I ran across an extraordinary post....
How many times lately have I been tweeting or doing blog posts about some amazing thing I've read from Youth Services bloggers I follow? So much of what I read takes me to places of discovery that I have never been before. And it clearly inspires my blogging and TTFLF's content.
This post is completely happening because I was blown away by Amy Koester's Peer Sourcing post at Show Me Librarian. In the post she acknowledges the power of collaboration and learning from others to build the scaffolding to new programming and thinking paradigms in her work. As I've said before, everything comes from somewhere - whether hatched in our brain or sparked by something we read or hear or collaborate on.
When I started blogging five years ago, there were mostly kidlit blogs - lots of reviews of and thoughts about children and teen books. Only a handful of bloggers shared programs, initiatives and opinions on youth services. And that was what I was really after.
As the years have gone on, more youth people have joined the conversation. From robust posts at ALSC, YALSA, and the Hub to individual bloggers inspired by Flannel Fridays or a desire to share their professional journeys in working with youth, I now have over 100 blogs that I follow. They are ripe with opinions, storytime ideas; teen program mojo; cool initiatives and more. Who knew?
I agree with Amy that we learn from others in a way that informs and improves our work. This is really a shout-out to all the youth services bloggers for putting it out there and sharing. I learn every day and in every way from you all. You all make me a better librarian. And you inform what I write about here.
Really, I am so lucky!
I wish there was a "like" button.
ReplyDeleteI agree whole heartedly. As a new member to this profession, it is extremely helpful to read other's thoughts and feelings about their experiences and about this profession in general. I am the only person in my library's youth services department and it is nice to know that I am not alone.
Thank you Marge, and everyone else who shares!
Marge, yours was one of the very first blogs I found that was sharing more than storytime plans and/or book reviews (not that I don't love those too, but I was looking for a more varied area of topics), and I've been inspired to write more about program planning and other aspects of YS from you & others. So thank you too!
ReplyDeleteKathleen and Anne, I feel like my professional creativity has been saved by the cameraderie and sharing of colleagues. It makes me sad sometimes to see some folks just going on their own...it looks like such a struggle. That's why I'm glad I know you all!
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