PART 3 - Eportfolio for Future Librarian
A SUMMARY OF WHAT WAS REFLECTED AND LEARNT IN THE 7 WORKSHOPS FOR INN634
Introduction
Workshop 1: 8th March - The Reflective Practitioner
A reflective practitioner is a person who regularly reflect the work they have done and its progress and looks for a way of improving it to a better standard. MIT(LIS- library and information science) gives you an opportunity to be a reflective practitioner. The eportfolio provided a cohesive and reflective space that enabled me to reflect and understand different ways of operating in my studies. The QUT ePortfolio system enables keeping of a portable record of work for reflective purposes in INN634 (Library Association, 2012).
Reflection allows one develop positively in a carrier by enhancing problem solving skills, facilitating learning from experience and also deepens the quality of learning. MIT(LIS) is designed in a way that empowers experts to comprehend how they utilize their information as a part of viable scenarios and how they can join together practice and studying in a more effective way. Through great conscious of how they convey their learning in practical scenarios, experts can build their abilities of studying in a timely manner thus improve on their skills. LinkedIn plays a major role in managing the eportfolio.
Workshop 2: 15th march - understanding oneself.
Understanding who you are Important in both personal and professional life so as to perform effectively in the LIS profession. I learnt my type of personality by simply completing an online version of Myers Brigss Type Indicator available at: http://www.personalitytest.net/cgi-bin/q.pl . The given personality sounds exactly like me, Kasia. My personality impacts positively on my professional practice though it has some strengths and weaknesses. Hard work and honesty strengthen profession while a weakness such as calmness derails it. My Personality traits are critical for one to be a successful librarian or information worker. Communicational and technological skills, teamwork, research, transparency, integrity, high level of education and industriousness are very important for one to be a successful library and information profession. A librarian always dream on how to provide the best services. The LIS profession is a critical organizational resource who can greatly influence other departments, the community and catalyze innovations by the management.
Workshop 3: 22nd March - what is the LIS profession?
LIS is a broad and wide profession. Frequently asked questions about LIS include ‘’what type of work is done by a LIS profession?” I realized that a LIS profession does several duties. They are advocates, consultants, researchers, web designers, guiders, intermediary, content managers and facilitators.
‘’ where can qualifications in LIS take someone?’’ qualifications in LIS can land someone in many fields but I decided that I want to land in the field of web designing. I view the LIS profession as a very enjoyable and rewarding profession since I feel that I have the necessary qualities and can still improve in those that I’m weak in. LIS is a broad and wide profession that started in the early 1880s. Since then it has undergone lots of changes to become what it is today. With the current technological advancements, LIS will advance even further and attract more people.
Workshop 4: 12 April - Becoming a learning profession
LIS is a learning profession. Those in this field are well learned individuals with the necessary knowledge, attributes and skills. They have gone through various learning institutions to obtain vast and wide skills that enable them to perform effectively. Even as professions, they still have the learning culture and ready to go for further studies so as to better their knowledge hence boost their performance in the workplace. They constantly review their skills so as to keep up with the rapidly changing technologies, customer needs and priorities. They accept corrections at any time when they go astray. They know that corrections will help them to improve their performances in future. The professions constantly research on information and how to effective meet the changing needs in the library and information sector. The LIS profession is therefore deeply grounded on the learning culture and a mindset of change and improvement. This helps in developing the sector.
Workshop 5: 26th April- Research led libraries
A profession renders specialized services according to their knowledge and skills, has a public obligation, contributes to the society through their knowledge, skills and efforts, receives a reward for serving the public and is bound by specific ethics and code of conduct towards the public (Coleman, 2012). Therefore, LIS qualifies as a profession since it meets all these features. Individuals in the profession should engage actively in building a professional body of knowledge.
The LIS profession highly granulated in a society of proof based practice. Research done to find out a given aspect is based on the evidence available. Though challenging, the research enables one to learn so much about themselves and the information library. This helps in the discovery of concepts and aspects that can actually be proved and measured. This helps in the development of LIS and proper service delivery. This results to widespread sharing of knowledge and information.
In recent years, GLAM has risen. Galleries, libraries, archives and museums are cultural institutions with a similar focus and intent hence the convergence (Library Association, 2012). The GLAM concepts are closely related since they both revolve around knowledge, information and culture. They are compliments of each other. Basically, they all store information that might be required by scholars and researchers.
The library and information profession is very active and networked on the net. I learnt how to create my LinkedIn profile that will showcase me as a future library and information professional. This profile allows me to share information with other LIS professions, students and the general public. This has enhanced my knowledge and skills since I can now share information from other sources such as libraries and archive. It has also helped me gain skills that have greatly boosted my performance in the career.
Evidence of professional work
I’m voluntarily working in a public library where I gained knowledge of library skills and a high degree of customer relation. I help patrons with their requests and enquiries. I offer references and directions to patrons or even advise them on the best solution. I give patrons flyers that have activities or programs that interest them. I have promoted activities and programs that are offered in the library. I strictly follow our library calendar. I assist in preparation and reading of the Children’s Storytime session. I also assist in preparation of meeting rooms and electronic materials required for sessions in the library. Embarc, Spydus, Pharos and Elims are some of the library software applications that I’m highly experienced in. due to this vast knowledge and experience in library works I can work effectively and efficiently with or without supervision. Hard work, integrity and transparency are inevitable aspects in my professional and personal life.
References
Coleman, K.,Cox, J.,Das, M., Flood, A., Polly, P., Thai, T., & Yang, J.L. (2012).Eportfolios in the Sciences: The Role of Reflection as students build professional skills and career readiness.
Library Association., & Aslib. (2012). PART 3- Eportfolio for Future Librarian. West Grimstead, England: Bowker-Saur
