To Blog or Not to Blog

Well earlier in the week I typed the 'rules' of blogging - but did I follow them!

The first rules were 'When writing a blog do...'

Find your focus - To do this, you must first ask yourself this question: Who are your target readers? 

• Well I think I got that one okay

Be relatable, be yourself - Let your readers get to know you.

• Okay, got that right.  I told you a bit about myself

Use links within your posts - Whether you are linking to other blogs, do it whenever you can. 

• Well got that right on my second blog, with links to the FIL website - another tick.

Include images - While readers come to your blog for information and personality, they also need to be stimulated visually. Not all posts will lend themselves to an image, but when they do, take advantage of it. 

• Yep, I got images in.

Respond to blog comments -Not all comments need a response, but be sure to respond to ones that do 

• Sadly, no comments received. Oh well at least a know a few (unfortunately a very few of you read my blogs)

Next we had the 'When writing a blog don't ....'

Set unrealistic goals - You know your schedule and abilities better than anyone else, so don’t attempt to post every day if you can’t.

• Okay, got that right, I intended to only write every other day and that I've achieved.

Limit your word count - If you have something to say, say it. 

• Another achieved, I didn't limit my word count, not something I could ever be accused of doing!

Make grammar mistakes - And, if you do, correct them immediately. Folks on the Web tend to be more lenient about typos, so don’t stress about it if you do make a mistake.

• Okay, so I'm sure I failed this one. Yes, I work in a library but I have to say grammar has never been one of my strengths and sorry but as long as what I've written can be understood, I don't really care.  (Ooo controversial) 

Be negative - It’s generally unwise to air personal grievances publicly (unless, of course, that’s the theme of your blog 

• I know I wasn't negative, I didn't even put myself down.

Write long paragraphs - Long blocks of text are hard for readers to digest, especially when reading on computers and tablets.

• Don't think I did this, I made a concerted effort to break up the paragraphs with space and / or pictures.

Avoid trying new things - It’s important to let your blog evolve over time, and the only way this can happen is if you take risks every once in awhile.

• Well I didn't avoid trying new things - the blog was a new thing for me.

So, how do I feel about my first blogging experience?  On the whole really good, in a way it's felt a bit like editing and writing for the Newsletter.  At times not sure what I was going to write but once I'd started things started to flow and I found myself enjoying the experience of writing.

Now whether anybody else has enjoyed what I've written or even actually read all the way through, I don't know and I have to say it's a little disheartening not receiving comments or being certain your blog has been read. I think though that if you write on a regular basis, that is something that will evolve, people will respond and comment. Alternatively a more controversial subject will elicit comments or any subject that others have strong feelings about.

Would I do this again? Would I encourage others to write a blog?

Yes, to both questions.  I know some people don't see the point of blogs but then if you are not interested in what other people have to say, you don't have to read a blog.  After all, what's the difference between writing a blog and writing an article for a newsletter or journal?

Maybe next time my subject will be interlending related, maybe it won't but you will be hearing from me again, either here or on my own blog. 

Bad grammar, bad spelling, long paragraphs, and very likely unrealistic goals - hey but that's me and we all know the second rule is Be relatable, be yourself - that I can do!

Tracey Jackson

I thought it was a good idea at the time...

As I said in my previous blog, this is my second time on the FIL committee, previously I was Membership Secretary and had decided that this time on the committee I would remain as 'just' a regular member, no special role but just contribute to FIL in general.

Well, that was the idea!  Unfortunately as I have realised over the years, what I intend to do and what I end up volunteering to do are always two very different things.  After rejoining the committee a message went out saying volunteers were needed for a couple of roles, Vice Chair and Newsletter Editor.  I read the email and decided to just ignore it and let somebody else step forward for the role..... oh how I wish I'd listened to myself.

I knew the Vice Chair role wasn't for me - you need to be outgoing and confident, not me in any way, I hadn't even noticed that I was already considering taking on a role!

All of a sudden I found myself thinking, 'well, how hard can editing the Newsletter be?'  I really should have known the answer to that one, having edited a Newsletter previously for our Archery club. The next thing I knew was I was sending an email off to Marie, saying I'd like to take on the role of the Newsletter Editor if she hadn't had any other volunteers, she hadn't.

Oh good I thought, she's accepted me...

 now what do I do?

To be honest the role isn't hard, the most difficult part is getting enough articles and although we have had to delay publication a couple of times, we have so far managed to get the Newsletter out. 

So, what is involved?

As I say, I need to encourage people to write for the Newsletter, my first victims - oops I mean contributors are always the FIL committee members.  Well, if they have volunteered to join the committee, they can at least contribute to the Newsletter, even if it is just to tell the membership who they are....oh yes, that reminds me we have new members on the committee...Note to self, send emails to remind the new members to write an article for the Newsletter.

So, that's what you find yourself doing, you read something in a journal, on the internet or via an email and think, 'that would make a good article for the newsletter'.  Another message goes off to the author/originator asking if they would like to write up an article for the newsletter. I'm gratified to say, so far I've not been refused and then of course there are those wonderful people who volunteer articles! 

These people are the 'saints' for us Newsletter editors, they have an idea, approach you to see if you would like an article(of course we do!) and then write and submit their articles. 

So all you future saints out there, please don't think that you can't write for a Newsletter; or that what you have to say isn't interesting or important. I can guarantee, somebody out there has the same ideas, opinions as you and there will be some who have the opposite ideas and opinions (excellent another article on it's way). There will also be people out there who will learn something new from your article and you may even find people contacting you to expand your ideas or start a new project to improve methods of inter-lending.

Having an article published also looks good on your CV and who knows where it may take you, you may discover a hidden talent and your publishing career can sky rocket. I know of people who have written an article for a newsletter, then been asked to expand the idea for a conference presentation and ended up writing more articles and initiating projects nationally and internationally. 

So today the FIL Newsletter, tomorrow world domination.....or is that going a bit far!

Tracey Jackson

FIL Newsletter Editor

FIL Newsletter Archive

Thoughts of a FIL Committee member and ILL Bodd.

As part of the FIL committee I was asked to write a blog for our FIL Blog - but what to write? I decided to 'Google' for help on writing a blog, never having written one before. Found an 'expert' who has written some rules titled 'How to Write a Blog...'

So, good place to start, these are the rules:

When Writing a Blog Do …

Find your focus
To do this, you must first ask yourself this question: Who are your target readers? 
Okay, I know that one - FIL members and other ILL bods - that's an easy one!

Be relatable, be yourself
Let your readers get to know you.
Okay, so I need to let you know who I am...hmm how much information is good to put out there? Well, I'm a FIL Committee member on my second go on the Committee. The Inter-Library Loans Supervisor for Hertfordshire Libraries and been at Hertfordshire Libraries for all my library career and other than a short stint on the 'front line' I've always worked 'behind the scenes' and for the majority of time in Inter-Library Loans. Outside work, I'm a crafter, especially working in Silver and beading, plus card making and now willow weaving, I also read for pleasure and as a reader for the Romantic Novelist of the Year awards and no, romance books aren't my usual reading choice and finally I'm a Longbow archer and now training as an archery judge. There, me in a nutshell....

Use links within your posts
Whether you are linking to other blogs, do it whenever you can. 
Sounds like a good idea, IF, I have something to say that I can think to link somewhere.....I'll work on that one!

Include images
While readers come to your blog for information and personality, they also need to be stimulated visually. Not all posts will lend themselves to an image, but when they do, take advantage of it. 
Well, images...hmm. Well one thing I know I'm not posting and that's photo's of me! Sorry for now your 'visual stimulation' will have to wait.

Respond to blog comments
Not all comments need a response, but be sure to respond to ones that do 
Oh good, an easy one. I can respond to comments, if I get any.... mmm must however remember to check back to see if any comments are received.

Post to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and anywhere else you can
Another easy one, this is all been set up for me.

When Writing a Blog Don't ...

Set unrealistic goals
You know your schedule and abilities better than anyone else, so don’t attempt to post every day if you can’t.
I'm okay on this one, I'm at home this week on annual leave - just chilling, plenty of time to write my blogs. Now what was that saying about 'famous last words'...

Limit your word count
If you have something to say, say it. 
Oh, I will say it....when I can think of something to say!

Make grammar mistakes
And, if you do, correct them immediately. Folks on the Web tend to be more lenient about typos, so don’t stress about it if you do make a mistake.
Well, you'll just have to accept my apologies now on this one, that's all I'm going to say on the matter...

Be negative
It’s generally unwise to air personal grievances publicly (unless, of course, that’s the theme of your blog 
Safe on this, airing personal grievances should never be done publicly and I won't be doing that, but don't hold it against me if a little negativity creeps in to my blogs - it will probably only be against myself so no flaming please.

Write long paragraphs
Long blocks of text are hard for readers to digest, especially when reading on computers and tablets.
Hmmm now how long is long?

Avoid trying new things
It’s important to let your blog evolve over time, and the only way this can happen is if you take risks every once in awhile.
Okay, no worries of me avoiding trying new things - I do it all the time, at work, at home. I've only ever written once before for a blog, so this experience is completely new. Oh no, what have FIL done, unleashing me on the world of blogging, you never know I may love this so much I'll start my own blog and then the world will never be free of me!

Well that's the rules for 'How to write a Blog'. Okay, I think I may be able to manage this, now I just have to think of a subject for my next blog....any ideas anyone?

Tracey Jackson
FIL Committee Member & Newsletter Editor

Hertfordshire Libraries

Awareness week .....

It has been a funny old week in the NHS health library in a well known part of Birmingham …. We are a staff library in a teaching hospital, funded to support all hospital staff equally whether they are a consultant, placement student or secretary. We have been having an Awareness Week to attract new users, to advertise to existing users and also to demo a few of our selected products and services. And have been giving away pens and mugs like they were going out of fashion …. A large work stream for us are ILLS so have spent part of the week promoting our automated ILL requesting service. It allows users to request on or off site, tells us whether we have the item in stock and lets the user know at what stage their request is at. We mainly request journal articles rather than books and have local networks we can call upon, as well as using the BMA Library and the British Library. The journal articles are used mainly by clinicians directly for patient care or research which means requests are a priority for us. As part of the Awareness Week, we have been showing clinicians how to use Anatomy TV. It’s a 3D online anatomy resource where bits of our bodies can be rotated and layers can be added or removed to see exactly what is going on underneath our skin! The resource is used a lot during the teaching that goes on in the hospital. My highlight of the week was 20 senior hospital staff all sat wearing cardboard 3D glasses (no expense spared- we are the NHS afterall!) going ‘oooh’ and ‘aahhh’ at an image of a skull in 3D. On a serious note, it made me think about how resources are changing in libraries. Once upon a time everything was paper based but now anything goes. How does that affect us in ILLs ..? How will that affect our ILL networks … more licences or less … more work or less …? What do you think ..? Can you come and talk at a training event or Interlend about your experiences and how ILLs have changed or are changing ...? Let us know if you can ... Jennie (Marketing person FIL)

With a little help from my friends and more ... 15th Nov (pm)

The title of this post and our upcoming training day seems very apt, especially as I have had to call on my FIL committee friends to 'remind' me of the password to this site! But help they did and I was very grateful!! Some times we do need to ask for help at work - to bounce ideas off someone, discuss an idea or learn from colleagues. With this in mind, our November training event is looking at how effective collaboration and sharing information/knowledge can be ..... So shameless plug - "With a Little Help from My Friends - FIL@BL St Pancras" - BOOKING IS OPEN! The event is taking place at the British Library Document Supply Centre in St Pancras, London during the afternoon of Friday 15th November 2013. Places are limited to 40 delegates and are filling up fast, so book now to avoid disappointment! Price £30 members, £45 non members. Please register for a place at http://www.forumforinterlending.org.uk/filblst-pancras-friends-2 by the 8th November. We look forward to seeing you all there and if anyone has a bright idea to remember passwords please come and tell me ... :) Jennie (Marketing person @ FIL)

Document Delivery Review:

Work this week, has been about procedure manuals. It has been on my to-do-list all summer, but with one thing and another it's only now that I've gotten round to do it.
The procedures for Document Delivery have changed somewhat since our last review of them prior to going on maternity leave in June 2010! Things have changed, and quite significantly in some areas, so as its the start of a new academic year, time to dust down our procedures.

Myself and a colleague, were given time away from our normal work and we locked ourselves into a room with the said  manuals and ploughed on!
Once we got started, we made quick headway with the main procedure manual which solely focused on Inter Library Loans. Part of our work includes the CLA Scanning licence and these procedures have always been separate, on review we decided that as this falls under Document Delivery Service this was to now be included in the manual.
Over the last year, we have also been managing the TRILT Service and we felt this also needs to be included.

The manual will be the 'go to' place for all of our Document Delivery Services in the future.

FIL related news, the FIL @ BL St.Pancras programme is now available and bookings are open! The event is titled 'With a Little Help From My Friends' (at least there are no Cliff Richard references!) I've always been struck by how friendly ILL peeps are, and to build on these foundations we hope to continue in these footsteps.

Have you registered for our 'Members Only Area' yet? I implore you all to register for this added service, here you can discuss a variety off issues that affect interlending and document supply.

Marie
FIL Chair
Cardiff Metroplitan University

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New Faces for a new academic year

This is an exciting time at the Albert Sloman Library here at the University of Essex because September always sees the arrival of our new graduate trainees.

This year, as last year, we have four graduates coming to gain some experience of library work before embarking on a post-graduate programme of study. Each of our graduates spends three months in our Interlibrary loan department so that means we have to train some-one new about the delights of inter-lending every three months.

Whilst this can be quite a challenge, especially if there are any systems changes or product changes which coincides with the trainees, it also gives us time  to think about how we do things, and we can also get fresh ideas on maybe how to improve things.

What I find particularly rewarding is when I get requests for items from some of our previous trainees who have gone on to work in Interlibrary loan departments around the country. Seeing familiar names always sparks off conversations about good times.

This year our trainees are also going to see the opening of a new partnership project library brought about by Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, the University of Essex and South Essex College. Anyone who went to the FIL conference in Worcester will remember the Hive and I believe that this will be something similar. We are all excited to see what happens after it opens on 30^th September.

What a month of good things to look forward to :)

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nrbelex/320182643/">Nrbelex</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/">cc</a>