Thing 15

I have attended various seminars, conferences and events over the years although not all whilst working in a library context. Many related to a previous Human Resources training role concerning commissioning training for social workers. I have also been involved in organising such events. In terms of library work, apart from training events, I have attended the LIS show a couple of years ago in Birmingham which I enjoyed and have networked with peers at study school at Aberystwyth. More recently I have asked my line manager if I can attend the New Professionals Conference in 2012 and this has been agreed and put in my development plan for the year. I found out about library camp too late unfortunately.

As for presenting I have done this on a small scale, mainly in a training context or sometimes to management. I am looking forward (!) to the next couple of weeks of non- stop inductions to new students (I have jumped the gun and made my first Prezi for this). I have not given any presentations to fellow professionals as yet.

I tend to use Powerpoint as a prompt rather than be totally scripted but I always have some notes as a back-up. I have often used file cards (tied together with a treasury tag in case I drop them) one for notes for each slide. I am not then tied to notes on Powerpoint and can move away from the screen. I am more confident if I believe I know my topic well, and even more confident if I think my audience don't! It is a bugbear of mine if people write wordy Powerpoint slides and proceed to read them out so I tend to summarise (in case anyone is visually impaired) and presume my audience are literate .

Another point which I think is important to mention for anyone about to give a presentation is to slow down and take your time - aim to speak slower than you think you need to. Everyone rushes when nervous and the audience need to digest what you are saying. Pause on a slide to give the audience time to read it before rushing to the next or pause to take a sip of water - what seems like a long pause or gap to you will not seem so to the audience.

I'm looking forward to seeing what other cpd23 participants have to say on this "thing".