Be a role model. Share with others how it can be done, warts and all.
Don’t wait to be perfect. Don’t wait to be right.
Tell the world what you are up to. Give them an opportunity to collaborate with you. Invite participation. Invite discussion.
Find the space where you can share your experiences, your trials, your successes, your failures. Don’t be discouraged if your conference paper doesn’t get accepted. Don’t get mad because your journal article didn’t make the grade. There’s plenty of other ways to publish, be heard, encourage discussion. Find a place to put your voice out there in the world.
On the flip side, admit what you don’t know and be honest about what didn’t work out. There will be someone out there who will know what you don’t, and who might offer suggestions and possible solutions. Ask for help.
Stop trying to re-invent the wheel. Someone has already done it, and someone else is tinkering with a better version. Unless you are the original inventor or the current tinkerer, why not ask others for their experience & ideas?
We don’t know all the answers, but we do need to know where to find them. Isn’t that the point of librarians?
It’s likely that the answers you might be looking for lie outside the four walls of your library, and indeed outside the profession.
Stop staring at the walls. Venture out into the wilderness. You’ll be amazed at who and what you’ll find.
What if … you asked how other school & public libraries shelve & catalogue their graphic novel collections?
What if … you asked how other academic libraries create TOC alerts for faculty?
What if … you shared your experience of creating tailored subscription newsletters for local law firms?
What if … you shared your experience of creating individual reading maps for students?
Audacious Fizz 