Things 6, 7 and 12: Catching up on Things- the net works! Being Sociable!

Having just returned from holiday, I thought it was about time that I did a bit of catching up (I currently feel a long way from beaches and cocktails now....sigh!).

 Things 6, 7 and 12 all seemed rather inter-related to me so I thought best to 'kill two birds with one stone' (or three in this case....what can I say, I am nothing if not a multi-tasker!). Following that train of thought, I have now very much got into the joys of Twitter. As mentioned previously it has indeed proved rather joyfully useful in keeping up-to-date with what's going on and has been very helpful for gaining information from those more knowledgeable and experienced than I. Indeed online networking has generally been particularly beneficial for this and I have now also joined LISNPN and it would be very good to take advantage of their 'real-life' networking opportunities at some point in the future. I am similarly already a member of CILIP, my special interest groups being Rare Books and Special Collections and Academic Libraries and I would be very keen to attend some of my local East of England Branch meetings, in the name of 'putting oneself out there', making contacts, learning more and sharing ideas.

 Admittedly in terms of the online networks, I have lurker tendencies. But I do find it really interesting to explore other areas of the profession outside my own areas of interest and particularly trying to glean general, pertinent information about recent developments and shifts in the profession. 

 I have definitely felt the benefit of good networks/networking during my voluntary experience, where I have been introduced to some amazing people and have had many great opportunities through simply connecting with people through people (if you see what I mean). It certainly is a case of 'who you know, not what you know' (well sort of- what you know, is in my humble opinion still rather important!) Nonetheless my point is, that I have gained opportunities that I may otherwise have missed  out on if it wasn't for drawing on the experiences and contacts of others. I hope that one day, I will be able to offer help to someone who is in my position now and help them along their career path as I have myself been helped.

Thing 4: Feeds and Tweeting- More of a Dodo than a Lark

I have now (finally) got round to starting my very own Twitter account, hurrah for me! I have thus far eschewed Facebook (can’t quite put my finger on why), but Twitter appeals to me more as I’m hopeful that it will be a useful tool for keeping up-to-date with the latest goings on in the library and archives world. I have subsequently decided that I shall keep Twitter ‘strictly business’, as it were (although I am currently trying to find a means to justify to myself that perhaps following Stephen Fry would be an entirely intellectual/professional  decision…does that sound convincing?)  With both RSS feeds and Twitter I think there is the danger of assuming the ‘child in a sweetshop’ or more pertinently in my case, the ‘girl in a bookshop’ mentality- i.e. getting a tad over excited and wanting everything!  I need to assume some kind of self-control in order to quell my primary urge of gathering in more than I can possibly read! There is a distinct risk of information overload with both of these tools (although this doesn’t sound like a bad way to go if you ask me!) At present I am quite content to lurk (in a completely non-sinister way) in the background of Twitter and keep an eye on what’s afoot. I shall get my act together soon and try and be more involved. I do however recall someone else saying (please forgive me, I cannot at present remember where or from whom I heard this) that with Twitter there is a sense of dropping in late to a conversation and missing the gist of what’s going on.  I hope this won’t be the case and I can keep up with those I’m following (still not sure about this following/followers lark- does alarmingly bring to mind cultic behaviours).

P.S. I have dexterously avoided mentioning Storify thus far as I can’t quite get my head round it just yet. One for the future methinks!