Add your two pennies worth (aka Thing 13)

We have Sharepoint in work, which is used by some colleagues, but the only use that impacts on me is in it being used to provide access to policy documents and departmental bulletins.  I think it is fair to say that, in our little support team, I am more technology savvy than most, and the suggestion of using collaborative and file-sharing tools would be met with “Why can’t we just…?”.  Indeed, I am the only one in our team that is doing CPD23!  In short, we do not have a need for such tools, as yet.  Until there is an institutionally led directive to use Sharepoint (which there were rumblings of some years ago), or a similar tool, I can not see us changing the way we work.

I can see the benefits of collaborative and file-sharing tools.  I will try to practice these tools so that I can add them to my list of competencies.  But they’re not a high priority for introduction into the working practices of our team.

Photo credit - Beige Alert, Pennies

Keeping it social (aka Thing 12)

This is what my personal twitter network looks like on 15^th August 2011. I used Twitter Mosaic to take the image

I am terrifically interested in social media and the psychology of its use for both professional and personal means.  At the University there are various example of good practice; lecturers connecting with students on individual courses, central units connecting with wider student groups, networking for staff, alumni, students and prospective students alike.  In our team we are exploring the use of social media to reach students; we have a Facebook site and post to the Twitter feed for the whole department.

There is a growing acceptance for online communication in our society now, and certainly here at the University.  For many it is a simpler way of getting access to the information that they would otherwise have to cross campus for.  This makes it even more important to get the message right(please also see the points made in my post about over-reliance on technology).  People using online methods to find what they want can often jump from item to item or scan quickly without checking details.  This certainly explains why queries can end up going to the wrong recipients.  I dare say there can be other reasons too, but I am aware of people clicking on the first link to contact someone, without checking that their business is in the area they need.  At least with Facebook and Twitter people are voluntarily signing up for something and therefore selecting a business they want.  There is a better chance that by putting yourself out there on these platforms you are reaching people that want to be reached.  Our students can also sign up for RSS feeds for our site.  This also suggests that we are then reaching an audience that wants to hear from us.

Facebook and Twitter do allow for a more social approach though.  I do not subscribe to the idea that social media allows for a casual approach, but a little more chatty and humorous perhaps.  Professionalism is key in my opinion.  We don’t need to “get down with the kids” to reach them; just be approachable.  Using social media means that we are accessible for those that respond well to the structures provided by the particular social media platform in question.  Not everyone finds navigating a website a straightforward experience.  Social media platforms provide an alternative.

We’re not on Google+ yet.  That is too new to commit to just yet.  Needless to say I don’t mind trying it out until it shows how useful it will be for work!

Take me under your wing (aka Thing 11)

A mentor is exactly what I need.  I have a wide range of skills and a great desire to use my talents, but really need some guidance.  I'm lucky to have a number of positive people around me; colleagues encourage me, friends inflate my ego.  I need more though.  I need someone who will chisel away at my uncertainty and help me to focus on what will take me forward.

There are a few mentoring schemes in the University here, designed to help professionals in higher education.  Hopefully I can join one of the schemes and find someone who will take me under their wing.  If the scheme is not a go-er then I'll consider who I can ask for non-formal mentoring.  I've got to try!

Photo credit - Andy-Beal, Guardian Angel

Mis-shelved (aka Thing 10)

This Thing has me feeling really very out of place.  But then this is the Librarianship focused bit.  Time for me to reflect then on why I am doing this!

Step 1: Look back at my initial thoughts - Thing 1... Ah yes, I said I wasn't sure what I would get out of this Thing.

Step 2: Consider what I can get out of it - Learn from what is relevant and apply principles to my own situation.

Ok, but I would like to gain accreditation for what I do, despite the fact that I don't fit into the sector roles.  So what do I do?  I work damn hard, that's what!  But there isn't accreditation for that - a Certification of Damn Hard Workery is called for!  In lieu of such accreditation I shall keep plugging away.

Linkedin has enabled me to tap into the wider Administration / Business / Public Sector world through all of the groups on there.  I also receive bulletins from Public Service Management Wales, which can be quite interesting.

Whatever line of work I'm in, whatever my opportunities to move forward, the most constructive thing I can do is take some focus from this.  I'm checking whether I fit into the CILIP accreditations, but in the meantime, and regardless of whether I fit, I can still develop my portfolio and plan my professional development.  I've thought about this before and downloaded templates but then forgot about them.  So first things first, TIME MANAGEMENT - make time to plan and reflect.  It doesn't need to take much of my time to jot down items to include.  With my annual appraisal coming up in just over a week I need to reflect and recount salient points.  Last year I told myself I would make notes throughout the year to make the lead up to the appraisal less taxing.  But those plans never come to anything do they?  Ahem!!!  Well actually it's about time they did!

CILIP use a portfolio and so shall I.  I don't know if it will ever be seen by another living soul, but that's not the point.  The point is to add focus to my professional development.  If CILIP accrediation is a possibility then at least I'll be prepared for it.

Returning to Things 6 & 7

I just felt I had to update you on this business of networking.  I had been feeling a bit low about it all yesterday when I did my post about face-to-face networking.  I just didn't feel I had an in-road for any of the professional networks.  I thought I had explored all possibilties and had only limited options.  But I hadn't given up...

Today - eureka!  I was reading an internal newsletter and found out about the CILIP Information Literacy Group - perfect!  Information Literacy is a big interest of mine.  Better still - the group is free the join.  I have made contact and hope to hear from them soon.

Finding this group is almost evidence of Information Literacy at work - "An information literate person would also understand that, in addition to purposive searching, information can be acquired by browsing, scanning and monitoring information sources."

I'm feeling quite excited now.  I will, of course, keep you posted!

A place for everything and everything in its place (aka Things 8 & 9)

Google Calendar
I've never been great at keeping a paper diary.  My 2011 calendar at home only made it to the wall a month ago.  I'm much more of a bits of paper that I can throw away kind of girl.  Electronic calendars are a different matter.  At work we use Outlook so that covers my personal appointments.  Our unit also uses shared Outlook accounts which I need to keep organised - so I'm well practiced at juggling!  We also use a Google calendar for events we run and show these on our website.  I also have my own and a shared Google calendar outside of work.  I'm well versed at the Google way of doing things now and it works pretty well.  I'm not inclined to add my calendar to iGoogle though or to link things any more than I already have done.  I like to keep things separate sometimes so that I can keep an eye on things.  I may connect it all a bit more in the future, but I'm a little concerned about taking my eye off the ball too much for now.

Evernote
I added Evernote to my iPhone in December 2010 but never actually used it.  I don't think I realised quite how much it can do.  Unfortunately it comes back to that same old problem of downloading in work - I'm not allowed.  If there's a real business case for it then yes I could request it, but until I get the measure of it I can't sell its merits.

So that'll be more homework then!

I don't mind this too much as it’s the kind of tool that I can see being quite useful.  It’s just a question of having the time to do it.  Maybe I can start with two personal interests to begin with and see how I get on - interest 1 learning to play guitar; interest 2 learning Welsh.  I'll keep you posted if I like how it’s going!

Putting a name to a face (aka Thing 7)

Oh dear, I'm feeling a bit lost now - Despite her best efforts Lauren of Lauren's 23 Things hasn't been able to convince me to pay for CILIP membership, or membership of any other profesisonal organisation - I really can not afford it especially when I have limited time to get involed.  Please believe me Lauren when I say I think you made very worthy points and if I could I would join.  Indeed I wish you luck in your election.

In the meantime I have asked to join The Library Society of the World on Linkedin so that I can find a way to contact them about joining the actual network (it is FREE).  They have locked down membership due to problems with spam users so I can't just join.  I'll finish doing that once I get accepted by them on Linkedin.

I would like to get involved with a network.  I realise that it can be very useful to career progression and a great way to develop skills (depending on level of engagement).

Aside from the professional networking outlined in the Thing 7 brief, I do have an alternative avenue for networking - I currently take a Welsh language course and consider that a networking opportuntiy.  From September I'll be attending a weekly lunchtime group which will provide opportuntuy to converse in Welsh AND meet other Welsh learners where I work.  The great thing about working in a university is that your career is never limited to one department.  Networking with my colleagues has huge benefits - even if it is just being able to say "hello" to someone on campus, which always feels good.