I attended a full and fascinating session by the University of Washington Information School this morning - I was that reticent English woman who was so bad at getting the speakers' attention! - and I found it to be very encouraging that there is such a high quality of teaching and learning going on for librarians over here. I think that I am similarly fortunate to be on the equivalent programme at the University of Sheffield which is also a holistic approach to information sciences. I was impressed by the talent of the speakers, newly-qualified MLIS professionals and it certainly is hopeful for the future that we are going to banish the staid image of librarians within this generation I think. Frankly we're just too radical a bunch of professionals to put up with it any more. I think that in the UK we can learn a lot from the US approach of advocacy and the promotion of professional standards and just not being bullied by organisations trying to get rid of us and hire cheaper staff who know how to use Google (a bit). I know things aren't perfect here but it is inspiring and gives me hope that I can go home and, to quote Joe Janes, take the world by the scruff of it neck and give it a good shake!
Any excuse for a picture of a kitten!
I am now very full of ice cream to I will waddle off to my pensions seminar, thanks to the Copyright Clearance Center who explained a few basic facts to me, so entrenched in the CLA's ways am I was somewhat confused to begin with I confess. But then confusion is a natural state for me, so I'm off to top up on some more.
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