I started late and have really only dipped my toe in the water. Enough to irritate my teenage daughters who don't think people of my age should do facebook or twitter or any other social media. 23 things gave me the confidence to venture into the world of blogging and try out a whole series of new "toys" whose usefulness is already apparent in my work toward chartership. Sadly my progress has really been to slow for me to make the Nov 30th deadline for a certificate but that is a small matter. I fully intend to continue working on the "things" and applying them to my current situation. I am unable to access some of the features at work (discussions are on going) which has limited some of my activities. So , a quick review of current progress:
Thing 1 : Blogging, I could get used to this, this I will keep doing.
Thing 2: Looking at other peoples blogs, this I will also continue to do.
Thing 3: Rss feeds - very useful, although i am in danger of overload, push note - doesn't work on my browser, Twitter - I am still getting to grips with finding good people to follow - I follow more than I tweet but I can see the potential.
Thing 4: Reflective Practise - I had just been to the Umbrella conference which certainly boosted my enthusiasm for all things 23.
Thing5 : Online networks - I have joined LinkedIn, Facebook, LISNP, LATnetwork,
Thing 6: Special interest groups: schools group, youth library group and professional development group.
Thing 7: I also subscribe to the east of england group. I also subscribe to newsletters from love2read, teenreads, A&C Blacks, the library journal and anything else that looks interesting.
Thing 8: Google Calendar - still getting to grips with this but at least i am never going to forget another birthday.
Thing 9: Evernote - this is probably the tool I have used the most - even if it is in the realm of collecting recipes and ideas for christmas presents than professional use ( can't get it to work at work yet - )
Thing 10: Qualifications and training routes - This is why I am working on my portfolio for chartership
Thing 11: I have a mentor who I found through the CILIP mentoring system. So far it is working well.
Thing 12: I am using facebook, twitter and google + and gradually getting used to it although I have to confess I still feel fairly nervous about the whole thing. I tend to follow rather than tweet and feel I am scavenging other people's wisdom rather than contributing anything of my own. I'm sure I will get there eventually.
Thing 13: Google docs is very interesting and I can see all sorts of applications, wiki maybe, drop box looks great but unless I can access it on my work computer - a bit pointless. Similar to evernote.
Thing 14: Started trying to use Mendeley - and I'm sure it will become part of my tool kit - again home use only at present.
Thing 15: Attended Umbrella, brilliant but so far - nothing more ambitious than attending
Thing 16: Following, reading, sharing and retweeting voice of the library and mygibbo postings etc - a bit passive I confess.
Thing 17: Prezi - I have plans, havn't had time to create one yet - but I will - something for library induction?
Thing 18: Jing - podcasts - as above
Thing 19: intergrating things - not easy, it is hard to do anything IT related in breaks - if you are sitting at your workstation you are assumed to be available for enquiries and sorting out problems - only way to guarantee a lunch break is to physically remove yourself from the library. But I am engaging in positive discussions with my managers about the value of using social media in the work place. I am getting involved in running the libraries moodle page and encouraging interactivity.
Thing 20: see "Why I am doing this" blog
Thing 21: really helpful post from Maria Giovanna De Simone - I will keep it and refer to it when necessary!
Thing 22: Volunteering : I can fully support the value of voluntary work in self development which is always beneficial even though I have never worked in an information or library role in a voluntary capacity. What I have done is be a trustee of a community charity which works in a number of capacities, one of which is youth work. Experience is never wasted.
Thing 23: Where do I go from here? Well continuing to work my way through the things and using what I have learnt.
Thank you so much for the work you have put into this programme. It has been very helpful and illuminating.
