Thing 6

Continuing with the catch up, here are my thoughts relating to Thing 6: Online networks...

I had knowledge and/or experience of using some of the sites mentioned within the cpd23 blog, and I explored some of those I didn't have much knowledge of, before writing this post. So here are a few of my thoughts...

I first came across LinkedIn when studying Librarianship. At the time, I could see it was a popular network, and I realised it would be worth signing up. I planned to do this when I had more time (I was busy with essays, the dissertation and so on) and/or when I had a post-qualification job. I do have more time now, in that I don't have to spend evenings and weekends studying (although job applications take up a lot of this time instead), but I don't yet have a library/information job. I do work as library assistant, but only part-time after reducing my hours to do the MA. For the majority of the time, I do a non-library related admin job. With this in mind, I'm not really sure how useful LinkedIn would be for me at this time. That is not to say that don't appreciate how useful it may be in the future. I explored the site via the profiles highlighted on the cpd23 blog. This was the first time I had actually explored LinkedIn, and I do like the look of it. When I start to do more work in the library/information sectors, and I (hopefully) start to progress in my career, I'm sure I will actively engage with this online network.

Facebook is one of the online networks that I have used before. I only joined Facebook when I started the MA course. Students on the course used Facebook to communicate, and so I thought it would be useful for me too. I have continued to use Facebook in a mainly 'professional' capacity. For example, other people include relevant and useful library-related information and links to information, and this adds to my current awareness. On another note, Facebook enables me to stay up to date with other things. I mentioned in my last post that I am now following a local museum project on Twitter - I also read the latest news and progress on their Facebook page. Also, it is a convenient way to keep in touch with the lovely people I met whilsy studying Librarianship, many of whom are now working as librarians. Reading back over this paragraph, I realise that I mainly use Facebook to stay up to date with news and information, as opposed to networking. Being more aware of this now, I will look at how I can extend my use of Facebook to networking in the future.

I remember becoming aware of LISNPN when helping out at the (CILIP) Career Development Group's New Professionals Conference in 2010. I have visited the site frequently since then. I read anything that attracts my interest within the forums (though I've not posted myself), and it is useful to see what events will be taking place. The network does provide the opportunity to engage with other new professionals wherever they may be based. The network seems to me to be a place to share information, offer and seek advice, and share experiences and perspectives. Though I'm not studying to be or working as a new professional at the moment, I think the site will be of value to me over the coming years.

I had not heard of the Librarians as Teachers Network before beginning Thing 6. As I don't have a job that involves teaching, it is not useful to me at this time. As time is short at the moment, I've not had chance to look at this network, so I can't say anything about it really. However, now that I do know about it, I will keep it in mind for the future.

I am a member of CILIP, and I do visit and read blogs via the CILIP blogs landscape section of the site. However, I don't know too much about the CILIP Communities beyond the blogs. I find it is of great value to read the blogs; through doing so, I am able to learn more and engage with the wider profession. I will make the effort to sign up to CILIP Communities, and explore this online network further.

So overall, I can see that online networks, including the ones mentioned above, have the potential to be very useful ('useful' being a word I seem to have repeated through this post!). Thing 6 has alerted me to networks I had little or no knowledge of previously, and has encouraged me to actively engage more with networks I am familiar with. I think I will explore online networks - particularly LinkedIn - again in the future, so another post on the topic may well appear at some point.