Time for a bit of reflection... (image c/o ancawonka on Flickr)

I was a bit reluctant to write a reflective post as we come to the end of another year.  Generally speaking I don’t like to dwell too much on what is behind me, I prefer to focus on what is coming around the corner.  Seems strange to say that a good proportion of my academic life involved the study of history but there you go.  Despite this, it seemed odd to not reflect on what has been a very eventful year for me in many respects, not least in terms of the campaign for public libraries.

Whilst Voices for the Library was founded in 2010, it was this past year where things really started to happen for us.  Of course there was the big Save Libraries day back in February which garnered a lot of media attention and helped (I think) to put the campaign for libraries firmly at the forefront in the minds of many in terms of cuts to local services.  But beyond that we have helped (in a small way) to drive libraries up the political agenda, particularly through our contacts in the media.  I think it is fair to say that we never expected to make as much of an impact as we have done, particularly as we are all involved as volunteers and can only commit the odd hour here, the odd hour there to keep the whole thing ticking along.  To achieve what we have done is, I think, something to be proud of and long may it continue.

One day... (image c/o Stuart Chalmers on Flickr)

This year past year has also put me in some interesting and different situations.  I was particularly chuffed to have been invited up to join the Private Eye editorial team for lunch earlier in the year.  Having been a regular reader for some time and a dedicated Have I Got News For You fan, it was an absolute privilege to spend my time amongst the company of the editorial team and a number of well known figures in the media world.  If last year’s stand-out moment was the article on The Guardian website, this year’s was the invitation to have lunch with Private Eye.  Truly that is something that will stay for me for a very long time.

The past twelve months have also presented me with fantastic opportunities to further my development.  I was fortunate enough to be asked to deliver a presentation on mobile technologies at the recent EPUG annual conference at the British Library.  Whilst initially very nervous about being asked to deliver such a presentation, I was glad I had the opportunity to do so as I rarely get the opportunities in my current line of work.  I also delivered a short presentation back in the summer on how Voices for the Library operates which was also a great opportunity to spread the word about what we do.  And to cap it off, I put together my first event as part of a CPD25 task group, Sync or Sink: Opportunities for libraries in the digital age, which I really enjoyed putting together and seemed to have a great response from those who attended.  Having never put together an event before I was pretty nervous about my first attempt so I was really pleased it was well received and I look forward to putting together some further events in the new year.

As well as my involvement in presentations (in one form or another), 2011 has also been the year that I have started to experiment a little more in terms of my website.  After several years jumping from one free blogging platform to another, I finally decided to create my own little space on the internet.  It has been a bit of a learning process, understanding how things work and how to create my own little front page (it doesn’t look great but it will do for now) but I like to take on new challenges and develop new skills.  I’ve certainly enjoyed playing around with tweaking things here and there, but there is still much to learn and I hope over the coming year this little space will develop and grow.  Hopefully it won’t look the same come next December.

To those of you I've shared a beer with, cheers! (Image c/o libraryman on Flickr)

However, whilst there has been a lot of wonderful things to look back on, the most important thing for me has been the people element.  This year I have had the opportunity to meet a great deal of the people I follow and communicate with online.  It has been an absolute privilege to meet every single one of you, whether you are a librarian, an information professional, a Voices for the Library person or someone who barely has any connection to libraries at all!  I have enjoyed the company of all the tweeps I have met this past year (down the pub and otherwise!) and I certainly feel that I am lucky enough to call at least some of these people friends.  So, to those of you I have met and shared a drink or rant with: thank you for the great times and for putting up with my insistence on explaining ‘Ian’s world view’ – it can’t have been easy but thanks for your patience!

It's 'us' against 'them' (image c/o Keoki Seu on Flickr)

So I guess after the reflection comes the look to the future.  Here goes.  Next year will be a massive year for libraries.  Not just public libraries, all libraries.  Both the institution and the profession are under threat like never before.  Libraries are being closed, librarians made redundant, communities forced to take over library services with no support and no budget.  Let’s not kid ourselves, things look bleak.  But do you know what?  Despite all this, I feel bang up for the challenge.  People are working together like never before.  Library groups across the country are sharing information and supporting each other.  There is a real developing spirit, not just in terms of libraries, of solidarity in the battle between ‘us’ and ‘them’.  People who had never even considered going out to protest are now going out and declaring that enough is enough.  Library campaigns have shown that communities can pull together across political lines to defend their service – Conservative and Labour voters standing side-by-side to fight the draconian cuts. Whilst there is a lot of divisiveness around, people are coming together and there are signs of a growing movement of opposition to many of things that are being conducted by a government that the majority did not ask for.  The only shame being that whilst there is such a movement, no-one is representing this movement in the Mother of Parliaments – some things never change.  So, whilst things are bleak, I look forward to the challenges ahead. It ain’t going to be easy but, let’s face it, did anyone really think it would be?

And I should just say one last thing before I sign off.  To all the people who have been involved in Voices for the Library over the past 16 months – thank you!  You have all been absolutely fantastic to work with and I look back with pride at the things that we accomplished in such a short time.  You are all amazing people and each of you deserves huge credit for doing things not simply because you had to but because you wanted to.  Whilst it has been a hard year, it has also been one of fantastic achievement and I think we can all look back on everything we have achieved with immense pride.

Hope you all enjoy the festive season and have a fantastic New Year!

Have a good one! (Image c/o Kalexanderson on Flickr)