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Professional Registration Questionnaire for LCCOS

By Craig Martin, on 28 November 2023

Aside from obtaining a formal qualification (e.g. Masters / diploma / apprenticeships), there are several options available to LCCOS colleagues who wish to advance their professional knowledge, experience and skills. This can provide evidence for your expertise and commitment to professional development in the sector through attainment of a professional qualification. This survey will give us an understanding of the current status and future aspirations of LCCOS colleagues in relation to these qualifications, which will inform how we can best support staff who would like to work towards them.

To get a full picture, we kindly request all within LCCOS complete the survey by 12th January 2024.

All responses will be treated in confidence.

Please get in touch if you have any questions.

Many thanks

Craig Martin, Subject Liaison Librarian
Angela Young, Head of Library Skills

 

 

UCL LCCOS Staff Summer School 2023 – bookings now open

By Angela Young, on 26 May 2023

The UCL LCCOS Staff Summer School (formerly UCL Library Services Staff Summer School) is a series of training and development sessions, events and online activities aimed at staff from across UCL LCCOS, to support their ability to answer enquiries and to provide support, training and advocacy to users and stakeholders. Sessions are generally delivered by colleagues, so we can share our expertise.

The programme this year has a variety of sessions, running throughout June and July:

For full details of the programme and to book your place(s), see the UCL LCCOS Staff Summer School calendar. Presentations, accompanying links and materials and recordings (where applicable) will be made available on the UCL LCCOS Staff Summer School Moodle Course. If you do not already have access, please get the enrolment key. Sessions are open to all UCL Library Services staff, with approval from your line manager.

UCL LCCOS Staff Summer School 2023 – help shape it!

By Angela Young, on 3 May 2023

We are now putting together the programme for the UCL LCCOS Staff Summer School 2023 (formerly UCL Library Services Staff Summer School) and are reaching out to colleagues to help shape it.
If you haven’t engaged with our Summer School before, it is a series of training and professional development events open to all LCCOS staff but particularly aimed at staff who engage directly with our users to provide training and support, to help develop their knowledge and skills so that they are better able to undertake these activities. Sessions are usually delivered by colleagues, sharing the knowledge and expertise we have across LCCOS, and some may be aimed at staff supporting particular disciplines.

The Summer School takes place during June and July, with a mixture of live online events that will be recorded, and face to face events.

Recordings and materials from previous years of the Summer School are available on the UCL LCCOS Staff Summer School Moodle course.

Please help shape this year’s Summer School by completing our suggestion form by 17 May 2023. You can also use the suggestion form to request the enrolment key for the Moodle course, if you don’t already have access.

eXperience eXchange 2023 – bookings now open

By Angela Young, on 30 March 2023

Bookings are now open for the 2023 LCCOS eXperience eXchange, which will take place online on MS Teams on Thursday 25 May 10.00 – 12.00.

eXperience eXchange – what happens?

experience exchange logoLCCOS colleagues come together to share ideas and good practice about teaching or training design and delivery, academic engagement and support activities through short presentations or other activities.

How does it work?

Colleagues from across LCCOS are invited to give short presentations or teaching activities (5-20 mins) to exchange their experiences an any aspect of their work relating to teaching or training design and delivery, academic engagement or other support activities. This may include feedback from events or training you’ve attended, something new you’ve tried in your work, an idea you might have and would value some peer input, or simply giving colleagues an insight into your role and activities.

The event this year will also include Lessons from LILAC, a report by colleagues who are attending this year’s LILAC: The information literacy conference.

Why get involved?

There are many benefits to being part of the eXperience eXchange, including:

  • bringing colleagues together to give everyone a better understanding of activities happening across LCCOS.
  • benefiting colleagues who may be inspired by your experiences to inform their work.
  • an opportunity to get input and feedback from colleagues to help you develop your ideas.
  • a development opportunity which can provide evidence for an application for HEA fellowship or on job applications, giving opportunity to give a presentation or deliver a short teaching activity in a safe space with a friendly audience, and for sharing best practice with colleagues.
  • an opportunity to try out new teaching activities or tools, including tools for presenting online, such as polls, breakout rooms and whiteboard features.
  • an opportunity to gain inspiration from the work of your peers.

What is the format of the presentations?

This year we invite contributions in one of three formats:

  • A short presentation (5-10 mins)
  • PechaKucha (20 slides of 20 seconds each)
  • A longer presentation or activity (15-20 mins – allows time for more in depth presentations or opportunity for interactivity and input from colleagues).

If you’d rather not present, you can attend as an attendee only, but remember that the event depends on contributions.

How do I sign up?

Simply complete the registration form. We will send you the link to join and liaise with you over your contribution.

Customer Online Payments Update – Training Guide

By Bethan Smith, on 11 August 2022

Following on from our previous online payments training reminder, we would like to share the Online Payments Training Guide.

This training guide is designed to be used to complement the live training sessions. It contains a detailed breakdown of the online payment process, as well as the procedures associated with our new way of paying fines and fees.

We would encourage all colleagues who are involved in customer queries, as well as fine and fee payments, to view the document and use it as a reference guide going forward.

In addition, we would like to remind all colleagues that there are still training slots available for live online payments training and would encourage any interested staff who have not yet attended a session to sign up.

The remaining training slots are as follows:

We would also like to take the opportunity to inform staff that the go-live date for the online payments portal is anticipated to be Wednesday 24th August 2022.

If you have any questions about the online payment process, please contact Bethan Smith or Jonathan Fowles.

Customer Online Payments Update

By Bethan Smith, on 27 July 2022

Following on from the previous blogpost regarding online training sessions, we would like to remind you of the Online Payments Training sessions which will be taking place throughout late July and early August. The first of these sessions took place yesterday – you can sign up to any of the remaining sessions.

There are training slots still available for the following times:

Furthermore, we would like to inform colleagues of the recent change to the lost item procedure. As of Monday 25th July, we have made changes to the process for significantly overdue books. Impacted colleagues were informed of this last week.

The changes are:

  • We no longer automatically apply a lost status and lost fee in Alma when an item becomes significantly overdue.
  • We automatically apply a block on borrowing as soon as the item becomes overdue.
  • When the item becomes significantly overdue, we will also apply a block for renewals and requests. All blocks will be removed when the items are returned.

As a result:

  • There is no longer any need to add prices to items from an Alma report.
  • There is no need to manually block users for overdue items, or to send a second invoice email. Colleagues can still follow their local procedures to chase significantly overdue items, based on due date rather than lost status.
  • Alma will no longer produce the following reports: Items Requiring Prices; Items Requiring a 2nd Invoice; Lost Loans Returned Yesterday; Invoice Letters Generated Yesterday. We will also remove the invoicing dashboard.
  • If a customer reports that a book is lost, we will have to add the price to the item record and mark the item as lost manually. When online payment is live, this will allow the customer to pay the fee remotely, at which point it will be removed from their record automatically.

For further information on these changes, please consult the accompanying documentation.

We are still reviewing historic Alma lost fees and blocks, and will make a decision regarding these before online payment is operational. This will be communicated to colleagues.

We will also conduct a review in 2023 to assess whether these changes have had any impact on the number of books returned to the Library.

If you have any questions about training or the new lost item procedure, please contact Bethan Smith.

Using Instagram to connect with library users

By simon.bralee.15, on 7 July 2022

The Library’s Social Media Task and Finish Group would like to invite you to an online training workshop on Using Instagram to connect with library users, 14:30 – 16:00, Tuesday 26 July.

Please note the times have changed from those initially advertised. We’ve extended the session by 30 minutes following feedback.

The session will start from the basics and provide a solid overview of the platform. After this session you will know how to:

  • Set up or update your account,
  • Take stunning photos that wow your audiences
  • Ensure content is on brand in terms of visuals and tone of voice

As well as tricks and tips to ensure you have consistent content.

It is open to everyone in Library Services, particularly people responsible for library social media accounts. You do not need any previous knowledge or experience.

The session will be led by Simon Bralee with support from members of the Social Media Task and Finish Group.

 Book now. 

We plan to offer further training sessions on Sway later this summer.

Appraisal information – Update from January 2022

By Jennifer L Brown, on 7 January 2022

As per previous communications Library Services commenced its appraisal window on 1st December. You may however have seen from the UCL News on 16th December that UCL has now made changes to the appraisal process. If you have started or completed any appraisals prior to this blog you do not need to adopt for these the changes that will be outlined below until the next appraisal round, January to April 2023.

Appraisal Window

Library Services will be adopting UCL’s recommendation that we move to an appraisal window of January to April. Library appraisals should therefore be completed by the end of April 2022.

Appraisal form 

One of two appraisals forms can be used depending upon the role of the appraisee:

Developmental Conversations

The Developmental conversations approach allows for two-way conversation to take place which can enhance the appraisal experience through meaningful goal setting and personal development when using the UCL Appraisal form.

Further information can be found by visiting the guidance and e-learning for Developmental Conversations.

Appraisal Targets

There are four parts to setting Goals, the content of which needs to be agreed between the appraiser and appraisee.

  • Deliver your departments/division’s priorities – UCL recommends 3 goals in this area.
  • Discover your potential – UCL recommends 1 goal for this area.
  • Defer/Discontinue activities that hinder you from achieving your role’s purpose and focus – UCL recommend 1 goal if relevant.
  • Demonstrate how you work effectively – UCL recommends 1 goal.

Further details about goal setting can be found on the UCL HR webpage.

Training

It is advisable that Appraisers familiarise themselves with the UCL Appraisal Policy and complete the following training:

How to manage the appraisal documentation 

  1. The Appraiser and Appraisee should keep a signed copy of the appraisal document, in a confidential file/location, until the subsequent appraisal, when the document should be disposed of confidentially. (If the appraisee leaves the organisation, the paperwork should be disposed of confidentially at that time.)
  2. If revisions to the job description have been agreed during the appraisal process, please send an electronic copy to Library HR at lib-hrteam@ucl.ac.uk.
  3. Managers should record the completion of the appraisal on MyHR using the instructions that can be found via the UCL Knowledge Centre, under “MyHR Manager Self Service” – “My team employment information” – “Create employee performance appraisal“.

LibNet has been updated with the relevant information.

Appraisal window December 2021 to March 2022

By Jennifer L Brown, on 24 November 2021

From 1st December we will enter our new Appraisal Window, we would like to reconfirm some communication from the last cycle.  

Appraisal form  

Due to the ongoing impact of Covid-19, colleagues in Library Services are asked to continue with the abridged version of the UCL appraisal form, which can be found at https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/sites/human-resources/files/appraisal_review_and_development_scheme_short-form.docx . 

 

Appraisals and Covid-19

The position remains that the appraisal write-up should include acknowledgement of any agreed adjustments to objectives, workload or working patterns, for individual members of staff. Where a barrier, such as the impact of COVID-19 or lockdown, may have impacted on an individual’s ability to meet agreed objectives from the previous year, it should not impact negatively on the individual in terms of demonstrating good performance over the past year. Nor should their revised working pattern/workload create a barrier to any learning and development opportunities which have been identified as part of the appraisal process. 

 

How to manage the appraisal documentation 

1. The Appraiser and Appraisee should keep a signed copy of the appraisal document, in a confidential file/location, until the subsequent appraisal, when the document should be disposed of confidentially. (If the appraisee leaves the organisation, the paperwork should be disposed of confidentially at that time.) 

2. If revisions to the job description have been agreed during the appraisal process, please send an electronic copy to Library HR at lib-hrteam@ucl.ac.uk. 

The Libnet appraisals page has been updated with information about the abridged appraisals process: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/libnet/hr/learning-and-development/appraisals.

Developmental Conversations

The Developmental conversations approach allows for two-way conversation to take place which can enhance the appraisal experience through meaningful goal setting and personal development.

Further information can be found by visiting https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/learning-development/learning-academy/developmental-conversations .

The recommended Developmental Conversations training module is available for staff to complete via https://www.ucl.ac.uk/staff-training/enroll.php?code=ODDC .

Appraisal Targets

In line with the Library Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Action plan, all staff are required to have a target of engaging or undertaking at least one Equality, Diversity and Inclusion associated activity or event in the 2021/2022 academic session. For example contributing content to the Library Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) newsletter, engagement in wellbeing initiatives, attending a training session or team building exercises using the theme of EDI.

When developing the targets, consideration should also be given to the UCL Ways of Working and the indicators relating to the grade of the post that the employee holds.

 

4 dimensional (4D) goal setting:

UCL has introduced a goal setting framework based upon the following principles:

  • Discover my potential – 1 goal required

  • Deliver my role and alignment to UCL’s strategy – 3 goals required

  • Defer/Discontinue activities that hinder me from achieving my role’s purpose and focus

  • Demonstrate UCL’s way of working – 1 goal required

Further details about UCL’s 4 dimensional approach to goal setting can be found here.

Training

Please ensure you review training completed in the past year and that any mandatory refresher training is set as a training objective. https://www.ucl.ac.uk/human-resources/learning-development/mandatory-learning

There are 9 core mandatory courses:

GDPR refresher course  completion required every two years.

Mandatory training for Managers

Managers should complete UCL recruitment essentials  before participating upon recruitment panels.

UCL has a vast amount of training available for staff which can be found by visiting the Learning Academy.

 

UCL Library Services Staff Summer School – initial programme and some bookings now open

By Angela Young, on 26 May 2021

The UCL Library Services Staff Summer School is a series of training and development sessions, events and online activities aimed at library staff from across UCL Library Services, to support them in answering enquiries and in providing support, training and advocacy to library users and stakeholders.

This year the entire programme will be delivered online throughout June and July, with a mixture of self-directed online learning and live sessions. Here is a taster of what’s on offer, with more sessions to be announced soon:

  • Introduction to digital accessibility (Wednesday 9 June – Wednesday 21 July, self-directed online learning).
  • Creating videos: an introduction (Thursday 10th June, 10.00-12.00)
  • Blended learning by design (Monday 28th June, 10:00-11:00)
  • LibAnswers and LibChat: Developing our online enquiry service (Tuesday 13 July, 11:00-12:00)
  • eXperience eXchange and Feeback from FestivIL (Tuesday 20th July, 10:00-12:00)

Full details are available:

Sessions are open to all UCL Library Services staff, with the permission of your line manager.

Angela Young, Head of Library Skills