It seemed like it would take forever for this time to arrive, but it soon caught up, and I have now commenced the first day of my “new life” as a ??? maternity leave person? impending mother? ummm, I’m not quite sure how to word it. I don’t want to use the words housewife…I still have my “other” library interests and activities to keep me involved in my career, such as the NLS website. Anyway, I’m sure I’ll get right into the swing of things.
Today, I have already updated the “exciting news” on our NLS website, and have looked after the concreters who are here working away.
I had a fantastic farewell at Urbis this week, it actually started last friday with a joint lunch, with another person who was leaving. I preferred to undertake a “joint” event as it took the “heat” off myself. Many people gave me lots of lovely gifts for the baby, stuff that makes you go gooey and imagine the little one wearing or using once they arrive. And on the last day my boss did a wonderful speech rounding up the library and intranet services and their progress from when I started at Urbis, close to 3 years ago, to how they look and work now ! I felt tired after reflecting on all that. It’s good that Ian and Ignatius are now taking over the services, they can look at them from “fresh” eyes and implement further changes, progression and development.
So, here is the Urbis Technology & Knowledge Team, some of us.
L-R: Ian, Ignatius, Johan, Me – Jill, Andrew and Adriana
Geelong Library Event
Last week I went to a Geelong Library and Information Week event, and it was good to connect with some of our regional counterparts. I had to be careful when I said, “I work in the city”, because that doesn’t mean, “I work in Melbourne”, most thought Geelong, so I needed to clarify. When I asked them why there hadn’t been an event for a while they mentioned that it “all got too complicated with ALIA”. But I don’t think a group needs ALIA to get like minded librarians together from a variety of organisations, so I do hope they keep meeting up. It will be good for myself, and easier to get to, than going to Melbourne during the next year. I was amazed I knew so many people, before I went I knew I’d know two people, but when I got there I knew about 6 people and a few others had heard of me through the ALIA lists. It was good to get chatting to people to talk library talk I hadn’t done for a while, such as document delivery and talk about the progression of those services through the use of technologies. So, I think I have found one way I can keep up to date with my profession while out of the workplace.
Anyway, I’m off to keep on with Day 1 of my new direction.
Thanks bloggers and blogging readers for making comments on some previous posts, it’s good to stay in touch.
Good luck, Jill. Sounds like you have done a most effective handover there, enjoy your leave, and the combination of parenting with your profession.
Isn’t it funny, I just turned down a job because it’s two floors down from my daughter’s work! doors close and open, don’t they?
I think it’s great you are keeping up your blog – the process of blogging can go in waves at times, but I think it’s a good way to give your online reading some kind of shape . My posts are often just lists of links, but I go back through it sometimes and think, gee, did I really find all that stuff for people to read? Amazing. And every so often they thank me for it, too. That’s even more amazing.
Yay!! Jill how exciting you are now embarking on that exciting last bit of pregnancy. And about time I saw a pregnant Jill pic!!! But then again I wasn’t that eager to share mine.
Just be sure to take some time to relax before the small person arrives because as I have said many times before that you will not have time to once they are here. But also I commend you for staying focused on your career – that was the difficult part for me once small person arrived.
And always remember that there are many of us librarian mum’s out there that you can always turn to for advice on both the career and small person aspect!!
Thanks for the comments Genevieve and Sharon,
I think a blog can build up a good profile of someone’s life and career over a period of time, it can be good to reflect on this and also learn and post about many new things.
Jill