Name: Rebecca Daly

Position: Professional Library Cadet

Qualification: BA. Completing B.App.Sc (Lib & Info Mgmt) 2007

Organisation: University of Wollongong

Previous positions: Casual Library assistant and Research Assistant roles within the Library and UoW Graduate School of Medicine.

What’s great about your job?

There are so many great aspects to my job. In this position I get the opportunity to spend three years of on-the-job training in nearly all areas of academic librarianship. But it’s the chance to actually perform in the variety of roles in which I’m trained that is most valuable and fulfilling.

What’s the most fun experience you’ve had at work?

Last year I presented a paper about my job at the New Librarian’s Symposium in Sydney. I wanted my Powerpoint demonstration to have some tongue-in-cheek pictures of the kind of tasks I do as a Cadet. Some co-workers and I devised a series of photos of me in blooper-type situations, one of which included unwittingly squashing my co-worker in the compactus.

Describe a typical day at work.

As a cadet, my typical days are always changing. At the moment, my typical day involves working on a project to create a Virtual Library tour as well as involvement in the usual processes of the team in which I’m placed. Because I am placed in each team for several months, I usually spend part of that time being trained in the various tasks assigned to that team, and then undertaking them like any other team member.

What do you find rewarding and challenging about your job?

Every aspect of this job offers challenges and rewards. The challenges include testing my abilities against new tasks, such as teaching Information Literacy classes to students, or presenting project findings to my team. The challenges bring rewards; each new skill that I develop increases my confidence and ease in approaching new tasks.

What are the personal skills & attributes that you need to do this job?

In this job a willingness to learn is essential, as is an ability to communicate effectively with a variety of people. Many of the skills you need to do this job are not tested until are well into a team placement.

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