Mary Lambert
MLIS Capstone
SLO #5
SLO #5 The student engages in professional development and service and identifies specializations and related professional organizations as relevant to individual interests.
The world of information in which librarians work is forever changing and so are the needs of their patrons. To adapt to these changes and ensure we are able to meet the needs of our communities, it is essential that we never stop working on our own personal and professional growth. Fortunately, there are lots of avenues we can pursue to do just this. From attending or leading professional development, to joining professional organizations, such as the American Library Association (ALA) and the North Carolina Library Association (NCLA), there are multiple ways librarians can improve themselves and build their Professional Learning Network.
When I began grad school in 2014, I was introduced to the ALA and NCLA and was easily persuaded to become a member of both. I have yet to regret that decision. As a member of these amazing organizations, I have access to countless webinars, articles, discussion groups, professional development workshops, and even conventions that help bring librarians together in hopes of improving all areas of librarianship. These organizations work diligently to promote intellectual freedom and support librarians across the country who are dedicated to ensuring each and every member of their communities has access to the information they need and when they need it. Although I have not attended a round table meeting or actively participated in these groups as of yet, I have found the resources they offer invaluable and have made great use of them. During my Practicum I have consulted the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) website countless times in search of guidance in establishing and growing teen services. When I was tasked with putting Teen Read Week into motion, I was grateful for the list of activities they provided as well as the links to related sources. With the guidance I found here, I successfully set up several contests and activities in celebration of Teen Read Week. These resources prove that librarians are, in fact, collaborators and dedicated not only to their personal libraries, but to building better libraries everywhere. As I continue my career, I will continually tap into the wealth of information these organizations provide and proudly contribute to the pool in any way possible.
In LIS 625, I was tasked with creating a Professional Learning Network. We were directed to set up Twitter and Facebook accounts, and make connections with classmates, professional librarians, instructors, and library-related organizations and groups. Although I originally struggled to see the value in this, or the amount of value our instructor was placing on it, since doing so I can say without a doubt that it has helped me grow both personally and professionally. I regularly pose questions to the members of the ALA Think Tank on Facebook and am always appreciative of their advice and/or suggestions. Because many of these professionals have considerably more experience than I do, I have found myself feeling mentored and guided at times when I was truly struggling. With their assistance, I was able to draft a plan for a hybrid book club for teenagers and create an ongoing list of passive activities for the teen maker area at my Practicum location. Of course, connecting with librarians via Twitter has also been eye-opening. Many librarians use this medium to openly share their struggles and their victories, both of which provide priceless lessons. Because of these positive experiences, I have put great effort into building and sustaining my network and will continue to do so in the future because, as librarians, these connections are simply invaluable.
Of course, my Practicum at the Southern Pines Public Library has been the ultimate professional development experience because, rather than watching from the sidelines, I have become actively involved in librarianship. From the beginning, my supervisor and I developed specific goals to focus on and briefly discussed the means in which I would go about accomplishing them. The main focus during my internship has been building the teen services program. To do this, I would have to rely on my supervisor, members of the Teen Services Committee, local school systems, and my own personal research. At times I struggled, sorely wishing I had more guidance, but I am proud to report that this struggle has helped me become more independent and less reliant on others. Although I prefer to have someone to bounce ideas off of, this perk is not guaranteed in the professional world and I am happy to have gained confidence in myself and my ability to work independently. Even though my goals are still a work in progress, and will continue to be so after my departure from the library, I have gained a considerable amount of hands-on, practical experience that will surely transfer over into professional librarianship and improve my value as both a leader and an employee.
For librarians, as well as other professionals, connecting with other experts through professional organizations and Professional Learning Networks is vital. There is nothing more powerful than a group of intellectuals who are willing to work together and learn from one another to better serve their communities. As keepers and distributors of knowledge, it only makes sense that we unite and work as a team to accomplish our goals of creating an informed society. To do this, we must be willing to not only learn, but also teach. Professional development, both leading and guiding, must be a part of every librarian’s professional growth plan if they are to effectively meet the needs of those they serve. Without the willingness to evolve and make connections, we are sure to become insignificant and lose our value altogether.
