Note: This is a draft of a chapter for the upcoming book An Introduction to Today’s Information Services edited by Dr. Sandra Hirsh. Dr. Hirsh, Director of SJSU SLIS, graciously allowed me to publish the draft here for feedback and comment. Special thanks to my research assistant Margaret Jean Campbell for her help editing and formatting the piece. Download a PDF of the chapter here: Stephens_ServingtheUser_HyperlinkedLibraries Serving the User When and Where They Are: Hyperlinked Libraries Michael Stephens, Assistant Professor, SJSU SLIS Introduction Emerging mechanisms for global communication and collaboration are changing the world and the way the world works. Businesses no […]
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Expert Series – Mobile and Web Technologies Date/Time Date(s) – 07/21/2014 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Mobile and Web technologies are creating a world of everywhere and anytime learning opportunities, and libraries can play a key role in this future. Imagine the emerging hyperlinked library as an active creation space, magnetic community space, new tools and resources space— a practical anything space. Imagine this library available everywhere and at anytime via mobile devices and tablets. How will services change? What training, skills, and support will staff require? What does this future look like going forward as we encourage “edgeless” learning as a […]
Edited by Nicole Pagowsky & Miriam Rigby Published by ACRL Publications “…why, in spite of evolving efforts, does racial and ethnic diversity among librarians remain virtually unchanged within academic libraries?” The chapter, “Unpacking Identity: Racial, Ethnic, and Professional Identity and Academic Librarians of Color,” written by Isabel Gonzalez-Smith, Azusa Tanaka, and Juleah Swanson, can be found in the recently published book The Librarian Stereotype: Deconstructing Presentations and Perceptions of Information Work.
The discussion around ACRL’s new Information Literacy Framework for Higher Education is quickly growing and deepening. As a member of the Task Force that created the Framework, it is heartening to see. (As I have noted in the past, I am a member of this Task Force but I do not speak on behalf of the Task Force here.) One area of discussion that interests me has arisen from librarians interested in critical pedagogy and critical information literacy (the application of critical pedagogy to information literacy instruction). In response to the second draft, a group of librarians has issued a […]
We’re delighted to announce that Smithsonian thought leader and digital strategist Michael Edson has agreed to give the opening keynote at Internet Librarian International in London this October. The Dark Matter of the Internet According to Michael, history is defined by periods in which we thought we had a pretty good idea of what was going on, punctuated by brief moments when we realised we really didn’t have a clue – we’re going through one of those moments right now, and it’s all wrapped up with the internet and scale. Like dark matter, the internet has a force, a mass, […]
Our college’s design team has been doing a series of videos to highlight their awesome work on our library’s upcoming Graphic Novel Symposium. (I posted on this back in May here.) Our library is fortunate to have such talented individuals who make us look good. Behind the Scenes: Graphic Novel Symposium Graphic and Web Design
My new May column is available at LJ: http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2014/05/opinion/michael-stephens/library-as-classroom-office-hours/ I’d argue that our libraries of all kinds also serve as creative classrooms, supporting learners by employing the building blocks mentioned above. Just explore some of the notable examples of academic, public, and K-12 library spaces shared here in LJ over the past few months. You’ll find community learning spaces that help people achieve, game-focused initiatives that make the library a laboratory for exploration, creation zones with requisite digital and 3-D hardware for building things, and potentially endless opportunities to connect virtually with people worldwide.
This past semester I had the opportunity to take part in Michael Stephens’s Hyperlinked Library course. The course, especially the readings and discussions on reflective practice, teaching, and learning brought together for me the professional and the personal. A little bit about my background: my previous career was in German Studies, but a couple years ago my contract as an Assistant Professor wasn’t renewed. My wonderful, supportive colleagues said again and again that it was due to budget pressures, but deep down and for quite a while I felt I had failed. What the experience offered me, though, was a […]
The Value of Public Libraries – Telling Our Stories – Video Initiative Chatham-Kent Public Library is celebrating Ontario Seniors Month with the release of a very special video. This video features Una Miklos, a Blenheim Senior who describes the important role libraries have played in her life. The public library is a lifelong resource for members of the community. Chatham Kent Public Library staff will debut this video at the Municipal Council meeting on Monday, June 9 2014. This video is part of a series that Chatham-Kent Public Library will be launching this year recognizing and celebrating all populations who […]
I have written several times on this blog about ACRL’s draft Information Literacy Framework that is set to replace the Information Literacy Standards for Higher Education. The new Framework has generally been well-received, and the Task Force is working diligently to address questions and concerns expressed by members’ responses to previous drafts. (As I have noted in the past, I am a member of this Task Force but I do not speak on behalf of the Task Force here.) The new Framework is built upon a set of threshold concepts that define a continuum between novice and experienced researchers. Threshold […]