Yearly Archives: 2009

294 posts

American Library Association launches ALA Connect

From an ALA Press Release: CHICAGO – The American Library Association (ALA) is now providing members a common virtual space to engage in ALA business and network with other members around issues and interests relevant to the profession. ALA Connect (http://connect.ala.org) has launched its first phase of operation, in which every ALA group will have the ability to utilize the following tools: • Posts (which are like blog posts) • Online docs (which are like collaborative, wiki-like pages or Google Docs) • Group calendar (for listing meetings, deadlines, etc.) • Surveys (for asking multiple questions at once) • Polls (for […]

“Why I Love ALA Connect” – ALA Launches Virtual Community Space

I am very excited for the launch of ALAConnect on Monday. The ALA Web Advisory Committee (WAC) has been playing in the virtual community for sometime. I’ve tweaked my profile a bit and need to a bit more before the big launch, but I am so knocked out by all the hard wotk the folks at ALA have put into this clearinghouse/community. Recently, Lauren Pressley took a good look and had this to say: Here are a few things worth noting: When you first log in, use the same information you use to log into the ALA site. You can change […]

Chatting with Jen Maney about Databases

While I was in Phoenix, I worked with the State Library facillitating a discussion about the cost and use of leased databases. Jen Maney from Pima County Public Library was there and asked me to follow up with an interview at SLJ: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6647835.html Here’s part of the back & forth: JM: In our discussion, things like content, scope, credibility, and ease and extent of access came up as some of the reasons that databases are valuable for libraries. What do you see as the strengths of subscription databases? MS: The deep content springs to mind first and the fact that […]

With Warren after the Talk

With Warren after the Talk, originally uploaded by mstephens7. Just one more note about the CAVAL research project. I’ll be working with Townsville Libraries’ Warren Cheetham on this project. I was glad to meet him in Brisbane last year and now we actually get to work together! Our contact at CAVAL is Richard Sayers. We’ve emailed, Skyped and chatted on the phone but we have never met in person! This fall for sure. 🙂

Measuring the Value and Effect of Learning 2.0 Programs in Libraries

This is from the proposal. It frames what we’ll be investigating: “I believe that this has been one of the most transformational and viral activities to happen globally to libraries in decades.”   Stephen Abram., Stephen’s Lighthouse, February 5, 2008 The genesis of Learning 2.0 began with an article by library futurist Stephen Abram. “Helene Blowers of PLCMC took the article “Things You (or I) Might Want To Do This Year” by SirsiDynix’s Stephen Abram and distilled it down to 23 things that she wanted her staff to understand through hands-on experience,” Hastings noted in a 2007 Library Journal article. Blowers […]

Press Release: Stephens Named 2009 CAVAL Visiting Scholar

I’ve been sitting on this news for sometime as we got everything in order. I’m happy to announce this project and that this fall I’ll be in Asutralia for over a month working on this research. I will also be keynoting the Australian School Library Association conference and the Queensland Public Library Association conference. I really appreciate this opportunity and look forward to working with my colleagues Down Under again. – MS FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: US LEARNING 2.0 RESEARCHER DR MICHAEL STEPHENS APPOINTED 2009 CAVAL VISITING SCHOLAR Melbourne, 30 March 2009 – Internationally recognised US Web 2.0 commentator, writer and […]

News from Mishawaka Library on Facebook Ban

I was working last week on various writing projects and updating presentations when it struck me I should check in and see if my hometown library Mishawaka Penn Harris Public Library had relaxed the ban on Facebook and MySpace that I wrote about on TTW and that Michael and I covered in the our LJ column. I called the library and spoke with the public relations person. Through the course of our conversation, I mentioned that I had sent the column draft and links to all of the online discussions to the library adminstration last year just as an FYI. […]

Nancy Dowd: Guy Kawasaki on Twitter

Don’t miss Nancy Dowd’s reporting of Guy Kawasaki’s “Using Twitter for Marketing:” http://themwordblog.blogspot.com/2009/03/my-new-bff-guy-kawasaki_27.html 1. Forget the A List 2. Defocus- you never know who will carry the banner for you so be open to every possibility. 3. Get lots of followers. 3. Content 4. Monitor what people are saying about you. 5. Copy what people are doing/best practices