Professional Development Details
Reflection
- Briefly outline the objectives of the activity.
This project was voluntary after a call out from the UQ Library’s Spaces and Facilities team. The spaces team required Library Services Officer to assist them in revamping the Biological Sciences Library and preparing the space for the upcoming semester and deferred exams.
- Explain the reason you have attended.
As this is my first library job, and UQ library contains 250 staff across many different directorates, my understanding of how different teams and areas work was why I volunteered for this project. Furthermore, the Spaces and Facilities team was joining our directorate after a transition, and I wanted to foster relationships within that team and understand their processes.
- Indicate the relationship of the activity to your work or studies.
By undergoing this project, I could liaise with the Printing Library Services Officer Russel Spooner and gain an understanding of his role, processes, and capabilities for future reference. This was formed due to working directly with him on this project through conversation. I also understood the Spaces and Facilities team with UQ’s Properties and Facilities Division (P & F) and how Spaces and Facilities regularly correspond with them to meet desired outcomes. Because of this project, I now understand P & F’s role within the uni, which I was not previously aware of and also how the Spaces team operates. Because they are always on the go, they are only sometimes available in Microsoft Teams for urgent assistance, and I now know that to reach them, Emailing and utilising Teams is best to practise.
- Explain what the activity helped you achieve in terms of learning outcomes.
This project assisted me in understanding the processes the Spaces team utilise and what their purview is, for example, taking care of library equipment, all printing facilities, rearranging library tables, chairs and equipment, and ensuring the library works in order. This is especially difficult for them, considering there are only five members in their team, and they service 11 libraries across Brisbane and Gatton.
- Comment on how you plan to use the learning gained.
After the conclusion of this project, I know to use my experience to streamline processes when engaging their team. As mentioned previously, when engaging the spaces team for assistance, I leave a thread in Microsoft Teams per process and email them as they are always on the go. For urgent enquiries such as severe damage to a space or a student vomiting, I contact the manager Barnaby Casson on his mobile as best practice.
Evidence
Record-of-Participation-for-INF305-BSL