An Amazing Week of Work Experience

Have you ever wondered what it was like to work at the City of Tea Tree Gully Library? Recently I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to do just that and I can tell you that I  had an amazing experience full of enjoyment and happiness. I learned everyday life and work skills that I can use not only today but in the future.

Throughout my week at the Library, I worked alongside a hard working team who showed and taught me so many things. I learned how to give good customer service as well as the ins and outs of how a public library functions. I enjoyed very much talking to each of the staff working at the Library. They encouraged, supported me and always gave me positive feedback, especially when I didn’t understand something or didn’t know how to accomplish a specific task. I must say that my communication skills and my confidence have risen upwards, due to the fact that I have been working out of my comfort zone whilst being supported by an intelligent and caring group of people.

In conclusion, I must say that I enjoyed every single minute of my time at the Library and I would definitely recommend the work experience program to those I know. I will take away many new skills as well as having had lots of fun.

Written by: Clara – Work Experience Student @ City of Tea Tree Gully Library

Para Hills High School students join the Library Team

This school term we welcomed four enthusiastic students from Para Hills High School Special Needs Unit into the library for a four-week work experience placement. The placement was designed in collaboration with the school to provide the students with the opportunity to gain real life work experience and life skills. During their placement the students participated in children’s programs including Baby Bounce and Toddler Time, assisted with the preparation and facilitation of school programs, reshelved books and buddied up with staff to witness the inner workings of the library.

The students showed great enthusiasm during their placement and gained some new skills:

“I enjoyed working in the library because I learnt new skills”  – Ramin

“Shelving helped me with alphabetical order” – Ben and Adam

Thank you to the wonderful students who were involved in the program, as well as their teachers. We look forward to hosting more successful tailored work experience placements to compliment our existing work experience program.

An Inspiring Experience

Ever wondered what actually happens behind the scenes at the Tea Tree Gully Library? I know I have, which is just one reason that I chose to do my work experience there.

Work Experience Student Taylor

My experience at the Library has been memorable. I have acquired new skills and spent time with some amazing people. During my time here I have been able to join in on lots of fun activities. My favourites by far would be Storytime and Baby Bounce.

In Baby Bounce, we sang and danced with the little ones and  my favourite song/rhyme was “The Grand Old Duke of York”. Everyone, including the babies and parents, was enjoying themselves. The most memorable part of Baby Bounce was seeing the children having loads of fun!

During Storytime, the theme was farm animals. We read stories like “The Big Sneeze” and “Where’s Woolly”. When the children had completed a craft project they came up to get a sticker from me. It really is inspiring to see the staff get into the stories and songs. It truly gave me a feeling of awe.

I’m going to miss coming to the Library for work experience.  I might even come back next week and start shelving books just for fun…

Written by: Taylor – Work Experience Student @ City of Tea Tree Gully Library

….And You Thought the Internet Was Powerful

Ever found yourself browsing the web for information on that ‘forgotten’ assignment that’s due tomorrow? Have you searched Google, Yahoo, Bing, and every possible web address spanning to the edge of cyberspace? Perhaps you were looking too far ahead the whole time…

There’s no need to sugarcoat it – in today’s age, the World Wide Web is a powerful tool for anyone who can wield a mouse and keyboard. However, as technology grows – expanding the internet from computers to smart phones and tablets – people begin to forget about the simple things.

Work Experience Student Alex

After spending a week doing work experience at the Tea Tree Gully Library, I’ve come to realize just how relevant books still are. They have yet to ‘fade into obscurity’, and I hope they never do.

After spending time  shelving books, I naturally began to read some of the titles of the big and small clusters of bound pages… and boy did I discover some interesting topics! On one occasion, I found a book dedicated to explaining the genre of Steampunk (don’t know what that is? Check the Library!) – it was complete with plenty of pictures to explain how everything worked. Yet, not even two weeks ago, I was searching the big wide web for things on steampunk… and found only half of what that one book provided!

The next time you’re doing a project on Victorian Arts, or researching information on the oldest lighthouses in South Australia, try looking in the library for the information you seek.

Don’t underestimate one of the oldest forms of communication since the creation of society!

Written by: Alex – Work Experience Student @ City of Tea Tree Gully Library

My Wondrous Time in the Land of the Tea Tree Gully Library

Libraries are often perceived as being places that are quiet and only for the reading of books. However, I have discovered that this is not really the case, and that libraries are in fact places that are very interesting and where you can have an adventure around every corner. How do I know this you may ask? Well, I recently did my work experience at a place I have admired all my life, the amazing Tea Tree Gully Library.

Work Experience Student Samuel

When I first walked into the Library, I was a little worried at how my time at the Library would be. I was not sure if I was going to be too annoying to the staff or if I would be too slow in doing things or even not do things right. I was so wrong; the staff were all very kind and considerate and I appreciated how everyone took the time to show me how things should be done.

I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to do my work experience at the CTTG Library. The tasks I had the opportunity to be involved in included shelving, working on the Customer Service Desk, assisting in the Chute, Children’s and Youth activities and working at the “Ask Here” desk. In the end I learnt the ropes and was able to do the tasks with very little help.

During my time at the library I was involved in some awesome things and I enjoyed every minute of everyday with the staff. My favourite assigned tasks were working in the Chute and working at the Customer Service Desk serving people. I would love to get a job at the Library in the near future.

Written by: Samuel – Work Experience Student @ City of Tea Tree Gully Library

Behind the Scenes at Tea Tree Gully Library

I have always loved books and reading, so it seemed logical that I do my work experience in a library. From the outside libraries seemed like quiet, relaxing places until I started my placement at the Tea Tree Gully Library. I now know that there are so many jobs to be done in order to keep the library running smoothly.

Work Experience Student Julie

Admittedly, I was a bit nervous before starting work experience, mostly because I didn’t want to be an inconvenience to the staff members. I needn’t have worried because I was welcomed by everyone and I certainly didn’t feel as though I was in the way. All the supervisors and staff members are friendly, supportive and they don’t expect too much of you.

Also, I loved the fact that I was able to be involved in various activities, rather than just observing other people. In just five days I learnt so much. Some of the activities that I was involved in were shelving, returning and checking out items, scanning items in the chute, covering new books with contact, sitting in on an Internet training session and being a part of Story Time, Baby Bounce and Toddler Time.

If you’d like to do your work experience in a pleasant and professional environment, I totally recommend the Tea Tree Gully Library. You are constantly learning great things and you will get a realistic idea of what it is like in the workforce.

Written by Julie – Work Experience Student @ the City of Tea Tree Gully Library

Wonderful World of Books

I am interested in many things, but the thing I enjoy doing the most is reading. Ever since I was young, I would sit in my local library for hours on end surrounded by books and graphic novels. I have many favourites, but I love Arthur Conan Doyle’s books and lately, I’ve been reading graphic novels like Bleach and Naruto. When I read, I feel as if I’m entering another world. My favourite quote is ‘Non-readers experience one life, readers experience thousands.’

Because of my obsession with books, I thought it would be a great idea to do my work experience placement with the City of Tea Tree Gully Library. So, I jumped online and researched everything I needed to know. I then went to the Library, and asked one of the staff there if they accepted year 10 work experience students, and was set a time and date for an interview. As soon as I found out I was accepted, I was thrilled. It is my first time trying something new like this, so I was both nervous and excited.

On my first day I was given a tour of the Library and a health and safety talk. I was introduced to various staff and taught how to shelve and check in and out books. At the “Ask Here” desk, I was also taught how to serve customers and what to do when they asked for something specific.

As I was shelving, I could not help but notice the titles and authors of books that I have read, or that I have always wanted to read. Thoughts like ‘I should borrow that one next time’ and ‘this one might be interesting?’ kept crossing my mind.

Learning how to work in a public library was lots of fun, and getting to know new people whether they were customers or staff, was a great experience.

Written by Michelle – Work Experience Student @ the City of Tea Tree Gully Library

A week in the City of Tea Tree Gully Library

To start off, the stigma behind libraries is not true. They are places bustling with noise and activity. Aside from being able to smell the ‘new book’ smell, you can also smell a freshly brewed coffee from Scribes Café.

For the first few days I was learning the ropes and how to not get ‘checked in’ books mixed up with ‘non-checked’ in books. I spent a lot of my time over the week shelving, at the Customer Service Desk (CSD), ‘Ask Here Desk’ and in the chute room. I also processed new books and discovered that plastic adhesive hates me! I helped set up for the Teen Reading Group Cover2Cover (a big shout out to the totally awesome people in it!), and the Local History event ‘As Time Slides By.’ I also helped in Baby Bounce, Toddler Time and Storytime and I am still convinced that the little kids only liked me because I had Elmo!

Work experience student, Nikita

Friday was a sad day as it was my last one! I shelved my last book (until I go through my own books at home!), worked on my blog post and had to say goodbye to the really fantastic, hardworking and extremely patient people who work here.

I really recommend doing your work experience here as you are always doing something and constantly learning. This is an awesome place to work; everyone is so friendly and willing to let me have a go. Thank you to everyone who made me feel so welcome from day one and I hope to see you all around in the library!

Written by: Nikita – Work Experience Student @ City of Tea Tree Gully Library

The thoughts of a Work Experience student

Work experience – it’s something that we have all had to do at some point in our lives.

Work experience student, Anton

I have always enjoyed visiting the City of Tea Tree Gully Library regularly, as I love reading and enjoy spending time in the peace and tranquility that is the Library. I figured that if I had to do work experience, I might as well complete it somewhere that I would really enjoy and respect the experience and the skills and knowledge that I was receiving.

Learning the skills of the library such as shelving, cataloguing and borrowing are really great skills to have for the future, if I wish to have a career in a library-based role.

I have been a member of the City of Tea Tree Gully Library for five years. It has been a great for me to go behind the scenes and see back-room functions that customers don’t generally see, and I have been amazed. I have now seen the amount of hard work and what the integral roles are in the library. The staff at the City of Tea Tree Gully have welcomed me warmly and have been really friendly since I have arrived for work experience.

Having work experience here is an experience that I will never forget. Thank you for having me!

Written by: Anton – Work Experience Student @ City of Tea Tree Gully Library

A Fun Filled Week Of Work Experience

So, having returned from a fun filled week of work experience at the Tea Tree Gully Library, I am pleased to report that contrary to popular belief, it is not a building full of dusty books and irritating “Be Quiet” notices. Instead it is a thriving hive of activity, and I must say I enjoyed every second of it.

Work Experience Student Jacques

This leads to the obvious question: Why? Quite simply; you never sit still, you’re always doing something. Although to some people this may sound worse than getting keel-hauled, I found it quite invigorating. The stream of books that need to be shelved just never seems to end. Everyday there seemed to be a new activity. For example, one day was spent listening to an incredibly interesting “History of Christmas in Tea Tree Gully” lecture, after which we enjoyed a cup of Milo and some cookies.

But this was not the best part, no my biggest surprise was the sheer size of the collection. This is good, because you get a lot of variety, but I never really considered that there are people who actually have to put these books back where they belong. Nevertheless, this would not have been such a big job if not for the Interfiling Project, which sees all the Adult Fiction books being given new labels and being put back on the shelf. Soon the books will be taken down again, and the paperbacks will be mixed with the hardbacks. This will remind the patrons that there are in fact books at the back of the library as well.

But my favorite part of work experience was working at the customer service desk (CSD), to my surprise I got to serve people from the first day. I also got to work in the “Chute”, which is where all those books that you place down the holes in the wall go. I also attended a “Toddler Time” activity as well as participating in a School tour of the library and helped out at the Information desk. By “helped out” I mean I embarrassed myself with my dismally inadequate knowledge of library workings, and then quietly sat in the background while somebody who was actually qualified to do this came and repaired whatever it was that I did wrong/broke/damaged.

My final opinion? The people who work here are wonderful, I met a lot of interesting people, and doing my work experience has been exciting and informative.

So thank you.