Thing 2

Well, I'm very much behind where I should be on the journey to complete 23 things, but I'm determined to finish!

So, finding blogs to follow. This is one of those areas where it feels like there is so, so much out there and learning the best way of mining the on-line world for my own little blog gems is something I really want to get to grips with.

I want to to follow bloggers from a variety of library and info sectors and a mix of countries, who keep things updated and point me in interesting directions. I'd also like to make sure I follow someone who is trying to achieve the same things I am in their job. So I'll be looking for someone who has a customer services focus, working in a forward thinking library.

Having a look at Thing 2 when those who have kept up are on thing 13 has turned out to be a good thing! People have already worked on their personal brand and as they have gone through the process have been posting some really interesting things.  I have to admit I feel a little ashamed when I look at my own blog so far and cringe at the thought of people finding it as part of their own investigations, but as I move through the 23 things, I'm sure I will learn ways of improving it, and get into the habit of keeping it updated.

Obviously there is a massive number of blogs created by all these keen CPD23ers and I've enjoyed dipping into them. So far, a couple that stood out for me, which I'm looking forward to revisiting are:

http://doreen70315.wordpress.com/ An Antipodean librarian - I really like the style of writing and pointers to other interesting things.

http://angellibrarian.wordpress.com/ A view from a librarian working in an international school in Bangkok. Enjoying reading her opinions about how CPD23 is going, but has just started to share wider interests.

Haven't found a blog through the participant list that has a customer service focus as yet......perhaps anyone stumbling across my blog who has seen one could leave me a comment pointing to it?

Does anyone have experience of using QR codes in libraries that they would be willing to share with me?  Leave your comments, or links to interesting things here please......thank you in advance.

Thing 1 - cpd23

Well, this is a first for me. I've started this blog with a slight sense of trepidation and a little tingle of excitement. I'm about to put myself out there; fortunately with the structure of following the lovely cpd23 things http://cpd23.blogspot.com/ to start with and from there, who knows?

So, what do I want to get out of cpd23? I completed my MSc in Information and Library Management in 2010, and am now working as an assistant librarian in the customer services team in an academic library. Since I finished my qualification I've been very busy loving my job and working away at helping to ensure our students get what they need from our library. Now I would like to get better at keeping up to date with professional matters and learning new skills to help with my professional development. I'm hoping that cpd23, and the other participants and professionals I meet through the course help me expand my professional knowledge and skill set.

The scary bits: Well, this is the major one - my writings on the web. I can certainly see the benefit of blogging for reflective writing and sharing ideas and I think the first post is the hardest, so hopefully it will get easier after this!

What I'm really looking forward to is putting it all together at the end, using bits and pieces of what I've learnt to contribute to the profession and learn from other professionals.