Behind the scenes: Volunteering at Special Collections
Today’s post comes from Eleanor Wale, a former volunteer for our library team as well as in MERL. Eleanor’s volunteering stood her in good stead, and she is now the Library Graduate Trainee for Christ’s College, Cambridge. Having been a volunteer at both the University of Reading’s Special Collections and the Museum of English Rural […]
A place for everything… and everything (hopefully!) in its place: the wonderful role of UMASCS Graduate Trainee Library Assistant
As we look to recruit a new Graduate Trainee Library Assistant (closing date 25/08/2014) here is a quick introduction to the role and overview of my day to day activities… Written by Claire Wooldridge, UMASCS Graduate Trainee Library Assistant The role of GT here at UMASCS has been exciting and varied, packed with interesting projects […]
The making of an exhibition: Max Weber
Professor Anna Gruetzner Robins (Department of Art, University of Reading) has been instrumental in building the current exhibition at London’s Ben Uri Gallery on the cubist painter Max Weber. The exhibition, which is on until 5 October, includes paintings and rare books from our collections. The making of Max Weber: An American Cubist in Paris […]
Behind the scenes: Work experience at Special Collections
Today’s post in from Anna, who spent her week of work experience on the library side of Special Collections. I applied for work experience at the Reading University Library because I adore books and I have been thinking about becoming a librarian. When I found out that I would be working in Special Collections I […]
Visit to the library and archives at Douai Abbey
A few times a year, the archives and library team ventures out to visit another library, archive, museum or similar. Last week’s visit was to Douai Abbey in Upper Woolhampton, Berkshire. Library staff member Helen Westhrop reports… Tolle Lege (Take up and read) This week a group of us in Special Collections went on a […]
Mark Longman Library … some before and after.
I began reclassifying the Mark Longman Library 4 or 5 years ago as a background task. I am a Library Assistant in the cataloging department at Special Collections and my priority is to support the librarian and the cataloguer and then Reading Room duty; much of my time is spent fetching, returning and problem solving. […]
Book binding for beginners: conservation training
Written by Claire Wooldridge, UMASCS Graduate Trainee Library Assistant As the library graduate trainee here at the University of Reading’s Special Collections Service, I am fortunate enough to get lots of opportunities for training in all aspects of rare books, from manufacture and repair, to descriptive cataloguing, to their use in publications and for social […]
To glove or not to glove
What happens when you put on gloves? Can you handle clasps, ties or other delicate items? Can you turn a page? Are you clumsier? Can you feel things through your gloves? When people picture librarians and archivists with fragile material, they often assume that cotton white gloves come with the territory. Despite what you may […]
Behind the scenes: Hogarth Press transcription project
Our latest post comes from Dale, who has recently completed a six week UROP placement here at special collections. Dale has made a great start on the project entitled ‘Selling the books of Virginia Woolf’ using the Hogarth Press Archive and is about to enter his final year studying with the English department. The Hogarth Press […]
Behind the Scenes: Current research at Special Collections
To kick off our ‘Behind the Scenes’ series, we thought we’d take a quick look at the variety of research going on in and the types of readers visiting our Reading Room. Over future posts, we’ll look more closely at the work that our teams are doing, from special projects to day-to-day work. Ladybird collection […]