What better way to cheer yourself up on a wet day in November, nursing a cold as I
was, than to spend it in the company of some wise and inspiring individuals generously sharing
their passion and expertise with some keen but naive young acolytes…. No, not
an episode of The
Karate Kid – none of us were quite as cool
as Jaden Smith (hey, we’re aspiring librarians…),
or as young – but the Applying to study Library Science day run
by CPD25.
We were taken on a journey - it’s always a journey, isn’t it? - from a wide-ranging
overview of where the profession is right now, with all its challenges and
opportunities incisively explained by Stephen Pinfield from
Sheffield iSchool, to individual students’ experiences of current courses and
recent employment. Along the way we heard from Vanda Broughton of
UCL about what to expect from a Masters course in library science and some top
tips on how to apply for one, and Bethan Ruddock who, as author of “The New Professional’s Toolkit”, was
expertly placed to point us in the right direction of developing our skills and
confidence, as well as promoting a
myriad of groups for us to contribute to; exhorting us to
speak out loud and proud as Library advocates! Of course we didn’t have to join
everything , and we were allowed to
say “no”- but was that a bit feeble? Not
strict enough? Shameful even?
Just as
some of us were beginning to feel slightly overwhelmed, and distinctly worried
that entering the cult of the champion librarian was going to take up rather
more time (and stamina...) than we’d
planned, the lunch gong sounded and we dived into some first –rate sandwiches,
juice etc. This was an opportunity to
find out more about some of the various programmes on offer in the UK from the
informal “course fair” and their “stallholders”, and make some new friends as
Bethan had suggested; network, but
not in a nasty way...
In the afternoon we heard experiences from recent graduates
and those still studying, which made the morning session that much more
specific and concrete for us. Alexandra Burton, who has just started as an
Assistant Librarian at University College School, recently completed a
Post-Grad Diploma at UCL; just stopping short of writing the dissertation and
gaining the traditional Master’s, but still ably qualified. This was an option
I hadn’t heard of before, and one that provided much food for thought and
debate.
Ian Clark, now
employed as a Library Systems Officer at Canterbury Christ Church
University , shared the benefits of a modular
study programme within distance learning (Aberystwyth) , and there were
other experiences of part-time study whilst working full-time. A lot of the
discussion centred around finding a course that suited your aspirations, and
your pocket...With fees increasing at an alarming rate, and little help
available, the cost of funding a library course proved a major issue in the Q
& A, and subsequent chat in the pub....
As I wended my way to my part-time evening job I reflected
on what I’d learnt, and what I hadn’t learnt (always useful...), and mused that
rather than being daunted by the monastic
commitment to professional development
,or the array of choices before me, I
would remember what Vanda had said: “We don’t expect you to do all of it, just some of it...” Right then...
Now, where to start? Join CILIP?
Many thanks to Samantha Halford and Helen
Williamson of the CPD25 for
organising not just a very interesting and useful day, but also for creating
such a warm and comfortable atmosphere; very conducive...