Professional brand...

This week's challenge (well a few weeks ago, but I'm catching up) involved google, linkedin and thinking about your professional brand. I see the point of this, making every post count so that you will look more attractive to future employers and connect with like minded colleagues. I get this, and can see how it will benefit me, but for me it leaves me feeling slightly uncomfortable. This is nothing against the course, and I am thoroughly enjoying it, but I have been reading posts on Twitter and in the latest Update about the Radical Librarians, and it is plaguing my thoughts somewhat. Mostly because I'm not really sure what I think.

I think it's the position of the group that libraries are being more and more looked at in terms of a consumer society, from the terms we use (customers or users) to the things that are being recommended practice (setting libraries out like shops etc) and the group think it doesn't have to be this way. Or that it should be this way.

If I, as a person, have to have a brand to sell myself to future employers then isn't that the ultimate win for a consumer not only driven, but obsessed, society? If  people are only a product to be branded and sold, then why the surprise that this mentality afflicts every other area of our profession? And I use the word afflicted precisely because libraries used to provide an escape from this. When I was young I used to go to the library in town because it was the only place I could go where I didn't have to spend money, and, not having much of it, that was important. Are libraries now reinforcing the importance of money as much as everywhere else?

Is our society drifting (or being manipulated) to the right?

So in terms of my brand, I might be one of those teens from YouTube who gets a deal through word of mouth, rather than because of their publicity stunts...

I'm genuinely not sure what I think, so would be welcoming of any answers or thoughts or opinions!