The power of professional networks

I really do value professional networks (not that you can tell since I've been remiss and not written on my blog in almost a month), but I do think they're really important.  I don't think networks have to be professional nor do I think they have to be ILS specific to be valued. A good network supports you in your own professionalism, offers a place for informal learning, a place to bounce ideas and camaraderie in your given field.

When I started in the voluntary sector after finishing my Masters, I was a lone worker in a small local organisation.  I was the only one doing my role and people around me didn't really have the foggiest about me, my role or my ILS training.  To help me feel less isolated, I engaged with CILIPS, to get a sense of ILS community.  But, it was hard to relate to issues like e-books, local library provision or academic cuts when you work in such a small and non-traditional sector.  I continued to engage though and always looked at universal topics to unite my role to the wider ILS scene.  I'd take courses on copyright and intellectual property, knowledge management and project managing and engage with people in more traditional sectors.  I always found it useful to make contacts, and did in a few occasions, use them.

But my real connection was with the voluntary sector.  When I started there wasn't really any network or fora available to help support me specifically in my role.  There were Development Worker fora and Chief Executive fora but really nothing at all to help Information related posts in the voluntary sector (despite the fact that mostly all Information roles in the voluntary sector are lone roles).  So in 2007, after a chance meeting with a fellow Information Officer in the sector, we established the Information Officers' Support Group (IOSG).  If no one was going to support us, we would do it ourselves!

When I moved to my current role a few years ago (again in the voluntary sector), I knew the value of the IOSG and knew it had to continue to be a part of my continued professional development.  It was so important that  I specifically requested that I be given time during the work day facilitate and attend IOSG meetings and events.  It was such a valued network in my old role that I didn't want to give it up - and I knew that continuing my own development would do nothing but benefit the organsation!

The group continues to thrive.  We meet a few times a year and we're currently working to build our LinkedIn group.  We don't often get many people attending meetings, but I've been given amazing feedback from members about how valuable they find the group.

Of all of my professional networks, I think I've learned the most from the IOSG. It's not a professional group and its by no means the largest group I've been involved in. But its the one I've had to work the hardest at and the one that I've gained the most skills.  We're still plodding along, and have made a name for ourselves in the voluntary sector here in the Central Belt of Scotland. (I'd direct you to a website but we're not that sophisticated yet!)

That's not to say that I don't gain professional understanding from my other networks.  Since November last year I've sat on the CILIPS committee and have been taking in issues relating to other ILS sectors.  I hope I'm able to give a different perspective than the norm and try and give my two cents.  Its a long hard slog though because I still feel there is a massive chasm between CILIP(S) and non-traditional sectors; it's not often you speak about ILS issues that don't relate to public, academic or FE libraries.  When was the last conference topic that discussed issues relating to business libraries, or information work not relating to libraries at all!

As for online networks, well, this CPD23 thang has helped me to engage more.  I don't generally go out of my way to look at CILIP communities but with Twitter, updates and feeds I've been able to get more streamlined information. It takes less effort and I feel closer to the pulse of what's going on.  (I went out last night with ILS friends and we discussed copyright issues that I wouldn't have known about without these streamlined information tools! )

Networks take time and effort, but if you use them correctly, you can gain so much.