PD: Successful Searching in Accessit

Content: Library Management Systems

Type: Webinar

Length: 30 minutes

Level: Accessit LMS users

Organisers: Accessit

Presenters: Sarah Jordan

Format: A 30 minute webinar

 

Reflection

Objectives: Similar to the webinar on the basics of Accessit, this webinar covered the search function of Accessit. Accessit has separate searching menus and capabilities for resources and copies, borrowers, circulation, write-offs, and deleted borrowers. This is all very confusing, so this webinar clears up the different screens. filters, sorting methods, and reasons behind the searching.

Reasons for attending: I watched a recording of this webinar at the suggestion of my manager, as the both of us were confused with the searching of Accessit. The webinar was intended to clear up the search functions and to allow us to correct our mistakes in order to provide a better service to the patrons.

Relation to studies and learning outcomes: I’ve mentioned this before, but the practical aspects of a Library Management System was not something that was really covered in university, and the search functions of Accessit were different to my Diploma’s LMS practice, so I managed to learn a lot about what searching can be like. It did, however, relate to theory on use cases and user experience, as well as information management and organization, which explains some of the reasons behind why searching functions so differently for separate entities.

Future Uses: The knowledge of how search works, especially default searching (just typing in a word and hitting enter), allowed me to determine a new standard for cataloguing that would let the series be found in a default title search, and I will continue to build on this with the knowledge from this webinar.

Evidence: Screenshot of Webinar

PD Evidence

Screenshot of Webinar

PD: Accessit: Mastering the Basics

Content: Library Management Systems

Type: Webinar

Length: 1 hour

Level: Accessit LMS users

Organisers: Accessit

Presenters: Sarah Jordan

Format: A one hour webinar

 

Reflection

Objectives: The objectives for this webinar were to gain a basic understanding of the functionality and features of the Accessit Library Management System. This included circulation, borrowers, cataloguing, and the difference between resources and copies. There was also demonstrations of shortcuts in the system, such as keyboard shortcuts that take you directly to the circulation screen.

Reasons for attending: I attended this webinar in order to gain an understanding of the Library Management System used at my place of work, having never used a commercial LMS before I had no understanding of the practical workings of one.

Relation to studies and learning outcomes: In university I haven’t actually covered Library Management Systems, but in the Diploma I did before this I did. However the system there was basic and confusing, serving more to help with cataloguing practice. Instead this gave me a very real look into the actual work I would be doing with an LMS, in that way it was invaluable.

Future Uses: This webinar served me incredibly well as after watching it I was able to use the system much more efficiently. It also laid the framework for further exploration into Accessit because it provided me with a good understanding of what Accessit is, and how it works.

 

Evidence: Registration Screenshot

registration screenshot

Screenshot of Registration

PD: VALA2020 Final Plenary

Content: Diversity and Inclusion

Type: Speech

Length: 1 Hour

Level: For all GLAMR staff

Organisers: VALA

Presenters: Cecily Walker

Format: A one hour presentation

 

Reflection

Objectives: The objective of this talk was for the keynote speaker, Cecily Walker, to give an Australian audience a talk about diversity in the workplace of library and information professionals. Offering an American-born, Canada-residing insight into a lack of diversity in these spaces, Cecily spoke to the importance of making waves in order to have better representation of under-represented peoples in professional spaces.

Reasons for attending: The reasons for attending this talk was primarily due to being able to attend for free as a student of CSU, it seemed a valuable opportunity and so I took it, and it turned out to be a great opportunity to learn about something I had not considered before in the profession.

Relation to studies and learning outcomes: This relates to my professional work and studies in that it is something that isn’t actually talked about in class. There is a lot of focus on information professionals being champions of fairness and social justice, but to actually see a professional speak about their experiences where these social ideals actually weren’t being applied in the information profession workplace offered a practical look at how a professional can enact these social justices in a very real sense.

Future Uses: This talk is going to help me in the future in that I will endeavour not only to practice principles of diversity and inclusion amongst patrons and communities, but also amongst staff and peers; ensuring that any under-represented peoples in the workplace have as fair a treatment and opportunity as anyone else.

Evidence: Registration Email Screenshot

VALA2020 registration

A screenshot of registration.