Friday, July 20, 2012

Staying relevant in changing times

I was reading Incite and liked the new ways that Librarians are describing their roles. The job description hasn't really altered but the focus on access is now more pronounced. I'll add more examples as I come across them.

Here are a couple of samples:

* Librarians manage information to deliver a useable result for our clients.
* Librarians and information services are about helping others educate themselves, for whatever reason.

The focus is on accessibility - so all the tools we use to assist our client's access to the resources in our collections should definitely be one of our major tasks in the job. Eg. LibGuides creating user-friendly environments where print and online resources merge.

Picture: The Librarian by Giuseppe Arcimboldo (1527–1593)

ALIA's PD scheme

Well, I'm still feeling inspired and motivated since attending the Biennial 2012 Conference. So I have decided to join ALIA's PD scheme again - this time to actually track my professional development items to ensure I earn my 'CP' initials. And it's so much easier to do now! 'My PD' (recording system) tracks your activities and points and allows a short note to state learning outcomes. Now no-one ever needs to be frightened of the dreaded audit. By adding your activities as you go, it'll be a snap. Previously you had to keep all of your own documentation and track your own points. Hoorah for better technology!