I wrote blog posts on each of the Things 14, 15, 16, 17, which outline in more detail what I did for each task, and how I reflected on them.
I summarise all of them here:
In Thing 14 I set up an Evernote account, creating a few notes of library events ideas and a few notebooks of types of library events, allocating notes to the relevant notebooks. My objective is to use Evernote to log all the multiple event ideas I come across, to categorise them into the 10 main programme headings we support in the library (Literature, Heritage, Health & Wellbeing, Environment, Business, Irish Language, IT Literacy, Science, Culture & Arts, Literacy & Children's Services), and plan new, interesting events across all strands to ensure a balanced programme. I also tried Pocket and Remember the Milk, but didn't find them useful or helpful and don't expect to use them again.
In Thing 15 I tried to edit a Wikipedia page with no success, and evaluated a citation I was trying to include using the CRAAP test, which is a simple, memorable evaluation test. This Thing article on Wikipedia was useful because it gave me a contact name (Dr. Rebecca O'Neill), and idea for a potential citizen science / citizen curator type information literacy workshop for adults and/or teens.
In Thing 16 I read about, considered and acted on the recommendations for improving the security of my digital footprint. This was both practical and useful. I also installed Duck Duck Go as my default browser.
In Thing 17 I considered two future potential projects for preparing presentations that I could share with others on SlideShare. I also considered presenting a poster at the LAI public libraries conference in 2019 and in the Leabharlann journal in the future.
In Thing 18, I enjoyed reading John Cox's article, and it would encourage me to keep a weekly reflective journal. It seems to be a useful practice to review what you have done in a week, or more importantly what the impact of my week's work has been. This is more than the task management effectiveness that tools like Trello might help me with.
Cox referred to 'doing' too much, and focusing on the urgent rather than the important, which is a pitfall I regularly fall in to. I struggle to maintain focus, and can get distracted and sidetracked very easily, always into 'doing' type tasks that do not have the greatest impact.
Having spent 7 years managing branch libraries in Co. Wexford, I feel I am now fairly competent in the practical day to day running and operation of branch libraries, and I am very comfortable in the organisation of a full events programme. However, I must focus my efforts and energies on managing my time, myself and our team more effectively for carrying out work with the best impact. First I need to define what that impact is or should be. All our measurables are quantitative transaction statistics (items issued, visitor numbers, internet & wifi sessions, event numbers, attendance numbers). I need to go beyond that to measure and increase the impact of Gorey Library in its community, on individuals, and in groups such as schools. I need to think about and plan how to do that. I also need to prioritise. Given the 10 main programming heading listed above, it is a challenge to balance efforts across all those areas. Also priority is a singular word, and 10 items is not a single priority, and new initiatives are being introduced every year or more often. I have to work in the realms of human possibility and within the human and budget resources I have. I need to work in Covey's Quadrant II, the Quadrant of Quality.
Conclusion:
This thing has made me reflect on my own work practices more, how I organise, evaluate, and store my information securely online and how I should produce material of a quality that I would be happy to share with others informally online or printed in a professional journal or in person at a professional conference. It has also shown me the value of deadlines and community to force me to stretch myself out of routine library tasks and business into more challenging, and hopefully impactful and rewarding library work.
ENDS
No comments:
Post a Comment