I’ll be spending a week in Canada starting this Wednesday. First, I’ll be at the ABQLA Conference in Montreal on Thursday. My talk is the morning keynote: The Hyperlinked Library – Trends, Tools, and Transparency What emerging trends are changing library services? What does a connected world of “continuous computing” mean for 21st Century libraries? How do we create services when the world of information is accessible through a mobile device and ubiquitous wifi. This presentation provides a roadmap toward becoming the Hyperlinked Library: mobile, transparent, participatory, playful, user-centered and human, while still grounded in our foundations and values. I’m excited that […]
Monthly Archives: May 2011
http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/ljinprintcurrentissue/889573-403/revamping_reference__the_user.html.csp Aaron Schmidt writes: Reference desks don’t have to be antagonistic. Boomerang-shaped desks with a computer monitor and an easily shared keyboard between two chairs set the stage for a collaborative interaction. Folding patrons into the research process acknowledges their contribution. This respectful gesture—and the other ways to consciously consider your reference setup—can ameliorate library anxiety and foster an engaging experience. With the easy-to-use mobile computing options now available, roving reference makes more sense than ever. I spoke with Katherine Penner (Univ. of Manitoba’s Dafoe Lib.) and Martha Flotten (Multnomah Cty. Lib. [MCL]) about how they’ve experimented with Apple iPhones […]
Hey LIS students & recent grads: how would you rate transparency of your school & program? Were you involved in decisions? Always informed? I writing a bit for my next “Office Hours” and I am interested in thoughts from the student side. Also, professors and administrators – how have you fostered transparency?
Tomorrow night, I’m presenting the President’s program at the New Jersey Library Association Conference. It’s a very interesting and troublesome time for New Jersey librarians. The State Library recently informed NJ libraries that they are ending the QandA NJ program. Peter Bromberg explains it well: http://blog.peterbromberg.com/2011/04/qandanj-my-three-and-half-cents.html On April 4, 2011 the New Jersey State Librarian announced thatQandANJ.org, New Jersey’s ground-breaking, award-winning 24/7 virtual reference service, would cease. I think this is a terrible decision for New Jersey libraries — “a huge step backward” is the phrase I keep hearing from others — and it would be a huge loss for the […]
I’m presenting one of the lightning keynotes tomorrow afternoon at the National Library Unconference Day. Although I won’t be broadcasting these slides, I made them for my own use and to share. Hopefully I can do a version of this talk with the slides someday. Download the slides here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/239835/HeartUnconferenceStephens.pdf