Libraries/Info Sci

Thoughts and selected news updates on the Library Science/Information Science field(s)

There are 262 posts filed in Libraries/Info Sci (this is page 19 of 27).

Librarian podcast idea – fleshed out

Thanks to Dave, who tuned the podcast idea into more focused form.

Each episode of the show will focus on one topic. The idea is to show off a number of perspectives on an area. Sometimes they’ll match up, other times they’ll be opposed.

Ideally, I’d like to keep a chunk of contributions, ready to mold into a show whenever one pile reaches critical mass. So please feel free to contribute to any or all of these topics for the first four themed shows:

-Beginning librarians – As a beginning librarian myself, I’d love to hear from others outside my University in the same position or just a few years into the field. Talk up your perspective! What do you think you bring to the job? How has grad school treated you? Any worries for the profession? Go in any direction you wish.

-Online publishing for libraries (Wikis, Blogs, RSS, Podcasting, etc) – Do you use any online publishing system in your library? Maintain a library-related system outside of work? What’s the setup like? What has patron/student/user reaction been? How would you like to see it used? I know there’s a bunch of resources on this topic already, so I threw it in as one I hope will draw up submissions fast.

-Google – A bad thing for libraries? Good thing? Somewhere in the middle? Google Print and Google Scholar in particular are hot button topics.

-Video games in libraries – I’ve seen strong opinions on this issue. Do they have a place in libraries? If so, which ones should be on the shelf? Got real life experience?

and:
-Grab bag – While I’d prefer clips on the topics above for practical reasons, feel free to submit on any not mentioned here. An occasional random show could be fun, but I didn’t want to splinter contributions too much at the start.

And you don’t have to be a librarian to submit. Work in a library? Use a library? Your thoughts are valuable too.

Please try to keep submissions to at or less than five minutes. I’m scaling back my ambition at first, aiming for three contributors plus framing comments from myself. About 20 minutes total.

On to new business: The ‘cast needs a name. Best I’ve come up with so far is “Voice of Libraries”, trying to play off the Voice of America name, but it seems too clunky and unoriginal. Maybe “Radio Free Library”? Rescue me from blah names.

Again, send submissions to Haefele@Gmail.com. Also, please let me know if you’re planning on contributing.

Librarian podcast idea

I’ve had an idea rolling around in the back of my head for a while now. For some reason, I haven’t followed through. Then, yesterday I read Meredith’s post about making ideas into reality. So, I’m gonna give it a try!

I’m going to make a podcast. I’ve wanted to experiment with one, but never had a content idea meaty enough. Then a couple days ago, it came to me: call in radio. Of course, it wouldn’t be live. But it can still work.

How many of you have something Library-related to say? You might not want to start up a blog, or the item might not be fleshy enough for publication. So, record it and send it in! I’m aiming for a length of about half an hour. If I can get 3 or 4 five minute submissions per show, plus ten minutes of my own commentary, I really think it can work.

While I said that a five minute submission would be nice, don’t feel limited by that. Shorter is fine, and even a little longer too. If you don’t have the ability to record yourself, I’ll accept short text pieces and read them “on the air”.

I’m really hoping there’s enough interest to get this off the ground.

Send submissions as attachments to: Haefele@gmail.com

I only ask that you avoid profanity and keep the tone civil. Please critique this idea, too. Refinements, twists, practical issues I’m not seeing, etc. In addition, I’d appreciate recommendations of software for creating podcasts in Windows.

Update: if you’re reading this via LibraryStuff (Thanks Steven!), I have a new updated entry with more details here.

Library Instruction – (very) basic intro to RSS for libraries

Tomorrow morning I have to give a brief instructional session in my Library Instruction class. I’ve decided to go with a (very) basic intro to RSS for libraries and librarians. In an experiment, I’ll be running the whole thing from this post (with backup copies of links in hand, of course).

Now, if anybody is interested in the links I use in class, they can just come here and try things themselves!

What is RSS?
WebReference has an excellent intro guide to exactly what RSS is.

RSS example – my blog
In a shameless plug, this is the link to the RSS feed for my site.

www.BlogLines.com
Bloglines is a basic web-based aggregator (a method of reading and displaying RSS feeds)

Hennepin County Public Library – Minnesota
HCPL is one of the first public libraries I’ve noticed to include RSS functionality in their catalog. Look for the little orange ‘XML’ button.

HCPL search for “Rowling, J K”
Sample search to demonstrate the usefulness of RSS catalog feeds.

Wikipedia list of aggregators
If you’re interested in running a non web-based aggregator, Wikipedia has a comprehensive list.

If time allows:
ABC News Podcasts
And if for some unlikely reason I have extra time to fill, I’ll touch on ABC’s podcasts briefly.

P.S.

I need to add a number eleven to my list of ten things I learned at ALA:

I am truly excited about being a librarian.

I can say without hyperbole that going into this field is the best decision I’ve ever made. I won’t make as much money as I would in the IT sector, but I get to actually meet and help real human beings – on a minute to minute basis. I get to make their lives just a little bit easier. And I get to love what I’ll do!

I haven’t always been quite so excited. But once I started blogging, once I started making connections outside the classroom I quickly reached critical mass.

So thank you Mom and Dad, and Dr. Birmingham, and the whole staff at the Fairport Public Library. Thank you to everyone who ever encouraged me towards signing up for my MLS, and didn’t respond with a blank look and “You need a degree to do that?”

OK, so maybe I didn’t learn this just at ALA. But it sure was reaffirmed. I met and re-met so many wonderful people, and I can’t wait to join you all as a full colleague.

Better late than never

I’ve finally added the Feel Good Librarian to my aggregator. I have no idea why it took me so long.

Despite being a necessarily anonymous blog, it somehow feels more ‘real’ to me than any other librarian blogs out there. There’s genuine emotion and truth in each post. Even if you’re not a librarian, FGL is worth a read. Today’s post especially spoke to me, as I’m in the position (just starting out) that FGL is adressing.

Circulating video games – reporting in

Back in March, I mentioned John Scalzo’s effort to begin a video game collection in his library. Now thanks to LISnews, I have a chance to follow up.

In the new article, I find some pleasant surprises. For one thing, not a single game has come back damaged! I’m astonished. Very pleased, but also surprised. That damageless fact alone could do wonders to convince other libraries to begin collections.

I especially appreciate Scalzo’s attention to “Balancing games the public wants, games that are critically acclaimed and family-friendly titles…”

Things I learned at ALA 2005

By no means complete, and in no particular order.

1. I need luggage with wheels. Lugging my duffel bag around Chicago was not fun.

2. Most vendors are very friendly people, even when talking to students with no purchasing power

3. Don’t try to do everything. You’ll fail.

4. Decent public transportation in a city is a Godsend

5. Limit your swag acquisitions. There’s only so much you can carry.

6. Vendors who give out bags for carrying other vendors’ swag are the most popular.

7. Librarians are very friendly, personable people (OK so that one isn’t new). I had great conversations with random people on the shuttle buses.

8. Citizens of Chicago are very friendly and easygoing. Even towards obvious tourists.

9. My ideal job would pay for me to go to Internet Librarian 2005.

10. Shuttles to special events need clear markings.

11. A conference center with free wi-fi would be worth its weight in gold.

ALA 2005 – Job Search

When: Saturday, June 25 2005
Where: McCormick Place, Chicago IL
My Role: Attendee
There were two main reasons I went to ALA this year – the Library Journal Blogger’s Roundtable, and the job search prospects. Both were amazingly successful!

The ALA Placement Services section opened Friday morning at 9. I was there, along with Lori, Emily and Melissa from Pitt. We made up a substantial part of the line waiting to get in!

ALA has an internet messaging system set up, wherein you post your resume. Employers can browse/search it and get in touch with you, or you can pick out interesting employers and contact them. Alternately, job hunters can wander the booths talking to the 20 or so “official” recruiters there.

I went in with one interview scheduled. By the time I left I had a number of informal chats, 3 interviews, one request for a second interview, and most notably a job offer! The system works! I had a number of other employers who weren’t present at the conference contact me as well, so I’ve sent out e-mails and am waiting to hear back.

I suppose I should talk about the job offer. I don’t want to identify who it is (or the others I interviewed with) publicly until my mind is made up. But the offer is very tempting, and I’m thrilled to have any offer at all – its a wonderful feeling to know that my skills actually fill a need and someone is interested.

Especially since graduation is a mere five weeks away now. Man, time has gone fast!

So watch this space for more news.

ALA 2005 – 6/25 – Opening Session

When: Saturday, June 25 2005 06:00 PM
Where: McCormick Place, Chicago IL
My Role: Attendee
Anybody know how many attendees there were to the opening session Saturday evening? The room was pretty cavernous and pretty full.

Soon to be ex-president of the ALA, Carol Brey-Casiano, opened the session. She soon handed things off to Chicago’s Mayor Daley. While I know virtually nothing about his career or politics, based solely on last night’s speech I’m inclined to like the man. He seems genuinely supportive of libraries, the public kind in particular. 7 more branches are opening in Chicago just in the remainder of this year! Daley also denounced the Patriot Act, and captivated the audience the whole way through.

Later, Senator Barack Obama came out on stage as the keynote speaker of the session. While I thought Mayor Daley had stage presence, Senator Obama blew him away! His speech focused on a call for basic literacy education and promoted libraries as a major source of this education.

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Some quotes:

[after walking on stage to thunderous applause] “Whoa, that was a lot of librarians.”

“In the beginning, there was The Word.” I thought Senator Obama made an interesting choice, tying in Scripture to his speech in a mostly non-religious way. It went over well with the crowd.

“Truth isn’t about who yells the loudest, but who has the right information.” (this one I may have paraphrased a bit, I was writing in a hurry)

Senator Obama also noted that by reading to his kids, he has now just about memorized “Goodnight Moon”.

As a side note, the ALA really needs to revamp whatever system or person they use to create closed captions on the video feed of speakers. There were major typos galore, including “Libraryes” every time the word was used.