26/08/2026
Today we bid a fond farewell to our 2025-26 Graduate Library Trainee, Coral Shaw Jackson.
“I’ve had an amazing time at Pembroke as the Trainee Librarian. It’s been a busy and rewarding year, filled with valuable training, visits to other libraries and opportunities to build professional networks with fellow trainees and library staff across Cambridge.”
“From supporting students in the Library during the exam season, to researching one of Pembroke’s archive collections as part of my own project, every day has brought something new.”
As for the best part of the job: the people. “Thank you to everyone at Pembroke for making this year truly special!”
Coral joined Pembroke last September. After studying for a degree in Fine Art at Loughborough, she spent a year out working in Nottingham Central Library. Thoroughly enjoying that experience, she decided to explore a career in the library sector and to apply for the traineeship at Pembroke.
Many colleges offer library graduate trainee places, which provide valuable experience in key areas of library work, very useful preparation for those intending to apply for a postgraduate qualification. The Cambridge trainees attend a coordinated programme of events, including visits to many of the over 100 libraries across the University - and beyond.
We wish Coral all the very best for the future. She’s heading back to Nottingham to work part-time as an Information Assistant in Nottingham Trent University’s Library, alongside studying for a part-time online MA in Library and Information Services Management at the University of Sheffield.
If you would like to find out more about what the Cambridge trainees get up to, check out their blog on CaTaLOG: https://www.catalog.group.cam.ac.uk/
