Seeking Professional Development advice

I was going to post this on the general forum but then I realised I was part of a specific group that may be able to help me.

I was reading the comments that Craig Tibbitts made at the Australian Society of Archivists 2013 Conference about professional requirements for archivists and recordkeepers. I completed a graduate diploma in records management and archives with Curtin University in 2008. I have since been working in a professional capacity as an archivist for three years. I have found that even in the short time since I have left university plenty has happened in the information world and I wonder how to catch up with the latest changes. I subscribe to the Aus-Archivists list serve and follow them on Linked In as well, but I am wondering if anyone can provide me with some advice on how to I can continue to improve my understanding of what is happening out there. There are only two of us in the office I work for and unfortunately neither my colleague nor my boss have archival / records / information training. This has a rather isolating effect and I do not feel that I am keeping up with the trends in current thinking. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

That is a bit sad to hear Hannah. The answer to your question is really about what you want to learn? Technology? Practice? Theory?

I have some suggestions for you:

If you are not an ASA member, then join and participate in your local branch. http://www.archivists.org.au/community/branches
The Records and Information Management Association of Australasia (RIMPA) has a similar set up and if you are not a member of that organisation I recommend joining. They have some very good programs for professional development.
There are also international archival associations which publish new information such as the International Council on Archives (ICA.org).
Both the ASA and RIMPA have annual conferences/conventions. Attendance at these should count towards your workplace learning and development. They are great for networking as well as learning about current practice and sometimes a little theory. The workshops at the conferences are always great.
Apart from branches there are also special interest groups (SIGS) who often hold meetings at the annual conferences, plus at other times.
On ArchivesLive there are many other loose groups you can be part of - such as this one. Although, I note that like this one, not many people participate with online discussions.
The RIMPA listerv and the Archives and Records Australia Google group are excellent sources of online conversation. I also subscribe to the U.S. Archives forum. Although these resources are often more about asking questions.
There are a growing number of groups on LinkedIn as well about archives and records, some with a very specific focus such as metadata.
There are also the multitude of publications about archives, records, information, etc. I subscribe to daily newsletters from Information Management, but also read journals when they come out. If you are a member of ASA and RIMPA you will receive their journals plus online access. Unfortunately the most online journals are for subscribers and unless you get good access to the library databases as a Curtin graduate, it means paying per article.
ASA, RIMPA plus other private companies present training courses, but generally these will be about skills you probably have already learned. However, there are seminars and workshops available that focus on trends. These events are not just organised by ASA or RIMPA either - Universities sometimes run seminars (Monash and Curtin in particular), but also groups such as the Recordkeeping Roundtable which was formed as a discussion group.
Taking a leaf out of the Recordkeeping Roundtable you can create your own local discussion group and/or run a local seminar/workshop. When I was working as a Records Manager in a community service organisation I would call all the other organisations similar to mine and ask to speak to whoever the records person was and then chat to them on the phone about how isolated we were (I was the only records employee in my organisation). Then we would meet up for networking lunches.
As an educator I am always trying to find information about archives and records to present it in new and interesting ways. YouTube has proved to be a really valuable resource for me. I find videos of conference presentations around the world which have been great to listen to.
Finally, I also use Twitter to find and chat to other professionals, or just to see what the Archivist of the United States @DFerriero has to say. Conference tweeting is a great way to see what people find interesting. I am @rhizomedigital.

You probably know about many of the above anyway, so I hope that I gave you some new ideas as well. Keeping up with emerging trends and current information can be quite challenging, but if you have a particular focus (such as new technologies) then it is relatively easy to find resources that report on trends. Finding the time to read it all is the biggest challenge.

Journals

Archival Science

Archives and Manuscripts

American Archivist

Archivaria

Records Management Journal

IQ – The RIM Professionals Australasia Quarterly

There are others that sometimes feature records and archives such as First Monday. Others who read this response might know others as well - I am just thinking off the top of my head.

Good luck!

Leisa

Replies

Hannah Hibbert July 25, 2014 at 9:39am

Hi Leisa,

Thank you so much for your detailed response. It certainly gave me some ideas. I think the main problem is always finding the time on top of everyday work. But I believe that on going education is important so will certainly work on making the time to do some extra reading.

Many thanks again,

Hannah
Leisa Gibbons July 16, 2014 at 6:08pm

Hannah, did you get a response for this question?
- Hannah Hibbert > Leisa Gibbons July 17, 2014 at 9:55pm
  
  Hi Leisa, No unfortunately I never got any responses.
- Leisa Gibbons > Hannah Hibbert July 18, 2014 at 11:31am
  That is a bit sad to hear Hannah. The answer to your question is really about what you want to learn? Technology? Practice? Theory?
  
  I have some suggestions for you:
  
  If you are not an ASA member, then join and participate in your local branch. http://www.archivists.org.au/community/branches
  
  The Records and Information Management Association of Australasia (RIMPA) has a similar set up and if you are not a member of that organisation I recommend joining. They have some very good programs for professional development.
  
  There are also international archival associations which publish new information such as the International Council on Archives (ICA.org).
  
  Both the ASA and RIMPA have annual conferences/conventions. Attendance at these should count towards your workplace learning and development. They are great for networking as well as learning about current practice and sometimes a little theory. The workshops at the conferences are always great.
  
  Apart from branches there are also special interest groups (SIGS) who often hold meetings at the annual conferences, plus at other times.
  
  On ArchivesLive there are many other loose groups you can be part of - such as this one. Although, I note that like this one, not many people participate with online discussions.
  
  The RIMPA listerv and the Archives and Records Australia Google group are excellent sources of online conversation. I also subscribe to the U.S. Archives forum. Although these resources are often more about asking questions.
  
  There are a growing number of groups on LinkedIn as well about archives and records, some with a very specific focus such as metadata.
  
  There are also the multitude of publications about archives, records, information, etc. I subscribe to daily newsletters from Information Management, but also read journals when they come out. If you are a member of ASA and RIMPA you will receive their journals plus online access. Unfortunately the most online journals are for subscribers and unless you get good access to the library databases as a Curtin graduate, it means paying per article.
  
  ASA, RIMPA plus other private companies present training courses, but generally these will be about skills you probably have already learned. However, there are seminars and workshops available that focus on trends. These events are not just organised by ASA or RIMPA either - Universities sometimes run seminars (Monash and Curtin in particular), but also groups such as the Recordkeeping Roundtable which was formed as a discussion group.
  
  Taking a leaf out of the Recordkeeping Roundtable you can create your own local discussion group and/or run a local seminar/workshop. When I was working as a Records Manager in a community service organisation I would call all the other organisations similar to mine and ask to speak to whoever the records person was and then chat to them on the phone about how isolated we were (I was the only records employee in my organisation). Then we would meet up for networking lunches.
  
  As an educator I am always trying to find information about archives and records to present it in new and interesting ways. YouTube has proved to be a really valuable resource for me. I find videos of conference presentations around the world which have been great to listen to.
  
  Finally, I also use Twitter to find and chat to other professionals, or just to see what the Archivist of the United States @DFerriero has to say. Conference tweeting is a great way to see what people find interesting. I am @rhizomedigital.
  
  You probably know about many of the above anyway, so I hope that I gave you some new ideas as well. Keeping up with emerging trends and current information can be quite challenging, but if you have a particular focus (such as new technologies) then it is relatively easy to find resources that report on trends. Finding the time to read it all is the biggest challenge.
  
  Journals
  
  Archival Science
  
  Archives and Manuscripts
  
  American Archivist
  
  Archivaria
  
  Records Management Journal
  
  IQ – The RIM Professionals Australasia Quarterly
  
  There are others that sometimes feature records and archives such as First Monday. Others who read this response might know others as well - I am just thinking off the top of my head.
  
  Good luck!
  
  Leisa

This reply was deleted.

Training & Education

Replies