The Learning Professional

One of the reasons I’m so excited about becoming an information professional is the culture of lifelong learning. The librarians I’ve met seem to be enthusiastic and passionate, but cautious to a degree. They blend the academic with the creative, and traditional methods with bold new technologies. They’re always evolving, learning, teaching – which is something I’d like to aspire to.

Learning isn’t just about evidence-based practice, though that’s part of it, according to panellist Fiona Winston-Brown (Redcliffe & Caboolture medical libraries). It’s about experience, experimenting, developing your skills, and taking opportunities when you can. Jen Thomas (QUT) and Nova Watson (QUT, Rock n Roll Hall of Fame intern) encouraged thoughtful practice and out-of-the-box thinking. Jen’s position at SLQ allowed her the latitude to play within a physical and digital space. Displaying books by subject rather than Dewey proved popular with SLQ’s patrons. Jen was also able to push branding, promotional materials, and magazine subscriptions within the bounds of the APAC Design Library Project. I’d love to bring my marketing experience into the library, and design a program or space with patrons in mind.

Nova and Kate Davis (QUT lecturer & social media guru) emphasised that professional development is everyone’s responsibility, and it’s vital to be proactive. I’ve taken that advice to heart this semester, and have been mining (and contributing to) my PLN as I build up my network. Professional development has been a strong focus for me, from conferences to practicums to twitter and an article for InCite (January 2012). Kate says it’s important to contribute to the profession as learning professionals, and suggests reading to gain general knowledge, learn about current events, and predict trends.

I’ll be soaking up all the experiences I can, making connections, and sharing what I learn with other students and contacts. I don’t intend to stop learning once I have my Masters, either – as Nova says, graduation is only the start. I’m looking forward to putting theory into practice in my future career, and discovering new capabilities as a learning professional.

Workshop 5 - August 22 2011

MBTI: Understanding Who I Am

INFP - Introvert, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving.

I have done the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) several times over the last fifteen years, and I've always come out INFP. My type is representative of a small percentage of the general population - about 2% - and is sometimes called the Dreamer or Idealist.

It was strange to have an INN632 workshop on MBTI so early in the semester, before we all knew each other, because the test's results are quite personal. Because I had done the test many times before, and because I knew most of the cohort present, it didn't bother me - but I know it bothered others. (And now I have exhibited a typical sign of an INFP - worry over others' feelings.) In a professional setting, MBTI testing may not always be appropriate. Employees who are uncomfortable with sharing personal details may find it confronting, or out of place in a work setting. However, it can be useful as a way of learning a team's collective and individual skills, strengths, and weaknesses, and using that knowledge to manage the team's interactions. Of course, the manager would need to be sensitive to the individual, and take care not to immediately put a person into a box based on their personality type.

Some of the suggested careers for INFPs are ones I considered for myself - social worker, writer, teacher. I feel confident that my personality is suited to becoming a librarian, as well, and a career test I did with Centrelink in 2010 put 'librarian' in my top results.

In the MBTI workshop, we had a demonstration by different types that showed how they would deal with firing someone, and the results were quite amusing because it was obvious which type each person was. Next, we got into groups and were asked to lead a discussion on a topic of our choice, and had a finite number of paperclips each, which we surrendered whenever we contributed to the conversation. I was the one to suggest travel, knowing that most of the people in my group would have something to add. I used most of my paperclips to prompt other, more shy, members of our group into speaking. Even though I am classed as Introverted, I'm not automatically shy in a group of people I know.

It was an interesting workshop, and I can see the merits of MBTI in a professional setting. However, I think it may alienate some people, particularly new employees. The results could be used inappropriately by management or manipulative coworkers who read up on the types and misuse the knowledge of a colleague's personality. On the positive side, it could be used to reach someone on their level, not unlike teaching a new skill to a person according to their preferred mode of learning - auditory, visual or tactile. I do not believe there is a clear argument for or against the use of MBTI testing in the workplace - it should be considered on a case-by-case basis. It has helped me understand who I am and why I see the world the way I do, and I will likely continue to test myself every few years out of curiosity.

Workshop 4 - August 8, 2011

Legal & Ethical Issues for the LIS Professional

Workshop 6 - October 17, 2011

The wiki at http://schoollibraries2011.wikispaces.com/ emphasises that access to a well-funded, well-resourced school library is an equity issue. It's a place where concerned teachers, parents and librarians can come and express their opinions on what matters in school libraries. I've heard of several schools in Canada who have lost their teacher-librarians this year, so equity of service and available staff is definitely a contemporary issue. Another hot topic is the comparatively low literacy levels in Australia. Funding has been requested from the government to facilitate research in that area.

Sue Hutley of ALIA pointed to the Issues & Advocacy page on the ALIA site as a resource all librarians and LIS students should be familiar with. As librarians, we need to take a neutral stance, and consider the legal and ethical ramifications of our interactions with patrons and information. Running cybersafety programs in conjunction with Google and Yahoo is one way the library can assist its patrons in understanding privacy issues and the legalities of an online presence. Legal and ethical issues can arise in collections development, privacy concerns, government publications, and the development and implementation of best practices.

Ready access to information is a complex and relevant issue for LIS professionals. Professor Anne Fitzgerald spoke about copyright issues, and emphasised that openness is essential to innovation. It struck me that restricted information can be a barrier to those without access - for instance, journal subscriptions or image galleries - and these barriers can impede collective learning. So, how can we encourage others to make their work more readily available? It's difficult to discern the provenance of images and text online, without adherence to copyright by all parties. I've learned a little of copyright rules and creative commons licensing this semester, but it's something I'll need to keep up to date with.

Building a Research-led Profession

Workshop 3
May 9, 2011

Ann Gillespie spoke to us about evidence-based practice. In practical terms, this means:

• Converting information into answerable questions
• Finding the best available evidence to answer those questions
• Critically appraising the evidence for validity and usefulness
• Applying the results of that critical appraisal to your professional practice
• Evaluating whether it makes a difference to performance

Evidence-based librarianship has been around since about 1997, and evolved from medical librarians working in evidence-based medicine. Ann made a case for evidence-based practice, but she also pointed to its challenges. There is a lack of time practice it, a lack of confidence, a lack of research and critical appraisal skills, and a gap between the research questions that are asked and what is actually delivered.

I can see the lack of time being one of the biggest conflicts in a workplace. If your employer does not support EBP, it would be difficult to gain permission to spend time researching. Ideally, you could show a projected savings of time and/or money if a project or report is delivered using the principles of evidence-based practice. Unfortunately these resources are often put ahead of skills and expertise.

The class discussed the meanings of two words: Professional and Research. Our pair came close to the Australian Council of Professions definition, which included an adherence to standards, a public acceptance of their special skills and knowledge, and a high level of education and training. What we missed was a professional's willingness to use this knowledge and these skills to benefit others.

It was more challenging to pin down a definition of research. It's both a noun and a verb, so it can create something tangible, and it also requires action. It's also a way of finding out information, confirming facts, or gathering a basis for comparison. The definitions from Leedy and Ormorod (2005) made research into a logical progression. The detailed breakdown really helped me to see "behind the scenes" of research - the things you do without thinking about them.

Research involves more than looking up information; you must reflect on it or critically review it. Once you're actively researching, evidence-based practice can happen. Similarly to reflecting on experiences and learning, the application of knowledge is just as important as the gathering of knowledge.

I agree with the potential benefits of following EBL we discussed - higher standards, lower risk of failure, adding knowledge to the field, informing other practitioners, and providing solutions to problems. I hope to find a place of employment where EBL is encouraged, and in the meantime I will try to consider the wider outcomes of my own research.

What is the LIS Profession?

Workshop 2
April 11, 2011

Everyone has been asking me what kind of library I want to work in, but as new student I am ill equipped to answer this question. I was looking forward to hearing from real librarians.

Paula Callan - E-research Access Coordinator
Paula's special needs toy library interested me because in high school, I worked as a peer tutor for a special needs boy. I love the idea of seeing a need in the community and working out how to meet it.

Alex Main - Records Manager for the QLD Nurses' Union
Sofie Falkenbach - Web Content Manager at QLD Museum Library, and now QUT
Alex's role was unexpected; I've never thought about records management outside a business context, but now it seems obvious that information needs to be managed and catalogued and preserved. Sofie manages a lot of information in her role as well, and told us that metadata is very valuable.

Rachel Wray - Electronic Health Services Librarian
Fiona Winston-Brown - Library Manager of Caboolture & Redcliffe Hospitals
Rachel and Fiona's jobs seem like very important support roles. Rachel liaises between the state library and health libraries, and frequently uses reference interview techniques to learn what her clients need. Fiona is a solo librarian for two hospitals. I don't think I would enjoy working alone, but it suits Fiona. She is careful to note that she is an information specialist, not a medical specialist.

The panel was very diverse, but they agreed that you need people skills in the LIS profession. Because people may not understand what skills we have as librarians, we can help them by demonstrating what skills and ideas we have.

Kate Davis has told me I don't need to decide what 'type' of librarian I want to be yet, but until tonight I had no idea there were so many options! I noticed that three out of five panellists have "e" related roles. With the rise of all things digital, I expect there will be even more roles available by the time I graduate.

The speakers advised us to try different sectors, and take whatever work placements we can. At the moment, I think I'd be happy in a public, state, or academic library. Law and medical libraries don't appeal to me; I think I would prefer the variety of local people and students walking through the doors.

This workshop gave me a much better idea of the specifics of a library job, but it left me thinking about the wider world of information professionals.

Being a Reflective Practitioner

Workshop 1
28 March, 2011

Lynn McAllister introduced us to QUT's ePortfolio system and the language used, including experiences, artefacts, portfolio views, and releases. I like the idea of recording experiences, and having a framework for learning, like the ALIA core skills.

I found the platform itself plain, with little room for creativity, so I decided immediately that I would build my ePortfolio with an alternate application. I'm very familiar with Blogger, but I would like to learn WordPress. Another option suggested by a classmate was Pebble Pad. In the end I went with Blogger and built a secondary professional blog with WordPress. Ideally I'd like just one professional home, but the requirements for INN632 and my vision for my blog don't match, unfortunately.

The idea of being a reflective practitioner is new to me. I've never been in a position to plan my own professional development or consider how I've progressed in my career. In my personal life I am naturally reflective, or at least thoughtful, but it's unsettling to think I will publicly analyse my journey as a professional.

I do take my work seriously, and I have always been a conscientious employee. Yet I'm happy in the background, quietly achieving. Peta Hopkins' talk is certainly food for thought. I'm not currently on LinkedIn or Twitter, so I will likely dip my toes in and see how that goes. Although I'm comfortable blogging about my travels under my first name, it's clear I'll have to add my surname to any library-related posts. If I were an employer, I wouldn't want to hire a new grad that had no discernable online presence.

My previous degree in English Literature has not prepared me for the amount of reflection ahead of me. I can see that it will be beneficial to gauge my learning, though, and as a way to set achievable goals for myself. Hopefully I'll use reflections as a way to keep track of my professional development activities in the future, and see what I've accomplished and how I've changed.