Welcome | Why the Traineeship? | About OWL

Welcome to OWL

This website is run and maintained by library trainees in Oxford as part of our training scheme.  OWL is intended for those thinking of a career in the information sector, as well as current library trainees both in and out of Oxford. It aims to provide all the information you might need to make an informed decision as to whether this is the career for you, and if you decide it is, to give you an idea of what to do next.

Why the Traineeship?

The traineeship is primarily intended to offer one year’s practical experience of library work for those wishing to embark on a postgraduate course leading to a qualification as a librarian or information professional. This is worthwhile as not only is it a requirement of most courses that you have some experience in a library/information environment but it also helps you be more certain that it is what you want to do, before you invest your time (and money!) in post-graduate study. The trainee experience is diverse and there is plenty to gain from it no matter what you choose to do next; working in a library provides you with transferable skills that are valued in numerous professions outside librarianship, so even if you decide it is not the career for you, it certainly won't be a wasted year. Although there is no expectation that all the trainees will go on to library school if you do decide to there is plenty of guidance on the application process from the trainee programme coordinators and your library colleagues.

Oxford offers more trainee placements then any other university, which has advantages both professionally and socially. There is a specially designed trainee programme which involves meeting up with fellow trainees about once a week for half-day sessions on a variety of different subjects giving insights into various aspects of librarianship. Independent of the trainee sessions Oxford University also offers a good selection of computing workshops and the library service runs courses throughout the year for all staff, which you will usually be allowed time off attend.  If you make the most of the wide range of events and courses it should mean that you leave Oxford having learnt some valuable skills and with a broad view of the profession, which will make you an even more attractive candidate to both universities and potential employers.

As an Oxford trainee you can also enjoy as active a social life as you choose to; if you are new to Oxford there are plenty of opportunities to make new friends by joining clubs and societies run by the university. However we’ve found that the trainee sessions tend to provide the best opportunity to socialise as you meet up with your fellow trainees and, in our case at least, head to the pub afterwards…. to discuss our experiences as budding librarians of course!

Juliet Harland

About OWL

The OWL project began in 1997 from an idea by Chris Stuart. It aims to:

• give library trainees some experience of organising and running a project
• give library trainees some experience of designing and building a website
• provide information for current and future trainees on training positions in Oxford and the Oxford training programme
• encourage library trainees and others interested in librarianship or information work to address current issues of concern to the sector
• encourage those interested in librarianship or information work to apply for trainee positions in Oxford

The content and HTML is written entirely by trainees. The current site is based on the work of Chris Stuart (the creator) and Angela Carritt, as well as Michael Williams (who ran the site during 2000-1), and James Butterworth (who ran the site 2001-2). The current website is run by a "committee" comprising:

• Stephen Tapril (technical/graphics)
• Jane Rawson (photos/content)
• Juliet Harland (editorial/content)

Thanks must go to the following people, many of whom have now left Oxford, who have contributed to the site in some way since its inception:
Chris Stuart, Gail Merrett, Penelope Lane, Katherine Ferguson, Carol Bateman, Sue Briault, Terry Bucknell, Carol Cairns, Liz Chapman, Sharon Curtis, Catherine Dockerty, William Mackintosh, Ian Murray, Clive Ricketts, Inese Smith, Shirley Toase, Michael Williams, James Butterworth, and all the trainees who have gone before us!

Credits and Disclaimers

Owl image based on a photograph copyrighted by and from www.petcalmer.com

The material on this site is copyrighted by the authors. You are granted the right to copy, print or otherwise reproduce the information contained herein for your private use only.
The views and opinions expressed by the authors are their own, and in no way reflect the official views of the University of Oxford, or any of its employees.

If you have any questions about the site, please email Stephen Tapril