Week in the Law Library Life: Erin Orsini, Access Services Coordinator

I may sound like a broken record at this point in this series, but my week is different every week. My work schedule sometimes mirrors the academic calendar. I am very busy at the start and end of the semester, and the middle of the semester can be busy with planning. You may think summers will be quiet. Nope, that’s when the large-scale projects get executed.

To always keep everything on track and TWO WEEKS ahead of schedule (emergencies never follow a pre-approved schedule, despite my persistent requests), I use a bound journal to keep a bullet point list of everything that needs to get done. This method is supplemented by a year’s supply of sticky notes replenished bi-weekly. Lindsay once said that one can tell how busy I have been for the day depending on how much ink I am covered in. (I use fountain pens and Sharpies – and leave a trail of destruction in my wake).   

In keeping with that tactic, I will give you a bullet-point list of what gets sometimes almost completely done within a week: 

• Payroll (fixing ADP errors and approving timecards)
• HR documentation (submitting forms for work study and payroll student employment)
• Budgeting student employee funds
• On-the-fly problem solving
• Assisting in monitoring lawlibraryhelp@rwu.edu for any document delivery, alumni, or access questions
• Monitoring the circulation desk schedule, assisting in finding coverage as necessary
• Monitoring room reservations and approving cancellations for those that don’t follow policy
• Working at the circulation desk
• The earlier on-the-fly problem in the fourth bullet point fixed itself, so now the solution is an issue. So, finding a solution to the solution.  
• Interlibrary Loan (ILL) with Jessica
• Running overdue reports and tracking down overdue items
• Event planning with Lindsay, Jessica, and Alex (creating guides, decorations, marketing imaging, connecting with vendors, organizing day-of logistics, etc.)
• Losing my keys
• Helping to maintain/update material in the collection (looseleaf, pocket parts, shelf-reading, and making suggestions on what items to add or remove to the collection)
• Finding ways to gather more data to create statistics to use to make informed changes
• Delivering office copies and routed books to faculty, with more sticky notes attached
• Finding my keys
• Training student employees
• Pre-planning large-scale projects using that data/statistics so that the projects can be executed over the summer
• Talking with other vendors or departments to explore ways to collaborate or fix issues (Writing Center, Lexis, Facilities, Media Tech, University Library, etc.)
• Print Center tech (fixing software problems, ordering more paper & ink)  

Essentially, I try to find ways to give our patrons the best experience possible with the resources we have available!