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A Day in the Life of a Graduate Trainee Digital Archivist 

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8:50 

I cycle into work and arrive to the Weston Library just before 9am. I collect my keys from the staff key cabinet, which luckily (and unusually) recognises my fingerprint after only one attempt. I head up to the staff common room to refill my water bottle and unlock my shared office as I’m the first in.  

9:05 

Today is a Tuesday, which means it’s a web archiving-focused day. I check the web archiving email alias to make sure we don’t have any new website nominations. We don’t, so I fire up our Bodleian Libraries Web Archive quality assurance tracker and log into Archive-it, our web archiving platform. As it’s nearing the end of the month, we are nearly done with the quality assurance process. I finish checking the quarterly crawls of sites in our University of Oxford collection, and luckily the automated ‘web crawler’ that navigates through sites and captures snapshots of pages did so pretty successfully! I ‘patch’ in a few API URLs on a site’s staff page that the crawler missed and then move on to checking our crawl of the university’s independent student newspaper. I notice that the website has recently updated its layout, but luckily this doesn’t seem to have affected the crawl quality. While I’m waiting for more pages to load in the archived version of the website, I read a profile of the new university chancellor.  

10:30 

I take my daily coffee break with some of my colleagues. Most days we spend it on one of the couches in the staff common room, but today we decide to treat ourselves at the reader café. One of my colleagues had a meeting yesterday with the daughter of the woman whose archive she is cataloguing, so I ask her how it went. She tells me the meeting went well, and it was especially helpful to have her look at some photographs and identify the people in them. Then we get distracted and discuss our favourite Hollywood classic films. 

11:05 

I head back to my office and log back into Archive-it. The Archive-it web crawler failed on a few different websites at the beginning of the month, and the recrawls I set are the last piece of QA work to finish. I double check the ‘seed scoping rules’ I tweaked to try to direct the crawler to the correct URLs, and then get to work checking that the website captures aren’t missing any pages or content that is meant to be there. The seed scoping rules worked!  

13:00 

Time for my lunch break. Today it is a bit grey, so instead of taking my lunch outside, I head down to the Weston’s Visiting Scholars Centre, which allows food but is usually a bit quieter than the staff common room. I eat while working on a module for my Aberystwyth University Archives and Records Management diploma. I read about the ‘More Product, Less Process’ theory of archival processing.  

14:00  

Even though Tuesdays are normally devoted to web archiving, I have a chance to continue working on one of the Africa & Commonwealth collection print catalogues that I am converting to a digital format, since my fellow trainee and I have finished our web archiving work. I am looking forward to attending a training about EDI in libraries tomorrow afternoon as part of the Oxford Libraries Graduate Trainee Programme, but this means that I’ll miss a half day of A&C ‘retrocon’ work, so I am grateful for the extra afternoon. I’m currently converting a collection of microfilm of records from the National Library of Zimbabwe, which is a bit unusual. These microfilm reels are on the open shelves, and the digital catalogue will need to reflect this. This means I get to flex my technical muscles and write the catalogue directly in EAD/XML, a standardized markup language for archival description, as that is the easiest way to add access restriction metadata. In the printed catalogue, I notice a handwritten note that suggests some of the printed reel numbers don’t match up to the reel numbers listed on the microfilm. I email the senior archivist responsible for the collection to ask for clarification and start working on a different catalogue conversion instead.  

15:05 

I pick a catalogue of the archive of a Colonial Office administrator who worked in Egypt, modern-day Lesotho, and South Africa in the 1870s–1890s. This catalogue is much more straight-forward, which means I can quickly go through my typical process of cleaning and reformatting text data using OpenRefine and arranging it in an Excel import template from ArchivesSpace, our archives information management platform. Eventually, I run into a challenge: there is a discrepancy in the number of diaries the catalogue lists and the number of years that correspond to them. The diaries are boxed individually—I’ll have to figure this out so readers can order the correct material!  

16:15 

I am grateful for the chance to stretch my legs and head downstairs to the stacks to check on the diaries, but I have to hustle so I don’t get locked in at the end of the day! Despite the time crunch, I spend a bit of time looking at the advertisements for different Victorian medicines printed in some of the diaries. I am intrigued by “Eno’s ‘Fruit Salt’”, which “PREVENTS any OVER-ACID state of the BLOOD”.  

16:40 

I make it out of the stacks on time and head back upstairs to my office. I quickly transfer my paper notes about which diaries of which years are in which boxes into my spreadsheet, but I’ll have to finish the rest of the catalogue conversion tomorrow. I shut down my computer, grab my backpack and bike helmet, and head out the door at 5pm.  

By Lilly Wilcox 

Learn more about the Bodleian Libraries digital archivist graduate training scheme. 

The Library of Congress visits the Weston 

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On March 18, 2025, the Bodleian Libraries invited representatives from the United States Library of Congress to the Weston Library in celebration of 10 years of the Weston Library and the 175th anniversary of the Public Libraries Act. As an American working at the Weston, I was excited for the opportunity to hear some familiar accents and learn more about how the national library of the U.S. was both coping with and responding to great political upheaval.  

The impact of the aforementioned upheaval was immediately apparent on the day: Dr. Carla Hayden, the Librarian of Congress, was due to speak to Bodleian and Oxfordshire County Council Library staff in the morning, but had to remain in D.C. due to the shifting political situation. Roswell Encina, the Chief Communications Officer of the Library, spoke in her place. Encina discussed the “balancing act” required to ensure the Library fulfils its obligations as both the library and research service for Congress and as a library for the American people. He highlighted the ‘Library for You’ campaign that has sought to make the Library more inviting and accessible for the public through both in-person events and exhibitions and digital and crowdsourced projects.  

The audience was particularly interested in hearing about how the Library is handling the targeting of libraries in “culture wars,” such as calls for libraries to ban books telling LGBTQ+ and Black American stories―a phenomenon that is also growing in the U.K. Encina spoke about the need to let “books battle it out on the shelves,” rather than restricting what books people have access to. He also highlighted the role of libraries in the fight against “innovative” misinformation by making resources accessible and teaching information literacy, as well as by upholding citation standards and “fixing” information by providing access to persistent identifiers, such as DOIs.  

Additionally, Encina spoke about the relationships the Library is trying to build with other libraries and archives globally, including a collaborative exhibition with the Royal Archives in celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the U.S. Also a part of this conversation, he mentioned an effort by the Library of Congress to digitize all public domain Haitian legal publications (see p.969) following the devastating earthquake in 2010 that wiped out the country’s parliamentary library. This struck me amidst the news breaking about cuts to USAID. As a nonpartisan entity, I wonder, would the Library of Congress have the political capital (or resources) to do something like this again in a time of growing American isolationism? Encina seemed hopeful.  

In the evening, Dr. Hayden virtually joined a panel alongside Encina, Bodley’s Librarian Richard Ovenden, and other library leaders from the U.K.―Amina Shah, the National Librarian of Scotland, and Neil MacInnes, the Head of Libraries for Manchester City Council. In her keynote, Hayden spoke about libraries having a “central role in protecting civil liberties” by providing access to resources and information, as well as the ways that libraries have extended their service provisions to meet broadening user needs. 

The panelists’ conversation highlighted the advocacy skills needed to challenge outdated notions of what a library is and does, especially to political leaders and funders. This came on the back of a March 14 executive order from the Trump administration that mandated the elimination of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, an independent federal agency that is a major source of grant funding for libraries in the U.S. (All IMLS staff have now been placed on administrative leave.) An audience member challenged the panelists with the question of what they would say to Prime Minister Keir Starmer or President Donald Trump, were they present at the discussion. Dr. Hayden succinctly responded, “Be open-minded about the impact of libraries.” 

The conversations about preserving access to information caused me to reflect on my own work. Part of what I do as a graduate trainee digital archivist is manage the Bodleian Libraries Web Archive. Just a few weeks after the Trump administration took power on January 20, 2025, changes to U.S. government websites to remove so-called “woke” language and deletions of entire pages hit the headlines. This is continuing to happen as the Trump administration recently altered the government’s COVID website, which originally provided public health information but now promotes the argument that the virus spread due to a “lab leak” (this theory is unproven). No U.S. government sites are in scope for the BLWA (though many are for the Internet Archive), but this was an important reminder of the challenge of digital decay of the internet, and how it is sometimes deliberate and harmful. The BLWA preserves at least one corner of the internet, and I hope it proves useful to future researchers when so much else of the web is likely to be lost. As a trainee (and future) archivist, I hope I can play a small role in making information accessible when it is clearly under attack. 

By Lilly Wilcox 

Trainee Introductions – Arts and Humanities

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Welcome to part three of our trainee introductions; this week it’s all about the humanities! Below, you’ll hear from five trainees, each one stationed at a library within the Humanities division at Oxford University: the Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library; the Bodleian Old Library; the English Faculty Library; the History Faculty Library; and the Taylor Institution Library. So, without further ado, make yourself a hot drink and enjoy a gentle read about our respective libraries.

 

Emma Brand – Art, Archaeology, and Ancient World Library

Emma outside the Art, Archaeology and Ancient World Library

Hello! I am Emma, the trainee at the Art, Archaeology, and Ancient World Library (Art Library for short). Being under Section 3 also means that I get to do a few shifts a week at the Taylor Institution Library (and possibly the Nizami Ganjavi Library later this year). Each library has their quirks and I have been having a load of fun getting lost. In Art, that often means going round and round and round the rotunda until you think you are where you started… but maybe not. The Taylor is a magical place where rooms seem to appear. The best discovery so far has been the ‘secret door’ that leads from the ground floor women’s bathroom into the basement. I have also just moved over from Australia to start this traineeship, so, I am also on a crash course of learning English slang, tasting a variety of new sweets, and learning the art of layers – especially when it’s wet outside!

I have a BA from the University of Western Australia (UWA) in Art History and Media Communications. I had planned on starting a master’s in Conservation Practice at Cardiff University in 2020, however, due to the pandemic, I have been trying several different things these past few years. I have worked in marketing, at a local history museum and at a digitisation centre, and also completed an honour’s year in the History of Art. Feeling a bit lost at the end of last year, I found I was still wanting to go to the UK despite the master’s no longer being viable. So, at the start of this year, I began looking for roles that would combine my strengths and aspects of my various jobs that I enjoyed, whilst also developing new skills. For example, I knew that I enjoyed a mix of front facing and backend roles, database work, and also a healthy dose of digital communication. I had honestly not thought of working in a library but when I saw the traineeship, it ticked everything I was looking for! So far, it’s been a wonderful start and I am looking forward to the many months ahead.

 

Elena Brearley – Bodleian Old Library (Bodleian Reader Services)

Hello there, my name is Elena, also known as Len. I am the current Reader Services Trainee at the Bodleian Old Library.

Sunshine in the staff area of the Old Bodleian Upper Reading Room

I’ve pursued a variety of interests and had an assortment of jobs that have led me on the path towards being here in Oxford on the Graduate Traineeship. I started off studying Drama at The University of Manchester, during which time I became interested in the use of theatre and arts in community contexts. After graduating in 2020, my interest in community spaces drew me to apply for a job working as a Library Assistant with Stockport Public Libraries. I was in this role for three years, helping readers with all kinds of enquires, organising events and activities, and doing all those lovely jobs like shelving and straightening that ensure a library keeps running smoothly.  

Alongside my role in libraries, I worked as a freelance artist and creative facilitator, delivering arts and drama sessions in settings such as schools, theatres, libraries, prisons, and probation centres. My favourite of these experiences was spending one month living in Barrow-in-Furness working as an Artist-in-Residence where I ran writing, zine-making, and drama workshops with different community groups. Just before moving to Oxford I was working as a gardener, a bartender, and a wedding registrar.

 

I am new to working in academic libraries and am really enjoying being back in a university environment. Although my traineeship is based at the ‘Old Bod’, myself and Zac get to work across both the beautiful buildings that are the Bodleian Old Library and the Radcliffe Camera. A unique part of my traineeship is having the opportunity to work on the Main Enquiry Desk. Here, we deal with questions from across the world about The Bodleian’s collections and provide support for readers accessing library services and resources. For me, the best part of the job is the people I come across in all aspects of the work. I am looking forward to seeing how the rest of the year unfolds and what adventures are in store!

 

Harry Whattoff – English Faculty Library (EFL) 

Dear reader,

Thanks for tuning in! My name is Harry and I’m the Graduate Trainee at the English Faculty Library this year. I think I’ll start by mentioning that this will sadly be the final introductory post you read from an EFL trainee. Next summer, our library is due to make a long-awaited move into the Schwarzman Centre, a new Humanities building that is currently under construction. I went back in time on the trainee blog, and found references to this move in previous entries dating back to 2009 – it’s all very exciting!

My academic background, rather fittingly, lies in English Literature. I undertook both a BA and an MA in the subject, for the latter of which I examined queer rural representations in British literature and film. Upon graduating, I began teaching English at a school. Here, alongside my usual teaching responsibilities, I was able to interact with the school’s library which gave me a small insight into what it might be like to work in one. Following this position, I undertook a range of volunteering and work experience at various museums, archives, and libraries, all of which played their part in leading me to apply for the Bodleian Library Graduate Training Scheme.

At the EFL, my role is very varied (which I love). I handle all the incoming and outgoing deliveries to our offsite storage facility in Swindon, as well as the majority of the book processing for the library. In addition to this, most staff members will have a daily two-hour shift at the Enquiry Desk, and we are collectively responsible for scanning and email enquiries on a rotation basis. I particularly enjoy helping with the circulation of our rare books and special collections; in my first week someone requested a first edition of Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist which was, predictably for an ex-English student, pretty mind-blowing. I’m currently working on a display for the second half of Michaelmas term; I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to get creative with our collections and consider what our readers might like to see!

I’ll leave it here for now, but I hope this small introduction has given you an insight into what I was up to before my traineeship, and a little about my day-to-day tasks at the EFL!

Until next time,

Harry 😊

 

Zac Draysey – History Faculty Library (HFL)

Hi, I’m Zac, the new trainee at the History Faculty Library (HFL) in the Radcliffe Camera. My own academic background isn’t in history, but in philosophy, and I finished an MPhil at Cambridge this summer, focusing mostly on ordinary language philosophy in Oxford after the second world war. Before I started here in September, my only experience with libraries has been as a reader, so it’s been an eye-opening experience to see things from the other side. The Bodleian central site libraries aren’t, of course, typical academic libraries, and I’ve been amazed by the complexity of the system here.

A misty day outside the Radcliffe Camera

We have a range of different shelf-marks in the Camera, both lending and reference collections, as well as shelves to house books brought in for readers from off-site storage. This maybe goes without saying, but it’s been a real joy to work in such a beautiful and historic building. The Camera feels very much like the focal point of the university, and especially it’s library system.

The Old Bod and the Camera are slowly becoming a more integrated system, with the teams from both libraries being joined together. This larger team is then being split into reader services and collections groups. I’ve been placed in the latter group, so I’ve been learning about how the HFL develops its collections to best suit the needs of students. It’s been really interesting to gain a greater insight into how reading lists inform purchases, the process of actually acquiring books, and also the classification of new books. Preparing new books for placing on the open shelves once they’ve been classified has been my favourite task so far.

 

 

Lindsey Evans – Taylor Institution Library

The Main Reading Room of the Taylor Institution Library

Hi, I’m Lindsey and I’m based at the Taylor Institution Library, whose collections cover Western and Eastern European Languages, as well as Linguistics, Film Studies and Women’s Studies. The historic, slightly maze-like, Taylor building is located at one end of Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum (perk of the job: free entry to exhibitions!). It also houses lecture rooms for the university’s language courses. Once a week I walk to the other end of the Ashmolean to work at the lovely Art, Archaeology and Ancient World library as well. I feel lucky to be working in these unique places in the heart of the city and I’m really enjoying the opportunity to get to know more than one library team and library environment during my trainee year.

I applied for the Bodleian Library Graduate Training Scheme because I was keen to explore a second career in the library and information field. Prior to this, I was working in educational publishing as an editor of language-learning resources, so a move into libraries represents ‘switching sides’ from producing books and online materials to helping people access them. I have been curious about library work because I enjoy being able to combine the management of complex information with delivering a service. I’m also interested in doing work that involves handling physical items, as well as desk-based tasks, in a physical space with its own community. My experience of libraries up to now has been from the student/reader side and I hadn’t worked in a conventional library before. However, interestingly, I have volunteered in a ‘Library of Things’, lending out diverse useful items to the public – from hedge trimmers to camping equipment to disco balls!

So far, I’m finding my new job and the library field in general very varied and interesting, and I am really looking forward to deepening my understanding as the year goes on.