Library Camp Australia 2012, Melbourne: 10th Feb 2012

Registrations are now open for Library Camp Australia

What is Library Camp?
Library Camp is an excellent free professional development opportunity; an unconference for anyone who works in, researches, uses or is interested in libraries. Attendees from a range of backgrounds, library types and experience levels are welcome.
Unconference session topics are decided on the day by everyone. Library Camp provides the opportunity to be an active participant in discussions and for participants to be challenged and stimulated. There is no audience - unconferences are interactive!

Nervous about participating? Don't worry, no one will force you to do PowerPoint karaoke, but we will all be supportive if you do! Your contribution is valued whether you are contributing to discussion, chairing a session or cleaning up at the end of the day.

Where is Library Camp?
University of Melbourne has kindly offered to host Library Camp, it will be held at the Parkville Campus and is easily accessible by public transport, but parking will be available (more details on the Library Camp website).


When is Library Camp?
Friday 10 February 2012, from 9:30 to 4:30.
We have timed LibraryCamp Australia to be directly after the VALA2012 Conference in order to attract interstate and international guests but also so that people who are unable to attend VALA can gain the benefit of networking and collaborating with VALA delegates and feed off that conference buzz.

How much will it cost?
Thanks to our generous sponsors Library Camp is a free event!
The event will be catered so please let us know if you have any dietary requirements when registering.



More information and registration at http://www.librarycampaustralia.com
Follow us on twitter at @LibCampOz and tweet about us using #libcampoz12

We look forward to seeing you on the 10th of February,

Library Camp Australia Unorganisers


Regards,

Mel Chivers
National Convener
ALIA New Graduates Group

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Secret Santa: Australia wide event!

You are invited to participate the an annual library twitter Secret Santa!

#SecretSanta is open to all library folks Australia-wide!

Whether you are a twitter fanatic or have yet to set up an account this is the perfect opportunity to have some fun and develop your PLN on Twitter!

For more details and how to register visit: katejf.wordpress.com

Get involved and have some fun while connecting with library around Australia!



We are on twitter, follow us @ALIANewGrads

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Christmas Drinks with ALIA New Graduates Group SA and SALIN

You are invited to...

‘Deck the halls with bows & frivolity’

Join SALIN & ALIA New Graduates Group SA for Christmas drinks & celebrate the end of 2011

When: 6pm, Wednesday 7th December

Where: Hotel Richmond, upstairs, 128 Rundle Mall

Details: Drinks & food can be purchased at the Bar.

Theme: Bows. Bust out your bowties, hair bows, Christmas bows or use your imagination...

All attendees will be entered into the prize draw to win a $50 gift voucher

RSVP to Amy Broad, amybroad@gmail.com

or just turn up on the night

We’ll see you there!

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Program launched - NLS5 Encore in Brisbane

ALIA New Graduates Group (QLD) and QUT Information Studies Group are very excited to announce the program for the upcoming NLS5 Encore.

The program includes four NLS5 presenters, two workshops and presentations
from those who attended the 5th New Librarians' Symposium, held in Perth in
September. NLS5 Encore aims to energise and encourage new (and not so new) information
professionals by providing a taste of the excitement and buzz generated at NLS5.

When: Saturday 19th November, 10am - 2.30pm (Registration from 9.45am and
drinks will follow the conclusion of the program)
Where: QUT S Block, 12th Floor OJW Room
RSVP to Kelly Johnson - kelly.johnson@connect.qut.edu.au
Cost: ALIA members $15, non-ALIA members $20
Lunch will be provided.

All welcome who wish to either revisit their NLS5 experience or grab a peek
at what they wanted to see from the NLS5 program.

Don't forget New Grads you can win free registration to NLS5 Encore!!!
- Sponsored by QUT Information Studies Group.

For more information about the event and program, check out the website.

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GUEST POST! The forgotten demographic: Catering towards the LGBTQ community in your library, by Suzie Day

Not long ago, I asked a room full of about 30 queer youth, most in their early twenties, to raise their hand if they were bullied at school. Almost everyone did.I then asked those who had been bullied if they had taken refuge in their school library. About 75% of the room raised their hand.

If 10% of your library’s user demographic were from a non-English speaking background, you would tailor your services to that demographic, by having books in other languages, English as a second language resources and classes, and employing staff which can speak a range of secondary languages.

The LGBTQ Community is no different. Research shows that approximately 9-11% of people are not exclusively heterosexual (as determined by La Trobe’s 3rd National Survey into Secondary Students and Sexual Health, 2002). However, as this demographic isn’t something that can collected from local census information, or from your annual user survey, it is often forgotten when revising collection management policies, or youth services.

There are a number of ways a school or public library can address this:

• Collection management: Make sure you have titles in your collection that are LGBTQ inclusive. This includes adult, YA, and junior areas. There is a huge array of picture books which are ‘family friendly’, and are more than suitable to place in your Junior Kindergarten section. A simple Google search can provide you with many book lists.

• Most public libraries have a number of posters decorating the walls. Make sure you have some that are inclusive. The Freedom Centre in WA can provide you with some fantastic ones that state “This is a safe space in which everyone is welcomed and respected”. Perfect for your YA section.

• Inclusive StoryTime! Try including some LGBTQ friendly picture books every once in a while. Many parents will thank you for explaining to their kids why their Uncle Frank and Uncle Bill live together. Not to mention the fact that LGBTQ parents will be thrilled, and will quite possibly spread the word within your local Community that your StoryTime is awesome.

• Spine labels: it may seem simple, but having an inverted pink triangle, or a small rainbow sticker as a genre label can do a lot. To people who have an interest in LGBTQ literature, this is a flashing neon sign. To everyone else, it is just another book. For LGBTQ youth who may be still in the closet, or live in a country area, you are showing them the way to connect with the wider Community, and proving to the most lonely, frightened teenager that they are not alone.

• Pride is commonly referred to as Gay Christmas. Most major cities will set aside three or four weeks of the year for events, lectures, Fair Day and celebrations, cumulating in the epic Pride Parade. So why should your library miss out on the fun? Set up a display, host an LGBTQ themed movie night,invite queer authors in for books talks, or have a special Pride-themed StoryTime. Do anything you like for Pride, so long as you have fun!

No matter what you choose to do, by making sure your library is LGBTQ inclusive, you are making a positive difference to your community. If you want to find out more, join the ALIA LGBTQ e-list (http://alia.org.au/alianet/e-lists/). You do not need to identify as LGBTQ, or even be an ALIA member to join.

Visit Suzie Day's blog at: http://cataloguethis.com/

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Guest Blog Posts: LET'S BEGIN NOW!

Yes, that's right! The ALIA New Graduates Group have decided to bring you some fascinating guest blog posts from New Librarians across Australia! Would you like to contribute? Or dob someone in? Just let us know in the comments or come find us on Facebook (ALIA New Graduates Group).

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NLS5 Encore in Brisbane - Date Claimer

Did you miss NLS5 in Perth this year? Did you go and want to share your experiences? Do you want to improve your CV and selection criteria writing? Do you want to find out how to get more out of your PLN and personal branding?

Well you can at NLS5 Encore! ALIA New Graduates Group QLD, with QUT Information Studies Group (QUT ISG), is bringing the energy and excitement from this year's ALIA New Librarian's Symposium (NLS5) to Brisbane for a half-day taster of NLS topics for students, new graduates and anyone who wants to take the next step in their career.

More information, including full speaker and program details coming soon!

When: Saturday, Nov 19th
Time: Registration opens 9:45am. Session 1: 10-12:30pm. Session 2: 12:30-2:30pm.
Both sessions include lunch.
Where: QUT, S Block, OJW Room
Price: Members $15, Non-members $20
RSVP to Kelly by Saturday, Nov 12th at: kelly.johnson@student.qut.edu.au

All welcome. Mark NLS5 Encore in your calendars!

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Conference postcards : a conference feedback session with ALIA New Graduates Group SA

Take a trip with ALIA New Graduates Group SA:

Conference postcards -
A conference feedback session

Your passport to New Orleans, China & Sydney!

Hear from our four jet setting librarians:

Pixie Stardust (UniSA) winner of the Margaret McKinley Scholarship Essay Competition will reveal her experiences attending the 2011 ASIS&T conference in New Orleans.

Helen Attar & Qing Liang (University of Adelaide) will share their experiences attending the 2011 International Seminar on Chinese Digital Publishing and Digital Libraries in Beijing.

Brenna Cook (SLSA) will delve into the world of archives with ‘Archiving the Iconic’ the Australian Society of Archivists Symposium held in Sydney.


When? Monday 7th of November, 6pm for 6.15pm start.
One hour conference feedback session.
Followed by networking drinks & nibbles.

Where? Ira Raymond Room, Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide.

Cost $5 ALIA members, $7 non ALIA members.

RSVP By Friday 4th of November to Yasmine Shaheem,
yasmine.shaheem@flinders.edu.au


Participation certificate available on request. Attendance to session = 1 PD point.

Photograph by: Flickr user atsuke, http://www.flickr.com/photos/plasticbat

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Another LFIP in October for Melburnians

One Library Folk in the Pub just wasn’t enough for October. Join us for the second last for the year.

When: Thursday 20th October 2011 from 6pm.
Where: 3 degrees, No 1 QV Sq Cnr Swanston & Lonsdale Sts, Melbourne (table booked under ALIA)
Cost: at own expense. Gluten free and vegetarian meal options available.

Good company, good food and drink. What more could you ask for.

Please RSVP your attendance to danielg@elitenet.com.au by Monday 17th October so we have an idea of numbers, but feel free to just drop in if you are down our way.

All welcome.

Looking forward to seeing you there.

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Come and join us for dinner in Melbourne! CSU and ALIA dinner, Wednesday 05 October

The library students from Charles Sturt University are coming to Melbourne for a study visit. The ALIA Victorian New Graduates Group is hosting an informal dinner to help them feel welcome, and we'd love you to come!

If you're a local library student, a new librarian or you work in the industry and just want to meet people and have fun, come along and join us for an exciting night in the heart of Melbourne. This is a great chance to make friends in the community, mix with other students and learn about the industry from colleagues working in a range of different libraries.

When:     Wednesday 05 October, from 6:00 pm
Where: 3 degrees at QV Square: Corner of Swanston and Lonsdale Streets (table booked under ALIA)
Who: All welcome
Cost: At own cost. Come for a drink or dinner: main meals range from $15 to $25, and vegetarian and gluten free options are available. For more information, see the 3 degrees website.

Please RSVP your attendance to Rebecca (rparker@swin.edu.au) by Monday 03 October so we have an idea of numbers. But feel free to drop in on the night if you find you have time.


Can't make it to dinner this time? Save the date for the next Library Folk in the Pub on Thursday 20 October 2011.

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Come one, come all! Interview skills seminar, Melbourne, 21 September

So your job application caught the eye of a future employer and you've secured an interview. Great! What now? How do you convince the interviewers that you're the best person for the job? What do you need to prepare, and why? Find out the answers to these questions and more at the ALIA New Graduates Group Interview Skills event on Wednesday 21 September.

Your presenters are three very experienced professionals from the industry:

• Derek Whitehead from Swinburne Library
• Chris Kelly from Brimbank Libraries
• Darren Ryan from The One Umbrella

When: Wednesday 21 September, 5:45pm for a 6:00pm start, until approximately 7:30pm
Where: RMIT University Swanston Library, Seminar Room 1, Building 8, Level 5, 360 Swanston Street, Melbourne.
Cost: $3 (ALIA members/students), $5 (non-ALIA members).
Nibbles provided.

RSVP to Rebecca by 14 September at rparker@swin.edu.au. If you're an ALIA member, please include your membership number in your reply.


Numbers are limited and these sessions are popular, so get in quickly!

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Perth NewGrads in the Pub for September and beyond!

I've managed to get my act together and I've organised dates and venues for NewGrads in the Pub for the rest of the year!

As usual, these are all joint events with RIMPA. We welcome students as well as new graduates!


September

Tuesday 27th September from 17:30 at the Belgian Beer Cafe


October

Thursday 20th October from 17:30 at Venn Cafe+Bar


November

Wednesday 30th November from 17:30 at the Cheeky Sparrow (1/317 Murray Street, Perth. Enter via Wolfe Lane)


December

No NewGrads drinks due to the festive season. I might organise something if there's enough demand for people to get a break from their families!

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Library Folk in the Pub Melbourne

It’s that time again! Library Folk in the Pub Melbourne is happening next Wednesday the 14th September.

When: from 6pm
Where: 3 degrees, QV Square (table booked under ALIA)
Who: All welcome
Cost: own cost; come for a drink or dinner (veg and GF options)

RSVP to Daniel @ danielg@elitenet.com.au by midday Monday 12th so we have an idea of numbers, but feel free to drop in on the night if you find you have time.

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Missed the Melbourne resume and key selection criteria workshop last week?

Teresa Brandau-Stranks from Zenith Information Management Services has been kind enough to allow us to make her slides available for download for those of you who missed the session, or if you'd like a reminder of what was discussed.

A big thank you to all our speakers, and for everyone who was able to join us. And a reminder that on 21 September, we'll be having the follow up workshop on interview techniques. Details to follow soon.

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Introducing....

Queensland’s New Graduates Group welcomes two new Co ordinators - Kelly Johnson and Holger Aman.

Like myself, both Kelly and Holger are members of the Queensland University of Technology student community. Holger has recently graduated from the Masters course.

Kelly and Holger bring enthusiasm and are mad keen to assist new graduates and students as they enter the profession.

As the Queensland NewGrads Team, we’re super excited about presenting a variety of social and professional development events next year.

If you have any questions, concerns, ideas, etc about finding your place in the profession, the New Graduates Group is happy to assist where we can. Please feel free to contact co ordinators in your state, connect with us here, on Twitter and Facebook.

Find out more about newcomers Kelly and Holger, as well as the co ordinators in your state, by reading our biographies on ALIA’s New Graduates Committee page.

Cheers!

Alisa Howlett

Co ordinator

New Graduates Group (QLD)

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Queensland's NewGrads Social Workshop - UPDATE

The topic for the workshop is.....

Career Planning and Management

This event aims to promote collaboration and sharing amongst peers and the opportunity to connect with the local personal learning network. All participants are encouraged to start gathering resources - articles, books, information about events, templates, etc - to contribute to the discussion.

When: Wednesday 24th August, 6pm

Where: Plough Inn, Southbank

RSVPs still welcome! This event is also open to students. Get a headstart to your professional involvement today!

RSVP to: acrystelle@gmail.com

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Cheers!

Alisa Howlett

ALIA New Graduates Group QLD

Co ordinator

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ALIA New Grads Job Help Wiki!

Yes, we know that ALIA already has "Early Career Connect" http://www.alia.org.au/careerconnect/early but we thought it might also be fun to have a wiki. For me, it's a place to put all the job links that I regularly access when I'm looking for a new position.



Do you wanna participate? Check it out!http://alianewgradsjobhelp.wikispaces.com/

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Melbourne - Resume and Key Selection Criteria event

This always popular event is returning for another year. If you’re a student or New Grad wanting some insight into how to put together a great application for that job that has your name on it, come along. Or if you’re already a LIS professional, wanting to brush up on your knowledge of the process, then the event is for you too.



Our experienced panel will each provide you with their unique perspectives on these very important documents.



Craig Anderson from RMIT University Library.



Melita Monigatti from Melbourne Library Service.



Teresa Brandau-Stranks from Zenith Information Management Services, a recruitment, consulting and technical services agency.



When: Thursday 25th August, 5:45pm for a 6:00pm start, until approximately 7:30pm.



Where: Seminar Room 1, RMIT University Swanston Library, Building 8, Level 5, 360 Swanston Street, Melbourne.



Cost: $3 (ALIA members/Students), $5 (non-ALIA members).



RSVP: danielg@elitenet.com.au by Monday 22nd August. If you’re an ALIA member, include your membership number in your reply.



Numbers are limited.



Hope to see you there,



Melanie, Rebecca, Noriko and Daniel



ALIA New Graduates Group Committee

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Why, why go to NLS5? Let these clever folk tell you!

The New Librarians Symposium (NLS) is one of the most exciting events on the ALIA calendar; a whole conference dedicated to the issues, ideas and aspirations of the next generation of library professionals? Awesome!

ALIA’s New Generation Advisory Committee is a passionate supporter of this event; many of the members have attended an NLS over the years, and some of us have even presented – we know it’s not an experience to be missed. This year we were super-excited to be able to offer one lucky new graduate or student the chance to win free registration to NLS5!

The competition received a lot of interest from a diverse range of applicants all across the country. There can, however, only be one winner, and we are very pleased to announce that Julia Garnett, a student at QUT, has taken the prize!

Watch Julia’s winning video (and sing along!):

But wait, there’s more!

The competition judges were so impressed by the entries that we want to share them all! Check out some more stories of metamorphosis below:

Molly: http://photopeach.com/album/sf2635

Simone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFvEHN_eLKY

Melissa: http://prezi.com/ivfjpfwsiixv/metamorphosis-what-will-i-become-today/

Kelly: http://www.archive.org/details/KellyJohnsonNls5Application http://www.grapheine.com/bombaytv/movieen5b6e1f4708fc26f0190d15ba0652ec6e.html

Kysira: http://klfair.posterous.com/metamorphosis-the-emerging-librarian

Congratulations to all the entrants for sharing your journey and learning about new media at the same time– your passion and enthusiasm is infectious!

Why not share your own story in the comments, or add your feedback on conference competitions - are they a good idea? Would you consider entering one? And don’t forget to say hello to Julia when you see her in Perth!

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Keeping in touch: the way you want

Librarians have a long tradition of communicating via email lists. We're one of the oldest professions (but not the oldest!), and we've been on the internet for longer than most. The rise of social media has just served to add to the number of ways we like to talk to each other, and we're keen to explore all of them.

Ahead of the New Librarians Symposium in September, we asked you how you like to keep in touch with ALIA new graduates. Here's what you said:

(Click to view larger image)

We asked this question on the blog and Facebook, so it's hardly surprising that many of you preferred using those media in which you answered the question. But it's important to remember that many of you also chose more than one option, so really a range of communication methods seems to suit you best.

Across both surveys, about 15 percent of respondents mentioned an interest in communicating with us via Twitter. We don't have our own Twitter stream at the moment, but given the overwhelming success of new librarians tweeting for #tweetaugust, we'll keep it in mind. Don't forget that ALIA has its own Twitter stream to keep you up to date with both national and international library news.

Online communication is really just a placeholder for when we can't interact in person. We're holding more and more face-to-face events each year across the nation. If you're in Brisbane, next up is the Queensland Newgrads event on 24 August. And in September, new librarians will flock to Perth for the exciting experience of NLS5. Don't miss out!

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Your Choice! QLD NewGrads Social Workshop Event

This year is flying by, soon it’ll be December and perhaps like me, you may feel like you hadn’t quite made the changes you wanted to at the beginning of the year. Things like career planning and management strategies, better productivity and self-organisation habits, or incorporating reflective practice into your professional routine. It’s time to take control....have your say at the next ALIA (QLD) New Graduates event!

Topics to choose from are: -

• Career planning and management
• Productivity and time management
• Reflective Practice

Feel free to suggest a topic!

This event will be social but with a focus on sharing resources in the topic area, ideas, tips and experiences. Participants are encouraged to bring along books, copies of helpful articles, details of any upcoming courses and seminars, etc. This workshop is about bouncing thoughts and ideas off peers, gathering details of resources and learning from others to help kick start your planning and to take action in making adjustments to your professional development.

When: Wednesday 24th August, 6pm

Where: Plough Inn, Southbank

RSVP by Thursday 18th August for your say on the topic. Of course all RSVPs from this date are also welcome.

RSVP to: acrystelle@gmail.com with your topic preference.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Cheers!

Alisa Howlett

ALIA New Graduates Group QLD

Co ordinator

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#tweetAugust : Get Ready to Tweet!

#tweetAugust starts on Monday the 1st of August!

Take the challenge to tweet once a day for a month! If you don’t think you can manage this - don’t despair – just try your best and get involved! If you haven’t used twitter before this is your chance to give it a go and see what all the fuss is about!

Why #tweetAugust?
Twitter is an excellent medium to connect and keep up to date with people and information. Getting involved in the #tweetAugust event will extent your PLN (personal learning network) and give you the opportunity to connect with library folk across Australia (and maybe further) and develop your professional online presence. Unlike blogs, tweets can be composed in a couple of minutes (including a non-smart phone) and can be quickly scanned and read - #tweetAugust doesn't need to take more than five minutes a day and that can be while you wait for the train or in the supermarket queue!

What to tweet about?
Anything you want! New technologies, exciting ideas, interesting facts, philosophies on our profession, daily gripes (often amusing and definitely welcome, but remember we aren’t talking in a closed room!).

Remember:
Make sure you remember to add the hashtag #tweetAugust to every tweet. By adding this tag you create a searchable link which we can all follow.

To get the ball rolling, here are some of the NGG teams twitter usernames:
@libodyssey
@acrystelle
@karina_tumon
@rombloggy
@MsBecstar
@melchivers
@YasmineShaheem
@kanji04

See you Monday on Twitter!

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Librarians! Lend me your ears! The ALIA New Graduate’s Group is kicking off the month of August with a social networking twitter blitz and we need you!

Join us in tweeting at least once each day of August using the hash tag #tweetAugust.

If you’ve never tweeted before, now is a great time to start. Social networking is an increasingly important tool for Librarians, plus you’ve probably already worked out how much Librarians love to network.

Join us!

Find fellow Librarian tweeters through #tweetAugust.

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Sign a petition to help save Victorian public libraries!

You may have seen in a recent article in The Age, 'State government plans to slash library funding', that the Baillieu government will slash funding to Victorian public libraries this year. This is likely to mean shorter opening hours and cuts to internet services and other projects. The opposition believes that disadvantaged communities will suffer most, where many residents use a library to access services (such as the internet) that they cannot otherwise afford.

The Age quoted recent departmental figures that show Victoria has around 290 permanent libraries and 26 mobile libraries, with 2.5 million Victorians members of their local libraries. Please sign this petition if you want your voice (and theirs) to be heard.

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How do you like to keep in touch with ALIA New Grads?

The ALIA New Graduates group has a variety of channels to reach out to new graduate librarians all over the country. We have our long-running ALIA email list, this blog and a Facebook page. We love to meet you face to face, but when that's not possible, tell us where you like to hook in.



Thanks for your feedback!

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ALIA new graduates group SA presents the workshop:

Network your way into your dream job....

Networking – meeting and connecting with other people, exchanging information and ideas – is essential for anyone’s professional life, no matter what business or career you’re in! The rewards of good networking include contacts, job leads, fun, friendship and simply getting great ideas.

Find out just how much fun networking can be as our workshop leader Jennifer Osborn unmasks the secrets to – and benefits of – successful networking. In an entertaining and interactive evening, you’ll discover networking strengths you didn’t know you had…

When & What? Tuesday 23rd August, 6pm for 6.15pm start. One hour workshop including handout. Followed by networking drinks and nibbles.

Where? Ira Raymond Room, Barr Smith Library, University of Adelaide.

Cost $7 ALIA members, $10 non ALIA members.

RSVP By Friday 12th of August to Yasmine Shaheem, yasmine.shaheem@flinders.edu.au

Participation certificate available on request. Attendance at workshop = 1 PD point.

About our facilitator
Jennifer Osborn is a Research Librarian at the University of Adelaide, with
over 20 years professional experience and networks that run from the
formal (ALIA, Rostrum) to the not-so-formal (such as bus stops…!)

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