Monday 20 June 2011

Thing 1: I Started Something I Couldn't Finish...?

I’ve created this blog initially as a means of following the 23 Things for Professional Development (cpd23) course, although I hope to continue blogging beyond the end of the course in October.

I’ve been working in libraries for 11 years, including a stint in a public library, a very enjoyable six years at this venerable Newcastle institution, and my current role in the Technical Services section of the Robinson Library at Newcastle University.

I’ve decided to participate in cpd23 as a way of booting myself up the backside, professional development-wise. Like many people, I expect, I diligently attend training courses, think “Hmm, that was jolly useful”, then shove the notes and handouts into the bottom of a desk drawer and never refer to them again. So partly this blog will be a place for me to record and reflect on my training and other CPD activities.

I am also hoping to learn more about social networking, web 2.0 technologies and related gubbins. I don’t Tweet, although I do Google others’ Twitter feeds from time to time (top 3 faves: @nulibarts, @feministhulk and @Grantholtfacts). I’ve heard of RSS feeds but if asked to explain them I would merely go red and stammer for a bit. And if you asked me to explain what Pushnote is, I would point to a space just behind your shoulder, gasp “Look! What’s that over there!!” and then scarper. So I’m expecting big things and lots of usefulness from Week 3 and Week 5 of the course (no pressure, cpd23 organisers!).

I’ve toyed with starting a similar blog in the past, but the fear of running out of things to say after three weeks has always stopped me; I hope that having four months’ worth of topics provided for me will give me the impetus I need to get started and then keep going. Meanwhile, the hardest part about doing this blog, so far, has been trying to come up with a snappy, non-stupid title for it (I will leave it for the reader to judge whether I’ve succeeded or not...).

7 comments:

  1. Hi Diana. Really enjoyed reading your post; when I read your comments about training, I thought 'I do that too!'. Although I tweet, etc, there's lots of Web 2.0 stuff I don't know about, so I'm happy to know there's someone in the same boat.

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  2. Another commenting to say "yep! that's the problem!" in reference to attending so much training, but feeling like much of it just sits around in note format and doesn't get used!

    (Granted I will admit that some of the free online webinar's I've attended this year DIDN'T end up being what I thought they would be - one was supposed to be about information literacy instruction and ended up being about marketing! not that it wasn't also useful, but what was up with that?!?! And another mostly just told us what we already knew - here's a bunch of tech you might want to implement, but not why or how to utilize it...so annoying)

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  3. will be keeping up to date with how it's going for you as I'm in a similar boat and was suitable impressed with the title :-)

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  4. Your title certainly engaged me...an amusing girlie play on words! Have yet to post my first musings myself and feeling a little daunted, so it's good to be inspired by others relaxed style and wit. I shall continue to follow your posts with interest as "Things" develop :)

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  5. Definitely a good title, wish I'd thought of it :)

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  6. Another great blog title, it's so good in fact I'm amazed someone hadn't already snapped it up.

    Looking forward to following your progress through the programme.

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  7. Agreed. It's a good blog title!

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