Podcasts and videocapture

Thing 18 is about incorporating podcasts and screen capture into our practice. It's appearing out of order because I was hoping to get some actual podcasting done before I published.

I’ve started experimenting with using Screencast-o-matic and Screenr software at work to incorporate a catalogue search demo in an online library induction. The main problem at the moment is a compatability issue between their files and our e-learning software. I’m determined to get it sorted though, because they do the job so well.

I have not yet found time to make a podcast. I am determined I will do this, but it’s more likely to be a knitting related one than a library one. I am a keen podcast listener and I find I enjoy most the podcasts which have 2 voices – this is possibly more about interaction between the podcasters than a voice issue. If a single podcaster is talking the podcast needs to be shorter and more focused. The voice quality is important – I had to stop listening to one podcast which I otherwise liked very much because the podcaster’s voice just put my teeth on edge. I’m also not keen on music being played in the podcast – if I want music I can find it for myself.

Having said that I did come across the fantastic “Codemonkey” song on a podcast.

Summer learning journey, winter reflective practice

As someone with long experience in libraries I found it quite hard to identify areas where I need more experience. I have never actually managed a library or information unit – I seem to perpetually be a deputy or assistant, but I feel I have the technical skills in the unlikely event they are needed.

I think my development needs are clustered around social skills, self-marketing and assertiveness. This probably accounts for my lack of management experience, as well as the political naivety which lead to my redundancy. How to achieve this is the big question for me. I’ve identified that I would like to do more work for the profession and this might offer me a chance to develop in these areas.

I think it is useful to have a PDP but real life is much more random than you can plan for.  The process of going through CPD23 has been very useful in filling some knowledge gaps and in getting me to reflect on my route into librarianship. I am incredibly grateful to the team who set up and ran cpd23 – I think it really helped keep me going when I thought I might never get a job in libraries again.

Will I keep on blogging? I’m not sure, because of the strange way it mixes personal and professional which I’ve written about before. I hope so.

My 6 word story?  Summer learning journey, winter reflective practice.

Volunteering and the rise of the intern

I am going to cover 3 aspects of volunteering – to gain experience, use of volunteers in libraries and volunteering in a professional association

One of the things mentioned in Bronagh McCrudden’s: ‘Would you work for free? Unpaid work in the information profession (and how to make it count)’ is that information work is invisible.  It did strike me that this is a bit like that other women's job -- housework. I think this is actually a difficult case to make in a time when other professions are also looking for people to work without pay, but it is still an interesting parallel.

I've seen quite a few intern posts coming up in the @UKLibraryJobs stream on Twitter. I'm pretty sure that in better economic times these would have been paid posts. It makes me very sad for the (usually) new professionals who take up these posts because they are desperate. A really pernicious thing about the intern culture is that it discriminates against those who need to work to live. It keeps young people dependent on their parents for much longer than in previous generations. However it appears that many people do make volunteering work for them as 2 out of 3 people in McCrudden’s paper had a successful experience. And I know that many organisations will get good use out of volunteers in their libraries but still – if it’s worth getting done shouldn’t it be worth paying for?  

If I am ever unemployed again, I know I would consider a volunteer post to keep my skills up-to date – if I can afford it.

So the converse of librarians working as volunteers is the use of volunteers to run libraries. One of the things that slightly shocked me about the Cilip  Council candidates was that they were all a bit mealy-mouthed about the use of volunteers in libraries.  Not a single one said that they were outraged that this government and many local councils seem to think that anybody can run a library. They were all very careful to talk about the great contribution made by volunteers which is no doubt true. Of course, if all the volunteers are unemployed librarians trying to gain experience then hey – why pay anybody.

A less controversial way of gaining experience as a volunteer is to work for one of Cilip’s groups or another professional organisation. While in work I have volunteered as a mentor and I plan to volunteer to do something for one of the professional groups I belong to.