About the LRCs

Claire Barke. Learning Resource Advisor for Childcare, Health & Social Care, Teacher Education, Hair & Beauty, and Foundation Studies 

Claire has worked in the LRC for 18 years. She has specialist resources knowledge in the above subject areas. She purchases the resources for these subjects and liaises with the subject tutors to make sure the LRC has the resources you’ll need for your course.

She also has specialist knowledge on all the relevant online resources so if you ever need a quick demo please get in touch with her.

LRC Likes:  Buying new books and watching students that have used the LRC successfully complete their course.

LRC Dislikes: Damaged and mishandled books.

Favourite Book: The BFG by Roald Dahl

Fun Fact: Claire is a very good singer and has been in local competitions

Sharon Ward. Learning Resource Advisor for Sport and Public Services, Art and Design, Media and Music, Computer Science, Building Services, Construction Crafts and Business and Professional Studies.

Sharon is very busy looking after lots of subject areas. She orders books and plans sessions especially for them. Sharon is also very keen on making sure our library is stocked with great books on achieving good mental wellbeing. Supportive and knowledgeable, Sharon is a great person to approach if you need help in the LRC.

LRC Likes: Supporting students with finding resources.

LRC Dislikes: Students not respecting other LRC users.

Favourite Book: Any books by V.S Naipaul, Tarquin Hall, Maya Angelou and Edward Marston.

Fun Fact: I like helping my daughter decorate cakes to raise money for her school's chosen charities.

Rosy Barnfather. Learning Resources Assistant

Rosy has worked at college for over twenty years, so has lots of experience helping students with their studies. She is friendly and approachable. Not content with just working in the LRC Rosy is also a first aider and fire warden.

LRC Likes: Meeting lots of new people and helping them out.

LRC Dislikes: Untidiness.

Favourite Book: Any DIY book.

Fun Fact: Rosy is very handy to have around as she loves a bit of DIY and can often be found making improvements around her home.

Stella Craggs. Learning Resources Assistant.

Stella worked in the emotional and behavioral difficulties team supporting learners in lessons before moving to the LRC two years ago. She spends lots of time and effort making some of the fabulous displays around the LRC. Stella is friendly and approachable and a great addition to our team.

LRC Likes: The variety of learners we get using the LRC.

LRC Dislikes: Secret eating in the LRC. Leaving it dirty and untidy for us to sort out.

Favourite Book: A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khalid Hosseini

Fun Fact: Whilst in Cornwall Stella once walked into someone's front room thinking it was a shop and started to browse!

Monika Frigot. Learning Resources Assistant

Monika is always a very busy lady and you can see her completing various jobs around the LRC. She is more than happy to help students and loves a good book so can be the person to ask for recommendations. Monika can also speak Polish if any students require that.

LRC Likes: Learners reading books.

LRC Dislikes: Seeing people disrespecting our learning space and books.

Favourite Book: There are so many books I love but if I have to pick one it would be “Shadow of the wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon 

Fun Fact: Monika is slightly obsessed with Second World War planes, coin collections and cats.

Karen Hill. Learning Resources Assistant: Journals

When not on the help desk helping students, Karen can be found either sorting out the magazines or is in the office crunching numbers.
Karen spends a great deal of time and effort making sure all magazines and journals are relevant to your course or just a really good read. So make her happy and take a look.

LRC Likes: Watching the students become more confident and secure in themselves as a person as the year progresses.

LRC Dislikes: Rude people.

Favourite Book: Murder mysteries

Fun Fact: Karen likes spending her spare time gardening, watching motorsport and eating chocolate.

Penny Mather. Learning Resources Assistant

Penny originally joined the college 17 years ago, working with student services, then after an extended maternity leave returned to work at the Chesterfield Road site as a LRC assistant. She enjoys the variation of the role as no two days are the same. The LRC staff all rotate round the college LRCs, which gives her the opportunity to help students and staff from all the different curriculum and support areas.

LRC Likes: The LRC has a great fiction section as well as academic books.

LRC Dislikes: Food squashed into chairs and carpets.

Favourite Book: One of Penny's favourite authors is Philippa Gregory who is an English historical novelist.

Fun Fact: Penny studied interior design at West Notts many years ago and loves DIY. I’m currently busy renovating a rundown house we bought a year ago. Penny once went wild in the aisles when she won a trolley dash in a magazine.

Philip Stringer. Learning Resources Assistant

You may have seen Phil around college as a support worker, now he inhabits the library helping students and undertaking many tasks.

LRC Likes: The great variety of books the library has in stock.

LRC Dislikes: Disruptive students.

Favourite Book: Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Fun Fact: Whilst on holiday in South America, Phil was held up at gunpoint!