The final reading for this class is chapter 15 of the book, Social Software in Libraries by Meredith G. Farkas. In the chapter 15, which is called, “Keeping up: a Primer,” Farkas has a 7 step lesson plan that includes the following:
1. Keep up with the professional literature
2. Keep up with blogs
3. Keep up with other librarians in online communities
4. Keep up with webcasts and podcasts
5. Keeping up with conferences and continuing education
6. Keep up by playing with technology
7. Keep up while keeping sane.
All of these steps offer good advise. The ones that speak to me the most are 5 and 7. It is great to stay on top of the latest news and technology but you also need to get out and about to meet the people in your field. I agree that national conferences are wonderful and so are the local ones. It might even be better to concentrate on the local ones unless you are trying to market yourself for a career in a different area.
As far as continuing education, this is very important. We live in a age of rapid change and this makes lifetime learning crucial. New York State has recognized this since librarians that graduate starting in 2010 will be required to meet a minimum number of 60 hours of professional development every 5 years. This requirement is like that of continuing education credits for doctors, lawyers and other professionals.
The other lesson that really struck a chord with me is to try to sane while keeping up. This is very good advice and I think most of us tend to become overwhelmed. As Farkas mentions, it is important to prioritize what is important to us and stay focused so that we don’t lose ourselves in unimportant details. I hope that I remember this advice since it is a key to staying sane.
