Thing 19: Catch up week on integrating Things

What have I gained and how have I been using what I've learnt?

Well, I've started using this blog again and got back onto LinkedIn. I've learnt about mentoring, advocacy and conferences, among other things.

I haven't yet been able to integrate what I've learnt into my daily routine/work, except what I was already using (e.g. RSS feeds). Hopefully I will have the knowledge (and this blog as a prompt is necessary!) to use these skills when I need them.

Thing 18: Screen capture and podcasting

My ancient laptop is struggling a bit to download all the extra software that's suggested as part of CPD23 so I'm going to skip Jing this week. As The Book Gryphon explains, short videos may well be very useful for explaining library tasks and might help teach or reinforce skills taught at inductions. I've watched the demo for Screencapture and it looks quite useful for filming tutorial videos to demonstrate how to use the library catalogue etc.

I was introduced to podcasts on my last 23 things course and I think they could serve a similar purpose. Personally I find visual media more memorable and easier to follow, so I would be more inclined to produce a video of, for example, how to access the library catalogue or make a presentation available rather than a podcast, which is an audio resource.

Things 15 & 16: Conferences and Advocacy

OK, I admit it, I have not done much in the realms of conferences and advocacy, and I must try harder. I did make it to the CILIP New Professionals Information Day and Conference in June, which I found very interesting and I recommend going to find out more about the profession and to meet other people.

I gave a presentation at the Oxford Trainees Showcase in 2010, which was not half as scary as I thought it would be. I also co-organised the Showcase, which turned out to be quite fun.

There is a lot of interesting material that has been written about library advocacy online, and I've just spent a very happy hour reading through the links provided on this week's Thing. I was particularly struck by the That's Not Online! Project. It's important to encourage people to look beyond what they can find on Google because I think there is a tendency head there before heading (if at all) to the catalogue, the bookshelves or the library's e-resources.

Thing 14: Zotero, Menderley and CiteULike

I did my referencing for my degree by hand, so having watched the video for Zotero I can see how much time these tools would save. Essentially that is the main benefit of these tools - they do the work for you, help you be organised and save a lot of time. I can see Zotero being very useful when I start my library degree.

Using CiteULike you can search for articles, save and share articles, join groups, import files from your computer and export files to your computer. Using CiteULike you can do your research from any computer - and being able to sync your CiteULike with your Delicious bookmarks would be very handy if you were moving around. It's a good research tool for librarains either studying or doing research for somebody else and, in using it, librarians would be able to explain it to students and help them be more efficient too.

Thing 13: Google Docs, Wikis and Dropbox

Having already looked at Google Docs and Wikis during my last 23 things programme, and used Google Docs for a previous presentation, I thought I'd use this opportunity to have a look at Dropbox.

I found Dropbox easy to install and use. I've worked out how to share a folder with others if I need to in the future.

I then worked out how to share a document with someone who doesn't have a Dropbox account. Here's a copy of the public link to the blank document entitled 'Dropbox', just to prove I did it! http://dl.dropbox.com/u/38877786/Dropbox.docx

Thing 12: Social Media

As well as sharing ideas, social media helps you learn from others. It's also a way of finding out about what's happening in the profession: I found out about the CILIP New Professionals Information Day because I saw it posted on a friend's Facebook page.

The disadvantages are that social media can feel impersonal and, for that reason, I'm not sure if it 'fosters a sense of community'. It's not the same as talking to someone in person. Claire is right to suggest that social media cannot replace face to face networking. It's different. It is possible to reach more people and discuss topics with more people through social media than would be possible through traditional face to face networking. CPD23 has given me access to a wide network of other library professionals which I wouldn't have known about otherwise.

It's also important to watch what you post online. The other disadvantage of social media is that, if you're not careful, something that has been posted online could affect your career. I was not really using social media to help my career before starting CPD23 - this blog had been abandoned - but I am now back writing on it and back on LinkedIn.

Thing 10: Graduate Traineeships, Masters Degrees, Chartership, Accreditation

I am currently a Library Assistant in a FE college library. My first library experience was volunteering in a museum library, which I did because it sounded interesting! I liked reading and books and wanted to know what it would be like working with them. I enjoyed assisting with the project to reorganise the library and helping visitors with their questions. After graduating I decided I wanted to find out more, so I volunteered in two public libraries, did a graduate traineeship in Oxford, and then got my current post. I will start my library masters degree next month.