Professional Enrichment: Yes Please! But When?
By Korissa McGlocklin

If I told you there was a way, a way at work to learn something new, maybe dive into a side-project being neglected, would you be interested? Would you do it if you could? What would you do with your ‘me’ time? (If you like things the way they are and don’t want ‘me’ time, read this anyway. Then you won’t have to act surprised and be sour when it happens. It’s for your own good.)

Jeanne Fondrie, Learning Coordinator for Whatcom County Library System, gave a presentation about self-directed learning at the WALT (Washington Library Trainers) meeting in October. She outlined a program for library staff to take time out from their regular duties and learn for themselves. Wait, what? Learn for myself at work?

Here’s how it works:

Each library employee receives a 4x5 library card good for a predetermined amount of time to engage with a resource of their choice for personal enrichment. These cards are redeemable at any time within a predetermined time range. The goal? A win-win situation in which you can pursue something you want to do for the benefit of yourself and your library family.

A few ideas:

Blow the dust off that side project. Take in how another department in your library works. Dive into TED.com for some inspiring thought, or pop over to WebJunction.org for a webinar. Now you can create that much needed information sheet or FAQ. If you had a little time for yourself to work on what you wanted, what would you do?

What’s the catch:

Okay, so the catch is you need the library director and your supervisor(s) on board with your plan to break out of the day-in-day-out cycle of the grind now and then. Don’t deflate, it isn’t that bad (well maybe, but I hope not). Get this into the hands of your training coordinator. If you don’t have one and want to pitch a self-directed learning program to your library, or wish someone would do so, contact Jeanne at [email protected] (she’s very nice, so don’t take this opportunity to scold her for threatening to mess up your drudgery of a routine). You’re not alone, and your co-workers will thank you. Well, most of them. You already know who won’t so either avoid them or infect them with your enthusiasm. Those are the only two options (what, it’s true!). If you’re a library director or a supervisor, recognize this for the deliciously good thing it is and don’t delay!

It’s time to come up for air and breathe a little bit. Dig into that would-be-nice-someday-if-I’ll-have-time thing that never happens. Work for your ‘me’ time, that little slice of I-feel-loved heaven. Are you smiling? Good. Send an e-mail to Jeanne ([email protected]) today and start the ball rolling towards your professional enrichment.