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The Founders of CATALOG, June 2004
CATALOG, a website dedicated to promoting graduate traineeships within college and departmental libraries of The University of Cambridge, was designed and created by the graduate trainees of 2003-2004: (from left to right) Anna Baines, Sarah Wilcock, Katja Airaksinen, Roxanne Macleod, Angela Fitzpatrick and Louisa Evans, and with contributions from Lyndsey Goddard, the trainee at the Classics Faculty.
The idea of creating a website was decided upon in January 2004. Enthusiasm and optimism were high after the New Year break. In addition most of the trainees had attended introductory html courses run by the University Computing Service and were to work together on a group project that would have lasting benefits for themselves and for the trainee programme in Cambridge. The aim was to produce a site which would be useful for future/prospective trainees and those interested in careers in the Library and Information sector. It would also allow for greater teamwork and collaboration between the trainees (who are all based in separate colleges/faculties) and give them web design experience.
The first meeting was essentially a brainstorming one and all the trainees attended to voice their opinions on ideas for the basic structure and layout of the site. Ange wrote ideas and possible links on a white board as fast as we could throw them at her. By the end of that session the basic layout and structure had been decided on and everyone left with plenty of pieces to write and research to do. After work meetings began, the trainees attended more html courses, including graphics and cascading stylesheets, and sought out books and tutorial based websites and the site began to grow in both size and complexity. Initially the site was only going to focus on the trainees, their jobs, the programme of events and possible careers but as confidence grew sections on postgraduate courses, funding, interviews, applications, a comprehensive guide to living in Cambridge and a news section were added. The trainees also wisely decided to dispense with their original name of CUTL and the cuttlefish logo in favour of the more apt name of CATALOG.
The decision was taken not to use an HTML editor but to write the code from scratch using Notepad to allow for real understanding of how HTML works and how pages are constructed. The weeks and months that followed brought a flurry of activity as sample pages were emailed for approval and various sections were proof read. Katja visited each college (and most of Cambridge) taking photographs to be used on the site, Ange came up with the idea of the scarf banner in Cambridge colours and Roxanne bombarded the other trainees with increasingly technical emails that she herself did not always understand!
As the summer months dawned on Cambridge a deadline for the overall completion of the site was finalised and led to a frantic flurry of last minute writing and experimentation. The home page was a work in progress until the day before the launch! It was decided that Christ's College would host the site and preparations soon began for a garden party to celebrate the launch. Professor Malcolm Bowie, Master of Christ's, agreed to give a speech to mark the occasion and on Thursday 3rd June at 5.00pm the celebrations began. Guests from libraries all over Cambridge (but most particularly Christ's, Classics Faculty, Emmanuel, New Hall, Newnham, St, John's and Trinity) gathered to toast the launch of CATALOG. The Master praised what he described as a "wonderful scheme" which would help to promote the "centrality and importance of libraries for years to come." Despite the rain, the party was greatly enjoyed by all and initial feedback on the site was extremely positive.
As the trainees of 2003/04 prepare to leave their positions and head off to library school other jobs they can look back on the realisation of a successful website and project. CATALOG can be used as a valuable source of information for anyone interested in pursuing a career in Librarianship. The trainees of 2003-2004 have created a comprehensive site that also provides scope for development, allowing future trainees to benefit from their project. With a yearly turnover of trainees and an ever-changing professional and technological climate, the trainees of 2003-2004 are confident that there will be plenty to keep the successors of CATALOG busy.
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