This is the last posting for #blogjune and I would
like to express my thanks to everyone who has participated this year. I
would like to thank members of the ALIAWest committee: Ghylene Palmer,
Catherine New, Kym Andrews, Stephanie Musk, Tamara Capper, and
Helen Balfour for their work in contributing posts, inviting people to contribute
posts, and putting posts on Biblia. Many thanks to our guest
contributors: Megan Sullivan, Lawley Yukich, Megan Fitzgibbons, Andrew
Kelly, and Karen Miller for sharing their experience and
views.
The blog posts for June have been a bit eclectic in topics covered but there are some common themes that link the posts
together:
- Libraries are quite adaptable, flexible, and resourceful in providing services (and sometimes do amazing things on a shoestring budget)
- Willingness to change, to be flexible, to think critically about what we do
- Passion for the profession and preparedness to step out of the comfort zone to be a catalyst for change
- Engagement with the community, whether that is the community of library users or with the community of fellow library professionals
- PD opportunities are available, ranging from relatively expensive conferences to low cost or free events (and there is a great opportunity for professional development when we call for nominations for the ALIAWest committee in September)
- What you get out of ALIA or from the library profession depends on what you put in - the more you give the more you receive
- You are capable of much more than you think you are capable of - as Emily Dickinson put it
We never know how high we are Till we are called to rise; And then, if we are true to plan, Our statures touch the skies The Heroism we recite Would be a daily thing, Did not ourselves the Cubits warp For fear to be a King
ALIAWest Convenor