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Tampilkan postingan dengan label blogging. Tampilkan semua postingan
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Sabtu, 19 November 2011
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Senin, 09 Mei 2011
America's WILD READ Book Club
I just tapped into this fabulous national virtual book club! It is meant to engage students, educators, nature lovers, and conservation minded readers. Here is a video about it.
You can participate at http://wildread.blogspot.com/
More info at http://americaswildlife.org/wildread/
You can participate at http://wildread.blogspot.com/
More info at http://americaswildlife.org/wildread/
Senin, 14 Desember 2009
Library Routes Project Wiki
The Library Routes project (http://libraryroutesproject.wikkii.com) was created by three Information Professionals: jennie law, thewikiman and Woodsiegirl. It launched at the start of October, 2009, and is aimed at all types of Information Professionals and library workers. This wiki exists to document and link to all those who have blogged or otherwise written about their library roots (how they got into the profession) and their library routes (the jobs they've had and how their career has been shaped). NOTE: many of the librarians are in the UK.
The idea is to document either or both of your library roots
- how you got into the profession in the first place and what made you decide to do so
- and your library routes - the career path which has taken you to wherever you are today.
As well as being interesting of itself, it will also provide much needed information and context for those just entering the profession or wishing to do so.
(From Library and Information Science News http://www.lisnews.org/)
The idea is to document either or both of your library roots
- how you got into the profession in the first place and what made you decide to do so
- and your library routes - the career path which has taken you to wherever you are today.
As well as being interesting of itself, it will also provide much needed information and context for those just entering the profession or wishing to do so.
(From Library and Information Science News http://www.lisnews.org/)
Selasa, 25 Agustus 2009
Social Networking - Twitter
Recently, I was enjoying lunch with a writers group when the topic turned to social networking. The evil necessity of being visible online as writers-published or not. As one writer proclaimed her love for Twitter, it made me realize I felt the same way once I started using my account on a regular basis. Why? Because it's simple and easy to use. The pure fact that I can send and receive tweets from my mobile phone without having to log online is amazing to me. Unlike MySpace or Facebook, there's very little maintenance, no updating or adding more photos, etc. once you've set-up your account.
Basically, Twitter asks you "What are you doing?". In 140 characters or less, you can inform those interested in keeping updated about what's going on with you. You can do this via text messaging, instant messaging or from online. In addition, you can use a widget on your MySpace or Facebook account so you can put your Twitter updates there as well. Personally, I think that's a little redundant since MySpace and Facebook already has a place where you can post updates. It states you could also put a widget on your blog page, so that could be a nice addition. You can find this information on their home page under Goodies.
Even though you can use their general Help Page to learn how to use Twitter, I really liked how the help page geared for businesses was set-up much better. So I'd suggest checking out both.
If you have any questions or problems with Twitter, check out their Support Page. One thing I noticed is that I didn't always get the updates sent to my mobile phone which I wasn't too happy about. Their answer for this was: "Missing Twitter text updates is fairly common. If the Twitter text queue is too overloaded with text updates, some will be dropped." Should I have expected that technology is never perfect in the first place? I suppose so.
Upon further investigation, I came across this: "Twitter sends and receives an extremely high volume of tweets each day. We're now sending and receiving so many that we're occasionally exceeding carrier limits. When this happens, we're unable to deliver more text messages to that carrier or phone for a short period of time. If you're not receiving all tweets via text, this is most likely why." They do give solutions though if there seems more to the problem than that. In addition, they do mention that they're working with mobile phone carriers to fix that problem though in the future. Keeping my fingers crossed that they do.
If you're interested, Twitter has their own blog. Their most recent post talks about a new book, Twitter Wit, that features the funniest tweets.
Speaking of books, in the Resources area geared toward businesses, there are two books listed, "The Twitter Book" and "Twitter Tips, Tricks, and Tweets". I haven't gotten a chance to see any of these books but do plan to. There are also articles and blog posts on Twitter and using it effectively.
And for more on Twitter, check out Gena's post from last year.
So far, I'm not following that many people but I do have Library Journal, RefWorks, and the Shatford Library so far along with some friends and acquaintances. In a step beyond Twitter, there now is Twibes which are Twitter groups. More on that next time!
Basically, Twitter asks you "What are you doing?". In 140 characters or less, you can inform those interested in keeping updated about what's going on with you. You can do this via text messaging, instant messaging or from online. In addition, you can use a widget on your MySpace or Facebook account so you can put your Twitter updates there as well. Personally, I think that's a little redundant since MySpace and Facebook already has a place where you can post updates. It states you could also put a widget on your blog page, so that could be a nice addition. You can find this information on their home page under Goodies.
Even though you can use their general Help Page to learn how to use Twitter, I really liked how the help page geared for businesses was set-up much better. So I'd suggest checking out both.
If you have any questions or problems with Twitter, check out their Support Page. One thing I noticed is that I didn't always get the updates sent to my mobile phone which I wasn't too happy about. Their answer for this was: "Missing Twitter text updates is fairly common. If the Twitter text queue is too overloaded with text updates, some will be dropped." Should I have expected that technology is never perfect in the first place? I suppose so.
Upon further investigation, I came across this: "Twitter sends and receives an extremely high volume of tweets each day. We're now sending and receiving so many that we're occasionally exceeding carrier limits. When this happens, we're unable to deliver more text messages to that carrier or phone for a short period of time. If you're not receiving all tweets via text, this is most likely why." They do give solutions though if there seems more to the problem than that. In addition, they do mention that they're working with mobile phone carriers to fix that problem though in the future. Keeping my fingers crossed that they do.
If you're interested, Twitter has their own blog. Their most recent post talks about a new book, Twitter Wit, that features the funniest tweets.
Speaking of books, in the Resources area geared toward businesses, there are two books listed, "The Twitter Book" and "Twitter Tips, Tricks, and Tweets". I haven't gotten a chance to see any of these books but do plan to. There are also articles and blog posts on Twitter and using it effectively.
And for more on Twitter, check out Gena's post from last year.
So far, I'm not following that many people but I do have Library Journal, RefWorks, and the Shatford Library so far along with some friends and acquaintances. In a step beyond Twitter, there now is Twibes which are Twitter groups. More on that next time!
Kamis, 08 Januari 2009
A Few Spoonfuls of Job Hunting Advice
While it can be tempting to just take any library related job that comes your way when you're starting out, it is just as important to make sure that it will be a good fit for you. I will admit though on a recent interview, the library manager revealed that she once took a job that she knew that her boss wasn't going to be quite a good fit but she decided to overlook that in an effort to get more experience. I found an article in Library Journal titled, "How to Find the Right Fit". Even though it may seem it's more related to recent MLS graduates, I found a lot of insightful information in this article.
One thing that hadn't really occured to me think about is if the library's mission and vision would be compatible with my vision of a library. But even as a library page or assistant, that can be quite important in the long run.
In my search for more helpful job hunting advice, I came across "Some Hard Lessons on the Job Search ". This showcases one of Library Journal's Student Affairs bloggers, Staci Elliott, on her long, rocky road in job searching which she still travelling on. You can find out more about her job hunting trials and tribulations at the Student Affairs blog on Library Journal's website. In addition, it was wonderful to read about others as well who commented in response about their experiences in job hunting as well.
It's nice to be able to get some perspective from those who have been there. So take some of this inspiration and continue on what feels like a solitary road in the job search not quite so alone.
One thing that hadn't really occured to me think about is if the library's mission and vision would be compatible with my vision of a library. But even as a library page or assistant, that can be quite important in the long run.
In my search for more helpful job hunting advice, I came across "Some Hard Lessons on the Job Search ". This showcases one of Library Journal's Student Affairs bloggers, Staci Elliott, on her long, rocky road in job searching which she still travelling on. You can find out more about her job hunting trials and tribulations at the Student Affairs blog on Library Journal's website. In addition, it was wonderful to read about others as well who commented in response about their experiences in job hunting as well.
It's nice to be able to get some perspective from those who have been there. So take some of this inspiration and continue on what feels like a solitary road in the job search not quite so alone.
Minggu, 30 Desember 2007
A Look Back and A Step Forward To 2008
I want to give you some of the statistics about the blog readership and related information. There have been about 6,000 visits to the blog since the inception. Now there aren't 6,000 of us in the program so some folks kinda stumble in or are attracted to a particular posted topic.
The visitors are primarily across the United States however we do have readers in Australia, The Philippians, Hong Kong, India and other places I'm trying to figure out where the heck they are on the planet.
There has been minimal advertising about the blog. I do mention it to others and it is on my business card. It is also posted on the PCC Library Technology website.
Many of the visitors come via Google searches and some of the most popular posts (in no particular order) are:
This is a hint that if you are in the program and want to get you feet wet blogging now is the time to make contact.
As for me? I really want to transition from my current day job to my next adventure. So there may be a lot more posting about employment tools and techniques. But I have a bunch more library technology posts I want to make sure are present for the future classes to come.
This blog would not have been possible without Mary Ann Laun. It was her idea and I just went along for the right. It has been a great one so far and I invite you to continue checking in from time to time.
The visitors are primarily across the United States however we do have readers in Australia, The Philippians, Hong Kong, India and other places I'm trying to figure out where the heck they are on the planet.
There has been minimal advertising about the blog. I do mention it to others and it is on my business card. It is also posted on the PCC Library Technology website.
Many of the visitors come via Google searches and some of the most popular posts (in no particular order) are:
- Fact Check.org
- Library of Congress Classification Tutorials
- Screen Demos
- Employment and Job Leads
- Belinda Beardt on Resume Preparation
- Ready Reference Tools
This is a hint that if you are in the program and want to get you feet wet blogging now is the time to make contact.
As for me? I really want to transition from my current day job to my next adventure. So there may be a lot more posting about employment tools and techniques. But I have a bunch more library technology posts I want to make sure are present for the future classes to come.
This blog would not have been possible without Mary Ann Laun. It was her idea and I just went along for the right. It has been a great one so far and I invite you to continue checking in from time to time.
Senin, 26 November 2007
Ask.com Blog - If A Search Engine Could Talk
Ask.com is a pretty good search engine that get overlook because of you know who. With the recent improvements and new features it is getting stronger as an alternative.
But what if a search engine could talk or better still blog? Ask.com's blog has articles that are worth checking out. Some are educational, some are just for fun but when you can combine the two that is pure edutainment.
But what if a search engine could talk or better still blog? Ask.com's blog has articles that are worth checking out. Some are educational, some are just for fun but when you can combine the two that is pure edutainment.
- Hurricane season awareness that provide links to what the duration of the season but also talks about the Smart Answer feature that combines links with reliable resources. It is another step closer to search engines anticipating users searches and providing librarian type answers.
- Celebration of the Smiley. It gives the definitions, what it looks like, who sent the first smiley and link to the history of emoticons.
- Elvis may have left the building but he is certainly not forgotten. In this blog post they have links to his biography, his health problems and a great video of Elvis singing a duet with Frank Sinatra.
- Aye, we missed it this year but you can be ready to talk like a Pirate without having to clime the mizzenmast.
Kamis, 18 Januari 2007
Library Assistants in the Blogosphere
You'd think I would have gotten around to this by now but to tell the truth it is really hard to find and then keep up with all the folks that define themselves as "library assistants". So this is just a sample of what is out there and some of the people you may or may not encounter on the job. Might become a monthly feature. We'll see how it goes.
1. Love my job but...
There are a bunch of post that fit this description. Dennis at Procrastination Station primarily writes about his life but there is a post about his current working conditions. Ouch, solidarity man and don't forget to duck.
There there are others that are on the low end of the compensation pool. Well i'll let Lisa describe it to you. The main part of her blog is a mix between her job and her life.
2. Looking for a job...
Yep, there are a few folks that would love to be a library assistant. There are others that wouldn't mind it and a few more that see it as a placeholder position until something good comes along. Some folks like Emily are using a faith based back-up system to look for work and write about their reasons for looking into the library world.
3. Transitions
Folks that are leaving that certainly will be missed. You know the type. The person that knows everything in the library and then some that doesn't have an MLS. There is a tribute page at Little City Library for Mrs. Heberlein. From the tribute post you can kind tell she gave far more service to the patron than she was compensated for by paycheck.
On the other end of the spectrum Trinity03 has just gotten a new gig at a library and beginning the transition from student to working life.
Well, that is it for now. If you would like to share your experience as a library assistant or tech drop a comment or email.
1. Love my job but...
There are a bunch of post that fit this description. Dennis at Procrastination Station primarily writes about his life but there is a post about his current working conditions. Ouch, solidarity man and don't forget to duck.
There there are others that are on the low end of the compensation pool. Well i'll let Lisa describe it to you. The main part of her blog is a mix between her job and her life.
2. Looking for a job...
Yep, there are a few folks that would love to be a library assistant. There are others that wouldn't mind it and a few more that see it as a placeholder position until something good comes along. Some folks like Emily are using a faith based back-up system to look for work and write about their reasons for looking into the library world.
3. Transitions
Folks that are leaving that certainly will be missed. You know the type. The person that knows everything in the library and then some that doesn't have an MLS. There is a tribute page at Little City Library for Mrs. Heberlein. From the tribute post you can kind tell she gave far more service to the patron than she was compensated for by paycheck.
On the other end of the spectrum Trinity03 has just gotten a new gig at a library and beginning the transition from student to working life.
Well, that is it for now. If you would like to share your experience as a library assistant or tech drop a comment or email.
Selasa, 05 Desember 2006
Library Staff Blogs - An Overview
I've been yapping about blogs, vlogs and podcasts. I've tried to show folks why this may or may not have a relevance in your library careers, no matter if you are going toward becoming a librarian or hanging out in the stacks sniffing books.
Well, I think I have a few examples of how library staff blogs can be an internal help to library workers.
We start our journey at the Bailey Library at Washtenaw Community College staff blog. This blog is used to keep the staff up to day on the library issues of the day, re-caps of seminars and lectures that staff members have attended and information tips to aid them in helping their patrons. http://carabosse.commons.is.wccnet.org/wp
The Ottowa Library is similar to Bailey but there are some added features like a permanent reminders of the circulation procedures and a page for new employees. It is a fairly new blog but I hope the staff can find a way to integrate it more into their work life. http://ottlibstaff.wordpress.com
I really like this next blog. First of all there is more than one person working on it. Personal bias showing, sorry. The Noreen Reale Falcone Library Staff Blog really talks about the day to day things that happen at the library from snack time to "don't let that guy take out a single book."
The archives have information on security issues, database problems and my favorite, Reference Announcements - if there is a hot topic that a librarian or staff work has found the answer they can share it with their co-workers.
For example, there was a problem with patrons using a free database site called Chemfinder.com Someone found out that the site allows only two free searches and then wants the user to pay for the professional version. A solution has been found and now the entire staff has the information they need to deal with the problem. http://lemoynelibrary.blog.com
So there you have it. Library staff blogs can help workers have access to the day to day information that gets lost and found all day long. These blogs can document upcoming information request by patrons and provide helpful or necessary tools and suggestions that the staff needs to do their jobs.
Well, I think I have a few examples of how library staff blogs can be an internal help to library workers.
We start our journey at the Bailey Library at Washtenaw Community College staff blog. This blog is used to keep the staff up to day on the library issues of the day, re-caps of seminars and lectures that staff members have attended and information tips to aid them in helping their patrons. http://carabosse.commons.is.wccnet.org/wp
The Ottowa Library is similar to Bailey but there are some added features like a permanent reminders of the circulation procedures and a page for new employees. It is a fairly new blog but I hope the staff can find a way to integrate it more into their work life. http://ottlibstaff.wordpress.com
I really like this next blog. First of all there is more than one person working on it. Personal bias showing, sorry. The Noreen Reale Falcone Library Staff Blog really talks about the day to day things that happen at the library from snack time to "don't let that guy take out a single book."
The archives have information on security issues, database problems and my favorite, Reference Announcements - if there is a hot topic that a librarian or staff work has found the answer they can share it with their co-workers.
For example, there was a problem with patrons using a free database site called Chemfinder.com Someone found out that the site allows only two free searches and then wants the user to pay for the professional version. A solution has been found and now the entire staff has the information they need to deal with the problem. http://lemoynelibrary.blog.com
So there you have it. Library staff blogs can help workers have access to the day to day information that gets lost and found all day long. These blogs can document upcoming information request by patrons and provide helpful or necessary tools and suggestions that the staff needs to do their jobs.
Rabu, 29 November 2006
Library Blog Quickies - What Folks Are Talking About
The Amused Muse has an interesting post about LC versus Dewey. Actually I don't find it much of a "versus" post. To me it is more comparing and contrasting the two types of classification systems. Both have strengths and weaknesses.
It is a quick read but it helped me understand some basic concepts of LC and Dewey.
http://amused-muse.blogspot.com/2006/11/library-of-congress-versus-dewey.html
Over at Rambling Librarian he has got an interesting post how it may not matter if patrons use DDC or any other classification system. In a future time they might have a Personal Digital Assistant Device (PDA) that guides them to the books or maps out the areas in the library where they might find what interest them.
http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2006/07/long-term-solution-for-how-library.html
And finally an unexpected treasure for those of you planning on working with kids, Library Kid Music Blog is a review of the various musical artists that make music for the younger set. It doesn't have to sound like dribble. There is good stuff and more appropriate than a three year old trying to sing the words to "Gold Digger" http://librarykidmusic.blogspot.com
It is a quick read but it helped me understand some basic concepts of LC and Dewey.
http://amused-muse.blogspot.com/2006/11/library-of-congress-versus-dewey.html
Over at Rambling Librarian he has got an interesting post how it may not matter if patrons use DDC or any other classification system. In a future time they might have a Personal Digital Assistant Device (PDA) that guides them to the books or maps out the areas in the library where they might find what interest them.
http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2006/07/long-term-solution-for-how-library.html
And finally an unexpected treasure for those of you planning on working with kids, Library Kid Music Blog is a review of the various musical artists that make music for the younger set. It doesn't have to sound like dribble. There is good stuff and more appropriate than a three year old trying to sing the words to "Gold Digger" http://librarykidmusic.blogspot.com
Senin, 13 November 2006
Liszen - A Library Blog Search Engine
When I am searching for library specific blogs I general use Google Blog Search http://blogsearch.google.com It helps but I still have to wade through a bunch of junk to find the types of blogs that I am searching for.
Liszen makes it easier to find library based blogs. You just type in the search term and it will only look at a subset of library specific blogs. What is interesting about Liszen is that it is built using Google's search engine architecture.
To simplify, users get to make your own search engine with the power of Google behind you. So if you wanted to create a search engine that looked for natural science web sites you can construct it with help from Google.
I don't want to mislead you. You need a certain level of technical skill to pull this off. For more information on how to get started visit http://www.google.com/coop
In the meantime I'm diving into http://www.liszen.com
To simplify, users get to make your own search engine with the power of Google behind you. So if you wanted to create a search engine that looked for natural science web sites you can construct it with help from Google.
I don't want to mislead you. You need a certain level of technical skill to pull this off. For more information on how to get started visit http://www.google.com/coop
In the meantime I'm diving into http://www.liszen.com
Minggu, 05 November 2006
California State Library Blog & Wikipedia Page
I think this blogging thing is catching on. The California State Library has just uploaded their blog http://blog.library.ca.gov This blog will help support the CSL's mission and also provide a way for folks to communicate with the state library.
I suspect that the page is ADA compliant. The text is much larger than I am use to seeing on a page. The background is color neutral. It is a good thing to be aware of and put into practice.
The real kick is that the state Library has put up its own Wikipedia page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Library
It gives full information about what the state library does, the branches and a great link to the California Research Bureau. If you want to know about the issues and regulations that affect dogs on California beaches this is your place.
It is an intriguing question. What if more librarians and library workers claimed ownership of Wikipedia pages?
I suspect that the page is ADA compliant. The text is much larger than I am use to seeing on a page. The background is color neutral. It is a good thing to be aware of and put into practice.
The real kick is that the state Library has put up its own Wikipedia page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/California_State_Library
It gives full information about what the state library does, the branches and a great link to the California Research Bureau. If you want to know about the issues and regulations that affect dogs on California beaches this is your place.
It is an intriguing question. What if more librarians and library workers claimed ownership of Wikipedia pages?
Rabu, 25 Oktober 2006
Corporate Librarian - Supporting Business Users
If you are looking into the possibility of work in a corporate or business library you might want to take a look at the Corporate Librarian blog.
The Corporate Librarian shares valuable information about getting corporate library jobs, cataloging issues, the role of technology in corporate libraries and how to market your library and still support and add value to the company.
This is a view of the real day to day situations a corporate librarian or library worker might face on the job. One of the posts I read talked about having to give an accounting of how the time is spent and the return on the company’s investment in the department.
Definitely worth a visit - http://thecorporatelibrarian.com
The Corporate Librarian shares valuable information about getting corporate library jobs, cataloging issues, the role of technology in corporate libraries and how to market your library and still support and add value to the company.
This is a view of the real day to day situations a corporate librarian or library worker might face on the job. One of the posts I read talked about having to give an accounting of how the time is spent and the return on the company’s investment in the department.
Definitely worth a visit - http://thecorporatelibrarian.com
Senin, 09 Oktober 2006
Warrior Librarian Blog
And they say librarians are boring or without a sense of humor! Hah, they haven't checked out this blog.
What do you get when you mix a MLS degree and (insert the name of your favorite funny person). You could waste a good hour or so plowing her 200+ pages of an alternative view of library and library related issues.
You might want to visit her ASAP, she is having trouble renewing her domain name. She doesn't know if she will be able to post on October 17th or not. Let's hope she slays the dragon computer that holds her URL captive.
Hail Biblia!
What do you get when you mix a MLS degree and (insert the name of your favorite funny person). You could waste a good hour or so plowing her 200+ pages of an alternative view of library and library related issues.
You might want to visit her ASAP, she is having trouble renewing her domain name. She doesn't know if she will be able to post on October 17th or not. Let's hope she slays the dragon computer that holds her URL captive.
Hail Biblia!
Dave Hook - The Industrial Librarian
There are all kind of librarians. Dave Hook is a librarian working in the Canadian aerospace industry. His blog is located at http://davehook.blogspot.com
Dave certainly writes about special libraries and library specific topics. He also has an interest in Canadian genealogy. This works out because well, he is Canadian. Dave is very good a spotting and explaining trends on the library horizon.
He also had a post for library technology blogs, both for IT and Library Support Staff.
There was one that looked promising, http://librarysupporter.blogspot.com but unfortunately has since been put on hiatus. Meaning the odds are slim to none it will be started up again. Not to say there isn't any value in the blog. I plan to troll through the long blog roll to come up with more goodies.
Dave certainly writes about special libraries and library specific topics. He also has an interest in Canadian genealogy. This works out because well, he is Canadian. Dave is very good a spotting and explaining trends on the library horizon.
He also had a post for library technology blogs, both for IT and Library Support Staff.
There was one that looked promising, http://librarysupporter.blogspot.com but unfortunately has since been put on hiatus. Meaning the odds are slim to none it will be started up again. Not to say there isn't any value in the blog. I plan to troll through the long blog roll to come up with more goodies.
Rabu, 27 September 2006
Too Many Books - So Little Time - A Blog That Understands Me
I blame Rod Serling. There was an episode of the Twilight Zone that marked my need for books for life. I'm not letting the end of the world find me under-read or book deprived. No siree, I've got my pile of books and there will always room for one more.
I found a blog that shares my pain on not getting to every book I lay eyes on. Too Many Books, So Little Time give brief opinions and reviews of books. I can get a glimmer of what is out there and make notes to keep an look-out for the new goodies that are being published.
http://www.toomanybookssolittletime.blogspot.com
P.S. Beware of blog posting at 4:30am. You are not at awake as you think you are.
I found a blog that shares my pain on not getting to every book I lay eyes on. Too Many Books, So Little Time give brief opinions and reviews of books. I can get a glimmer of what is out there and make notes to keep an look-out for the new goodies that are being published.
http://www.toomanybookssolittletime.blogspot.com
P.S. Beware of blog posting at 4:30am. You are not at awake as you think you are.
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