Week 5; Thing #6 and #7:

Social Networking

Currently on LinkedIn; I have not actively attempted to pursue a well developed page. I will continue to work on it. I also joined more professional groups J

I interpret LinkedIn as the “adult/professional” version of Facebook. I think that this site is quite strategic and helpful when you need to advertise yourself in job hunting circumstances. I made my account when I was with my last company and to use as a marketing tool for new employment.

Currently on Facebook; I have one account specifically for profession information/groups/etc. I like the informal and formal groups that use Facebook as a meeting place and event organizer. I find that more “share” links also contain LinkedIn as well as Facebook icon (which was dominate prior), limiting the gap on which site produces more professional networking.

Currently have LISNPN on a RSS feed on my iGoogle home page. I hope to continue to follow this group as they redefine librarianship for the future.

I joined a long time ago but haven’t really explored ALAConnect (similar to the UK’s CILIP), I will probably use it more at point of need, such as when I am able to attend a conference I can be on top of the chapters and roundtables events.

Professional Organizations and other networking

I have been a member of ALA and ACRL since my second year in my MLIS program (they really do have great rates for students!). I was able to attend a local ALA conference and experience those phenomenon’s first hand. I was also able to distinguish the divisions of as well as the overlap of librarianship in the content of the sessions.

At my current company I was encourage to join certain pertinent groups and found a local group that focused on my “new” interest in instruction. I do believe that because of my small involvement I would join other local groups and grow my network of fellow librarians.  

A local California chapter was soliciting mentees and mentors. I quickly signed up and received a mentor in March. She has been a wealth of information. I am a little too independent at times and we are currently out of touch although she is available I am not in meltdown mode just yet. Her insight has truly helped me, with new ideas or reconfirming some of my own thoughts in our field of instruction.

I love the story of my first networking experience in my new librarian position. Shortly after accepting my first position I went on a long awaited trip to Europe. I suppose due to the time of school release our fellow passengers were almost exclusively in the educational field. I soon became acquainted with a retired librarian. She worked at my neighborhood public library in her first years and her sister was coming up on retirement as a local public library director. Through her I was able to discuss academic librarianship with the currently director of local CSU. In the following months I was able to have a lunch date with her, her sister and an empty central library.

Since I am just a year and half into my first position in the field I am concentrating on learning the ropes one step at a time. I have not since contacted these lovely women since our first encounters. I would have no qualms about contacting them in the event I had a question on leadership or change of course in the field.

As you can see I am a little relaxed about channeling strong networks, however it is a fault I recognize and hope to correct in the future.