • Central induction and training programme e.g., job applications, personality tests, etc. • Departments are invited to bid for internship • Panel chooses successful bids • Library has always had an intern allocated

13. Intern Library Roles • Because time limited tend to be project based • We use them to do the things we’d like to do but don’t always have time to do • Allow someone concentrated time to research and undertake the task • Always deliver something at the end of the internship

14. Successful Intern Bids 2012 • Review of referencing styles and bibliographic software • Report with information on styles used in subjects and student feedback • A review of bibliographic softwares available and the pros and cons of each • Partly as a result of this the Liverpool Hope Harvard style developed for 1 subject is now used in 2 Faculties

15. Successful Intern Bids 2013 • Create a set of more visual guides using Prezi • Surveys to find out what students need guides on & usability testing on format • Working with library staff to create Prezis and the web pages • Training for librarians on using Prezi

16. Successful Intern Bids 2014 Special Collections Intern • Nugent Care Archive • Extended by 3 months (library funded) • Dissertations cataloguing • De-duplicating a donation to be added to stock • Intern was successful in obtaining 12 month Special Collections internship at Liverpool and is planning to undertake masters in archive work

17. Future plans • Potential Intern Projects 2015 - Special Collections: Talbot Library - Education Kits Review • Ambassadors: • This year hired a larger number of part time posts • Introduced an new online booking system for the ambassadors to oversee • Introduced Headcounts • Questionnaires • Collecting more feedback (large questionnaire) • Usage of ipads and collecting data • Mentors • Expand the service • Create more online resources

18. Benefits • Free staff to do other tasks • Extend library opening hours & enable a second entrance to be used • Set of ‘guinea pigs’ e.g. usability feedback on our web pages • Source of more honest student feedback

19. Issues • Staff time to manage such a large number of student workers • Timetables, timesheets, recruitment • Availability • Examination periods, vacations etc. • Staff turn over

20. Things to think about … • Contracts • Disciplinary - Staff code or do they have their own? • Training needs and support • Monitoring - Writing mentors to be observed by Faculty Librarians • What tasks can they do while on a service point or if no appointments booked - Tasks assigned, can they do their own work?