The second issue of CoLRiC Impact for the 2021/22 academic year was published in early March.
This issue introduces CoLRiC’s new Executive Committee Chair Sam Goldsmith. ‘I am one of two Library Managers at The Manchester College and UCEN Manchester. I have worked in educational libraries for over 25 years. I have had so much help and support via groups like CoLRiC over the years both professionally and personally. I value these networks highly and I know that I have made better decisions, been of a more positive mindset and had brighter ideas because of being involved. I really hope to help our members make the most of what CoLRiC has to offer.’
Digital provision underpins teaching and learning, resource delivery and discoverability, collection development, management and information literacy. Executive Committee member Mishka Fielding – Library and Study Centre Manager, Loreto College and Chair of Jisc’s FE Learning Resources and Library Services Community of Practice – provides thought-provoking insight into working with Jisc on an organisational approach to developing ‘digital capability.’ A departmental review in January 2021 assessed key areas of service delivery including digital resources and library systems, ICT infrastructure and proficiency, information, data and media literacies, digital identity and wellbeing, the student experience of the service and organisational leadership and management. Readers can learn from the journey Mishka’s organisation took to articulate a digital strategy.
One key benefit of CoLRiC membership is the eligibility to submit nominations for our two prestigious, high profile national Awards: The CoLRiC Jeff Cooper Inspirational Information Professional of the Year Award and the CoLRiC Innovative Practice Award (CIPA). In this issue we celebrate the presentation of the awards to last year’s winners and encourage you all to prepare to submit nominations for the upcoming 2022 awards season in celebration of creativity, resourcefulness and enterprise. A call for 2022 nominations will be issued in April, so keep a close eye on the CoLRiC discussion forum for announcements.
Emma Luby – senior library assistant at Bradford College – was presented with her Inspirational Information Professional trophy by Craig Tupling, Vice Principal, Quality and Student Experience. Trafford College Group’s Principal was in attendance for the presentation of the CIPA to the TCG Library Team for ‘LibraryLive – integrating the Library Service into curriculum delivery.’ Karen Hurley, Library Services Manager at TCG said: ‘It’s fantastic to get this recognition for a library project which was developed whilst working remotely during the national lockdown and demonstrates the role the Library Service can play in supporting teaching and learning and improving outcomes for our learners.’ At both presentations it was brilliant to see colleagues from across the organisation turn up to the event to cheer the winners on.
This issue also features Iram Shireen – Learning Centre Facilitator, Calderdale College – highly commended in our 2021 Jeff Cooper Inspirational Information Professional Award. She talks about the SOAR (Switch Off and Read) literacy project, designed to ‘encourage a love of reading, to get our learners to read more, develop their reading, writing and listening skills and gain confidence through reading.’
‘Induction was never going to be “normal” in 2020.’ Buxton and Leek College were also commended for their 2021 submission to the CoLRiC Innovative Practice Award. Kim Webb and Sue Gregory – Library Facilitators at the College – describe the diversity of tools and applications they utilised to deliver dynamic online induction for FE students impacted by the pandemic. ‘This induction style covers far more than could be included in a face-to-face induction. It is arguably much more fun too, so overall it has had a far greater impact on our information literacy teaching.’
This issue also features valued CoLRiC sponsor IS Oxford’s Emma Duffield introducing Heritage Cirqa Video Tutorials. ‘Those of you who use Heritage Cirqa will be delighted to hear that IS Oxford has introduced a brand-new range of video tutorials. Our support website already offers hundreds of help sheets, downloads, an archive of the weekly “hints and tips” emails and the user forum, but the addition of video tutorials will ensure quick and effective access to help is even easier than before.’ We’d like to acknowledge all of our sponsors, and very much look forward to working with them over