Fun On-line things for you to do for the Holidays

Now that we are nearing the holiday period, many of us are thinking of ways to enjoy the season    without spending loads of money while still doing something to show our loved ones we care.

Here are a few ideas for online fun this year:

You can make a personalised video of Santa's messages for your young ones---FREE

http://www.portablenorthpole.com/home

You can follow Santa's path from the North Pole on Christmas eve here, gather 'round the laptop/tablet/phone and get updates on his progress---FREE

http://www.noradsanta.org/en/

You can arrange for Mickey Mouse to give someone a call---FREE

https://magicalcallfrommickey.com/

You can make a holiday cards for & of your friends---(Some are FREE & some cost a minimal subscription rate annually)

http://www.jibjab.com/holidays

You (or you & a child or your child) can make a free story book on Story Bird over the holidays & spend some creative fun time with the kids---FREE (unless you would like a print copy).

http://storybird.com/explore/

(Who knows you may have a budding writeron your hands!)

This year-old poster is still bang on trend:

Wishing you all a very happy holiday season & 2013!!!

You will find these and many other helpful online tools on this pin board "DIGITAL CHAMPIONS" on Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/gabyell13/digital-champions/

Keep on staying warm, friends, 
Your ULRs

New Learning Opportunities & Tools

Well the dark nights are drawing in again and soon we'll be breaking out the mince pies and the mulled tipple of our choice.  Before you sit down to your "long Winter's night" here a few items of interest:


First is a memo from our O&S Learning Champion, Hilary Hallas:

Possible career development workshops at Boston Spa

 

It is quite a while since career development workshops were offerd to Boston Spa staff and Sarah MacEwan, Learning & Development Manager, is therefore keen to guage whether there would be any interest in these, for the first quarter of 2013.

There are three workshops:

1) What do you want from your career? (3hrs) - covers manaing personal change, making informed choices about the future, identifying work skills and strengths and knowing what support is available.

2) Applying for jobs (3hrs) - covers how to complete an application form and prepare a CV, matching skills and strengths to competencies and the Library's online application system.

3) Interview skills (4 hrs) - covers how to prepare for an interview and interview skills practice.

Its not necessary to do all three, though if anyone is doing all three, they should be done in this order. 

If you are interested  please email Sarah.MacEwan@bl.uk  or  Training Course Bookings to express an interest and go on the waiting list. 

 For more information please see:

http://intranet.bl.uk/suppservices/learningdev/courses/careerdevelopment/workshops/index.html

Many Thanks

Hilary

---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**

And now an opportunity from Prospect for members:

Working in partnership with FDA and DODS Parliamentary Communications Ltd, Prospect would draw your attention to this exciting 1 day conference,Professions into Leadership Conference, 12 December 2012.  It will explore the challenges and opportunities for advancement for specialists and professionals into civil service leadership roles. The standard rates are £295 plus VAT per place with a reduced rate of £250 for 4 or more bookings from same person. However, for Prospect members there is a special reduced rate which is £245 plus VAT per place with a reduced rate of £200 for 4 or more bookings from same person.

For further details and to register your interest in attending visit www.professionsintoleadership.co.uk or contact Alex Bond at alex.bond@dods.co.uk or call             020 7593 5502      

---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**

 If you or anyone you know has a disability that makes it difficult to use a computer there is a great BBC website you ought to know about:

My web my way provides advice and help on how to get the most of the accessibility features and assistive technologies available for your computer, so that you can view BBC Online and the rest of the web in a more accessible way.

This heart of the site is the How to guides section, which shows you how to customise the accessibility features of your computer setup or web browser. It also includes guides and factsheets that introduce the range of assistive technologies that are available.

• The Disability on BBC Online section highlights the access services that are available and points you in the direction of disability and accessibility related content across the BBC website.

• The Best practice section demonstrates how the BBC applies its accessibility policy, has video case studies that show why this is needed, and provides resources for ensuring best practice.

My web my way has been developed and maintained through a partnership between BBC Online and AbilityNet, a leading UK computing and disability charity. It is based on AbilityNet's original My Computer, My Way site.

---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**---**

You will find this and many other helpful online tools on this pin board "DIGITAL CHAMPIONS" on Pinterest:

http://pinterest.com/pin/103864335127830585/

Stay warm friends, 
Your ULRs

Autumn is here, back to School, back to Learning!

It seems no time at all since we were holding the Learning at Work Days.  Here are a few photos from these days in May---

Hilary Hallas (O&S Training Manager) gets a QR Code tag from ULR for PCS, Sara Wood-Ripley

Kate Antioniou, Prospect ULR Coordinator at the Prospect table, while PCS rep, Melanie Johnson investigates the handouts.

This is the PCS stand with Sarah Wood-Ripley, PCS ULR

Sarah Wood-Riley (PCS ULR) & Andy Robinson (Prospect ULR) were in charge of the QR code stand

Since then, it has been a quiet summer for the ULRs being a "man down" due to an injury for one of our number & wish this member well & hopes they bounce back soon!

Of note currently in the BL---The Organisation Development team are setting up a mentor/mentee programme.  They have gathered a group of mentors but are still looking for mentees to participate.  To find out more, check the internet for details or contact Sarah MacEwan in Organisation Development.

There is some Digital Champion training going on for one of our ULRs and she is considering organising a "Digital Swap Shop" for digital learning.  If there is enough interest, we would develop a board where people can swap instructions with others.  People would tell which programmes or applications they were confident in showing someone how to use & in turn, what they would like to learn and we could swap the talents of all the participants.

So, for example, Bill who is a wiz at digital photography gives Sally some informal tuition on  digital photos.  Bill wants to know how to use Skype so Jack shows him. Jack needs to know how to use Powerpoint and Sally shows him. 

If you think this is a good idea, please let one of the ULRs know, a brief email will suffice.

This month's new hot online site is ipadio

http://www.ipadio.com/

Ipadio is an interface for podcasting, if you have a phone you can use it.  You could make reports back to your team from an event you are attending with this tool.  You might use it to archive demonstrations or even wish someone well from far away.  

We'll be keeping you posted with all things learning, happy autumn all!

Welcome to The Union Learning Reps of the British Library's Blog

Welcome Friends,


Shortly we will be blogging all sorts of learning information for you.  We hope to facilitate you into finding out about what you want to know.  We're hoping to hear from you so we know what to organise for your benefit.  This year's focus is all about getting online and how to become savvy with new devices and on the Internet.

Check back in the next few weeks to find out more about the opportunities we are organising for you on behalf of your unions.  This is a joint project between the two main unions at the BL, PCS and Prospect, and we have information from the TUC and Union Learn to help us to help you.  Meanwhile if you are in need of some Union help or information, follow the links below:

http://www.prospect.org.uk/index  

    

http://www.pcs.org.uk/

http://www.unionlearn.org.uk/

http://www.tuc.org.uk/index.cfm

Please leave us messages, we need to know what you think and what you need, we are your representatives.

We'll be seeing you very soon!