Shirky, of course, advocates that we embrace “as much chaos as we can stand.” In this scenario, staff is encouraged to try out a new thing without regard to the way “it’s always been done.” This is messy, scary, and probably unwanted in most institutions. Ideas above are from: Cognitive Surplus by Clay Shirky Embracing Chaos by Michael Stephens It has been a little over a month since we began our grand experiment with lending devices to teens (for the first post on this, go here. for the second, go here) and I am here to check back in and […]
Monthly Archives: March 2012
22 posts
My new column is up at Library Journal: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2012/03/opinion/michael-stephens/embracing-chaos-office-hours/ Part of me is tempted to argue that this is not a debate between those who want control and those who want chaos. The forward-thinking librarian understands that Shirky’s “everybody’s coming” is the future. We are now living in the chaotic world, and we do not have a choice regarding where we can position ourselves. Our choice lies in how we respond. If we continue to respond to chaos using tools from the old world of control, then we will always fail. LIS students need to understand that the world is […]
EReader-Class, a photo by Mesa County Libraries on Flickr.
Very nice article about Jeff Trzeciak in the McMaster University newspaper that highlights his student-centered focus for the university libraries. The initiatives identified align well with current trends in academic libraries: http://issuu.com/thesil/docs/mar15_master In close collaboration with students and the mcmaster Students Union (msu), he has worked to maintain the focus on the student experience with every undertaking. “I am proud of the fact that we have been so student-focused,” he said of the recent developments to the libraries, explaining that much of those changes have been in response to student requests. A strong student-body push for 24-hour library space during […]
This is a guest post I asked Lian, a volunteer in the Skokie Library Digital Media Lab, to write. What is life like for DML volunteers and workers is a common question from people interested in DMLs, I hope Lian’s post will help explain what her volunteering looks like. – Mick Jacobsen With four tricked out Macs, a chroma key green wall, Blue Yeti microphones, a drawing tablet, scanners, various electronic instruments and more, the Skokie Public Library Digital Media Lab is the place to be if you’re looking to create. Each of the four Macs at the DML is […]
Stephens, M. & Cheetham, W. (2012). “Benefits and results of Learning 2.0: a case study of CityLibrariesLearning – discover*play*connect.” Australian Library Journal, 61(1), 6-15. A snippet: Both the pre- and post-programme survey utilised the question ‘Which of the following topics/tools are familiar to you?’ Staff selected from a scale ranging from ‘have only heard the name’ to ‘very familiar.’ There were marked improvements across the scale in every category for the post-programme survey. Technologies such as Facebook, blogs, Google documents and others showed marked improvement in the post programme survey. Adopting the tools into work and personal life was also a […]
I met Barb at our SLIS reception at PLA – I appreciate her views and focus on learning of all kinds within our field. In the course of our discussion, she told me that she continues to learn and take on new challenges. That view aligns with my own about the profession. Please vote for Barb. Here’s the text of an email I received from her campaign: Dear Colleague, As a leader of ALA, you know the importance of voting for the presidential candidate who can provide strong vision and leadership for our association at this challenging and exciting time […]
Hello all! We usually have not endorsed too many folks over the years here at TTW, but this year here are some folks I’d urge you to vote for: Martin Garnar: http://www.facebook.com/martin.garnar.ALA I caught up with Martin at PLA and had a great chat with him about ethics and intellectual freedom. We need his voice! Karen Schneider: http://freerangelibrarian.com/ “The user is not broken” still resonates. Karen’s reflections and thoughts about libraries, technology and our constituents speak to me. Please consider voting for them!
http://chronicle.com/blogs/wiredcampus/professors-with-personal-tweets-get-high-credibility-marks/30635 So the assistant professor in communications at Elizabethtown College designed anexperiment for 120 students at the college and has just reported the results. It turns out that professors with personal Twitter streams appear to be more credible than those who stick to business. The study, co-authored with Jamie Bartolino, one of her students, appears in the most recent issue of Learning, Media and Technology. The researchers created three accounts on Twitter for three fictional “professors” named Caitlin Milton, Caitlyn Milton, and Katelyn Milton. One account was filled personal tweets (“Feeling good after an early morning swim at the rec center”), the […]
I am very happy to have a new article co-written with Warren Cheetham in Evidence Based Library and Information Practice, an online peer-reviewed journal. Download the PDF here: http://ejournals.library.ualberta.ca/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/11728/13253 Abstract Objective – With adoption of the program world-wide, the Learning 2.0 model has been lauded by library professionals as a mechanism to educate library staff and transform libraries. This study, part of the 2009 CAVAL Visiting Scholar project, seeks to measure the impact and legacy of the model within Australian public libraries to understand what benefits, changes and effects occur. Methods – A national Web-based survey for those who had participated […]