Thing 13 – Developing on a profession

I had joined the Library Association of Ireland after finishing up my Masters as I hoped it would help me with my job search. At the time I didn’t take full advantage of all the site had to offer but, while working in King’s Inn my boss encouraged me to renew my membership as the library was willing to reimburse me the fee. It was through the Library Association of Ireland (LAI) website that I came across the workshop I attended and the upcoming conference I am interested in, both of which I talk about in my previous blog post Thing 12.

Up to now I have been inspecting the site for upcoming events and conferences; however this Thing has urged me to investigate all aspects of the website. The website provides a lot of information, not only on events and conferences, but on the latest in Library news and the latest publications. The website provides links to publications; such as ‘An Leabharlann: The Irish Library’ (which publishes articles on libraries, librarianship and other topics), and the ‘Annual reports of the Library Association of Ireland’. It also provides information on books published by the Association and books by the Rare Book Group: LAI.

Reading through some of the articles in ‘An Leabharlann’ I find them refreshing and educational. Like a magazine they are easy to dip in and out of and demonstrate a lot of ideas, research and professional conceptions. I recommend ‘Volume 17: Issue 2’ of the publication, it has an article on ‘Libraries in society’ where the author advocates the attendance of conferences and describes the importance of libraries and the constant growth in technology and culture within the industry.

The website is informative and encourages professional development, and for this reason I look forward to investigating some of the other organizations suggested by Niamh O’Donovan.

Websites

Library Association of Ireland

An Leabharlann

Thing 12: The Awkward Stage

My experience attending conferences is none, but I have been fortunate enough to sit in on a workshop organized by the LAI Rare Books Group on Social Media. It was on the 11th of May, 2015 at the Royal Irish Academy. The workshop was great I learnt a lot about using certain social media tools to promote Libraries and their collections. There were two main speakers Dr. Jason McElligott, the Keeper, Head Librarian and Director of Marsh’s Library and Dr. Natalie Harrower, the Acting Director of the Digital Repository of Ireland. Both talks were very noteworthy and informative. I found Dr. Eligott’s presentation the most instructive for promoting libraries, as he showed; simple methods of getting your information out to a larger audience, for example: tagging other libraries or organizations in posts in order to reach their audience.

At the time of the workshop I was working as an intern in King’s Inn and the head librarian Renate NiUigin had no qualms giving me the time off. She explained to me that the workshop counted as a working day and I was able to attend the workshop for free as I was an unpaid intern. I was nervous about attending my first workshop, my biggest concern was networking and I was worried about making a bad impression. I took written notes, a method I find the most comfortable using and I feel I take more information in this way, plus typing up the notes later that night helps to reinforce what I’ve learned that day. I can remember a lot of what was discussed in the workshop, much of which has been reiterated in this course.

On the day I was a bit shy and even though I talked to a few people I didn’t make any connections and I am unable to remember any of the names of the participants at the workshop, so I am going to take Caroline’s suggestion of writing down names and occupations of people on a notepad. I know I have to put myself out there and promote my ‘brand’ but I think that is something that comes with practice. The thought of putting myself out there makes me nervous, like being stuck in a chairlift with a complete stranger so, to over come this discomfort I intend to attend as many of these conferences and workshops as I can. I have been looking on the Library Association of Ireland’s webpage and have seen a few interesting conferences coming up in the next year. One in particular is the Academic & Special Libraries Section Annual Conference & Exhibition 2016 which is ‘Smashing Stereotypes: Librarians get loud!’. The conference is on the 11^th and 12^th of February and is on a topic that we mention a lot in this course; promoting our profession. I am really interested in the proposition of this conference and I plan to make as many contacts as possible, overcoming my awkward shyness and learning how to network with confidence, even if it is faked.

Thing 11 – Reflective Practice

I am just on Thing 11 now, and it would seem I am a month behind in my blogging. I think it is safe to say I have fallen behind in my time management. I have really enjoyed writing my blogs and becoming acquainted with the different social media tools that we have been recommended and I didn’t think I would fall behind so much. I have to remember not to look at it from the prospective of ‘all I have to catch up on’ but as one Thing at a time. As one fellow Rudai23 blogger put it; “the technical aspect can become daunting”, however, the process and directions are all well detailed and I just have to trust that I can do it.

I have found this course both interesting and difficult at times. It needs a lot of honesty and requires a certain amount of openness, especially with the Video blogging and live streaming. After watching the Rudai ‘Hang-out’ from the 23rd of August I’m upset I was unable to watch at the time or contribute. It was great to watch, you could see the participants ease into the ‘Hang-out’ and relax and the conversation was enchanting. It was nice to see a group of librarians from all over (India was extremely impressive) talk about their experiences and the ability for other bloggers to contribute by tweet was brilliant. I liked that they introduced other bloggers and told their stories which gave the whole thing a more personal feel and from reading through others blogs I feel more confident in my blogging because I know (for the most part) we are all feeling the same which is comforting.

Thing 10: Virtual five

The video blog and the podcast have been, for me, the most difficult tasks so far. I feel a bit more vulnerable with these tools. I used to work in a call centre but they wouldn’t put me on the phones because I sounded like a six year old child (which was more than fine with me). It feels like a tool that I will learn to love, I think the more I play around  with it and use it, the more comfortable I’ll become and then there will be no stopping me. I tried installing the Periscope app but both my laptop and tablet were incompatible, I guess my software is in need of an update.

When blogging I feel I have more control over the tone and content I am putting out into the big bad World Wide Web. I am intrigued with these devices, however, especially with the hangouts that provide staff and patrons with a completely new method of outreach.

Librarians can now stream live library tours for those students or patrons who are unable to attend the tours set-up. Libraries can also provide live streams for book readings, school classes can face-time with other schools around Ireland or the world using there local libraries as an intermediate (it can be the new age equivalent of pen-pals). Language exchanges can be provided in libraries for people at certain times and local meetings such as book clubs or the mother-and-me groups can add hang-outs to there meetings for people who are unable to attend. The list is endless, there are many brilliant and innovative ways the library can use this device and I am excited to learn more about it and watch as it is utilized in different places.

Thing 9: Video

Funnily enough I have made a YouTube video in the past, it was a C. V. YouTube clip. It wasn’t very good or very long. The job was for a teaching position and it was strongly advised to submit the YouTube clip as it would be heavily factored in the hiring process. From the number of views that were listed under the video, a staggering 6 all of which were by me, they never watched the clip. I still got the job but the idea of the video C.V. stressed me unnecessairly. To this day I am unsure how I managed to acomplish recording myself or how I got the clip on YouTube. I do remember it being extremely shouty and stiff. It still makes me blush thinking about it now but I was excited to try this task and erase all memories of my past C.V. YouTube stardom.

It was a fun task, however, I doubt I showed any real instructional skill and I was unable to hide the heavy breathing (if anyone has any ideas on hiding heavy breathing from videos or podcasts, please let me know). This tool as a learning aid for literacy programs is brilliant. It shows how different technologies and media outlets have evolved to suit the needs of the public. It gives viewers the opportunity to watch and follow instructions at their own pace without feeling judged. I know if I had to do a video in a classroom setting I’d feel like I was slowing down the class. I tried a few times to upload my recording unfortunately my diction was not clear enough for YouTube to pick up and the subtitles came out incorrectly. I also tried using the two way screen and web cam but got to distracted by my crazy hand gestures so just stuck with the screen cam. I look forward to watching more of the video blogs, those I have seen so far are brilliant and a little intimidating.

Thing 8: Curation tools

I love the idea of using Pinterest to document all the activities of a library. There are so many events and projects unfolding in libraries that can be shared through a single picture on Pinterest, such as, display boards, reading events, competitions, reading room designs are all accessible to see and promote on this media. This is a place where librarians can go to share and find ideas for different aspects of the library.

It can be used for public or University, and gives clever ways of engaging and encouraging patrons to come to the library and experience how great an institution it is. It is difficult to capture the attention of a browser on the internet but a picture can capture a moment in way that no blog could. The picture is also a quick visual stimulation that can draw a browser in to a library or at least have them research a little more about the library. Using art to promote art.

Pinterest can be a bit messy and difficult to navigate because of the amount of information it has on the site, however the deeper you explore the more detailed and clearly classified your findings become. I would recommend having a look at Louis Robidoux Library on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.com/cabazonlibrary/

Thing 7: Pod People

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robin1966/14711138525/in/photolist-opYqXp-s4AEBs-J4mN6-nEWAmX-4JjTFy-dPaY6J-rLAA9X-387U7t-tMXt6o-sbfDYm-5eGSnF-Aj3Ny-4JfHRr-nTwzC5-4JfGdi-yf8EpL-7ZptVr-wset4D-tXaD3-GWEm9-4JjMSA-5DQgK9-3QXsEi-nKhew-2R1gq2-tWAsTJ-7hjXzk-cpCkU-dCpR1g-4JfCdK-k5na3g-fsB5y8-muXQ5U-4JfD6t-pHeiRU-9tSKJF-87pcQk-jRtgQ-48jdZ-7iW3R2-5Ji8kJ-4JfEDD-ceBTUY-8KwLQK-cpCkV-6Fejf7-GamNW-6CyW1j-3B5ac-878omv

I have never been a fan of podcasts that did not revolve around music but this changed after being introduced to Circulating Ideas, a podcast dedicated to all issues Library. The varying genres and the various people being interviewed from different sectors of the library reflect the diversity within the profession. A listener can go from listening about new technologies and software to the more personal and human side of the library.

It’s educational and entertaining at the same time, giving its audience the best of both worlds. You can jump from a podcast about open source software to a podcast describing how certain librarians became librarians. To date I have not worked in a library where the podcast has been utilized but I can see the appeal. The media gives librarians a more personal outlet for sharing ideas and experiences. In my opinion it is not as intimidating as a video but is personal enough to engage an audience and make them feel like they are a part of the topic or interview.

I enjoy the fact that I can listen to a podcast while doing the cleaning or some other menial task and feel like I’m involved and learning more about the library industry.

I would recommend listening to the Royal Irish Academy’s podcasts as they are enjoyable and full of interesting historical and scientific information. The podcast can be found at the following address https://soundcloud.com/the-royal-irish-academy

Image was taken from Flickr page Sweat Pea Pods and was captured by Micolo J.

Thing 6: In the mirror

It has been said that the library industry is dying a slow death but we, in the library industry can see how it is evolving and adapting to meet the needs of the public. This concept of growth and change has been mentioned in more than one Rudai blog post. It is also one of the things that seems to excite us, the idea of a profession that involves constant learning for its staff appeals to our curious and helpful natures. We want to be the best for our patrons and we want to be able to provide them with the best quality service we can.

I loved reading the different blog posts which where full of personnel anecdotes and reasons behind this particular profession choice. In almost all posts people talked about the variety of duties and sectors involved in working in the library and how much this appealed to them. This shows an ingrained curiosity and willingness to learn of library professions. A lot of people talked about the moment they realized they wanted to be a librarian, a specific time and place that left with them the certainty that this is what they want to do. I can relate to these memories they show a passion for this career that most people would never believe a librarian could have. We are passionate about our work, curious enough to learn, willing to adapt and too stubborn to give up. All characteristics that bode well for the profession.

Thing 5: 140 characters after a 180 turn around

As part of generation Y it’s great to have a space like Facebook to keep in contact with the many friends and family who are currently living abroad. It’s my social outlet and I prefer to keep it separate from my professional life. In a time when connections are made and friendships are maintained typically online it is important to maintain a certain distance between our private lives and our professional lives. For this reason I revisited my unused Twitter account and am currently establishing my professional presence on the network. It’s less formal than LinkedIn and provides a place to connect with other librarians in a more comfortable setting. Ideas and discussions are freely put out into the tweeting world and like-minded people can interact with ideas and re-imaginings that engage them.

We have been given the opportunity to expand our networking circles internationally which also opens up more avenues for discussion and ideas. While our industry evolves with the changing times, we do too, but, through these new technologies we are capable of evolving together. Through Twitter I have been able to Follow libraries such as Chester Beatty and Marsh’s library which gives me direct information on their collections and upcoming exhibitions. My home page is introducing me to new opportunities and activities in 140 characters or less. I wasn’t a fan of Twitter and have avoided it for years now but I find it to be a great space for a Librarian professional to share and learn.

#thing 4: To Google…

I have always been a loyal Hotmail/outlook person but when a friend of mine moved to Germany I set up a Gmail account in order to stay in contact with her. For this reason I am familiar with the features (mainly my hangout) on my Google account however since my accounts language was changed to Hungarian I have been unable to understand the pages and been unable to change the language back. No amount of copy and paste and Google translate could solve my predicament so my friend and I stuck to communicating through Facebook. The task for this week has inspired and challenged me to finally fix the settings on my Google account and I am happy to say all is in English and I can understand it again. Needless to say it was an extremely exciting accomplishment for me and all of my colleagues were immediately informed on my progress. I am enjoying exploring the features on my Google account and joining new pages and I can be found at emergallagher0460@gmail.com