Back on Track with CPD23 2012...CPD23 Thing 1: Blogs and Blogging

There have been many changes in the past few months, most notably that I am now working as a Library and Information Assistant at the Natural History Museum Library (more on that in a later post and later in this section).
But I am now taking another stab at CPD23 and hoping to make it to the end this time around.
OK, so here goes:

I am taking part in CPD23 because I beleive that it will be useful not only for developing increasingly necessary skills in social media, but also because it will help to hone skills that I already possess, and perhaps allow me to learn new and creative ways of using these skills. In addition, I think that the CPD23 programme will enable greater networking with librarians and information professionals at all stages of their careers in many different library and information management settings. I'm looking forward to getting involved and to meeting some of the other participants, even if only on-line!

A bit about me and my career so far: I started off as a biologist, but always spent a lot of time frequenting the library, both for research and also for pleasure. I essentially had a "lucky stumble" into librarianship when I started work as a graduate library trainee at the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford. There, I had the chance to work at the Radcliffe Science Library, the Alexander Library of Ornithology and the Sherardian Library of Plant Taxonomy, which I found to be the perfect synthesis of many of my interests in science, science communication and librarianship. Through the traineeship, I was able to delve into many aspects of librarianship, from serials accessioning to reader services and research support and even rare book cataloging. I was inspired, and was very eager to learn more. The following year, I was hired as a library assistant at the Theology Faculty Library, and then as a Library and Information Assistant at the Natural History Museum Library. I hope to start studying part-time for a LIS postgraduate degree programme in September.

As for blogging, I enjoy writing, and hope that this programme will help me to improve and develop my on-line presence, in addition to enabling me to extend my knowledge of other programmes (I have yet to explore Tumblr and Posterous, for example). I'm looking forward to exploring more Things!

CPD 23 Things 1 & 2: Blogs and Blogging

This post is part of the CPD23 Things Programme.

Following the completion of the Oxford 23 Things programme, and after hearing much ado on Twitter (#cpd23) and Helen Murphy's presentation at the CILIP New Professionals Conference in Manchester, I thought that I might give the CPD 23 Things a go. It is becoming increasingly important for information professionals to become tech-savvy, and having an on-line presence is also invaluable, both for prospective employers and as a record of professional development.

For Thing 1, I thought that I would be a bit lazy and continue to use this current blog, L-Space Lab Bench. I also blog on the Oxford Graduate Trainee blog, but now that my traineeship has ended, I hope to make my own way in the blogosphere. I have also set up another Blogger blog, Librarian Leap of Faith, on which I have yet to post, but hope to make a forum for my work in the Theology Faculty Library at Oxford University. 

Blogging has always been something which I find both interesting and also somewhat nerve-wracking. While I like writing, I feel that I need to do more of it, and I also worry that my blog posts are not very profound or merely state the obvious. I hope that the CPD23 Programme will not only enable me to "improve" my blogging, but also help me to develop and hone my current professional skill set whilst learning some new skills. Finally, I hope that the CPD23 programme will also enable me to connect with other LIS professionals and further both my commitment to librarianship and becoming an "information professional" in both the real and virtual worlds.

So, now that I have completed CPD 23 Thing 1 with this initial blogpost, I will list some of the blogs that I have explored for Thing 2. I really enjoy reading the posts by Simon Barron (@SimonXIX), as I find them both inspiring and insightful. His blog, Undaimonia, is well-written and thought-provoking. Likewise, Helen Murphy's blog, Library Wanderer is entertaining as well as "practical" in its structure. I regularly follow my colleague, Ollie Bridle (RSLBiochem) at the Radcliffe Science Library, as his ideas for uses of technology in the libraries is quite interesting, and often link to thought-provoking material of interest to a subject librarian in the biosciences (one of my career aspirations). I have also been followng the blogs of Sarah Maule (Sarah Said Library) and Laura's Dark Archive. Finally, as I have a great interest in natural history, museums and the sciences, I have been following the blogs of the Royal Society Library and the Library and Archives at Kew, among many others. These blogs provide a great glimpse into other types of librarianship, and are very useful resources. I'm looking forward to my next forrays into the blogosphere...