Wednesday 18 November 2015

The end is nigh...

After all that social media and technology information overload we have reached the final hurdle in the Rudaí23 course.  The last frontier, the last post to complete what has been an interesting and enlightening course.  How to manage all these new accounts and perhaps keep up my blog posts??

I'm feeling now I just need a break, a cup of tea and a chocolate biscuit or two!!

I want to take this opportunity to thank all those involved in the Rudai23 course, the Western Section of the LAI for supporting the initiative and to the many who signed up to participate.  New friendships have been established and new skills have been learned.

The library world better be ready...once the tea is drank :)

Mobile things


All things mobile, isn't that the way society is going anyway? Everything at your fingertips and the convenience of just opening your phone and browsing through the vast number of apps available to you. I recently sat in a team meeting where the most high profile and high ranking officer in attendance continued to use his smart phone while he was supposed to be hearing the final recommendations from the team.  I call that rude, but maybe I'm just old fashioned. 

Apps so  the news is streamed in real time, the sports, the celebrity gossip, the farmers journal and  foal sales at Goffs - (they are probably just for me) but in reality you never have much time to yourself.  Research has highlighted issues within relationships and parenting as people become more addicted to online news and information.  Where is the down time?

However I do have my little pet app that I log onto everyday to catch up on, it's like my little comfort blanket when work gets me down - Agriland :)  It keeps me up to date on latest news, EU stories, Dairy, Beef and Equine Industries.  My little bit of heaven!!  A country girl at heart. Nothing what so ever to do with been a professional librarian.

But this Rudai23 course has introduced me to different applications, media apps etc. and while I have enjoyed learning about how they work I have no interest in using many of them on a daily basis. I value my time without phones, internet and the like and enjoy just getting out meeting people and like the isolation the countryside gives me.  Considering we work in an underfunded, over-stretched public service our time at work is pressurised but I enjoy my role meeting patrons and assisting them with their queries or perhaps even to take time to listen to their problems.  After 'giving' so much to the public I like nothing better than to retreat to my space and engage with those whose friendships I value most.

While  50% of people aged between 55 and 64 have smart phones that still leaves 50% of the population that don't engage with mobile technology or online.  That's a lot of people that still need to be reached, still need a library service or community engagement.  We can engage with our patrons on different levels but shouldn't just focus on technology.  Many of those out there don't have the skills to engage online and it is these people who we shouldn't forget, these are the people society is leaving behind and causing divides within communities.  It is the role of the library to ensure that all are welcome and all are given the same chance within our communities.

I would urge caution in relation to using many of these technologies from a library perspective unless your library authority has already developed a good communications policy that details what is and isn't acceptable in terms of usage of online services.  Too many times we have had complaints from members of the public who weren't happy receiving texts or notifications of events the libraries were hosting without receiving proper consent from the patron to do so.  It's a very fine line between marketing and information provision to your patrons and one we as librarians have to be very clear on.  We also have to ensure that the appropriate data protection is in place and that data isn't shared with third parties.
I welcome advancement in all its forms but I would welcome proper guidance and conversations about appropriate usage from a library perspective.

Monday 16 November 2015

Infographics

I would agree that a 'picture says a thousand words' and would go so far as to say that a picture can have a more lasting impact on a person.  For those of us who are trying to catch people's attention with displays, information notices or new legislation the ability to use something like an Infographic makes such sense.  Also these would be most useful if developed appropriately to assist people with literacy problems and those whose first language is not English.

We've all probably seen an Infographic as it's used in online marketing and in the media on a regular basis.  I've never used one in a library setting and now after reading about them as part of the Rudaí23 course I'm wondering when can I have a go at producing one for the library!

I know of one occasion that I would have loved to have had the awareness and skills to develop an Infographic.  I was responsible for the upgrade of Westside library in 2012  to include self service and the introduction of RFID technologies. This upgrade was done while the library was open and involved the cataloguing onto the new system of all our stock plus the addition of self-service machines and a new reception area.  I produced so many posters explaining to the public the changes, apologies for disruption, what the new technologies would mean and finally having to produce a guide on how to use the self-service machines.  All of these could have been more professionally done using an Infographic. 

Thanks to Rudaí23 I'll be better prepared for the next major project in my library career, but I'll be having a go a producing some of these for the library perhaps with a Christmas theme...time to start been creative I think!

Copyright, Presentations and Conferences

I'm going to combine copyright, presentations and conferences in this post because I feel that they are perhaps linked and very relevant today. I wrote the post for presentations but in doing so I touched on the issue of copyright as I pulled the post together for the Rudaí23 course.  I was very aware of plagiarism and spent some time reading, absorbing and re-stating the main issues that were raised in a number of books and articles about presenting and presentations.  It's easy to see how people just copy and paste and also perhaps many haven't the knowledge about copyright. 
I encountered this issue recently when we hosted an induction program for transition year students who were preparing to do a history project for their leaving certificate.  Their answer to 'where do you find information' was Wikipedia and Google.  Copyright was met with silence as we tried to show them the importance of research, sources and crediting.

The books that I read detailed at length the strengths of a good presenter, the abilities required to engage and to keep an audience interested and the importance of copyright in all its forms.  The pressure that these academics, business mentors and lecturers are under is shocking and still they have to deliver quality presentations that inspire and encourage the business leaders of the future.  These few posts made me consider the recent conferences that I've attended as part of the Alumni of NUI, Galway and the high profile guest speakers that have delivered presentations with timeless style and confidence.  I'm in awe of some of them, even the ones whose first language isn't English!

Conferences by their nature give people an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and share/discuss new theories, management styles and sometimes legal issues that have had an impact on industry.  It gives you the opportunity to share your projects and your way of doing things to a wider audience and help develop your brand and your profession as a whole. 
I would encourage everyone to attend at least one conference a year (budget allowing of course) and start developing your network by sitting with someone who you don't know and introduce yourself - I recently did this at an accounting conference and met two really interesting ladies who were recent graduates of NUI, Galway and now working abroad.  They were most willing to engage and share their experiences with me, as I was with them.
I also make it my business to email presenters after a conference and thank them for their 'interesting presentation on.....' I normally receive a reply plus the PowerPoint notes that I can use for my CPD.

However, we can only do so much as librarians in relation to Copyright, we can ensure that what we do is within the legal parameters and we can advice people on what they can and cannot do.  We can't take responsibility for every citizen, we are there to inform, guide and encourage - that covers copyright, presentations and our attendance at conferences.

Westside Story

As I've previously mentioned I'm a visual person and the idea of using photographs to tell a story or to engage with our public in a library setting really interests me.  I want just to share our story of using photographs for celebrating a growing community.

Back in Spring of 2014 my colleague Cora and I sat down and came up with a program of events to mark our library been ten years in the community.  It's not a long time for a library I know, but the community bonds we have made over the years are priceless and we are seen as a hub for the area.  Children and elderly use our library on a daily basis, we have active retired groups meeting, knitting groups and a women's group who support women living in the community by providing training, education and craft opportunities.  The place is always buzzing!

Westside Library
We wanted to give something back to the community as our way of saying thank you for making us feel welcome. We invited the National Gallery of Art, Dublin to join us in an outreach program with our local kids who wouldn't ever have the opportunity to visit the Art Gallery in Dublin, we invited Ballet Ireland to host workshops in the library, we invited the National Museum of Ireland, Dublin to host talks and exhibitions on their vast collections - and the amazing thing was all of these institutions agreed to come and celebrate with us! Children got to experience Art in its' many different forms and really enjoyed the experiences we helped to provide.

But we wanted something for those living in the area so we came up with the idea of putting together a project that would reflect the history of the area and its development through the use of maps and photographs.  We called it 'Westside Story' as Westside is the name of our library.  We started by looking at what was available in the Archive and then decided to hold an open evening where people could pop in and chat with us, perhaps share some memorabilia or photos.  We had the ability to scan them and return them on the night.  We thought we might get twenty people but we were overwhelmed by the support and interest with the event seeing closer to sixty people coming to share their stories, photographs and artefacts with us. Even the opportunity for people to share their stories was appreciated and the evening ended up been a long night with plenty of tea drank.

From all these materials we pulled together a wonderful exhibition that showcased the development of the community from early times right up to the development of the Church, shopping centre and library.  The photos and maps were scanned and presented on large exhibition boards with details of each added.  It was pressurized to get the exhibition completed within the timeframe but we and those who came to view it were thrilled with the outcome. I haven't included any of the photographs here due to copyright issues but the exhibition is shown on a regular basis in the library.

It's something that we would love to do again or perhaps help another community exhibit the vast rich heritage that they have.

Bush telegraph


Collaboration tools - the idea that a team can use a central tool or software to assist in the development of a project or program of events has to be viewed positively.  How many meetings have we all attended with people rushing in with bits of paper, copybooks, amended notes or post-it markers (I'm guilty of the post-it) and still not having an up-to-date account of the projects progress.  Frustrating for sure, unprofessional? Yes.

I've used Google Drive for the past few months while working with the team developing this Rudai23 course and have found it so simple and easy to use. The hard bit for me was to remember to log into it on a daily basis as I'm not working full time.  I've a little toddler plus family business that distracts me from engaging with computers and living in the Wild West means sometimes the internet connection isn't what it should be.

I'm going to use this post to cover Collaboration tools and also a reflective practice topic for the Rudaí23 course as I'm feeling pressure to catch up and hopefully finish.  Hats off to all involved as it was difficult to pull it together and the interest in the course really showed how relevant the topics are in todays Information Society.

Since starting the course and taking my first few steps into the online world with the addition of blogging and experiencing all different kinds of media I've realised that many of us out there really don't have the skills to fully engage with todays world.  I'm not too bad in the sense that I've had experience online, use Facebook for family and use online elements for work etc. but imagine all those people who visit our libraries and information centres who haven't any skills or awareness of the vast amount of media streams, websites and ways to access funding for students and business.  Support networks that are available for businesses.  Government departments that have put all their data, applications and news online. Literacy and the lack of digital literacy is a growing problem and one that I think people don't fully comprehend. I see our role as librarians and information professionals gaining more importance if only those in authority could see its' value.  I see a huge role for libraries throughout the world assisting those who don't have access or skills to engage with society but I also see libraries and librarians highlighting the issues and problems on a national scale.

I've mentioned Advocacy in a previous post and feel very strongly about the importance of it in relation to our profession.  As local authorities and governments look to close libraries and not hire librarians I would ask them to look at the network they are demolishing. For example, Galway library service has over 29 branches spread across the entire county plus a mobile and a schools van to service hard to reach locations, nursing homes and our schools that help educate the next generation. Each of these libraries is staffed by a person who has unique knowledge to the area, who knows the supports groups, the heritage groups, the literacy tutors and the public health nurse on a personal level.  These librarians are part of a community and are the positive face of local authority.  This positive element could be utilised by supporting the libraries with information provision, departments hosting events within the community in a library setting and also allowing feedback through the libraries to local authorities on what their policies and projects are doing to communities.  In reality how often do we as citizens engage with local authorities or government departments?  This network would support and engage the community very effectively.

Let's use collaboration tools, social media, libraries and networks to build a new 'bush telegraph' within our communities and assist each other in up-skilling and accessing the information society.

Wednesday 11 November 2015

Time to stand up...

Advocacy for libraries is another post from the Rudaí23 course and looks to highlight different organisations and campaigns that help promote, develop and assist in the fight to maintain library services throughout the world.  It's an interesting topic and one that should be relevant to all of us librarians regardless of sector.  In one sense it's sad to see these campaigns as it's shows how much Government and those in Authority really value the contributions libraries and librarians make to society.  Interesting also to note that they are UK and America based and not one for Ireland.

Report after report issues statements about 'literacy' and the importance of tackling the problem. We are encouraged to assist those who are marginalised because of their lack of skills and help them engage with the 'new information society'.  New taskforces, partnerships and media campaigns are created using great buzz words showing that Government understands the problems.
These same Governments cut spending to libraries, close libraries in areas of social disadvantage, put in place staff embargos and undermine the profession as whole. These same Governments think that libraries are customer service centres for the local authorities.  While we are information providers, we are so much more and the most important element to our profession is our ability to engage with our communities and we have very successful outreach programs.  We are pro-active in identifying, addressing and engaging with people who haven't the confidence, skills or ability to be part of the information society.
I work in a library that is based in an area of social disadvantage and I see on a daily basis the difficulties many people face in trying to participate in society.  I've had an elderly woman who had her credit card details stolen and the bank told her to go online and fill in a particular form, the lady hadn't even been on a computer in her life, to a young mother who wanted to apply for a course as she had no formal education and was nervous completing the form, these are the citizens that are affected by Governmental decisions, cutbacks and Organisational change.

We are lucky to have a great team of staff in my library with many varied skillsets, we actively promote literacy in the local maternity hospital through our 'Start Now' project, we have shared readings sessions with literacy tutors, reading aloud sessions with teenagers, we most recently launched our 121 digital program assisting those who want to learn more about technology engage with the younger generation who grew up with it. We also deliver music workshops with live music performances throughout the year.  We love what we do. Imagine what we could achieve if we had the money, support and staff to allow us meet our communities needs??

The previous topic of the Rudai23 course was Augmented Reality, I've never used this but I've seen it in action as part of our summer reading challenge when my colleague Niamh developed some beautiful posters to complement the theme of bees.  Kids really enjoyed wandering around the library and scanning the posters to see what would happen.  It added a new welcome dimension to the program. 
Wouldn't it be lovely if you could do a poster campaign with Augmented Reality that would include details of projects running in your area relating to literacy? Or have details of your library events at your fingertips?
Or as we face the cutbacks and financial difficulties and have to fight for our libraries we could use AR to inform our public about book fund cuts, staff embargos, closures..

Maybe it's time for Advocacy for Libraries to rear its' head in Ireland before it's too late..

Friday 2 October 2015

Wait a minute Mister Postman..

Well, it seems that somewhere along the Rudaí23 Journey I stepped off the train and forgot to get back on - amazingly it happened on 'attending conferences' so I must have enjoyed the last conference a little too much - ( I do love an opportunity to chat and engage with fellow attendees)
Will post about my experiences shortly and tips I have for getting the most out of attending as soon as I clear the overnight bag and put my recent notes in some order.

This particular post is in relation to Professional Organisations, benefits and opportunities as discussed by the Rudaí23 team.

I have always been interested in membership of professional bodies not just for library services, as I love been able to keep up to date on emerging trends in industry and the snippets of information you receive in either an email or a posted document.   I normally combine a membership with a subscription to a trade journal of the industry so I can receive a different perspective on key issues and developments.

Currently, I'm a member of CILIP and the LAI with special interest groups including public libraries, professional development and also regional networks. 
I do feel that involvement in special interest groups allows you to build your network, engage with people from different library backgrounds and gives you a different perspective on trends, concerns and problems facing all library providers.
I was treasurer for a number of years of the Public Libraries Section of the LAI and enjoyed the experience, though not the part of chasing up invoices and tracking down receipts!.  I was actively involved in hosting, funding and supporting several high profile conferences with large budgets.  This not only gave me confidence in dealing with suppliers, hotels and keynote speakers but also allowed me the opportunity to create friendships and links with many other librarians throughout the country.
I also had the opportunity to become Chair of the Western Section of the LAI and while this was brief (I had to resign due to the arrival of my baby girl) I had the chance to engage with librarians from different sectors and really get to see what issues were relevant to them plus we also shared our concerns for the future of our profession as a whole.

While I feel some memberships are better than others, some provide magazines, newsletters and training opportunities - not naming any organisation here, I do see the importance of a common body representing our profession at a higher level.  The ability to lobby, engage and promote the industry and sector is vital in todays ever changing economy and our job as members of these organisations is to ensure that our stories, projects, programs, community engagement is noted and appreciated by those in Power.  We are the custodians of our profession but it's up to us to keep our profession alive and relevant today.

Trade Journals such as The Bookseller for a perspective on the book industry, Childrens' Books' Ireland for both membership and Journals for literacy and children services, Irish Arts Review Journal for Cultural issues in Ireland, Archaeology Ireland for our rich past and the importance of preserving it and Irish Academy of Management for new trends in the management field plus Time, Forbes and Business Plus Subscriptions mean that I'm receiving information that is of interest to me and my developing career.
Plus is means I get to see the Postman regularly in my rural location - can't go digital for everything in the Wild West of Ireland!


Tuesday 25 August 2015

The Twitter of the birds

I take a week off from all technology and next I know I'm behind in my Rudai23 course, video and live streaming have passed me by and reflective practice appears again asking us questions about time management!
To be honest I'm not too upset about missing video and live streaming, yes it's good to know how these things work but I really have no interest in participating in such exercises.  I've decided to keep certain technologies at arms length and perhaps in time experiment with them when the need arises. At least I'll be aware of the basics now thanks to the course.

'the real Twitter in the morning'
As for reflective practice with continued professional development and time management as key topics I see the difficulties people have in juggling personal and professional lives.  I'm finding it difficult to embrace technology on an everyday basis.  I have all the gadgets and gizmos needed to have 24/7 access but I just don't want to.  I have business commitments outside of the library service, live in a rural area with responsibilities to equine and farming life also.  I love nothing more than the solace of an early morning with just the twitter of real birds and Sammy, the German Shepherd for company.

I work on any email/LinkedIn issues when the house returns to quiet after my little one goes to bed and I limit myself to one hour of my time to all things social media related.  Then it's off to a quiet corner with a book and a cup of tea and I'm a happy bunny! I think we all to often let technology dictate our lives instead of letting technology enhance our life and make it easier.  We shouldn't be tied to our smart phones waiting for the next email/twit or Facebook like. We see all too often now that teenagers and youth are more comfortable online than talking and engaging in person, this leads to communication issues, isolation and defeats the purpose of having technology in the first place.  The important thing to remember is technology is a tool and should be treated as such.

As for professional development, cutbacks in organisation mean that there are limited funds to attend courses and conferences but I do like to attend events just to keep my toe in the water.  I attended the 10th ENROAC Conference in NUI, Galway recently which is the European Network for Research on Organizational and Accounting Change. It was an International conference with lecturers from USA and Italy leading the discussions.  While the conference is a reflection on my MBA (corporate accounting),  it also had strong presentations on the importance of quality information in real time for businesses to achieve market dominance.  Interestingly, information professionals were seen as key to economic advancement.  I'm heading to the Irish Academy of Management Conference in September with the theme 'Towards Socially Responsible Management'. Looking forward to some interesting presentations.

As for every day time management?
My day does start early as I rise at 5.30am, this gives me time to have breakfast, do outdoor chores and prepare evening dinner (then all I have to do is pop things in the oven later) I'm so lucky that my daughter sleeps through the night and has to be called for breakfast - mum's out there are now killing me because I have it so easy.  I know colleagues who have a busy household from first light.

Any tips I'd give colleagues? I've no fail safe ways to time management but these work for me.  Prepare things the night before - lay out your outfits with accessories and shoes, buy a coffee machine with a timer and then fresh coffee awaits you in the morning when you stumble into the kitchen. Set aside one hour for yourself to do this course and all things social media related and when the hour is up, walk away.  After a few days, you'll get into the hang of been focused online and might even steal in a bit of online shopping...it can be classed as research, can't it??

Sunday 16 August 2015

What's a real librarian?

I really enjoyed the opportunity to meet some of the Rudaí23 team over the weekend and get to know the people behind the profiles.  It was an opportunity to discuss careers, life choices and also elements of the Rudai23 course - how were we progressing? (slowly)  were we all up to date? (no we are not) were we enjoying it (yes)

The course aims to highlight different aspects of social media, the different programs and services available, many of which are free to use.  By utilizing these programs you can develop your online professional profile or your library service and help promote yourself or your services to a wider community. Of course issues of privacy were mentioned but we are all aware of the consequences and should approach each online element with caution. 

While enjoying some delicious food a passing comment from a good friend and colleague got me thinking, she mentioned that while she was introducing me at a recent conference she described me as a 'librarian based in Westside Library' but I started my presentation by describing myself as an 'Information Professional' - so what am I, or does it matter what title I have?

When I studied for my MBA I spent many a day explaining what my role was to my fellow students who had varied and well established careers in Business, Manufacturing, Medical Industries etc.  They had defined roles, descriptive job titles that showed clearly their expertise.  Often our networking events led to questions for me like - What exactly do you do? Do you read books all day? Gosh, is there a qualification for that, I just thought you shelve books... needless to say I drank many a strong beverage to calm my ruffled feathers.  But while I was doing the MBA we had to formulate presentations, complete questionnaires, IQ tests and undergo interview skills all these elements highlighted skill-sets that I had but were lost in the librarian title.
I felt that in a non-librarian world the title is lost on people - while it is one of the oldest profession in the world (we have to be careful as another profession is older, have a guess!) trying to define our job is very difficult but we are much more than just customer service reps, a description that is beginning to creep into our management publications and mantra.  By using the 'Information Professional' title it gives me the opportunity to highlight my experience and also showcase my skills some of which are unique to the library world, others cross over to many different industry fields.  The title also allows me an opportunity to explain what my role is to those that are interested.

Other issues that were mentioned was the 'snob' attitude with the library profession with some librarians thinking they are 'proper' librarians and perhaps looking down their nose as public librarians whose service, by its' nature, is multi-dimensional.  Some would go as far as to say that public librarians read poetry all day! I would perhaps suggest that it's not a 'snob' attitude that exists but a fear - a fear of the unknown. For some librarians the idea of developing a literacy program, establishing a community outreach program, engaging with recently released convicts and assisting them in their society transition strikes fear in their heart as does the use of databases and in-depth research/terminology usage strike the fear in a public librarian that they are somewhat inadequate.  What we as a profession need to remember is that we are all in the same industry, we are  information providers but that our methods are different.  Our skills are the same, it's how we use them that's different.  If we want the profession to be recognised and acknowledged for what it really is then we all need to acknowledge our differences, respect each others methods and move forward  as a united profession, ready to stand up to those who wish to see our services reduced, re-assigned or in some cases eliminated.

 

Friday 7 August 2015

All things Visible

'Never judge a book by its' cover' - how many times have you heard this statement?  How many times have we picked up a book just because it was attractive, beautiful and engaging?  If we are all honest we would admit that we do judge books by their covers and perhaps judge other things too, something that we shouldn't be proud of.  We as humans are visual beings, I will admit some more than others and I am a very visual person so the topic of this weeks module for Rudaí23 was of interest to me.

For many people visual engagement and interaction is essential for them to learn, I'm one of them. I can visually remember a page of text or an image, great help in exams!
For me, books all stacked on a shelf are hard to browse, I need to see the cover or illustration.  Children are best at this, picture books for children are so under-valued and always seen as only suitable for little ones, but they can be enjoyed by all ages.  Perhaps take the time to really look at some good illustrators, PJ Lynch comes to mind.

As part of my job I love creating attractive book displays that encourage people to browse books that they wouldn't normally look at, get people to broaden their horizons or challenge them in some way is part of our role I believe.  Perhaps even highlighting issues that are seen as controversial  - lives of refugees, War and its consequences, Poverty and literacy problems.
I believe in an informed society, I believe in providing people with both sides of the story - unvarnished, and let them decide for themselves. As a librarian I'm there to provide access to information not decide what information is correct for you, that's your responsibility as a citizen.

I love the very idea that social media tools such as Pinterest can open up new horizons for libraries, engage with people around the world and share experiences, ideas and help promote different genres, subjects, topics to other interested parties.  Take for example our Westside Library Pinterest, we have a board for genealogy and genealogical resources and it's gaining in popularity every day.
Sharing visual displays of libraries also helps break down the barriers for people that may find approaching libraries difficult.  Many still have ideas that libraries are intimidating, unwelcoming and daunting places to visit, perhaps many are but they are not in the majority any more.  We, as librarians have broken the mould with our industry and have reached out to our communities in ways never seen before, social media is only another way of reaching out.

And yes, I'm the librarian that can help you if you're looking for the book with the pink cover, white writing and a little girl on the front! 

Monday 27 July 2015

Anyone listening?

I've always been wary of recording my own voice so seeing the topic of Rudaí23 Podcast appear I felt that nagging feeling that this one was going to be a disaster.  I sound totally different than what is in my head and I hate the outcome.  I'll quite happily listen to other peoples Podcasts and enjoy discovering the unknown world of audio - I'm a radio kind of girl, that's my experience so far :)

My other great interest is in music and because I've had professional training - both in voice and organ, I'm used to having my singing voice recorded, I'm no kiri te kanawa but I can sing a good Schubert 'Ave Maria' or a Mozart 'Ave Verum' - you won't find me singing in the stacks while shelving though!  I'm not the singing librarian!

I've sang in some amazing places - Royal Albert Hall, Buckfast Abbey in Devon (home to Buckfast wine) Spain, France, St. Patricks New York and the Vatican. Now I'm busy singing to my little one and distracting her from teething pains.

This part of the course did make me think at how I could use some of my recordings to showcase my voice for weddings etc. The brain is whirling now!


As I ponder on life..

With six modules of the Rudaí23 course now complete we have time to reflect on our progress, catch up and perhaps evaluate our current role within the profession.

Since starting the course we have been exposed to different forms of social media, from LinkedIn to Facebook and Twitter and of course, blogging.  I've had awareness of all but some I'd never experienced or used in a professional context.  The course is intense but interesting, it challenges you to look at your use of these tools and also your online presence.  I've taken the time to view my profiles and make changes where necessary and also decide that certain tools are not for me professionally. Facebook will remain for family and close friends not work related.  Twitter - I won't be tweeting personally but I can involve myself more with our work Twitter now.  LinkedIn will remain my professional network but updating it has highlighted my skills and my experience.

Has the course changed my perspective on my career? Has it caused me to view my career path and perhaps make changes?  My perspective on my career hasn't changed but I hope peoples' perception of my profession will have altered somewhat.
I hope people who view my profiles will see someone who is a confident, pro-active customer driven manager who can develop strategies, do cost accounting and financial projections, deliver projects and actively promote services within a community but most importantly, a person who is passionate about service delivery, social inclusion and community engagement.  Someone who likes nothing better than to reach out and help someone who needs assistance, advice or guidance. Someone who despite cutbacks and staff shortages will still try to ensure that those who engage with our services will receive the best possible service at that time. Someone who is pro-active in developing projects/associations within the community and never stops trying to bring the world of literature, learning and books to a wider audience.  Someone who will facilitate meetings, deal with anti-social behaviour, customer complaints and also prepare art and craft activities for young children, exposing them to educational mediums such as paint, felt, sand, clay.

It a nutshell - someone who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty, whatever the project...

Thursday 23 July 2015

To Tweet or not to Tweet

Item five of the Rudaí23 course is online Networks, I'm beginning to catch up now and really can see how the effective use of technology can introduce you to different aspects of your chosen profession.

I already have a Facebook page but have only used it in a personal capacity, mainly contacting family who are abroad, sharing information with them and arranging visits etc.  I never really use, or thought to use this from a professional aspect as I've always considered Facebook a relaxed, informal site. I've heard the horror stories of people losing jobs or not getting jobs because of what was posted on Facebook. I've always veered away from using it. But I think the more we become aware of our online presence and take control of it the better.  I'm finding that this course is pushing me to view my online presence and engage more.

Twitter on the other hand just doesn't excite me, we have a Twitter account at work and I can see that it's a popular network but I'm a very visual person and the idea of a few lines of text just bores me.  It's nice to read about the use of Twitter and perhaps I can contribute more to the work Twitter, but I'm not going to be Tweeting any time soon :)

Then again, I said I'd never blog either.....

Wednesday 22 July 2015

I've been Googled!

Part of this Rudaí23 course asks you to view different social media platforms, new online technologies and use these programs to develop your network and professional brand ( I'm still hurting from the brand post)

Today I had a look a Google and all it's 'associated bits'  - never really took the time to view the different elements and I must say I was impressed by the scope of the programs, the social interaction, the maps etc. I think all too often we just see Google as a search engine - a means to an end and we forget that it has so much more to offer.  Yes, I'm aware that there are those out there that have 'issues' with Google and it's ability to track your every move, perhaps even tell you what you had for breakfast but if you live in a rural community chances are your neighbour could tell a few things about you too! Maybe we should just approach Google with caution and make ourselves aware of their privacy settings etc. This course does give you the opportunity to play about with the technology and learn how to use it effectively.

Have I been brave enough to Google myself?  I paused at the search screen and thought - do I really want to see what's been posted by me, about me or what horrible photos have appeared with my name on them.  I'm thinking horrible pony club photos with the riding hat looking like a giant saucepan on top of my head, hair sticking out all sides and my big cheesy grin sporting my missing tooth that my pony knocked out of my head while changing her halter. Or perhaps the photo of me with the Dulux Paint Dog and me as scruffy as the dog with shaggy hair over my eyes and those 'hand-knitted character' jumpers that we all got as presents in the 80's.  I type and press enter......

Thankfully none of the above have appeared just my LinkedIn profile and my perfectly branded posts :)
I can rest easy and take myself off to the kitchen for a nice cup of tea, maybe wave at the neighbours and let them know it's Barry's Tea this evening!

Friday 17 July 2015

Hold still, 'til I brand you

Professional Branding, part of me gets excited at the prospect of this - the business head on me is thrilled at the prospect of developing a personal brand that differentiates me from other Information Professionals.  Something that gives me the competitive edge. 
The other part of me (the equine/farm background) has visions of a large branding iron been stabbed at my rear end forever establishing me as part of the herd! Something that doesn't give me the competitive edge just a sore bottom.

Perhaps branding is too strong a word for this element - our industry by its' nature is so diverse and so varied that to differentiate yourself by one thing is surely limiting yourself and selling yourself short in the eyes of employers. Perhaps we should look at what drives us, what is our passion and as business guru's say 'be true to that voice'.
We, as Information Professionals have unique skill sets, we have the ability to engage with communities and organisations to create worthwhile programs that affect peoples' daily lives.  We  can approach people with literacy problems and make them feel at ease in a library surrounding and ensure that they are welcome no matter what their circumstances are.  We can assist those students who are under pressure to find the right piece of research at the right time.  We do all this and we haven't even touched the 'professional' side of our work.  What we do impacts lives, that's more powerful than any brand a company can establish.

While updating my LinkedIn profile for an online course (Rudaí 23) I noticed that I've slipped into the business side of my brain.  I've completed all the major areas, assigned great buzz words and established a network that I'm professionally proud of, but that profile doesn't tell the real story of being a librarian, that doesn't show you the passion I have for helping others help themselves. It doesn't show you how thrilled I was when I established a support group for Special Needs Teachers and Assistants who hadn't anywhere to meet and discuss their daily problems within the classrooms, the Support group now receives funding to provide books, toys and learning materials through libraries. That group started with three teachers, myself and a pot of tea in the library one evening.

Another project was the development of a Toy Library in our County. I oversaw this from its planning, development and roll-out over two phases. I was responsible for the budgeting, purchasing and Ministerial launch but again LinkedIn doesn't tell you how wonderful it was to engage with Special Needs children and watch them use the toys and materials that I had researched late into the nights, the phone calls to teachers and assistants gaining valuable feed back and advice, the hours spent cataloguing, processing and assigning stock to each of the twenty plus libraries that were about to open their doors to children who never really availed of a library service.

I don't just read books and hate when librarians are just stereotyped as 'shy, retiring ladies who stamp due dates and read books all day'. I'd hate to be that person - yes, I can escape into another adventure, murder or romance and forget the dinner in the oven but that's not me 'professionally'. I have academic qualifications that can differentiate me from other people, qualifications that provide awareness of, and ability to strategically develop a service, management skills that cross-over industry lines and can be applied to any business/service setting. Project management skills, customer service skills, language skills - all help me deliver my role professionally but they don't 'brand' me. I'm not defined by my skills, they enhance my work but ultimately it's the ability to reach out, engage and assist others is what I'd liked to be noticed for.

Monday 13 July 2015

Librarian? are you serious??

If you had asked me when I was 18 years old, would I like to be a Librarian? I would have had some smart answer for you ensuring that under no circumstances would you have formed an opinion that the Library Industry was where I saw my dream job. I went off to College studying Management and Heritage Studies and saw my life in the Tourism/Heritage sector.  I enjoyed my first college experience, the hustle and bustle of the college corridors, the over-powering fish smell from the Marine Biology Labs that wafted its way to the canteen and ensured that the 'fish option' on the menu was never selected. I made friends easily and participated in groups, debating teams and musical ensembles but I loved to escape to the library - to the quietness and solitude of the book stacks and to discover authors, genres and subjects that I wouldn't find in my local library.  I was 'always studying' my friends used to say!  Little did they know..

My love of books and reading was developed at an early age with my mother or father reading to me each night before bed.  My mother would spend whatever surplus money she had on a weekly treat of one of the ladybird classic series until we had them all - it was our little adventure each Friday to visit the bookshop and root out a title we hadn't got. I can still remember the dark, warren of bookshelves in shop with the newspapers and magazines at the front of the store, it was magical.
I was a member of my local library but the librarian terrified me and the place was only open at odd hours.  It was always closed for the Novena (don't ask why), the Galway Races and Easter Ceremonies - all of them. Children were never allowed into the adult library unless an adult was with you, my mother always made time to be with me and the librarian didn't like it when we checked out the 'expensive coffee table style books' on wonderful topics such as the Amazon, the Great Pyramids and Wild Animals of Africa.  I can still visualize those books.

During my College years I had the pleasure of having the late John O'Donohue, author of Celtic Spirituality and Philosophy books like 'Anam Cara' and 'Eternal Echoes' as my lecturer.  He was teaching us Irish Literature but it was mo
re than a lecture, he introduced us to mythology, scripture, nature and poetry and encouraged us to 'take time to smell roses'.  He was passionate about writing and discovering new writings and so my interest in books increased. Part of the course was to make our way to 'Charlie Byrne's  secondhand bookstore' in Galway city and 'root out a gem of a story', something that opened my reading to unknown authors and poets.
This type of lecture was in real contrast to the management, accounting and company law that made up the vast majority of the course and really kept me interested in the Heritage of this Isle and the impact literature can have on someone's life.

I graduated from the course and started work with Emirate Airlines (nothing to do with Irish Heritage obviously) but I gained wonderful experience in dealing with people from different cultures and backgrounds as I was based in Dubai. My language skills improved with the introduction of Arabic and the use of my French and German on a regular basis. Sadly I had to finish my contract and return home due to political/religious tensions in the area that just made flying at that time stressful.  I worked at home with tour companies, genealogy centres and a Museum and then a library position appeared in the paper.  My mother suggested I apply and the rest they say is history!

I managed to secure the position of part-time branch librarian in our local town and through myself into developing the place, increasing membership numbers by 70% and made strong links with the local community.  I arranged book club meetings, parent/toddler groups and supported the set-up of a special needs teacher/assistant group for the region.  I loved my job, but not because of the books - because of the links with people, the community, the businesses who funded my projects and never said no.  The smiles on the children's faces after school as they tore through the door to do 'homework time' with me was something I'll always remember.  The story-time sessions when I had to read the same book three or four times, yes those were good days.

I studied for the Degree in Librarianship and worked at the same time, I applied any new knowledge I gained straight into the service I was delivering.  This little town library was buzzing and then we got a new building, moving from one room to a fancy, spacious library in a restored old Church. New library staff came on board and together we developed the library service into something that was at the heart of the community and remains there today.
I realized that I was good with people, enjoyed a challenge and developing links with communities and people across a wide area.  I like the management of the library service but was always aware that the library service depended on the provision of quality stock.
I applied for, and was accepted into the Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the J.E. Cairnes Business School, NUI Galway. This was a whole different ball game with me sitting beside executives from some of the biggest companies in the world - managers from Medtronic, Boston Scientific, Bank of Ireland, and me, the part-time branch librarian ready to take on the world!!

I worked hard studying corporate finance, learning how to read financial reports and apply formula's to 'see through' the PR stuff that companies publish. I learned about strategy and marketing and then my moment of realization - Knowledge management and service development, my favourite topics and me, the little librarian, in her element.  I introduced the class to Dr. Seuss as part of my presentations and, as one lecturer said 'I put a new perspective into the business class'.  Today I use these skills in my current role as a Senior Library Assistant in a busy city library.

Librarian?  Never thought I'd be one but would encourage anyone else to join this exciting, challenging and diverse industry.  Perhaps not just for your love of books but for your ability to bring the book/information world to so many other people.  That's the real joy.