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Name – Morag Ferguson
Job title: Reader Services Library Assistant
Name of Organisation worked for: Faculty of Advocates
What are your primary responsibilities?
To answer enquiries from Advocates and other library users (including National Library of Scotland) and to identify, retrieve and supply material and information required. To shelve, file and tidy library materials including statutory material and court papers.
How do you spend your time?
70% answering enquiries from Advocates and other library users
20% shelving and filing materials
10% general administration, recording missing items, replenishing stationery, fixing copiers and printers etc
What is typical career progression in this job area?
Possibility of applying for a more senior post at Reader Services Librarian level and thereafter at Senior Librarian level.
To what extent, if at all, do you call on your legal knowledge and experience in this role?
Legal knowledge and experience are invaluable in my role as Reader Services Library Assistant. My primary functions are to search for cases, legislation, journal articles, government publications as well as other information resources. A legal background is extremely helpful in both understanding the nature of the enquiries, the terminology used and the most appropriate resources to try.
What do you enjoy most/what motivates you in your job?
I particularly enjoy the varied nature of my work. The enquiries can range from researching cases and articles on topics such as pensions law or Human Rights to finding compulsory purchase orders published by English local authorities or the number of cows on Orkney.
What would you do if you were trying to start out in this job area?
In the first instance, undertake a postgraduate course in Information and Library studies which is required for library work. Secondly I would recommend joining the Scottish Law Librarians Group or British and Irish Association of Law Librarians which provide excellent opportunities to network and find out about temporary/permanent job opportunities in legal librarianship.
What is typical career progression in this job area?
Progression from library assistant to Librarian and ultimately Senior Librarian role. The latter involves management of staff and budgetary responsibilities.
What skills are most critical to success in this area?
Organisational skills; ability to understand modern library techniques, methodical and meticulous approach to work; good memory, ability to work under pressure, ability to prioritise, team work and customer service skills.
How useful have your legal skills, knowledge and experience, from your studies and/or your work in the legal profession, been in this area of work?
Extremely useful. A legal background in law librarianship is a tremendous asset. It provides knowledge of the most useful and appropriate legal resources to try and how to use them. It provides an understanding of the court structure and procedure as well as legal concepts.
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