Living in my bubble - in the bubble, from the bubble, out the bubble.

 

By Renee Damonse

Most of us operate from our own perspective, thinking, interacting, communicating, offering services from our own context, from our life experiences and backgrounds. All that we are exposed to makes us who we are today. We need to remember this and take into account that people have feelings, that people react to situations based on what is happening in their lives. We have no idea the kind of day someone is having. We just see the physical appearance and are clueless as to the emotions, etc a person is going through. We are all encapsulated in our own bubble. Living in a bubble. Living in our own bubble.

In my bubble I have a BSc or an Hon's or PhD degree from UKZN. I drive a VW. I travel on the N3. I eat KFC. I attend St Alps church. I buy bread from Woolies and PNP. We direct students to the LAN. They major in Psych, Eco, Bio and Socio. When offering library instruction, I may mention RMS, RonMc, LibGuides, Class numbers, DDC, LC, RC, MMC, etc. I know what these terms, abbreviations and acronyms mean, but do students? We give students a DDC guide, not acknowledging that they may never have used DDC before don’t and may not understand what the decimal point means.

We advise students to register for training sessions on cellphones and laptops, but do we check that the necessary instructions have been provided? The student may be left wondering in the absence of instructions what happens once you have registered for the session. This happens because I am living in my bubble.

My poor listeners are often left in the dark, trying to figure out what I am talking about. As new students, fresh from high school, eager and ready to start a new chapter of their lives at university, they hear all these new terms and concepts and must be so confused and lost.

Attending meetings and trainings and myself being exposed to other people’s jargon, it made me stop and re-evaluate my training sessions and the terms and concepts that I use. I now try to be more aware of library jargon, and try to stick to basics and explain terms that may be new to my listeners.

Let's burst the bubble. Let’s climb out of our bubble and realise that others are not in the same bubble as us. We need to realise that we all do not operate from the same bubble. We need to cater to the needs of others. We need to empathise and place ourselves in their shoes, and try experience what they are going through. Let’s burst the bubble and try to be more accommodating.

I will now try to break free from my bubble and speak about Risk Management Services, Ronald McMillon lecture theatre in Golf Road, online guides, Dewey Decimal classification numbers, Dewey Decimal Classification, Library of Congress subject headings, Research Commons, Multimedia Classroom, etc. I will now try to give better descriptions, showing pictures if it is a presentation. I hope by trying to be clearer and being more specific that I now leave my listener with a clearer path to follow.

When you are new and overwhelmed it is so daunting for new students. We need to try remember all those situations that we ourselves have faced where we were also new to a situation, when we felt unsure, needed help, needed a smile and a helping hand to guide and re-assure us along the path. Put yourself in the other person’s situation. Let's go the extra mile. Let's move on trying to help each other. We do not know their background, what they went through last night or that morning, or five minutes before they asked you for assistance. Let’s try to be as neutral and helpful as possible when offering our help to library patrons.

Try to offer the best assistance possible, given that you yourself may have had a fight with your mother, or experienced a death in the family. The person asking for help is unaware of your situation and what you have been through, just as you may be blissfully unaware of what they have been through. It’s all so easy to be so wrapped up in ourselves and live in our own bubble and forget that the world is turning and spinning for all the humans out there. Welcome, welcome, welcome to our world. Let’s knock our bubbles together, offer the information needed, offering our help to produce the research paper, assignment, proposal, project. A little gentleness goes a long way to ensuring all needs are met. A little kindness can go a long way.

 

Meet the blogging team

by the Bloggers Team

Why blog? After a workshop a few years ago the UKZN library decided that creating a library blog would be a useful addition to the range of communication channels it uses to reach its wide range of users. A set of rules and a code of ethics were established, parameters discussed and a roster drawn up. All subject librarians and heads of departments are on the roster. Two blogs a month are posted.

An editorial team under the leadership of Ms Faith Magwaza, principal librarian for Humanities was set up to guide bloggers, proofread and support the process – and yes we have the T shirt!

The merits of blogging are often listed as including strengthening one’s knowledge, being creative, helping others, sharing with colleagues, building confidence in writing skills, writing about one’s interests and passions, creating awareness, meeting like-minded people or just enjoying this forum and so on. For some UKZN subject librarians writing is a daunting task and blogging is a challenging venture but as time goes by skills are improving and although most of the blogs to date are on quite serious and on work related topics, staff are stepping up to the challenge as they gain confidence.

The editorial committee comprises subject librarians from each campus. The Edgewood rep is Mukesh Kemraj who says this about being on the team: ”I like being part of the team as it showcases the library staff’s talent and broadens an individual’s understanding of the library profession as a whole.”

      Mukesh Kemraj (Edgewood)

Ashika Pramlal (Westville)

Says Ashika Pramlal, the Westville library representative “As a member of the editorial team this has been a “learning curve” for me. Reading the blogs of colleagues has been a most humbling experience and I am touched by the talent and enthusiasm of bloggers thus far. I have learnt a lot being part of the blog team and it has been an enjoyable and enriching experience.”

The Pietermaritzburg contingent of representatives comprises Rose Kuhn, Jillian Viljoen, Renee Damonse and Shorba Harkhu. “We enjoy group work and reading our colleague’s postings!” Rose, Jillian and Renee are based in the main library and Shorba is based at the Life Sciences Library.

Pmb Cecil Renaud: Renee; Jillian and Rose

Pmb Life sciences: Shorba

Howard College has 3 representatives on the editorial team. Nonjabulo Ngcobo, Subject Librarian for Humanities has this to say about being on the team:  “I am a member of the Bloggers Team, and my role is editorial which is basically the checking of the content of the blogs objectively and provide criticism without tearing down the work of the writers/ authors. I am very thankful and blessed for working with a wonderful team as I gain new knowledge every time we meet and by reading other writers blogs.”

Also from EG Malherbe library is Nontobeko Sikhosana who feels that: “being part of the blogging team has been a wonderful experience for me; I have learnt new and interesting things through other colleagues’ write-ups. Blogging is brain opening, it is fun to hear what other people think and feel, and it is an effective way to share ideas with each other.”

Nontobeko Sikhosana (EGM library)

Nonjabulo Ngcobo   (EGM Library)

              

And finally, from Faith Magwaza: “As a part of the blogging team I co-ordinate all the activities of the Blog. My positive experience on the team is seeing the talent and commitment of bloggers in submitting their blogs on time and openly accepting the comments of the editorial team. One of the successes of the team is that Library blogs are now available on the UKZN Facebook page."

To see all the blogs go to: http://libwebteam.blogspot.com/

For a list of subject librarians, their disciplines and contact details go to: http://library.ukzn.ac.za/SubjectLibrarians772.aspx

Like a Nyala caught in the headlights

Those who believe that working in a library is terribly boring are sadly mistaken. We have many exciting and even dangerous moments. Case in point: the recent student protests on the UKZN Pietermaritzburg (PMB) campus.

Students began protesting from around the 11 August 2016. Every day (and night) seemed to bring something new with people being assaulted with knives, vehicles being damaged and set alight, burning of stuff across campus and its surrounding areas. The air was filled with the noise of sirens piercing the air and the sound of students singing their protest songs. Something new unfolded every day. The uncertainty was unsettling, so unlike a library environment.

On Wednesday 17^th August 2016 students were yet again protesting outside on the lawns close to the library. As per usual our doors and gates remained opened until such time as the Risk Management Services section or Library management gave the command to close the library doors and lock the library gates. All library users are asked to evacuate the building “for their own safety”.  Around 10:30am students apparently tried to disrupt lectures at one of the lecture venues. We were told that some students were then arrested by the POP (Public Order Policing). Watching from the windows, staff could see that this angered the students who retaliated by throwing objects at POP. The crowd was quite large and angry, militant and frustrated. 

Then, a loud bang, and a sudden bright flash of light (stun grenades). Staff watching this were like a Nyala caught in the headlights. We were just stunned. Stuck in the moment. Unable to move or utter a word. One staff member was reported to have had heart palpitations. We were all just so shocked, everything happened so fast.  The protesting students dispersed so fast it was unreal. As they run this way and that way, library staff were heard to say, “I hope the students don’t go and damage our motor vehicles in anger”.

Come Tuesday 4 October and the protests have not abated. Confused, stressed and traumatised PMB staff attended a meeting organised by the various staff unions with the person in charge of the PMB campus, Prof Jaganyi. Some students were allowed to address the meeting. One of the statements the students made was that they could no longer guarantee the safety of staff as the protesting students were frustrated and seemingly uncontrollable. 

Library staff returned to the library, having just settled down we heard three or four loud bangs. Chaos erupted in the building. Petrified students came screaming down the stairs from all floors trying to get out the building as quickly as possible. Mayhem reigned. Staff were terrified. Evacuation procedures flew out the window. Had the threat of violence made just a few minutes ago now been implemented? Firecrackers had been set off in the building. The building was evacuated and the bomb squad was called to investigate. Hours later the building was declared safe. Traumatised staff and students returned to the Library. 

The aftermath?

As a library staff member I feel like a sitting duck. Like the abandoned baby Nyala that has lost its mother, vulnerable and easy prey, just waiting for something bad to happen. In this volatile situation it is so unnerving. You have no guarantee of safety or the safety of your property, especially your motor vehicle. The stress and trauma we experience is unbelievable. One of my colleagues had nightmares after witnessing the harsh realities of safety and security personnel taking action on campus to restore law and order. Staff were literally shaking after these experiences. This situation is also aggravating existing medical conditions, and leading to new medical complications. In all this, staff are expected to work as normal in an abnormal situation. We are advised that we may take our leave if we feel unsafe. I need our normal order and continuity, and cannot wait for our quiet and peaceful days to return.

Renee Damonse 

Members of the SAP keep an eye out for any protests under the clock tower of Old Main Building at UKZN on Monday. (Ian Carbutt)

http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/lectures-at-ukzns-pmb-campus-suspended-20160816