Phew - I finally made it to the end. I've been behind on most of the things but I've finally caught up!
I have enjoyed taking part in 23 things and feel I've been introduced to a lot of technologies that I hadn't even heard of. Some are useful and some I can't use due to workplace restrictions but each has been interesting.
The main thing I will take from this is reflection and looking at how I got to this point and the opportunities available to me. I have not been able to network as much as I'd like due to time restrictions but I feel if I had more time I could have made more of this course.
I am already taking my development forward with the PGDiploma in Library and Information Management. Other areas I would like to improve on are teaching as we are now teaching Library research skills and I feel a basic teaching qualification would help with my confidence and skills in this. Other members of my team have done or are doing the PTLLs course which is something I would be interested to do next. A basic teaching qualification seems to be desirable in a lot of academic library posts as research skills and teaching classes is taking on more emphasis.
At the College I work in, CPD is very important and we have ongoing CPD plans in place that are working documents. We have individual requirements, team requirements and college wide requirements. So for example an individual requirement could be my PGDip course, a team requirement could be training on a new piece of software we have had and a college requirement would be a college wide issue such as equality and diversity or child protection. I have also done a PDP when I completed my ACLIP but this is essentially my CPD plan for College in a different format.
CPD development plans are important so that you can identify areas you need more experience or training. In the Library and Information world I find these vitally important as Libraries are constantly evolving. With new resources and technologies it is important that Library staff are up to date and knowledgeable in order to be able to confidently help library users.
Wednesday 9 November 2011
Thing 22 - Voluntary work
I have never undertaken any type of voluntary work in the Library sector but I can see how it could be beneficial. I was lucky in that I did get a full time Library post without really trying. I also get a lot of support in the area of CPD and I am encouraged to go on visits to other Libraries to share best practice and experience.
I would find it extremely difficult to take part in voluntary work at this point in my life as I have a young daughter (18 months) so in order for me to work I have to pay for child care. If I wasn't getting any money in but having to pay out for this I would really struggle and it wouldn't work well! Before I had my family though and less responsibilities such as mortgage etc I would have considered voluntary work to get experience of a role before I decided that is what I wanted to do.
I was talking to a colleague today who was telling me that when her children were at primary school she helped out with the school Library as a voluntary post. I think that would be something really nice to do to help out in a school and you never know I might see if something like this is available when my little one is at school as I have no experience of a school Library.
On the negative side though I can see that people undertaking voluntary work might lead to unpaid posts being taken for granted and expected. You often hear stories of school libraries completely taken away or staffed by volunteers and I don't think that is the way forward. For a Library service to be efficient and forward moving I think it needs a Library professional in place who knows about Library services.
I would find it extremely difficult to take part in voluntary work at this point in my life as I have a young daughter (18 months) so in order for me to work I have to pay for child care. If I wasn't getting any money in but having to pay out for this I would really struggle and it wouldn't work well! Before I had my family though and less responsibilities such as mortgage etc I would have considered voluntary work to get experience of a role before I decided that is what I wanted to do.
I was talking to a colleague today who was telling me that when her children were at primary school she helped out with the school Library as a voluntary post. I think that would be something really nice to do to help out in a school and you never know I might see if something like this is available when my little one is at school as I have no experience of a school Library.
On the negative side though I can see that people undertaking voluntary work might lead to unpaid posts being taken for granted and expected. You often hear stories of school libraries completely taken away or staffed by volunteers and I don't think that is the way forward. For a Library service to be efficient and forward moving I think it needs a Library professional in place who knows about Library services.
Wednesday 2 November 2011
Thing 21 - Promotion!
From looking at the last post I did I have to say one of the biggest tips I have learnt is to put yourself foward and believe in yourself. If you don't think you can do something you aren't going to persuade a panel that you can at an interview. I applied for a post in a Library without any library experience whatsovere. What I did have was enthusiasm and commitment. I looked at my previous job roles and what skills were transferrable to a Library. I'm glad I tried as I love working in Libraries.
Strengths and Interests
I love books. I probably read on average of one book a week, some are fiction and some aren't. I know I can't just sit in a Library reading books all day as part of my job but I think it is strength to know your stock. I read a wide range of genres and I like to keep up to date with what is top of the charts and what other people are reading. It also gives me scope to write reviews and promote books that we have in.
Another interest I have is that I seem to be an eternal student. Since leaving university I have constantly undertaken courses, training and research. Whether inhouse training and accreditations to qualifications on topics I enjoy. I love running so as part of the Great2run scheme I studied for a BTEC First in Sport! The only time I haven't taken part in a course was when I was on maternity leave but even then I was studying parenting and reading all the books on the subject I could find. I think this helps as I am up used to finding resources and this helps with enquiry work.
I love making handmade cards and scrapbook pages and this I find useful when creating displays. I must have a bit of a flair for creativity and love bright colourful displays.
Things I dislike are talking on the phone, especially to people I've never met. I prefer to communicate with people either in person or via email.
Strengths and Interests
I love books. I probably read on average of one book a week, some are fiction and some aren't. I know I can't just sit in a Library reading books all day as part of my job but I think it is strength to know your stock. I read a wide range of genres and I like to keep up to date with what is top of the charts and what other people are reading. It also gives me scope to write reviews and promote books that we have in.
Another interest I have is that I seem to be an eternal student. Since leaving university I have constantly undertaken courses, training and research. Whether inhouse training and accreditations to qualifications on topics I enjoy. I love running so as part of the Great2run scheme I studied for a BTEC First in Sport! The only time I haven't taken part in a course was when I was on maternity leave but even then I was studying parenting and reading all the books on the subject I could find. I think this helps as I am up used to finding resources and this helps with enquiry work.
I love making handmade cards and scrapbook pages and this I find useful when creating displays. I must have a bit of a flair for creativity and love bright colourful displays.
Things I dislike are talking on the phone, especially to people I've never met. I prefer to communicate with people either in person or via email.
Thing 20 - Library routes
How did I end up working in a Library? It wasn't something I particularly planned although I have always loved libraries and books. I never thought about actually working in one though, it just wasn't one of those professions that even entered my mind.
I was working in a customer service role in a job I really didn't enjoy, spent most of my time bored and didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it or was valued. A Library Assistant post was advertised at the local College where my husband worked in IT and he praised the environemtn, the people and loved his job. I loved my local public library and was always borrowing books and the more I thought about it the more working in a Library seemed like a good idea. I applied and managed to get an interview and haven't looked back since.
When I got to the interview there were about 16 candidates for 3 posts and as most people seemed to have experience of working in a Library I didn't think I stood a chance! Luckily the selection panel must have seen some potential in me as they gave me a job. I have now worked for the College for 6 years and although I am in exactly the same role, that role has adapted, changed and varied and is so different to what I was doing 6 years ago. My job title is 'Library and Learning Resource Centre Assistant' and involves far more than the book stamping and shelving that I originally thought a Libraian did.
My role now involves journals management, overseeing the day to day running of an LRC (Learning Resource Centre), subject lisaison, inductions and Library education lessons, displays as well as queries, stock selection and many other things. I love working in a College Library as it is a smaller scale to that of a university Library which gives me chance to experience lots of different areas of the Library. Ideally I would like to move forward to a more senior role, either within the College or for another organisation although at the moment I am trying to gain as much experience as possible.
After a couple of years I decided to go to night classes and complete an NVQ Level 2 in Library and Information Services. This was definitely worthwhile in terms of meeting with other Library services staff and having scope for professional discussion. I can't say that I learnt anything new on the course itself, my portfolio was more a portfolio of what I had already been doing in my job but it was great to meet new people and get a certificate that said I could do my job!
The next stage I decided on was to join CILIP as by that point I had decided that Libraries were the right career for me to be in and I wanted to know more about the wider Library community. I contacted a mentor and began to work towards my ACLIP (certification). Having a mentor was a fantastic experience as I have already commeneted on in a previos blog. Reflcetive practice was something that was new to me but it was interesting to look at where I was and what I wanted to do in the future.
Currently I have decided to take my education and career a step further and I am working towards the Post Graduate Diploma (maybe even the MA/MSc) in Library and Information Management via a distance learning course at Northumbria university. I am finding it quite a challenge due to the amount of reading and work involved but I am also enjoying it. I am looking at areas of information management that are completely new to me and hopefully this qualification will open up doors in the future.
I was working in a customer service role in a job I really didn't enjoy, spent most of my time bored and didn't feel like I was getting anything out of it or was valued. A Library Assistant post was advertised at the local College where my husband worked in IT and he praised the environemtn, the people and loved his job. I loved my local public library and was always borrowing books and the more I thought about it the more working in a Library seemed like a good idea. I applied and managed to get an interview and haven't looked back since.
When I got to the interview there were about 16 candidates for 3 posts and as most people seemed to have experience of working in a Library I didn't think I stood a chance! Luckily the selection panel must have seen some potential in me as they gave me a job. I have now worked for the College for 6 years and although I am in exactly the same role, that role has adapted, changed and varied and is so different to what I was doing 6 years ago. My job title is 'Library and Learning Resource Centre Assistant' and involves far more than the book stamping and shelving that I originally thought a Libraian did.
My role now involves journals management, overseeing the day to day running of an LRC (Learning Resource Centre), subject lisaison, inductions and Library education lessons, displays as well as queries, stock selection and many other things. I love working in a College Library as it is a smaller scale to that of a university Library which gives me chance to experience lots of different areas of the Library. Ideally I would like to move forward to a more senior role, either within the College or for another organisation although at the moment I am trying to gain as much experience as possible.
After a couple of years I decided to go to night classes and complete an NVQ Level 2 in Library and Information Services. This was definitely worthwhile in terms of meeting with other Library services staff and having scope for professional discussion. I can't say that I learnt anything new on the course itself, my portfolio was more a portfolio of what I had already been doing in my job but it was great to meet new people and get a certificate that said I could do my job!
The next stage I decided on was to join CILIP as by that point I had decided that Libraries were the right career for me to be in and I wanted to know more about the wider Library community. I contacted a mentor and began to work towards my ACLIP (certification). Having a mentor was a fantastic experience as I have already commeneted on in a previos blog. Reflcetive practice was something that was new to me but it was interesting to look at where I was and what I wanted to do in the future.
Currently I have decided to take my education and career a step further and I am working towards the Post Graduate Diploma (maybe even the MA/MSc) in Library and Information Management via a distance learning course at Northumbria university. I am finding it quite a challenge due to the amount of reading and work involved but I am also enjoying it. I am looking at areas of information management that are completely new to me and hopefully this qualification will open up doors in the future.
Monday 17 October 2011
Thing 19 - Reflection
Well I just seem to be so busy that I don't feel that I have had time to use any of the tools in depth. I have been using an RSS feed to catch up on things rather than trawling through to see if I've missed anything so that is one tool I am now using.
I have tried to use Twitter but I still can't get to grips with it. I think it's just one of those social media tools that you either get or you don't and I clearly don't.
I have found it fascinating looking at the 23 things so far but I find that I have a quick look then don't continue to use them. Many of these things just aren't compatible with my way of working. I can be at any of a number of different desks with different computers so I can't use tools that have to be installed on a PC. I am definitely enjoyin g writing my blog and I think after I finish 23 things I would like to keep up with the blog to reflect on my post grad diploma and my role in the Library.
I have tried to use Twitter but I still can't get to grips with it. I think it's just one of those social media tools that you either get or you don't and I clearly don't.
I have found it fascinating looking at the 23 things so far but I find that I have a quick look then don't continue to use them. Many of these things just aren't compatible with my way of working. I can be at any of a number of different desks with different computers so I can't use tools that have to be installed on a PC. I am definitely enjoyin g writing my blog and I think after I finish 23 things I would like to keep up with the blog to reflect on my post grad diploma and my role in the Library.
Friday 7 October 2011
Thing 18- Jing & Podcasts
Jing is something we have looked at in the Library before. A couple of members of staff looked at a few different online guides we had and tried to make them more appealing by doing a Jing video. For some reason they never took off. Things change that often that it was decided that the amount of time taken to do one in comarison to how many user guides we had would mean it would take too long to kake them and top keep updating them. For now we are sticking with paper guides. I can however see the merits of Jing and do think it is a very useful feature that could work in some environments.
Podcasts are something that I have never felt the need to use. We prefer a more personal approach to delivering inductions and user education sessions so a podcast wouldn't fit in with how we work. I could see this being brilliant in other areas though, for example for libraries that support distance learners. The principal of our College has done a few podcasts but I find these have been a bit for the sake of doing them rather than fulfilling a need.
Podcasts are something that I have never felt the need to use. We prefer a more personal approach to delivering inductions and user education sessions so a podcast wouldn't fit in with how we work. I could see this being brilliant in other areas though, for example for libraries that support distance learners. The principal of our College has done a few podcasts but I find these have been a bit for the sake of doing them rather than fulfilling a need.
Thing 17 after a bit of a delay
After an incredibly hectic September I am ready to continue with the 23 things. I have been rushed off my feet with inductions, user education groups, getting the LRC ready for the start of year and displays; not to mention the start of the PostGraduate course in ILM and a lovely bout of flu!
Prezi
I have to say I've never heard of Prezi before but anything as an alternative to PowerPoint has to be a good thing. PowerPoint just reminds of interviews where I have had to give presentations and now fills me with dread. I find my pages either look bland and boring or have that much going on that it looks like I have tried to use every feature just to prove I can. Looking at some of these presentations done in Prezi I have to say they look a lot more appealing. They look far more modern and more like a TV advert rather than just a load of text and the odd picture stuck on a page. I love the way all the pictures and thoughts are connected and you aren't scrolling through lots of pages as it's technically all the same page. It is quite a thought provoking way of showing something visually and one programme I would like to try using in the future. We ahve pretty much come to an end of our first year inductions for the year but I will certainly bear this is mind for next years!
Slideshare
I haven't had the need in the past to share slides. Any we use within the library are on a shared drive that we all have access to so the need for a sharing platform isn't there. I do like the idea of a visual CV though and can see how something visual is far more interesting than a load of statistics on a page. I can't see many companies or managers looking for something like this though for quite some time, if it ever does take off. I think a lot of places tend to stick to the tried and trusted methods of paper application forms or forms that are on the internet or the standard paper written CV. It ios something that might take off in the future though as technology becomes more and more at the forefront of everything. Who knows what the future could bring?
Prezi
I have to say I've never heard of Prezi before but anything as an alternative to PowerPoint has to be a good thing. PowerPoint just reminds of interviews where I have had to give presentations and now fills me with dread. I find my pages either look bland and boring or have that much going on that it looks like I have tried to use every feature just to prove I can. Looking at some of these presentations done in Prezi I have to say they look a lot more appealing. They look far more modern and more like a TV advert rather than just a load of text and the odd picture stuck on a page. I love the way all the pictures and thoughts are connected and you aren't scrolling through lots of pages as it's technically all the same page. It is quite a thought provoking way of showing something visually and one programme I would like to try using in the future. We ahve pretty much come to an end of our first year inductions for the year but I will certainly bear this is mind for next years!
Slideshare
I haven't had the need in the past to share slides. Any we use within the library are on a shared drive that we all have access to so the need for a sharing platform isn't there. I do like the idea of a visual CV though and can see how something visual is far more interesting than a load of statistics on a page. I can't see many companies or managers looking for something like this though for quite some time, if it ever does take off. I think a lot of places tend to stick to the tried and trusted methods of paper application forms or forms that are on the internet or the standard paper written CV. It ios something that might take off in the future though as technology becomes more and more at the forefront of everything. Who knows what the future could bring?
Wednesday 7 September 2011
Thing 16 - Getting published, speaking up for the profession
I think advocacy for the profession is very important as more and more organisations are having to cut budgets and libraries seem to be a big part of these cuts. I know that a lot of school libraries are going and seen as not needed so how long will it be before this is filtered up and college libraries start to disappear?
Our college library is split into lots of locations (LRCs, Learning Resource Centres) although we don't always feel as Library staff that these are for the purpose we would choose. Increasingly these seem to be more computer rooms than actual study centres full of different learning resources. We have to speak up to make sure that we have all the resources available to help our students, not just doing something because it seems the easier option or what one department wants rather than the actual student needs. Some days I have sat in LRCs feeling like I am more of a babysitter making sure students behave rather than utilising professional library skills to help students. Increasingly we are there more to support IT skills than help a student to find information on a topic. Advocacy helps promote what we can do so that we are asked for help and do become usful again. If we don't promote ourselves and our service we are taken for granted and not utilised in the ways we can help.
I haven't written anything for any publications to do with Libraries although I have found it particularly useful and enjoyable writing this blog to keep track of my thoughts and share them with others so it might be something I'll pursue in the future. When I worked in customer services at a call centre I was a co-editor of a magazine we had there and I really enjoyed writing articles for it.
Our college library is split into lots of locations (LRCs, Learning Resource Centres) although we don't always feel as Library staff that these are for the purpose we would choose. Increasingly these seem to be more computer rooms than actual study centres full of different learning resources. We have to speak up to make sure that we have all the resources available to help our students, not just doing something because it seems the easier option or what one department wants rather than the actual student needs. Some days I have sat in LRCs feeling like I am more of a babysitter making sure students behave rather than utilising professional library skills to help students. Increasingly we are there more to support IT skills than help a student to find information on a topic. Advocacy helps promote what we can do so that we are asked for help and do become usful again. If we don't promote ourselves and our service we are taken for granted and not utilised in the ways we can help.
I haven't written anything for any publications to do with Libraries although I have found it particularly useful and enjoyable writing this blog to keep track of my thoughts and share them with others so it might be something I'll pursue in the future. When I worked in customer services at a call centre I was a co-editor of a magazine we had there and I really enjoyed writing articles for it.
Thing 15 - Attending, presenting & organising events, conferences and seminars
I haven't attended any actual conferences yet, the closest I have been is to the Library show a few years ago when I heard some very interesting talks on Twitter and the new Library of Birmingham. To be honest I have heard of different conferences but have never really made the time to look into what they are about or think of going to them. This is something I think I would like to address and maybe try and get to at least one a year. As we have such a regimented timetable it is sometimes difficult to get time off to attend things and as I don't drive distance can also be an issue.
Apart from presentations I have given at job interviews I have never really spoken to groups outside of the Library. I do get quite nervous as I am sure many people do, although I have been fine talking to groups at Library inductions.
I don't know what topics I would feel confident talking about. The College where I work has an LRC approach so that might be an interesting idea to be able to discuss what works and what doesn't by dividing a library across several rooms rather than a central main library.
Apart from presentations I have given at job interviews I have never really spoken to groups outside of the Library. I do get quite nervous as I am sure many people do, although I have been fine talking to groups at Library inductions.
I don't know what topics I would feel confident talking about. The College where I work has an LRC approach so that might be an interesting idea to be able to discuss what works and what doesn't by dividing a library across several rooms rather than a central main library.
Thing 14 - catch up again
Well after time off on holiday I am trying to catch up with 'things' again so here we go. Thing 14 is referencing systems. I have decided not to look at Zotero at the moment as I tend to use Internet Explorer rather that Firefox, although I may have a quick look at it when I have more time as we do have quite a few students who use Firefox so it could be useful for them.
14b: Mendeley
I have to say that Mendeley does look a useful tool but without actually having anything to reference right at the moment it is a bit difficult to tell until I have actually used it. I could probably use a tool like this when I start my Post Grad diploma to keep everything in one place to save having to go through notes after I have written an essay to get my bibliographic reference completed. It is definitely one tool I am 'saving' to use in the future.
14c: Citeulike
Citeulike also looks useful and as I have used delicious before it seems a pretty straightforward tool. I also like it from the persepective that I can access it from any computer as I tend to use many different PCs throughout the course of a day.
In terms of their use for our students I don't think it would be entirely appropriate. Our students base is mainly 16-19 years olds completing vocational and A-level courses. We find that they tend to want things that are simpler and easier and pretty much done for them. The only support we usually provide with referencing is how to produce Harvard referencing for bibliographies. We have a helpsheet available and we tend to direct students to the site http://www.neilstoolbox.com/ where they can put in all of the details of the books etc and it puts the information into Harvard style referencing for them. This is about as technical as out students like to get! Although saying that this year we will be having more students taking up foundation degrees due to links we have with local universities so these tools could be something I might have the chance to share with these students.
14b: Mendeley
I have to say that Mendeley does look a useful tool but without actually having anything to reference right at the moment it is a bit difficult to tell until I have actually used it. I could probably use a tool like this when I start my Post Grad diploma to keep everything in one place to save having to go through notes after I have written an essay to get my bibliographic reference completed. It is definitely one tool I am 'saving' to use in the future.
14c: Citeulike
Citeulike also looks useful and as I have used delicious before it seems a pretty straightforward tool. I also like it from the persepective that I can access it from any computer as I tend to use many different PCs throughout the course of a day.
In terms of their use for our students I don't think it would be entirely appropriate. Our students base is mainly 16-19 years olds completing vocational and A-level courses. We find that they tend to want things that are simpler and easier and pretty much done for them. The only support we usually provide with referencing is how to produce Harvard referencing for bibliographies. We have a helpsheet available and we tend to direct students to the site http://www.neilstoolbox.com/ where they can put in all of the details of the books etc and it puts the information into Harvard style referencing for them. This is about as technical as out students like to get! Although saying that this year we will be having more students taking up foundation degrees due to links we have with local universities so these tools could be something I might have the chance to share with these students.
Wednesday 17 August 2011
Thing 13
Well I've had a look at Google Docs and it does look quite interesting. From the perspective of the College where I work we have a shared network drive so any documents relating to projects or other work are stored there and can be accessed and edited by the full Library team. So I couldn't see me really needing this kind of thing at College. We also have a VLE (Virtual Learning Environment) called Moodle and we use that to store documents, leaflets, induction material etc and we also all have access to that.
It is interesting to see the potential for projects outside of College though and that if I were working on something I could work on it with other people without sending emails back and forth and getting confused as to which version I was ctaully working on. Something I will definitely keep in mind for the future.
Dropbox on the other hand looks a little bit more confusing yet does the same thing. I have decided not to set up an account yet as I am limited for time and I will revisit it if I have time at a later date.
Wiki's I also find look interesting but again working within a College environment I feel that our Moodle does just a good a job in storing documents and information.
It is interesting to see the potential for projects outside of College though and that if I were working on something I could work on it with other people without sending emails back and forth and getting confused as to which version I was ctaully working on. Something I will definitely keep in mind for the future.
Dropbox on the other hand looks a little bit more confusing yet does the same thing. I have decided not to set up an account yet as I am limited for time and I will revisit it if I have time at a later date.
Wiki's I also find look interesting but again working within a College environment I feel that our Moodle does just a good a job in storing documents and information.
Monday 8 August 2011
Thing 12 - Putting the social ito socal media
I agree with the advantages outlined that social media is really good for CPD in helping to achieve a sense comunity between professionals, giving a space for sharing best practice and allowing access to other areas of the profession. I think it also encourages a more rounded approach to development and gives it a wider sense of experience. You can go on a traing course and I tend to find I'll think about what is said then sometimes it will completely go out of mind and I have forgotten what was done, said or my thoughts. Social media gives an area to reflect with other people so that the knowledge and theory is underpinned with reality.
I have followed developments in CILIP and the Library and information community much more since embarking on 23 things and feel a sense of belonging to a community. It makes working in a Library seem more than 'just a job'.
The negative aspects I have found is the extra time it takes to trawl through everything. There are so many different social medias that keeping up with everything can be quite a daunting task. I am also finding that I have joined so many things that remembering login deetails and passwords is becoming an issue! You only get out what you put in though so from taking a few minutes to check updates I am learning and sharing.
To be honest I don't feel as though I have made many contacts at the moment. I have had a quick read of updates but not actually had a rapport going with anyone specific. Summer is quite a busy time where I work so my time has been quite limited. I have found that some of these 'things' do take up quite a bit of time to set up accounts and get to grips with what can be done. This then hasn't left me with much time to read others blogs and see how everyone else is finding the experience. Hopefully as the Library starts to quieten down over the next few weeks I'll have more of a chance to have a look and comment on a few more, find a few people to follow on Twitter etc.
I hadn't used social media for professional development before '23 things' so it has been an experience. I hope to continue to use it and hopefully make it work a bit better in the future depending on time constraints. When we are back into the swing of term I am hoping to set aside a good 15 minutes a day for checking social media and connecting with the professional world.
I have had experience of creating a sense of community with social networking outside of Libraries. I am part of a Facebook group of ladies who all had babies in the same month. There are around 60 of us and it is fantastic to keep in touch with them and be able to ask questions as our children grow up. We have such a sense of community and many of us have met up and become friends as a result of the group. I haven't yet reached this same sense of community yet with Libraries. I feel the main reason for this is that there are just so many people that is it more difficult to keep in touch with what is going on. I think that smaller groups are sometimes better. I have felt a bit bewildered and out of my depth at times with the range of knowledge and experience and the sheer size of the information professionals community.
I am happy though as I have just realised I have managed to catch up on the 'things' after my mammoth blogging session this morning! Yay
I have followed developments in CILIP and the Library and information community much more since embarking on 23 things and feel a sense of belonging to a community. It makes working in a Library seem more than 'just a job'.
The negative aspects I have found is the extra time it takes to trawl through everything. There are so many different social medias that keeping up with everything can be quite a daunting task. I am also finding that I have joined so many things that remembering login deetails and passwords is becoming an issue! You only get out what you put in though so from taking a few minutes to check updates I am learning and sharing.
To be honest I don't feel as though I have made many contacts at the moment. I have had a quick read of updates but not actually had a rapport going with anyone specific. Summer is quite a busy time where I work so my time has been quite limited. I have found that some of these 'things' do take up quite a bit of time to set up accounts and get to grips with what can be done. This then hasn't left me with much time to read others blogs and see how everyone else is finding the experience. Hopefully as the Library starts to quieten down over the next few weeks I'll have more of a chance to have a look and comment on a few more, find a few people to follow on Twitter etc.
I hadn't used social media for professional development before '23 things' so it has been an experience. I hope to continue to use it and hopefully make it work a bit better in the future depending on time constraints. When we are back into the swing of term I am hoping to set aside a good 15 minutes a day for checking social media and connecting with the professional world.
I have had experience of creating a sense of community with social networking outside of Libraries. I am part of a Facebook group of ladies who all had babies in the same month. There are around 60 of us and it is fantastic to keep in touch with them and be able to ask questions as our children grow up. We have such a sense of community and many of us have met up and become friends as a result of the group. I haven't yet reached this same sense of community yet with Libraries. I feel the main reason for this is that there are just so many people that is it more difficult to keep in touch with what is going on. I think that smaller groups are sometimes better. I have felt a bit bewildered and out of my depth at times with the range of knowledge and experience and the sheer size of the information professionals community.
I am happy though as I have just realised I have managed to catch up on the 'things' after my mammoth blogging session this morning! Yay
Thing 11 - Mentoring
I officially had a mentor when I completed my Certification and I found it extremely useful. Everyone else I talked to about Libraries at that point had mainly been colleagues that I work with so it was refreshing to get perspectives from someone 'outside' the organisation. I found there were many things that I took for granted and just assumed that was what everyone did so it was intereting to sehow other Libraries worked. With only ever workin in one Library setting I don't have much experience so having a mentor helped me see Libraries from other viewpoints.
I don't think I would have been able to complete Certification and learn about the process of reflective practice without my mentor. She was constantly reminding me of the need to be reflective rather than just descriptive as I tended to do. She was full of praise when I completed and made me feel like a worthy Library professional which is always good to make you feel more confident in what you are doing.
Unofficial mentors I have had along my journey have included mostly people who I have worked with. There was one special lady who helped me when I started in the Library and showed me the ropes. She had such a passion and enthusiasm for libraries and it really rubbed off on me. Sadly she died a couple of years ago after a battle with Cancer but I will never forget her.
There has also been my assessor for when I completed my NVQ. She was incredibly supportful and helpful and it was through her encouragement that I decided to join CILIP and have a go at Certification. Recently she has also provided a reference for me for the application foy my PostGraduate course and was as encouraging as ever.
I would like to think that one day I will have the opportunity to become a mentor and be able to support and encourage others in return. We do have a lot of work experience students so I do play an active role in telling them about Library work and showing them the ropes.
I don't think I would have been able to complete Certification and learn about the process of reflective practice without my mentor. She was constantly reminding me of the need to be reflective rather than just descriptive as I tended to do. She was full of praise when I completed and made me feel like a worthy Library professional which is always good to make you feel more confident in what you are doing.
Unofficial mentors I have had along my journey have included mostly people who I have worked with. There was one special lady who helped me when I started in the Library and showed me the ropes. She had such a passion and enthusiasm for libraries and it really rubbed off on me. Sadly she died a couple of years ago after a battle with Cancer but I will never forget her.
There has also been my assessor for when I completed my NVQ. She was incredibly supportful and helpful and it was through her encouragement that I decided to join CILIP and have a go at Certification. Recently she has also provided a reference for me for the application foy my PostGraduate course and was as encouraging as ever.
I would like to think that one day I will have the opportunity to become a mentor and be able to support and encourage others in return. We do have a lot of work experience students so I do play an active role in telling them about Library work and showing them the ropes.
Thing 10 - My experience in Libraries so far...and what is round the corner
I have always loved Libraries but never really thought of working in one until I saw my current role advertised. I didn't really know what the full extent of working in a Library would entail but I loved visiting them and borrowing books and thought it would be a lovely environment to work in after my previous disappointing experience working in a call centre. I applied for the job as a Library and Learning Resource Centre Assistant and was so excited then I got to the interview and saw how many applicants there were and thought that was it, as I had no experience I didn't stand a chance. Amazingly I did get the job and have been working in this role now for almost six years!
A lot has changed during that time. When I started here we all did a bit of working in the main Library and spent some time working in the LRCs and did a bit of everything to do with processing stock and all of the other 'workroom' duties involved in running a Library. A few years ago however we changed so that we are a lot more responsible for different areas and take ownership and the service has greatly improved. I am now responsible for the day to day running of OARC LRC (Outdoor Activities and Recreation Centre). This is basically the Learning Resource Centre for Sports and Public Services. I liaise with the departmentsla staff and what resources they require, update displays and promote resources and run inductions on the resources available to students of those subjects. I still work in the Main Library and get to work in some of the other LRCs as well so the job never gets boring! I am also responsible for journal management, so I order new journals and process renewals, ensure the stock is up to date, tidy and weed old stock out. I also produce circulation reports, process stock, create displays for the Library, help select stock and promote it and I am currently working on a project to see how QR codes can be used in a Library setting.
After working in my role for a couple of years I completed an NVQ level 2 in Library and Information Services. It was interesting to look at the Library World from a theoretical viewpoint and I got to meet people from other Libraries and talk about how different libraries from different sectors work. Once I completed this I then decided that I wanted to be more involved and take my career further so I decided to start work on Certification. I found a mentor who was really helpful and managed to get through Certification quite quickly. It was interesting to reflect on what training I had undertaken and looking at what I needed to do in the future.
I have then had a bit of a break as I was off work on maternity leave and spent a year not thinking about Library's at all!
I have now been back into the swing of things since February and I have decided I am ready to take the next step. I have been offered a place on the PostGraduate Diploma course at Northumbria University and looking forward to the new challenge. Where I will go after that, who know? I really love where I work so I don't really want to leave anytime soon. My ideal job would be to work up to a senior level within the Library here although vacancies don't seem to come up very often!
A lot has changed during that time. When I started here we all did a bit of working in the main Library and spent some time working in the LRCs and did a bit of everything to do with processing stock and all of the other 'workroom' duties involved in running a Library. A few years ago however we changed so that we are a lot more responsible for different areas and take ownership and the service has greatly improved. I am now responsible for the day to day running of OARC LRC (Outdoor Activities and Recreation Centre). This is basically the Learning Resource Centre for Sports and Public Services. I liaise with the departmentsla staff and what resources they require, update displays and promote resources and run inductions on the resources available to students of those subjects. I still work in the Main Library and get to work in some of the other LRCs as well so the job never gets boring! I am also responsible for journal management, so I order new journals and process renewals, ensure the stock is up to date, tidy and weed old stock out. I also produce circulation reports, process stock, create displays for the Library, help select stock and promote it and I am currently working on a project to see how QR codes can be used in a Library setting.
After working in my role for a couple of years I completed an NVQ level 2 in Library and Information Services. It was interesting to look at the Library World from a theoretical viewpoint and I got to meet people from other Libraries and talk about how different libraries from different sectors work. Once I completed this I then decided that I wanted to be more involved and take my career further so I decided to start work on Certification. I found a mentor who was really helpful and managed to get through Certification quite quickly. It was interesting to reflect on what training I had undertaken and looking at what I needed to do in the future.
I have then had a bit of a break as I was off work on maternity leave and spent a year not thinking about Library's at all!
I have now been back into the swing of things since February and I have decided I am ready to take the next step. I have been offered a place on the PostGraduate Diploma course at Northumbria University and looking forward to the new challenge. Where I will go after that, who know? I really love where I work so I don't really want to leave anytime soon. My ideal job would be to work up to a senior level within the Library here although vacancies don't seem to come up very often!
Thing 9 - Evernote
Well I have just installed Evernote and had a play around with it and I can see that it could be quite useful. We are in the process where I work of upgrading to Windows 7 and Office 2010 and I had been looking at OneNote and how usefil it can be in storing notes and ideas. I like the way that EverNote can store photos and anything else and that you can use it on whatever computer or mobile device you are using as it updates and shares from the internet. The only plus point I can see for OneNote over Evernote is that you can add in dates and appointments and they will automatically link to my Outlook calendar rather tham having to go to two seperate places to type up, for example meeting notes. I haven't been able to see that you can link Evernote to a calendar, although you probably can on the premium version if paid for.
As I am hoping to start a PostGraduate diploma in September this would be a really useful tool for storing all of my notes and research so that I have access to it where ever I am.
As I am hoping to start a PostGraduate diploma in September this would be a really useful tool for storing all of my notes and research so that I have access to it where ever I am.
Monday 25 July 2011
Thing 8 - Google Calendar
I've had a quick look at Google calendar but decided not to set one up as for my own work appointments etc I am happy using outlook. As far as the College Library goes we don't have events that we publicise and our opening hours stay constant so I don't feel Google calendar would be useful in our setting.
Thing 7 Face-to-face networks and professional organisations
I have just spotted Thing 9 is already showing so once again I am behind. I can't believe how fast the days are flying be. With days off holiday and still doing the stocktake the time is just speeding past me.
Unfortuntaly I couldn't make it to any of the face-to-face events, with having a 14 month old my time on an evening is very limited not to mention the childcare issue!
I am a member of CILIP and I have found it very useful. I have to say that I haven't been as involved as I could have been as I haven't been to any of CILIP's meetings or conferences or any of the career development group informal events. I did achieve my certification ACLIP status and it was great to share experiences and information with my mentor. Being a member of CILIP I also love recieveing emails with current events and news to do with Libraries as well as reading literature that comes in the post. I find it fascinating reading about what others in the profession are doing and the challenges faced.
Unfortuntaly I couldn't make it to any of the face-to-face events, with having a 14 month old my time on an evening is very limited not to mention the childcare issue!
I am a member of CILIP and I have found it very useful. I have to say that I haven't been as involved as I could have been as I haven't been to any of CILIP's meetings or conferences or any of the career development group informal events. I did achieve my certification ACLIP status and it was great to share experiences and information with my mentor. Being a member of CILIP I also love recieveing emails with current events and news to do with Libraries as well as reading literature that comes in the post. I find it fascinating reading about what others in the profession are doing and the challenges faced.
Friday 22 July 2011
Thing 6 - Online Networks
Well I've set up a LinkdIn account, put a photo on and entered some imformation but I haven't had chance to do much with it yet. My work schedule is incredibly hectic at the moment as we are doing our annual stocktake, some room changes, textbook processing as well as the usual preparations for inductions for September's intake of students. I am having chance to have a quick look at each thing and then hopefully if things quieten down in a few weeks I'll be able to revisit them and have a more in depth look.
Facebook I use primarily for friends and family although I am a 'liker' of the CILIP page and now the '23 things' page. I do check Facebook quite regularly so will be good to have updates through Facebook as well.
I have registered for a LISNPN account but I'm having some probelsm setting up my profile. For some reason I can't add a photo or information about me as I keep getting 'error on page'. I'll go back to it hopefully next week and see if I get any more luck then.
I have decided not to look at the LAT network as it is not an area that I am currently involved in. I do inductions which tend to be more informal and I may be doing some user education sessions in the future but I will look into that when I have a little more time.
I am already a member of CILIP and registered online and I do check information on there quite regularly, especially when I was completing my certification of CILIP. I do find that it is full of useful information.
To sum up thing 6 I feel like I haven't had much time to devote to each area as I would have liked. I think a lot of these things do seem to take time to use and get to know to find out what they can do and with my current workload I just don't have time to do that. I will be carrying on with the things though as I am finding it useful to look at things I've not heard about or used before and some things do make life easier. I have found that I am spending so much time creating new accounts for different networks and will never have time to check them all. But it is is good to know what is out there!
Facebook I use primarily for friends and family although I am a 'liker' of the CILIP page and now the '23 things' page. I do check Facebook quite regularly so will be good to have updates through Facebook as well.
I have registered for a LISNPN account but I'm having some probelsm setting up my profile. For some reason I can't add a photo or information about me as I keep getting 'error on page'. I'll go back to it hopefully next week and see if I get any more luck then.
I have decided not to look at the LAT network as it is not an area that I am currently involved in. I do inductions which tend to be more informal and I may be doing some user education sessions in the future but I will look into that when I have a little more time.
I am already a member of CILIP and registered online and I do check information on there quite regularly, especially when I was completing my certification of CILIP. I do find that it is full of useful information.
To sum up thing 6 I feel like I haven't had much time to devote to each area as I would have liked. I think a lot of these things do seem to take time to use and get to know to find out what they can do and with my current workload I just don't have time to do that. I will be carrying on with the things though as I am finding it useful to look at things I've not heard about or used before and some things do make life easier. I have found that I am spending so much time creating new accounts for different networks and will never have time to check them all. But it is is good to know what is out there!
Friday 15 July 2011
Reflective practice part 2
Ok, well I've reflected on the process of being reflective. Now to reflect on the CPD23 so far.
So what have I done so far? I have learnt about blogging, set one up and started posting. I have revisited Twitter, found some people to follow and have been checking it to see updates on developments in the inforation world. I have set up RSS feeds so that I don't have to trawl thorugh lots of sites to see if anything has changed. I have looked at Pushnote and decided not to use it as not practical. Quite a lot to say I only made a start on the CPD23 this week!
So far I have found it extremely valuable. It has been great to read what others have experienced and have a commom goal with so many other like minded people. I have learnt several new skills and feel part of a community.
At the same time not everything is going to go well. I found Pushnote to be not really suitable as I'm never at the same desk for long and I use internet explorer more often than not. So far I have managed to achieve a lot this week yet the next few weeks may be more difficult as we come up to summer with no students which means stocktake, room changes, new shelving and furniture, preparation for inductions and loads more.
So what am I going to do with what I have learnt? I am going to carry on blogging even after completing (hopefully) all 23 things. I'm hoping to do my PGDip from September so I think it will be an excellent way to reflect on what I have done and make sense of it. I'm also going to try and keep up with Twitter and the RSS feeds as I don't always have time to read up on what is going on in the professional world and these are quick ways of recapping rather than trawling through lots of different sources.
So thanks CPD23 and here's to the next 18 things!
So what have I done so far? I have learnt about blogging, set one up and started posting. I have revisited Twitter, found some people to follow and have been checking it to see updates on developments in the inforation world. I have set up RSS feeds so that I don't have to trawl thorugh lots of sites to see if anything has changed. I have looked at Pushnote and decided not to use it as not practical. Quite a lot to say I only made a start on the CPD23 this week!
So far I have found it extremely valuable. It has been great to read what others have experienced and have a commom goal with so many other like minded people. I have learnt several new skills and feel part of a community.
At the same time not everything is going to go well. I found Pushnote to be not really suitable as I'm never at the same desk for long and I use internet explorer more often than not. So far I have managed to achieve a lot this week yet the next few weeks may be more difficult as we come up to summer with no students which means stocktake, room changes, new shelving and furniture, preparation for inductions and loads more.
So what am I going to do with what I have learnt? I am going to carry on blogging even after completing (hopefully) all 23 things. I'm hoping to do my PGDip from September so I think it will be an excellent way to reflect on what I have done and make sense of it. I'm also going to try and keep up with Twitter and the RSS feeds as I don't always have time to read up on what is going on in the professional world and these are quick ways of recapping rather than trawling through lots of different sources.
So thanks CPD23 and here's to the next 18 things!
Thing 5 - Reflective practice
I find reflective practice a difficult one. For some things I find reflection comes easy, then at other times I feel I am just writing a descriptive narrative and not really analysing it properly.
To some extent I feel like I naturally 'reflect' on things that I do as this is how I have always done things. I have recently completed my ACLIP and before that an NVQ and in my previous job in a call centre I did qualifications that constantly needed writing about the whats, hows and whys.
CPD is a major point at the College where I work and we have to keep a continuous log of what CPD we have done, what it entailed, what we thought of it and how we will put what we have learnt into practise. I try to do this as soon as I have completed any training as I think it is important to reflect as soon as it is fresh in your mind. Leaving it for a while means that perceptions are changed and you can't remember if you have been affected or how you did want to put something to good use!
To some extent I feel like I naturally 'reflect' on things that I do as this is how I have always done things. I have recently completed my ACLIP and before that an NVQ and in my previous job in a call centre I did qualifications that constantly needed writing about the whats, hows and whys.
CPD is a major point at the College where I work and we have to keep a continuous log of what CPD we have done, what it entailed, what we thought of it and how we will put what we have learnt into practise. I try to do this as soon as I have completed any training as I think it is important to reflect as soon as it is fresh in your mind. Leaving it for a while means that perceptions are changed and you can't remember if you have been affected or how you did want to put something to good use!
Thursday 14 July 2011
Thing 4 pt 2 - RSS & Pushnote
Well I have set up some RSS feeds through Google Reader and can see that it will actually be quite a vauable tool rather than having to keep checking each individual site for updates! Anything that saves time sounds good to me.
Pushnote on the other hand I can't really see me using. Working in a College with lots of subject specific Learning Resource Centres and no dediacted desk of my own means that I move about a lot and spend time at any of about 15 computers during a week. From what I can see of Pushnote it is something that I would need to set up as a toolbar for each individual computer (unless I have misunderstood how it works). I think I would prefer to use blogs and twitter as a way to see what sites people would recommend and what people think of them. To me this sounds like more of a novelty than something I would use indefinitely.
Pushnote on the other hand I can't really see me using. Working in a College with lots of subject specific Learning Resource Centres and no dediacted desk of my own means that I move about a lot and spend time at any of about 15 computers during a week. From what I can see of Pushnote it is something that I would need to set up as a toolbar for each individual computer (unless I have misunderstood how it works). I think I would prefer to use blogs and twitter as a way to see what sites people would recommend and what people think of them. To me this sounds like more of a novelty than something I would use indefinitely.
Thing 4 - Pt 1 Twitter
I set up a twitter account a couple of years ago after a Phil Bradley talk at the Library Show but after one tweet I didn't do anything else with it as was so busy. It was good to go back and explore Twitter again. I have changed a few things on my profile and added a photo, followed a few Library groups and looked at some @CPD23 tweets. I don't know if it something I will use regularly but I will try and look at it from time to time. I think the problem with all these internet developments is that you end up with so many places to look for information. I do suffer from a bit of Information overload!
The Library I work in did try using Twitter but we didn't find that the students were following or using it that much. Having a Facebook group seemed much more popular with students but then the College took a decision to ban Facebook on the College computers so we had to scrap that idea. I wonder how other FE Colleges have got on with using Twitter to promote information to students?
The Library I work in did try using Twitter but we didn't find that the students were following or using it that much. Having a Facebook group seemed much more popular with students but then the College took a decision to ban Facebook on the College computers so we had to scrap that idea. I wonder how other FE Colleges have got on with using Twitter to promote information to students?
Thing 3 Personal Brand
Thinking about personal brand and how to develop an online prescenece / identity I tried to think about how I would like people to view me, given they will have never spoken to me or know my background, all they will know is what they can see. I don't want my personal and professional life to be completely intermingled as I think it is important to keep professionalism seriously as it can affect future job applicants in the world where a lot of employers do Google applicants. I'm not saying I go crazy in my personal life but I do like to keep some sense of mystery about me! I don't lie everyone to know everything about me.
As I have such an unusual name when I 'Googled' myself it was very interesting to see the results. The first thing that came up was my Facebook page. I have this set to quite high security so only my friends and family I have accepted can see my details. Other than that there isn't that much more about me. There are a couple of sites with my fundraising pages as I do fun runs evey year to raise money for charity. Then there are some news articles promoting staff development within the College when I completed my CILIP Certification. All in all I think these are positive things that I wouldn't mind people knowing abut me.
It would be nice to have a more identifiable personal brand but it's something I need to give more thought to. I think I also need a more exciting username as KAF doesn't really stand out. From seeing everyone's blogs there are so many creative people out there with some fantastic memorable names. I just need to reflect and see what I can come up with.
As I have such an unusual name when I 'Googled' myself it was very interesting to see the results. The first thing that came up was my Facebook page. I have this set to quite high security so only my friends and family I have accepted can see my details. Other than that there isn't that much more about me. There are a couple of sites with my fundraising pages as I do fun runs evey year to raise money for charity. Then there are some news articles promoting staff development within the College when I completed my CILIP Certification. All in all I think these are positive things that I wouldn't mind people knowing abut me.
It would be nice to have a more identifiable personal brand but it's something I need to give more thought to. I think I also need a more exciting username as KAF doesn't really stand out. From seeing everyone's blogs there are so many creative people out there with some fantastic memorable names. I just need to reflect and see what I can come up with.
Wednesday 13 July 2011
Thing 2
Wow - 2 blogs in 1 day. I'm a bit behind with the 23 things as I've been on holiday and had a few things to do with it being the end of term so why I've got a bit of quiet time I thought I'd try and catch up.
Well I've just been having a look at some other blogs and the first thing that springs to mind is how boring my blog looks visually compared to some of the graphics and images on other blogs. I have absolutely no idea about web design or HTML or anything like that although it is something I would like to give a go at some point. Also the name of my blog - KAF's CPD23 Things sounds really boring. I do seem to be looking at the ones with more fun names so maybe I need to think of a new blog name?
Well I've just been having a look at some other blogs and the first thing that springs to mind is how boring my blog looks visually compared to some of the graphics and images on other blogs. I have absolutely no idea about web design or HTML or anything like that although it is something I would like to give a go at some point. Also the name of my blog - KAF's CPD23 Things sounds really boring. I do seem to be looking at the ones with more fun names so maybe I need to think of a new blog name?
KAF's CPD23 Things
I have decided to have a go at Cilip's Professional Development '23 things' to try and learn something new. I have never written a blog before so this is all new to me!
My current role is as a Library and LRC Assistant at a Further Education College 4 days a week. I love my job and I'm always on the lookout for ways to expand my knowledge and learn new things. I am I suppose a lifelong student with a thirst for knowledge. I have only worked in Libraries for almost 6 years but I find the information world fascinating and it amazes me how technology changes how we work and how information is available.
Over the past few years I have completed an NVQ L2 in Information and Library Services and achieved Ceritification (ACLIP) status. The last couple of years I have taken a bit of a developmental break while I had my daughter but I am now ready to take on the next challenge! As well as '23 Things' I am also applying to do a Post Graduate Diploma at Northumbria University in information and Library Management. I sent my application off only a couple of weeks ago so I am waiting to hear if I have a place on the course and if my employer will be a sponsor to help with tuition fees. How I am going to fit in working 30+ hours per week, looking after my daughter, husband, house and studying I don't know; but like I said I like a challenge!
In taking part in the '23 Things' CPD I am hoping to find out a bit more about using different online tools to engage in the world of information outside of the College I work in. I hope it will give me a chance to evaluate and reflect myself as an information professional and help me work out which direction to go in after I complete my next qualification. I am also looking forward to reading everyone else's blogs and being involved in a 'network'. I do class myself as quite shy so I don't know if this will help me overcome that.
My current role is as a Library and LRC Assistant at a Further Education College 4 days a week. I love my job and I'm always on the lookout for ways to expand my knowledge and learn new things. I am I suppose a lifelong student with a thirst for knowledge. I have only worked in Libraries for almost 6 years but I find the information world fascinating and it amazes me how technology changes how we work and how information is available.
Over the past few years I have completed an NVQ L2 in Information and Library Services and achieved Ceritification (ACLIP) status. The last couple of years I have taken a bit of a developmental break while I had my daughter but I am now ready to take on the next challenge! As well as '23 Things' I am also applying to do a Post Graduate Diploma at Northumbria University in information and Library Management. I sent my application off only a couple of weeks ago so I am waiting to hear if I have a place on the course and if my employer will be a sponsor to help with tuition fees. How I am going to fit in working 30+ hours per week, looking after my daughter, husband, house and studying I don't know; but like I said I like a challenge!
In taking part in the '23 Things' CPD I am hoping to find out a bit more about using different online tools to engage in the world of information outside of the College I work in. I hope it will give me a chance to evaluate and reflect myself as an information professional and help me work out which direction to go in after I complete my next qualification. I am also looking forward to reading everyone else's blogs and being involved in a 'network'. I do class myself as quite shy so I don't know if this will help me overcome that.
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