Connecting Librarian

I have learnt a lot about writing in the nearly 3 years that I have been blogging, much of which I haven’t realised until I started writing for other avenues.

I am in the process of finishing up one conference paper, reviewing a journal article on the basis of peer review and researching for another conference paper. Both conference papers have to be submitted for publication in the proceedings, so a full paper is required.

Lesson number 1 - writing is not as easy as it may seem. Or rather, good writing isn’t. I have come to the conclusion that I need to be inspired, or at least greatly motivated to be able to write half-way decently. Which probably explains why my blogging tends to be sporadic, rather than regular posts, as I am not always motivated to write.

Lesson number 2 - I can write when the pressure is on, but generally its not very good. Point in case, the paper I am polishing now I had trouble starting, but I got it down. When I went back to review it, I was amazed to see how bad it was - of course, I went back to in a time of motivation, so I was seeing it through more creative and critical eyes.

Lesson number 3 - good writing will take you over. When I feel like writing, I will write everywhere. So not only am I working on those three things, but I’m blogging here and I will be going off to post on some other blogs as well, with items that have been sitting in my to-do pile for a while.

© 2008 Digital Inspiration

Lesson number 4 - I can be as temperamental as any artist. Writer’s block seems to happen for me on a regular basis and in those times (with arm across forehead and dramatic flair) I just can’t work!

Lesson number 5 - Distractions are a problem only if my writing motivation is lacking. If I’m having trouble writing, then anything will distract me, but television and a book - any book, are key distractors. When I’m motivated, nothing will distract me, in fact it will be hard to keep me away from the computer.

Lesson number 6 - I create best on computer. I learnt to touch type in high school, one of the best skills I ever learned. Now, all those decades later and still with a healthy typing speed, I find I write better with the keyboard than with pen and paper. My fingers type well with the thoughts flowing through my head and they don’t get as tired as they do if I am writing the same amount with pen and paper.

Lesson number 7 - I review better on paper. Again back to the paper I am polishing. It was created on computer, but when I went back to re-read it, I was better able to do so on paper. Then out came the red pen and I went to town on it. Don’t know why that is, but that’s the way it is.

Lesson number 8 - I have to believe that what I am writing will be good. I can put out some good content, not from the very word go obviously, but I can get down what I want to say in a way that people call relate to. Not that I am anywhere in the same league as great authors, in either the wider publishing world or even the library publishing sphere, but unless I believe that I can communicate in a way that people will be engaged by, then its not going to happen at all.

Lesson 9 - I am enjoying writing more than I thought I would. Despite the anxiety caused by writer’s block and fast approaching deadlines, when the mood takes me I really enjoy putting my hands to the keyboard and creating content. Not that I think I would ever make a career out of it, but rather it gives me the ability to express my passion for what I am doing and to share that with an audience who hopefully relates to it.

Lesson number 10 - there will be many more lessons as I continue to learn about writing. I am very fortunate to have a range of opportunities to hone my craft. As I continue to look for and take up these opportunities and learn from my experiences and those of others, my writing will continue.

So these are my learnt on the fly lessons. Would love to hear of your writing experiences and other lessons you have learnt. By doing so, you help me with lesson 10! Thanks!

I have been so busy lately, surprisingly so, but in a good way.  After doing a 10 minute showcase at VALA, I have done a presentation on Web 2.0 for Innov8 - a vendor organised information seminar. I also have coming in the next few weeks “Beyond blogs and wikis” at the ALIES conference and a lecture to post-grad students at RMIT on what my library is doing with Web 2.0 tools.  On the off chance you are interested in any of these, click on the Presentations tab at the top of my blog and you will find them  embedded there (after they have been presented).

Not that this post is about self-publicising, because its not.  The feedback I had from  Innov8 was that attendees had already heard about a lot of things that I had presented on, but that my presentation helped them understand what they are, in an straightforward manner and in a context (libraries) that they could relate to.

It made me realise that when you are on the cutting edge, things that are old news to you are still very new to most others.  Which leads to the question - how long until everyone (or at the least the majority - in particular our users or potential users) understands this new technology and how can we speed up the process?

I guess I am doing my bit professionally by doing these presentations.  We are doing the same at my library by running Learning 2.0 for staff and offering public seminars on eBay, online image sharing, downloading music etc.  We are also utilising the technology - we have 2 blogs, a Flickr account, are using del.icio.us links, Google maps, web polls, offering RSS feeds and more.  We are getting interest in these initiatives, but take up is relatively slow in relation to home PC internet access, so is it because we are not offering the right things, or because people aren’t aware of or know how to best use these tools?  If its the latter, what can we do to inform them? (if its the former, we’ll do something about that too - our web polls will help us to figure out which it is, if not both)

I guess another question is why would our users want/need to understand these things?  I don’t really have a good answer to this one - just 2 thoughts. I think this is the way of the world now and more and more of our users and potential users will be expecting their local library to be doing it.  And as communities are spending more time online, this is an even more important service that libraries should be providing to best serve our users.

Am I expecting too much? Not everyone is  a techie of one degree or another, but although Web 2.0 is technology based, its more about collaboration and contribution, so I don’t think so.  Technology fear could be hampering, as we found out as a result of my library’s  Learning 2.0 program.  Some staff who had been reluctant of, or not interested in using Web 2.0 tools have taken to them and are using them in library services with great enthusiasm.  A little familiarity in this case breeds improved library service!

In the meantime, I would really appreciate your feedback on these questions.  Your responses might just help to solve some of these challenges for me and my library.  In the meantime, I’ll keep plugging away, in my professional development and in my library service.

This is the latest meme doing the rounds. Kathryn from Librarians Matter tagged me a little while ago and I have been consumed with getting my study tour report finished, I thought it would be easier to do this instead of having to think of a real blog post, lol.

1. We are getting our first family dog in a few weeks. Hubby and I have had cats since we have been married and I grew up with dogs, but this is our first one. We will be picking up our 8 week (by then) Labrador puppy who we have named Toby, in mid July.

2. I love action movies. Don’t give me a chick flick, I’ll get bored. Give me a good action - Die Hard type movie every time. Can’t wait for Live Free or Die Hard!

3. I am a hoon driver. I am 42 and still drive like a teen. Its only the last year that I have started to slow down just a little. Fortunately I am not really a dangerous driver, so not too many accidents in my driving career, but I like to push the car.

4. I hate housework. I put it off as long as I can because I dislike it that much. I end up doing some housework, some computer stuff and so on, just so I can get through it all.

5. I was a Brownie (Girl Guide) as a kid, then I did Little Athletics, then Calisthenics and Tennis. Haven’t done any formal exercise for years though.

6. I put on a bit of weight in the last 10 or so years, but last year I started a diet and in 18 weeks I lost 21 kilos. Much healthier weight and looking not too bad either.

7. I wanted to be a librarian since Grade 6 when I had an awesome school librarian. That goal never changed and I have never regretted my choice - I love what I do.

8. I was born in England and became a naturalised Australian at age 8 (came here when I was 2). I have the certificate with my very cute 8 year old signature on it.

As a few other bloggers have noted, this meme has gone around a bit, so I won’t tag anyone specific, but feel free to pick up the theme if you so choose and I’ll see you in my RSS feeds.

As for returning you back to your normal programming, I should get back to normal blogging in the next week or so. So see you then!