Thing 6: online networks

Getting slightly behind with the things, and they're speeding up! Does doing my dissertation count as a valid excuse? I'm spending quite a bit of time on it at the moment as I'm very aware that the remaining five and a half weeks until it's due won't hang around.

But back to online networks. LinkedIn comes up a lot in Google searches for people which suggests it's pretty highly regarded. Having looked a bit closer, it also looks quite scary, in that it seems very formal and businessy and makes personal information available. As with all of these things, I'm wary of wading in without fully understanding what they're for and how they work, so I'm going to do a bit more investigation before I sign up - I'd rather not have anything on there rather than something half-finished or neglected. I think it could be a valuable thing to have at some point, particularly if I want to change jobs at some point in the future.

I'm not averse to the idea of using Facebook for professional networking, but on the whole I really see it as a social thing where I connect with friends about silly day-to-day stuff or for organising social gatherings. I'm a fan of things like Voices for the Library and it's a good way of getting updates, but I think there are probably better homes for professional networking, for me. LISNPN feels really friendly and more suited. I signed up when it started and have found the resources and forums useful. I appreciate a good old-fashioned forum where a conversation really develops. Liking the new design too. No doubt there's more I could get out of it (and put into it) though. I joined the LAT network around the same time I think, but need to go back and revisit that one, likewise CILIP communities (although I do subscribe to the whole blog landscape which is a great way of finding new blogs).