This has been the consistent active topic in the Philippine librarian circle, does it really matter?
When I was still practicing in PI, it was so easy to find seminars. Come every September a number of seminars are always available to go with Book Fair same as in November during National Book Week. You can choose on topics you would want to learn more of. I would normally find the same faces longing for the points that the seminar is offering. Does it really pays off to attend one? Definitely!!! It matters to attend workshops for our professional development but if it only aims to earn points for the renewal of one's license, that is another story. Since it's your library's budget you'll be spending for all your expenses, we should've taken the most worthy of all rather than listening to topics which you religiously knew it already.
After 5 years of moving out of my country to work and practice my profession in a foreign country, I still haven't been to any workshop or seminar. Does it affect me, but of course!!!! I feel as old as ever, with no new strategy from other active librarians to back-up my knowledge. Of course, we meet people from other schools and we gain styles, we just have to be open to it. I don't only compete with other librarians around but I am proving my worth to other native speaker librarians in the city. As always, experience is still the best teacher.
With our technology, it's one-click away to find information we need. Workshops and seminars organizers should be more challenged with this global development, that is to make it more interesting and informative than it has ever been before.
I totally agree that attending workshops and seminars would enhance our project management skills and practices because we will be applying what we have learned. And we know that through application, we can absorb the things we should remember and put into mind and heart the important lessons of project management.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot for posting this valuable information! Keep it up!