Thing Thirteen collaboration on documents

Now this is something I am sort of looking into already.

The problem I have is that we have yet to get our IT department on board to allow permissions for all sorts of things that are basically part of modern life and certainly part of libraries 2.0.

This is not a prority for them at the moment and we are stuck until they can come to our aid in accessing them.

This type of sharing would in fact be very useful for my workplace as the library service staff are spread over several sites and some bob about from site to site as well. I can see that there is a potential for developing data and passing on information as well as collaborating on specific projects with people in another building.

Ho hum that is a big what if so far on this one.

As far as Wikis go, I see that as the same as the social media options, ie not really for me.

Lurking, lurking who's that in the corner?

Reflecting on social media

More contemplation and reflection  - the conclusion is that I am a big square, not least for using the term 'big square'.

I am an inveterate lurker and observer, I choose not to reveal myself too much either in person or in my slight and intermittent interaction with online outlets.

As a previous post said, I am a standard-issue Introvert and am not too clever with the networking and the posting of intelligent, pithy comments.

I have had a look at the blogs of participants not in my sector and while interesting I am not sure where this can lead me, to be honest.

 

thing eleven, mentoring.

I work in a small library and contact with the qualified librarian is not a daily occurrence. however, I am aware from jobs in other arenas that regular interaction with the boss is a matter of workload, structure and personality wherever you are.

Also, there is only one qualified librarian at a time here, so there isn't anyone to be my library mentor who isn't my boss too.

What we do have here is a fabulous team who work together, encourage and support each other through the ups and downs of life in a Further Education Learning and Skills Centre. For example, that is the third name my particular place of work has had since I started here, as we change to reflect the changing use of information by our users and also to accommodate the change in politics, fashion and dare I say vision (blurggh) of the management of the College as a whole.

You really need your colleagues at times like these, and I value and appreciate the input and encouragement the rest of the team have given me over the years.

In an ideal world I would have a big-sister mentor, supportive and critical at the same time; ready to say 'get real' where necessary and 'get your finger out' too. I wonder could I be my own mentor?

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

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

 This part of the  programme reminds me that there is some focus in the 23 Things on the professionally qualified rather than the para-professional or, well, what do you call us? Unqualified? Faceworkers? aka the salt of the earth, the only way a library service is run? Sorry just channelling my own moans and the shameless oily behaviour of certain senior managers I have encountered over the years.

I touched on the difficulties of getting access to the CILIP certification process in an earlier post, which I hope has been improved since I tried for that some years ago. I have achieved a NVQ L3 and ECDL which is as much as my role here requires. Working in a college, the emphasis is more on teaching and supporting roles and some of my colleagues have gone that way, from PGCE to lower learner supporting qualifications. I have resisted this route for me so far as I see myself as a library person rather than a teaching one.But the role has changed to one of supporting the learner/user in their use of the technology and equipment rather than one of signposting towards the actual books. Here I face what many of us do, to persuade a user to look at a book rather than at Wikipedia.

I flirted with a postgraduate qualification last year, getting a place on a distance learning course. But when the reality of perhaps studying for four years when I hope to retire within ten and the amazing cost of the course set in I reluctantly withdrew. I am still looking for my next bit of education/training.

While my children have faced the rising debts associated with higher education I am reluctant to go this way myself, for the reasons above.

I wonder does anyone else have the expertise to advise what they did next? I have had a look at other bloggers' remarks and the relevance of costs of things and funding education does filter through. I haven't found any remarks from non-professionals yet, I will keep looking though.

 

Thing Nine - Evernote

No.

I have had a look at  Thing Eight -  Google Calendar.

I am not sure how this is going to be useful for me personally or for my work needs.

We use our Outlook calendar in work for the team to share and to remind ourselves of both personal and professional commitments. 

Our college has a website and we use Moodle and a Widget to publicise things too. 

I am still trying to get agreement to allow Twitter and Facebook messaging for our Learning Centre needs with no results so far,  I will need to consider how this  could be useful instead.


So no cigar for this one, I'm thinking.

I am back from end of term madness and holidays, very nice thanks for asking. I am now going to attempt to catch up, wish me luck.
I will be avidly lurking and copying admiring my peers and cohorts to see what you have been up to in my absence.