In the first week of workshops, the topic was reflection as
an information professional, or indeed any professional. Examining past
achievements, past failures, the path of a career is crucial to the development
of a successful practitioner. This
workshop saw guest speakers discuss the importance of starting an ePortfolio.
While I try to avoid using QUT Blackboard tools at all
costs, I am creating an ePortfolio of my own using Blogger. Blogger is easy to
set up and useful as a basic blogging service to record my journey as a
librarian professional. As well, it is
linked to my Google account so there is one place to keep track of everything
related to my work.
On reflection, my past experience has been largely in creative
writing. This in itself is tied to libraries as I approach the profession from
a writing background. I already have a deep knowledge of the publishing
business and about the wave of change occurring with eBooks from both my
undergraduate and first Masters studies. This is invaluable to my information
professional role as I can mediate between the publishing and library modes.
This is especially apparent when I worked in a publishing
house for three months as a marketing manager. I learned valuable skills such
as how to edit books, collated and edited a history magazine as well as
organised orders and mailing of books. This means I know the mediation process
between libraries and publishing industries.
I’ve also worked at the Supreme Court Library and the State
Library of Queensland, both of which gave me insight into the goings-on in a
library workplace and the kinds of work involved. Four years as a casual at the
Supreme Court Library meant I had a handle on how law libraries worked, and the
internship at the State Library of Queensland was an instruction in how a
modern library catalogues and retains records, puts on exhibitions and runs PR.
I see these two key experiences in being formative for a successful information
professional.
No comments:
Post a Comment