Full version of my Masters thesis online!

A year ago when I was writing up my MSc Information and Library Management dissertation, covering the situation in academic library blogging in the UK, I relied heavily on a PhD thesis by the American library studies professor, Michael Stephens. I remember being very grateful and somewhat impressed that he had made the full document available online. It saved me a lot of hassle finding it, quoting it and referring to it later!

In the spirit of the thesis, which dealt with the role of the modern librarian and his/her relationship with new technologies, I decided to share my findings as Stephens had done, using the blog I wrote as a research journal, and once it was done, the thesis itself (as long as it turned out to be a success).

Well, now I have the Masters certificate safely filed away, and another little certificate showing that my thesis won the Harry Galloway award for the highest mark in the UWE Library and Information Management course – effectively the highest mark in the South West of England! – I feel confident in posting the thing on my new blog and “closing that chapter”, as it were.

So here it is, click here to open the documents page. Enjoy!

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Other news? I’m ready to take a well-earned break with my friends. We’re off to Caernarfon for a week. I can’t wait!

I’ve learned a lot over the last six months about librarianship in action.

I’ve catalogue a lot of books, done a few hundred hours of enquiry desk work, dealt with a lot of routine enquiries and some more interesting and memorable ones, and overseen some sections of a complex collection management project. Plus I’ve worked on reviewing instructional and policy documentation for metadata, and started building some wiki pages!

I’ve taken part in a “Twitter conference”, I’ve started working on my Chartership, and more-or-less begun to produce reflective writing on my work and personal/professional development. I’ve attended 3 or 4 training courses (apart from the excellent ones provided at work) and a conference.

No wonder I need a break! It’s been an action-packed six months. I shall return to blogging in August and I wish you all a happy summer