Thing 13: Google Docs, Wikis and Dropbox

I like Google Docs. I have a personal account where I keep files that I wish to access on more than one PCs. During my chartering process I used Google Docs to share my work with my mentor. I don't use Google Docs for work because we have other ways of sharing files within the organisation. I have access to a shared Google Calendar for CILIP related events with the East of England branch and do update the calendar with our events to avoid duplications.

Dropbox sounds like a useful site but it's something else that I don't need so I won't be signing up for an account.

I created a wiki but that was at least a year ago. Like everything else, I have not been keeping it up to date. I have added content to existing wikis but have not set up one in a professional capacity.

I can appreciate the usefulness of these resources and it's good to know that they are out there but I have no use for them at this time.

Thing 12 Social Media

I like social media.  It has many advatanges which have already been mentioned but I can see at least one disadvantage. It's very time consuming. I know many people who create accounts on many social networking sites but are not actively taking part. It's so easy to laspse even though it's a very convenient way to stay in touch. The rule I use to determine whether I am going to take part in social media is whether I will be contributing regularly or not. If the answer is no then I will not sign up for an account. I like to keep up with what's going on but I just don't have time to take part in everything that's happening on the Internet.

I have used social media a few times for professional development but I am not part of any community. I dip in and out of CILIP blogs and community forums. I created a blog but this is the first time I post regularly to it. I'll try to keep it going after cpd23 finishes.

I have a Twitter account but I don't tweet unless I have something that I think others would like to know and someone else is unlikely to tweet about. That doesn't happen very often so my account is idle most of the time. I do have a group of people that I follow to keep up with developments. Outside of work, I have a Facebook account that I use regularly to keep in touch with my family which works very well.

That's the extent of my social media involvement and I don't see any changes in the future. Although I don't use them I still want to know what they are and how to use them just to keep up to date with changes.

Thing 11 Mentoring

I am very lucky to have found a mentor who is not only supportive but also knowledgeable and very involved in the profession.  With her help I have achieved chartered status and am working toward revalidation. She's no longer my mentor but we keep in touch so she's still a source of advice and support to me. I used to have a mentor who worked in the same organisation but that didn't work out very well. It's good to have a new and fresh perspective from someone who is not familiar with what I do and my organisational structure. I think this is especially important for those who are chartering.  It encourages the mentee to go back to basic when explaining his/her situation. Chartering or not I would recommend everyone to have someone they can talk to for personal and professional development.

Thing 10 Librarianship qualification

I qualified under the ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) program  in California in 1998. To obtain a library qualification in California it is necessary to first obtain an undergraduate degree and then carry on a further two years for a Master in Library and Information Science. My undergraduate degree is in Social Work. Whilst studying for my Social Work Bachelor degree, I worked in various libraries and loved it so much I decided that I wanted to be a Librarian. I enrolled with the San Jose State University Satelite programme which meant that I was able to study at Fullerton University where I can commute to on a daily basis.

I started my professional post in June 1998 at a public library in Los Angeles County.  In May 2000, I moved to England and started working as an assistant at RNIB Library Service.  I am now a Cataloguing and Technical Support Librarian. I love the system side of my job.  I would really like to become a system librarian one day in a University environment. Unfortunately I don't have a computer qualification so I am considering going back to school part-time to obtain a degree in computer science or something that would give me the knowledge and skills required for a system librarian post.

I am a member of both the American Library Association and CILIP. In 2009 I successfully completed my chartership process and become a CILIP registered chartered librarian. I am proud with this achievement and since then I have registered for revalidation.  I am a bit concerned about the status of libraries and librarians at the moment but I am hoping to stay in the profession for the rest of my working life.

Thing 9 Evernote

I have now set up an account with Evernote and had a go at clipping web pages and making notes.  I find it really useful. I love the clipping we pages feature.  It's so convenient to just save a page while browsing and come back to it later. At first I was a bit skeptical, didn't think I need another tool.  I have changed my mind since I started using it.  I love the fact that I can search my notes. That makes accessing them easy and fast.  Thank you for introducing me to Evernote.

Thing 8 Google calendar

I am a reasonably organised person and I do have many means of keeping tab of what's happening in my personal and professional life. I use a paper diary, a Blackberry and Microsoft Outlook at the moment. Occassionally I do lapse and my Blackberry diary is out of date. I chose not to sync my Blackberry to Microsoft Outlook because I try to avoid installing any software that is not work related onto my work PC. While I can see how useful Google calendar and particularly the sharing with others function, I don't need it at this time. I will not have time to keep it updated so I won't start it.  With all the gadgets out there I still prefer to have a paper diary.  Yes, I know it's old fashion but that's how I keep myself organised and I always have my Blackberry for when I'm on the go.

Thing 7 real life networking

I enjoy online networking because it's easy but nothing can beat real life networking when it works. It's fun, satisfying and rewarding to meet new people. But it's hard! For me anyway.  I think it requires more committment and dedication. It's expensive so opportunities can be hard to come by. So when it does happen there's the pressure to network and that takes the enjoyment out of the process.

I am naturally shy and an introvert so finds it very hard to make conversation with strangers so do appreciate the professional organisations and groups that create opportunities that bring people together. Like online networking sites, one has to be selective as to which to be part of to get the most out of them. I think that it's better to be an active member of a few rather than trying to be part of too many.

I was encouraged that our networking event at the Brewery Tap in Peterborough was attended by seven people. It tells me that despite the numerous networking sites on the Internet people still want to meet in a face to face environment and connect with others. Great task!