Introducing your subject librarian...

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Hello, my name is Erica Fothergill. I am the Assistant Librarian who specialises in looking after the academic information needs of the students and staff within the Faculty of Applied Design and Engineering here at Swansea Metropolitan University. My qualifications include a BA (Hons) in Information and Library Studies. I am based at the Owen Library on the Mount Pleasant Campus and my contact details are shown on the subject areas for Applied Design and Engineering, Built and Natural Environment, and Computing which are shown on the Library web pages. You are welcome to contact me to find out what resources and services are available to help you with your coursework and research.

Introducing your subject librarian...

Hello, my name is Emily Hywel and I look after the Business Studies resources with Alison Evans. I have a degree in English Literature from Bangor University, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Library and Information Studies from Manchester Metropolitan University.

I was a bit of a late starter academically, so after leaving school at 16 I did a secretarial course, then worked as a temp and waitressed over the next few years. It wasn’t till my mid twenties that I decided to do an Access to HE course at my local FE College in Sheffield.

I found studying again after working full-time a real shock to the system. I was also a terrible library user, I didn’t use the catalogue, I wasn’t sure what a journal was for ages, and I never asked for help! Through my own experiences I understand how confusing libraries can be, but it was partly because of these experiences that I decided to train as a librarian after I graduated. My advice to any students who are getting frustrated with their research is please come in and ask us for help. That’s what we’re here for!

As for outside of work, I spend most of my time running around after my 18 month old daughter, who has just learnt how to run, and my three and a half year old son. I also passed my driving test last month - first time! So we’re making the most of the beautiful Gower beaches on any dry days we have!

Introducing your subject librarian...

Welcome to the first in a series of posts in which we will introduce you to the SMU librarians who are here to support your subject areas. First of all, we have Philippa Price who supports Swansea School of Education on the Townhill campus.

Philippa
I have been an Assistant Librarian at SMU for nearly six years now. This is my first librarian position, but not my first job in a library. I spent a brief time as a library assistant at Swindon College, a further education college in, wait for it, Swindon. Before that, I was a library assistant on Five Valleys Mobile Library, based in Stroud. This was an idyllic job that involved being driven round the Cotswolds area and drinking cups of tea provided by our lovely patrons while I helped them choose their books. As wonderful as it was though, overall I prefer working in the higher education sector. Townhill Library is certainly much busier than the mobile library ever was!

To become a librarian, I gained a Masters in Information and Library Studies at Aberystwyth University. Aberystwyth is something of a home from home for me as I also read American Studies there as an undergraduate. It's wet and windy in the winter, but it's a lovely town and I try to go back for visits when I can. Aber gave me a taste for living by the sea, so I'm very pleased to have ended up in Swansea, especially with such a stunning view of Mumbles from work!

Outside of work, I am, of course, an avid reader. (What kind of librarian would I be if I didn't like books?) I've just finished The little stranger by Sarah Waters, which I very much enjoyed. Aside from books, I go swimming a couple of times a week and go to the cinema fairly regularly. In the evenings, when I'm not swimming or at the pictures, I tend to veg out in front of the TV. I'm very excited about the return of Strictly Come Dancing and will be rooting for Jason Donovan to win!

That's me in a nutshell. I've already met some PGCE students at their library inductions and am looking forward to meeting many more Education students over the next month or so. I hope you've enjoyed this little insight into my life. Don't judge me too harshly for being a Jason Donovan fan!