Virtual & International Librarianship Opportunities
Author: Beth Filar Williams
As a distance learning academic librarian, I am apt to find ways to virtually connect and collaborate. In the past year I have had some fabulous experiences with very distant, virtual librarianship. Last spring I hosted a completely virtual intern who lived in Uzbekistan through the Digital Libraries Learning Program (DILL) of the Erasmus Mundus (http://dill.hioa.no/), and this fall I am hosting another DILL student who lives in Germany. Knowing nothing about DILL beforehand, nor much about international librarianship, I simply said to myself when I saw the email asking for someone to host – “Why not try? How hard can it be?” Sometimes taking a risk can lead to unique, positive opportunities: This fall I was invited to travel to Italy to lecture f2f to the DILL students while they studied in Parma. Meeting, collaborating and engaging in discussions with 17 students and various guest lecturers from all over the world is an experience I would not have had without trying something new! Check out more about my experience & photos here: http://uncglibprofdev.blogspot.com/2012/10/dill-program-in-parma-italy.html
Beth Filar Williams is Coordinator of Library Services for Online and Distance Learning the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and also the current ULS Vice Chair/Chair-Elect. Find out more about Beth here: http://about.me/filarwilliams
