Fun relationships

Thing 23: Reflection - What next?

2011-11-28T10:25:00.001-08:00

The most useful aspect of this exercise for me was to make me think about my career and how I want it to develop. I have valuable experience in people management and conducting information skills sessions. I have acted in a professional post and that helped me understand more what I am capable of. I have been reviewing my career over the past year and I haven't made up my mind which direction I am going to take and if indeed I will remain a librarian or maybe I need to think of other avenues to use my skills. 6 word story to sum up how I feel about the program worthwhile, informative, practical and fun. Task _ PDP A smart analysis would show that I should concentrate on improving my technological skills, specifically include some time in my work schedule to get to know new tools and services, like Prezi and evernote, as in the long run they may help make my working life easier. (And that of my colleagues). This should be done in tandem with building my official / formal training especially to enable me to continue to develop. This would form the basis of any PDP, but should be augmented with proper management training opportunities. At work we create a PDP on a regular basis and this is signed off by all involved. CPD I plan to continue with CPD on my own, separate from the opportunities that may or may not be available to me via work. This includes maintaining my personal professional memberships and contributing to CILIP as I can. Reading to stay current and surfing the net for ideas. I have been keeping an online portfolio but I need to work on it more regularly. 23 things what next I'm not sure where this goes next. I know that I have received benefits, as has my employer, from my participation in the program. I know it's reminded me that I need to keep a closer eye on the online tools and services that are available, especially productivity tools. So I suppose I should try to set up some alerts for those... but I need to think about how to phrase the search. I will continue to use many of the tools that were part of the program, and hopefully find some more of my own to add to my list. It is good to know that I am on the right path, having already started out on many of the practices put forward in the program as relevant as tools or opportunities for CPD.

Thing 22: Volunteering to get experience

2011-11-28T10:12:00.001-08:00

I haven't had a chance to do volunteer work. I did consider it at some stage but I had to take another route at the time. I would adise other people to try it as it may be helpful. Even though I am in an Experience Catch22 at the moment myself, I can't afford to do voluntary work as I have a family to feed. Looking at other qualified librarians who have volunteered in our library I am yet to be convinved that in this climeate it is a useful exercise. all of them have had to find alternative careers while they wait to find professional work. Ireland being a small country there aren't that many jobs and actually less than ten have been advertised in the country this year. Maybe colleges have to review the numbers of people who are studying for the qualification while the prospects of making a career out of it are so gloomy. I don't think volunteering cheapens the profession but it needs to be managed in a responsible manner.

Thing 21: Promoting yourself in job applications and at interview

2011-11-28T09:54:00.001-08:00

Activities and interests:I love looking and searching for information on any subject. The less I know initially the better. I enjoy giving Information skills demonstrations to students and to staff, giving tips and short cuts. I love reading fiction, non fiction and anything really. I also love listening to music and depending on my mood it could be Jazz, Mbira, RnB, Classical or Pop. At parties I am the girl who never gets off the dance floor. I am told the food I cook tastes great and I also bake the most divine cakes. I get bored really quickly so I enjoy learning new skills and revamping the way things are done. I am one who is not afraid of change at all and I am usually found trying to convince colleagues who find change difficult that it is good to change things once in a while. A tipp about job interviews, I once asked a senoir librarian to give me interview coaching. She was so good that everytime I follow her advice I get the job even though the situation might have looked hopeless initially. Get someone who is experienced in interviewing people to coach you. It is invaluable.

Thing 20: The Library Routes Project

2011-11-28T09:31:00.001-08:00

My route was not typical at all. I loved to read from a very young age. I read everything and I always remembered most of my information sources. I was also known as the person who knew about a lot more things than my peers. Even today I am the go to person if you need to find information about anything. I didn't even see a proper library until I was in secondary school. When I was choosing my career I knew that I didn't want to be what everyone else was going to be. My then boyfriend told be about a course he had heard about which turned out to be librarianship. I applied and got in and as they say the rest is history. I also married the boyfriend even though he was never crazy about libraries. I have noticed that a lot of my colleagues chose their careers later in life or after trying a few things. It is all good as I don't think most people are born to be one thing or another. People choose their careers for various different reasons and sometimes the careers choose them. I love working in an academic library but my dream is to work in a special library. Public libraries on the other hand send me into a panic.

Thing 19: Catch up week on integrating 'things'

2011-11-26T03:55:00.001-08:00

Most useful to me are: My google account and open ID as they are the gateway to many other things. For example through my google account I can access my blog, the library's wiki, google calendar, google docs, google reader, and analytics. It is a cornerstone of my working routine and I use it at least once a day. The next most useful thing are my social networking accounts - which I have integrated to 'talk' to each other. Least usefulI didn't really find Jing of much use. Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites are not for me. I'm not sure if I will ever use pushnote again. I have still to find a relevant use for it for my current role. Many of the things about professional development I have already done so they didn't really figure as useful, apart from the fact that it confirms that I am on the right track. These would include: * Face to face networks and professional organisations Masters Degrees and Chartership which I have to go back to. * Mentoring- I will definitely look for a formal one. * Attending, presenting and conferences and other events * Advocacy and speaking out for the profession - getting published I could not set up some of the 'things' as they required network priviledges that I am not given at work, so Dropbox and Mendeley will not be used a I cannot even get them set up properly. Zotero, I have only used occasionally over the last few years, as we have access to endnote web this is not critical, but may be used as an alternative and students may need to be made aware of the availability and usefullness. Things that have / may find their way into my work or working routine The following are already part of my working routine... daily, weekly, monthly, or irregularly. Google Account & Open ID, Google Reader, Twitter, Facebook. LinkedIN, Wikis (library wiki via google sites. Things that I have yet to figure out a regular use for, but that I can see myself potentially using include: Google calendar : used to update opening hours as and when they change Evernote (This would be especially useful for gathering ideas for writing papers for publishing. Google docs - I need to make use of it more and will endevour to use it more frequently. Blog - I need to figure out a use for it after my 23 things are finished, I don't want to let it die, but I need a direction for it. Maybe monthly updates on what I'm doing professionally / reading etc might work. Citeulike, I think I will use this, but not frequently, as publish or perish would match a certain amount of what it does. I think that I have managed to integrate many of the 23 things.

Thing 18: Jing / screen capture / podcasts (making and following them)

2011-11-26T02:59:00.001-08:00

I have done training on using Camtasia and have created a few podcasts but my position does not require me to use the technology much. I have followed a few podcasts of interests both professionally and personally. I also use IL pre-prepared training programmes. These would have been created using Captivate and Articulate. I am aware of their functionality and usage. I am also involved on the creating aspect of testing and proving feedback from the trainer's point of view and also the user.

Thing 17- Prezi

2011-11-24T05:58:00.001-08:00

I first saw Prezi at a teachmeet session we had about a month ago for Information literacy. I was quite impressed by it. As I have been working on a project and studying for exams for an Accounts course I am doing I thought it would be helpful to keep ideas together. It took too long for me to understand the concepts though so I left it for another less stressful time. The one thing I didn't like about it is that everything I put up is on public view. This means unless I am working on something for our students I can't really use it. I guess I have to stick to mindmaps for now. I will make time to learn to use it and maybe with exprerience I will find it friendly and easy to use.

Thing 16: Advocacy, speaking up for the profession and getting published

2011-11-24T04:51:00.001-08:00

I am not an active advocate. I do however support organisations that engage in advocacy. CILIP and IFLA are both very strong in this area and I feel they represent my interests better than I could. I think that any time that I interact in a professional capacity with anyone (student or staff) outside of the library team I am engaging in advocacy of the library, it's staff, librarianship as a profession, and it's services. With today's climate, it is easy for senior managers to see library services as a passive thing that can be cut, or not maintained to the same level without having any major impact, so by helping the profile of the library we are really helping our users and making a case for our services. I submitted a paper to a journal earlier this year and I am yet to get any feedback. This was as a result of attending the Academic writng and getting published seminar. I will probably do so again, but I need to find a topic that is interesting for me and my prospective readers. Maybe when 23 things is finished I'll try again.

Thing 15- Attending, presenting at and organising seminars, conferences and other events

2011-11-24T04:39:00.001-08:00

I have been lucky so far, I applied for a bursery in 2005 to attend the Ifla conference in Oslo, Norway. I ejoyed it so much. The numbers of people were huge and that was quite overwhelming for me. It would have been helpful to read around what happens before I went and be more prepared in my choices. I made friends that I'm still in touch with who have become my informal mentors. I have presented a paper at the Irish Innovative Users' Group (IIUG)about different approaches to customer service. It was well recieved and it gave me confidence to present again. This year I attended a seminar I self paid for on Academic writing from which we formed a support group to give each other feedback and advice on our writing pieces. That was worth the effort. It is a good idea to apply for burseries to conferences as you never know what might happen. I think we need to meet to discuss ways of getting training using combined efforts and funding or even to get some more experienced librarians in our local area to give the sessions for free. I think this would boost morale for many people who cannot afford to attend any sessions due to cutbacks.

Thing 14- Zotero, Mendeley and CiteULike

2011-11-24T04:10:00.001-08:00

I have had the Zotero add on in my Firefox browser for a few years now, but I have not used it since. I guess I have been very old fashioned in my approach to referencing. I use endnote web and word add on referencing tool but I still have to use them more to understand them better and Zotero could be used too. I have to say though that I still don't find the Word add on tool very intuitive, but perhaps that's because I am used to using the commercial ones. I tried to download Mendeley, but ran it problems with our proxy server - again. So I guess I know now that this is not an option for our library patrons on campus. I will suggest as part of our IL group to start training on using different types of referencing tools and not just how to reference. Cite u like was not very exciting for me but maybe I need to try again when I have more time to explore it further.

Thing 13- Google docs, Dropbox & wikis

2011-11-15T04:58:00.001-08:00

I think that Google Docs is a great idea, and I can see applications for it for working on documents with a group that are geographically dispersed, and think that it might be a good thing for some of my colleagues who are in other countries like Zimbabwe and South Africa. I have shared some documents with colleagues. I have previously used docs to upload files to a web site which is used as the library's staff wiki and staff manual online. I tried to set up dropbox, but it kept flickering back to the connection screen before I was finished inputting the proxy details, on my work pc. I figured out at that this was a problem with the proxy web server and the firewall. We are currently moving our staff manual from a printed and pdf format to a google sites wiki. I have used wikis for other personal projects and I find them very useful and the fact that I can access them from anywhere and give permissions to other poeple to access and edit is very handy.I love the fact that it is searchable, and hopefully more user friendly than a huge A4 folder.

Putting the social into social media

2011-11-14T11:27:00.001-08:00

I was not looking forward to this one, I must say. I am one of those people who have not embraced social media at all. I have twitter and linked in accounts that I have used a few times but I'm not a social networking butterfly. I do follow a few professionals and as a result of CPD23 I now have linked to a few other professional ones. I have followed a few people doing 23 Things but I do not feel like I am part of a community at all. In this day of recruitment embargos professional networking might be my answer to getting a professional post. I have used a writing blog with other colleagues and it was helpful but there never seem to be enough hours in the day to get real value from it. Social media is good if used responsibly and I can see how businesses and institutions can maximise on their popularity but on a personal level I will continue keep my privacy.

Thing 11- Mentoring

2011-11-11T04:48:00.001-08:00

I have never thought about approaching someone formally to become my mentor in the profession. Informally I have been mentored by so many wonderful people. The first librarian to become my mentor gave me invaluable advice on how to present myself in job interviews. Having come from a different culture I needed that advice. I have used those techniques with great success since. I have consulted and asked for advice and I have benefited from avoiding making mistakes. Working with people who are culturally different from you is a constant learning exercise. Having informal mentors have helped me to manage and be better at my job. I have already started thinking about finding a formal mentor for myself.

Thing 10- Graduate traineeships, Masters Degrees, Chartership, Accreditation

2011-11-09T11:13:00.000-08:00

When I finished my A levels there were only two universities in Zimbabwe. Fortunately there are many more now. There were also about 5 or 6 Poly Technical colleges. The choices were very bad for those people who chose not to be Teachers. Anyway I finally got a place at the Bulawayo Polytechnic to study for a certificate in Library and Information Science. This was a one year course. I enjoyed this and then you had to pass really well to proceed to study for a National Diploma. I was fortunate and managed to go on to study for the National Diploma the following year. This was only because I had A levels so I didn't need to wait for my certificate results to come out for me to proceed which was the case for those who had left school after O Levels. The results came out after selection for the new intake was concluded. I also passed my certificate really well. I studied for the National Diploma for 2 years. After this I was qualified to run a small library like a Teachers' college or others with 5 to 10 members of staff. The course required a lot of practical experience so most of our vacations were spent on industrial attachment. You were rotated in different types of libraries like the National Library, University library and others. The practical content was quite valuable and most of us chose the professional routes we wanted to follow from those experiences. I moved to Ireland and my initial search for a job in the field was unsuccessful. I had to get a job in a Fast Food chain. I applied for all the Library Assistant jobs that were advertised and I didn't even manage to get an interview even though the minimum requirents that were specified we below what I had. I also explored ways of developing myself. I discovered that my previous education was disregarded and that I would have to start from first year. On reviewing the syllabi I discovered that I would be wasting both my time and money repeating what I had already learnt. I got a job as a library assistant at a University library and a private college library. Both positions were part time but at least now I was doing what I loved. The positions were from October - May. At the end of that period I got a full time library assistant position at the uiversity library. I also started a Distance education course with the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. I enjoyed the course but it was quite challenging trying to juggle everything. Fortunately I had a very supportive husband. I completed my Masters in 2006 and that co-incided with me getting a senior library assistant position. The role gave me a chance to gain experience in managing and supervising a group of people with varying ages, educational achievements and experiences. I gave myself two years to gain the relevant experience. At the end of the two years, I had personal tragedy that just left me in no position to look for new positions. There is now a recruitment embargo in Ireland and there is no hope of finding professional positions for me or any of my other colleagues. Most people who are working as library assistants are actually qualified librarians who cannot find professional positions. The only other choice is to migrate again and I just feel and my child agrees that it is too challenging for our family. I haven't had time to complete the chartership process even though I have always wanted to become a chartered librarian. I have done a lot of personal development training including attending an IFLA conference which was also one of my dreams. Maybe I just need to get organised and do a portfolio and get it done. To give myself hope for the future I am studying for the ACCA Diploma in Financial Management.

Evernote- Thing 9

2011-11-08T04:44:00.000-08:00

I have been so busy that I haven't had a chance to look at the 23 Things at all. The last time I ventured to use Evernote. I was so excited because that it exactly what I needed. I am one of those people who are always exploring on the Internet both in my career and personal life. I can save the websites I see and like and make notes of why I liked it in the first place. It is way more advanced and useful than bookmarks. I will definitely continue using Evernote even though I have to devote more time to learn how to use it effectively.

Thing 8

2011-09-09T03:57:00.000-07:00

I have used Google calendar for some time now to schedule my study periods. It is very helpful and I print it and stick it on my wall to remind me of the things I need to do.I have shared my calendar with my colleagues and it is so cool that I can see the weather report as well. We're not able to access iGoogle from our Institute so I will have to try that from home.

Thing 7

2011-09-09T03:30:00.000-07:00

I have been a member of some or other professional organisation since I was a Diploma student at the Bulawayo Polytechnic way back when. Being a member of a professional organisation was emphasised as being of utmost importance by our lecturers. We even had a student representative in the Branch Committee. When I emigrated to Ireland I joined the LAI. As I was a library assistant I could not use work time to attend the Annual conference so I took time off to attend. I thought I would finally get the contacts and have a chance for networking. I tried during the coffee break to talk to someone but no one talked to me.I introducedd myself but people just spoke to the people they knew already. I was so disappointed that the following year I did not renew my subscription. I joined CILIP and have managed to attend a few events but because I live in the Republic of Ireland the activities is not that great.I won a grant in 2005 to attend the IFLA conference in Oslo, Norway and it was one of the best experiences of my life. I met contacts that I'm still in touch with and who have provided me with great professional advice. Being a member of a professional organisation can be great fun and quite informative. At the moment my personal life does not give me time to be actively involved but it is my hope that I will be able to change that in the near future.

Thing 6

2011-08-05T08:27:00.000-07:00

I signed up for Linkedin a few years ago but I haven't really used it effectively. I will definitely make use of the tips provided and make sure I am more visible and my brand is a good one professionally. I am not a fun of Facebook, mainly because I'm a very private person. I don't to share my life with people I hardly know anymore just because we went to school together a long time ago. Sharing information about yourself online is not the same as socialising with your friends and I think it can make people feel isolated. I agree Facebook is the backyard BBQ and I think we have enough social networking sites at the moment unless Google+ brings something else that is not yet available on the networking sites.

Reflective practice

2011-07-29T06:22:00.000-07:00

I created a blog earlier but never really put up any posts at all. This exercise has helped me understand the technology a bit more even though I don't think I will be using it much. I created a twitter account but it was great this time to send a twit. I found it realy easy to use. It was fun to invstigate other people's blogs and learn about travel experiences and other interests other people have. It was an enjoyable exercise. Trying to make a personal brand was a conundrum for me as I was not sure whether to be personal or professional. I decided to be general but in a professional way. I believe that it is easier to deal with customers when you feel great within yourself so it is something I try to practice myself. The better I feel the more pleasant I feel towards other people so I do those things like dancing to make myself feel great inside.
I am subscribed to many professional mailing lists and RSS feeds and being able to do that means I can keep up with the 23Things tasks as I go. I also realised that I need to make more time to read the various alerts I get about new developments in the profession that I like to keep with.

Dancing

2011-07-01T07:19:00.000-07:00

Dancing is a way to have fun. There's no formular to dancing, just move your body to the rhythm of the music on the radio or in your head. In no time at all you start feeling great about yourself. Every house hold should have a dance night and this helps everyone to relax and just enjoy life. It makes the grown ups become more child like and it's good for the kids to see grown ups in a playful mode. Everything seems better and life doesn't have to be serious all the time.

Fun with students

2011-06-27T02:58:00.000-07:00

It is easier to smile at people who smile at us first or even to go the extra mile for them when they need help than those who don't. When students come to the desk with long faces and totally stressed out, stop and smile at them. Make them feel for a few minutes like you have all the time in the world for them. Call them by name at least once during the interaction. There are those students who are known to be unfriendly. We all have them. Take time to smile at them and you will see the transformation immediately. Your colleagues will thank you for making their desk cover experience more enjoyable. Make it into a game to see how you can make every transaction more enjoyable for the user and for you.

Smiling

2011-06-20T09:20:00.000-07:00

Have you ever noticed how people react when you smile at them? They love it and they usually smile back. Try smiling at everyone who meets your eye and see how much fun it can be for you. If you're a woman and you smile at men they will make way for you to pass and become gentlemanly all of a sudden. Go ahead and have fun put fun into your day that way. If you are a man, you'd have just made some girl feel great about herself.