Staff Development Weekly Update
ALN Staff Development Update #58 – 19 February 2025
This weekly update is intended to keep you up to date on ALN's staff development programme; to highlight interesting initiatives being undertaken by ALN or its members; and to promote job opportunities in our member libraries.
If you have any queries or any content you'd like to include, please get in touch at: academiclibrariesnorth@sconul.ac.uk
Events
March 2025
Skill up with ALN - Introduction to Research Support
Hosts: Research Support Group Co-Chairs
Date: Tuesday 4 March 2025
Time: 11.00 - 12.00
This is the second in our new series 'Skill up with ALN' - look out for further events coming soon.
Free MarcEdit Taster Session with Ceilan Hunter-Green: a joint event with ALN
Date: Thursday 13 March 2025, 12:00-13:00
Follow along with MarcEdit transformations in this free taster session provided by CILIP MDG and Academic Libraries North. Suitable for new and experienced users of MarcEdit, this hour-long remote session will go through basic alterations to fields in a file of Open Access records, demonstrate practical use of task lists, and will show some fundamentals of regular expressions. Before the session, please download the MarcEdit software (Downloads – MarcEdit Development ). A sample file of MARC records will be shared with registered attendees one day before the event along with the joining instructions. Online registration is available until: 11/03/2025
April 2025
Cataloguing with Confidence
Date: Thursday 24 April 2025
Time: 10.00 to 4.30pm
An in-person workshop presented by Will Peaden, University of Coventry, and Emma Booth, University of Manchester (using materials by Victoria Parkinson, Kings College London, and Tom Meehan, UCL). Hosted in partnership with CILIP's Metadata and Discovery Group at the University of Manchester. Attendees will learn about the theory underpinning current cataloguing standards (AACR2, MARC21, RDA) and gain practical knowledge in cataloguing. The focus will be on developing your cataloguing skills with practical, hands-on sessions using hard copy print books. 10 free places for ALN members - please contact events.mdg@cilip.org.uk by 4th April 2025.
May 2025
** Date for your diary **
Advocacy and Institutional Alignment in Challenging Times (working title) - online
Hosts: Theo Stubbs, University of Huddersfield
Date: Thursday 15 May 2025
Time: 2.00 - 3.30
This event is aimed at those in roles responsible for a service(s) who might need to align service activities to institutional priorities and objectives and also to advocate for those services in a challenging financial context. It will feature presentations from library leaders focusing on how to align services with institutional objectives and priorities, with time for delegates to ask questions.
June 2025
** NEW ** Innovative marketing and social media engagement in Academic Libraries
Hosts: University of Hull Library
Date: Wednesday 4 June 2025
Time: 10.30 - 12.00
We are in the planning stages for 'Skill Up with ALN' sessions on Acquisitions, Academic Librarians and Academic Skills - watch this space for dates and how to register for your place.
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ALN Conference 2025
Sustainable Innovation: moving forward in challenging times - Call for Papers now open!
Online via Teams - Wednesday 18 June 2025; In-person - Friday 11 July at the Business School, Manchester Metropolitan University.
We know our members are rising to the challenge of continuing to thrive while across the sector, finances and staff time is tight. How do we choose what to focus on, what to drop, and how we manage our teams to get them through difficult times?
This conference asks how we might continue to move forward, to innovate, and to share the positive changes we’ve made in these challenging times. Further details of the conference theme and sub-themes can be found here.
We invite submissions exploring any aspect of the topic and in the following formats: Workshops (in person day only), Short Papers, Lightning Talks, Panel Discussion, or even a Wild Card format! We welcome papers from all colleagues working within any institutions, whether they are ALN member institutions or not.
Proposals should be submitted via this form by 14th March 2025. You will be asked to answer a short set of questions, which will be combined to form an abstract.
If you have any queries about the conference, please contact alnconferenceteam@gmail.com. We are looking forward to receiving your submissions!
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ALN Mentoring Scheme - Apply to be a mentee!
We're currently recruiting for the next intake of mentees. Could this be you? Why not have a look at the ALN website and read the details of the scheme then complete the mentee form (which you will find at the bottom of the page)? It will be a great opportunity for development, expanding your network, sharing good practice and learning about new tools and techniques. The deadline for completing the form is Friday 21 March 2025.
** New for 2025** Drop-in Sessions
We have set up two drop-in sessions where members of the Mentoring Oversight Group will be available to answer any questions you might have about the scheme. Please feel free to come along - even if you don't have a specific question, you can listen to an overview of the scheme and hear questions from other potential mentees. The sessions are taking place at the following times:
- Wednesday 26 February 2025 - 2.00 - 3.00
- Thursday 13 March 2025 - 11.00 - 12.00
Please contact us and we will send you joining details for the drop-ins.
There will be no need to attend both sessions as the same information will be shared at both (though the questions will likely vary from session to session).
The Matching Process
Provisional matches are made by the Mentoring Oversight Group (they are a small group of people from across ALN who created and developed the scheme). Your development needs as a mentee will be the main consideration in the matching process. Please note: although rare, it is accepted that some relationships may not work out. We will always attempt to rematch in this situation, although this cannot be guaranteed.
One-to-One Support
As a mentee, you will be supported for a period of 6 months. We expect meetings will take place every 4 to 6 weeks for around 90 minutes to 2 hours at a time. You will work together with your mentor to agree expectations and form an agreement for what works best for you both. The mentors will work with you to plan the learning agenda and meeting schedule.
Mentee Briefing
ALN will equip you with the knowledge and tools to get the most from your new relationship, via an online introductory session. More details of this will follow later.
Timeline of Activities
This is the planned timeline of activities for the pilot year:
• Mentees should apply using the form on the ALN website by Friday 21 March 2025
• Matching up of mentors and mentees will take place in early April 2025
• The second wave of the scheme will begin in late April/early May 2025
• We already have a pool of excellent mentors so it is highly likely that mentees will find a match in this intake or the next one
Evaluation
We hope to gather feedback from you on the scheme so we can review and consider any next steps for future scheme development.
If you have any queries, please contact the ALN Development Managers.
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Member Library Events
University of Manchester Open Research Conference 2025
Date: Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 June 2025
Location: Alliance Manchester Business School
The event will showcase the latest innovations and practices in Open Research, bringing together researchers, PGRs and research support professionals across disciplines, to explore bold ideas and practical solutions for reshaping how we conduct and share research.
Call for Abstracts
We welcome submissions for presentations and posters from anyone interested in, researching, or working in Open Research. Contributions can include research projects, methodological innovations, or case studies showcasing Open Research practices.
Key Details
• Abstract Submission Deadline: 31 March 2025
• Notification of Acceptance: Mid-end of April 2025
• Submit your application via this form: https://forms.office.com/e/TEwBCrRrvm [forms.office.com]
Presentation Format
• Talks: 15-minute presentations on your work and contributions to Open Research.
• Posters: Posters will be displayed throughout the event, with a dedicated session to discuss your work with attendees.
Event Information
The conference is a collaborative initiative led by the Office for Open Research (supported by the Research Lifecycle Programme), the School of Engineering Open Research Lead, the UK Reproducibility Network, and the Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute.
Contact
If you have any questions about the conference or abstract submissions, please contact the team at openresearch@manchester.ac.uk.
New free Open Access publication: ‘Career Readiness: Meeting students where they are: Case studies in strategy and practice’
This new publication is an edited compendium offering insights into the ways in which universities have taken data-informed approaches to Careers and Employability strategy and operations based on the Career Readiness/Careers Registration (CR) approach. Initiated by Bob Gilworth and his team at the University of Leeds in 2012, the Careers Registration process collects Career Readiness data with the aim of understanding where students are on their career development journeys, at organisational scale, and meeting them where they are with appropriate careers and employability engagement and support. Since 2012, CR has been the subject of national learning gain projects in the UK and Australia and has been adopted by many universities in the UK and by universities in Ireland, Portugal, Australia, and New Zealand. CR continues to be developed and adapted with many developments being discussed within the CR+ group, a mutually supportive network of international institutions exchanging insights from their experience of CR. Drawing on this community of practice, the book shares examples of innovative strategy and practice through case studies contributed by a variety of practitioners in UK and Australia. Any questions can be directed to university.press@hud.ac.uk.
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External Events
Next Generation Open Access: what does it mean for academic libraries?
Date: Tuesday 4 March 2024
Time: 13:00 – 16:00
Format: Zoom
#sherifAGM25oawhatnext
The Higher Education landscape in the UK is facing unparalleled financial challenge, forcing many institutions to radically review their budgets and make difficult decisions around many of their eResource agreements. Amongst some of the most expensive subscriptions are the ‘big’ read and publish agreements which were intended to be transitional, allowing institutions to publish openly across many prestigious publications. However, dissatisfaction with high costs and lengthy embargo periods has led to many institutions reviewing whether these agreements can be sustainable in the current financial context.
With several of the biggest agreements due to end in December 2025, Jisc, in consultation with the sector, have established the Next Generation OA strategy, and have tentatively begun negotiations with the ‘Big 5’, to drive down costs and speed up the move to Open.
Sherif would like to invite you to join us at our next event and AGM, which will explore these themes with contributions from Sarah Roughley Barake (Jisc), Paul Brabban (Sconul / University of Coventry), Anna Clements (University of Sheffield), and Paul Cavanagh and Lucy Veasey (University of Nottingham). Join us as we explore what the future may hold for the sector and discuss the strategies and impact of walking away from ‘Big Deals’.
Free entry for delegates from member institutions or £80 per person for non-members. To see if your institution is a member and check membership rates, please see the membership page on the website.
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Job Opportunities
Teaching Collections Coordinator (eTextbooks)
Location: University of Manchester
Hours: 31.5 hours per week (0.9 FTE)
Salary: £27,344 - £30,505 pro rata p.a. (depending on experience)
Closing date: Thursday 20 February 2025
This exciting new role will support Manchester's sector-leading eTextbook Programme, which provides students with their own personal electronic copy of core reading for their modules.
We're ideally looking for someone with experience of working with eTextbooks or book acquisition in HE, but we welcome applications from candidates with a diverse range of experience.
The ideal candidate will have experience of the provision of online reading lists and book acquisition processes within an academic library, with proven experience of using reading list and library management systems. It would be beneficial to have a good understanding of the range of book purchasing and eBook and eTextbook licencing models available to academic libraries.
You will be expected to:
• Liaise with eTextbook suppliers to resolve issues
• Troubleshoot complex queries from teaching staff and students
• Use judgement and initiative to solve problems with eTextbook acquisition independently
• Actively engage with teaching staff to promote uptake of the eTextbook Programme and increase engagement with eTextbooks
• Ensure eTextbooks are available to students through the reading list system
• Administer and troubleshoot non-standard eTextbook subscription packages
• Work well under pressure and manage deadlines during busy periods of the year
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Library
Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews: Helen Foster - helen.foster@manchester.ac.uk
Digital Development Manager
Location: University of Leeds
Salary: £39,105 to £46,485 p.a.
Contractual hours: Fixed Term (until 31st of December 2025 as there is a need for temporary cover)
Closing date: Monday 24 February 2025
Do you have an interest in promoting the use of digital tools and methodologies for research and partnership working? Do you have a track record of supporting researchers to engage with digital innovations in a rapidly changing environment? Are you looking for a position where you can support the strategic development of digital infrastructure? Do you have an interest in supporting the development of academic projects in the arts and humanities?
The Digital Creativity and Cultures Hub (DCCH) is a joint venture between the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures, and University of Leeds Libraries. Based in the Brotherton Library, it offers support, training, and facilities for academic and professional services staff to develop innovative research and engagement related to digital methods and outputs. DCCH works with academic staff to develop research projects and external partnerships in the digital sector and provides support for research-related activities. As well as offering bespoke support to individuals and supporting groups of researchers to respond to external funding schemes and calls, DCCH delivers training and development in digital skills, with a focus on the needs of arts and humanities researchers. Working with the Academic Lead for DCCH, you will be part of the Leeds Arts and Humanities Research Institute (LAHRI), and work closely with academic and professional services colleagues to provide digital support and training for researchers. The DCCH Digital Development Manager will play a key role in advancing and implementing the University’s Digital Transformation Strategy, and providing specialist advice, especially in digital humanities.
Library Services Advisor
Location: Lancaster University
Salary: £22,668 to £23,114
Contract Type: Full time, fixed-term contract to 30th November 2025
Closing date: Tuesday 25 February 2025
An opportunity has arisen for enthusiastic and proactive individuals to join our User Services team. The Library Services Advisors will work as part of a team responding to Library enquiries in person and online, supporting students, staff, researchers, and community members both on and off-campus.
Library users are at the heart of everything we do, and these roles are critical to our success. You will become part of an enquiry team delivering front-line customer service excellence across Library opening hours, and via existing and emerging communication channels. The team provide a proactive, welcoming presence to all our users and assist in maintaining and developing the Library as an outstanding study environment.
You will have excellent interpersonal skills and be able to communicate confidently with colleagues, students, University staff and external contacts. Reliability and previous experience of team working in a customer-focused role are essential, as well as the ability to use initiative and be self-motivated.
With the Library vision, The Library Towards 2025 there is a wealth of opportunities for contributing to the success of the Library.
Lancaster University Library provides an outstanding environment for study and research. We are committed to being user-focused, digitally driven, socially inclusive and innovative in our approach to service provision. We provide inspirational and high-quality learning environments that encourage academic excellence, promote partnerships, and respond to the changing expectations of our users.
This is a full time, temporary contract. Working hours are Monday to Friday 13.45 to 22.00. Working every 6th or 7th weekend 10.00 to 18.00 taking time in lieu the preceding Friday and following Monday.
For an informal discussion to find out more about the role please contact Fiona Rhodes Head of Library Space and Experience Email: f.rhodes@lancaster.ac.uk or John Williamson, Library Space and Services Officer, , Email: j.williamson3@lancaster.ac.uk
Skills Operations Assistant
Location: University of York
Grade/Salary: 4 - £28,081 - £31,387 per year (reduced pro rata)
Contract: Part-time
Closing date: Wednesday 26 February 2025
Library, Archives and Learning Services (LALS) seeks to appoint a Skills Operations Assistant to assist with regular tasks that contribute to the effective and efficient operation of LALS Learning Services.
Role
The role will involve monitoring and maintaining Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) contracts and payment trackers; entering skills workshops and appointments into booking and communication systems; ensuring communications schedules are met; and responding to / triaging Learning Services related email enquiries.
Skills, Experience & Qualification needed
The role involves managing multiple demands and systems effectively to meet key deadlines, so applicants will be expected to have excellent planning, organisational and time management abilities plus clear communication skills and a sense of personal responsibility.
Interview date: To be confirmed
Senior Library Assistant
Location: RNCM
Salary Grade: Actual pro-rata salary £18,491 to £22,464 per annum (rising to £18,731 to £22,704 from 1 March 2025)
Closing date: 12 Noon, Thursday 27 February 2025
Interview date: Wednesday 12 March 2025
The RNCM’s award-winning Library is looking to recruit a part-time Senior Library Assistant to its small, dedicated team. The main duties for the successful applicant will be staffing the main service point, assisting users with enquiries and helping students with IT and other equipment. The role also includes some management of the Collection of Historic Musical Instruments and coordinating of the Library’s social media presence. An excellent knowledge of classical music (preferably with a formal qualification), good customer service, organisational and IT skills, as well as attention to detail, are essential requirements. Experience of working within a library or similar customer-service environment is important and previous involvement in museum care would be advantageous.
For full details regarding this role please view the applicant pack, which can be found in the downloads section.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with Sarah d'Ardenne - sarah.dardenne@rncm.ac.uk
SLS Assistant
Location: Teesside University
Salary: £24,328 - £24,521 pro rata
Contract hours: Part time (18.5), permanent
Closing date: Sunday 2 March 2025
We have an exciting opportunity to join our excellent student facing team within Student & Library Services at Teesside University.
We have a permanent part time role available, working 18.5 hours per week across 2.5 days Monday to Wednesday and providing customer support across our key campus locations.
We are looking for an enthusiastic individual with customer facing experience to join our team and who has a flexible and creative approach to work. We pride ourselves on the support we provide to our students so having an empathetic and compassionate approach is critical to how we operate. In this role you will deliver exceptional front-line customer support to the University community through our Student Life offer and also support the delivery of University Library services.
Key elements of the role include:
Supporting customers and promoting student services at our Welcome desks
Triaging queries through UNIverse, our online customer management system
Maintaining our Library collections and learning spaces
Supporting customers in their use of Library systems and IT services
Participating in student engagement activities
We are seeking an individual who can be flexible in their approach to work as the role will include regular pre. 9am, evening working and weekend working.
Informal enquiries are welcomed. If you would like to discuss this opportunity in more detail please contact Charlotte Murray, SLS Experience & Engagement Manager c.murray@tees.ac.uk
Culture Producer
Location: British Library Leeds
Contract hours: Full time; Fixed Term for 1 year
Grade/Salary: B - £31,364 per annum
Closing date: Wednesday 5 March 2025
Interview date: Monday 24/Tuesday 25 March 2025
About the role
We are transforming our presence in West Yorkshire through public engagement programming now and a major new venue in the future.
In this role you will work on the development, management and delivery of specific exhibitions, projects and events for the Library’s programme in the region. The role supports the Lead Culture Producer and is part of the wider Public Engagement team based in Leeds.
This is a fixed term post of one year duration with the possibility of extension.
About us
We are the national library of the UK and we are here for everyone. Our shelves hold over 170 million items – a living collection that gets bigger every day. Although our roots extend back centuries, we aim to collect everything published in the UK today, tomorrow and far into the future. Our trusted experts care for this collection and open it up for everyone to spark new discoveries, ideas and to help people do incredible things.
We have millions of books, and much more besides. Our London and Yorkshire sites hold collections ranging from newspapers and maps to sound recordings, patents, academic journals, as well as a copy of every UK domain website and blog. Our public spaces provide a place to research, to meet friends, to start up a new business or simply to get inspired by visiting our galleries and events. We work with partners and libraries across the UK and the world to make sure that as many people as possible have the chance to use and explore our collections, events, and expertise. And we’re always open online, along with more and more of our digitised collection.
Assistant Web Archivist
Location: British Library (Boston Spa or St Pancras)
Contract hours: Full time (36/wk)
Grade/Salary: C - £25,146 (BSP) / £28,119 (STP) per annum
Closing date: Wednesday 26 March 2025
Interview date: Tuesday 15/Wednesday 16 April 2025
About the role
This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of the UK’s national Web Archive, ensuring the preservation of the UK’s web heritage for future generations.
As a key member of the team, your primary responsibilities will include maintaining organisational systems for the efficient management of archived web content and associated records. You will play a vital role in ensuring that relevant content is archived, responding to enquiries, and securing permissions for off-site access to archived materials. Working closely with web archiving colleagues, you will also support curatorial tasks, such as quality assurance, metadata management, and the ongoing development of web archiving systems and processes.
The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills, both written and verbal, along with experience in customer or user engagement. Excellent administrative and organisational abilities are essential, including the capacity to manage competing priorities effectively. Proficiency in using information systems and software tools is also required.
Research Associate: Heritage Collections
Location: University of Liverpool
Grade/Salary: 7 - £39,105 pa (pay award pending March 2025)
Closing date: Tuesday 1 April 2025
This is an incredibly exciting time to join the University of Liverpool Libraries, Museums, and Galleries (LMG).
LMG and the Centre for the Study of International Slavery (CSIS) are working together to facilitate research into the University¿s links to the Transatlantic Slave Trade, colonialism, and their legacies. Working with community groups, the purpose of the Research Associate role is to make this important history widely shared, investigate ways for the community to co-create projects in response, and support curators to transform their own practice, taking a more critical approach to issues of race, identity and colonial history.¿¿
LMG is home to diverse and significant collections that trace the history of the University and the many different communities that have shaped that development.
CSIS supports and shares leading research about human enslavement and its legacies and furthers the study of memorialisation, and of the interpretation of slavery as part of a wider public history agenda.¿
You will be responsible for engaging with the local community, including hosting community conversations and events, and delivering and supporting research. You will also work with curators to open up the collections with new interpretation. You will be based in the Sydney Jones Library but work closely with teams across campus.
We are looking for someone with a knowledge of Liverpool¿s history and its relationship with historical slavery, and experience of working with community organisations as a practitioner or facilitator. You will be able to work and manage projects with multiple strands and stakeholders, and build positive meaningful, equitable relationships with a wide range of people.
Formal qualifications in the libraries, museums or heritage sector are not essential for this role as our priority is experience in working with diverse communities.
We encourage those interested in the role to contact us for an informal discussion to find out more about the role and the workplace.