Where am I Today?: From Cataloguing to Manuscripts to Technology Services
This paper will reflect Mary's varied busy and hectic working life while taking part in four different library technician positions in the space of eight months. The time line that will be highlighted is from September 2005 to April 2006.
During this time Mary held the following four positions concurrently: -
Current Monograph Cataloguing position, located in the Collection Management Division, Cataloguing Department
Manuscript cataloguing and Library Technician positions, located in the Access and Information Division, Manuscripts Collection
Library Technician position, located in the Technology Services Division.
The cataloguing of current monographs is my on-going, full-time substantive position. I have worked in the Cataloguing Department for several years, cataloguing predominately current monograph materials. The main tasks of this position are the original and copy cataloguing of these monographs and to resolve ongoing problems.
As part of the R.E. Ross Trust Fund, a special grant was offered to the State Library of Victoria in October 2004. The main task of this project is to work through the card catalogue of the Manuscripts Library and to convert these records to the on-line catalogue. Six hours per week is allocated to working on this project.
With the nearing of completion of the State Library of Victoria's off-site store in late 2005, serials, newspapers and other materials were to be relocated to the store and many sequences integrated. To achieve this, their location prefixes needed to be amended on the catalogue. This was accomplished by global relocation, using the Library's Voyager in-house system and any ongoing problems were resolved on a daily basis. I worked on this project for 4 half days per week starting from September 2005.
In April 2006 I took part in a six month staff exchange with another staff member. The Library Technician from the Manuscript Library exchanged with me to work in the Cataloguing Department and I worked in her place in the Manuscript Library.
My paper will describe my personal experiences and will also outline the variety of tasks participated in on a daily basis for each position. Information will also include the work performed in the Manuscript Library and Technology Services, new skills and library tools learnt and other skills that broadened my experience and how I kept up with my cataloguing work and contact with my work colleagues in the Cataloguing Department.