Ms Elaine Blair

Personal statement

Faculty Librarians are subject-specialist members of library staff who provide support over a range of areas. I act as a point of contact for all staff within the Science Faculty. I am happy to answer any queries relevant to library services and resources, as well as attend any appropriate meetings or events where my input may be of value. Provision of training and support in using library services is also a core element of central to my role. I deliver sessions to all levels from 1st first year undergraduates, through final year projects, to taught postgraduates and research staff. This can take the form of a one-to-one session, a pre-arranged class for larger numbers of students, or simply a drop-in query or email. It can cover topics such as accessing items on a reading list, or how to reference, up to more specialist skills like conducting a detailed systematic literature review. At the core of these services are the resources of the library itself. I liaise with the school on the purchase, management, and development of the print and electronic resources with which we support the teaching and research of the Science Faculty. As a team, the Faculty Librarians are involved in a variety of projects aimed at enhancing Library provision as a whole. We are constantly reviewing the service we provide, focusing on our electronic resources, library and information skills teaching, collection development, promoting active use of the collections through reading strategies, and support for researchers.