Learning takes many forms. We're all familiar with the sort of learning that takes place in the classroom (be it physical or virtual), but concentrating entirely on classroom studies does not make for a well-rounded librarian-in-training. This isn't to say that our classes aren't important - they are - but classes are only one of many ways for us to grow within our profession. That's why much of this issue of BiblioTech is dedicated to the kind of learning that happens outside of the classroom.
LSO presented a number of successful professional development programs. We sponsored a number of talks from information professionals in diverse areas of the field, and also offered SIRLS students two chances to present their own work, at the Student Reflections on Professional Conferences program and at the Graduate Library Student Symposium.
A number of students managed to fit trips to professional conferences into their busy schedules, and this issue of Bibliotech has reports from two of those conferences. Beth Hoffman talks about October's Internet Librarian conference and Jason Kucsma offers his thoughts on the Persistence of Memory: Stewardship of Digital Assets conference. Conferences aren't the only way students have gotten away for professional development activities, either. SIRLS alum Shana Harrington completed an internship in Ireland over the summer and shares her experience (and some pictures) with us.
And in a slightly different form of professional developement and in keeping with "Tech" part of BiblioTech, Jeffrey Collins offers us a white paper on website evaluation, an extremely useful subject to know about. Not only can it help us to create polished, usable professional electronic portfolios (which are becoming a useful asset in today's job market), but can also help us to build better library websites.
Finally, I'd like to give my great thanks to the outgoing BiblioTech editor, Federico Martinez. Freddy is the person most directly responsible for gathering the articles for this issue - I just posted them. So thank you, Freddy, for making my first issue of BiblioTech as easy to put together as you did.
Beth Hoffman
BiblioTech Editor, LSO Webmaster
No comments:
Post a Comment