Bethan Ruddock, Project Manager, Library & Archival

Services, Mimas @bethanar

CPD25 Applying To Study Library And Information Science

… And Beyond, November 2013

#applis13

Professional involvement: why, what and how

mimas.ac.uk

Who am I?Bethan Ruddock, MCLIP

CILIP Chartership mentor

SLA Board of Directors (2014-2017)

SLA Europe board, 2009-

Blog: bethaninfoprof.wordpress.com

Slideshare: slideshare.net/bethanar

Twitter: @bethanar

Book: The New Professional’s Toolkit,

Facet, 2012, http://lisnewprofs.com/

mimas.ac.uk

What is ‘professional involvement’?

Involvement in professional activities outside or not directly related to your workplace or place of study.

Can be formal, such as: membership of professional bodies; volunteering for committees; giving presentations; writing articles; attending conferences; formal mentoringCan be informal, such as: blogging; tweeting; joining online discussion groups; informal/peer mentoring; sharing your work

Whatever you do, it’s about learning, sharing, &

participating

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/adelaide_archivist/3084159436/

Why become involved?

Professional involvement is a great way to:

Learn skills: especially ones you might need for career

progression, but don’t have the opportunity to learn through

work or study. You can practice these skills in a safe

environment.

Make contacts: form a peer network for mutual support,

knowledge sharing, and inspiration

Gain confidence through new experiences

Improve your CV and get your name known by potential future

employees and colleagues

Give back to the sector by sharing and helping others

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/wallyg/9029823114

Why become involved as a student/early-

career professional?

Good foundation for building your career: stand out early, gain extra skills & experience

More experience/understanding of the sector can help you decide on future career directions…… And contacts can help you get there

You have something to offer the profession no matter how early on in your career you are: your

personal skills, experience, insights, ideas, & enthusiasm

mimas.ac.ukImage used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/41188800@N00/264892985

Professional

associationsMembership bodies,

affiliated to a profession

May have a Charter

May qualify or register

practitioners

May be a charity

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/birminghammag/7982273622/

Professional associations

may:

• Set standards

• Develop guidelines

• Advocate for the profession

• Lobby decision makers

• Provide ethical guidelines

• Develop the profession

• Provide support and guidance for

practitioners

What can they do for you?A professional association will do most or all of the following:

• Run events/conferences/training courses

• And provide awards/bursaries to attend them

• Provide opportunities for networking

• Provide opportunities for structured professional

development

• Provide chances for a mentoring or peer support program

• Publish journals/magazines/newsletters/blogs

• Have committees, staffed by members

• Provide careers advice & employment support – throughout

your career

• Provide access to resources such as journals, databases,

web-based training

• Be based around a particular sector/area of expertise, or

have sub-groups that are

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/lollyman/4424552903

What can you do for a

professional association?• Join!

• Advocate the value of the body

• Get involved – offer time and talents

• Provide feedback

• Support other members

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/6220572487/

A strong membership is necessary for organisations to have a strong voice

Fiona Bradley, IFLA

Membership fees

Student membership fees, 2013/14:

CILIP: FREE

Special Libraries Association: $40 (about £25)

ARA: £12

ISKO: €15 (about £12)

BIALL: £8.50

ALA: $34 (about £21)

Aslib: FREE (if your workplace/university is a

member)

IFLA: FREE (with membership of an affiliated

organisation, such as CILIP)

IRMS: FREE

IAML(UK & Irl): FREE (1 year)

School Library Association: £47.50

ALISS: £15

ARLIS: £12 (basic)

mimas.ac.uk

= £153

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/isherwoodchris/2887173612/

How to find the right association for you?• Join!

• Try them out while they’re cheap

• Find out about them

• Read website & publications

(where available – try your university

library)

• Talk to members

• Read blog posts

• Look at conference programs

• What are other people in your

sector/desired sector members of?

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/iowafarmbureau/4155240059/

What if you can’t find the right

organisation for you?

Try creating your own!

mimas.ac.uk

ConferencesCurrent awareness, networking, new ideas. Find out what

other people are doing, and what the current hot topics are.

Get different points of view. Make new contacts. Meet

vendors. Learn, present, share.

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/zigazou76/7374079914/

Attending conferences• Apply to present

• Presenters often get free registration

• Offer to help out on a stand, or as a steward

• Associations and conference organisers often look for

volunteers

• Will get you in for free – but you will have to do some

work!

• Look for bursaries and awards

• SLA Europe Early Career Conference Awards

• Most CILIP branches and groups offer student bursaries

to Umbrella

• Often student sponsored places for: UKSG, LILAC, IFLA,

CILIP SIG conferences

• Funders: UKeIG, John Campbell Trust

• lis-awards jiscmail list

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/rainerstropek/10571523334/

Writing/blogging/speaking

Practice at communicating with different audiences

Develop confidence

Share your ideas and experiences

Reflect. Inspire. Influence.

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/henkimaa/117080551

Writing/blogging/

speaking

Involvement breeds

involvement:

43% of opportunities came from prior personal contact

41% came from previous professional achievement/involvement

16% came from ‘traditional’ methods, eg call for papers

mimas.ac.uk

From http://thewikiman.org/blog/?p=1603

Writing/blogging: finding opportunities

Blogging:

low barriers to entry – anyone can start a blog

often informal writing style

can cover any topic, or a variety

can keep it private if you don’t want to share

get into the habit of reflective writing

Writing articles:

association/SIG newsletters/magazines often

looking for content

contact editor & volunteer, or look for calls for:

event reviews

book reviews (might get you a free book,

too!)mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/noodlepie/9816990715

Networking

It’s not all about ‘what can you do for me?’

Build a genuine connection

Make friends

Share experiences

Remember, you have something to give, too

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/screenpunk/3474867233/

Advocacy

Advocacy starts with doing your job well, and believing in and articulating your own value…… But it doesn’t end in your workplace, your sector, or even your profession

Take every opportunity to speak up about the value of

libraries, librarians, and information professionals in all sectorsmimas.ac.uk

Advocacy may not directly affect your career,

but it raises the value of the profession in

society: do it!!

Ulla de Stricker, ILI 2013

Getting the most out of your involvement

mimas.ac.uk

What I think I’ll get out of this experience:1.2.3.4.5.

Compare your lists. Did you get what you thought you would? What ‘extras’ did you get? What did you miss out on?

What I did get out of that experience:1.2.3.4.5.

Reflect: before and after

Getting the most out of your involvement

Don’t burn out!

Factor professional involvement into your CPD

Make sure that your involvement meets your needs

Time, skills, experience

Respect your limits

Sometimes you need to #justsayno

mimas.ac.uk

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/cinderellas_blog/4415695846/

10/04/2023 23

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/itsgreg/707054525/

10/04/2023 24

Image used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/taedc/8555605808/

10/04/2023 25

Bethan Ruddockbethan.ruddock@manchester.ac.uk

@bethanarImage used under a CC licence from http://www.flickr.com/photos/three-legged-cat/2334391735/