Creating the brand

One thing that I like about blogging is that it can be anonymous if you want it to be. Of course, this somewhat defeats the object of using blogging as a professional development tool! I did 'redesign' this blog when I started cpd23 in order to make it look a little more professional and up-to-date.

I use a nickname as the title for my blog but this was just something I thought up when doing the original 23things so I didn't have to call it "Claire Sewell's 23things blog". I regularly contribute to my work blog under my own name and I have guest blogged on the CILIP CIG blog as myself and I would be happy for anyone to see these as they represent my professional activity.

I took the vanity test and was pleased to find that three of the results were about me. One was from the Umbrella Conference page since I am listed as presenting the poster for cpd23, one was my guest blog for CIG and one was my Twitter account. It would be easy to assume by looking at any and all of these things that they represented the same person but it would only take a little effort on my part to make sure that they are all linked. I will consider adding a photo of myself but I am notoriously camera shy so it may take a while to find something suitable! I tend not to use Twitter since I find it hard to get in to but this is something I am hoping to change in the future so I will definitely look into linking all aspects of my online presence together.

I can take (constructive) criticism so if anyone has any comments on the look/feel of this blog than please let me know. I don't bite, honest .....

(Image credit: Floyd B. Bariscale)

A quick trip round the world

Over four hundred people have signed up for cpd23 at the time of writing this. I think its phenomenal and a great sign for the future of the profession that so many practitioners care about their development. The fact that it's a world wide list of participants is both amazing and a little daunting!

I find it really hard to comment on someone else's blog and it is something that I missed out on in the last 23things programme that I took part in. Personally I take any comments on my blog to heart but I realise that there are a lot of people out there with thicker skins than me. It's hard to put your thoughts out there for the world to read and it can be hard to see someone take an opposing view. At the same time it is very gratifying to have someone half a world away agree with you!

I have visited a few blogs over the last couple of days and it makes interesting reading. Most of the blogs that I have visited have been from the US (since I harbour a not so secret desire to work there). I will try and visit some others both closer to home and further afield. Should be an interesting week...

(Image credit: \!/_PeacePlusOne)

Why another 23 things?

When I told people that I was taking part in another 23things programme after completing Cam23 last year the most common reaction was - WHY?! Usually said with varying degrees of horror. I can understand their reactions a little since the programme is a large commitment to make. I think that with something like this you have to enter in the collaborative spirit in order to get the best out of it. It is not something where you can just follow the instructions and that is it every week, it's about sharing your ideas with others who are on the same wavelength. I have noticed that people who don't work in libraries tend to glaze over when I talk about my job, even though I really love it. It will be nice to get to know people (even just virtually) who understand what it is like to love working in a library.

To that end I am making a belated New Years resolution - I promise to get more involved this year in terms of interacting with other participants. Last year I was one of the guilty ones who only commented on the blogs of others that they knew, just because we had to do it! I am already much more involved than last year since I am helping out the programmes multi-talented organisers by presenting a poster about the programme at the Umbrella conference next month - feel free to stop by and say hello!

As my name would suggest, I am currently studying for my masters. I am just about to start the dreaded dissertation so hopefully one day in the not too distant future I can change the name of the blog to "Trained Librarian". I have worked at Cambridge University Library for nearly ten years but feel that I have let myself down in terms of career development. I have held various jobs but not really involved myself as much as I should in the library community. Hopefully cpd23 will be a way to change that for the better. I am especially looking forward to comparing notes with colleagues in other countries and seeing how practices vary (or not as the case may be!). I think that's one of the best things about this programme - that is is truly international. Other programmes that I have seen have all been quite local in nature and whilst that's no bad thing it will be nice to be global.

Having studied the list of things, I am most looking forward to those which relate to the more traditional methods of cpd since I feel that this is often lacking in training and can be hard to teach yourself. I am also particularly looking forward to the week on developing your brand since I think that this will become more important than ever in the current climate.

Wow - I think this is the longest post I have ever written and it's only week one. Go me!

Small problem...

Slightly embarrassing - I have a problem with the blog even before I've started! For some reason I can't reply to comments on my blog, I just keep going round in an endless circle of passwords and signing in. Anyone out there more techy than me got a solution?

23things for CPD

Have updated the blog in readiness for a new 23things starting tomorrow - 23things for Professional Development (and as procrastination from dissertation research!). Looks like it will be a long but rewarding summer!

Hope to see people there!