The Up-to-Date Techie Librarian: Six Resources Every Techie Librarian Should Use (Updated)

Last week I wrote about 12 Techie Things for library folk to be aware of — to be in the know about in planning meetings and staff meeetings. Nothing pains me more but a bunch of blank looks in a meeting room when someone says they learned about some new technology at a recent conference.

Here’s an addendum:

Six Resources Every Techie Librarian Should Use:

1. LIS and technology blogs. Oh yeah! Use these directories of LIS Weblogs to locate useful library and librarian?s weblogs that speak to you or focus on interests.

Library Weblogs – Peter Scott?s directory of LIS Weblogs

blogwithoutalibrary.net -LIS Weblog author Amanda Etches-Johnson?s list of LIS Weblogs

The Internet Courses: Weblogs – Dr. Laurel Clyde?s directory related to her work with LIS Weblogs

2. Use an RSS Reader to gather the above and MORE! I get loads of feeds from libraries, higher education sites, Wired amgazine, all the big newsfeeds, some info literacy resources and some fun stuff from Apple, etc. Choose the ones you like and monitor. Check in once or twice a day.

3. Download and read the Pew Reports! The Search Engine report was just released — it’ll be HOT for the next few days. But take a look at all of the reports. I’d even suggest printing a copy and sending it around the circuit at your library or ask each of your librarians to choose one and report on it at staff meeting. Pew is tapping into OUR USERS folks.

Search Engines
The State of Blogging
Instant Messaging
The Internet in Daily Life
The Future of the Internet

Wouldn’t you want your staff to be up on these topics?

4. Participate in Community

This might be online — WebJunction — or physical, such as various consortia and organizations that might offer learning opportunities for librarians.

5.Professional publications and Databases

At IL 2004, Darlene Fichter and Frank Cervone chatted with me over dinner about “evidence-based decision making” for librarians. That’s basing plans, initiatives and new procedures on data — not “everyone does it this way” or “all of our patyrons expect this…” I like this concept and I think reading the big names in library magazines — you know what they are — and searching for cool articles in the literature via online databases is a positive thing to do when planning or making decisions.

Hmmm… searching for articles..it’s not just for students anymore!

6. Your Brain: Never stop learning. šŸ™‚