Thing 17: Opening my Prezi!

I have had a quick nose around Slideshare, but I’ve concentrated most of my efforts for this Thing on Prezi. This is entirely new to me and I have to say I’ve really rather enjoyed getting to grips with it. It is an utterly different kettle of fish to the now much familiar PowerPoint presentation. You know pretty much what you are going to get with PowerPoint (no offence) but Prezi is indeed rather dynamic! Moving well away from linear presentation styles and allowing a more free-flowing, bells and whistles approach! I’m really rather taken with it!

Does take a bit of getting used to getting a handle on the different features (all that talk of bubbles and zebras) and generally overcoming some initial bouts of motion sickness from some of the whizzing about, but once you’ve got that sorted it is actually quite fun! There was a helpful video on YouTube which I made reference to which helped me to get a handle on things. Then I was off playing about with it! Even some very basic and frankly shoddy creations ended up looking relatively swish (though they were quickly deleted for fear of initial trials being actually seen and judged).

Admittedly I think creating a Prezi does definitely benefit from having a bit of a plan of action laid down before you start (as the very sage Ned Potter advises), just so you know where you are going and don’t end up roving all over the place and making yourself dizzy!

This will be a marvellous tool for future presentations or generally using to get some ideas across. Indeed, I’ve already got a little project in mind for it….watch this space!

Thing 16: Use it or lose it, advocating things!

Have to admit initially I was rather daunted about tackling this thing, as I wasn’t really sure what I would have to contribute. I don’t really feel I have done much advocating in any formal sense. I haven’t had anything published on the subject and I certainly haven’t crossed the divide from advocacy to activism on behalf of libraries (I have done a bit of placard shaking when younger in defence of ducks of all things…...don’t ask!) Saying this though I do take an active interest (as we all should) in the current state of libraries- their position and future and one of the initial things that I wanted to gain from cpd23 was more current awareness (and with greater knowledge I hope that I can make a meaningful contribution with regards to advocacy).  This is something I have pursued and I follow groups such a Voices for the Library, the Library Campaign, We Need Libraries etc. and various blogs.

However, having thought about things a bit more I suppose I have played a small hand in advocating libraries. I sign petitions in support of threatened libraries (for example the recent Mendham petition to save this precious collection from dispersal) and would encourage others to follow suit (here’s a link to this particular petition by the way, if you too would like to sign). Also, I’m all for (as a family phrase runs) giving ‘praise where praise is due’, offering positive feedback on the marvellous work of libraries and librarians.

I’ve also been lucky enough to be involved in a small degree in encouraging younger users to gain an appreciation of the fantastic resources and opportunities which the library and glorious librarians can offer (start them young I say…..I was hooked from a young age!) Indeed something I’m very desirous to achieve in my career is opening people’s eyes to libraries and archives and all that can be gained from them and their ultimate value to all.

I think something that everyone should try and do by way of advocacy is simply using libraries and the sad fact is that in this day and age it is a case of ‘use them or lose them’, which would be an absolute tragedy. I for one am an avid library user and proud (quick get me a soap box!)!

Things 5 and 19: Reflections on the state of Things

Right time to start thinking about reflecting on what I have learnt so far (sorry rather overdue), although I have to say the whole keeping a blog thing is a good exercise generally in reflective practice. It has certainly given me the opportunity to follow a sort of ‘identify, do, consider, discuss’ course which is good for keeping me organised and thinking! I identify what needs to be done, have a go at doing it, consider what I’ve gleaned from it and then have a witter about it on my blog. Indeed, I have to say that out of all the things I’ve done so far through the course, keeping a blog has been a bit of a revelation! I enjoy making postings (keeps me amused if no one else) and it is good to look back over my old postings and see how far I’ve come!  Feels like a rather bizarre online time capsule, if you will! Something I can open up at a later date and think ‘oo is that really how I felt about so and so?’, ‘why on earth was I worried about that?’ or ‘oh crumbs, I still need to do that!’

 The most important element that I have gleaned from cpd23 which I will integrate into my working life is without doubt confidence!  I have learnt a vast range of new skills and tools, but the confidence this has afforded me will be invaluable. I am now far braver about trying new things and giving things a go. In particular things such as creating an online presence for myself was previously really rather daunting and the thought of ‘putting myself out there’ was something I had admittedly shied away from in the past, but I have definitely grown to see the value of this now!

Through cpd23 I have learned and gained a massive amount- from organising myself with things like Google Calendar and EverNote, keeping up to date with RSS feeds, interacting with the wider library community through social networking and sharing and the potential for collaborative projects with things like Google Drive and different ways to present ideas with things like Jing.  I’ve also really benefitted from hearing other people’s experiences, learning from everyone at different stages in their careers- from trainees to professionals.  I definitely feel more poised to go into the workplace and make more of a contribution now that I am armed with the tools that I have learnt and hopefully I can share this with others too!

Thing 18: By Jing(o)!

Screen capture for me has amounted in the past to no more than the PrtSc button on my keyboard and the closest I’ve ever come to podcasting has involved growing peas, so Thing 18 was a bit different for me! Having read the posting on cpd23 and watched some of the suggested videos, I also went and had a poke at those offered on the free Alison course page (really not going to rock the world a great deal, but they do the job of offering an overview of what’s what if anyone is interested). 

Jing all looks remarkably straightforward, which is what I like (why make life more complicated I say). The download was simple enough, although had to stall a bit in order to install Microsoft .Net Framework 4 (???)  which you apparently need to have Jing (I just let it do its thing) and then Jing itself was done in a flash. Then all that was needed was the basic registration (another password to remember…feel like I’m collecting them at the moment!) and off you go!

First thing I tackled upon installation was to add a customised ‘Embed’ button so that I could add my Jing ‘captures’ to my blog (i.e. a button that would give me the HTML code). Again, very easy to do (here’s the video of how to do it just in case). And now I’m up and running!

Confession time, I’ve not downloaded or got into the podcasting stuff as yet in terms of making my own. I have listened to some and quality can be rather hit and miss (heard one the other day that sounded like it had a door constantly banging in the background…drove me a bit potty). Just don’t feel I have need of this for now, maybe one day I’ll think ‘oo you know what this needs? A podcast’ and in fairness, I’ll know what to do to make it happen (which is handy, thank you very much)! But at the present moment I’ll stick to being an audience member.

Ah well, here’s my very first Jing Thing:

Thing 14: With Reference to Mendeley(ing) my Ways!

Like others, I too manually input my references and bibliography for my degree (…are those violins I hear playing? Oh and before you ask, no I wasn’t using a quill when I wrote my essays!) I don’t recall any mention of referencing tools being made at the time for some reason, but in case those out there think I live in a cave I have subsequently been made aware of EndNote and RefWorks (just haven’t got my hands on either properly as yet). I can’t really complain about this state of affairs, I was quite content to add my references and what not in this way as I could make sure that it was all done, as my Grandmother would say, ‘in the proper manner’ (I like to check and double check things and check again…wait that’s OCD isn’t it?) Having said that the prospect of a nice little tool to help me on my way is rather appealing and although at the moment there is no pressing need for me to have this (bar knowing about it in order to help others and generally being beaky) in the future when it comes to doing my M.A. and getting back into writing essays this would be rather handy.

I wavered between having a crack at Zotero or Mendeley, but opted in the end for Mendeley having read other people’s blog posts about it and I rather liked the supporting videos that the website offered (I do like a good introductory video), as well as the group/collaborative potential that Mendeley has. I’m also rather pleased with the annotation function.

It was very easy to download, which has earned it some extra Brownie points from me! However, it is early days yet in my exploration of this tool, but so far so good. All in all though it seems rather straight forward! Onwards and upwards!

Thing 15: Attending to Things....a standing oration!

Without wishing to sound like a stuck record, I haven't had much experience of attending conferences or of public speaking, yet. I lay stress on the yet as it is something that I want and hope to do, just feel a little that it would be something I would be more comfortable with when I've landed myself a professional position (particularly with regards to giving my own presentation...would want to feel that I had plenty to witter about and would not, Heaven forfend, bore a crowd to tears). Having said that I have given little talks to small groups of people and it is a struggle (I have found) to squeeze all the information in within a small time frame-particularly if like me, there is the tendency to get overexcited and carried away...that's when the wild gesticulating starts, of dear! I have in the past attended a lecture in a museum, when just such an instance occurred and there was the rather unfortunate problem of the audience leaving en masse amid a particularly effusive section of the talk for fear of missing their trains and buses...I suppose therefore, timing really is everything!

 It has been good to read the tips and advice about presenting and attending conferences, so I do feel forearmed for the time when I do get to engage with this side of things.

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.