Getting Started – Get involved!

If you would like to experience the front line, to meet and welcome new students and show how friendly we library staff all are, then now is your chance! We are seeking volunteers from any role to help out for a short shift at our ‘Getting Started’ spaces in the Main and Science libraries during the induction period.

Transforming library inductions

Since the Library Services Induction Working Group was established just over a year ago, we’ve transformed inductions at Main and Science libraries, to address issues of congestion and disruption caused by traditional library tours. Last year we rebranded our induction activities as ‘Getting Started’ and introduced a new format, encouraging students to come to ‘Getting Started’ spaces in the libraries, at a time convenient to them.

Library staff in the spaces welcomed students and promoted:

• Videos, screened in the libraries and available on the Getting Started webpages, providing a general introduction to Library Services and how to search Explore.
• A ‘Getting Started self guided tour’ of the Main and Science libraries

What’s new for 2019/20: library inductions at Science, Main and Student Centre

This year no traditional library tours will take place in Main and Science libraries. Students will be directed to visit the ‘Getting Started’ spaces instead. An additional ‘Getting Started’ space is being made available in the Student Centre.

We have also created new online, interactive self guided tours of Main and Science libraries. Designed to be viewed on a mobile device, students can find out about services available and explore the subject collections of relevance to them.

Get involved

We will staff the ‘Getting Started’ spaces 10.00-16.00, Monday to Friday, from Wednesday 30 September to Wednesday 2 October. Library staff undertake 1 hour shifts in pairs and are briefed prior to participating on what to expect and the kind of things to say to welcome the students.

If you would like to help out with welcoming our new students this year (with permission from your line manager) then please email library.skills@ucl.ac.uk with the hour slot(s) when you are available.