Collections

The best way to learn about a libraries collections is to shelve and explore at regular intervals. At least, that's what I've found. Our library uses the Barnard classification system, which I will admit I had never heard of before working at RCS. I had experience using the Dewey Decimal system in my university library and had read up about several different systems including Library of Congress classification before starting my traineeship, but as I had no real background of what working in a medical library would be like, it took me a few days going through the collections and their call numbers and getting to know where everything is organised. I'm really looking forward to the collections aspect of my traineeship, as there is so much scope to learn. My initial collections project, which is now an ongoing weekly task is journal check-in. Every Wednesday I check in and circulate the new journals, count and measure and archive the older titles. This task gives me a opportunity to keep an eye on the collections and to ensure clearly labelled boxes and general housekeeping standards. This task has given me a chance to use the library management system Symphony whilst overseeing a large part of the modern collection.

As well as getting to know the modern collection, I was looking forward to learning more about the library's rare book and specialist aspects to the collection. After completing a stock-check of the tracts on the Hunterian museums founder John Hunter and updating the call numbers of several of the call numbers on the catalogue, I began my next project in to creating a resource guide for the Surgical Instrument collection in the rare book room. This has been my first experience with rare books and I have to admit, the thought of handling some of the books made me feel quite nervous, especially when I realised the intricacies of their design and noted their dates! I'm really enjoying this particular task because it gives me insight in to the work of collections librarians where preservation and collection management is central. I'm hoping I will have the opportunity to explore these aspects further during the course of my MA, as the history and tradition of librarianship interests me as much as the forward-thinking aspects of service provision and technology.

Over the coming weeks I will be discussing ideas for future collections projects with my managers and have been using the CILIP Professional Knowledge and Skills base as a guide to areas I would like to develop in and as a guide to further reading. I've been trying to get an overview of cataloguing and classification, as at present these tasks do not feature in my role. I've been researching AACR2, RDA, MARC21 and FRBR, so I have a basic overview before undertaking my MA, but with so much to learn and so much variety between institutions, I have the feeling that cataloguing will be a skill that I will develop during my time working alongside library school.