Jun 19th:
Sadly, we’re approaching the end of our program, but not the end of our life-long learning processes. Clara introduced us more to AI, and we had that fruitful debate whether tools like AI and ChatGPT are accurate, reliable or not. I guess every new technological trend needs much more time to be fully-developed and to function as expected. One shouldn’t judge now.
We should be presenting our final projects on future library models tomorrow. Having a showcase today was indeed very useful as it relieves stress, and allow the speakers to gain more confidence specially when it comes to public speaking. We also had to submit our action plans and discuss it with Clara and Peggy; that’s really very beneficial and helps guide us to how to implement such plan in our libraries.
Jun 20th: Our last day at Mortenson Center and Champaign-Urbana 🙁
Today, all the associates presented their projects/presentations in front of an assorted group of professionals who instructed, guided us through such special journey. Although it was a group work, but every one had to share their thoughts and present a part of the 12-minutes presentation. It felt so good wrapping up almost all what we learned in such work. We then received our certificates and became officially ‘Mortenson Center Associates’; something that I have wished for since 2017! 🙂
As I said before, the journey sadly came to its end; however, the learning journey in the field of libraries will never end!
– Thanks to Marianna Tax Choldin for her generous fellowship grant and for her great humane cause of supporting librarians worldwide. I most probably wouldn’t have made it without such generosity.
– Thanks to Clara for her sessions, program organisation, taking care of each and every one! – Thanks to Peggy Nzomo for supporting and advocating my participation in such life-time experience!
– Thanks to all the instructors for your knowledge, patience, time and cooperation. I, personally, learned a lot from you all.
– Thanks to Amani and Barbara for all the support all the way through. You were here for us in every step pf the way.
– Thanks to Uyen for her cooperation and all that back office work.
– Last but not least, thanks to all the associates. You all were really a great supportive group. I wouldn’t have imagined that 9 participants from 8 different countries would mingle smoothly in such short time. Glad to have met you all. Glad that I formed such international network of ambitious, hardworking and creative librarians! Please keep in touch.
I will be back home with so much knowledge, creative ideas, enthusiasm to innovate and keep an impact, and a lot of beautiful unforgettable memories.
