Category Archives: General

CPDWL’s First Twitter Chat: Archiving #CPDWLChat

Missed our first Twitter chat #CPDWLChat on July 26, 2019?

Check out the archived version here under the hashtag #CPDWL.

Our participants: CPDWL Co-Chair Dr. Sandy Hirsh (@shirsh), CPDWL members: Loida Garcia-Febo (@loidagarciafebo), Edward Lim Junhao (@BarbarianEd) and Ulrike Lang (@Ulrike_Lang) responded to a series of questions and shared their experiences and strategies in developing LIS skills.

Here were the 9 questions that we asked our participants:

Q1 How do you maintain continuing professional development in LIS or in your workplace?

Q2 Who has influenced you to become a librarian, and how did they influence you?

Q3 Can you share an LIS trend in your library/country/region? #CPDWLChat

Q4 In addition to a resume/CV and cover letter, how important is the applicant’s ‘web presence’ (e.g. LinkedIn, personal website, etc.) in the review process?

Q5 Can you share with us what are some important skills needed in LIS field today?

Q6 What are some tips for early career librarians or students to receive mentorship?

Q7 What advice do you have for librarians interested in serving as coaches for early career librarians or students?

Q8. What strategies can you share with folks who want to get involved in IFLA but don’t know where to start?

Q9 What are you most looking forward to in #WLIC2019?

We hope you’ll be able to join us next time when we host another #CPDWLChat!

INELI-MENA-Egypt: librarians as motors of change

INELI-MENA-Egypt is one of the great initiatives and voluntary efforts that need to be highlighted. INELI-MENA-Egypt is a leadership e-training program working under the auspices of the Egyptian Library Association, aiming to cultivate and develop future Egyptian public library leaders and build a strong professional network to advocate for their libraries.

The e-training program will last for one year & provides online learning modules adapted from Global Libraries Initiatives (GL) program INELI (The International Network of Emerging Library innovators), but in Arabic language through Moodle platform.

Currently 19 innovators (cohort 1) are being trained on mandatory modules (i.e. Innovation in libraries; change management; Advocacy; and libraries & SDGs) and one selective module (using data; risk management; conflict management & building successful teamwork) that will enhance their competencies and build national e-learning network to improve their leadership skills. INELI-MENA-Egypt Director Mr. MustafaTuhami was keen to add a new module titled “communication skills” to enhance English language among the participants, as he believes that this is the right path to be connected with professionals and peers around the world and practice international librarianship, this was done in partnership with IDEAS.

INELI-MENA-Egypt innovators at Greater Cairo Public Library

It is worth mentioning that INELI-MENA Egypt is a national network build on the tremendous success of the International Network of Emerging Library Innovators – Middle East & North Africa “INELI-MENA”. INELI-MENA is one of a kind and unique e-training leadership program in the region, implemented by the Arab Federation of Libraries & Information (AFLI) from 2015-2018 and funded by Global Libraries Initiatives (GL) at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF). It provided the emerging library leaders with opportunities to connect with each other to explore new ideas, to experiment new services, and learn from each other.

Over whole four days INELI-MENA-Egypt held its 1st. convening in Egypt from 26-29 June 2019, the schedule was full of training practices that focused on engaging librarians in a learning environment.

Change in the digital era

Prof. Shawky Salem, Professor of Informatics, at the University of Alexandria & IFLA Governing Board Member 2003-2007, the keynote speaker presented an important lecture on change in the digital era and emphasis on the importance of investment in human resources. He praised the voluntary efforts exerted by INELI-MENA & INELI-MENA-Egypt & staff. He focused on the leadership & innovation as an element of change in the digital age.

I am an expert @

An activity conducted by Mrs. Marwa Kamel, INELI-MENA-Egypt Network Coordinator and Director of Elzawya Elhamra Public Library. The idea is to let the innovators explore and reflect on just how amazing they are in certain subjects related to their work in libraries. This is matched with the ALA Libraries Transform campaign messaging that reflects the new emphasis on library expertise, with such messages as “Because the expert in the library is you” and “Because the best search engine in the library is the librarian.”.

Unconference:

An open session to address many ideas & issues in librarianship field, the session was led by Ms. Rasha Essmat INELI-MENA Network Coordinator and Head of Programming Sector at Egypt’s Society for Culture & Development.

Innovation:

A workshop about innovation was conducted by Prof. Emad Saleh, INELI-MENA Learning Coordinator and the Director of the Egyptian National Library; he focused on the definition of creativity & innovation; innovation in libraries; creative thinking strategies; models and creative practices in libraries and the importance of creativity and innovation for libraries.

Collaborative team projects

Team projects are an outstanding outcome of the program, as participants will form action project teams to develop a service and /or program to benefit their libraries to consolidate their learning and support the implementation of the SDGs in Egypt. A brainstorming session were conducted, innovators were given the opportunity to develop a program/service to be implemented in their libraries. The outputs were four programs to be implemented: “We are all one hand; Green library; Book delivery App; Make your book”.

INELI-MENA-Egypt at Zawya el Hamra Public Library

 

Impact assessment:

Within the framework of the periodic evaluation of the program, Prof. Amany El Sayed, Head of LIS Department at Helwan University focused on measuring the personal & work skills that was enhanced for innovators during their e-training.

Library tours:

Innovators visit two libraries 6th October Public Library a branch library of the National Library of Egypt, and Bibliotheca Alexandrina to get acquainted with the services provided in both libraries, a session was conducted later on their reflection about the tours and pros. & cons. About library visits.

INELI-MENA-Egypt innovators @ 6th october Public Library

 

INELI-MENA-Egypt innovators @Bibliotheca Alexandrina

Communication skills workshop

Led by Libby Bergstrom, the Global Reach Libraries Program Director at IDEAS & Patty Larson, Global Educational Consultant at IDEAS to boost the innovators English communication skills and prepare innovators to the English modules through the learning platform.

Coaching:

Following the steps of IFLA CPDWL, a coaching session was conducted to offer career and professional development coaching for the innovators.

Innovators at Coaching session

Heba Mohamed Ismail

Libraries Technical Manager at Egypt’s Society for Culture & Development
Director of INELI-MENA Program

CPDWL’s First Twitter Chat on July 26th 2019

Please save the date/time to join CPDWL members for the first Twitter chat on July 26, 2019, Friday at 8-9 am PDT / 11-12 pm EDT / 17-18 CEST / 23-24 CST. *Please check your local time.

In this Twitter chat, we will have CPDWL Section Co-Chair Dr. Sandy Hirsh (@shirsh), CPDWL members: Loida Garcia-Febo (@loidagarciafebo), Edward Lim Junhao (@BarbarianEd) and Ulrike Lang (@Ulrike_Lang) to participate in this social media conversation about LIS professional development, strategies and advice.

We will be using the hashtag #CPDWLChat for this conversation and the Twitter handle @IFLACPDWL will moderate the discussion. All interested folks can participate in this online forum with their Twitter accounts and respond to our questions too using #CPDWLChat.

New to Twitter chat? You can read here for more information about it. In addition, here is an example of a past LIS Twitter chat.

Reflecting on IFLA CPD Guidelines as a Singapore librarian

IFLA Guidelines for Continuing Professional Development: Principles and Best Practices is an important document. It covers the breadth and scope of professional development.

I first came across this document at Session #158 at the IFLA WLIC 2018, and I wanted to share it with fellow librarians in my home country, Singapore. I wrote a two-part series because there was so much to discuss and examples I picked up along the way in my career.

  1. Continuing Professional Development: Minding Your Own Business
  2. Continuing Professional Development: Whose Business Is It?

I published these articles in the Singapore Libraries Bulletin. It started as a print newsletter back in 1990, and evolved into a blog in 2006. It is intended as a forum for the library community in Singapore to interact with each other.

I hope this can create more conversation and dialogue on professional development in your country, and generate more references back to the IFLA CPD Guidelines.

 

IFLA and the global strategy work – IFLA Secretary General visiting the Swedish Library Association Annual Conference “Biblioteksdagarna 2019” in Helsingborg

Last week the Swedish library Association held it’s annual conference in Helsingborg, the city where I am working as the library director. The theme for the entire conference was competences and continuing professional development.

We were very happy that IFLA Secretary General Gerald Leitner was visiting our conference and also gave a speech at the General Assembly.

During the speech Secretary General was talking about the following.

IFLA is the global voice of libraries. The leading international body representing the interests of library and information services and their users. The voice can only be strong when supported on several levels. IFLA is an independent, non-profit organization with 1400 members in 146 countries.

IFLA has 60 standing committees involving 1200 experts and divided into five different Divisions.

We are living in a time of rapid change where libraries are of real importance. The internet is disrupting every media industry, the movie, film etc. But what does this mean to libraries?

Complaining is not a strategy. We have to come out of the comfort zone and start with a strategy. Secretary General also cited Abraham Lincoln “The best way to predict your future is to create it together”. And also said no library is an island, we can do the strategy together.

Therefore IFLA started the Global Vision work in 2017. This was a way to work on the global library mind-set and to do it together. A global answer to the challenges facing the library field from ever-increasing globalisation. A work to change IFLA into an open inclusive participatory organization.

Vision – Strategy – Action
A vision without execution is hallucination. We need to go from the vision we created together, to a strategy we create with a lot of contribution, and come to action. A call to everyone to work together with IFLA on this.

The Global Vision was followed by a Global Idea store – a contribution with 8500 ideas from around the world. In Athens there will be a launch of the ILFA Global Vision Ideas Store for Actions. There we all can get ideas from librarians all over the world.

In Athens also the IFLA Strategy 2019-2024 will be launched. From there we all need to come to action.

From my perspective as Library Director and incoming Division Chair IV and IFLA Governing Board member this mean that I need to make the IFLA vision and strategy work become part of both my IFLA work as well as in my daily work. I hope you all move to action in the same way. Together we will be strong!

/Catharina Isberg
Library Director Helsingborg City Libraries Sweden,
Secretary CPDWL, Convener CPDWL Coaching Iniative,
incoming Division Chair IV and IFLA Governing Board and Professional Committee member

 

 

IFLA CPDWL’s Video: Our Brief Dynamic Story is now LIVE!

 

Curious what CPDWL Section has done to receive the inaugural IFLA Dynamic Unit and Impact Award in 2018?  Watch our 1-minute video covering the impact of our section to the library and information professional community!

Thanks to CPDWL members (Juanita Jara de Sumar, Heba Mohamed, Constance Lehro Koui, Svetlana Gorokhova, Ulrike Lang, and Carmen Lei) and Dorja Munčnjak (from the Croatian Library Association) for translations help.

The YouTube video has subtitles in English, Spanish, French, Russian, (Simplified) Chinese, Arabic, German and Croatian. (You can click on the gear icon on the bottom right of the video to switch subtitles.)

You can also see the video in Adobe Spark.

Work hacks – upset those work routines

Nothing is more seductive than (work) routines and the notion of ” that`s the way we’ve always done it”. When we work reliably then we get reliable results – but rarely something that surprises, that is new or leads unexpectedly to completely new findings. Sometimes just small changes help teams to come to new conclusions.

Can only software specialists hack? No, in the meantime, the term “hack” has become generally accepted as an unusual and creative way of solving a problem. In this sense, much can be “hacked” – even the work.

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