Brian Kenney has a wonderful editorial in the June SLJ on DOPA: Yes, here we go again. A “quick fix” that we’re not asking for, which won’t work, and which subverts the real purpose of schools and libraries: educating young people. No matter where you come down on the whole MySpace-in-libraries debate, do you really want your library locked in a “technobubble,” cut off from the evolving Internet?
Contributors Michael Stephens
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Glenn peterson comments on this post: Wondering if patrons are using this feature? We received 770 comments during the first full month after rollout, contributed by 635 patrons. Wowza! Those are some good numbers! It will be interesting to see the 6 and 12 month numbers. I would think the ROI for engaging patrons in the catalog via commenting will prove to be very good!
I’ve been thinking a lot about stories lately. I’ve even used the phrase “What story is your library telling?” as an IM away message. So imagine the synchronicity, when into the TTW comment bin comes a nice pointer to a post by Phyllis at “Something New Everyday” — she’s adapted Brenda Hough’s eight training tips for her library: “Eight Tips for Learning in a Changing World,” including this “Look for the story that exists in every situation.” It reminded me of the images we’ve seen snapped in some libraries of some not very friendly signage mostly about cell phones. Remember, […]
Absolutely wonderful, thoughtful post from David Warlick on a chance ride to the conference center with a school librarian. http://davidwarlick.com/2cents/2006/07/07/why-libraries-are-important/ The library that people remember from their school experience (decades ago) seems to have less meaning when we have access to a global library of information with a mouse-click. But this logical piece of visionary budgeting misses an essential point in where education is evolving. When the child graduates, the teacher will be gone. The classroom will be gone. The textbooks will be gone. But for the first time in history, continual learning will be the ONLY road to prosperity. […]
I totally missed that ITI put up my article about Gaming Symposium as FREE! Thanks ITI! http://www.infotoday.com/MLS/mar06/Stephens.shtml
http://www.zephyrinnovation.com/ I’ve been lucky to spend some time working and talking with Kathryn Deiss, who just took an incredible position with ACRL. I’ve learned from her, been inspired by her and look forward to future collaborations! And — she’s started a blog! From her about me page: I have a deep belief in human creativity and our ability to innovate. For 16 years I have been facilitating learning for librarians, libraries, and other non-profit agencies. Sometimes this has been individual learning (workshops, institutes, etc.) and sometimes it has been organizational learning where larger groups are learning together. In almost every […]
http://www.wpl.ca/ I talk about WPL a lot because they are doing some cool stuff… Take a look at the Flickr section of their front page. It links to their collection of sets. This not only allows the librarians to organize, tag and receive comments on their photos, but it also educates users: this might be some folks first experience with Flickr. It’s a Web-based teaching moment! Other experienced Flickr folks might click through and add WPL as a contact. In fact, maybe the next step is a link in that box something like this: Add the Waterloo Public Library to […]
Via NEKLS: Brenda has eight tips for would-be technology trainers: 1. Stop trying to provide step-by-step directions 2. Encourage independence. 3. Expect success. 4. Encourage exploration. 5. Provide context. 6. Treat training as a collaborative project. 7. Use storytelling. 8. Be real-world.
Patron to AV Librarian on learning the library would soon be checking out iPods: “Get out! You mean I can check out an iPod from the library? I don’t have to spend $150 myself to get one? Great, now I can spend that money on something else. I’m getting a manicure, a pedicure….”
JENNY LEVINE & MICHAEL STEPHENS’s STATEMENT (From 05/01/2006 to 05/31/2006) Your lenses have generated $0.08 total. $0.08 has been donated in your name to Squidoo Charity Fund. http://www.squidoo.com/library20/