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Derrick to Derrick's feed, LSW
So, those of you with scholarship and/or research requirements in libraries, how do you balance your day-to-day responsibilities, with publishing, presenting, writing, etc. Trying to find a way for myself and not exactly struggling, but could do probably do things a bit better.
*points at Hedgie* - RepoRat
i am terrible at it. my only advice is to pick topics that really interest you for all the extra stuff you do, otherwise you'll have zero motivation to actually do it. - jambina
What's challenging for you, D? - RepoRat
Well, I guess the time line and when I have to go up for review that I'll have done enough to ensure my job. I feel solid on my primary duties in terms of instruction, collection development and even committee work on campus, but a colleague recently went up for review and it didn't go well. I want to make sure I'll have done enough on the scholarship front. Amy: Thanks for that...I think that's a real big part of it. - Derrick
This is a thing you can and should totally go talk to your boss about. "Hey, help me do this good." Boss may not turn into your mentor, but should be able to find you mentorship. - RepoRat
RR, my boss is AWESOME. She's been great and even in this short time has been so incredibly helpful. Possibly, I could be overthinking this, but thought I'd reach out here for more points of view. - Derrick
Gotcha. Well, okay, when's your review, and what do you want to have done by then? - RepoRat
Next fall, and I have no idea. - Derrick
Let's start there, then. What's your sense of what successful reviewees have at their one-year review? - RepoRat
Again, I have no idea...I don't think I wanted to really get into specifics about my own personal case, rather I wanted to see what others' experiences were like. (For context.) - Derrick
I do suggest finding out. :) In my case, a colleague approached me to co-write a small reference book, and The Internet got in touch with me a few times based on my then-blog to write book chapters and magazine articles, and do presentations. I find presenting easy, and writing FUCKING HARD. So for me, the thing about writing was deadlines, because the only thing I hate worse than writing is missing a damn deadline. - RepoRat
Ha, well yeah. I will. It's early-ish, I just want to Be Prepared. - Derrick
I would suggest working backward. Find a conference for which you want to submit a preso proposal; what's the submission date? You only need to have an idea in place by that point (plus co-presenters' names if you'll have them), and you can work on the preso after acceptance. For writing, choose a relevant journal or two, and start looking at their guidelines. Remember that you won't be submitting a finished piece unless you're remarkably lucky; you'll probably work back and forth with the editors a couple of times. I don't know how your review process works, but it would seem to me that having a couple of things in the pipeline - even if you haven't given the preso or the article isn't in print yet - should show that you're on the right track. - LB ❤s FF
I think you're wise to plan ahead, BTW! :) - LB ❤s FF
Great advice, LB, thanks! - Derrick
(And Hedgie will have good advice, too. I always enjoy her blog posts about her research days.) - LB ❤s FF
Imma shut up after this because I've been monopolizing the thread... but the honest truth is that my writing/presenting career has been fueled largely by rrrrrrRRRRRRRRAGE. So what's wrong in your professional world that you think you have a solution to? Write or present about that. - RepoRat
I'm actually thinking about doing some research outside of libraries and resuming some film work. Rage isn't really my thing. :) - Derrick
And on that note: Is anyone pursuing research outside the world of libraries? I'd be interested in hearing about that. - Derrick
(Also paging Jenica.) - LB ❤s FF
Lots of good advice for you here already, I agree that you need to find out what standard expectations are generally for your first review so that you can try to target towards those. Does your uni have a formal mentoring program? Do you need to ask about formal mentoring? We just recently established one, your mileage may vary with mandated mentoring. My best advice is to try a few things to figure out what works for you time wise. I have long-tenured non-public service colleagues who swear by an hour a day, but they don't have things like classes or desk time. Protected time is a must though. If they expect you to get tenure, you have to be allowed to say no and protect your own time. I suck at this--mostly fearing the whiplash of "well, I asked the librarian and she said no...." --check with your supervisor about his/her expectations. At my library, we also get up to 15 days where we can work at home on our research. Those are more often than not catch up days rather than full research and writing days but they help. - Hedgehog
Topics will come. Never be afraid to pitch an idea or a conference proposal. The worst you can hear is "no thanks" and often they're excited to hear from new people/new perspectives. For paper writing itself, having coauthors has helped me a lot. Being accountable to someone else, or needing to hold them accountable, helps to motivate me. - Hedgehog
And finally, for time management, find some software. Seriously, it can help. I use TeamBox to manage all of my crap and it helps. It's much better than relying on my memory and post it notes alone, though post it notes are still in full force at work. Teambox + Evernote takes care of most things for me. - Hedgehog
2 other techniques that I've heard: Don't block time on your calendar as "writing my research stuff"--make it a "appointment w/ Dr. S" or whatever (S=Self). Your coworkers are far less likely to override something like that. And Pomodoro technique. I want to get better at that personally--but the idea of focusing just for 20 minutes at a time can help to get a lot of stuff done. - Hedgehog
The first year is often very light on research. Regular classroom/academic faculty come in with a dissertation they need to turn into a book, and are already wishing they could focus on their next interest. Librarians don;t have that, and the first year is often a lot of orientation and getting solid feet underneath. BUT -- that expectation varies by institution. They probably will also not tell you that if you do A, B, and C you will succeed -- very few places are that transparent. But, they should be able to tell you if you need 5-10 peer reviewed articles, or if you just need a couple and a lot of conference presentations. And they will tell you if research outside LIS will count. - RudĩϐЯaЯïan
This is great, everyone. Appreciate your sharing, suggestions, and helpful comments. This has given me much to go on moving forward. Thanks! - Derrick
Hedgie, love the general time mgmt advice, thank you! - Laura Norvig
In my opinion, in a first year review, I just want to see that a) you have a plan to get to your tenure requirements in the time allotted, and b) you've made a credible start on that. You don't have to win in year one, you just have to show me you can win by the end. In re: the initial question, I consider reading and research to be part of my job, and do those 'on the clock'. However, 90% of my speaking is paid, so it's not day-job work, and I do it at home inn evenings and weekends. But I encourage my librarians who are on the tenure clock (or off it, frankly) to consider those professional contributions part of their work, and to make time for it in an intentional way. Block off time, plan for a slow week of scholarship, take afternoons elsewhere to write, whatever. succeeding there is evidence: it's a part of your ability to plan and prioritize about your job responsibilities, IMO. - Jenica
^^^ <3 - Stephan!e•CogSc!L!brar!an
Talk to your colleagues about expectations or ask to review the portfolios of colleagues who have recently gotten tenure. Make sure that your plan is in line with expectations. Lots of unneeded stress can easily be avoided! - Jen
Guidelines procured! Moving forward. Thanks again, everyone. Much obliged for everyone who's chimed in. - Derrick