November/December

Manager, Library Service (Gardens Point)

Many thanks to Bruce Munro for acting as Associate Director, Library, whilst Sarah was on leave 6-28 November.

• Refurbishments across most floors in GP Library started in late November.

Please refer to Associate Director, Library report for more.

Collection Access Team

• Collection Access Team is working with colleagues at Kelvin Grove to complete summer projects such as back shelving, deselection and Document Delivery tasks.

Library Advisers

• Staffing – we said farewell to Ishara & welcomed Stephanie Jacobs back full time to the Science team & welcomed Zach starting in the Engineering team.
• LAs answered a total number of 1822 chats and had 237 one on one appointments.
• Training / conferences attended by GP LAs:
  • Endnote Essentials (Kate)
  • ALIA Mini Conference (Zach)
• Workshops / events facilitated by GP LAs:
  • Library tour for summer International Students (Steph)
  • RezBaz: Evaluating AI apps for your literature reviews (Jacque)

• Science
○ Walking 2 ECRs ( 1 DECRA applicant) through updating “profiles” and publications in PURE/Eprints, Scopus and ORCiD
○ Michael assisted 7 academics with publication metrics and updating profiles.
○ VRES Induction Monday 20th – 70 participants. 4 drop-in sessions to be run in V714 over December and January.  LibGuide set up as their unit site as they do not have a Canvas site. Librarian provided 10 min intro to services and resources useful to VRES, and introduced them to the updated guide.
○ Read and Publish Agreements – lots of enquiries.

The Gardens Point Library celebrated the end of the year at the Ship Inn. Wishing our colleagues a very happy holidays!

October

Manager, Library Service (Gardens Point)

Please refer to Associate Director, Library report.

Collection Access Team

• David Knight has resigned from the GP Collection Access Team following leave. David’s last day with QUT will be Friday, 30 November. The GP Team are respecting David’s wishes not to have a farewell.

Library Advisers

• Referencing is the No. 1 query this month
• Eileen assisted with the QACI visit – 150 high school students visited KG
• Ishara and Jacque led a drop in session for DYB114 students
• Jacque attended the Human-Centred AI for Social Sustainability session
• All GP LAs attended H5P training
• David is a member of the QUT Cite Write review working group

Liaison Librarians

• VRES support has begun
• All GP LLs attended H5P training
• Metric reports provided for DECRA applications
• Learning & Teaching leads attended the October QUT Library Learning and Teaching Committee meeting
• Kate Harbison is co-leading the Cite Write Review Working Group, looking at content, structure and pedagogy.

Thank you to Ishara, Kate H, Sal and Kristiana for representing QUT Library at the GP Paws for Support session. The puppies were so cute!

September

Please refer to Associate Director, Library report.

Engineering Liaison Team 

Research Support Engagement

• Metrics report and advice to Dr Indira Prasadam for her application for an ARC Future Fellowship (2024).
• Multiple responses to HDR students regarding the process for copyright permissions for figures, images and tables etc. in their theses (which will be made available open access via QUT ePrints)
• Learning and Teaching Support QUT Readings Lists work.

New Academic Staff Orientation

School of Civil Environmental Engineering

• Welcomed to QUT Professor Yang Liu: Professor and Chair of Sustainable Water Technologies. An introductory meeting has been organized for the 17th October.
• EER MMPE Communication / Outreach to the Faculty News from the Faculty of Engineering Research News
• Lecturing Staff Recruitment Underway
• Research Staff Recruitment Underway

Library Advisers

Enquiry Services

GP LAs helped 303 clients on Chat, conducted 19 (out of 42 provided) one-on-one R&R appointments, and covered the Law helpdesk for 11 hours.  Our clients are so appreciative not just of our service but how our staff deliver it – some excellent feedback here for GP LA chat survey responses in September:

• The staff member went out of her way to help me.
• All my questions were answered and to a point where I felt I understood why I should reference in that way and hopefully will be able to manage solo next time.
• Big thumbs up to your service, it’s a huge help.  Thank you.
• The assistant went to a lot of trouble to answer my complex question.
• Fabulous service having the ability to chat online.
• Very professional. Offered to send the script to my email for my future reference.
• They were very helpful and patient with all of my questions
• The librarian who helped me was really nice, and was determined to help me.
• They went above and beyond and were curious about the details of my question.
• I appreciated the patience and diplomacy of the librarian, who took a lot of trouble to assist me and, when it appeared that the search had reached its conclusion, the librarian was diplomatic in signalling this to me. Now I believe I have the appropriate document.
• Thank you for this service. Very helpful to get on the spot answers when completing units online.
• kind and considerate
• Service was quick and it is much needed thing.

Liaison & other tasks:

• David working on literature review for Equity Committee, updating Science LibGuides, cite|write review working group
• Eileen updating Study Smart videos using Audacity, developing LibGuide for EGB340 Engineering design and Practice, creating demo of making quizzes in Canvas using H5P for GP LA team meeting, collating Law helpdesk Q&A materials, on loan to Law Library each Monday
• Ishara maintaining level 4 book display with 2 topics for September – Pride month & national organic week, relocating Digital Collection Display from level 6 to level 4 (updated quarterly), working on Science team collection development task
• Jacque provided 4 x DYB114 drop-in sessions in collaboration with SSG, ongoing SLA work, backfilled Kate H
• Kate continued work on new LA Onboarding Program including collaboration with Steph and Katarina on training materials, ongoing SLA work
• Kristiana attended LGBTIQA+ working group meeting, reviewing Engineering readings lists for link updates, contributing to Digital collections metadata
• Steph contributing to Makerspace task team, continue work on training materials for new onboarding program collaboration with Kate, continued work on Research by Study Area and Finding Information by Type projects

August

From the Desk of the MLS (GP)

With mixed emotions, I announced my resignation from QUT. I am finishing up at QUT Library on Friday 8 September. I have loved leading the GP team these last 5 years, and thanks to everyone for making my time at QUT so special and memorable 😊

Sarah will be taking over my GP supervisory responsibilities temporarily (until the end of the year). I am having a rolling handover with Sarah so she is across GP matters.

The GP Collection Access team have been working with the KG CA and Document Delivery teams on a new workflow for lending processes to be undertaken at KG.

I debriefed with Nicole, Renae Belton and Cameron on the outcomes of the Indigenous Literacy Book Fair – big thanks to Cameron for his big role in the set-up and operation of the book Fair. In the end we raised $1049 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation, which will enable them to gift 105 books to children in remote communities. A great effort.

I have signed on as mentor in the ALIA-QULOC Mentoring Scheme. We had our introductory meet and greet and first formal webinar of the topic of confidence. I look forward to working with my mentee throughout the coming year.

Web and Digital Engagement

• Bruce will be taking over as Service Manager of the Web service going forward – I had several handovers with Bruce in August
• Canvas Commons – did some testing of the H5P functionality for use in Canvas. Considering the various uses for Library content in Canvas Commons.
• Conducted a Digital Clean-up Hour during Sustainability Week, to embed the good habits we are starting to build around our digital footprint.

Celebrations

• Wear It Purple day activities were a great success (despite the fire alarm lol), with good levels of student engagement. Thanks to everyone involved in organising the activities and manning the stall.

The Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Science Team’s new whiteboard was quite the party. Very pleased we could furnish the Science team with a much needed and well-deserved whiteboard upgrade.

Science Liaison Team

• LLs Presented at Faculty of Science Collaborative Network (Indigenous Perspectives in L&T) workshop about our work in this space and how the Library can support academics embarking on embedding Indigenous knowledges into their curriculum.
• The Science Team held a wellness event to mark the arrival and launch of the new Team Clear board
• LLs taught into Secomd semester Units – combination on campus and blended learning.
• Presented to the Faculty Promotions Club – showcasing metrics and Library services to support Academic promotion.

Library Advisers

GP LAs have had some interesting things going on in August as well as our usual Enquiry Service provision.

Enquiry Services – August covers weeks 2-6 and we moved into peak service delivery from week 4.  GP LAs have helped 209 clients on Chat, conducted 11 (out of 33) one-on-one R&R appointments, and covered the Law helpdesk for 22 hours.  Our clients appreciative of our service and their feedback proves it (August GP LA chat survey responses):

• Prompt knowledgeable and very helpful
• Tried to think of different ways to help
• .. was extremely lovely and very clear communication
• Very patient and helpful with referencing … and would actually look over/walk me through referencing
• Stepped me through the process so I understood the outcome.  It was an unusual request that took some time to clarify what I was asking
• Lovely to talk to and very helpful

Events

• 4th Aug, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day – library hosted some activities for a group of school kids (years 3 & 4), in collaboration with the Oodgeroo Unit and Kristiana participated
• 24th Aug, Library was invited to participate in new SSG/Oodgeroo initiative ‘Chat-tea with with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students’, where they chat about the range of support available across the university.  Each week has a theme and this week the focus was on Research and Referencing.  Eileen participated encouraging students on how the Library can assist them.
• 23rd and 25th Aug, Engineering project drop-ins, Ishara & Jacque participated
• 25th Aug, Wear it Purple day stall, Kristiana participated
• 30th Aug, DYB114 drop in, collaboration with SSG.  Ishara participating.
• 31st Aug, Charles Sturt Uni visit, Jacque and Eileen participating

Faculty teams work (see Events also):

• Engineering – Eileen and Kristiana reviewing libguides
• Engineering – Eileen creating new libguides for EGB340 Engineering design and Practice, which will start in Semester 1 2024
• Science – Ishara, Steph & David reviewing libguides
• Science – Ishara, David and Kate T collaborating on collection development task

Other tasks:

• Ishara – investigating relocation of Digital Collection Display from level 6 to level 4
• Eileen – Library Blog post on the Maps Libguide
• Eileen – study smart video updating including investigating alternate technology
• Kate – People and Culture Working Group GP rep
• Kate – completed draft of LAs Onboarding Program
• Steph – collaborating with Kate on new onboarding program including creation of multiple training activities
• Kate & Steph – working on a welcome back / re-onboarding program for LAs returning to role after secondment or other absence
• Kate & Jacque – schools program working group – multiple events in coming months
• Jacque – acting in Kate H’s LL position
• All when time permits – Digital Collections Metadata collection
• Steph – Created a GP LAs work pattern and WFH days calendar, printed and pinned to the divider near entrance

July

Engineering Liaison Team

Lecturing Staff Recruitment Underway

Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering (Power Systems)

Research News Research Staff Recruitment Underway

Research Fellow in Water Sensing and Sampling Systems
Research Fellow in Microbial Ecology and Wastewater Microbiology
Research Fellow in Innovative and Energy-Efficient Biological Wastewater Treatment

All in the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Science Liaison Team

Library Advisers

The GP LAs had quite a bit on in July:

• Enquiry Services – the semester break is a good time for doing administration tasks [ like redoing timesheets for the 4th or was it 5th time] but LAs still answered Enquiry service queries over the semester break. 220 chats and 11 Appointments.
• Generic Program Once again a smaller offering than Semester 1 but classes were well attended, and Library tours helped orientate students to Library services.
• Faculty teams work:
  • Engineering – Eileen and Kristiana reviewing libguides
  • Science – Ishara, Steph & David reviewing libguides
  • Science – Ishara, David and Kate T collaborating on collection development task

• Other tasks:
  • Ishara – updated level 4 book display
  • Eileen – Library Blog updates
  • Eileen – study smart video updating
  • David – cite|write review working group and Harvard amendments
  • Kate – People and Culture Working Group GP rep
  • Kate – redesigning LAs Onboarding Program
  • Kate – LAs One Stop Shop – significant updates and new products added
  • Jacque – attending AI Fluency course

Collection Access Team

Wellness

June

From the Desk of the MLS (GP)

Engineering Liaison Team

Graham has been busy editing two library liaison service promotional videos aimed at an academic audience.

Research Support Engagement

Brendan and Kate assisted multiple HDR students and academic staff on topics such as Read & Publish agreements, varied Copyright queries, publishing contracts, lit reviews, Pure/QUT ePrints queries and even formatting of page numbers for a PhD thesis.   Recontacted Professor David McCarthy (Professor and Chair in Sustainable Urban Water Management) about authorizing his Pure account to export to ORCID.

Multiple meetings and work round sys lit review for Linkage application and publication.

Learning and Teaching Support

QUT Readings Lists work

UXB210 – Commercial Construction

EGH404 – Research in Engineering Practice

Substantial revision to LibGuide on Engineering Ethics

Meetings regarding support for DYB114 with UC and SSG – dropins and Canva

Information Resource Management

The journal subscriptions below submitted by the Engineering LL team were endorsed at the June IRC meeting.

• Joule / Cell Press an Elsevier imprint (D1 journal)
• Chest / Cell Press an Elsevier imprint (D1 journal)
• Matter / Cell Press an Elsevier imprint (D1 journal)
• Chem / Cell Press an Elsevier imprint (D1 journal)
  and
  the Birkhäuser Building Types Online database to support Architecture students/staff.

Communication / Outreach to the Faculty

Graham mingled and chatted over cake + coffee at the great engineering bake off – 1 June

In FoE staff newsletter

Dean of Engineering’s Staff Newsletter (Library) Topic for May was Knovel: Key Engineering Reference Works with Value-Added Interactive Features.

FoE Town Hall Briefing 14 June – Kate, Graham & Brendan all attended.  Topic was student recruitment and course development.

News from the Faculty of Engineering

Research News

Associate Professor Paige Little in charge of the just launched QUT – Sealy Centre for Biomechanics and Sleep Research.

Faculty of Engineering Lava Blue research team, led by Professor Sara Couperthwaite featured in the Australian Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy 2023-2030 released on 20 June 2023

Learning and Teaching News

From 17th July until 3rd December 2023, Associate Dean Learning and Teaching (ADLT) Karen Whelan will be undertaking Professional Development Leave. Associate Professor Tom Rainey will be Acting ADLT during this period. Contact details: foe.adlt@qut.edu.au

Ian McFadden, the Faculty Operations Manager, will be leaving the Faculty in mid-July as he has been offered a new role within QUT. Ian has played a crucial role in establishing the new Faculty and has provided valuable leadership in the Faculty Operations portfolio.

Lecturing Staff Recruitment Underway

Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Aerospace and Control

Research Staff Recruitment Underway

Postdoctoral Fellow in 3D Printed Organs-on-Chips – School of MMPE & Centre for Biomedical Technologies (CBT)

Science Liaison Team

• Ishara has produced an analysis of our data dump coming from Joe Sambono’s home Science library. This is Phase Two of the Science Team’s project in this area
• Lots of Faculty activity reflected in Course Loop with a CEL and 9 CBBs coming though for June. Mix of reaccreditations, vertical dual degrees; minor changes.
• Lots of major staff changes in the Faculty, including Deputy Dean and Heads of Schools.

Library Advisers

The GP LAs had a bit going on in June.

• Enquiry Services – despite it being swot vac and exams (off-peak period), GP LAs have helped 131 clients on Chat & conducted 10 one-on-one R&R appointments.  Very high level of client satisfaction as always, here’s some evidence of the difference we make:
  • Warm, welcoming, patient and very helpful…nice and professional
  • Super switched on librarian able to help right away
  • great and hands on
  • Quick accurate response
  • They were friendly and helpful. They were also quick to reply
  • Great customer service…Very quick response time
  • I felt they completely understood what I was asking and gave me examples to help.
• NAP (Night Against Procrastination) was held at GP on 1st June.  Jen and Joanna reported it went very well, lots of student engagement and the badge maker was a big hit.
• LA Forum – the first all LAs event since 2019!  All LAs presented in groups on their unique activities. GP LA sessions:
  • Lara, David & Ishara – Schools program and collaboration
  • Eileen & Kristiana – Value adding to student experiences of QUT Libraries
  • Jacque, Kate & Dani – a day in the life of an SLA
  • David, Lara & Kate were on the Forum working group and designed and facilitated two ice breaker fun events on the day.
• Faculty teams work:
  • Engineering – Eileen creating Canvas quiz on patents
  • Engineering – Eileen and Kristiana reviewing libguides
  • Engineering – Lara ordered architecture books (request from Kate H)
  • Engineering – Lara identified gaps in Taylor & Francis resources on Indigenous issues currently held in the Library (request from Kate H)
  • Science – Ishara completed analysis comparing QUT vs Joe Sambono’s (QUT academic) personal collection, producing list of purchase considerations (part of Indigenous perspectives project work)
  • Science – David reviewing libguides
  • Science – Ishara, David and Kate T collaborating on collection development tasks
• Other tasks:
  

• Ishara – updated level 4 book display in preparation for NAIDOC week – For our Elders
• Eileen – Library Blog updates
• Eileen – study smart video updating
• David – cite|write review working group and Harvard amendments
• Kate – People and Culture Working Group GP rep
• Kate – redesigning LAs Onboarding Program
• Kate – LAs One Stop Shop – significant updates and new products added
• Jacque – presented at (RSC) Research Support Community Day with Emma Nelms on ‘5 ways to use ChatGPT for research’

May

From the Desk of the MLS (GP)

Canvas Commons, QULOC Convenor work and the QUT Library Digital Clean-up Day have taken up much of my attention.

Canvas Commons – I have been in several meetings with key library staff this fortnight about Canvas Commons and how the Library can use it to our best advantage. Discussions include how Canvas Commons intersects with Researching by Study Area guides and Denise’s Library Toolkit which migrated over to Canvas from Blackboard (amongst other topics). I also attended H5P training on 7 June – can highly recommend.

ALIA – QULOC Indigenous Voice and Representation Webinars – I have been involved in much work behind the scenes, particularly the establishment and promotion of these webinars and creation and circulation of materials. Lots of communication with ALIA and speakers. Both webinars had an amazing turnout so if you attended, thank you. I hope you learned something new.

QUT Library Digital Clean-up Day: I am leading this initiative for LLT, which is also one of the Library’s strategic priorities. I have rallied the Library’s Green Champions, drafted guidelines, sent out promotions via calendar and prepared for further upcoming promotions. I am also working on logistics behind the scenes which include communications and event planning. Please get involved on the day.

Night Against Procrastination: 1 June, 4-6pm, Learning Hub GP Library – Joanna and I staffed this event alongside SSG and Guild. We gave referencing and research advice to those seeking it, made badges with students and gave out words of encouragement. I loved it. I don’t get to have much interaction with students in my role so I am happy to take on these opportunities when they arise.

Engineering Liaison Team

Graham has been busy with planning, storyboarding, location scouting (3 x branches), recruiting participants, scripting and shooting (4 x days) two library liaison service promotional videos aimed at an academic audience.

Information Resource Management

Team has reviewed our assigned subscriptions in the serials/databases subscriptions spreadsheet and reluctantly offered up SAE ground vehicle standards and SAE Technical Papers Subscription 1998-Present (via CAUL deal) for cancellation.

Team has submitted the following Elsevier journal subscription bids to be considered at the June 2023 IRC meeting based on excessive turnaway statistics.

• Joule
• Chest
• Matter
• Chem

Team has also requested a subscription to the Birkhäuser Building Types Online database to support Architecture students/staff.

Research Support Engagement

Graham & Brendan Co-taught Advanced EndNote to a very small cohort – 16 May.

Team also delivered AIRS teaching workshops and AIRS Resource Log marking.

Learning and Teaching Support

QUT Readings Lists work

EGB240 ~ Electronic Design

EGH444 ~ Digital Signals and Image Processing

EGH445 ~ Control Systems

ENN595-1 ~ Project 1 (for new Master of AI & Robotics in 2023-2)

ENN582 ~ Reinforcement Learning and Optimal Control

New Academic Staff Orientation

ABE

Prof Tim Schork – Architecture

Kim Gardener – is the newly School Manager of Architecture and Built Environment. She was previously with Faculty of Health.

CEE

Professor David McCarthy: Professor and Chair in Sustainable Urban Water Management – Academic profile requested and now available.

EER

Lixin Yang – PostDoc research fellow in CyberPhysical Systems

MMPE

Communication / Outreach to the Faculty
In FoE staff newsletter

Dean of Engineering’s Staff Newsletter (Library) Topic for May was…
QUT Open Access Publishing Options

– and an extra one re. socks / sox for ABE

News from the Faculty of Engineering

Coursework News & Developments

Focus is on increasing international student enrolments by promoting existing and new courses. Deputy Dean Prof Ian O’Hara led a visit to India and Sri Lanka during April to develop new international articulation partnerships and to brief recruiting agents.

There is a lot of course development activity advancing through Courseloop.

New ABE units being sorted out and assigned to unit coordinators and teaching staff.

Academic (Lecturing) Staff Recruitment Underway

Senior Lecturer in Chemical Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering

Senior Lecturer in Aerospace and Control

Research News & Developments

The Lunar testbed facility within QUT Centre for Robotics $5 million space technology precinct has commenced construction at KG.

Internationally focussed recruitment is underway to fill the ten (10) PhD scholarships on offer from the Australian Research Hub on Robotics for Infrastructure & Asset Management (ARIAM) to be based at QUT’s Centre of Robotics; or perhaps one of the other centre partners U Sydney or ANU.

FoE has considerable difficulty in filling their domestic HDR scholarship quota. To address this challenge, they have launched a Future Research Careers initiative. This is a paid research experience scheme whereby talented, top final year UG academic domestic students are incentivised to consider a research career. Paid at HEW4.1 ($10K) for a three (3) week intensive from June into July, followed by one day per week over Sem 2. Each of the four schools will nominate three (3) exciting research projects. Meaning that a total of twelve (12) scholarships will be on offer across the faculty in 2023. They hope these talented students will feed into FoE’s domestic HDR pipeline in 2024.

Research Staff Recruitment Underway

Postdoctoral Fellow in 3D Printed Organs-on-Chips – School of MMPE & Centre for Biomedical Technologies (CBT)

Science Liaison Team

Library Advisers

The GP LAs have had all sorts of interesting things going on in May:

• Enquiry Services – busy time as students prepare end of semester assignments – 333 students helped via Chat just by GP LAs!
• Paws for Support – Jacque and Kristiana promoted our services and resources at this event 2nd May (formally known as “Thrive at QUT”) hosted by QUT Disability and Accessibility Services
• Get Uni Ready – GP LAs and LLs facilitated ‘Researching to Save your life’ workshop – a Widening Participation program for Year 11 and 12 students targeting students at 15 partner schools (hosted by Equity)
• Preparing for LA Forum June 20 – all LAs will present in groups on their unique activities:
  • Lara, David & Ishara – Schools program and collaboration
  • Eileen & Kristiana – Value adding to student experiences of QUT Libraries
  • Jacque, Kate & Dani – a day in the life of an SLA
  • David, Lara & Kate also on the Forum working group
• Faculty teams work:
  • Engineering – Eileen creating Canvas quiz on patents
  • Engineering – Eileen and Kristiana reviewing libguides
  • Science – Ishara Indigenous perspectives project work – analysing our collection compared with that of Joe Sambono’s (QUT academic) own library collection
  • Science – David reviewing libguides

Collection Access Team

• We have welcomed Connor Emerson to the CA team to help cover some staff shortages temporarily. It’s wonderful having Connor with us on Thursdays.
•  The team are doing very well in the face of extreme staff shortages. Thanks team we see you and it’s much appreciated.

Wellness

April

From the Desk of the MLS

MLS (GP) Matters

• Discussions progressed with FM and staff from Disability and Accessibility Services about the establishment of a sensory-friendly room at each branch library
• Nicole and I met with Kerri Rosemond (Project Officer, Your Space) to share information on student spaces and where our spaces may intersect and/or complement.
• Sarah, Nicole and I took Grant Bartholemew (new Associate Director, Estate Planning) on a GP Library tour so he could get an understanding of our library spaces.
• Nicole, Cameron M and I met with Renae Belton (Engagement Officer) to start planning for the Indigenous Literacy Book fair planned for Welcome Week semester 2.
• Planning for the next Night Against Procrastination at GP commenced in April. Scheduled date for the event is 2 June, 4-6pm in the Learning Hub on level 2.
• Met with Stacey Lowe from SSG, along with Joanna, Bruce and Sarah about the ongoing Library partnership with the Learning Hub
• Graham and the Engineering team hosted a guest – Jenny Copestake from Curtin University – who presented to the GP L&R team about the Research Toolkit at Curtin – https://researchtoolkit.library.curtin.edu.au/
• Attended as part of LLT, the meeting with Prashant Pandey and his team from Flinders University who were in Brisbane for the THETA Conference
• Attended as part of LLT, the meeting with the Student Experience Leadership Team from UQ who visited QUT Kelvin Grove Library and took the opportunity to share about our spaces and services.
• Some GP staff members attended the THETA Conference.

Web and Digital Engagement service

• Hosted a meeting of the Web service Information Resources stream group (Researching By Study Area guides, Course and Unit guides, Finding Information by Type, Web Coordinator and IA Team representation)
• The Library’s strategic planning activities set the following two targets/actions:
  • Create a Digital Strategy for the Library
  • Convene working group to review QUT cite|write in consultation with key stakeholders, including students.
    • JT will progress these over the coming months with listed stakeholders.

External engagement

• JT assisted SSG with interviews for a Language and Learning Educator position within SSG
• JT as QULOC Workforce and Organisational Development (WOD) Convenor, in partnership with ALIA, started arranging the QULOC-specific webinars that form part of the ALIA-QULOC Mentoring Scheme. All staff welcome. See Teams for more details.

Science Liaison Team

• Michael and Catherine Radbourne delivered 2 workshop on using Pivot-RP to locate potential funding sources to researchers in the Faculty of Science. The workshops were arranged at the request of the ADR (FoS), who noted receiving great feedback on the sessions.
• The FoS are doing a Mid-Year Research Experience Scheme (basically a shorter VRES in the middle of the year) and the Library was invited to contribute to their orientation and induction program, which Michael developed some materials for.

Engineering Liaison Team

Graham conceived Australian Urban Research Infrastructure Network (AURIN) information session which ran in the engineering team’s allocated month. Sadly, participant turn out-on the morning of Weds 12 April was disappointingly low at three (3) researchers.

Brendan provided support to the staff researchers below covering different aspects of research support (does not include HDR questions).

Professor Richard Brown: Created a Research Data Finder record for Appendices to a book chapter.
Professor Ashantha Goonetilleke: Aspects of open access publishing incl. Read and Publish Agreements.
Dr Charith Rathnayaka: Read and Publish Agreements.
Dr Nazrul Islam: Publication metrics variance between Pure and Scopus.
Associate Professor Michael Cholette: Publishing on preprint servers.
Dr Craig Cowled: Questions re. QUT’s revised Open Access policy as per March 2023

Learning and Teaching Support

Meeting scheduled with Joe Sambolo re indigenising curriculum and collection.

Communication / Outreach to the Faculty
in FoE staff newsletter

Open Access Publishing Options (authored for May 2023 issue)

Graham has been busy planning for a Library Liaison Service promotional video shoot.

Library Advisers

April is an eventful time for LAs with Enquiry services particularly busy as 1st assignment are due. Referencing queries are the most asked query but all aspects of assignment help are common issues.

We have also been absorbed by

• Busy preparing for the LA forum in June.
• Attended Rialto information for a live demo of new releases.
• Social media updates
• Worked through new Timesheet training.
• Jacque & Kristiana attended THETA

…from Kristiana Darling

Jacque and I shared a ticket to the THETA conference. It was amazing to learn about how technology is facilitating better engagement with online learning, the extensive range of rapidly evolving AI that is/is going to transform how we live and work, as well as having the opportunity to indulge in various reminders of career progression, university project implementation and of course, security/privacy fortification.

I’d like to express my gratitude for the opportunity. I learned a LOT.

March

From the Desk of the MLS

MLS (GP) Matters

• Finalised most 2022 PPRs in March – the end of an era!
• We hosted fieldwork student Tara McManus, expertly supervised by Michael Hawks. Tara took on an investigative makerspaces project.
• Discussions were progressed with FM about a soft refurbishment of each floor, starting with level 2.

Web and Digital Engagement service

• QUT cite|write – added Generative AI examples for all four styles. Enormous thanks to the cite|write team
• Academic Help and Workshops page on HiQ Study pages were updated and significantly improved – https://qutvirtual4.qut.edu.au/group/student/study/academic-help-and-workshops
• Progressed the discussion about a ‘Digital Cleanup Day’ with the Green Champions. Watch this space.

External engagement

• Jenny, along with Sarah, attended the Future Libraries: Better Communities symposium at the State Library of Queensland. This was a fabulous think-tank about digital inclusion across the state.
• Jenny convened the first QULOC Workforce and Organisational Development (WOD) meeting for the year. Members participated in a round-table discussion and discussed the academic library-specific webinars that would be hosted as part of the ALIA/QULOC Mentoring Scheme.

Engineering Liaison Team

Library Advisers

We have moved to peak Enquiry Service delivery for the latter half of the month, thus nearly tripling our service delivery hours.

1 – GP hosted IES College for a school program visit.  Ishara, Lara and David collaborated on the facilitation and the school were so pleased they intend to book another class.

2 – two fieldwork students (Tara and Chloe) who spent time with me and possibly also with Dani and Jacque and maybe with some LAs.

3 – Ishara participated in an AIRS class as moderator with Science LLs.

4 – I had Eileen run two training sessions for LAs new to the Engineering team (Kristiana and Lara) demonstrating updates to QUT Readings pages and to Engineering team LibGuides.

5 – Eileen participated in an Engineering team event (hands on literature search for Masters of Engineering students)

Collection Access Team

The team received a Success Champion Award (dated February) for “stepping up at the start of semester in the face of lowered staffing numbers to get all critical, high-volume tasks completed on time.  The team are also supporting the Kelvin Grove team and travelling between campuses to assist their colleagues, thus demonstrating the ‘one library’ ethos.”

February

Engineering Liaison Team

January

Engineering Liaison Team

News from the Faculty of Engineering
Learning and Teaching News

Coursework Demand (December figures student QTAC 1st student preference).

• Overall demand for FoE courses +12.2% (compared to previous year).
• Notably DE43 BDesign (Arch.) +12.3% with interior architecture up +26.3%
• UD01 BUrban Develop (Construction Management) +13.8%
• Robust student demand in for the new vertical degree in robotics EV01 BEng / Master Robotics & AI over 100 students with an additional 10 applicants for direct entry into the masters programme.
• Indications are significant increase in international student enrolments in FoE PG courses
• Led by Prof Jonathan Bunker (Director of Postgraduate Studies) new postgraduate programmes are planned in:
  • o Sustainable infrastructure;
  • o Renewable energy;
  • o Advanced manufacturing.

Source: Exec. Dean FoE Town Hall 14 Dec

Dr Jay Rajapakse is the new unit coordinator for BEng (Honours) capstone projects (EGH400-* & EGH408) for 2023-1 with Dr Yilin Gui slated to return to this role in second semester.

Staff Recruitment Underway

Lecturer / Senior Lecturer in Electrical Engineering (Power Systems) for women applicants only closes 26 Feb.

Research News

Led by the QUT, the Australian Cobotics Centre (ARC Training Centre for Collaborative Robotics in Advanced Manufacturing) was launched 7 December to shape the innovative use of collaborative robots, or ‘cobotics’, to combine the strengths of humans and robots in shared work environments. QUT leads are Prof Jonathan Roberts as centre director and Prof Peter Corke, co-director.

Research Staff Recruitment Underway

Centre for Robotics is recruiting three autonomous systems research engineers. All three positions offer the option to work in hybrid mode (remotely) closes 19 Feb.

Library Advisers

While January is not our peak time of year for enquiry services, the GP LAs have been busy preparing for semester 1.

• We attended Canvas Q&A session specifically tailored to Library Advisers and have undertaken training to assist students in the change to this new system.
• All LAs are attending new borrowing scenarios training (rolled out by Kate, Dani, Jacque and Teresa)
• We are all preparing to present the suite of Library workshops, with Ishara and Annette heavily involved in the workshops working group.
• We continue our work on producing metadata for the QUT Digital Collections Bain O’Gorman Collection, with Annette having created procedures for this task.
• Ishara continues to produce great displays of the collection items on levels 4 and 6.

Wellness

Results from the Gingernut blind-tasting event

The winner both first past the post and with preferential voting is B from Victoria 🖋🗳

Final numbers are:

Thanks to Gabrielle and Michael for organising the event, Ishara for getting the ball rolling, and those who supplied the biscuits.  Oh, and thanks to all the taste testers too!