Getting Involved

Posted September 21, 2013 by Maggie Davidov

It’s September and all around us we are inundated with announcements. Don’t forget, tomorrow on the quad, the annual picnic to save the squirrels! Save the date for next Friday’s twister mixer! And then there are the events that you really do want to attend.

 All GSLIS students automatically receive LISSA updates, and orientation is a swathe of sign-up sheets that put us on a million list-servs that remind us that there are learning opportunities for GSLIS students and librarians all the time. Weeding out the good events from the bad, rather the ones you’re interested in versus the ones you could not care less about, is a chore. It takes time to slug through the many, many emails you receive in your school inbox, your work inbox, and your personal inbox. Pretty soon, you’re ready to call the whole thing quits and give up on professional development altogether.

I wouldn’t say that I have the whole thing figured out, but I do know that I need to participate in the dialogue that’s happening outside the confines of my classroom on Palace Road. Maybe you don’t want to hear from ALA every week, but find time in your week to scan the scene for events for library-oriented people such as yourself. You won’t regret it once you’re there.  So here are a few ways I try to put myself out there. If you are not of the children’s librarianship persuasion these might not apply to you, but that certainly does not mean there aren’t events happening that pertain to your interest. You just have to look, listen up in class, or ask around.

Kidlit Night:

My colleague from work started an informal gathering of librarians, who work with children and young adults, as well as local YA authors and publishing people about a year ago. They get together once every other month in Cambridge and talk about the latest books on the market, what kids are reading, and other fun stuff. To get the updates about the latest meeting times and locations follow them on twitter or facebook:

https://twitter.com/KidlitNight

https://www.facebook.com/groups/kidlitdrinknightboston/

Children’s Books Boston

Some of the best events I’ve been to in the Greater Boston area have been author events at book stores or public libraries. Horn Book just created a comprehensive calendar of author events and the like in the children’s and YA category. Great fun, if you like to hear an author read their book.

http://www.hbook.com/calendar/

InfoLink:

I also recommend InfoLink, the GSLIS newsletter. This is just to find out what’s going on at Simmons and who’s doing cool new things. We have so many resources right here. Why not take advantage of these fabulously intelligent professors while we can!

http://simmons.edu/gslis/for/current/news/blog/infolink/september-2013-1/