The title of this post comes from the post that inspired this stream of thought. In the September 15, 2006 Library Journal, Sophie Brookover talked about her profession as it fits with her family. Sophie blogs the well-known and well-regarded “Pop goes the Library” which talks about pop culture and libraries.

Sophie’s article “Priorities and Professionalism” discusses her change of life status, having married and now having a baby. From being a full on professional, with her fingers in many pies, she now finds herself wanting to slowly extricate a great number of those fingers, whilst still keeping her hand in. The article is well worth the read, I recommend you check it out.

I can relate to Sophie’s situation, but at the slightly other end of the scale. I never got involved in the profession like she did before I married and had children. I did a paper at the RAISS conference in 1999 and then was on the organising committee for the 2001 RAISS conference, but apart from that I was pretty much a lurker - to borrow a blogging term, watching it all from the outside.

However, I have my 2 children (and no more), the oldest at school, the youngest at kinder and I find I would like to be more involved in my profession, but I am still having the same battles that Sophie is having. I have worked half-time since my eldest was born and don’t think that will change for the foreseeable future. I work because I enjoy what I do, but the part-time for me is a balance between family and profession. When I am not at work, I get behind my children and husband in things they do - school library, kinder committee, church and my husband’s business. And on top of that I am still a wife and mum as well as a librarian.

How do I get involved, when the activities of my profession outside of my work are mainly in the city and I am on the outer edge and have 2 children and a husband to consider. You get the idea that I don’t get to go to them much, right! In fact, I can’t remember the last one I attended out of work time! I am fortunate that my workplace sends me to some first rate sessions that brings me in contact with others in my profession, but although it may be enough for some, its not for me.

So what can I do, to contribute to my profession, both mine and the wider one, whilst still maintaining my family as priority. Blogs have been my first step, reading them initially and then writing my own, for myself and for others. (thanks for being an other!) My next step is to post more frequently I hope, to go from monthly to weekly even if its only just a short post. Where to go from there, I am not quite sure.

Its small, but its a start. And I guess its going to be an ongoing challenge for a while too - this balancing act I want to manage. But for those who know me, if my plate wasn’t full, I wouldn’t be happy.

Any thoughts or suggestions you could offer on my next step would be much appreciated.