What do you enjoy most about your role at Heythrop Library?
In my role as Project Cataloguer, I have enjoyed cataloguing books with more complicated imprint histories. What if the first edition of a book was printed in 1970 but then there were multiple reprints in 1979, 1983 and 1991? What if the original publisher was acquired by another company? What if there are two different copyright dates? How would I properly describe this information in a bibliographic record? It has been very interesting figuring it out (with the help of Clemens and Naomi). I also really enjoy working with Clemens and Naomi, who are both lovely.
Where did you work prior to Heythrop?
Prior to Heythrop I worked as a Library Assistant/Library Page at New York Public Library on 42nd Street in Manhattan. This meant helping Librarians with reference and circulation at the service desk in the Map, Local history & genealogy and Jewish division reading rooms. I was responsible for creating patron library accounts which, at a busy public library, amounted to a lot of library cards per day! I also did some running back and forth, delivering books from the underground closed stacks to library patrons in different reading rooms.
Why does Heythrop’s collection interest you?
I am particularly interested in Heythrop’s collection of books on representations of Religion in Film and Media. I have spied a book called Theology and Black Mirror in the reading room (PN1992.77.B525 THE , see https://catalogue.libraries.london.ac.uk/record=b4464737~S3) that I would be eager to read.
| Title | Theology and Black mirror / edited by Amber Bowen and John Anthony Dunne. |
| Imprint | Lanham : Lexington Books/Fortress Academic, [2022] |
| Description | vii, 346 pages ; 24 cm. |
I am also drawn to the subject area of Eco-Theology, which I would like to learn more about.
Are there challenges of working at Heythrop?
The challenges I have encountered at Heythrop are in relation to me deepening my knowledge of certain cataloguing areas. The cataloguing code AACR2 (Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules) gives me some trouble as I am more experienced with RDA (Resource Description and Access). I am also still learning some MARC (machine-readable cataloguing) fields used in bibliographic records. I look forward to becoming more experienced with cataloguing as I work my way through Heythrop’s uncatalogued off-site collection.
Favourite book inside and outside the collection?
My favourite book outside of Heythrop is either Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez or The Sirens of Surrentum (part of the Roman Mysteries series) by Caroline Lawrence. I love historical fiction. While I have only just started at Heythrop and haven’t had time to find a favourite book yet, I am excited to explore the collection further!
AL
What are your thoughts about the above?