8:00-8:40
On my journey to work, I start to think about how I’m going to organise my day. I usually try to split it into four parts, with a different project or goal for each section. It works well by keeping me busy and my work varied!
8:40-10:50
I’m not on the desk this morning, so I settle into the office and get started on my current favourite task: updating our LibGuides! The Business and Management LibGuide has information on databases and journals (which only occasionally changes), but our Hot Topics need more frequent attention.
The one I am currently refreshing is the Business of Arts, Culture, & Entertainment, which involves scouring the internet for books, news sources, and consulting firm insights to ensure MBA students taking this elective have up-to-date information.
10:50-11:10
I reach a natural stopping point and, deciding it’s time for a coffee, head downstairs to the café with my latest book in hand. Being able to order virtually any book from Offsite Storage has revived my love of reading after university, and I enjoy squeezing in a few pages whenever I can.
11:10-12:00
Back upstairs, I turn my attention to exploring a new database that the library staff have been given trial access to. The goal is to compare it with some of the databases we already subscribe to, to see whether it offers anything different or complementary. I spend the next hour clicking through its features, keeping it open in one tab while some of our most-used databases sit open in others, and jotting down notes as I go.
12:00-1:00
Lunchtime! Today I have roast pepper chicken with jollof rice, and a muffin for dessert. Thanks to staff discounts at the Business School, the whole lunch costs under £3 – a definite perk.
1:00-3:30
I’m on the enquiry desk for the afternoon, one of my three half-day desk shifts each week. I begin by bringing five Oxford Futures Library boxes upstairs and scanning them in on ALMA using our dummy patron ID. Part of my trainee project is working towards producing standardised catalogues for these collections, which means creating a record for every individual item.
I enjoy doing this task on the desk, as it’s easy to pause while helping readers, and there’s much more space to lay materials out than at my office desk. However, some archive boxes contain more than 30 items, so it can be a very time-consuming process.
3:30-3:50
Time for an afternoon break! I grab a green tea and take a short walk, passing the many statues that have recently appeared around the Business School.
3:50-5:00
The final part of the day is busy with enquiries, both by email and in person. Most questions we get on the desk relate to setting up accounts for databases and news sites, but there are always a few more unusual – and often very niche – data requests that come in by email. Between enquiries, I also set up our Personal Development library display, designed to support students with research skills, mindfulness, and productivity during Hilary term. Closing up is straightforward, as the library remains open for as long as the building does, so it’s just a case of tidying the desk and office before heading home.
