Sometimes people put videos on YouTube that are so divine, and so delightfully brilliant, that they merit some honourable mention. No, I’m not talking about that video of the kid who just got back from the dentist. Or the ninja cat.
I’m talking about videos created by academic educators — librarians among them — that explain really complex scholarly concepts in clear and succinct 5 minute (or so) videos. They’re from a variety of places, and have a variety of approaches, but the common thread is that they are amazing teaching tools. Watching them has actually made me a better instructional librarian, and I even played one in a class I taught because I though the creators did such a fantastic job of relaying key information literacy concepts.
Keep reading →
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: academic experience, information literacy, technology, web 2.0
As a new librarian, and one who finds herself on the job market in a few months, I’ve spent lots of time thinking about how to market myself to potential employers. As I mentioned, I spoke with students last week at U of T’s iSchool about breaking into the profession and one piece of advice I gave was, get yourself a web presence. Get a blog, get on LinkedIn, get on Twitter — create a professional persona for yourself online. So, I was pleasantly surprised to come across this little tool, Visual CV. It’s fun! It’s easy to make! And it can act as an extension of the resume you’ve just submitted in a job application. Sometimes it’s heart breaking to have to cut some things off your resume, or there’s the obvious constraint of paper over a dynamic web page. So, if you’re like me, and you put your blog link on your resume, than you can add a link from said blog to your Visual CV, and give potential employers the full picture. I’ve added mine at the sidebar (————————>) front and centre, or you can check it out here.
Sometimes networking events are hard (nothing like trudging through snow in a business suit!), but this is an easy way to get all your professional experiences out there, ready to be viewed by potential employers. So, fair students: You are on reading week right now! Take a few hours to get yourself webberized, and make yourself that much more appealing to employers who are looking for curious, tech-able new librarians to fill their ranks.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: blog, web 2.0
Update: The event was great! We set it up so that the content was largely driven by the students questions, and I think it worked…. I was there until 9pm talking with some of them. It was a very curious, impressive group. People: The future of library land in is good hands!
I am participating in an “Ambassador’s Visit” on behalf of the CLA’s Re:Generations Committee at the U of T’s iSchool this week. I don’t think I get diplomatic immunity so there go my plans to commit lots of crimes.
Ambassador’s Visits are where Re:Gen Committee members go to their local lie-berry school to discuss with students the in’s and out’s of academic librarianship — how to prepare yourself for the job market, how to get interviews, and what the job is actually like. I’m co-presenting with Jane Schmidt, who is a big-wig at Ryerson University (She is Manager of the Collection Services Team there).
We’re going for a relaxed, audience-driven discussion that will hopefully give students some insights about our field and help students chill out about getting jobs. Oh, and to promote CLA! Because you should join.
Question to you, librarian people: What sorts of things did you wish you’d known before you entered the job market? What kinda tips do you think are important to inform students about?
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: CACUL, professional associations, Re:Generations, volunteer activities
January 24, 2010 · 1 Comment
I just got an upgrade from my HTC Dream, to an HTC Hero. The new phone has been sitting on my desk for the last few days, because configuring a cell phone and transferring data is not exactly numero uno on my list of weekend activities.
But then I watched this video of the Hero’s capabilities, and I got really excited.The thing weighs less than my keys (100 grams to be specific) and is faster than my Dream.
Also, if you don’t find the guys giving the presentation totally adorable, you have a cold heart.
I know material items are not the path to happiness, but I think this phone might be an exception. It makes me REALLY and TRULY HAPPY.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: mobile, technology
Image from the Library Juice Press website, libraryjuicepress.com.
An interesting read awaits me! Once I figure out how to buy a book that I am QUITE CERTAIN will not be at Chapters anytime soon I am buying The Politics of Professionalism: A Retro-Progressive Proposal for Librarianship by Juris Dilevko. He is a professor at the Faculty of Information (and from whom I took a fantastic class called “Literature of the Social Sciences and Humanities”), and has published a most controversial book on the shortcomings of library education. A shortcoming, he argues, that has resulted in a profession distracted by fleeting technologies, preoccupied with professional advancement,and unconcerned with “the possession of meaningful knowledge that can be turned toward social good.”
WELL.
The first chapter is online (Merci a Monica for sharing that information), and is an enticing read for those among us who care about library education. Which is me. Why? I dunno. But I’ve blogged about the issue before. And I’m NOT EVEN IN LIBRARY SCHOOL ANYMORE.
I think I agree with some of what he says regarding subject knowledge, and the need for more reflective thinking in our profession. But I wonder about where many of my colleagues fit into his vision of librarianship, i.e. Librarians who work with eLearning, or digital initiatives, or information systems. I’ve seen what happens when those arenas are left to non-librarian technical teams, and it ain’t pretty. Or those who manage the libraries, and worry about glamorous things like who’s going to cover the desk when everyone is on vacation, or where we’re going to get the money for more computers. I wonder about where they fit in. But perhaps those questioned will be answered in Chapters 2 through 6.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Faculty of Information, Good reads, i-school, librarians
Scan me!
Do you have a smart phone? If you do, go download a barcode reader app. I have one for my Android phone, and it’s simply called Barcode Scanner. I guess if wanted to, you could also carry around an actual barcode scanner, but that’s… weird.
Bill the Web Librarian at York University Libraries, and the author of the esteemed Miskatonic University Press wrote this post, in which he offers up his great idea for a Code4Lib 2010 t-shirt design. Just hover your barcode reader over the image to see what comes up. Tons and TONS of interesting applications for this technology, and many thanks to Bill for bringing the tool to my attention.
My Code4Lib 2010 t-shirt
My Code4Lib 2010 t-shirt
Categories: Uncategorized
The Special Libraries Association has voted to keep it’s name, and not change to Association of Strategic Knowledge Professionals. I’m a member, and I found the whole debate really interesting.
Question to you, fair reader: What does Special Library mean to you? How about Strategic Knowledge Professional? Lie-berry and non-lie-berry people alike are welcome to comment!
Here’s the news release:
SLA Press Release – 10 December 2009
SLA Contact:
Cara Schatz
P: 703.647.4917
cara@sla.org
SLA Name Will Stay: Alignment of Association to Continue
Alexandria, Virginia, December 10, 2009- The Special Libraries Association (SLA) announced the results of its association-wide vote on a new name today. Voting in record numbers, SLA members failed to approve a proposal to change the organization’s name to the Association for Strategic Knowledge Professionals. 50 percent of those members eligible to vote participated in the referendum, with 2071 voting yes and 3225 voting no.
“The active discussions, online and in local meetings, are a testament to the passion and commitment that knowledge and information professionals feel towards their association and their profession,” said Gloria Zamora, SLA 2009 President. “This level of engagement will help make SLA and its members more effective advocates for the information profession in the years ahead.”
The name change proposal stemmed from the findings of the Alignment Project, an intensive two-year research effort aimed at understanding the value of the information and knowledge professional in today’s marketplace and how to best communicate that value. “Our name will remain,” Zamora continued, “but we will go forward with developing opportunities for our members to use the Alignment findings to demonstrate their contributions to the organizations that employ them.”
“Information and knowledge professionals are critical assets to the organizations that employ them, yet their contributions and capabilities are too often underestimated,” said SLA CEO Janice R. Lachance. “The findings of the Alignment Project research will guide SLA in developing services and programs that will more successfully position these professionals in the marketplace and attract the recognition and compensation they deserve.”
About SLA
The Special Libraries Association (SLA) is a nonprofit global organization for innovative information professionals and their strategic partners. SLA serves about 11,000 members in 75 countries in the information profession, including corporate, academic, and government information specialists. SLA promotes and strengthens its members through learning, advocacy, and networking initiatives. For more information, visit us on the Web at www.sla.org.
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: librarians, professional associations, sla
Brief note:
As a part of my Re:Generations work, I’m trying to get content created for the , which is sponsored by CACUL (Canadian Association of College and University Libraries). It’s supported by this program called Ning, which is actually sort of a cool way to display your webpages, integrate things like blogs, events, announcements, etc. into a nicely format
ted interface, and create a virtual space for communities. Communities such as Canadian academic librarians.
Anyway, we’ve been working away at this little corner of the interwebs, seeing if it fits the needs of CACUL, and when I went to visit the homepage today, there was a whole bunch of new activity! People have begun joining and creating their own little groups. Yay! It’s warms the cockles of my heart when things like this get buy-in. If you’re interested in this type of stuff, check it out!
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: academic experience, CACUL, volunteer activities, web 2.0
I mentioned awhile ago that I was a new member of the Re:Generations Committee within the Canadian Association of College and University Librarians. I just posted my virgin post to their Re:Generations blog, so check it out! (Is it kosher to post a post on your site that just directs to a post you posted at another site? We’re gonna say… Yes.)
Categories: Uncategorized
Tagged: blog, CACUL, web 2.0
