Putting myself forward

I have already mentioned in previous posts that I am the Student Rep for the MSc, and a few weeks ago I went to the first committee meeting (which was oddly interesting!)

After an interesting session of ‘Research and Practice’ however, I realised that I need to become more actively involved with CILIP (of which I am a member, but very guilty of not really doing anything further than that). There were some visiting speakers, all of whom were ‘new professionals’ within the last five years or so, and if anything I felt enthused after their talk (and not at all gloomy at the prospect of trying to find a job in the future).

One of the speakers (who didn’t actually get to give her talk due to time, but participated in the Q&A session afterwards) is a committee member of the North West branch of CILIP; and she encouraged us to get involved. Furthermore, mentioned that they could do with some MMU student members on the committee.

Well, aware that I need to try to ‘bumpf’ up my CV and experiences as much as possible, I emailed that very night asking to be considered for Student Rep and am toddling along to the NW CILIP committee meeting tomorrow.

I also enquired about joining the NW Career Development Group committee and heard back this weekend; will be getting involved in that too!

I am aware of the need for library advocacy at the moment more than anything, but I know that I can be shy. Thus, I thought putting myself forward for these committees (in which I can learn new skills and develop those I already have) will be a step (albeit small, in the grand scheme of things) in the right direction!

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Video: Information R/evolution

In the first ‘Information and Knowledge Management’ lecture we were shown this video which looks at how we can and do use, store and retrieve information; and how that can and is changing.

 

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First week as an LIS student

Well, my first week at library school is over; and I feel like a whole load of information has been flung at me! I have started my new modules and so far am interested and keen on all of them; I have met new people from a range of backgrounds; and have already been given some coursework to start looking at!

*****

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Starting Library School

Well, induction day was last week, and a part of me just wants get on with it now. My lectures are on a Monday and Wednesday; so the first lessons are tomorrow!

The induction day had a lot of introductory information (re. the university, the courses and the modules) but also information about work placements and the dissertation we need to write next year. I’ve had some ideas for the dissertation topic, but it is still early days and I can have a good think over the next few months.

We also had a session on ‘Moodle’ which is MMU’s virtual learning environment where students can access their email and any course information. It seems fairly straight forward to be honest; and I am usually quick to learn my way around such things.

Leading up to the induction day I had been thinking of switching to the MSc (Information Management) instead of studying the MA. In my funding interview, the tutor said with my background (NHS Evidence specialist collections) the MSc might better suit my previous experience and future roles. Furthermore, having enrolled online a few weeks ago we gained access to view the modules on offer this year, and it was the MSc modules which caught my eye; in particular, ‘Information and Knowledge Management’ and ‘Web and Search Applications’. After briefly discussing it with a senior tutor last week, I have switched and am now enrolled on the MSc!

So, the modules I will be studying are:

• Designing Online Learning
• Information and Knowledge Management
• Management
• Research and Practice
• Search and Retrieval
• Web and Search Applications

I am particularly excited about the Designing Online Learning as I think this will become such a prominent part of information management; expanding out into ‘library user learning’.

No doubt I will be posting about the lessons soon enough!

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Library school, here I come!

Hello; it has been a long time since I posted here, and I have no excuse other than I am not entirely sure where 2011 has gone…

Anyway, I finally got around to changing the blog title (seeing as a) I am no longer a library trainee, and b) I am no longer in Oxford). As such, you can see a theme emerging from my new blog title – this will inevitably change when I finish library school!

As for a quick update on what I have been doing for the past year:

• September 2010 – March 2011: I continued working on the NHS Evidence – women’s health specialist collection, and was very sad for it to end. NHS Evidence had already decided (well before I was even offered the position of library assistant within the collection) to amalgamate all 30-odd collections into three separate “evidence-hubs”. With all the government cuts flying around all over the place, it was inevitable that the NHS (and more specifically here, NICE) would join in; however, many fantastic information specialists who I got to know over the 18 months I worked there lost their jobs due to this re-shuffle. Hopefully, everyone has found a new position and is happy.
• I had a period of not working between April 2011 and June 2011, and am not ashamed to say I enjoyed being able to read as much as I could! Although, with the rate that I buy books, my ‘to-read bookshelf’ (it’s too big to be a ‘to-read pile’) is just the same…. I also went on holiday, and complained about the Jobcentre (but that is a WHOLE other topic which I will not even get into!)
• Starting 1st July 2011, I entered the world of archives when I managed to get a part-time position at Lancaster University. I have already started drafting a post relating to my experiences there however, so I will not go on about it here. Suffice to say, it is a whole other world; and as much as I enjoy it, I know I am on the right path with library and information management!

Lastly, coming back to the title of my post… Library school, here I come!

Or; MMU, here I come, as it were.

In a few weeks I commence my MA in Library and Information Management; and to my extreme pleasure, I was awarded the AHRC funding to be able to do so. I am aware of how rare such funding is becoming, and am determined to try my very best this year and do well.

Now, I just need to choose my core option and elective modules!

*Choices, choices…*

 

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