From Maria Popova’s Brain Pickings:
Who we are and who we become is in large part the combinatorial product of the people and ideas we surround ourselves with — what William Gibson so memorably termed our“personal micro-culture” and Brian Eno called “scenius.” The more different those people are from us, the more they expand the echo chamber of our own mind, the more layered and beautiful the symphony of the spirit becomes.
It’s wonderful to be able to share people’s very different experiences and perspectives. You’re all part of my personal micro-culture, enriching my personal learning network 🙂
I’m loving the discussions that a few of us are having on Twitter and on our blogs at the moment, about professional discourse and feeling the fear and doing it anyway (aka “imposter syndrome”).
(Another reason to enjoy #blogjune, for the things that come up and that get discussed.)
I’m loving how technology – yay blogs! – is enabling this to occur. And yes, how can we foster more of this sort of thing throughout the year, and not just in June? Alisa asks this question on her post: should we do this on a collaborative blog? A website? Moderated monthly chats on Twitter? Yes, I say 🙂
Not everything is going to take – or take off – so I think that if a few of us want to try something we should make it happen. It may fail, but that’s fine. I’d love to see where I can contribute to some online venture – a new model of… dare I say it… publishing, for instance? (I think Kate’s been talking about this with Hugh already?) Does anyone want to revive LINT?
And today I caught up with a few colleagues at an event organised by our local university library network. It was so inspiring to hear from people and catch up, but of course there wasn’t enough time to talk with everyone. For me, what I’d love is to have regular (monthly? quarterly?) gatherings where we can talk about ideas and the things we’re reading. I think such gatherings could add to our local discourse. A sort of salon, if you will. Perth folks: anyone care to try, to join me?
11 Comments
I love the idea of a salon! ALIA Qld has informal drinks every now and then that provide a nice chance to socialise – one of the things I like about it so much is getting to meet library students and new grads – they are so unjaded and remind me why I got into this profession in the first place 🙂
But something that combined that social aspect with creative aspects of work (writing, reading, or innovative stuff people are working on) would be great. What sort of format would you see working for something like this? I’ve also always liked the journal club idea. Hmmm…
… Only if we can call it “LibrarySlam” to be, like, trendy ….
Sounds good. Count me in. Need good non-pub venue – maybe meet at differs metro libraries’ meeting rooms (academic & public ?) . I will send students 🙂
Oh I’d like to come to Perth and play!
“library slam” + drinking = sounds a little wrong 🙂
I’ll help organise if needed, and would join for sure. Can also bring the wine (or cider ;-), and lots of ideas that I have no time to blog about…
Count me in! (I miss the salons des bibliothécaires (cafe) and interlibrary lush (pub) gatherings of Montreal…)
Sorry Sam and Kate, geographic difficulties 😐 Open invitation to you to join us anytime you’re in Perth, though!
Kathryn, sorry but I don’t like “LibrarySlam”! Or were you being ironic? 🙂 *nods at snail*
Petra and Megan, thank you 🙂
That’s ok! I think we may do something similar in Brisbane. The very lovely Lyndelle Gunton is our new ALIA Qld state manager and we are conspiring about all sorts of things 😉
Before starting something new, why not look at what is already taking place… #DrinkingAboutCulture = informal get-togethers of those working or studying in the field of museums, galleries, libraries, archives or history.
A great forum for cross sector conversation and collaboration
No – really I won’t turn up if it is called Library Slam or the Library Minute or Library Jam or Library Makers …