Greetings all! I am thrilled that I will soon be departing for a month long adventure in Australia. It’s been a decade since the first trip, touring “The Hyperlinked Library” in five cites, and nine years since I was CAVAL Visiting Scholar and spoke at ASLA and QPLA. I am honored to be returning to do the closing keynote for the Asia-Pacific Library & Information Conference and to spend two weeks at the University of Southern Queensland as part of the Eminent Visiting Scholar Scheme program. Special thanks to everyone at ALIA and to Helen Partridge, Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education) and Kate Davis at USQ, and everyone else for putting this amazing trip together. Here’s a breakdown of some of the events and presentations:
July 14-19 – In Canberra to see the sights of the Capital City.
July 18, 2018 – National Library of Australia, Canberra, program on current trends related to US librarianship and professional learning/associations.
July 19-23 – In Townsville, Queensland to visit Warren Cheetham, who visited the US a few years ago to study broadband, wrote a TTW Guest Post about his time at Urbana Free Library while on study tour, and this TTW post with Justin Hoenke about making mistakes.
July 23 – 27, 2018 – Eminent Visiting Scholar Scheme, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland.
July 24, 2018 – Workshop: “Think tank: The evolving role of libraries and information agencies in the digital lives of people and communities.” I am co-facillitating with Kate Davis, PhD, USQ Digital Life Lab. (DLL)
July 25, 2018: Presentation: “Telling your research story: reflective, connected, open.” Abstract: Scholars have access to a connected world of peers and colleagues. One’s research agenda and work need no longer be hidden within journals and in local presentations. We can focus on cultivating our own personal learning networks (PLNs) and participating in conversations about research online. What skills are required to have presence within various networks? What does it mean to be a reflective researcher? How do we approach our work with wholeheartedness and authenticity? This session will offer some ideas for reflective action with telling our research story with time for sharing our own successes and learning in this landscape.
That week I will also have individual meetings with DLL academics and innovators.
July 27-29 – In Brisbane to see the sights!
July 30 – August 2, 2018 – Asia-Pacific Library & Information Conference – A joint conference between the three associations: Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA), Library and Information Association of New Zealand Aotearoa (LIANZA), and Library Association of Singapore (LAS).
August 2, 2018 – Presentation: “Professional learning experiences of Australian public library staff.” Abstract: This paper presents results of an Australian survey of public library employees and their perceptions of professional learning experiences in a time of rapidly evolving technologies and mechanisms for delivery. The paper will be present the research findings as a basis for exploring a number of broader questions including, but not limited to: What contributes to successful professional learning opportunities for public library staff? What role should technology play? What challenges do employees face and how can library administration overcome them? How can we create a true culture of professional learning within Australia’s public library context? Presenters: Helen Partridge, Michael Stephens, Kate Davis
August 2, 2018 – Closing Keynote: “The Heart of Librarianship: Finding Balance in Challenging Times.” Abstract: Constant adaptation to change based on thoughtful planning and grounded in the mission of libraries is a goal for every librarian. Facilitating connections. Providing access. Finding balance. These tenets of “hyperlinked librarianship” stress the importance of accessible, welcoming, and responsive library environments that invite open and equitable participation in even the most challenging times. How do we plan for obstacles, new developments, and emerging opportunities in the field? How we find new ways to reach users and harness curiosity? What factors are preventing many libraries from ramping up community engagement and user-focused services? The result of thoughtful, balanced practice, for those in leadership positions as well as those working on the front lines, is flexible librarianship that’s able to stay closely aligned with the needs and wants of library users.The heart of librarianship is learning and supporting our users’ curiosity through every means possible. It’s a cyclical process of support, engagement, and discovery with deep roots in the concepts of service, access, and freedom to pursue interests of all kinds. No matter what type of institution, someone is gaining knowledge, finding information, or creating something new based on our facilitation. This role of facilitator and guide is best delivered with humanity and heart.
August 6 – 10, 2018 – Eminent Visiting Scholar Scheme, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Queensland.
August 7, 2018 – USQ Salon: “The hyperlinked campus: connected learning and collaborative reflection.” Abstract: Information technology is impacting every industry right now, and universities and libraries are no different. Educators are adopting connected means of extending the reach of the classroom. There is a rapid influx of job descriptions related to emerging technologies, user experience specialists, instructional design, and others who guide technology-focused projects and departments.Emerging technologies for communication and creation of content afford the possibility of the connected, “always on” educational environment. The Hyperlinked Campus is a model of open communication, collaborative learning, transparency, social engagement, guided exploration, and creativity. This session will explore how we can extend the classroom beyond the classroom to engage learners with their peers and with the world.Promoting spaces that encourage creativity, thoughtful reflection on course materials shared openly with peers, and a means to forge networks of learners should be a goal of all instructors no matter where you are with technology.
Live online presentation, streamed from the USQ TV studio, where there will be a live audience. More information about the Salon Series: https://www.usq.edu.au/library/usq-libraries/salon
That week I will also have individual meetings with DLL academics and innovators and a strategy session for the DLL.
I’ll return to the US one week before our fall semester begins!
If you are attending one of my talks or events, please say hello.
Image: Camel ride at sunset, Cable Beach, Broome, Australia, 2009.