Thing 17 Reflective Practice

So I've had a seriously long break from this and I'm trying to catch up before the deadline as I hate not finishing things!

I've decided to base my reflective post on the "Thing" I found hardest - library advocacy.  Following the Gibbs Method has actually really helped me consider how I feel about where my career is right now so it seems fitting to use this one.

I struggled a lot with Thing 14 as I said at the time.  I had difficulty deciding how I should approach it as politically the climate for libraries really isn't great right now and things where I am based have been in lots of flux.  I eventually decided to concentrate on mentioning the library advocacy I had been involved in (which was far more than I'd realised) and to make a general point about how I feel politics and austerity has affected libraries.

At the time I found it really difficult as there was a lot I wanted to say specifically about things I wish we could do more of or better at in my own role but I was very tied by being mindful of the fact that I have an employer and I have to respect my position within the organisation.  I'm quite a political person and have strong opinions and feelings on austerity politics and the effect it's had on society so it was incredibly difficult for me to generalise rather than be specific.

Looking back, it was actually a really useful exercise for me - it's important to maintain a professional approach at all times - I do everyday at work and I need to be able to do so online as well.  It was difficult to have to generalise when I realised through thinking deeply about it that I was actually having a bit of a crisis about the profession and my place in it.  It actually prompted me to think long and hard about my future career and where I want to be.  I also took a long break from this and other CPD activities while I considered it (hence the desperately trying to catch up now!). 

In reality I could have had a long rant about the things which I wish my own authority were spending more time on but I'm realistic enough to know that we can't do everything and some things have to give when budgets are constrained and as I've said it would be unprofessional to do so.

Interestingly, I attended a conference recently which restored my faith in some respects in what's happening in libraries across Scotland at least.  One of the most useful sessions I attended was led by Ian Anstice of Public Libraries News.  What he said about advocacy really chimed with how I'd been feeling and the difficulty I had with thing 14.  He reiterated that you cannot and must not campaign or  advocate publicly on issues which affect your own authority but pointed out that you can advocate and campaign on behalf of others.  

Having had time to process all of that now I'm still unsure whether my professional career will remain with libraries in the long term but I do now believe that I've identified a direction of travel and rekindled the desire to advocate on behalf of libraries and our place in society.