Thing 23 The End: “Say it ain’t so, Joe”

The end of 23 Things is both a light at the end of the tunnel and an equally tough finish line to cross.

I’ve enjoyed continuing to blog as part of this project, but I also know myself.  I need a concrete deadline or structure to keep me focused, so I can complete the project.  This is why I know that online university classes are not the way for me.  Yes, I realize that sounds ironic considering the venue, but a “do at your own pace” course is one that is very difficult to make a priority while working full-time.  To quote Scarlett O’Hara (and who doesn’t in library land), “tomorrow is another day”.    Part of this Thing is a SWOT analysis.  This is the type of thing that I’d rather run a marathon than do, and I don’t run.  

I think that the goal of this project has been to look critically at ourselves and what we can do with the tools that are available to us.  The Personal Development Plan (PDP) can be a big undertaking and I’ve done it in some ways with annual goals to learn about areas that I want to focus on for that year.  In 2010, I focused on grants and grant writing and this year it’s been legal resources for the public library.  I’ll review the 23 Things and a general PDP in developing my goals for 2012.  I think that analysis paralysis can set in when reviewing a PDP for your work life and the time between my blog posts is evidence of that.  23 Things has been an intellectually stimulating project and I’ve enjoyed researching most things, but focusing on my professional future isn’t an area that I feel the need to publicize to the world at large.  This is perhaps a rare statement in this world of sharing the minutia of everyday life.

Thank you to all of the contributors who have made this project so enjoyable.

Thing 21 “Look what I’ve done good”

Part of this Thing is to make a list of activities and interests, without limiting it to your work life.  For example, I may have an interest in hiking (I don’t) and that might be something that I can integrate with work.  Looking at the two parts of my life separately, I wouldn’t think about doing a program on hiking trails in the local area.

Promoting me has never been a strong suit of mine.  In fact, part of the delay in writing this blog post has been the thought of going back over the paperwork from my work life to try and remember projects that I had worked on that I really enjoyed.  That’s a lot of paper to sort though.  When I read through this Thing again, I realized that I can quickly think of things that I like to do, and need to reflect on how I can incorporate them into my work. 

When you are job seeking, that’s usually when you start to update your resume.  Part of this Thing is to review your work life and keep your resume up to date.  That’s good advice, even if you are like me and not currently looking for a new job.  It makes you think and streamline your resume to present the most accurate and current view of yourself for a potential employer.  It’s also an opportunity to do a little “here’s what I’ve done good” bragging, without having to say it yourself.

One of the areas that I’ve mentioned in the blog is legal resources.  That’s an area of library research that I’ve always been interested in, while another area has been in staff training, which goes back to the work that I did more often in a previous job.    I’ve incorporated that interest into offering a class on legal resources for public libraries to my co-workers.  I also enjoy working with publishers to arrange author programs for my library, and part of that work is networking, which has never been my strong suit (perhaps I’ve mentioned this).  Networking has always been a four-letter word for me, but I’m working on developing this skill as I realize that it can be very helpful in your work and for your institution.

This Thing is not a one-time thing, but an ongoing project, and a good one to have at the end of the project, so we have things to do after we officially finish the 23 Things.