By Christine Davies, Learning Environment Assistant

Can you tell us more about your role?

Together, our teams – Facilities Management, Learning Environment, Service Delivery and Support & Liaison – look after the physical spaces, resources and service points in the Templeman Library. We help users make the most of our physical collections/study spaces and provide in-person/online help with library and IT queries. We could be the person on the phone helping you with a password reset, issuing your carrel key from the Welcome Desk, trundling past with a trolley of textbooks, or handing over a computer to support working from home.

Students are at the heart of what we do, but we also have plenty to offer staff, as well as our local community. A real privilege of working in the Library is our dual capacity for education and leisure. Of the 12 items I currently have on loan (you can borrow up to 40), one is a cookbook, a CD, two are DVDs and the rest a mix of fiction (titles like Golden Hill and The eye of the reindeer) and non-fiction (topics as diverse as running, medieval science and beauty).

How has the pandemic affected your work?

In March 2020, the pandemic prompted a University-wide lockdown and the Templeman closed its doors too. Most of our teams were suddenly tasked with working from home although a handful of essential staff remained to manage building maintenance (Covid-proofing) and book returns (or avalanches, in those early days!).

The experiences of front-line colleagues – including Jon Peacock (Support Supervisor), Nick Goodman (Support Officer), Sally Vinicombe (Welcome Desk Supervisor), Joe Lucas (Learning Environment Team Leader) and Luke Ranger (Facilities Manager) – highlight three distinct phases in the Templeman’s pandemic timeline:

1)    Panic stations (March-July 2020)

Jon: The IT & Library Support Desk had to move entirely online and quickly familarise ourselves with MS Teams and other remote working tools so we could advise others. The first lockdown was particularly busy in fielding calls, emails and online chats from students and staff grappling with remote-working and technology, all in the lead-up to exams!

2)    Covid-proofing (July-December 2020)

Luke: As we planned how to re-open in line with Government guidance, we re-calculated our building capacity and implemented measures to promote safe movement and behaviour. This involved moving/removing furniture to create individual socially distanced study spaces, distributing signage to support a one-way system, and locking/cordoning off areas of risk (like unventilated group study rooms).

Joe: We adapted team operations, introducing work bubbles to limit the spread of Covid. We focused on fulfilling book fetch requests to ensure access to physical resources while limiting visitor footprint. We made retrievals twice daily, processing and storing requested items at a reservation pick-up in the Welcome Hall. We also introduced a 72-hour stock quarantine to delay items moving between users.

Sally: The Welcome Desk stripped everything back to essentials only, suspending our visitor services to prioritise student access to the Library, and switching our approach to advisory rather than hands-on. We handled a wider variety of queries, stretching our own knowledge base and encouraging students to be more self-sufficient.

Nick: We’ve added Perspex screens to the Support Desk and re-spaced the desks to reinforce social distancing for the safety of staff and customers. It’s also been exciting to explore new ways of improving our remote support through MS Teams.

3)    The new normal (January-June 2021)

Joe: From September 2020, we noticed that quarantine had an impact on users, particularly in accessing high-demand items. So we increased our digital offering, reintroduced self-service shelf access and made adjustments to secure everyone’s safety and wellbeing. In response, students were complying with what was once considered unnatural: sitting a desk apart from their friend, studying with a mask and following a one-way system around the building.

How can colleagues make the most of library services?

As lockdown eases, we hope to gradually reintroduce our full range of services over the summer, as well as prepare for an effective Welcome Week. Our bookable study spaces are already available and we hope to reopen our popular Chill-Out Room by September.

If you’re visiting the Library, check out key updates on our website and a whiteboard in the Welcome Hall. We recommend using our online tools to check opening hours, building occupancy, and our catalogue. Library Search remains an invaluable resource, and our Library Collections colleagues have been busy adding more e-resources throughout the pandemic, so do use the filters to check if your book or journal is available online.

Other useful digital tools include our Software finder and E-resources A-Z. Why not check out BOB (Box of Broadcasts), a handy way to catch up on recent TV & radio, our recently-added collection from the National Theatre or Summer Reads chosen by colleagues from across the Library?

You can stay up to date by following our blog and social media channels. Our Support Desk is open through the summer (09:00-18:00 weekdays, 12:00-18:00 Saturdays), and you can reach us remotely during these hours by phone (01227 82 4999), email (libraryhelp@kent.ac.uk) or via the “Chat to us” that appears on most library webpages.

[Main image shows: Front Line Services staff (from left to right) including Christine Davies, Joe Lucas, Jon Peacock, Sally Vinicombe and Kaidi Goke]

Social media is a huge influencer and driver of traffic for Clearing 2021. To work alongside our paid advertising campaigns, we have generated new digital content involving Kent staff, students and alumni. Working in partnership with KMTV, we have created a suite of material for use across social channels and external advertising, within websites and embedded in emails to showcase why Kent is a great place to study.

Content includes

• A series of student video testimonials from Kent students who applied via Clearing, their story, tips and advice.
• A series of alumni video testimonials who applied via Clearing sharing their Clearing story, advice and what they’ve gone on to do since graduating.
• Clearing Application advice videos recorded by MORA recruitment officers targeted to parents, teachers and prospective students.
• A brand new ‘Guide to Clearing’ animation produced by a Kent Digital Arts student.
• New video content across accommodation, wellbeing, scholarships and Kent Sport featuring Kent staff and students from these areas.
• Student testimonials from students talking about their courses, why they chose to study them and why they like studying them at Kent.
• A series of good luck, congratulations and Clearing reminder videos all recorded by Kent students.
• Promotion clips for our Clearing open event on 29 July.
• Content for platforms including Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to drive awareness and engagement.

This content shows off the best of the University community and is a key part of our Clearing strategy for 2021. You’ll be able to see these posts across our social media channels and can take a look on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/UniversityofKent

As we start to look forward to 2021/22 – and following a challenging 18 months for us all – we’re planning a week-long series of events for colleagues to join together to mark the start of the new academic year.

Our proposed Staff Conference will take place virtually and on our campuses from Monday 13 – 17 September between 11.00 and 13.00 each day (till 15.00 on Friday). The idea is that you can dip into the sessions that most interest you over lunch or in work time, or catch up with recordings later on.

Over the week, we’re planning a number of activities, both informative and informal, that you can choose to join in or to run yourself. These may include:

• Talks and discussions about projects, initiatives, and activities of the University
• Sessions focusing on wellbeing support available to staff
• Informal events to take part in individually or as a team
• Staff awards to celebrate the achievements of all our staff over the last 18 months.

The Staff Conference is all about you so we’re keen to hear from staff across Kent, whether in Divisions or Professional Services, what you would like to do during this week – what would be helpful in your role at Kent or something you’d like to share with colleagues!

If you would like to present a session – either a short, interactive session or a longer discussion – forward your suggestions to our Staff Conference organising team via communications@kent.ac.uk by Friday 13 August at 17.00. Please outline your proposed session using no more than 300 words, indicating in particular how you propose to engage and interact with your audience.

We hope that this will become an annual event to mark the start of the academic year. But for now, we look forward to hearing your ideas and suggestions soon!

Help us to make Clearing 2021 a success! We need help and support from everyone; particularly around offer-making, staffing the hotline and making calls to prospective students.

The 2021 Clearing campaign was soft-launched in May, raising awareness and collecting leads from students who were thinking about using Clearing for back-up,  because they haven’t yet applied or want to change their subject or university.

Clearing ‘proper’ opened on 5 July and applications are already being processed for those who have their results. The extensive campaign is phased across awareness, consideration and decision and uses a wide range of media, targeted to specific audiences. Digital platforms TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Google are a major part of the advertising but also included are Spotify, mobile phone in-app, YouTube and Snapchat.  More traditionally, and important for both students and their influencers, there will be adverts on billboards and at bus stops, radio, SkyAdsmart, in the local press, and email campaigns through 3^rd party specialists, all driven by data showing where Kent’s potential students are living and studying.

All the leads we generate, either as enquirers or applicants, will become part of our nurture and conversion email campaigns which are designed to build a relationship between the student (or supporter) and the University, focusing on the supportive and diverse student community, academic and personal support and highlighting the accommodation guarantee and free sports membership offers.

Get involved

 If you’re able to help, particularly on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 August, and you’re not already on a Clearing rota, please get in touch with Laetitia Gullett via schoolsliaison@kent.ac.uk.

Full training will be given and, for anyone who hasn’t done it before, it is a really rewarding experience. Clearing will be run remotely so we can guarantee we have the staff cover we need, with full support for everyone taking part and supervisors on hand to help at all times.

Thank you for all your help and support.

From Nikki Hyde, Deputy Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development

As you will be aware, Government Covid-19 guidance changed earlier this week (Monday 19 July) and most legal restrictions have now been lifted in England.

In keeping with the Government’s emphasis on a gradual return to workplaces for those who have been working from home, our roadmap for staff returning to campus remains unchanged:

• Any staff who wish to start working back on campus are now free to do so, but they should talk to their line manager first to ensure that returns are managed and gradual.
• From 20 September, all staff are expected to work on campus, albeit with increased flexibility offered by the new Hybrid Working Scheme where possible.

While the restrictions have ended, staff still working at home should only come back on campus as much as they are comfortable with from now until 19 September.

A range of guidance, activities and initiatives will be available soon to help support staff with a gradual return to campus from mid-August, and to support teams manage new hybrid ways of working.

The return to campus process of requesting approval from HR and the requirement for a logged Risk and Concern Conversation is no longer in place. However, the framework for holding conversations with staff and the option of logging any concerns remains in place if line managers feel this is appropriate.

Updated risk assessment

The University is currently revising its Covid-19 risk assessment following the receipt of new Working Safely guidance from the Government and has begun the process of consulting with Staff and Union reps. Once the risk assessment is finalised and published, we will update our staff FAQs and supporting guidance.

Although all social distancing requirements and therefore current building occupancy limits are being removed, the resulting changes to campus layouts and signage will take time to implement. During this period, until the risk assessment is finalised, staff should follow existing rules and signage, where still in place. In line with Government guidance, we recommend face coverings continue to be worn in crowded and enclosed spaces, and where possible natural ventilation should be increased by keeping doors and windows open.

Thank you for helping us manage the process of safely returning staff to campus. If you have any questions, please contact hrcovid19@kent.ac.uk.

Nikki

Nikki Hyde | Deputy Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development

Words by Helen Buhler

The University was very sorry to hear of the death of Will Simpson on 7 July 2021.

Sadly, and unexpectedly, Will Simpson, the University of Kent’s second Librarian, died on 7 July  at home. Since succeeding Stephen Darlow, Kent’s Founding Librarian, after four years as his Deputy Librarian, Will’s time in the best office on campus was characterised by forward-thinking and efficient management, together with a deep dislike of red tape and paperwork. He was a major figure in the development of KLACS, Kent’s online circulation system, written by the Computing Lab’s Rod Saunders, which came into use in October 1976, and was the first in a British university library. This was eventually replaced by Cambridge’s cataloguing and circulation systems.

Will was also instrumental in fostering a relationship with the Cathedral Library, and was (together with Naomi Linnell and David Shaw) involved in the Cathedral’s online catalogue of pre-1801 printed books. The Templeman’s extension on its eastern side owed its initial planning to Will, aided by Margaret Smyth.

Always approachable and helpful, Will made the Templeman a very pleasant place to work. I have happy memories of those years. Needless to say, his retirement was marked by the Templeman’s best and biggest party!

Our condolences and thoughts go out to June and to their children, Harold, Lucy, and Victoria.

May Will rest in peace.

The University was very sorry to hear of the death of Dr Jingqi Miao on Friday 2 July.

Dr Miao was appointed as a Lecturer at the University in 2001 and she retired two years ago. She was a valued member of the School community and the sad news of her death has been deeply felt across it.

Jingqi joined us at a challenging time, when subjects like Physics were facing a shortfall in Higher Education funding. After taking up her academic post at Kent, Jingqi was immediately confronted with the task of increasing undergraduate student recruitment in Physics and Astronomy, a role she relished and made her own. The increase in recruitment that she helped generate set up the School on a path of substantial growth over the next decade.

She was successful in making a powerful case for renewing funding from the Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council to establish “Space School” which quickly became an annual SPS tradition. This event ran in the summer every year from 1999 (and was only suspended in 2020 due to COVID).

Jingqi’s research was appreciated across the world. Her work on the origin of stars, using computer simulations, will hold a special place in the future development of the subject. Her enthusiasm for her research was unwavering and transmitted to her students and collaborators.

All of her colleagues will always remember her as kind, modest, hardworking and devoted to her family. Well-liked and respected by all, she was the kind of colleague that made the School a better and happier place to be in.

A fuller tribute to Dr Jingqi Miao, by Dr Silvia Ramos and other members of the School of Physical Sciences, is available on the School website.

As a University community, we will be able to adapt well to what comes next – that’s among the positive responses we’ve had to our recent Future of Work staff survey.

The aim of the survey was to capture the best parts of what’s happened over the past year and find out how the University can support us in future. Staff working on campus and/or at home were asked to share their experiences of work since March 2020.

You told us that:

• You’re proud of how teams had pulled together to find viable and productive ways of operating during the pandemic
• If working on campus, you stressed the importance of being able to engage and collaborate with colleagues, as well as disconnecting from work on leaving campus
• If working at home, you appreciated having less distractions, and being able to devote more time to personal health and wellbeing and exercise
• You also gave a thumbs-up for Microsoft Teams changing how we work, highlighting stronger collaboration between Canterbury and Medway colleagues since connecting virtually
• And many of you voiced your appreciation for colleagues who have continued providing essential services, as well as praising technical support and communications.

You also mentioned some of the difficulties and challenges you’ve faced over the last year:

• Concerns about long-term digital engagement leading to poor mental health and isolation for some
• Missing seeing colleagues in person, catching up informally and sharing ideas and insights
• The effort involved in overcoming the challenges of engaging with students in an online setting
• Needing time to prepare resources after the sudden switch to online teaching
• Inadequate set-up for working at home longer-term
• Too much screen time and experiencing ‘Zoom fatigue’

What happens next

Your feedback (anonymised and non-attributable) is now informing discussions at EG and the JSNCC about how we work in the future and the infrastructure and support we will need.

Follow-up work is already underway across the University, with key stakeholders incorporating feedback from the survey into their planning for 2021/22. This includes education, student experience, technology, space planning, staff training and development, and further opportunities for collaborative working.

Find out more

Fuller feedback from the survey is available now on our HR webpages. You can also learn more about the survey, as well as our new Hybrid Working Scheme and plans for major changes in HR services at Kent, at our next Staff Webchat on Thursday 15 July