Aoife Coffey
What is your role in UCC Library?
I am the Research Data Coordinator and I run the Research Data Service. I help researchers, draft and implement data management plans that will help more of the research data produced in UCC to be open and accessible to wider audiences. I am involved in teaching data management skills to staff and students and working to ensure researchers have the data management resources they need.
What is your favourite part about your job?
I get to hear about lots of different research projects from all over the University, from all the disciplines. The diverse and innovative work that is going on all over UCC is amazing. It is exciting to think that I am helping those projects even if it's only in a small way. I learn something new from each project that I am involved with.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
Come in and talk to someone or make contact via email. The internet is great and so are our Library LibGuides but the wealth of knowledge held by the staff in any library is immense. You may even find something you didn’t even know you needed or were looking for.
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
After a long day there is nothing better than crashing on the sofa with an episode of Hercule Poirot. I’ve seen them all, but I just love the little Belgian detective. Maybe with some salt & vinegar crisps as an accompaniment.
What was the last thing you read, watched and/or listened to?
I listen to a lot of audio books and the last one I listened to was Educated by Tara Westover. It’s an amazing memoir and story about how an education can provide an escape route in difficult circumstances.
Follow Aoife -
Twitter: @CoffeyAoife
Emma Horgan
What is your role in UCC Library?
Archivist
What is your favourite part about your job?
I love the content discovery of new collections, people and information.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
KEYWORDS! I cannot underestimate how much using keywords can simplify your search for relevant information.
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
Leisurely walk with my dog in the fields behind my house, followed by Netflix and a glass of wine.
What are you currently reading, watching and/or listening to?
I am currently watching a documentary about a set of separated triplets who are reunited 19 years later. I am reading "The Time Travellers guide to Elizabethan England" by Ian Mortimer. My favourite book is "The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, aged 13 and 3/4".
Follow Emma -
Instagram: @emma.horgan | Twitter: @emshorgan24
Lisa O'Leary
What is your role in UCC Library?
Library Assistant – I work at the main desk in Boole and Brookfield.
What is your favourite part about your job?
The variety of work – there's always something new happening! Helping students and having some banter with colleagues.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
Don’t be afraid to ask staff for help. Also, have a wander around the library and learn where things are – like the energy pod or VR room!
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
Sitting down to watch a good TV show/movie or playing a good video game.
What are you currently reading, watching and/or listening to?
The last thing I read was ‘The Five: The Untold Lives of the Women Killed by Jack the Ripper.’ This is a fascinating and well researched book that paints a vivid picture of the lives, the hardship and misfortunes, of these women who were daughters, sisters, mothers and wives before they were killed.
The last thing I watched was ‘Knives Out’. A really fun movie that’s a great homage to the who dunnit and detective genre.
The last thing I listened to was Carnival of Rust by Poets of the Fall.
Follow Lisa –
Twitter: @olearyreardon
Michelle Rumley
What is your role in UCC Library?
Library Assistant
What is your favourite part about your job?
Working at the main issue desk helping students and staff with queries, especially if it involves a good rummage around for a book upstairs on one of the floors!
What is your top tip for using libraries?
Always ask someone if you are not sure, no such thing as a stupid question!
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
Nice food and/or going to a loud gig.
What are you currently reading, watching and/or listening to?
Listening to: Grouper, Veronique Chalot, Anna Von Hausswolff, Sunn O))), Oranssi Pazuzu, Women of the Hour podcast.
Re-watching Fleabag.
Reading: dipping in and out of Niall Mac Coitirs three amazing books: Irelands Birds, Irelands Trees, and Irelands Animals.
Martin O'Connor
What is your role in UCC Library?
I'm the Communications Coordinator at UCC Library.
What is your favourite part about your job?
Is it okay to say that I have many favourite parts? The variety of work that my role entails and the opportunities and experiences that working in UCC Library has afforded me. When I worked in Information Services I loved meeting and helping students and staff with their research - There is something so rewarding in helping people with their research
What is your top tip for using libraries?
Short answer - Get to know your library and start using the library. If possible get to know how the library works before you need to use it. I always recommend that people get to know their library by both asking library staff for help and exploring the library themselves. Take time to browse the layout, the services, the collections. The better you know your library the more you will get out of it. You will really get out what you put in.
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
My favourite way to unwind is to walk. I’m lucky that I have a thirty minute walk to the railway station as part of my daily commute. I pop in my headphones, switch on some music and I’m on way to unwinding. (this is also a great way to prep myself up for the day.
What is your favourite book, movie and/or thing to listen to?
My favourite book is a difficult one to call – it would depend when you ask me. It’s probably just easier to choose a genre – dystopian fiction. Though they are nearly always about society falling apart they usually have a glimmer of hope running through them – no matter how bleak things get, there are portents of brighter days to come. They are normally about good people getting by in bad times.
My favourite movie – again difficult. But Lost in Translation would be up there, as would Badlands, Walt Whitman’s ‘unofficial’ Trilogy – Metropolitan, Barcelona, Last days of Disco. I could keep going but I’ll stop. (But if you asked favourite thing to watch – that would have been easier. Buffy the Vampire Slayer (the TV series, the film is just bad)
Favourite thing to listen to – the short and long answer is music. Though I’ve tried I’ve never gotten into podcasts, audio books etc. So music is my favourite thing to listen to. Anybody who listens to Shush! Sounds from UCC Library will have an idea of the range of music I like to listen to.
Follow Martin –
Twitter: @martinoconnor3 @shush_radio @libfocus @bpoolsentinel | Orcid: orcid.org/0000-0002-5278-3399
Paul Davidson
What is your role in UCC Library?
Library Systems and Support Services (Basically Library IT but I like to branch out!)
What is your favourite part about your job?
The ever-changing landscape of projects and people I get to work on. No day is ever the same. And we love to innovate so I love getting stuck in at the beginning of some very cool stuff.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
Libraries are where discoveries happen. Sometimes in books and journals, sometimes from collaborating and talking with people or using some cool technology to develop your skills. The staff in the Library are brilliant and with a wide range of skills across the team, theres always someone who can help. Just Ask Us. It's why we are here!
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
I don't unwind too much (always on brain!) but I do love walking while listening to music. Any music. My playlists range from Wagnerian Opera to Mongolian Throat singing , 90's bootlegs of Cork bands to whatever my daughter has introduced me to (Billie Eilish recently!). It helps to bring the thoughts of the day together and then shelve them til another day dawns.
What was the last thing you read, watched and/or listened to?
I had seen it before but recently re-discovered the wonderful BBC Film "Marvellous" starring the incomparable Toby Jones. It's an emotional tour de-force about a man with the best outlook on life you will ever find. During the COVID lockdown we have been doing more family movie nights and this one had everyone laughing and crying in equal measure. AND its on YouTube here - youtube.com/watch?v=9BHQzB9S_kg
Stephanie Chen
What is your role in UCC Library?
I’m part of the Services Desk Team in UCC Library - you can find me at the front desk in Boole or Brookfield. I’m also part of the Social Media team (mostly on Instagram – come say hi! @ucclibrary).
What is your favourite part about your job?
Engaging with all our different users. I love being able to help someone, no matter how big or small. Also really appreciate how varied my work can be – there’s a lot of different projects to get involved in.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
Libraries are more than just books! Take advantage of the variety of resources and services they offer. UCC Library has free 3D printing, a VR room and the Library Studio; public libraries have loads of workshops, talks, community groups and free eBooks + audiobooks through BorrowBox.
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
I love working with my hands – crafting, DIY, crochet, etc. I’m currently teaching myself how to play the guitar (spoiler alert, not going super great so far). I also do a Wednesday movie night every week – some recent highlights: Skate Kitchen, The Apartment, Bait, and Swallow.
What are you currently reading, watching and/or listening to?
Currently reading – Pachinko by Min Jin Lee. I’m making an effort to read more Asian American authors this year.
Currently listening to – Podcasts! I listen to loads of them but two in particular I’d highly recommend are You're Wrong About and 1619.
Currently watching – there’s a 99% chance I’m going to binge watch the newest season of Insecure now that all the episodes are out.
Follow Stephanie –
Twitter: @iam_stephaniec
Elaine Harrington
What is your role in UCC Library?
Special Collections Librarian
What is your favourite part about your job?
The excitement when someone sees one of the books or maps or manuscripts that we have & it’s meaningful to them. That’s when they realise the rules we have (no food / liquids, use pencils / laptops, all items for use in Special Collections only) make sense as those rules are there to protect the item that’s now meaningful for them! I’ve seen this excitement for Charlie Brown in a cartoon strip, in finding dried flowers in a 17th century herbal or with a 19th century music book that has shamrocks in the corner.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
Like with Harry Potter ‘help will always be given to those who ask for it.’ Check out the Harry Potter guide!
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
I’m lucky that I can walk to & from work. While I walk I don’t listen to music or podcasts, but I like to listen to the world around me & be present in that moment.
What are you currently reading, watching and/or listening to?
Watching TV: Ted Lasso - interesting to see how the show steered away from the incessant upbeatness of the first season to something I felt was more realistic in the second. I'd recommend watching the Christmas short too.
For reading I'd recommend Nancy Campbell's Fifty Words for Snow. Campbell discusses 50 different languages worldwide (including Irish!) and their particular words for snow. Each chapter describes the philosphy of the culture that created that particular word. How will climate change affect snowfall - will there be more or less, and what will the implications for our languages be in the absence of this weather phenomenon. Will these 50 words for snow go the way of the dodo?
Follow Elaine –
Twitter: @walkerabroad | WorkVivo: Elaine Harrington | UCC Research: Elaine Harrington
You can Listen to Elaine's Shush Takeover on the Shush! Sounds from UCC Library podcast
Alan Carbery
What is your role in UCC Library?
I’m the Head of Academic Technology & Communication – a role that was created for the library about 2 years ago. I have responsibility for developing new technology-enhanced services and spaces (like our 3D printing service, the new Digital Environment Lounge, and our Library Studio) in our libraries. I am also currently working with our brilliant teams who oversee the front-line library services, the library buildings, our Liaison Librarian Team who work closely with academic staff and students, and our Learning & Teaching Librarian Team who have been developing a range of new workshops and teaching sessions over the last year. Finally, I oversee our efforts to increase our communications, which also includes our social media platforms.
What is your favourite part about your job?
Can I pick two? I’m excited to develop new spaces and services in our library. I’m excited to continue to work with colleagues to design new library spaces, both hi and lo-tech, and innovative or traditional. The Library meets regularly with the Students Union, and I appreciate the opportunity to hear directly from some of our users. We’ve been really fortunate to have a very collaborative and supportive partnership with SU Officers over the years, and this has certainly been true in the two years I’ve been in UCC.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
It might sound glib, but my top tip is USE your library! There’s a growing body of research that suggests that students who make use of the library, borrow materials, use the student spaces, make use of library-subscribed journals and articles, attend library workshops and seek research help and support from librarians and library staff are often practicing the dispositions and habits of mind that can lead to academic success. Don’t know where to start? Talk to any member of our brilliant staff who can guide you in the right direction.
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
I’m fortunate to live within walking distance of UCC. My 30 minute walk to and from the University is my chance to get some air, listen to the radio, or catch up on some podcasts. Since we’ve all been working remotely over the past few weeks, I’ve made sure to keep my step count up (within 5km, of course). I also try to finish the day without devices by picking up whatever book I’m reading (usually fiction borrowed from the excellent public library system) and hitting 50 pages a day.
What was the last thing you read, watched and/or listened to?
Finished Ask Again, Yes by Mary Beth Keane just yesterday. Lovely tale of family, loss, disease, forgiveness. Recommended.
John Rooney
What is your role in UCC Library?
Senior Library Assistant in Special Collections & Archives
What is your favourite part about your job?
In addition to working with wonderful collections, I like the fact that my role is quite varied and I regularly have the opportunity to learn and develop new skills. In terms of activities, I enjoy engaging with students and researchers, listing new collections, and, more recently, working on data-driven projects.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
If you're not sure of something, or can't find what you're looking for, ask a member of staff. We're here to help! From a personal perspective, assisting users in Special Collections & Archives has really helped expand my knowledge of our collections and services.
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
I enjoy wandering through the city on my walk home from work. At home, it's primarily reading, cooking and playing clawhammer banjo – the latter two to varying degrees of success!
What are you currently reading, watching and/or listening to?
I've been enjoying reading short story collections during lock-down. Some of my current favourites are by Flannery O'Connor, Lord Dunsany and Ursula K. LeGuin. I've also been listening to lots and lots of podcasts – they're a real lifesaver when working remotely!
Martin O'Driscoll
What is your role in UCC Library?
Senior Library Assistant at the Library Services Desk
What is your favourite part about your job?
The diversity, no two days are the same and the job is constantly changing.
What is your top tip for using libraries?
Ask the staff questions, they know the Library better than anyone and are there to help.
What is your favourite way to unwind after a busy day?
I commute by motorbike so that tends to switch me off, I also like to cook so by the time I've cooked dinner work is a distant memory.
What are you currently reading, watching and/or listening to?
I'm currently reading Scar by China Miéville, re-watching all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and listening to whatever Spotify throws at me, a lot of Rap and R&B at the moment.
