Strengths and Weaknesses: An Analysis
A continuing commitment to professional development is important to the growth of members of any profession. As a school library media specialist, professional development will help me share my strengths with other librarians and it will also help me minimize my weaknesses. According to the American Library Association's Association of College and Research Libraries, of which I am a member, professional development is "an important manifestation of the ... librarian's commitment to personal excellence" and it is an "individual responsibility that thrives on partnerships." I agree strongly with this statement.

I take pride in a job well-done but also look for ways to connect with people and organizations that can help me do a better job next time. It is this commitment to "personal excellence" and an understanding of the importance of human connections leading to success that encourages me to focus on professional development. I want to be a success and I want others to know they can depend on me to always perform well. My commitment to continuing professional development is one way I can achieve these goals.

As I strive to be successful and encourage others to depend on my high-quality work, I understand that my value is demonstrated by playing up my strengths while minimizing my weaknesses. Some of my personal strengths include:
- an unbridled enthusiasm and sunny disposition, even during, or especially during, times of adversity
- the ability to think of change as an opportunity to be seized rather than as an experience to dread
- an understanding of the benefits of valuing personal connections with others
- the propensity to be a quick learner and catch on fast in new or unfamiliar situations

These four personal strengths will serve me well as a school library media specialist. A positive attitude is catching, and many students today need to connect with adults who portray this characteristic. For example, students will adapt for themselves some personality traits of a library media specialist who is clearly enthusiastic about the natural benefits of reading while avoiding the appearance of being didactic.

On the other hand, it will be necessary for me to downplay my weaknesses while working to overcome them. Some of my personal weaknesses include:
- an inability to tell someone "no"
- the desire to jump into new projects with a gung-ho attitude before considering others' personal styles and work pace
- difficulty recognizing my strengths as a classroom teacher

I am learning to overcome the last weakness, in particular, as I see myself succeeding and connecting with my elementary and secondary students. However, this is a continual challenge especially since I place educators in such high regard.

As I learn to account for these weaknesses in my work as a school library media specialist, I will grow into a professional who is committed to balance and effective interactions with my fellow teachers and professional educators.

Professional Development Plan
I believe that I owe much of my personal success to those people in my past who worked hard and sacrificed to make sure that I had opportunities. Those people, who include my parents, teachers and mentors, encouraged my personal and professional development by taking a risk to see that I succeeded. It is this contribution that I hope to acknowledge through my own professional development, which will then enable me to do the same for others. I want to get involved in the school library media community through professional development that takes advantage of my strengths and minimizes my weaknesses. Active professional development will prepare me to give others in my local community an opportunity to succeed. Two ways that I can do this is to attend professional conferences and to read journals and magazines in the school library media field.

Of course, attending professional conferences is a significant expense. One way to counter the expense is to apply for scholarships to attend conferences. Last year, I applied for a scholarship to attend a SUNY librarians conference and won, as a part-time librarian representative of Erie Community College's South campus. The Sylvia Chu Memorial Scholarship allowed me to attend a three-day conference in Geneseo, N.Y. As I become aware of other alternative ways to fund conference attendance, I plan to become actively involved in these organizations -- as opposed to "just" being a member -- so that I get to know other members and can take an active leadership role:
- School Librarians Association of Western New York (SLAWNY)
- New York Library Association (NYLA)

I have already attended various elements of NYLA and ALA conferences over the past few years and understand the value of these events. However, the time needed to attend them must be balanced with one's duties in the library media center. For example, I have been unable to attend any SLAWNY events yet because of evening work commitments while attending graduate school full-time. I look forward to working as a media specialist during the day so that I can become active in this valuable organization. As a part-time college librarian, I have actively attended conferences presented by the Western New York/Ontario chapter of the Association of College and Research Libraries, but this is one group with which I might part ways to make room in my schedule for groups that focus more on the school library media specialist.

Additionally, I plan to take interested students to conferences that will benefit their interests, such as the Teen Book Festival. I attended the 2007 TBF in Fairport, N.Y., with a group of students from my secondary practicum site. They had a terrific time and their response was enthusiastic. This is just one way I can expose students to the benefits of conference attendance (even if they just think of it as a great way to spend an afternoon exploring books!).

Finally, another significant way I can improve my work as a school library media specialist is by reading appropriate journals and magazines. My top three choices to read in a busy month are:
- The ALA's "American Libraries" to get a general update on the field
- "Library Media Connection" to read the tips and practical advice that has been so helpful during my graduate studies
- "VOYA" (Voice of Youth Advocates) to stay up-to-date on library services to young adults

However, there are many other publications I would like to make time to read, or at the very least, skim on a regular basis. Some of those titles include "ALAN Review," "EDUCAUSE Review" and "EMRO." "ALAN Review" is published three times yearly by the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents and covers the teaching of YA literature. "EDUCAUSE Review" is a bimonthly magazine about information technology in higher education. "EMRO," or Educational Media Reviews Online, is an online journal and database of media aimed at academic librarians but also includes some K-12 material.