As always, we love reading your blogs reflecting on the theme ‘What I learned last year and/or what I want to learn this year’. Thank you for blogging, and sharing some very personal insights about conquering fear, overcoming challenges and, as always, demonstrating that failure is ok, and that we all struggle with fulfilling new year’s resolutions.
What I Learned Last Year: Libraries & the UN SDGs, Jane writes that in July 2018 ALIA held the Asia Pacific Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Summit on the Gold Coast, Queensland, which Jane attended, but feels libraries could do more to build momentum in contributing case studies to meet the SDGs.
Nikki states that: “Sometimes, the thing you really need to learn is a thing you thought you already knew” – What I’ve learned (or re-learned) and will continue learning. Nikki list lessons that she continues to work on each year as part of her lifelong learning.
Rebecca has landed her dream job, wishes for a year of stability ahead, and reflects on her favourite museum and heritage site visits of 2018 – GLAM Blog Club: What I Learned in 2018 & What I Want to Learn in 2019…
With a new job and fewer working hours, Hugh achieved a goal from last year to immerse himself in long texts. Hugh has some important life-long projects including “Australian First Nations cultural awareness – not exactly a small project, as I get older I realise how much I don’t know and how much I was lied to as a child” – Learning how much I have to learn.
Fallon has enrolled in a Bachelor of Information Studies (Librarianship) at Charles Sturt University, and gives great advice not to “let fear take hold, take a leap and chase your dreams!” – Reflecting back and leaping forward!
A career change from writer’s festivals to public libraries, Lisa has discovered a lot about public libraries. One of the most important statements in Lisa’s blog: “Despite their democratic ideals and community focus, libraries (as with many cultural institutions) still have a ways to go in terms of inclusivity. Inclusion is not just about who comes to the library but who works there, who is invited to speak/present, who is represented in the collections, who is making decisions etc. With an “access for all” ethos, libraries don’t just have have the ability to lead change, but the responsibility to do so. Nathan “Mudyi” Sentance has put it beautifully: Challenging oppressive structures is what we need to do to assist positive social change” – What I learned in a year of working for a public library.
What Did I Learn Last year?, Andrew K achieved and learned a lot in 2018, and has also “managed to stabilise and maintain a robust public library system including public and staff networks, hardware, and LMS.” Not having to put out spot fires has allowed Andrew to “stay the course and enjoy the smooth sailing.”
Learning, learning, always learning Andrew has managed a library for 6 months and learned that you “can’t assume anything during a library system migration”.
2019. Bring it on! (gently this time) – Thesis Whisperer writes that after being treated for vertigo in the emergency room twice at the end of last year from overwork and stress, this year’s theme (“theme is easier than a resolution”) is care. I hope this is a theme that you keep.
Starting a new job mid-year can be frustrating with budgets and PDs, as Clare P puts it: “This is exacerbated a little by the fact that, although I love my job, I have all these skills that I do not get to use. And I really want to use them, in case I loose them” – 2019: Show Me the PD.
2019: a year of knowing, more naturally – Alissa spent 2 weeks offline in Tasmania, and came to the realisation: “I hope to come to know nature more deeply than what books can teach me.” “How might I know a tree? I look forward to finding out.”
What I want to learn – 2019 – Bonnie states “I’d hope that, for me at least, there is no linear ‘then’ and ‘now’ but more of a continuum of learning/implementation of learned goodness.” Bonnie hopes to contribute to the open social scholarship movement, be more radical, and write more (GLAM Blog Club too).
Money vs Happiness: What I learnt in 2018 – Happier Librarian has posted a video about what she learned in 2018, because: “It’s Glam Vlog Club because something I want to learn in 2019 is how to feel more comfortable in video.”
Our theme for February is ‘Donate’. If it’s funds your GLAM workplace needs, or the specimens, books and objects donated to your location, or the time and skills volunteers donate in the GLAM sector, what does this theme mean to you? We look forward to reading your blogs. Please tag ‘GLAM Blog Club’ in your blog publishing system, and #GLAMBlogClub on social media. Make sure to register your blog, if you haven’t already, so we don’t miss your blog.
And speaking of donations, you will see us posting this month under the hashtag #LoveYourCardi about donating to keep newCardigan financially sustainable and afloat. Please visit our donation page and contribute what you can so that we can continue to bring your cardiParties, cardiCast and GLAM Blog Club.
