Library Voice entered the biblioblogosphere on January 4, 2005. It has been a very fun and rewarding year. I started this blog hoping to contribute in some small way to the library world. I had been reading a number of great library blogs, and I thought that I could add something to the conversation around the biblioblogosphere. It is my wish that something I’ve written has helped a librarian or library in some way. I know that throughout this endeavor of reading and writing, I have learned a great deal about libraries, the library profession, about technology, and about myself. A few examples of the wonderful things that I’ve learned this past year are as follows:
- IM Reference Really Works!
- Wikis Make Great Subject and Research Guides
- Bloggers Love to Share
- Librarians are everywhere
- Librarians are cool
Probably the most rewarding thing about this past year of blogging is the number of great folks that I’ve met along the way. The biblioblogosphere is all about sharing, and I’ve been fortunate to have a number of opportunities to “talk shop” with colleagues around the country. I’ve learned that despite our different institutions, cultures, or work environments, we all have the same goal to serve our patrons better. Many of us are looking at the same goal in different ways, which is fantastic for generating new ideas. I’ll be the first to tell you that the ideas behind my two proud accomplishments for the year– starting an IM reference service and creating the Biz Wiki— were born in the biblioblogosphere. Great ideas can come through collaboration and sharing, and I encourage you to look for ways to share what you’re doing. If you’re not a blogger, that’s okay. You can share by posting a comment on someone else’s blog, participating in a listserv, or taking part in a discussion at a conference. If you are a blogger and have been sharing, keep up the good work. You are helping to contribute to a thriving community of collaboration. Regardless of how you share ideas, it really doesn’t matter how you communicate your ideas to the community, what matters is that you actually share them with others. You never know who is listening and what impact your ideas may have on our common goal of better serving our patrons.
Thanks for a great year with Library Voice, and I look forward to another year of sharing and learning with you.
Congrats Chad; keep up the great work!