2008 Allis (Accessing Lancashire Library & Information Services) Staff Development Group Conference [conference review]

McGowan, Kim (2008) 2008 Allis (Accessing Lancashire Library & Information Services) Staff Development Group Conference [conference review]. Sconul Focus, 44 . pp. 68-72.

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Abstract

My accomplished friend, recently appointed to an important new job, described to me her ‘creeping impostor syndrome’. She related how she’s never had the luxury of feeling more than six paces away from the full public exposure of her (imagined) inadequacy. As someone who struggled with literacy at school and who went to university relatively late, I recognise the fraud disorder. In my case I’m expecting the ‘rumble letter’ to arrive in any day; my distinguished friend is prepared for two burly security men to appear in order to escort her from the premises. Judged ‘kim-kind-but-dim’ as a child I am inevitably drawn to debate on the support and engagement of non-traditional and dificult to reach library users. My emotional investment in the subject can make that involvement hard; I am transported back to bewildered youth. As such the Allis staff development group conference on the theme of Engaging your Community, with its presentations on engaging the Traveller community, the ethnic community and a prison community, contracted to be a moving affair; and so it proved. Delegates represented a range of library sectors, public, health, prison, further and higher education. We began by thinking about our own ideas of community and who in particular we felt we needed to work to reach. Over 60% of learners at my university are part-time and, as such, non-traditional. I’m keen to ensure that students juggling a raft of domestic and academic demands, (and probably an impostor syndrome to boot) recognise and feel able to access the library and information support that I’m here to provide. My colleagues spoke about the need to connect with teenage customers, prison oficers, foreign nationals, young adults, offcampus and overseas students, Travellers, the elderly and users with mental health, mobility or access problems.

Item Type:	Article
Journal / Publication Title:	Sconul Focus
Publisher:	Sconul
ISSN:	1745-5790
Departments:	Professional Services > Information Services
Additional Information:	Kim McGowan, Learning Adviser, University of Cumbria, UK, reviews the conference: 'Engaging your Community', held at Woodlands Conference Centre, Chorley, UK, on 20 May 2008.
Depositing User:	Kim McGowan
Date Deposited:	17 Mar 2011 21:57
Last Modified:	12 Jan 2024 08:00
URI:	https://insight.cumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/1006

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