SLAIS to CLA Conference

Canadian Book Collecting Contest

2008-06-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Have you heard about the first annual National Book Collecting Contest?

The National Book-Collecting Contest was created by the Bibliographical Society of Canada (BSC) to encourage young Canadians to collect books and study the discipline of researching and writing bibliographies.

The Contest is only open to Canadians under thirty years of age.

First prize is $2,500.

Entries have to be submitted by 2 March 2009.

More information here from the Alcuin Society.

Firefox Extensions for the Web

2007-03-29T07:48:00.000-07:00

Working on web sites with a lot of CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is easier with three Firefox extensions:

1. Firebug, which allows you to inspect the code on a page by a point-and-click interface; it's like "looking under the hood" of a web site, but instead of trying to figure out what CSS (and other code) applies to the item you are interested in, you just click on that part of the page to find out.

2. Web Developer allows you to use Firefox to analyze a web site, but I find it useful to understand the layout of a page, since it will colour-code the different sections.

3. ColorZilla is a simple tool that fulfills one function very well - if you ever customize a page for a client, then you may want to have a specific colour. Instead of trying to determine the hex HTML code for the colour, simply point and click on a site to find out.

4. Meebo in Firefox allows instant messaging within your browser, which facilitates virtual reference, but also work in general on web sites, since one can upload changes to a site using other tools and IM with co-workers.

Commenting Features in Digital Collections

2006-08-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

Searching for examples of public institutions, library or archival, which have added a commenting feature to their digital collection or catalogue is not easy! Type in any variation of the comment in a blog search engine, and you will likely retrieve every blog in existence because blogs often allow visitors to add a comment. Working with digitization blog, we wanted to compose a list of public institutions, particularly ones with digital collections, that offer a "add a comment" feature. If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, then a commenting feature in a digital collection may be priceless! Imagine how many visitors to a digital collection may have a story to tell about an image.

A commenting feature allows users to post a message on a web site for others to read. A visitor submits a message, which may be reviewed by an editor or screened by a filter, and the approved comments are displayed, often in chronological order, on the web site for the general public. Some commenting features require a person to type in a series of random, distorted letters (also known as CAPTCHA) in order to minimize the risk of spam. A commenting feature may also require some form of registration before a person is allowed to read or write a message.

SEARCH STRATEGY

We conducted a blog search to identify seven institutions worldwide using an “add comment” feature to enhance their collection. Let us know if there is another library or archive that we missed, since we plan on conducting a Delphi study:

1. Polar Bear Expedition Digital Collections

2. Edmonton Activist Literature (Streetprint)

3. ERITREAN PRINT AND ORAL CULTURE (Streeprint)

4. Scrawl: Artwork from the Streets (Streetprint)

5. Hennepin County Library

A special thanks to LibrarianInBlack for writing about the commenting feature on Hennepin's web site in her blog, which was the first post that I found when searching for commenting features.

Another special thanks to Archivemati.ca for pointing out two more examples:

6. Zoekplaatjes.nl – municipal archives hosts a forum allowing visitors to comment on unidentified photographs.

7. The Diary of Samuel Pepys - blog for the digitized Gutenberg Project version of Samuel Pepys diary allowing visitors to annotate text.

Also, thanks to Jen P. for pointing out another digital collection offering a commenting feature:

8. Hudson River Valley Heritage. Some actual comments selected by Jen P. as examples: http://www.hrvh.org/u?/larc,81

This list is the start of more research into commenting features, since a lot of librarians seem to be curious about what works and what doesn't. The spark for our project to look more closely as commenting features came about as we evaluated options for making an existing digital collection more "Web 2.0ish" At one point, it looked liked we were going to turn our collection into a Flickr-like web site, so read the next post, which revolves around the question of how should we evaluate Flickr as a host for digital collections, as opposed to an open source solution, such as StreetPrint (University of Alberta).

Flickr as a Digital Collection Host

2006-08-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

Several libraries use Flickr, and the idea of using Flickr to manage and display a digital collection is not new. A Google search of: flickr "digital collection" returns its first result as a blog post from October 2005 with the title Flickr as a digital collection hosting example, where the author suggests a "...practical example of what libraries could do with Flickr from a small digital collection perspective." We know it is possible to use Flickr to host a digital collection, but when should we use Flickr? How would we recognize a potential digital collection as being ideally suited for hosting on Flickr? What criteria should we use to evaluate Flickr as a host?

In an attempt to answer the question, “When should libraries use Flickr to host digital collections?” a brief search of the professional literature was conducted. A search of the library literature in three major databases does not result in many articles on Flickr, which is in contrast to the hundreds, if not thousands, of blog postings about it.

SEARCH STRATEGY

Here are the results of a quick search for articles on Flickr in three databases using a simple keyword search: flickr OR flick*r

1. Library Literature & Information Science with Full Text
-flickr (2 results)
-flick*r (5 results)

The subject heading suggested by the thesaurus when we search for “Flickr” was Internet/Terminology.

2. Library and Information Science Abstracts (LISA)

-flickr (3 results)
-flick*r (9 results)

LISA offered a specific subject heading for the organization, or corporate entity: Flickr.com

3. Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA)

· flic*r (41 results)
· flickr (13 results)

LISTA applied several subject headings, with no discernable conformity, to articles mentioning Flickr. Here is a sample: DIGITAL images; PHOTOGRAPHY -- Computer network resources; PHOTOGRAPHY -- Digital techniques; PHOTOGRAPHY -- Social aspects; SOCIAL networks; FILE sharing (Computers); IMAGES, Photographic, etc. Also, FLICKR Online (Company) was a subject heading.

ARTICLES

From the search strategy describe above, a few articles on Flickr were retrieved. Aside from a review of a book on Flickr in Library Journal, what did we find relevant?

1. Harris, C. “Flickr and BubbleShare: Photo-sharing sites.” School Library Journal 52, no. 7 (July 2006): 19.

Briefly explores Flickr as a digital collection host for libraries: “This is your chance to jump onboard at your library. If the technical benefits of picture hosting and sharing aren't enough to excite you, imagine creating a rotating display of student pictures on your library's Web site.” A short article, but one of the only articles to focus on Flickr. Many articles discuss “social software,” or Web 2.0, so it stands out when an article concentrates on one tool. As we move from awareness of these tools, and some of them become more established, then perhaps we shall see specific articles?

2. Sauers, Michael. “Internet connection. Fun with Flickr.” Action for Libraries 32, no. 3 (Mar 2006).

Tools used by searchers using Flickr are listed. I was unable to read the full-text of this article, so I only read the abstract.

CONSIDERATIONS

A much broader literature search is needed before any conclusions may be drawn, and by “broader,” it would seem that any research on Flickr as a potential host of digital collections sponsored by libraries has to be conducted in blogs and listservs for now.

From the perspective of evaluating Flickr as a sustainable host for digital collections put up by libraries, here are some points to keep in mind from Flickr’s FAQs:

--a free version is “guaranteed” to always exist
--using the free version, one may only upload 20 MB per month
--inactive free accounts may be deleted after 90 days of inactivity
--free accounts only display up to 200 photos, or the 200 most recent
--photos will not be deleted unless you delete them
--each photo must be less than 5 MB (on the free account)
--TIFFs can be uploaded, which is most likely the format being scanned for master copies by institutions maintaining a digital collection, but they are converted and stored as JPEGs (the most likely format used to display images in a digital collection)
--Flickr offers many copyright options, and one can even prevent people from downloading the images.

Based on the information above, it would seem that a digital collection could be hosted, managed, and maintained on Flickr. At the same time, there are limitations that should be planned for when considering Flickr as a host.

The success of using Flickr to host a digital collection, like any other hosting solution, depends on what it is being used for by librarians (e.g. photographs of your library, community events, etc.). Flickr offers libraries with limited resources and staffing an opportunity to provide access to a small digital collection. Although “digital collection” has not been defined here, our perception is that libraries have used Flickr as an online photo album, but what about using Flickr to host a digital collection in place of a more traditional solution, such as a server and content management system (e.g. CONTENTdm, Streetprint.org, MySQL-backed web site, etc.)? Flickr makes it easy to upload images, and it enhances them with commenting, tagging, and searching features.

Your Mission: Choose a Wiki for your Library

2006-07-09T08:45:00.000-07:00

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to select, evaluate, and implement a wiki for a library project. You have only a few hours! Here is a quick guide.

What to read? Some useful articles on wikis in the library literature:

Brenda Chawner and Paul H. Lewis. “WikiWikiWebs: New Ways to Communicate in a Web Environment.” Information Technology and Libraries 25, no. 1 (2006): 33-43.

Current article on wikis comparing "...three wiki engines and seven case studies of real-world library and library-related Wild [wiki] applications." Selection criteria for wikis is discussed.

Fichter, Darlene. “Using Wikis to Support Online Collaboration in Libraries.” Information Outlook 10, no. 1 (January 2006): 30-31.

Frumkin, Jeremy. “Digital Libraries: Modern Practices, Future Visions. The Wiki and the Digital Library.” OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives 21, no. 1 (2005): 18-22.

Mattison, David. “Quickiwiki, Swiki, Twiki, Zwiki, and the Plone Wars.” Searcher 11, no. 4 (2003): 32-48.

Excellent glossary and extensive links, the article reads like an HTML page instead of an essay. Not easy to read. Three interviews are conducted in the article, including one with Bo Leuf, author of The Wiki Way (2001), a book on wikis.

What to quote? In preparing a case for wiki use:

"Have you ever edited a Word document that has passed through a half dozen hands with 'track changes' on? It’s painful" (Fichter 2006). Ha, ha : )

"Moving from traditional Web site development to a Wiki... requires a substantial investment of time and effort. ...It might be useful to identify a short-list of potential Wiki engines, and install each on a trial basis before making a final decision" (Chawner and Lewis 2006, 8 of 15).

Decisions: although some authors (Chawner and Lewis 2006) report that other researchers have identified six types of wikis based on read/edit/access permissions, the following matrix represents four decisions:

Criteria: the list of criteria available when choosing a wiki is extensive (Chawner and Lewis 2006). Selected criteria appear:

-W3C standard compliant (XHTML and CSS)
-Database support
-RSS read and publish
-Read and edit control
-Page history (version control)
-Open source; free of advertisements
-Spam blocking options
-Extensive documentation supporting the wiki
-Mature development
-Community support
-Use by other libraries

By "community support," I mean that there are plug-ins, mods, etc. and new ones keep coming for use with that wiki; a forum is offered where you can seek advice, etc.

Selection: What are other libraries using in terms of wikis? Here is a list of wikis mentioned in the articles I read:

Summary: a few key points to make the case for a wiki.

The library literature agrees that wikis could be used by libraries to create “knowledge bases” (Fichter 2006, 31; Frumkin 2005, 19).

You will want a plan in place to encourage staff (or patrons) to use the wiki. Chawner and Lewis explain how to create the "right conditions" for wiki use.

Resources: wiki comparison

1. WikiMatrix
http://www.wikimatrix.org/

Allows a person to choose and compare multiple wiki applications, open source and commercial, side-by-side. Very helpful.

2. Wikipedia – Comparison of wiki software
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_wiki_software

Offers a long table comparing several features of "every" wiki available. Of course, when you read any Wikipedia article, it is a good idea to check the link "Related changes" (left-hand side in Wikipedia) to view the edits.

3. WikiWikiWeb, Ward Cunningham (a Wiki pioneer)
http://c2.com/cgi-bin/wiki

The "first" wiki page (if I read one article correctly) that covers all aspects of wikis. A strong community is behind this wiki, and the number of resources seems endless, but it would be a good place to visit if one had a technical question.

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Photograph: Can you spot the deer? I just like the picture that I took in BC's Interior. It has nothing to do with wikis.

Firefox Add-ons

2006-06-27T07:45:00.000-07:00

I am making plans to migrate to a new blog, since this blog has served its purpose. Meanwhile, I will continue to post to this blog.

I spent my weekend looking through the more than 1,500 Firefox add-ons. I did not get through them all, but I did install a few that I found useful as a librarian living in Vancouver (in no particular order):

New

0. Hyperwords puts tools within one click of any idea you see on a web page. It is like embedding a search engine in your fingertips - you almost touch any word, phrase, or idea online and off you go!

Original Post

1. NoScript. Allows you to specify which web pages can run java. Useful for safe browsing and ad blocking.

2. Dublin Core Viewer. Allows you to display metadata on web sites. I already mentioned this on my blog.

3. Infocon Monitor is useful if you want to monitor the health of the Internet from SANS ISC.

4. eQuake. Alerts you to earthquakes around the world. Provides a link to the USGS. eQuake will even shake your browser (if you want). To turn off the shaking, click Tools > Extensions > click on eQuake > click on Options, and select "None."

5. mozCC automatically displays the Creative Commons license of the site you are viewing. Helps you determine the copyright status of a site.

6. 1-ClickWeather. Displays weather.com forecasts. You can customize a lot. Useful if you do not have a window in your office : (

7. etc. There are many more extensions that I find useful, but let me know if you found one out of the more than 1,500 that you think is great.

Move over Gutenberg

2006-06-26T07:38:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I attended the UBC e-Strategy Town Hall "20/20 Visions of 2010" on Thursday, June 22. Representatives from UBC Enrolment Services presented on WordPress, which is a "semantic personal publishing platform," according to WordPress. Translation: a cool tool for blogging! How cool? Check out what UBC is doing with WordPress, and read on.

The speakers were describing WordPress as a "content management system" (CMS), which puts WordPress in the company of other open source CMS, such as: Drupal, b2evolution, TikiWiki, MediaWiki (hint: MediaWiki powers Wikipedia), etc. Wikipedia offers a CMS comparison page. What's a content management system? A tool for web publishing that can be customized with plugins from the open source community. Translation: you can publish a web page in a few minutes for free! With WordPress, all you need is access to a server with PHP and MySQL,

With plugins, one can quickly and easily add neat features to your blog, wiki, or web site. Here are the WordPress plugins that UBC Enrolment Services found useful:

1. Category Icons
2. A spam filter (by WordPress creators)
3. A bread crumb trail
4. A backup
5. Ultimate Tag Warrior

As the speakers noted, plugins must be carefully evaluated before installing them. Read the version history or development notes, FAQ, user comments, privacy policy, and terms of use, etc. Here are some lists of WordPress plugins.

Librarians should be aggRSSive

2006-06-23T20:25:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, June 22, I attended the UBC e-Strategy Town Hall "20/20 Visions of 2010." When I was not busy presenting a poster on podcasting and health libraries, I attended two sessions that should interest any librarian who likes RSS and WordPress. Let's start with RSS (or Atom).

One session was on "Remixing and Republishing Dynamic Content Made Easy" by the UBC Office of Learning Technology. The "star" of the presentation was aggRSSive, an open source application developed at UBC, which allows a person to manage feeds, and republish the content of feeds on another web page. What makes aggRSSive neat is that you can combine multiple feeds into one feed! You can even tag your feeds (i.e. assign a "subject heading" to a feed). Yes, you can combine feeds with a few clicks!

Why would I want to combine feeds? Perhaps you have feeds on a similar topic, and you only want to handle one incoming feed on your web site, blog, etc. For example, I have a Political Science Major, so I decided that I want to know about new books on political science acquired by UBC Library and the University of Alberta Library. Both of these libraries offer RSS feeds, so I subscribe to them:

1. UBC Library RSS feeds for new materials and
2. University of Alberta RSS feeds for new books

With aggRSSive, I can combine them into one feed, and display the results anywhere.

Here is what makes aggRSSive irresistible for librarians: you will be able to filter the content of feeds! And I mean "filter" in the good sense of the word from a librarian's point of view. According to the developers, an update to aggRSSive, which is planned for release in late summer 2006, will allow you to filter the content of a feed with keywords.

Why would I want to filter a feed?
Because there is too much information. I subscribe to BBC News feeds, but I do not always want to see all the stories of the day. Imagine I wanted to only view BBC News content that had the term "open access" in the article. aggRSSive would let me filter out the other articles, while continuing to feed my web page, blog, or news aggregator (i.e. I use Bloglines).

Single Search Interface

2006-06-22T07:22:00.000-07:00

Another session that I attended was "Is One Stop Shopping all we Dreamed it would be? The Single Search Interface in Action" on Saturday, June 17, 2006. The title was a bit misleading, since it was really on usability testing, in my opinion.

One speaker was from Library and Archives Canada (LAC), and she discussed changes to the LAC web site, specifically a federated search. She expressed how important it was to conduct usability tests at every step of the project. Out of all the feedback that she received, perhaps the comment that stuck with me the most was that archivists, generally speaking, preferred to go directly to a specific web site or database instead of using the search interface.

Another speaker presented the results of her surveys from an academic library. Being from UBC Library, and working on virtual reference, I have been exposed to federated search tools, so I was really interested to hear what she thought. At the time, I was using MultiSearch, but it appears that it has been discontinued. One argument in favour of federated searching that I had not considered was that a library can provide its visitors with a uniform search interface, which may help its users navigate and search because they do not have to learn how to use varying database interfaces. An obvious point, but I had previously evaluated federated searching from the perspective of what it allowed me to do on virtual reference. Federated searching helped me identify databases that likely had a concentration of articles on a given topic quickly. I think federated searching is a tool that needs to evolve a bit more, but I also think that it will help interdisciplinary studies.

Bilingual subject headings

2006-06-21T07:13:00.000-07:00

One of my current interests is the topic of bilingual subject headings. A few cataloguers at the CLA Conference pointed to the Bibliothèque de l'Université Laval as a source. One cataloguer pointed out that the University of Laval Library supplies French subject headings to AMICUSthrough Répertoire de vedettes-matière (RVM). The Conference was a good place to inquire.

The topic is even more interesting when one considers multilingual subject headings. SLAIS students have already done some research on the literature:
Multilingual ACess to Subjects. The "official" MACS page is still up.

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Photograph: Queen Elizabeth II statue on Parliament Hill.

Consortia in Academic Libraries as Publishers

2006-06-20T07:27:00.000-07:00

One speaker presented parts of her dissertation on the role of consortia in academic libraries as publishers. She was speaking as part of the panel on "Privacy, Privatization, Professionalism and the Public Interest: Reconciling Competing Values in Library Practice" on Friday, June 16, 2006. She interviewed librarians in executive roles, such as directors. One of her findings was that 27/30 feel that there is a role for consortia in scholarly publishing. I did not have time to ask her if she was thinking about open access as a publishing model for academic libraries, but her dissertation should be available soon; I believe she said that the title was "Consortia in Academic Libraries."

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Photograph: A picture of the stained glass ceiling at Parliament showing quelqu'un. The names of the Speaker of the House were added to other tiles, but realizing that they would run out of space, a decision was made to add quelqu'un or "others."

Recruitment in Academic Libraries

2006-06-19T07:19:00.000-07:00

Being a recent graduate, I attended a session on "Recruitment in Academic Libraries: Current State of Affairs" on Thursday, June 15, 2006. The session started out with research indicating increased demand for academic librarians, particularly between 2003-2008, but the speakers acknowledged budget constraints among CARL libraries and inadequate leadership and management training for librarians who want to step up to fill a position. Although there are some exceptions, such as the University of Alberta, which offers internship opportunities (e.g. 4 to 5 graduates per year since 2000) and the University of Winnipeg (e.g. one internship has been offered since 2001), the speakers agreed that there needs to be more leadership and mentoring available to MLIS graduates. Many applicants report that the recruitment process needs to be sped up, and librarians in the audience pointed out that it was difficult for public librarians to move to academic librarianship; the speakers generally agreed with this statement. One speaker addressed the question about what skills are being demanded by academic libraries seeking applicants: (1) management skills; and (2) leadership potential. The panel agreed that "soft skills" are in demand. Another speaker suggested that everyone needs to be a "systems librarian" these days; every MLIS graduate should know about databases, web sites, XML, etc. One of the speakers asked the audience how they felt about an academic library posting more than one job opening at the same time, and a MLIS student admitted that there may be the perception that something is wrong with the institution, so job descriptions may want to explain why there is an opening. At the same time, MLIS students admitted that they would simply contact a librarian at the institution to ask them why many job positions are being offered at the same time.

Cafe Librarianship

2006-06-18T11:19:00.000-07:00

I attended a session on "Marketing Your College Library: The Centre of Your Community" on Thursday, June 15, 2006. Several speakers talked about the concept of "social spaces" in academic libraries, but if you had to condense the meaning into two points, then social spaces seem to mean: (1) students in front of computer hubs in the library; and (2) permission to eat and drink in the library. Although a simple interpretation, I think that these two points sum up "social spaces." And why not? Students network while working in front of computers, and the best conversations are had over coffee.

Actually, another session that I attended briefly touched upon how to market your library, and a common theme was how users enjoy being able to read a book with a coffee in one hand, and a sandwich in the other. The "Idea Stores: A New Model of Service Provision" on Friday, June 16, 2006 by Heather Wills, Idea Store Programme Director was able to show how offering a place to eat and drink led to more people coming to the library. Here is my interpretation of her presentation. There are many other factors explaining the success of Idea Stores in the UK, such as new locations near shopping malls, matching opening hours with rival businesses, staff uniforms and a push to have staff approach clients instead of waiting at desks, architecture using windows to invite people in to the library, etc. An Idea Store combines library services with a commitment to adult learning (and a business-like operation). By "business-like," one could take the URL for Idea Stores as an example, since it ends in .co.uk, rather than .org. Also, Idea Stores define their competitors as cinemas, malls, etc., not other libraries. Idea Stores are being built to replace libraries after surveys found that people were not using libraries, but felt that libraries were important. A major finding was that people wanted libraries to be located where they could combine a trip to the library with other activities, such as shopping. While Idea Stores are still being planned and constructed, some of them have been operating for approximately five years. Borough-wide (in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, England), circulation has increased 141% since 2001, so Idea Stores seem to have a brand that is appealing to consumers. For a recent article that touches on the debate of Idea Stores and corporate-involvement in public libraries, see "Branching out" in The Boston Globe (April 30, 2006).

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Photograph: Statue of Lester Bowles Pearson on Parliament Hill.

Heard of Ex Libris Association?

2006-06-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Have you heard of the Ex Libris Association? The Ex Libris Association is a Canadian national association for retired library and information professionals. I spoke with Ex Libris Association representatives at their exhibit.

An association for retired library professionals? I asked if I could join. With a quick wit, the representative said that I could join the Ex Libris Association, since it is an organization for any librarian who wants to retire some day. Sign me up!

We started to talk about how an association for retired librarians could benefit a new librarian, such as myself. There are three points that come to mind: (1) as a new librarian, I enjoy seeing successful librarians who have had long careers because it gives me something to look towards; (2) the association is able to capture "corporate knowledge" (i.e. the priceless experience of librarians who have seen changes in terms of services and tools); and (3) the association serves as a networking tool, since more and more librarians are set to retire. When I look at librarianship, I often wonder how librarians have adapted, and the Ex Libris Association has the stories that will inspire us and help us define our own career paths.

Let's talk name recognition. Being from SLAIS, I recognized the names of Sylvia Crooks and Basil Stuart-Stubbs in the Ex Libris Association's newsletters. (I researched early BC newspapers based on an essay by Basil Stuart-Stubbs as one of my first volunteer projects in library school). I only quickly glanced at one of Ex Libris Association's newsletters, so I am sure there are more names worth mentioning. As a young and upcoming librarian, I am constantly coming across references to retired librarians who still want to be involved in their communities. At the same time, I can appreciate librarians who want to retire after years of service, and enjoy other aspects of life.

Finally, ELAN, the Ex Libris Association Newsletter has a column on "How I Became a Librarian." I wish that I had known about this publication when I was first considering library school. I hope that Info*Nation (the CLA's recruitment web site) makes use of such columns because if you want to attract librarians, such as myself, then it is wonderful to see stories from librarians with decades of experiences!

Breakfast Most Important Meal

2006-06-15T14:49:00.000-07:00

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day! As a first-timer, I went to the breakfast. Barbara Clubb, the CLA President spoke to us about the CLA could do for us, and what we could do for the CLA. She gave many tips about how to make the most of a conference, but there were two that I wrote down: (1) bring and exchange business cards; and (2) have a "30-second elevator speech prepared." The "elevator speech" idea was meant to make us aware that we could all find ourselves next to an important public figure in the elevator, and we should be ready to advocate for libraries. If only I had thought about preparing a 30-second elevator speech prior to coming to the CLA Conference, then I would have said something more profound than "wow" to Stephen and Avi Lewis who I met before getting on an elevator : )

Blogger Friendly Conference?

2006-06-15T14:35:00.000-07:00

What makes a blogger friendly conference? In my opinion, it is decent computers with high-speed internet access, and permission to connect one's digital camera to the computers. Although the CLA Conference has computers sponsored for checking e-mail, I would love to see a couple of computers dedicated to bloggers. I have to run to the University of Ottawa in order to blog. Some participants may bring their own laptops, but laptops need constant supervision. Perhaps an exhibitor would offer to sponsor a computer at a library conference for bloggers? If you have been to a conference that was blogger friendly, then let me know what worked for you.

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Photograph: University of Ottawa (Wikipedia entry) residences. Picture taken from the Pont Laurier Bridge.

Shook Hands with Stephen & Avi

2006-06-15T14:12:00.000-07:00

If you could talk with Stephen Lewis and Avi Lewis, what would you say? As you already know, I had to write a feature article with another Student to CLA on the Opening Keynote Presentation by Avi Lewis and Stephen Lewis. As I was waiting for the elevator to bring me to the presentation, I met Stephen and Avi Lewis - I shook both of their hands! Being a Political Sciences Major, I was very excited. All I ended up saying to them was "Wow." I was speechless.

Stephen and Avi were presenting on "Cross-Generational Transfer: One Family's Strategies for Seeking Social Change." Here are some of the most interesting phrases from their "conversation" (you have to imagine them sitting face to face with the audience listening in) - I should point out that this is my interpretation:

Avi spoke of the "narrative imperative," by which he meant that there is a need to tell stories. My understanding of the phrase was that he felt that people should share ideas, and continue telling stories, in the political advocacy sense of the word, until someone listens!

Avi also reflected on the importance of parents reading books to their children He spoke about the "dignifying act of empathy," an expression that may have different meanings for various people, but the sentiment was that through childrens' stories we can teach young minds to tolerate the Other, and realize that change is possible, and it is in all of us.

Stephen was asked by Avi, "Why he keeps on fighting?" Stephen replied, "Because futility gets you nowhere." I am paraphrasing, but his reply will stick with me. The act of struggling seems to be a victory in itself, in my opinion. Of course, both speakers had a lot more to say on world issues, but at least you have a sense of how memorable the presentation was for us.

Duties for Student to CLA

2006-06-14T14:31:00.000-07:00

Checked in to the Westin Hotel, and I have a view of Parliament! Attended an orientation for Student to CLA, and most of the tasks involve writing a review of a presentation for the CLA Today (conference newsletter). My first feature article will be on the Opening Keynote being delivered by Avi Lewis and Stephen Lewis, and I will be co-authoring it with another CLA Student. If I had known that I was writing a review on Avi Lewis and Stephen Lewis, then I would have done some research. Fortunately, I walked over to the University of Ottawa, and I read a few introductions by Stephen Lewis, since I know that he tends to reference several events when speaking. I came across one passage that I like a lot:

"...there is a need to pronounce on the issues, to take stands, to make voices heard, and to let the community know that thinking, sensitive, decent human beings engage in dealing with people who are vulnerable, isolated, and marginalized."

Sounds like the work of librarians? Source of the quotation was in Sullivan, Nancy E. et al., eds. Social Work with Groups. New York: Haworth Press, 2003. Chapter 1 is "Social Justice: A Global Perspective" by Stephen Lewis. By the way, I am wearing my UBC Alumni pin, but so far, I have not ran into a SLAIS alumnus. Also, I have a First-Timer and a Student to CLA ribbon, which makes my badge colourful!

Touring Ottawa on Conference Day

2006-06-14T10:50:00.000-07:00

The start of the CLA conference (for me) has arrived! I picked up my delegate package early in the morning. There were librarians to the left of me, librarians to the right of me, and librarians everywhere! Actually, I thought picking up my delegate package was going to be more eventful, but it only took a few minutes. Since I was selected to attend the conference at a very late date, I was unable to register for some events. I spent the early part of the day touring Ottawa (and getting a sunburn).

I decided to go on a long walk to see the CLA Office on Frank Street. The only museum that I have not seen in my previous visit to Ottawa (see previous posts) was the Museum of Nature. The Museum of Nature is close to the CLA Office. Although it is being renovated, it is worth checking out. Admission is by donation (due to the renovations), which makes it the cheapest museum to visit in Ottawa (depending on your donation). There are some amazing exhibits. I saw some slugs, spiders, toads, etc. I also touched some dinosaur fossils, and I got an introduction to the history of the museum. Ask a guide to tell you about the history of the museum. Apparently, at one time, all the museums in Ottawa were based out of the Museum of Nature building. Out of all the museums that I have visited, here is my list of the most helpful staff:

1. Museum of Nature
2. Canadian War Museum (ask for the grand tour)
3. Parliament Hill
4. Museum of Civilization

All staff working in Ottawa are friendly to tourists, but the Museum of Nature went beyond my expectations. Someone opened the door for me. A staff member at the desk suggested a path through the exhibits, and another person explained the renovations and history of the building. Really nice!

Yesterday, I walked to the Canadian War Museum. For $3.00 (in addition to the reasonable $10 admission fee), I got my own personal guided grand tour of the architecture of the building (it was near the end of the day, so no one was joining us on the tour). Amazing! If you only explore the exhibits, you are missing out. Every piece of concrete and glass has been set in a specific place for a special meaning. For example, the floors are slanted at different angles to communicate a sense of uneasiness. There is not one straight wall in the museum (some may appear to be straight to the naked eye). If you visit the museum on November 11th, then you can see how light will enter the building to strike on the headstone of the unknown soldier.

The most interesting story at the museum, from a librarian's point of view, is that some walls are a metallic green (I took pictures of this wall), and it turns out that this wall was made from the copper roof of the Library of Parliament and Parliament to remind us that decisions about war are made by government.

In some walls, you will see rectangular glass windows, which actually translate into Morse code (one wall spells Canadian War Museum in French and English). There is also one spot in the building where you can see the Peace Tower, and if you step to the right or left, it disappears, which tells us that if we lose sight of peace for a moment, we may end up in conflict. I also have a picture of myself in front of our nation's flag - the one that flew from Vimy Ridge. If you tour the museum with a guide, he or she will point out details you may miss, such as a gold medal from World War III. I did not mistype. There is a medal for World War Three that was cast by the East German government (I have to check my facts on who made it); it was created for a war that never happened. My tour guide was Melissa, and she was very helpful!

Touring Ottawa for the Second Time

2006-06-13T16:15:00.000-07:00

What would you do in Ottawa if you could tour it for a second time? I decided to take a tour of Parliament again. In fact, I would recommend taking two tours of Parliament. On my first tour, the Library of Parliament was closed, and the House was not in session. On my second tour, I got to go inside the sparkling Library of Parliament, and I sat in the Gallery watching the House. Unfortunately, the tour guide would not permit photographs of the Library of Parliament - apparently, the number of camera flashes distracted patrons and staff. Someone in our tour group offered to turn off his flash, but we still were not allowed to take pictures. I thought about asking if librarians were an exception...

Here is how to tour the Library of Parliament: first, you walk through some wooden doors, and you meet a statue of Queen Victoria. Next, you gaze up to see the dome. Finally, you spin around in a circle looking at the book cases; my eye caught card catalogue shelves, but I wonder if they are still being used?

A nice post on the Library of Parliament, which shows the inside of the building, by a SLAIS Blogger is in Google Scholar. Although I could not photograph inside the Library, I did take photographs of it from the outside. The photograph next to this paragraph shows the shadow of Thomas D'Arcy McGee's statue "trying" to come into the Library. Knock, knock!

My personal favourite photograph of the Library of Parliament is the rehabilitation sign at the back because it collects some interesting photographs of the Library in one place. I recommend walking behind the Library. Check out the following link if you would like to see "before and after" photographs of the exterior of the Library of Parliament.

Also, I took photographs of some statues and plaques, including the Victoria Tower Bell that was originally installed in Parliament prior to the fire. The plaque next to the Victoria Tower Bell reads that "...one of the most pathetic incidents of the night, which moved the spectators, was the striking of the midnight hour by the old tower clock" as the tower burned on February 3, 1916 (CBC Archives).

One photograph that you will have to see to believe is a picture of stray cats lying on the field of Parliament Hill. Apparently, there is a cat sanctuary on Parliament; there are cages for the cats, but the cats are allowed out. People come to pet them! I took a picture of the cats rolling around on the Hill. I think it would be a great idea for every legislature to have a pet sanctuary.

Taking a second tour of Parliament made me want the flag flying from the Peace Tower. Apparently, you can make a written request for one. There is a 17-year waiting list, but I am young enough to wait : ) You can add your name to the list for the flags from the Eastern or Western Blocks if you do not want to wait as long, since the waiting list is only 8 years.

Tomorrow, I move in to the Westin (check in time is 3 pm). I have to pick up my delegate package, and attend orientation at 3:30 pm.

A City Full of Librarians

2006-06-12T15:54:00.001-07:00

My flight arrived 5 minutes early! I took the bus to the University of Ottawa residences; it is a lot cheaper than a taxi cab, and just as quick in my opinion. A taxi ride to the University of Ottawa from the airport costs about $28-35, so the 97 bus was much, much cheaper (about $2).

On the flight to Ottawa, I managed to catch the World Cup, so the flight went by quickly. The weather is fine, so I am going to tour more of Ottawa on foot, and pick up something tasty in Byward Market. For some groceries, I will head to Loeb.

By the way, if you come out to Ottawa, bring a COPPUL card with you. I was able to get a University of Ottawa library card for visitors, and it has proven useful. Bon!

A special thanks to Morisset Library for letting guests use their computers. A guest has to fill out a form every day he or she wants to access the computers, and the procedure is simple.

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Photograph: Library and Archives Canada building. Even with a map, I walked by the building once. Where are the signs? Actually, there is a sign (off to the left of the photograph), but I still thought there would be more signage.

Packed and Ready for CLA Conference

2006-06-11T16:40:00.000-07:00

For the "long" flight to Ottawa, I updated my iPod with science, technology, and game podcasts. Also, I am taking books and articles with me. One essay that I am especially looking forward to reading on the flight:

Jordan, Mark. The Self-Education of Systems Librarians. Library Hi Tech 21, 3 (2003): 273-279. Every SLAIS student should read this article at least once. It would be nice to see a SLAIS repository where alumni deposited articles that they write as professionals, or at least a bibliography, for three reasons: (1) students would benefit from seeing what has been written by SLAIS alumni; (2) SLAIS would be able to promote itself as an institution where its members go on to do research; and (3) we could all benefit from seeing if SLAIS alumni are solving similar problems, discussing relevant topics, etc. Does anyone know if a SLAIS alumni repository exists? Currently, I can only track SLAIS alumni publications by searching for names that I recognize.

For any SLAIS alumni who may find this blog after the conference is over, I have asked Alexa to crawl this blog in the hope that it will be "preserved" by the Internet Archive.

By the way, CLA has sent me a tentative list of duties, and I have already been in touch with my roommate from FIS. Most of the duties involve writing a short review of presentations for CLA publications.

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Photograph: Canal. Courtesy of City of Ottawa Photo Gallery.

Flying to Ottawa's History

2006-06-09T11:51:00.000-07:00

I arrive in Ottawa on Monday, June 12. If you are a librarian in Ottawa, and you happen to be driving near the airport around 5 pm, then I would appreciate a ride. Email me.

I decided to arrive ahead of the conference because it is going to cost me the same amount that I am spending on flight and accommodation for an extra two nights in Ottawa than if I had booked my flight on June 14, which is the start of the conference. Gives me more time to explore Ottawa.

Ottawa has a history worth exploring. Here are some web sites with quick facts about Ottawa in the present, and Ottawa in the past. There is even a web quiz that you can take after visiting these sites (my score was not high, but the questions are tough)!

Present Ottawa

The City of Ottawa web site offers some Quick Facts About Ottawa and demographics on Ottawa Facts & Research. For SLAIS Alumni considering a move to Ottawa from Vancouver, you may be pleased to learn that renting in Ottawa is 3.5% cheaper than Vancouver (2003 data). In fact, the City of Ottawa's web site above claims "Ottawa is a city of tenants." If you decide to buy an average house on the resale market in Ottawa, it will cost you $219,713 (2003 data), which is 1/3 cheaper than Vancouver). And you will not need a car in Ottawa! The same web site claims that "Ottawa is a city of walkers." Apparently, 7.5% walk to work (Vancouver is second with 6.5%). Better buy comfortable shoes.

Past Ottawa

If you want to test your knowledge of Ottawa's history, then try taking the Heritage Day Quiz. Here are some sites that may help you with the answers:

Ottawa History, City of Ottawa
Ottawa 150 (CBC.ca)
Historical Development of Ottawa, Bytown museum

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Photograph: City Hall. Courtesy of City of Ottawa Photo Gallery.

A Third SLAIS Alumnus Working in Ottawa

2006-06-08T08:35:00.000-07:00

As part of my ongoing mission to answer the question, "What does it take for a SLAIS alumnus to be a successful librarian in Ottawa?" I interviewed Caitlin Fralick, a recent graduate, working as an Adult Services Librarian at the Ottawa Public Library at the new South Central District Branch. Let me start off by congratulating Caitlin!

1. What courses have benefited you the most in your current position in Ottawa?

Since I'm working as a public librarian, the courses I took on services to various user groups, like young adults, children and families, are especially useful. The public library management course I took is also coming in handy. My primary responsibilities are reference and collection development, so any courses in those areas, like advanced information retrieval, are an asset. Who knew that slogging away at DIALOG might actually be worth it someday?

2. What is one thing you wish you knew about working in Ottawa before you arrived?

I wish I'd known how many opportunities there are for librarians outside of traditional positions. There are so many research-oriented jobs within government and at NGOs and other non-profits, and we can really use our skills in diverse ways here. I also wish I'd known how much politics matter; it's true--politics are a huge topic of discussion here, and everyone, from the bus driver to your neighbours knows what's going on. It pays to be on top of things, locally and federally, before you get to the city.

3. What resource(s), as a new librarian in Ottawa, do you find indispensable?

The Ontario Library Association is a great organization to belong to, especially as a newcomer to the professional community in the province. Their website and newsletter are a great way to stay on top of things. It's also nice to be so close to the CLA headquarters, especially this year, when our president is the chief librarian at Ottawa Public Library. So far it seems like just being in Ottawa keeps you connected--you can't shake a stick without hitting a librarian around here (in a good way, I swear).

4. What should SLAIS students consider doing to find a position in Ottawa?

Join OLA! Or at least lurk on their job site. It seems like there are always tons of postings for positions within government, at universities, and in the public library system. The Faculty of Information Studies at the University of Toronto also has an excellent job site, which is worth checking out for positions in Ottawa and across Canada. And take a French course, or brush up on the French you already know--even in areas that aren't primarily bilingual, bilingualism is still usually a requirement of work here. Reading Chatelaine in French really paid off for me! Buy a good winter coat (or at this time of year, an air-conditioner). And try to be here by Canada Day--it's the only time that librarians can party as hard as college students, put on maple leaf temporary tattoos, and get away with it.

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If you know a SLAIS Alumnus working in Ottawa, then I want to interview him or her! Ask them to visit my blog.

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Photograph: Lansdowne Park. Photograph is provided by the City of Ottawa Photo Gallery.

Ottawa Security and Safety

2006-06-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

News media are reporting on Parliament Hill security today (CBC News), and given the recent Toronto Bomb Plot (CBC News), I took a few minutes to look over the City of Ottawa's Emergency Preparedness for Residents of Ottawa web site.

Another story that caught my attention was that the Royal Swans of Ottawa (The Ottawa Citizen) will not be released along the Rideau Canal this summer because of fear of avian flu.

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Photograph: National Gallery, Peace Monument. Photograph is provided by the City of Ottawa Photo Gallery.