When I first joined ALSC in 2023, I enjoyed seeing all of the great posts come through ALA Connect and reading the ALSC blog posts, but knew that I was craving more in terms of connecting with others in the field. Upon renewing my ALA/ALSC membership earlier this year, I decided to do something about that. So I crashed a Membership Committee Meeting. I started to panic during the meeting when I realized everyone in attendance already knew each other, but was quickly welcomed by all. This crashing of the meeting turned into a happy accident for both myself and the committee. ALSC members are able to attend process committee meetings (just not awards committees) to check out what work is being done! It turned out that the Membership Committee needed additional members at that time and I was able to contribute my expertise right away by taking over blog…
Tag: professional connections
Sparking Joy and Building Connections
Discussions, blog posts, podcasts, and books everywhere explore finding joy. It’s challenging, especially when searching for happiness in your job. Sometimes, we spend more waking hours at work than with our families, friends, and hobbies. Can we honestly say those hours spark delight? Many things threaten our joy, from grumpy patron interactions to unexpected community challenges. But I believe in finding the good every day and choosing the things that refill your heart amid difficulties. Here are three ways to spark joy through connection. Connect with Yourself Joy is personal, and that means finding it starts with you. First, create a list of goals and priorities. Make your list as long or as short as you want, and include anything, personal or professional. Then, see what jumps out from your list. What small step can you take that would reinspire you now? If you’d like to build a new skill,…
Overwhelmed By: Professional Connections
Reaching traditionally marginalized or underserved communities is overwhelming. We don’t want to make this work look easy; it truly isn’t. However, we believe library staff at any level can do it with the right tools and support. This year, we’re bridging the gap between tangible resources and getting started. Today, we’ll focus on building professional connections.