We’re looking for LIS bloggers–we mean you!

“Take things as they are. Punch when you have to punch. Kick when you have to kick.” –Bruce Lee

A fight is not won by one punch or kick. Either learn to endure or hire a bodyguard. —Bruce Lee

I love the words and wisdom of Jeet Kune Do (JKD) founder/fighter Bruce Lee.  I’m sure you’re starting your first semester or in your final semester or you’ve been looking for solid library work for over a year.  Fear not.  I say?  Keep punching, keep kicking.

Punching and kicking is only a metaphor for the amount of hard work we do as students and as professionals.  We can’t just do our project and expect to rest.  That’s silly.  Almost certainly, you’re faced with another class where you’ll have to combat again.  And again.  So having toughness only comes with a little exercise.  I’m not saying take up running like Bruce Lee, but I am saying that blogging is a great way to train your brain to critically think, synthesize and then engage people.

Why not try a little kicking and punching here on our SLISConnect page?

Here are some suggestions:

1.  Ever want to be featured in our SLIS website and get a wee jealous when no one picks you for “student spotlight?”  You can change that by sending me, the blog correspondent, a little bio of a. who you are, b. what you do, c. why you do it to me via e-mail.  Give it a try and I’ll post it!

2.  Have an a-ha moment in class about our program and want to share it?  SLISConnect Blog is your soapbox. What are some of the things that you know would make our group better?  A suggestion post is welcome here.  Make sure to critique SLISConnect with specific examples of what’s good or what needs improvement, then offer a couple of solutions.

3. You have a 30 page collection policy to craft by the end of this month or you are writing an essay for a scholarship.  Why not wet your writing whistle by blogging?  A three paragraph talking about what you’ll write about may give you the incentive to do it!

4.  Personally, I want to be wowed with library innovation.  Have you come across an article that really impresses you?  Write about it!

5.  How about critique other LIS blogs out there:  there are so many…which ones are you reading and why?  Most importantly, which blogs should you be reading as a LIS professional?

6.  Is there a special skill besides being able to re-shelve 18 book carts in one day?  Do you sew? Knit? Or do you draw comics (like me?)  Show us what you got–I like to see LIS people in their other worlds.

7. Did you go to Chicago for ALA?  Share your experience with us!

8. Going to SAA in NOLA?  Where there’s a will, there’s a way…tell us if you are using crowdsourcing to fund professional conferences!

9. How are you dealing with…stress?  Next month I’ll prompt for “How are you dealing with…life/work balance.”

10. Amuse us readers with something funny.  You can make all library “confessionals” anonymous.  I’m all for that.

Well, those are starters, right?  Feel free to drop me a line, tess.mccarthy@gmail.com, and in the subject line type SLISConnect Blog and we’ll go from there.

Here’s to more of summer,

Tess McCarthy, MLIS

• Resident Archivist, The Center for Sex & Culture Library/Archive
• Alumni Blog Correspondent for SLISConnect

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Wondering what SLISConnect is? SLISConnect fosters connections between students and alumni of the SJSU SLIS program through communications, events, and programs open to all students and alumni in order to promote scholarly and professional development and achievement.