Spotlight on... Igho Wekpe

What is your role and what does it involve?

I am the new Library Manager for UCL East. It involves planning to deliver excellent student focused services including study spaces, facilities, and library resources. I engage with and contribute to UCL East space and service planning teams, collaborate with academic liaison and customer services colleagues in Library Services to enable a comprehensive student experience including access to collections and enquiries support, that meet or exceed service standards. Providing leadership to the library team at UCL East, as well overseeing processes for monitoring service quality and performance to ensure continuous service improvement, is another key aspect of my role.

How long have you been at UCL and what was your previous role?

I have been in my current role since May 2022, though I started working at UCL in April 2021, as an Evening and Weekend Services Manager for Library Services. Prior to that I have worked in both FE and HE over the last 20 plus years. In my last role prior to joining UCL I spent five years managing additional learning support (ALS) for mainstream students in FE.

What working achievement or initiative are you most proud of?

The positive forward thinker in me feels that without doubt my current role has the potential to be my biggest working achievement. I consider being part of UCL’s biggest single development since we were founded is going to top several previous achievements that at the time made me proud. As the new, and first, Library Manager at UCL East, not only does it represent a fantastic opportunity to be part of this ground-breaking new adventure, but more importantly, I believe working as part of the wider Library Services team, we have an important part to play to support research, teaching, and learning. Being able to contribute to building a positive place for the whole of the UCL East community and its success means we will be making the world a better place.  

Tell us about a project you are working on now which is top of your to-do list

Getting services ready for the opening of One Pool Street is my immediate priority. My current focus now is making sure that our library space, initially to be based at One Pool Street, is ready and our services are working properly, and that there is information about our services available to students based at One Pool Street.

What is your favourite album, film and novel?

Teacher Don’t Teach Me Nonsense by Fela Kuti, Moolaade by Ousmane Sembene and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe.

What is your favourite joke (pre-watershed)?

If you want to improve your memory, lend someone some money.

Who would be your dream dinner guests?

Some of my most enjoyable experiences when I was a young child were at family get-togethers.  So, my dream dinner guests would have to be my family, be it past ancestors, present extended family, and the future generations of my family. Imagine. 

What advice would you give your younger self?

I would start off the conversation by saying, over the years I have learnt to be grateful for all my life experiences, good or perceived bad, as without them I would not be the person I am now. Learn to live life in the moment and that will help you to fully appreciate what life has to offer. However, I’m not sure how much my younger self would take that specific advice on board... well, maybe not immediately. So, I’d also add an African proverb somewhere, probably at the end. “Don’t look where you fell, but where you slipped” It’s meaning: Don’t look at your mistakes; look what caused them, otherwise you may repeat the same mistakes again. Hopefully that would do the trick!

What would it surprise people to know about you?

I am a paragliding ex radio DJ and presenter. My first paragliding flight was a few years ago now, it was whilst I was on holiday in Tenerife, and it was a tandem flight. The drive up to the top of the mountain was the longest hour of my life! I was thinking about regretting not writing my will, thinking that these could be the last moments of my life, all sorts really. My first flight was terrifying but enjoyable at the same time, especially after we landed. I swore, not literally, that I would never do it again... It helped to reaffirm the importance of facing my fears. I am now working towards getting my pilot's licence, so I can fly unsupervised.

What is your favourite place?  

Where I live, especially when it’s full of family and friends bearing gifts. Lovely!