Wow - this has a life of its own

So there I was feeling guilty about you guys. I've been so busy with certain complaining members (think LT, think NLS 4 etc and you may know who I'm talking about) that I haven't even visited this blog since it started.

So I jumped on to discover that it has a life of its own - that's incredible. Thanks for being such wonderful staff and embracing ideas even if you're not sure they'll work.

Cheers, Robyn

Image problems

In two recent, but separate, discussions, librarians have complained to me that part of our image problem is due to "cranky old school librarians". As a former teacher-librarian, I'm horrified, though I do know some of my school colleagues don't present the kind of image we'd like (but I think you can also say that about some people in all areas of the profession). I'm just wondering if this is the kind of comment you hear too? If so, how we might tackle it?

Catering for functions

I find catering to be one of the most challenging aspects of organising functions. I thought this might be a good place to collect tips. Here's a few to get us started:

* Sushi rocks - there's almost always gluten intolerant people and vegetarians at every function. Sushi makes everyone happy!

* Up to one third of people who RSVP don't show up, so undercater. I've never run out of food yet while sticking to this rule.

* Anti pasto platters are easy and relatively cheap to put together: try strawberries, 2 or more cheeses, gourmet dip, water crackers, some gluten free biscuits, and something a bit special from the deli like caperberries or tiny stuffed bell peppers. If you grow lavender at home, put lots of it on the platter to decorate - it looks and smells wonderful.

Networking ideas

Once you start blogging, you can't stop!
One of the most valuable things I do to keep my 'finger on the pulse' never goes on my timesheet - too much wine and laughter involved! Every 6-8 weeks I have a lazy weekend lunch with a bunch of women in Brisbane. They're all current or ex directors, presidents or state convenors of ALIA. I find out things that I'd otherwise never know about (upcoming events, industry trends etc) because these women come from all sectors of the industry. It's a way of keeping ex board members engaged too since there really is no 'life after the board'. They have a wealth of experience and are generous with advice etc.
So, if you're lucky enough to get on well with even one or two ALIAphiles in your town, think about starting up a regular social get-together. These things tend to take on a life of their own and will grow over time.

Teacher Librarians' blackboard

Hi everyone, just a quick post to test the technology.
Next month I'm trying a new adventure - connecting in cyber space with students of the Master of Learning Innovation (Teacher-Librarian) program (ED09). The students don't have contact time, so the representative of SLAQ and I are going to participate in a week-long forum with students using Blackboard technology. That's a new one for me.
I have to put together a list of resources and questions to post to them about what it means to be a part of a profession. When I get more details, I'll be looking for some comments on this thread!
Cheers for now

Remember me?

Hi everyone

Yesterday I finally managed to remain in Groupwise long enough to catch up on my emails and feel a part of the team again :).