My “Office Hours” column is out in the new LJ and online. This time I report from The Future of the Academic Library Symposium: The age-old confusion about what a librarian does still exists. In fact, when Ridley asked the panel “What defines a professional librarian,” their comments weren’t surprising. One “had no idea” what a librarian was until it was explained to her in the car on the way to the symposium. Another stated what many students, and public library patrons, think as well: “it means everyone in the library to me….” Ridley followed with, “Do you care if […]
Monthly Archives: June 2011
20 posts
Part 1: Defining “Social Reading” “Social reading,” as a concept, is actually quite simple: people want to share what they have read with other people and receive feedback about their thoughts and ideas. Technology is the great enabler for social reading, and the natural place for this activity to cultivate. Social reading has several key characteristics. First, social reading is an extremely public activity. Gone are the days of “selfish,” private reading: reading alone in the bathtub, alone under the covers, alone on the couch, alone in the park, etc. Social reading exists because of the interactions between two or […]
Note from Michael: I’ve followed the “23 Dingen” programs facilitated by my colleague Rob Coers in the Netherlands for some time while working on the Australian research project. I’m hoping to expand my research into this part of the world as well as North America in the next year. For now, here’s an English translation of a great post about the recent Sharing Day. Thanks Rob! Update: Rob writes: “Latest…in case you understand Dutch,the videos have come available during the weekend. You can check them on the Program page.” In the past four years the 23 Things learning program has had […]
http://vimeo.com/24777638 http://vimeo.com/24910071 A hot room, three guests and 40 minutes. These are the ingredients of another steaming live episode of This Week in Libraries from the Bibliothekartag in Berlin. Mace Ojala and Jukka Pennanen talk about their cycling unconference and Dr. Hannelore Vogt tells us more about the use of social media and gaming in libraries. thisweekinlibraries.com/??p=308 cyclingforlibraries.org/?
Yesterday, I lead my favorite long form workshop “Taming Technolust: Technology Planning in a Hyperlinked World” for a great group at Finger Lakes Library System. Our conversation moved from the intricacies of some emerging technologies to some higher level planning and strategy, including getting buy in from governing bodies. Thanks to all who attended! Breakout workgroups included the following topics: EBOOKS QR Codes Library Futures Putting all the Pieces Together Tablets & Gadgets Social Media Issues & Plans Small Public Lib Tech Plan Games & Creation Space The slides are here: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/239835/TTWIthacaNYTecnoPlanning.pdf (150MB PDF) The original article the workshop is based […]
Josh Hadro provides coverage of the “Play, Learn, Innovate” Symposium: Guiding the event was the prevailing notion of integrating “playfulness in your life, career, and work as a whole,” noted opening presenter and moderator Liz Danforth, a freelance game illustrator, scenario designer, and game developer, and librarian at the Pima County Public Library. Danforth established the framework for the session, touching on “innovation, creativity, motivation, games, critical and strategic thinking,” all in an effort to spark positive change and overcome fearful reaction and resistance. As she noted and other panelists affirmed, activity flexibility and a positive, fostering environment are some […]
http://www.valiz.nl/en/IReadWhereIAm I am honored to have a short piece written with Jan Klerk in this new book just released in The Netherlands. I Read Where I Am contains visionary texts about the future of reading and the status of the word. We read anytime and anywhere. We read of screens, we read out on the streets, we read in the office but less and less we read a book at home on the couch. We are, or are becoming, a different type of reader. The question remains which shape will it take and what experience does one want? To answer […]
The 5th Dominican University eChicago Annual Community Informatics symposium “Information, Innovation & Inclusion: Building Community Cohesion” is a practice/policy/research symposium organized and sponsored by the Graduate School of Library & Information Science, Dominican University. As most organizations are feeling the economic pinch and are looking for ways to streamline budgets, this year at eChicago@Dominican, we focus on how practitioners, policymakers and researchers in a variety of communities e.g. academic, corporate and non-profit can share resources, exchange ideas and find new ways to work together. Registration $30 Free for Dominican University students, faculty, and speakers Registration includes evening buffet on Thursday and […]
Yes you can! 2011, originally uploaded by Oak Park Public Library. Oak Park Public Library writes: Yes you can eat at the Library! Beginning today, June 1, 2011, we will allow food in all 3 facilities. We made this change because we think it will improve the library experience of many of our customers, including parents with young children, kids and teens who visit after school, and people who use the Library for extended periods of time. There …are some limitations, including: no eating in the Silent Reading Room or Storytime Room or while using our computers. We expect this […]
Hi Michael, I just read your recent LJ article, “The Transparent Library School”. It really resonated with me. I don’t know if I told you about my undergraduate experience at the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies, University of Redlands or not. Your article reminded me of the student-faculty collaborative practice at Johnston. For example, I co-created several classes there, designed my own major, and was a Community Assistant (Johnston’s version of a “RA”) on the living-learning complex. One of the things we did on a weekly basis was have community meetings. We (students and faculty) talked about everything in those […]