Tag: Internships

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General Internships Skills Team

The Festival of Sleep

The 3rd of January marks the Festival of Sleep, an unofficial calendar event that encourages everyone to rest after the busy holiday period.

Given this, and that it is a new year, I thought that it would be a good time to highlight the importance of sleep. More specifically, the role that sleeping plays in being a successful student. As well as giving you all some top tips on how to improve your sleep.

Ginger cat sleeping on a white bed.

Why is sleeping so important for your studies?

Here are 4 reasons why students should make getting a good night’s sleep a priority:

1. Sleep gives you energy

This is definitely the most obvious reason, but when we don’t get enough sleep, we don’t have enough energy to get through the day. In turn, we might not have enough energy to attend our lectures or study. If this happens frequently, then it’s easy to see how this could impact our academic performance as we would miss out on course content.

A person with their head down on a desk covered with open books.

2. Mental and Physical Health

Sleeping plays a vital part in our body and brain functioning properly. When we are deprived of our sleep, we are more at risk to both physical and mental illness (Norbury & Evans, 2018; Harvard Summer School, 2022). It is clear to see why this would also impact our studies. When you don’t feel the best in your body, you don’t always perform as well in day-to-day activities.

If you’re struggling with your mental health, don’t hesitate to get in touch with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Team. You may also find our World Mental Health Day blog useful to see what help is available to you at the University.

3. Sleep effects your mood

Poor sleep also leaves us more likely to have low mood. This includes being more irritable and easily stressed (Harvard Medical School & WGBH Educational Foundation, 2007; Harvard Summer School, 2022). When studying, you need to be able to manage the stress that comes with your workload. This links back to your mental health as continually missing sleep will have a big impact on your mood and mental wellbeing.

A person looking stressed and holding their head in their hands while looking at their laptop.

4. Problem solving

According to Cappello (2020), sleeping can improve our ability to solve problems and our critical thinking skills. Both of these skills are useful for our university studies.

5. Consolidation of memory

This is potentially one of the most important ways that sleep supports academic success. When we sleep, new information that we have learned in the day is consolidated and made into a solid memory (Harvard Medical School & WGBH Educational Foundation, 2007). When studying, you will learn a lot of new information on a daily basis. Getting the right amount of sleep, as well as revising, will help you to memorise what you have learnt (Cappello, 2020). This is best summarised below:

“When we sleep, brain oscillations help new vocabulary to become better integrated with our existing knowledge. This means that when we wake up, we have stronger and more useful memories of the new material.”

(Gaskell & Henderson, n.d.)

Improving your sleep

Given all the information above, you can see how sleep plays a big role in our studies. If we do not get the right amount of sleep or if it is poor quality, then there are negative consequences that we can be susceptible to. It is clear that we need to make sleeping one of our top priorities.

However, this is often easier said than done. Sometimes it can seem impossible to make good sleep a priority, especially when there are factors beyond our control that impact our sleep (Harvard Summer School, 2021). For example, your mattress may be poor quality, you may live in a noisy area or you may have pre-existing health conditions (Harvard Summer School, 2021). Unfortunately, there are a lot of factors that can stop us from getting the sleep that we need. But, there are still small steps that we can take to ensure we are doing the most that we can to get good quality sleep.

A white fluffy cat falling asleep while laying on a pet bed.

1. Know how much sleep you need

There is a lot of information online regarding how much rest we need. The recommended amount varies depending on your age group. According to Harvard Summer School (2021), people aged between 18-25 need 7-9 hours of sleep a day. With anything under 7 hours a night leaving us “chronically sleep deprived” (Norbury & Evans, 2018:2). While this may give us some guidance on how much sleep to get, it’s not specific to individuals.

While researching this blog, I found some advice that may help you find out how much sleep you need. All you need to do is ask yourself, ‘how long do I sleep for when I don’t have to get up?’ (Harvard Summer School, 2021). For example, on a weekend do you get a couple hours extra in bed than you do during the week?. This is a great way to start the the journey of making sleep one of your priorities.

2. Limit your caffeine intake

If you’re anything like me, you love a good brew throughout the day. I know that I usually have an extra coffee if I am feeling particularly tired and have low energy. But, consuming too much caffeine, especially near bedtime, can be detrimental to your sleep (National Health Service [NHS], 2021). It can be particularly bad if you get yourself into the routine of not being able to sleep, consuming caffeine to give you the energy you need and then not being able to sleep again. One way to combat this is to limit your caffeine intake or swap to decaffeinated beverages near bedtime (NHS, 2021).

Kermit drinking tea out of a glass mug via Giphy.

3. Be consistent

If you want to improve your sleep hygiene, you need to be consistent (Chandler, 2019). It’s not ideal to try and ‘catch-up’ on the rest that you have missed by sleeping for extended periods of time on a weekend or by napping (Harvard Summer School, 2021). Rather, you need to be consistent in your sleep routine, including when you go to bed and when you wake up. I know this isn’t always possible with the demands of your studies, work, family and student life, but you should at least try to make your sleep routine a priority.

4. Relax before bed

Part of every bedtime routine should be a wind-down period, where you relax before sleeping. Reading a good book or evening using an app for guided meditation are some ways that I like to unwind before sleeping. This time is important so that you can do something you enjoy and help you to forget about the stresses from your day. Don’t forget that you can always check out the Library’s Leisure Collection for your nighttime reading!

A child smiling while reading a book in a yellow armchair via Giphy.

Another way to help you see your bed as a relaxing space is to minimise what else you do in your bedroom (Harvard Summer School, 2021). This is particularly important for students that study and rest in one room. If this is the case, you need to be able to separate your space into work zone and a relaxation zone. Although it might seem comfortable to sit and do your studying in your bed, it is best that you use your desk as your work zone. You could also work in the Library if you live near campus or in a local coffee shop whenever possible so that your bedroom is solely a place for relaxation. You can read more about the importance of your study environment in our SkillsGuides.

5. Don’t forfeit your sleep

Sometimes you may feel like the only way you can keep up with the demands of your studies is by pulling an all-nighter (Harvard Summer School, 2021). Maybe you need to cram in some revision for an exam the next day or you have an essay deadline that is fast approaching. But, forfeiting your sleep is the last thing you want to do. As mentioned, sleeping is essential for strengthening your memory and recalling information, as well as being able to concentrate (Cappello, 2020). So, you actually need to get your rest before any form of examination.

Being able to manage your time is an extremely important skill for all students to learn. Hopefully, by planning your schedule, you won’t have to sacrifice your sleep to keep up with your studies. An easy way to start this is by looking at your modules and writing all your assignment deadlines and exam dates in your diary. That way, you know what you need to study for and focus on first. You can also plan the time you will spend on reading, revising, working and doing things you enjoy. In doing this, you should be able to avoid cramming in your revision last minute and staying up all night. To learn more about time management, check out our SkillsGuide for more tips.

A hand holding a stylus to write on a digital weekly planner on a tablet.

Catching your zzz’s

If you have learnt anything from this blog, it’s that sleeping is super important. Not only does it play a huge part in keeping us physically and mentally well, it also helps us succeed as students. So, make your sleep routine a priority this year.

Stitch wearing a onesie snuggling into bed with a teddy via Giphy.

For reference

Cappello, K. (2020) The Impact of Sleep on Learning and Memory [Blog post]. Chronobiology and Sleep Institute. 21 December. Available online: https://www.med.upenn.edu/csi/the-impact-of-sleep-on-learning-and-memory.html [Accessed 01/01/2023].

Chandler, D. (2019) Study: Better sleep habits lead to better college grades. MIT News, Internet Edition. 1 October. Available online: https://news.mit.edu/2019/better-sleep-better-grades-1001 [ Accessed 01/01/2023].

Gaskell, G. & Henderson, L. (n.d.) Sleep for a better education. Available online: https://www.york.ac.uk/research/impact/sleep-better-education/ [Accessed 01/01/2023].

Harvard Medical School & WGBH Educational Foundation (2007) Sleep, learning and memory. Available online: https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/benefits-of-sleep/learning-memory [Accessed 01/01/2023].

Harvard Summer School (2021) Why you should make a good night’s sleep a priority [Blog post]. Harvard Summer School. 28 May. Available online: https://summer.harvard.edu/blog/why-you-should-make-a-good-nights-sleep-a-priority/ [Accessed 01/01/2023].

NHS (2021) Why am I tired all the time? Available online: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/why-am-i-tired-all-the-time/ [Accessed 01/01/2023].

Norbury, R. & Evans, S. (2018) Time to think: Subjective sleep quality, trait anxiety and university start time. PsyArXiv. Available online: https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/9eaqr [Accessed 01/01/2023].

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General Interns Internships

How the University Library is like the TARDIS

November 23rd marks Doctor Who Day. A day which celebrates when the iconic sci-fi show first aired in 1963.

You may be asking, “But what has Doctor Who got to do with the University Library?”.

Well, I know it seems a little bit random, but stick with me. As a Doctor Who fan, I couldn’t pass up on the chance to celebrate this day and I am always open to trying new things with the Library blog. So, that got me thinking, “How can I incorporate celebrating this day through the Library social media?”. As you may have guessed by the title of the blog, I came up with comparing the University Library to the TARDIS. As it seems, they actually have quite a lot in common, so let me tell you how!

A digital 2D drawing of the TARDIS which is on the left hand side. On the right hand side is the Brynmor Jones Library in a blue colour.

Comparing the TARDIS and the Brynmor Jones Library.

1. You can travel through time and space

The TARDIS is the Doctor’s method of travelling through time and space. It stands for ‘Time And Relative Dimension In Space” (BBC, 2014). The Doctor and their companions have been able to see different planets, the end of the world and so much more using this spacecraft.

Unfortunately, we don’t have that kind of technology, but we do have millions of resources in our collection. Using books, journals, archive material and more, staff, students and associate members are able to travel through space and time in their own way. Not in a physical sense, but in the ability to read and learn about our past and future. A little bit cringe, I know, but it’s true! The volume of sources available through the Library enable you to find information on anything you can think of throughout time and space.

A pile of five open books on top of a desk. Behind this are 4 more piles of closed books.

2. They’re dimensionally transcendental

One thing every character notes about the TARDIS when they first encounter it is that it is bigger on the inside than the outside. The same can definitely be said for the Brynmor Jones Library.

While you may look at the Library and think “it’s huge, how can it be any bigger?”, what you don’t see when you look at the exterior of the Library is the basement.

Below the Tower and the ground floor is the Library basement. Here you can find art, overstock books that are no longer in use, and old theses. It doesn’t stop there as you can also find the Hull collection, closed access material, closed journals, the South East Asia collection and so much more housed in the basement.

The Library basement. In the center of the image is a concrete floor and above there are 5 white lights along the walk way. Also above are metal vents. To each side of the concrete corridor are rows of white rolling shelves that are filled with books and other Library materials.

On my tour around the Library, I found that the basement was like an endless maze, with each room leading to another.

In addition to the physical space in the Library, we also have eBooks, access to eJournals and other online resources. Therefore, what you have access to through the Library is so much more than the 7 floors of the physical building.

It’s easy to say that like the Doctor’s TARDIS, the Library is bigger on the inside than the outside.

3. The inside

Due to the enormous size of the TARDIS interior, many episodes of the show have depicted the different rooms that you can find in the spacecraft. This includes bedrooms, gardens, storage, a wardrobe, a swimming pool and its very own library (BBC, 2014; The Doctor Who Site, n.d.). In most episodes, viewers can see the control room which is just behind the doors of the TARDIS.

An image of a metal swimming pool ladder attached to a concrete floor. The ladder is going into a clear, blue swimming pool.

Now, the Library doesn’t include a swimming pool, but one could argue that the Welcome Desk on the ground floor is our control room. Here the team work effortlessly to support students, staff and visitors in using the Library space, facilities and more. Similar to the control room in the TARDIS, the welcome desk and the other various staff offices that can be found in the Library are essential to its day-to-day running.

We also have many other rooms and areas that you may not have expected. There is an art gallery and The Cube, which holds our rare books. You can find the Library café, a Student Kitchen, Teaching Rooms, Philip Larkin’s office, conference rooms and the Reading Room. Students can also book group learning rooms for study.

The Library’s Art Gallery. The white walls are covered in framed artworks. On the floor there are two grey benches. At the end of the bench is a sculpture of a nude female form.

Access to these facilities is granted by your staff, student or associate membership and you will need your card to enter the Library. In a similar way, the TARDIS can only be entered by those with a key. However, the gallery and café are open to the public!

4. The 1960s influence

The exterior of the TARDIS is a Police Box from 1963 (BBC, 2014). The TARDIS is meant to be able to blend in with its environment. In 60s Britain, the TARDIS will have done so as Police Boxes were used as a way of contact before mobile phones and walkie-talkies (BBC, 2014). The TARDIS is still presented as a Police Box due to a fault.

The Brynmor Jones also has a sixties influence for its exterior. The original Library was built in the late 50s and officially opened in 1960. The Tower block extension was added to the Library in the late sixties. In 1967 it was renamed the Brynmor Jones Library after the University’s Vice-Chancellor at the time.

The Library has since been redeveloped to meet the needs of staff and students in the 21st Century. But, you can still see many of the Library’s original 60s features including the light-well on the First Floor and the skylight.

The First Floor of the Brynmor Jones Library in 1960. Students are sat at desks around the original lightwell. You can still find this in the Library today.

While the TARDIS was designed to blend into its surroundings, it is safe to say that the Library definitely does not. This place of study towers above all other buildings on campus and easily identified by all.

The exterior of the Brynmor Jones Library on a bright, clear day.

Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed this little blog for Doctor Who Day, I certainly had fun writing it.

I will leave you with a Doctor Who quote to remind you just how great your University Library can be. Here you have access to the best sources and facilities for being successful in your academic learning and beyond.

“You want weapons? We’re in a library! Books! Best weapons in the world! This room’s the greatest arsenal we could have. Arm yourself!”- The Doctor David Tennant

The Doctor (David Tennant) from Doctor Who, ‘Silence in the Library’, Season 4, Episode 8.

For Reference

BBC (2014) A beginner’s guide to the TARDIS. Available online: https://www.bbc.co.uk/doctorwho/classic/tardiscam/intro.shtml [Accessed 19/10/2022].

The Doctor Who Site (n.d.) TARDIS rooms. Available online: https://thedoctorwhosite.co.uk/tardis/rooms/ [Accessed 19/10/2022].

Find Jess’ other Library Blogs here:

World Mental Health Day
Things I didn’t know as a student about the Brynmor Jones Library
Searching the Archives: a day at the Hull History Centre
My First Week as an Intern
Categories
General Interns Internships Library insider

My First Week as an Intern

Jess, the intern, stood smiling in front of a statue of William Shakespeare in Stratford-upon-Avon

My name is Jess and I recently started my role as an intern at the Brynmor Jones Library.

Find out what I have learnt in the first week and why it has already been beneficial to my future career.

The application process

Up until two weeks ago, I worked in a pub as a supervisor. It definitely wasn’t what I expected to do after getting an English and Philosophy degree from the University of Hull in 2021. But, it meant I could pay for my rent and the cat’s food.

One day, I received an email from Student Futures. It contained a long list of different internships available within the University. I scrolled through and found one entitled ‘Social Media and Communications Intern’, at the Brynmor Jones Library. I got excited as soon as I read it. Working in an academic library had always interested me. I knew this was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. I had to apply.

The downside? The deadline for applying was the next day and I had to start a night shift in a couple of hours. I needed to attach my CV and a cover letter. I had never written a cover letter in my life. The pressure was on.

Spongebob and Patrick running around with a look of panic via Giphy.

Luckily, I managed to apply for the role and make it to the bus stop on time.

The next day, I had an email from Lee who works as an Academic & Library Specialist. We arranged to have an informal chat for later on in the week. I was nervous, but in retrospect, I didn’t need to be. The chat with Lee was very relaxed and gave me a chance to express my interest in the role.

Not long after, I found out that the internship was mine. After we agreed on a start date, I signed my contract. All I had left to do was sort out my sleeping pattern and wait until my first day.

My week so far

Throughout the week, I have been introduced to many different Library staff members. What they have in common is that they have all been extremely kind and willing to help. This has made settling in rather easy.

I have also started to develop skills related to social media, as the title of my internship applied I would. This process started with me learning about which social media platforms the Library use. The team and I also discussed what aspects of the Library social media we believe could be developed. So far, I have been given training on Hootsuite, Canva and the different types of image licensing and copyright. As well as mandatory training on diversity and data protection.

It has also been important for me to learn about the Library facilities and what is available to students, so that I can promote them.

Using all this information, I have been able to draft some posts for social media and I’ve written a couple of blogs. I have found this aspect quite challenging as the last written work I did was my undergraduate thesis in 2021. It has been strange to go from academic writing to writing more informal blog posts. This has been especially hard when my previous job didn’t rely on me being creative. As the week has progressed, I have found it easier to come up with some fun ideas. So, I am sure it is a skill I will develop further over the next few months.

And lets not forget that I have received my very own iconic, yellow Brynmor Jones Library lanyard.

Mayor Quimby stating “This is the most exciting thing” via Giphy.

What I enjoy about being an intern

One brilliant aspect of being an intern at the Library has been the networking opportunity. In one week, I have spoken to a lot of different people, all with extremely different backgrounds. It has become clear to me that there is more than one way to work in an academic library. This has been very reassuring to learn as I believe it will be applicable to many job roles.

My tour around the Brynmor Jones Library with Helen was also really exciting. You can read more about my experience of the tour here.

In the upcoming weeks, I will also get the opportunity to tour the Hull History Centre, which is linked to the Brynmor Jones Library. The team I work with have really encouraged me to pursue my interests and have happily accommodated my request to also gain some experience in the archive sector. This will be important to decide the next steps in my career or studies.

Hull History Centre

Another aspect of being an intern in the Library that I have enjoyed is that it is an environment that is constantly changing and adapting to community needs. This means that my day-to-day routine so far has never been the same.

And finally, probably the best part of being an intern is that the stereotype that librarians love cats is proving to be true. Meeting and office-talk often entail us all talking about our pet cats in some way or another.

Jess’ cat, Mouse. A white cat laid on a wicker chair with an orange cushion.

What i hope to learn in the next few months

One of the initial reasons that I applied for the Social Media and Communications Internship at the Library is that I wanted to gain first-hand experience of working in such an organisation. I have already discovered the large variety of job roles available in an academic library, and I hope to get to know more.

In terms of social media and blogging skills, I am looking forward to engaging my brain in a more creative way of working. I also think it would be beneficial to the Library if I could create content in the form of short, informal and aesthetic videos. The purpose of these would be to showcase the Library and its facilities in a way that I believe modern audiences would engage in. This is something I haven’t tried before, but I am aiming to gain confidence in video recording and editing.

A laptop, phone and camera placed on top of a wooden table

It will also be good to meet the new interns that are joining the Library in the next few weeks. This way, I have a support network of not just staff who have worked in the Library for years, but also those who are in the same boat as me and trying something completely new.

Final Thoughts

I can confidently say that there have already been many benefits to being an intern at the Brynmor Jones Library.

Yes, it has been quite a nerve-wracking process, but ultimately it has been good to challenge myself and get out of my comfort zone.

I am only one week into a ten-week journey, and I have already started to gain new skills from working in a different environment. The training that has and will be provided will no doubt enhance my CV and career prospects. Plus, I have made lots of worthy connections who have already offered a lot of support and guidance.

If there is one thing that you can take away from this blog, it’s that if you get the opportunity to do an internship in an academic library, then do it. You’re sure to learn something new, and you will definitely find a fellow cat lover!

Dwight Schrute with the caption “Do it! Now!” via Giphy.
Categories
Interns Library insider

A Week at the Brynmor Jones Library

In July, the Brynmor Jones Library welcomed two work experience students from local schools. Sev and John both worked with staff for one week, and kindly agreed to tell us about their experiences.

Sev

My week at the Brynmor Jones Library started on Monday with a morning of induction and health and safety with Helen. During the week, I was shown a lot about how the library works.

I got a chance to work with the rare books collection in the Cube and created a display cabinet for the University Open Day. It was themed around tragedy and romance, with books including Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby and D. H. Lawrence’s Sons and Lovers.

Sev’s ‘Tragedy and Romance’ rare book display

Between creating the display cabinet and researching the books used inside it, I got to work in Collections on the library database, and in the basement doing stocktaking. I was also in the Reading Room quite a lot doing available holds and KDL tagging.

Working with the rare books with Helen was my favourite part of the week!

John

This week at the University of Hull has been interesting and really enjoyable. When you mention a library, many people will have the image of a dull and boring place, but that’s not always the truth – some libraries go above and beyond to make it interesting and useful to all, and the Brynmor Jones Library is one of them.

I also started making a display case of some of the rare books, which I found really interesting. My theme being war, I picked out some of the most memorable and impactful books as a way to remember some of the wars that shaped our country.

John’s ‘Remembering War’ rare book display

The library staff were very nice and welcoming, and they kept me busy and engaged. It was fulfilling knowing that I was helping out.

This post is authored by Sev and John, two of our work experience students (July 2022).

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Internships

The end of my internship

It’s been an amazing journey for the last 3 months, and I can’t say enough how much I’ve enjoyed my time as an intern. Through it all, I’ve learnt a lot and improved my skills in web design, as well as having learnt a lot about Customer Engagement, a field of work I never fully understood before this role. 

I’ve met so many people and I feel like I’ve had a chance to get to know a little of everything that happens in the Library. It’s amazing how much goes on behind the scenes to bring the fantastic experience we get as students at the University of Hull, and I appreciate it more having seen behind the curtain. 

via GIPHY

So, what have I done? 

Well, it feels like a whole bunch of stuff. I’ve done research into Customer Engagement Strategies, delivered presentations on the same, helped edit SkillsGuides, gave my input on a wide range of stuff to help the Library have a student perspective. I’ve helped design and run Usability Testing sessions and fixed bugs or improved aspects of the Library website.  

I’ve also done some less easily defined things, like learning how a workplace works, making connections, and speaking to a wide variety of people working in different roles so that I can get an insight into what they do. I think these skills will really help me in my job search and future careers. 

Speaking of, what’s next? 

Well, I’m hoping to continue now to get an IT job in another University (or academic library) somewhere in London, where I live. As fun as it’s been to work remote, I’m excited to learn how to work in a physical workplace and everything that comes with that, including interacting with and directly helping customers. Wherever I end up though, I’m planning on keeping in touch with the amazing people I’ve met during my internship here. 

via GIPHY

It’s been really fun, and really insightful. I’m glad I got this opportunity, and I’m looking forward to the future. See ya! 

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General

Final Blog – This is the End – David Moore

After 12 weeks of work experience and how time has flown by, my internship is at an end and what an experience it has been.  From meeting new people, learning new skills and gaining experience within a working environment. 

So, after the first week which was hectic but enjoyable my work began from learning how to do timesheets, something that I have never done before to drafting design ideas for projects.  Throughout this journey sometimes I felt that my head was going to explode with information, which included searching websites and mandated training, but I overcame each obstacle and enjoyed every moment.  With the help of Lee and members of staff including other interns (Jo & John), it showed me a guiding light into the unknown and this has been a good learning curve for me.

During this time, I have gained a clear understanding of my role Visual Design Intern which is to help the other Interns design images and videos for the Skills Guide and Digi skills.  This involved creating images, of which I used PowerPoint, to create these icons I had to change the size, colour and merge them together to create simple images.  For the videos, these are instructive videos on how to create blogs, magazine articles, letters, opinion pieces and wikis.

For example

Skill guides

  • YouTube Videos – These videos are to show how to do blogs and shows examples of letter to editor, magazine articles, newspapers etc. 
  • Public Communications SkillsGuide – I helped with images.
  • Helped with other designs and images as required.

Digi Skills

  • Digital Tools – created images for the titles of topics.
  • Images based around public holidays such as Halloween, Christmas, Easter, Bonfire Night etc, for example the title was Fear of Missing Out and the holidays was Halloween.  The image I created is

Conclusion

The end of the journey has come around quickly and I am thankful for the experience and gained a lot of knowledge.  I have met a lot of new people, explored the university as a staff member which showed me how things work in a working environment and having the chance to work in an office if only for a few days (working from home was great too).  Thank you to all the staff members of the library for helping me along my journey and this opportunity for which I am grateful.

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Internships

My internship journey ends

Ending New Year GIF by Looney Tunes - Find & Share on GIPHY

Well, my internship adventure has now come to an end and I’m writing this after saying all my goodbyes. This has gone very fast the past three months only feel like a few weeks, but it has been a great learning experience for me. I have learned new things got to build on my experience as a copywriter and met some nice people along the way.

If you are a former student and considering an internship at the university I would highly recommend it. You will have a great time whilst also gaining valuable experience in your chosen field.

My Journey

My Internship first began back in August where I was nervously and excitedly pondering where the journey would take me. The first couple of weeks was just about getting to know the basics. Then I really started to get into my job role which was to write and adapt the digital skills course for students. If you want to know more about how this went check out my previous post at the halfway point of my journey.

I have now come to the end of the road I have finished all the content I was writing for the digital skills course. I overcame a few obstacles and actually exceeded my expectations in terms of how much work I completed. Over the course of the university year, you will all get to see my work published on the library blog and hopefully it will be both informative and enjoyable. As I planned with the help of my supervisor Lee the course is delivered in a different format to how similar courses have been delivered so as to hopefully be more engaging for students.

Highway, Wilderness, Yellow Line, Asphalt, Landscape

Goodbye and thank you

I would just like to thank all the staff I’ve worked with as well as my fellow interns, and my supervisor Lee whom I previously mentioned. I will now probably consider taking a taking a couple of weeks off before I get into job searching for copyright work in the London area. Although I’m not ruling out the possibility of working with the university again at a later date. Goodbye and thank you for the experience.

Reaction Goodbye GIF by reactionseditor - Find & Share on GIPHY

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Academic literacies Skills Team

Digital Assessments for Public Communications

We’ve recently published our brand-new Public Communications SkillsGuide, but you may be scratching your head wondering why we’d need such a guide. The way students are being assessed is ever-changing, so we need to keep up with the digital age. This guide provides much-needed advice on assessments in this category. 

What are Public Communications?

There are many forms of writing produced for public audiences (no not tweets and Instagram captions), more like articles and blogs etc. Public Communications are used to make academic research available to the public. They are written in an accessible and readable way to not exclude certain groups, therefore reaching a wider readership. 

The aims of public communications are to explain, inform, and educate. They may also be written to enact change. 

Here are a few examples of formats used to accomplish these goals:

Blog posts

Why are academic blogs written?

  • To reflect on your work – talk about your strengths, weaknesses, achievements and what you would do differently next time. 
  • To share experiences –collaborating with a group and writing a short section each about your role and the work you completed. 
  • To update – an e-portfolio to post a run down of your creative process, or data you’ve collated. This would be written over the course of your module. 
  • To share knowledge and advice – like an academic essay where you go in depth about a topic, however, a blog will be more informal, shorter, and use less academic jargon. 

Letters to the Editor

You may write a Letter to the Editor after reading an article, or journal and wish to voice your opinions on it. A few reasons for writing such a letter are:

  • Discuss controversial aspects of something recently published.   
  • Enrich the existing knowledge of the piece with an informed opinion. 
  • Seek clarification on an aspect of something you’ve just read.  
  • Share relevant professional viewpoints.

Letters to the Editor should not only be critical but should add value to a topic and stimulate debate.  

Magazine Articles

An article gives a balanced view, or a biased standpoint on a topic which will depend on where it is published and the target audience.

They are usually written to:

  • Inform – give information about current events.
  • Persuade – to get readers to agree with their viewpoints. 
  • Enact Change – educate people about socio-economic issues and how they can help change happen. 

(I thought this one would feel left out if there were no bullet points)

Wikis

A wiki is a place to gather information, thoughts, and ideas which you can easily share with others. Now, you maybe sat there thinking “wait isn’t this Wikipedia?” You’re not wrong, sort of. A wiki is structured like a Wikipedia page, yes, so as you all clearly know what this is I guess I don’t have to go on…

But wait there’s no bullet points!

What can a wiki be used for?

  • To document work – use multiple pages for different topics and store your work.
  • Create collaborative bibliographies – you and your group can summarise and critique further readings.
  • Build a collection of links and/or documents related to your work to discuss with your group.
  • Create e-portfolios – a place to showcase your work and process. 
  • Reflect as an individual or group, writing about how you got from A to B and how the process went. 

I feel better now all have bullet points. I hope this has helped you understand what Public Communications are used for. This may also clarify why you may be asked to complete one, or multiple of these whilst at university. 

Other types of Public Communications include infographics, newspaper articles, opinion pieces and posters. We go into greater detail in our skills guide. 

Categories
Internships

John Weightman my internship reflections

John Weightman

The halfway point of my internship journey

It is strange to think that I’m already halfway through my internship, it has been about 6 weeks since I joined the Library Skills Team. As you may remember from my first blog post when I first started, I was a mixture of nerves and excitement wandering where my internship journey would take me. It is always natural to be nervous I think when starting a job. Though it’s safe to say those nerves didn’t last that long working with such a friendly and welcoming team. 

Road, Travel, Winding, Road Trip, Landscape, Street

What have I been up to?

In the first week of my internship, we just had our basic training going through fire safety and things like that. We also met all the staff and I got to meet the other Interns. At first, there was not a whole lot to do but Lee my supervisor gave me an opportunity to write a few small sections for the staff Digital Skills course. I got to write about Fake News and how to avoid online scams like phishing. In addition to this Lee also recommended to me and my fellow interns some MOOCs (Massive open online courses). These courses are very useful and when I had any downtime while working, I took a look at them and enrolled in a couple of courses.

Digital Skills Course

Computer Boomer GIF - Find & Share on GIPHY

So, that was pretty much my first couple of weeks, but things didn’t really get going till it came to adapting the study skills course for students. For this, I first looked through everything that was written for the staff digital skills course and considered what could be useful for students. Some aspects I could use and just change slightly for a student audience, and I found ways to adapt some of the material aimed at teachers to work for students. I also came up with my own ideas and what digital skills I felt were relevant to students.

Later I discussed with Lee how we were going to deliver the content for students. We both felt that students would probably not engage as much with the course the way it was presented on Canvas so, we had to go in a different direction. As I have experience blogging and Lee wanted to get more content published on the library blog, I suggested writing the course as a series of blog posts. Lee seemed very interested in the idea and we came up with the plan for a post each week throughout the year. This way it feels less like a course, and it makes it easier to digest all the content over a full year than over a few weeks. We decided to call it #TechItUpTuesday if you want to see the latest post, please check it out and feel free to give me any feedback you have.

Reflections

Confused Dog GIF by HIF Australia - Find & Share on GIPHY

I am very much enjoying the experience so far; I’ve got to meet some very nice and friendly people. As I am working remotely it has also been most helpful to have a half-hour call almost every day just to talk about things other than work. I have also got the chance to stretch my writing muscles particularly with all the posts I have queued up to write for the digital skills course. I am now anxiously looking forward to what the rest of my internship has in store.

Categories
Internships

My Internship Progress – The Halfway Point

Joanna Rawnsley

I can’t believe it’s already October. It’s autumn which is my favourite time of year, Halloween is upon us, but more importantly, I’m halfway through my internship with the Skills Team.

Let’s Recap

I am creating a brand- new, Public Communications skills guide. One section is all about blogging (ironic isn’t it), because Public Communications are pieces of writing, or visuals like posters and infographics that are created for the public sphere. This guide will go into detail about everything students need to know for such assessments.

What I’ve learnt in the last 6 weeks

By researching what it means to write for the public and the different formats used, I’ve developed new writing techniques and learnt the many factors of what goes into these formats. I’ve realised that the language I use, and my vocabulary has broadened, because writing is a craft. The more you practice, the more skilled you become.

As well as my writing, my proofreading and editing techniques have also developed. These are crucial to me as an aspiring author/poet, but also a blogger. Even though I’ve now completed my masters in English and Creative Writing, I will always be striving to develop my writing and editing techniques and this internship is providing me with this experience.

Something I haven’t had experience in before was copywriting, but it is a career I have been contemplating. I’m thankful for having the opportunity to learn how to copywrite and develop this skill further. The research for the copy was extensive; going down numerous rabbit holes, but if my studies taught me anything, it’s that sometimes these rabbit holes can be fruitful. It just so happens this was the case as I’ve now completed the copy for the guide.

The best is yet to come

With the copy completed, it’s time to build the skills guide. Helping with its construction and design were optional to me, but I want to make the most of the time I have working here. Learning how to design a website and how to use HTML coding is an area I’ve been wanting to get into. After completing my internship, I am looking at working in marketing and/or social media and having some web design expertise will make my applications stand out.

To sum it all up

In the last 6 weeks, I have become more confident in myself and my capabilities whilst gaining expertise in areas that will help me in my future career. A lot can happen in 6 weeks, so who knows what I’ll write about in my final update come November.

Here’s another autumnal image, because it’s pretty. There’s really no other reason for it being here.

Right, back to work for now!