#2 Being a Lifelong Learner

I think anyone who is in library school must be some sort of lifelong learner, which is part of the attraction of LIS in the first place. If you're not interested in learning and expanding your knowledge base, this is probably the wrong field. So yes, "lifelong learner" is a descriptor that fits me well. When faced with the inevitable information overload that accompanies this and many other fields, my biggest stressor is the feeling of trying to catch a sip from a fire hose, because I am so "thirsty" for more knowledge. I want to know more. I don't know what I don't know. The more I learn, the more I learn that I don't know much! And the quest goes on.

According to our tutorial, there are 7 1/2 habits of lifelong learners. Here's my paraphrase:

1) Have specific goals

2) Take responsibility for your own learning

3) See the equation PROBLEMS = CHALLENGES

4) Have confidence in yourself as a learner

5) Have a learning toolbox

6) Use technology to your advantage

7) Teach or mentor others

1/2) PLAY! HAVE FUN!

Well, I've got the 1/2 down. That's not to say that I don't take learning seriously. I do. I used to be a high school teacher and it is in those proving grounds that I came to firmly believe that not only CAN learning be fun, but it SHOULD be fun. That's why when I taught history, we ate, told stories around a fake fireplace, listened to music, danced, made crafts and mummified things (no younger siblings!). I collected indulgences one morning as students came to class to illustrate medieval church corruption and set the classroom up as a manor with a lord and serfs whose currency was M&Ms to demonstrate how much was held in the hands of a few. We sure had fun . . . and did a whole lot of learning in the process. Humans are playful creatures and we need to be mindful of that fact -- particularly as we try to break those old librarian stereotypes.

Since I do consider myself to be a lifelong learner, I feel that I bear many of the above hallmarks. If I struggle with any, it would be having a learning toolbox, mostly because this is an area that is constantly in flux. Not only is your tool need different for each task, but the state of "tools" is rapidly moving and expanding. A favorite tool may become obsolete or incompatible; new tools might be better but have a steep learning curve; you might be unaware of the perfect tool and end up making do with an inferior tool. Of course, the very definition of "tool" is growing and morphing. It may mean a print resource, a place, a person, an online/digital resource, a subscription item, a free application, the list is really endless. Therein lies the challenge -- being in the stream of information without being washed away, keeping up-to-date without being overwhelmed.

Oh, and PS: I am a VISUAL learner! :)