This blogpost highlights Professor Michael Stephens’ teachings on professional development and PLE’s (Professional Learning Experiences). In addition to, I will share several professional experiences of mine while working for San Mateo County Libraries that tie in nicely. Last, I’d like to reiterate one very, very, important step Stephens (2018) states should be accounted for after learning: “What can you do now?” (para. 8). I like to think of this step as “The Follow Through.” (side note) Professor Stephens (2019) video lecture “Infinite Learning: Professional Learning Experiences” sums everything up quite nicely, as this was my inspiration to write this piece. Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash Let’s Rewind: I started my professional library work back in late 2015, I was interviewing for my current position “Community Technology Specialist” with the library staff of the branch I’d end up working at (it was […]
Categories Library Jobs & Careers
285 posts
What’s your story? That question could lead to better understanding professional learning experiences (PLEs) for librarians and the experiences of the community we serve. Each of us can tell a unique story. For librarians, we all have different learning needs, varying personal relationships to learning and a unique set of experiences, workplace environments and career objectives that inform our perspective and approach. One of the best ways to gain first-hand knowledge of both librarian experience and the specific stories of our community is through narrative inquiry (NI). This method is at the core of a research project I want to […]
Just published in Library Leadership & Management: Technology, Collaboration, and Learning: Perceptions and Effectiveness of US Public Library Staff Professional Development Michael Stephens, Stacey A Mitchell, Ari Zickau Abstract The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the preferences and perceptions of professional development (PD) activities for public library staff. The survey instrument was distributed to public librarians and paraprofessionals throughout the United States. Beyond the challenges of time and money, a picture emerged from the data of what might best serve the needs of librarians and paraprofessionals for PD. Staff want to feel encouraged and supported about learning […]
Hi there librarians. The last time I made a post on Tame The Web was 628 days ago. Those six hundred and twenty eight days have come and gone by in a blur. It was a combo of my day-to-day work as a library director and my desire to spend all of my non working time with my family that has caused such a lapse in writing and sharing about libraries here at Tame The Web. But don’t let that make you think that I’ve stopped thinking about libraries and how we as librarians can continue to encourage the heart. […]
Greetings all – I realized I never posted about this. In Fall 2016, I applied for a sabbatical with the university to work on a research project contingent on my tenure and promotion decision. I received tenure and promotion in may 2017 and the sabbatical was awarded to me for Spring Semester 2018. Because of this, I do not have teaching responsibilities this semester. Here’s a bit about the project: The aim of the project is to pursue scholarship related to the professional learning experiences of public librarians in Australia via a research partnership with the University of Southern Queensland […]
I remember being 30. I remember living off of all that kinetic energy, willing myself to do difficult things just because they were difficult, and putting myself in uncomfortable situations solely because they were uncomfortable. I approached both simple tasks and high-caliber challenges with the same vigor and enthusiasm, and I pushed myself hard to grow, learn, and experience as much as possible. I wasn’t ready to die – I was brave, naive, and also, a bit intense. In attempting to recover the same drive and energy of my 20s and early 30s, I realized the injustices and inequalities of […]
Devil’s advocates need not apply As I was listening to the Library as a Classroom lecture this week, the devil’s advocate component reminded me of a phrase that is more productive. That phrase is “yes, and…” rather than “no, but…” or “let me play devil’s advocate”. In conjunction with this flip on devil’s advocate, asking people to bring solutions is an excellent tool and one I’ve been actively trying to train my staff on for a few years now. When someone comes to me with a complaint or is being a naysayer, I will frequently ask them to remember I am […]
To outsiders it may appear that I have risen very quickly to my current role as an administrative director in my academic library, but for me it has seemed a much slower process filled with many failures and personal lessons. Some of these failures were visible to others, but many were only internally known. In reading TTW Contributor Justin Hoenke’s Tales From the Library Trenches Part 4: Within You Without You article in the September 2017 issue of Information Today, I felt an instant connection to him, although I’ve never personally met Justin. So much of this article resonates with […]
My new Library Journal column is all about the Next Library experience. Please take a look. Next Library enhanced the global perspective that I’d argue benefits all information professionals. Over fifty Ignite sessions gave participants a sampling of innovation in libraries around the globe. Petar Luka?i?, Head of Adult department in Fran Galovic Public Library in Croatia and a scholarship winner to attend the conference, told me “I realize that our core value is the same all around the world: see what your community needs and react. If you talk to someone from Denmark or Ghana, it’s the same problem, […]
I must admit my eyebrows raised when one of my students in the Hyperlinked Library class shared a job description in our discussion devoted to emerging ideas and trends. Trenton Public Library (TPL), NJ, was looking for an “Innovation Catalyst Librarian.” The interest grew as my students dissected the duties and requirements, comparing their own experiences and suitability for such a position. I have seen a lot of cutting-edge job descriptions before, but this one was different. Merriam-Webster defines a catalyst as “an agent that provokes or speeds significant change or action.” TPL was searching for “a passionate, creative, type-A […]