Hey everyone!
I’m Rosie and I’m the trainee at the Sainsbury Library at the Saїd Business School.
I grew up in Coventry, and studied Music at Nottingham University, graduating in 2010. Whilst I was studying in Nottingham, I worked as a student librarian at the Music Library, which I really enjoyed. (The most memorable moment was when a barber shop quartet with nowhere to rehearse, chose the corner of the library in which to practice their set. Alas, I had to ask them to keep it down).
Following my graduation, I embarked on a PGCE, which only lasted 3 weeks before I dropped out. It was quite clear to me that I had made a mistake: choosing what I thought to be a safe career option, when it wasn’t really what I wanted to do. I started talking to graduate trainee librarians, people in special collections, anyone who worked in a library whose ear I could bend. When I was sure this was the career for me, I started applying to traineeships.
During this time, I was living in London, and began volunteering with the Special Collections Relocation project at UCL, where I met some brilliant people, but also confirmed my suspicions that I wasn’t really interested in old/rare books.
I then began working in a West-End theatre, where I had many strange experiences (to be told at another time. Maybe.) and gained invaluable customer service experience. I was thrilled when I was offered a place as a Bodleian Libraries trainee, and I’m particularly pleased it was at a busy library where I will get the opportunity to interact with many different sorts of people.
The Sainsbury Library has already proved to be a busy and diverse environment, where the small team have been welcoming and friendly. I’m looking forward to gaining experience in many different areas of Librarianship, and throwing myself into every opportunity which comes my way, as well as taking part in courses towards professional development with the other trainees.
