So, chartership. Hmmmm. Something big to ponder, and I’ve been pondering it for a long time. Decades in fact. For those non-librarians amongst you, dear readers, those of you whose first word wasn’t sssshhhhh, whose books aren’t in order on your living room shelves, whose hearts aren’t set a flutter by a perfectly crafted Boolean search…. for those amongst you, I’ll explain chartership for librarians. Our professional body is called CILIP, and they offer professional accreditation at 3 different levels, one of which is chartership. It’s about proving that I’m good at what I do, reflecting and developing my skills, and (of course) about getting some more letters after my name.
To achieve this mammoth feat, I have to audit my skills, undertake some CPD, and submit a portfolio. People, other librarianly people, seem to submit in about a year. So I have some aims and a sort of time frame. I’ve also approached another librarian to be my mentor- which sounds like an eminently sensible idea- someone to make sure I’m on track, to be encouraging and critical, and to give me perspective (something I can lack). I’m not asking for much, eh? I hope she’s not reading this, she’ll say no!
Chartering, and a conversation or two I’ve had this week have made me think about the 
health professions who have to revalidate regularly to practice, and how we might be able to do a little bit to help here in the Library. We already offer lots of training sessions that anyone can attend, but I’m not sure we’re hitting the mark in advertising these well to staff who need to revalidate. I’m thinking lunchtime journal clubs for nurses, bite sized literature searching sessions, a quick tour of what you can access with your Athens account… So, watch this space for some targeted sessions offering CPD opportunities, and if there’s anything you would particularly like to see, let me know- lisa.mason@geh.nhs.uk or drop in to the library.
Oh, and if you’re wondering about the Facts Matter badge photo- it’s on my ID card lanyard, and I like it, so I thought I’d share.
Have a great week!