This week, Former Librarian #16 is now a bookshop manager in the charity sector. Although she needed to acquire skills in retail experience, she finds that the library skills gained are invaluable: "It is not just a question of sticking any old book on a
shelf and hoping someone will buy it."
Name: “anonymous”
Current role: Bookshop Manager, Charity sector
Former role: Deputy Librarian, private library
What led you to move on from libraries?
Previously I had spent 30 years in libraries firstly in the private sector and then in a learned
society and a private charitable library in London. I gave this up mainly as a result of needing
to support my teenaged son, who has learning difficulties, by keeping him in school through
his final GCSE year. I gave up full-time library work - I was commuting for 2 hours each way
a day - and instead did some paid gardening work and was a participant in a university
funded medical research project on depression and mindfulness (I was in the control group
that had not suffered from depression). I accidentally stumbled across an advert for my
current job when I was in a local charity shop.
What do you do in your current role?
I manage a charity bookshop. I am the only paid member of staff, but manage 50 volunteers
who all contribute to the success of the shop. My volunteers range from 15 – 85 years of age
and include former university professors, nurses, teachers, an artist, a librarian, an
accountant and several students. Our aim is to make as much money as possible in support
of the charity’s work to alleviate poverty. Most of the material we sell – books and music - is
donated to us, with a small amount of ‘new product’ e.g. greetings cards.
What library skills do you use in your current role?
There is a huge emphasis on customer service, creating a friendly, welcoming and helpful
environment. I use a lot of the skills I learned in reader/information services – getting to know
my customers, understanding their needs, learning about the stock – which changes daily,
but you can see patterns in what comes in. Grouping books by subject, categorising them for
generating data on what sells. We have regular donors and customers that we get to know.
It has also been interesting to see how many people use a charity bookshop to buy material,
read it and donate it back again – a number of customers have said they regard the shop
like a library. We also take requests and keep a look out for material.
We also sell online around the world, so need to select and list material, which uses
cataloguing skills. The knowledge gained from working in the library world helps in being
able to spot interesting or unusual books, 1st editions, signed copies, interesting/niche
publishers. It helps you spot an academic publisher where someone will pay £25 for a book,
rather than the £2.50 for a popular novel. We recently sold a 1st edition Arthur C Clarke to a
customer in Australia for £160.
Do you think that your library skills helped you to get this position?
Yes. As part of the interview I was given a pile of books donated to another shop and
selected at random to comment on. I was surprised to be offered the job as I had no retail
experience, but was told I would learn that but they wanted the knowledge I already that they
couldn’t teach me. One of the books I had commented on was subsequently priced at £70
because I recognised the illustrator as being important.
What other skills have you had to acquire since leaving the library profession in order to
enable you to carry out your work?
Knowledge of the retail sector, its processes, language, how to display material to maximum
effect. It has also been interesting learning how to interpret management information derived
from stock and sales systems that show you which areas of your stock generate the best
returns.
Do you maintain any professional memberships or are there new ones which are more
appropriate?
I’ve just resigned from CILIP.
Do you have any future plans/aspirations?
I’m really enjoying what I’m doing now, I’ve learned new skills and on a personal level I get a
huge amount of satisfaction out of making a tiny contribution to making life better for others.
It’s been interesting to move from an environment where so many meetings were about lack
of funding, cutbacks and lots of negativity to one where you start with nothing and you and
your volunteers with the support of the local community have to build from there and make it
happen. At the end of each financial year we get told what our shop’s net contribution to the
charity has been and what this equates to e.g. how many wells, medical centres, school
equipment. Some days it’s just not like going to work.
Anything else that you’d like to tell us?
My job has made me realise how transferable library skills are and also how much is
involved in running a charity bookshop. It is not just a question of sticking any old book on a
shelf and hoping someone will buy it.
Tuesday 26 April 2016
Tuesday 19 April 2016
Former Librarian #15
Former Librarian #15 is a little different as she is currently working as a volunteer in 2 different capacities and a tutor. I thought that although this emphasis on volunteer work does not directly relate to finding employment beyond libraries, it is worth including as she is very clear that the skills gained in her library work directly contribute to the success in her current roles.
Current role: Volunteer (Project Manager of a Trussell Trust Foodbank; Tutor (Piano, Music Theory, Math & English); Volunteer Family Learning Centre Coordinator (for a Baptist Church); Recording Secretary and activist for a local Neighbourhood Forum.
Former role: Community Librarian (working for the Birmingham City Council) managing 2 libraries in the east of the city (3 by the time I left). My role was to promote reading and learning activities to all ages using a range of programmes and inventiveness to encourage library usage and book borrowing.
What led you to move on from libraries? I left Libraries because the role and job was gradually being undermined, as a profession and as an essential area of influence in the leisure, learning & community cohesion sector.
What do you do in your current role? With 3 roles on the go, my first is to inspire young people to learn – so I teach piano & music theory skills from an early age and currently help with 11+ preparations (including reading skills). I do this alongside developing a church site as a place of learning & leisure through community engagement; As a volunteer Project Manager for a Trussell Trust Franchise, I researched foodbank business for a group of churches and set one up from ‘scratch’ and now two years in, turning over 25+ tonnes of donated food and feeding over 2000 local people while supporting other feeding charities. As in Library work where developing a trained team through 1-2-1 coaching, group sessions or external provision, is now part and parcel of the role of equipping the 50+ volunteers to provide support for foodbank volunteers and in the case of the learning centre coordinator, the same in safeguarding & health & safety.
What library skills do you use in your current role? The Skills I used to function as a library manager include – Operations management (H & S); Building management; Trainer; Public speaking; Bid writing, People Management; Negotiating; PR; Customer care; Team/Community work; IT skills (own admin; ppt presentations; database; leaflet designs and production); Event planning & management; liaising with councillors and other elected members, and a host of professionals (from children’s centres, schools, community groups etc)….various skills for the 3 roles.
Do you think that your library skills helped you to get this position? As a volunteer, the skills I practiced running 3 libraries are still valuable and well used in what I do now, especially in my role as a project manager, learning centre coordinator and community activist.
What other skills have you had to acquire since leaving the library profession in order to enable you to carry out your work? I have to troubleshoot my own IT problems; recently learnt more about website management and social media know-how (PR for the foodbank and neighbourhood forum).
Do you maintain any professional memberships or are there new ones which are more appropriate? I chose not to cancel my ‘Library Association’ membership. I am still a paid up full associate member of CILIP (as if I was still employed). Currently renewing my Institute of Customer Services Membership.
Current role: Volunteer (Project Manager of a Trussell Trust Foodbank; Tutor (Piano, Music Theory, Math & English); Volunteer Family Learning Centre Coordinator (for a Baptist Church); Recording Secretary and activist for a local Neighbourhood Forum.
Former role: Community Librarian (working for the Birmingham City Council) managing 2 libraries in the east of the city (3 by the time I left). My role was to promote reading and learning activities to all ages using a range of programmes and inventiveness to encourage library usage and book borrowing.
What led you to move on from libraries? I left Libraries because the role and job was gradually being undermined, as a profession and as an essential area of influence in the leisure, learning & community cohesion sector.
What do you do in your current role? With 3 roles on the go, my first is to inspire young people to learn – so I teach piano & music theory skills from an early age and currently help with 11+ preparations (including reading skills). I do this alongside developing a church site as a place of learning & leisure through community engagement; As a volunteer Project Manager for a Trussell Trust Franchise, I researched foodbank business for a group of churches and set one up from ‘scratch’ and now two years in, turning over 25+ tonnes of donated food and feeding over 2000 local people while supporting other feeding charities. As in Library work where developing a trained team through 1-2-1 coaching, group sessions or external provision, is now part and parcel of the role of equipping the 50+ volunteers to provide support for foodbank volunteers and in the case of the learning centre coordinator, the same in safeguarding & health & safety.
What library skills do you use in your current role? The Skills I used to function as a library manager include – Operations management (H & S); Building management; Trainer; Public speaking; Bid writing, People Management; Negotiating; PR; Customer care; Team/Community work; IT skills (own admin; ppt presentations; database; leaflet designs and production); Event planning & management; liaising with councillors and other elected members, and a host of professionals (from children’s centres, schools, community groups etc)….various skills for the 3 roles.
Do you think that your library skills helped you to get this position? As a volunteer, the skills I practiced running 3 libraries are still valuable and well used in what I do now, especially in my role as a project manager, learning centre coordinator and community activist.
What other skills have you had to acquire since leaving the library profession in order to enable you to carry out your work? I have to troubleshoot my own IT problems; recently learnt more about website management and social media know-how (PR for the foodbank and neighbourhood forum).
Do you maintain any professional memberships or are there new ones which are more appropriate? I chose not to cancel my ‘Library Association’ membership. I am still a paid up full associate member of CILIP (as if I was still employed). Currently renewing my Institute of Customer Services Membership.
Tuesday 12 April 2016
Former Librarian #14
This week, Jo McCausland is our 14th Former Librarian. She tells us that she had "an amazing library career" but that she is astounded to "have found a new area of work that gives me great satisfaction even beyond what my library career gave me" working in the NHS. I was also interested to hear about the similarities that she has identified between the NHS and the library sector, as well as the heavy use of library skills in her current role.
Name: Jo McCausland
Current role: Improvement Project Manager, Strategy and Transformation, Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Former role: Prior to working for my current Trust, I worked in a similar role for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and prior to that I was a Project Manager working for Sheffield City Council Business Strategy and as part of that role was working with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group on health and social care integration. Before that I was unemployed for 9 months and applying mostly for public library management jobs. Before that I worked for several years on a range of library development projects on temporary contracts. Before that I was a mainstream public library manager.
What led you to move on from libraries? Accepted that after many months of job hunting while unemployed that I wasn’t going to be appointed to a role in mainstream public library management. I also came to the realisation that the emerging public library landscape was not going to play to my strengths in developing and improving services.
What do you do in your current role? I have a lead responsibility for improvement projects related to clinical pathways, business units and in-patient services in Sheffield Children’s Hospital which is one of the 4 specialist children’s hospitals in the country alongside Alder Hey Birmingham Children’s and Great Ormond Street Hospitals.
What library skills do you use in your current role? Research; enquiry skills; information gathering, organisation and dissemination; data analysis; benchmarking; performance analysis and management; stakeholder engagement and management; project management; change management; planning; influencing and negotiation; political awareness; leadership and management.
Do you think that your library skills helped you to get this position? No. That said, I have spoken with numerous NHS colleagues about the surprising similarities between the two sectors in terms of organisational development, change management and service transformation. I’ve found existing skills equally applicable within a culture and ethos that puts patients (i.e. customers!) at the heart of our services.
What other skills have you had to acquire since leaving the library profession in order to enable you to carry out your work? More knowledge than skills I would say e.g. infrastructure, funding mechanisms and tariffs, terminology and acronyms, national and local targets and penalties for non-compliance etc.
Do you maintain any professional memberships or are there new ones which are more appropriate? No
Do you have any future plans/aspirations? I plan to see out my working days contributing to making things better in my local NHS. Having now turned 50, it astounds me that I have found a new area of work that gives me great satisfaction even beyond what my library career gave me. I know that my presence makes a difference and even if I was to ever doubt it, all I have to do is walk down a hospital corridor, nip into a ward or visit a clinic and I’m reminded of why I’m here!
Anything else that you’d like to tell us? I had an amazing library career and worked with some fantastic and committed people who went far above and beyond despite circumstances. I always thought library people were special people but I find the same attitude and behaviour with my NHS colleagues so feel quite ‘at home’.
Name: Jo McCausland
Current role: Improvement Project Manager, Strategy and Transformation, Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Former role: Prior to working for my current Trust, I worked in a similar role for Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and prior to that I was a Project Manager working for Sheffield City Council Business Strategy and as part of that role was working with Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and Sheffield Clinical Commissioning Group on health and social care integration. Before that I was unemployed for 9 months and applying mostly for public library management jobs. Before that I worked for several years on a range of library development projects on temporary contracts. Before that I was a mainstream public library manager.
What led you to move on from libraries? Accepted that after many months of job hunting while unemployed that I wasn’t going to be appointed to a role in mainstream public library management. I also came to the realisation that the emerging public library landscape was not going to play to my strengths in developing and improving services.
What do you do in your current role? I have a lead responsibility for improvement projects related to clinical pathways, business units and in-patient services in Sheffield Children’s Hospital which is one of the 4 specialist children’s hospitals in the country alongside Alder Hey Birmingham Children’s and Great Ormond Street Hospitals.
What library skills do you use in your current role? Research; enquiry skills; information gathering, organisation and dissemination; data analysis; benchmarking; performance analysis and management; stakeholder engagement and management; project management; change management; planning; influencing and negotiation; political awareness; leadership and management.
Do you think that your library skills helped you to get this position? No. That said, I have spoken with numerous NHS colleagues about the surprising similarities between the two sectors in terms of organisational development, change management and service transformation. I’ve found existing skills equally applicable within a culture and ethos that puts patients (i.e. customers!) at the heart of our services.
What other skills have you had to acquire since leaving the library profession in order to enable you to carry out your work? More knowledge than skills I would say e.g. infrastructure, funding mechanisms and tariffs, terminology and acronyms, national and local targets and penalties for non-compliance etc.
Do you maintain any professional memberships or are there new ones which are more appropriate? No
Do you have any future plans/aspirations? I plan to see out my working days contributing to making things better in my local NHS. Having now turned 50, it astounds me that I have found a new area of work that gives me great satisfaction even beyond what my library career gave me. I know that my presence makes a difference and even if I was to ever doubt it, all I have to do is walk down a hospital corridor, nip into a ward or visit a clinic and I’m reminded of why I’m here!
Anything else that you’d like to tell us? I had an amazing library career and worked with some fantastic and committed people who went far above and beyond despite circumstances. I always thought library people were special people but I find the same attitude and behaviour with my NHS colleagues so feel quite ‘at home’.
Tuesday 5 April 2016
Former Librarian #13
This week we welcome an anonymous Learning and Teaching Technologies Manager to the blog. He moved into this role from public libraries.
Name: Just Anon is OK!
Current role: Learning & Teaching Technologies Manager in a faculty at a well-known UK- based distance learning HEI
Former role: Reference Librarian in a town centre public library.
What led you to move on from libraries? I wasn’t interested in the work and I didn’t enjoy contact with the public.
What do you do in your current role? I have responsibility for policy and practice in relation to use of the internet for presenting university-level learning materials to students.
What library skills do you use in your current role? I think there’s a crossover between taxonomy and organisation of thoughts and ideas, which I have to do a lot of.
Do you think that your library skills helped you to get this position? No.
What other skills have you had to acquire since leaving the library profession in order to enable you to carry out your work? Internet and pedagogy-related skills that have only come into existence since the time I left the profession (the internet was hardly a thing in 1993).
Do you maintain any professional memberships or are there new ones which are more appropriate? I was a member of the Library Association during the time I was working in libraries but once I left I knew there was no way I would return to public libraries, so it was not worth keeping up with my membership.
Do you have any future plans/aspirations? I’d like to progress in my current institution, doing the sort of work I’m currently doing.
Name: Just Anon is OK!
Current role: Learning & Teaching Technologies Manager in a faculty at a well-known UK- based distance learning HEI
Former role: Reference Librarian in a town centre public library.
What led you to move on from libraries? I wasn’t interested in the work and I didn’t enjoy contact with the public.
What do you do in your current role? I have responsibility for policy and practice in relation to use of the internet for presenting university-level learning materials to students.
What library skills do you use in your current role? I think there’s a crossover between taxonomy and organisation of thoughts and ideas, which I have to do a lot of.
Do you think that your library skills helped you to get this position? No.
What other skills have you had to acquire since leaving the library profession in order to enable you to carry out your work? Internet and pedagogy-related skills that have only come into existence since the time I left the profession (the internet was hardly a thing in 1993).
Do you maintain any professional memberships or are there new ones which are more appropriate? I was a member of the Library Association during the time I was working in libraries but once I left I knew there was no way I would return to public libraries, so it was not worth keeping up with my membership.
Do you have any future plans/aspirations? I’d like to progress in my current institution, doing the sort of work I’m currently doing.
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