To use, and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of, relevant software and systems, e.g. Alma, Library Search, EMu, Elgar, Preservica, Luna, Manchester Digital Collections, and to assist in training staff, JRRI fellows and readers in their usage.
Alma
Many purposes. Shadowed John Gandy for incunable cataloguing, one facet of the site. How he imports metadata and how it links to LCSH, etc. Very useful piece of software. Aware it can be used for many other things, e.g. purchase requests, but have not yet been exposed to this. Interested in seeing how cataloguing works in practice. I know it can be helpful to see where items are, and what institutions they are held in, etc. booking requests, purchase requests, digitisation requests. // many staff use it for different things. Keen to learn more. EXAMPLE: SHADOWING
Library Search
Very familiar. And with discover resources more generally. Used them at university. Primo, Ex Libris group. Use this frequently, with use of filters and other things to search specifically for special collections and for readings/research articles etc. More specific information about individual items. EXAMPLE: MA RESEARCH AND PERSONAL RESEARCH. TRUE, FIRST PORT OF CALL. READING LISTS.
EMu
Used to access a lot of the collections, Collections Management System. RS use this to find material. Familiar with it, how it can be used to access locations for retrieval. Also tells you what is access restricted, to know when to pass on an enquiry. Shadowed John, using EMu to identify and locate material for retrieval. EXAMPLE: SHADOWING AND RETRIEVAL
Elgar
Electronic Gateway to Archives at Rylands. Used ArchivesHub xml language to update catalogue record English MS24. But other exposure inc. humanitarian archive, which is catalogued there (World refugee year), and I used it to look for Auchinleck papers for Sikh exhibition. Very useful resource. Used it with John Mccrory looking for material on Robert Donat for a potential exhibition (though unlikely due to copyright, and images, which I am learning about through practice, gradually). EXAMPLE: SIKH EXHIBITION, CATALOGUING ENG MS 24, FLORA COLL.
Preservica
Learned about this in MA capacity. Important storage area and back up preservation for materials. Digital preservation system.
Luna
Another digital repository, harder to use. Frustrating, but useful. How I accessed the Ladies of Llangollen letters. And Punjabi MS4, including recent maps we had digitised for the Sikh exhibition. Less accompanying cataloguing, but very useful resource. EXAMPLE: SIKH HERITAGE, SUPPORTING EXHIBITIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA, MA WORK (BOKE OF ST ALBANS)
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Assist in training fellows, staff and readers in their usage
I have helped train parents and friends in Library search, to help refine and identify sources they are interested in. I feel confident in my ability to train others on how to use the software. I had to teach a colleague recently how to use WordPress. Albeit less sophisticated, I was able to guide them through the process of formatting, creating alt text, banners, relevant tags, and captions. EXAMPLE: JACOB WORDPRESS, PARENTS LIB SEARCH