<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?><oembed><version><![CDATA[1.0]]></version><provider_name><![CDATA[A Life in Libraries]]></provider_name><provider_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com]]></provider_url><author_name><![CDATA[cbecker53]]></author_name><author_url><![CDATA[https://cherylbecker.wordpress.com/author/cbecker53/]]></author_url><title><![CDATA[Keeping Up with Professional&nbsp;Tools]]></title><type><![CDATA[link]]></type><html><![CDATA[<p>So, in case any readers of this blog don&#8217;t know it, being a librarian, and being a library director—heck, just working at a library, is hard work.  (Contrary to <a title="CNBC stress free jobs" href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100349332/page/3" target="_blank">what you may have read</a>.) It is hard to keep up with everything new you would like to (or everything you need to.)  We tend to call this <a class="zem_slink" title="Professional development" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Professional_development" target="_blank" rel="wikipedia">professional development</a>.</p>
<p>Sometimes you can try &#8220;do it yourself&#8221; professional development.  In 2006, the <a title="PLCMC" href="http://www.plcmc.lib.nc.us/" target="_blank">Public Library of Charlotte &amp; Mecklenburg County</a> started a program called <a title="23 things" href="http://plcmcl2-things.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">23 Things</a>, (&#8220;a discovery learning program designed to encourage staff to explore new technologies and reward them for doing 23 Things.&#8221;)  Since then, there have been other similar programs based on the same idea, such as <a title="23 things" href="http://cpd23.blogspot.com/2011/05/all-about-23-things.html" target="_blank">this one</a>.  Though not being &#8220;officially run&#8221; for 2013, the <a title="23 things UK 2013.  " href="http://cpd23.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">content remains available</a> so you can work through it at your own pace.  The project home page also includes lists of online courses and learning opportunities.</p>
<p>If you give it a try, please let me know if you find it helpful.  I&#8217;m also interested in other learning opportunities you find.</p>
<div style="width: 250px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/97223988@N00/3082193057" target="_blank"><img class="zemanta-img-inserted zemanta-img-configured" title="December 4/31 Wire" alt="December 4/31 Wire" src="https://i0.wp.com/farm4.static.flickr.com/3073/3082193057_d01f1969a3_m.jpg" width="240" height="180" /></a><p class="wp-caption-text">December 4/31 Wire (Photo credit: Flооd)</p></div>
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