As library people it can be useful to hear from others in the library world and learn from their experiences, especially if they’ve been in the profession for awhile! We thought this blog might be a helpful resource, particularly if you are a new librarian. (Plus she features plenty of cat pictures, always a plus!)
Librarian Jessica Olin has been in the library profession since 2003 and she writes about her experiences on her blog Letters to a Young Librarian. In this post, she’s celebrating six years of blogging about library life and shares some of her favorites posts from the past:
Nice vs. Kind “This is such an important distinction that so many people miss. Yes, librarianship is a helping profession, but we don’t help people when we are nice at the expense of all else.”
At CMLE, we want to provide our members with information on all kinds of issues that they may encounter in their library workplaces. And we want to be sure we have a wide variety of voices here to pass on information, experiences (good and bad!), suggestions, tips, and just general information that others could find helpful. Everyone has a story to share, experience to pass on, and ideas to contribute to make us all stronger!
We are actively soliciting for members to share their stories with us! We want to get all our CMLE members to share with each other here on our blog.
What could you write about?
a program that was fantastic, everything went smoothly, and you think other libraries could adopt
a program that was a disaster from start to finish, and you have a cautionary tale to terrify other libraries (Halloween is coming up, after all)
a program that fell somewhere between these two extremes
a database your users really like
a new technology you tried
some collection development or cataloging strategies you have developed over the years, that could make things easier/faster/more efficient for other people
a problem you are facing, where you could really use some advice from other people who have also been there
your library’s garden
your library’s pet
your library’s pet rock
quick tips to make scheduling easier
the cutest thing that happened last week
the scariest think that happened last week
the marketing plan you just wrote
your special, patented, never-fail strategy for ensuring your printers never jam! (okay – if you have this one, we DEFINITELY want it!)
Are we worried about perfection in writing up these stories? Nope!
Are we looking only for people who are amazing, perfect writers? No way!
Are we available to brainstorm with you, help with writing, and do the formatting and such to get your work posted and shared with CMLE? You bet!!
You can contribute a paragraph, a page, or longer! Not all information to be shared needs the same amount of discussion, so things are flexible here for you.
In addition to being open to almost anything you guys want to share and discuss, we are putting out a call for some specific topics. CMLE will be offering Monthly Topic themes, with blog posts and training focused all in an area that should be helpful to our members. We really want to hear from you and to share your stories, ideas, suggestions, and whatever else you have to share on our monthly topics. You can get your material ready any time, and we will hold onto it until the topical month comes up.
Image by AJC1. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
If you are registered in the 23 Mobile Things program, Thing 1 involves setting up a new blog, or refreshing an old blog! Whether you are new to blogging or you wonder how much you really know about blogging, the Free Technology for Teachers site offers a short guide to blogging terminology. For instance, do you understand the use of a permalink? Check it out here ; perfect your blogging skills to rockstar status!
Image by Maria Reyes-McDavis. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
The best writers are able to adjust the style of writing to fit the intended audience. Blogging is a web-based, log of information generated by a user(s.)It is often reflective and a less formal medium for writers to share content and deliberate.
In an article by Edudemic, Dr. Patricia Fioriello talks about how blogging helps improve general writing and critical thinking skills at any age. Fioriello encourages this medium to engage reluctant writers stating, “Blogging helps students find their voice.” She further discusses the positive influences it has on writing in the article, How Blogging Can Help Reluctant Writers(August, 2013.)
The Blogger has over 46 million unique visitors each month
Tip: Check out this year’s top ranked blog for school libraries, Blue Skunk.
Don’t forget, about the 23 Mobile Things Program starting soon. Participants from the library profession will be asked to blog about their experiences testing new apps. Click here to learn more about this program.
Image by lukew. Retrieved from Flickr. Used under Creative Commons’ licensing.
Over five years ago, the seven regional Minnesota multitype library systems brought you 23 Things on a Stick, a self-paced learning program about Web 2.0 tools. Over 300 people in our Central Minnesota region engaged in the self-paced online learning fun, and we had a large group of people who finished the program too!
When it comes to technology, five years is a long time and there have been a lot of changes. A big change is the shift to mobile devices. We know that PCs are on the decline and mobile devices are skyrocketing. Therefore, we think it only makes sense to continue the learning with a focus on “mobile.” This version of the program will also be a self-paced learning program that will identify 23 types of apps for you to explore or take to a whole new level. As we did in the original program, we will be asking participants to blog about their progress through the program. As noted by a participant from the past program, “the blog posts are where the real sharing happens. By reading the blogs of others in the program, I can easily see how others in the field are using the tools in their work setting, and sometimes in their personal lives too. This application piece is what creates the ‘stickiness’ I need to retain new information”
The program will be open to all staff in any Minnesota library – public, academic, school, or special – as well as members of their Governing Boards, their Friends groups, or Advisory Groups. Experienced users as well as novices and everyone in between are invited to join. Although this is a self-paced and self-directed program, CMLE staffers and additional coaches will be monitoring, coaching, and encouraging bloggers from Aitkin, Benton, Chisago, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Pine, Sherburne, Stearns, Todd and Wright counties in Minnesota.
CMLE may offer some workshops to support this program, but not for every Thing. This is a self-paced program, and participants are encouraged to work together in their libraries or region and share their discoveries and techniques. Sharing can happen in person or through participant blogs. Registration happens as part of Thing 1 (projected for January), so be thinking about which mobile device you might use, and stay tuned for future updates!
Partnering with libraries for visioning, advocating, and educating
As library people it can be useful to hear from others in the library world and learn from their experiences, especially if they’ve been in the profession for awhile! We thought this blog might be a helpful resource, particularly if you are a new librarian. (Plus she features plenty of cat pictures, always a plus!)
