Personal Profile
I have a continual improvement disposition and a passion for improving libraries. I enjoy networking and collaborating with colleagues across the sector, working in partnership to develop new initiatives to benefit students. I have strong analytical skills which I used to introduce tangible change in line with strategic priorities. I am a naturally approachable, professional person with the ability to communicate at all levels. I have a proven track record in leading a team to achieve, supported by my positive, encouraging nature.
Key Achievements
- Provided consultancy services to university strategic leaders and libraries on an international basis to improve the customer experience.
- Led the team through uncertainty caused by Covid-19 enabling library services to be provided at a distance.
- Created a new team and strategy to integrate library information literacy live training with the university tuition strategy, resulting in improved student success.
- Redesigned the library helpdesk service in line with student needs and reducing resource, leading the team through change.
Employment History
The Open University
Associate Director
May 2020 – Present
My remit includes leading the development and delivery of strategies for the Library to meet the needs of the OU community. I represent Library Services at a strategic level across the University in order to maximise engagement and impact, and inspires a customer focussed continual improvement culture.
Associate Director (acting)
March 2019 – April 2020
Leading the development and delivery of strategies within Library Services, meeting the needs of the Open University community to support learning, teaching, and research. I inspire a customer focussed continual improvement culture, ensuring the Library is able to respond to user needs and expectations.
Senior Library Manager (Engagement & Insight)
October 2017 – April 2019
- Developed and led the implementation of the insight and advocacy strategies for Library Services.
- Led the Library building renovation project, based on user-centred design.
Senior Library Manager (Student Engagement)
January 2015 – September 2017
- Fostered cross-departmental working relationships supporting strategic developments.
- Developed Library Services annual reports for the academic schools identifying key successes and opportunities for improvement.
Cranfield University
Library Quality Officer
2005– December 2014
- Managed library assessment activities to improve the student experience, ensure the strategy was fit for purpose and represented value for money.
- Developed a annual improvement cycle incorporating student insight and business intelligence into strategic planning.
Assistant Team Leader
2009 – Six month secondment
- Led a team of six academic liaison librarians and two library assistants.
Research and Development Officer
2002 – 2005
- Executive assistant to the Director and Deputy Director of Information Services, responsible for strategy and policy creation, research, statistical analysis, marketing and electronic library developments.
Professional and Voluntary Roles
Current
- Member of the International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries conference board
- Director of the Library Performance Measurement Conference Community Interest Company
Previous
- Elected academic-related member of The Open University Senate
- Participant in the Library Integration in Institutional Learning Analytics (LILLA) project
- LibQUAL+® Support Officer (Europe) on behalf of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
- Administrator of the SCONUL LibQUAL+® Consortium
- Member of the Library Assessment Conference organisational committee
- Member of the Journal Usage Statistics Portal (JUSP) Community Advisory Group
- Member of the SCONUL Working Group on Performance Quality, Performance Portal Sub-Committee
- Social media manager for a local charity music festival
Professional Development
- AdvanceHE Future Professional Directors
- Introduction to project management
- Risk identification and management workshop
- Introduction to agile
- Influencing skills
- Supporting your team through change
- Challenging conversations
- Managing performance & absence
- Recruitment, selection & interviewing
- Understanding unconscious bias
- Cultural Intelligence
- Career development and staff appraisal (CDSA) for managers
- Employment law for managers
- Conducting equality analysis
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
- Prevent (Counter-Terrorism)
Software Application Experience
- Microsoft Office including advanced Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Publisher
- Microsoft Outlook, Teams and Skype for Business
- Microsoft Sharepoint and OneDrive
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- NVivo Qualitative Coding Software
- Social media for professional use including facebook, twitter, flickr, Instagram and hootsuite
- Website creation and editing including WordPress and Drupal
- Canva graphic design