Thing 7: Face to face networks and professional organizations

Ok, this is the moment I have been waiting for, the chance to present my pitch for involvement in professional organizations.

Let's start at the beginning, I joined the mighty CILIP way back in 2004, when I was a very naive and green graduate trainee and did not have the first idea about working in libraries, I certainly had not amassed the huge amount of knowledge that I have now (ha ha). I trundled along, through my graduate traineeship, through my MA, through a year of working as a relief library assistant whilst I applied for jobs and through 3 months as a School Librarian, all the time holding onto my CILIP membership almost as a Talisman in that I would, one day, get the job that I craved. In February 2008, this came to me in the form of my present job, Arts Liaison Librarian at the University of Winchester. I started my job, eager to learn and with a vague notion that I would, at some point, get more involved with CILIP.

In December 2008, this opportunity came to me as, one of the former librarians from my workplace who just happened to be in touch with the person who had got her job asked if we would like to join our local CILIP committee as she was a member. I feel I should take a brief interlude from my narrative at this point to stress that, although this is how things turned out for me and it was quite nice to trot along to my first committee meeting as one of a pair of 'new girls' you should not feel as if you have to wait until someone you know joins a committee just so that you can go with them and have safety in numbers. If there is a committee that you want to get involved with, then get in touch and find out how you can help and go along. Although I joined this committee as a pair, there have been previous committee's that I have joined as a lone person, I have found it quite exhilerating (I think it is for me, the equivalent of mental bungee jumping)  and, more importantly, I have never looked back.

So, fast forward to 2011 and here I am, with 2 1/2 years experience of involvement in a CILIP committee under my belt, having also held the positions of both secretary and treasurer and having organised my very own trip to The Great Hall and the Cathedral Library in Winchester. I cannot emphasise enough how enjoyable it is to be part of a committee, you get to meet lots of people, make new networks which, particularly if you are like me and are new to the area are good to have and your confidence grows enormously. Plus, if there is an event or training session that you would like to do and that you feel would benefit other librarians, then you can just organise it yourself.

 I find it very rewarding to be part of my local CILIP committee and very proud to think that we are organising local events for local networks who aren't always available to go to London for an event. There are various plans underfoot at the moment at CILIP and the future of Special Interest Groups and Branches is not stable, I for one would hate to see branches go and, if they are merged with SIG's, I do hope that they manage to maintain some sort of regional identity.