5 Things That Made Me Happy at #OLASC 2017 (and some other stuff)
OLA Super Conference is always an amazing opportunity to meet up with colleagues from across the province (and country).Ā
five things that made me happy at #OLASC 2017:
one:Ā Talking about imposter syndrome with the amazing Sajni Lacey.Ā
This is my standout moment - the energy in this room. This experience felt very real and authentic and I hope I have more of this in my career (see more below).
two:Ā Drawn & Quarterly swag.Ā
Thanks to my Career Centre colleague, Tamara Stojakovic, for alerting me to this delightful surprise. It was shockingly the first time Iāve walked away from OLA with free books (crazy I know!). This one, in particular, appealed to me and spoke to my visual note taking passion. If you havenāt taken a look at Lynda BarryāsĀ āSyllabusā - you should!Ā
three: Authentic colleagues.Ā
I only saw one presentation at OLA and it was worth it. Being busy has its downsides (missing out on some incredible presentations being one!). But, I did stop in and watch my colleague, Ali Versluis, and her co-presenter, Myron Groover, give some serious real talk in āLevelling Up or Levelling Out? In Search of a New Vision for Library Leadership.ā
"I know it's hard. That's the point." -@Bibliocracy on diversity in LIS #olascā Alex Hanam (@AlexHanam) February 1, 2017
four:Ā The Career Centre Posters and everything Career Centre.Ā
Volunteering has never felt so good. Co-coordinating the OLA Career Centre continues to be amazing. Iām a resume nerd - so I love sharing what Iāve learned from being on both ends of the hiring process. This year I created some career path posters - I hope to continue this project and find a venue to share them online in the near future. Our career paths are all unique and some meander. We need to share our experiences to help others find their way. Shameless plug - I also got to profile my sis > #sisterlibrariansnotsisterwivesĀ
Check out the Career Centre Career Profiles
Sheesh. Iāll admit that I didnāt really look at who was booked to give the keynotes this year. I heard buzz about Lindy West and couldnāt remember why I knew her name. Then it hit me - it was this articleĀ and this podcast episodeĀ that I remembered. And, obviously, for fun - who doesnāt want to listen to a pointed and hilarious critique of that guy south of the border who seems to be getting a lot of attention these days. It was easily one of my favourite keynotes in recently library conference memory - fun, but serious, engaging and packed with authenticity.
"You have power to disrupt the idea that default stories are white stories." - Lindy West #olascĀ ā Emily Burns (@emilymelissabee) February 2, 2017
This year, I was excited to present on a few different topics. I was also ecstatic to co-coordinate the OLA Super Conference Career Centre again, with my colleague, Robin Sakowski, and the always hilarious Tamara Stojakovic (from Mississauga Public Library). I find this to be one of the most rewarding ways to give back to the profession. Itās always inspiring to meet new professionals and chat about their goals and share my own experiences while providing tips about how to navigate the job hunt. This year also marked the beginnings of what I know [hope] is going to be a both challenging and rewarding experience - I began my term as VP/President Elect of OCULA.
My presentations from OLA:
#1: Create Your Own Community: How to Start Your Own Conference (or Workshop or Community of Practice) with Agnieszka Gorgon, Tracy Munusami, Juliene McLaughlin, David James Hudson
This was the first time I have organized a panel discussion. This was a unique opportunity to work with new people and engage more with something that I was intrigued about (communities of practice) and learn from others on the panel. This group was great to work with and our differing experiences and perspectives came together in a way that allowed us to get new ideas and learn from each other and the audience.Ā
Program Description:
Grassroots organizations and events are popping up across library communities as librarians and information workers explore new and emerging ways to develop communities of practice. These groups provide a unique opportunity for individuals with a common interest to engage in discussions and activities outside of traditional professional organizations. These groups include: eLearning Collective & Symposium, New Librarians Symposium, Community Librarian Camp, and Critical Librarianship Workshop.
This panel discussion will be an opportunity to learn about these groups and explore and contrast concepts of entrepreneurial thinking and grassroots organizing as pervasive for modern day professional development. Each panelist will provide a brief history, why they formed and what they do. Panelists will share their experiences and advice about building community and tips and strategies for creating a successful conference (or workshop or community of practice).
#2:Ā Jumping Into The Deep: Imposter Syndrome, Defining Success and the New Librarian withĀ Sajni Lacey
This might be the most rewarding experience Iāve ever had as a facilitator or at a conference. Sajni Lacey and I came together over a shared interest in exploring feelings of imposter syndrome as new/early career librarians and wound up here. We created a conference experience focused on telling our stories and interactive activities that had the audience sharing experiences and collaboratively thinking about how they could positively deal with these feelings. The energy in the room was incredible and I felt that we created a safe space where people were engaged and open. I want more of this in my life.
This session also provided the opportunity to collaborate with Sajni, who is pretty darn amazing. Her thoughtful approach to this topic really helped us develop our ideas into something that Iām pretty proud of. Stay tuned for more work in this area from us!Ā
This room! ā¤ļø had the most rewarding experience facilitating this group w @LaceySajni #olasc #impostersyndrome pic.twitter.com/OwZiv0KACf
Source:Ā https://twitter.com/mparstew/status/827281103664746497
Program Description:
Have you ever felt like a fraud or that you didnāt have enough experience or knowledge to successfully do your job? Feelings of imposter syndrome are not uncommon in the modern workplace, including in libraries and other information settings. During this session, we will use personal experience and research to explore imposter syndrome through the lens of new librarians and those that hire them. Weāll talk about competition in the job market, burnout rates, social media and the need for non-traditional skills in a dynamic field. Through experience and research, attendees will leave with tips and tools for managing and examining imposter syndrome.
#3: Social Media: How to Manage and Curate Your Professional Online Presence
This was my only solo presentation. Iāve done versions of this before (I love talking about building community online). The audience was great and asked lots of questions. This presentation topic is becoming bigger in my professional practice, as I talk to students about building an online identity across disciplines - so itās always interesting to experiment with new activities and have conversations with people about social media.
Program Description:
How do you take your digital identity to the next level? Itās important for all professionals to curate an effective online presence. For colleagues, potential employers and future collaborators, your online presence provides an opportunity to take a closer look at your experience, view your portfolio and get to know you. Maintaining a digital identity that is true to who you are and manageable can be a challenge ā having a strategy is key. This presentation will provide steps for curating an online identity, including improving your social media presence and developing an online portfolio. This presentation will provide ideas for managing your personal digital brand. Through exemplars and best practices, attendees will leave with tips and tools for creating your best āonlineā self.This session is intended for those who already have a professional social media presence.
*till next year OLA . . .