So far I haven't been involved with mentoring, but can appreciate the benefits that a good mentor can provide especially to a newer member of the profession.
I guess I have been unofficially mentored, my line manager is very approachable and over the years I have asked her for help and advice which has always been freely given.
Also when I started in my present post a very experienced colleague helped me in lots of ways with advice, wisdom and friendship. Her unofficial mentoring was absolutely invaluable, it helped me gain confidence and spread my wings, and even though she has since retired her influence continues. I often think what would she think about this or that, thanks Rachel!
Tuesday 23 August 2011
Thing 10
I became a librarian many years ago, more than I care to remember!
I'm an old fashioned girl and took time out from my public library career to have a family and then rejoined the profession at the University of Glamorgan. I undertook a variety of posts here before my present one, Information Librarian with faculty liaison for Humanities, Social Sciences and Psychology.
I'm Chartered and a member of CILIP but more importantly feel that my professional development continues, I am learning and developing even after all this time. We are a sharing, caring profession and I enjoy working with colleagues here at Glamorgan. I never cease to be amazed at the professionalism and dedication of librarians both here and in the wider world.
I'm an old fashioned girl and took time out from my public library career to have a family and then rejoined the profession at the University of Glamorgan. I undertook a variety of posts here before my present one, Information Librarian with faculty liaison for Humanities, Social Sciences and Psychology.
I'm Chartered and a member of CILIP but more importantly feel that my professional development continues, I am learning and developing even after all this time. We are a sharing, caring profession and I enjoy working with colleagues here at Glamorgan. I never cease to be amazed at the professionalism and dedication of librarians both here and in the wider world.
Things 8 & 9
Catching up again!
Google calendar fine, did this some time ago, just didn't get around to the blog. Not sure how much I will use it but willing to give anything a try.
Having just said that I had a good look at Evernote and decided it's not for me.
On to Thing 10.
Google calendar fine, did this some time ago, just didn't get around to the blog. Not sure how much I will use it but willing to give anything a try.
Having just said that I had a good look at Evernote and decided it's not for me.
On to Thing 10.
Thursday 28 July 2011
Thing 7
Professional organisations
I've been a chartered member of CILIP for a long time now, it's expensive but does provide some benefits.
Publications and email updates are probably the most useful to me plus the SIGs. I am a member of UC&R and for a few years was Meetings Secretary for UC&R Wales. This was a great experience, being involved with organising and advertising events, working with fellow professionals in Wales and attending UC&R events. These were definitely worth the time invested and helped me to develop and learn along the way.
I've been a chartered member of CILIP for a long time now, it's expensive but does provide some benefits.
Publications and email updates are probably the most useful to me plus the SIGs. I am a member of UC&R and for a few years was Meetings Secretary for UC&R Wales. This was a great experience, being involved with organising and advertising events, working with fellow professionals in Wales and attending UC&R events. These were definitely worth the time invested and helped me to develop and learn along the way.
Thing 6 online networks
Reasons given to network online:
Becoming better known
Becoming better connected
Becoming better equipped
1. is linked to Thing 6, and I have already decided that I don't have a brand. Happy to meet other Information Professionals, in person or online but don't feel the need to shout about it.
2. Looking at the ways I am already connected: JISC mailing lists; attending professional events and conferences; membership of CILIP, UC&R and CILIP communities plus sharing thoughts and ideas with colleagues at Glamorgan I think makes me well connected already.
3. This is a consequence of being connected, and taking part in 23 things has had benefits already. My IGoogle page is getting better all the time as I add to it and tweak it. I can see from this that I don't want to receive so many feeds or tweets that I start to ignore them.
Information has to be manageable and relevant, and I have to fit a lot of work in to my working day as well!
So to summarise, joining online communities to suit the individual is fine, try something, if it doesn't work don't worry about it. LinkedIn is not for me, Facebook is purely personal, and I have looked at LISNPN and decided against it. This Thing has made me think about it all, which is good.
Becoming better known
Becoming better connected
Becoming better equipped
1. is linked to Thing 6, and I have already decided that I don't have a brand. Happy to meet other Information Professionals, in person or online but don't feel the need to shout about it.
2. Looking at the ways I am already connected: JISC mailing lists; attending professional events and conferences; membership of CILIP, UC&R and CILIP communities plus sharing thoughts and ideas with colleagues at Glamorgan I think makes me well connected already.
3. This is a consequence of being connected, and taking part in 23 things has had benefits already. My IGoogle page is getting better all the time as I add to it and tweak it. I can see from this that I don't want to receive so many feeds or tweets that I start to ignore them.
Information has to be manageable and relevant, and I have to fit a lot of work in to my working day as well!
So to summarise, joining online communities to suit the individual is fine, try something, if it doesn't work don't worry about it. LinkedIn is not for me, Facebook is purely personal, and I have looked at LISNPN and decided against it. This Thing has made me think about it all, which is good.
Tuesday 26 July 2011
Reflection
Things 1-4 have been simple to do but quite hard for me to tackle. Social media is not something I feel at home with but I am pleased to have got this far. I think it was partly reluctance to get involved with Twitter that I put off getting on with these things. Never the less I have completed them and am ready to move on to number 6.
I am particularly pleased with my IGoogle home page, it is a great improvement, and fab for keeping up to date with so many things at once.
On to number 6!
I am particularly pleased with my IGoogle home page, it is a great improvement, and fab for keeping up to date with so many things at once.
On to number 6!
Thing 4
Twitter, it's got to be done!
Set up my account months ago but just never had the courage to Tweet.
Thing 4 and I've done it. Following 9 accounts now, including CPD 23 so hopefully will feel more in the swing of it. Getting left behind was not good.
RSS and Google Reader I had already set up so for once was ahead here. My IGoogle page is looking good.
Find the feeds very useful, but there is a danger of too much happening so I keep editing it and moving things around.
Pushnote, is now installed, could be useful but I think Google reader is great.
Set up my account months ago but just never had the courage to Tweet.
Thing 4 and I've done it. Following 9 accounts now, including CPD 23 so hopefully will feel more in the swing of it. Getting left behind was not good.
RSS and Google Reader I had already set up so for once was ahead here. My IGoogle page is looking good.
Find the feeds very useful, but there is a danger of too much happening so I keep editing it and moving things around.
Pushnote, is now installed, could be useful but I think Google reader is great.
Thing 3
My personal brand, hmmm, not sure about this.
I'm a librarian not a product and the whole issue of mixing personal and professional on line is difficult for me. I know this may be very old fashioned but to me it has to be professional only.
I have my work photo on this blog, and that is fine, though sitting in front of a camera is not something I enjoy, I usually end up closing my eyes as the flash pops!
I hope that colleagues and students at Glamorgan find me dedicated and professional, easy to approach and enthusiastic about all aspects of my job here. A blog can add to my presence and help me to communicate with staff and students but for now my brand is my name.
I'm a librarian not a product and the whole issue of mixing personal and professional on line is difficult for me. I know this may be very old fashioned but to me it has to be professional only.
I have my work photo on this blog, and that is fine, though sitting in front of a camera is not something I enjoy, I usually end up closing my eyes as the flash pops!
I hope that colleagues and students at Glamorgan find me dedicated and professional, easy to approach and enthusiastic about all aspects of my job here. A blog can add to my presence and help me to communicate with staff and students but for now my brand is my name.
Friday 24 June 2011
Thing 2
What a lot of blogs to read!
Like others I have been dipping in and out of the 23 Things blogs, it is difficult to know who is who to start with or which ones to follow.
It's made me realise that I need to think very carefully about the name of a work related blog, it has to be immediately obvious and relevant otherwise it will not be read.
I have just downloaded Ned Potter's Blogs & Blogging guide from the New Professionals Conference 2010, looks like a good starting point with lots of information.
Like others I have been dipping in and out of the 23 Things blogs, it is difficult to know who is who to start with or which ones to follow.
It's made me realise that I need to think very carefully about the name of a work related blog, it has to be immediately obvious and relevant otherwise it will not be read.
I have just downloaded Ned Potter's Blogs & Blogging guide from the New Professionals Conference 2010, looks like a good starting point with lots of information.
Wednesday 22 June 2011
First post!
I heard about 23 Things last year and thought "that sounds useful", so here I am, doing Thing 1.
Hopefully working through these 23 Things will give me the knowledge and confidence to utilise social media at work and personally.
Looking forward to learning lots.
Hopefully working through these 23 Things will give me the knowledge and confidence to utilise social media at work and personally.
Looking forward to learning lots.
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