OPEN SPACE

Moving

2011-04-18T18:48:00.000-04:00

It's time to move on. I've been working on another blog with Sandra Sajonas, fellow Library Journal Mover & Shaker. I'll be blogging over at People Interact about usability, unconferences, professional development, etc.

Hot Off The Press

2010-11-10T18:30:00.000-05:00

Fellow LJ Mover & Shaker Sandra Sajonas and I share our tips and experiences at LIScareer.com - "In Library School or Job Hunting? Tips to Build Up Your Professional Career".

And that's a wrap!

2010-11-03T18:30:00.001-04:00

Finished wrapping up HealthCampNYC, a regional health unconference that took place in May. Check out the summary report.

Library Workers' Skill Share Event

2010-06-22T18:30:00.006-04:00

* What? Library Workers' Skill Share
* When? Tuesday, July 13 from 4:30pm - 7:00pm
* Where? Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library
* Why? An effort to provide support for all library workers in NYC who are job hunting, unemployed, facing potential layoffs or simply looking to freshen up their skills

Featuring:
• "Locating and Using Local Career Development Opportunities", Tom Nielsen from the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO)
• "E-Portfolios and Profiles: Using Free Web Tools to Prepare for the Job Market", Susanne Markgren from ACRL/NY
• Speed mentoring sessions: Meet one-on-one with library workers from academic, special, medical and public libraries for advice and networking - arrive early to sign up for a time slot
• Resume review roundtables
• Workshops
• Spotlight sessions
• Networking and resource tables: Meet with representatives from various associations and agencies and find out about available resources and services
• And much more!

This is a free event. Please register by July 6 at http://tinyurl.com/libraryworkersevent

The Library Workers' Skill Share event is sponsored by the New York Chapter of SLA, the Metropolitan New York Library Council (METRO), ACRL/NY and REFORMA Northeast.

HealthCampNYC Recap

2010-06-14T17:30:00.001-04:00

A month ago, we had an amazing regional health unconference - HealthCampNYC: Using Collective Knowledge to Improve Health Literacy and Community Health. Over 85 people attended and participated in over 24 discussion sessions throughout the day. Check out pictures and discussion notes from the day on the HealthCampNYC wiki.

MLA '10 Recap

2010-05-27T09:57:00.010-04:00

Highlights of MLA '10 in Washington, DC

Daniel Pink Lecture
In an increasingly automated world where routine tasks can be and are outsourced, Daniel Pink, author of A Whole New Mind, talked about six right-brained abilities that matter and that we can develop:

Design
Story
Symphony
Empathy
Play
Meaning

Lightning Poster Presentations
MLA decided to try something new this year: lightning poster presentations. Each presentation would be 5 minutes and there would be 20 minutes at the end where you can go and talk to the presenters. The idea is to introduce the project and then you can talk to the presenters if you want more information or have questions. Doris Withers, a professor at Medgar Evers College/CUNY and I did a lighting poster presentation "Brooklyn Public Library: A Collaborative Library Partnership for Promoting Genetic Literacy in the Community".

Leadership Principles
The Leadership and Management Section of MLA hosted a program about 25 unproven principles of leadership. Here are some of those principles:

Processes aren't ends in themselves but tend to be viewed that way
Folks won't "get it" at first
Organize for flexibility
Some order is necessary, too much is unproductive
Measure only what's important
Allow and force folks to "fail forward"
Don't seek perfection
Some problems are real, some are not
All solutions are temporary

More conference recaps can be found on the MLA '10 Blog.

TEDx Conferences

2010-04-27T19:46:00.011-04:00

I first found out about TED (Technology Entertainment Design) in library school. TED is a nonprofit organization devoted to "ideas worth spreading". Since then, I've enjoyed watching TED Talks. Today I just found out about TEDx conferences through Library Journal. "In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED has created a program called TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience" (TEDxNJLibraries). Princeton Public Library is hosting TEDxNJLibraries, the first TEDx event to be held at a library. These TEDx events remind me a bit of unconferences because they're both about bringing people together and sharing ideas, but they are also different. For one thing, TEDx events are by invite or selection only while unconferences are usually open to everyone, like HealthCampNYC, a regional health unconference. I think they're both interesting ways of bringing people together and I hope to learn more about TEDxNJLibraries in the coming weeks.

Register for HealthCampNYC

2010-04-26T19:16:00.009-04:00

Registration is open for HealthCampNYC: Using Collective Knowledge to Improve Health Literacy and Community Health on Friday, May 14.

HealthCampNYC is a regional health unconference for librarians, literacy professionals, public health professionals, medical professionals, community-based organizations and people interested in sharing with and learning from each other.

Participants at HealthCampNYC will be expected to share their work, skills and knowledge as active participants. In the rich tradition of unconferences, attendees will determine and manage program topics and sessions. Sessions may include (but are not limited to): how-to workshops, debates, or problem-solving sessions. This collaborative environment presents unique opportunities for learning, sharing, and relationship-building.

HealthCampNYC is hosted by Brooklyn Public Library, with support from the Brooklyn Early Childhood Direction Center, The Health Education and Literacy for Parents (HELP) Project, Kingsborough Community College/CUNY's Launchpad to Careers in Public Health, New York Academy of Medicine Library and the Public Health Association of New York City (PHANYC). This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. NO1-LM-6-3501 with New York University.

Register at http://healthcampnyc.wetpaint.com or email us at healthcampnyc@gmail.com.

SLA@Pratt Skill Share Fair This Friday

2010-04-19T07:59:00.002-04:00

Following a successful Career Fair last year, SLA@Pratt is hosting a Skill Share Fair this Friday, April 23 from 4:30pm-7pm. Like last year, this event is opened to non-Pratt people. My colleague Sandra Sajonas and I will be presenting on tips & tricks to building your professional career at 6pm. For more info and to RSVP, check out the SLA@Pratt site.

Sibling Workshop at Brooklyn Public Library

2010-03-31T11:53:00.005-04:00

Following a very successful two-day Sibshop training workshop conducted by Don Meyer last Spring at the Brooklyn Heights Library, The Child's Place for Children with Special Needs at Brooklyn Public Library is hosting a panel presentation Meeting the Needs of Brothers & Sisters of People with Disabilities on Friday, April 23 at 10am-1pm at the Central Library. See the event flier (PDF) for more information.

HealthCampNYC - A Regional Health Unconference

2010-03-31T11:43:00.005-04:00

HealthCampNYC: Using Collective Knowledge to Improve Health Literacy and Community Health

Friday, May 14
9am - 5pm
Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library

HealthCampNYC is a regional health unconference for librarians, literacy professionals, public health professionals, medical professionals, community-based organizations and people interested in sharing with and learning from each other.

Participants at HealthCampNYC will be expected to share their work, skills and knowledge as active participants. In the rich tradition of unconferences, attendees will determine and manage program topics and sessions. Sessions may include (but are not limited to): how-to workshops, debates, or problem-solving sessions. This collaborative environment presents unique opportunities for learning, sharing, and relationship-building.

For more information and to register: http://healthcampnyc.wetpaint.com/

HealthCampNYC is hosted by Brooklyn Public Library with support from The Health Education and Literacy for Parents (HELP) Project and New York Academy of Medicine Library. This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. NO1-LM-6-3501 with New York University.

PLA 2010 Recap

2010-03-30T19:23:00.031-04:00

Highlights of PLA 2010 in Portland, OR

Experimenting with Unconferences
Mel Gooch, Gretchen Caserotti and I presented a program titled Revitalizing Communication and Professional Development Through Unconferences where we talked about BPL ThinkTank, a staff development unconference at Brooklyn Public Library and KidLib Camp, a children's librarianship unconference at Darien Public Library. Our presentation is up on Slideshare.

Revitalizing Communication and Professional Development Through Unconferences: The Brooklyn Public Library and Darien Public Library Experiments

Fly-on-the-wall, Behavioral Archaeology, Five Whys and Character Profiles/Personas
Sandra Sajonas and I facilitated a talk table program titled DIY Usability: Is Your Library People Focused? where we talked about people-centered usability and the project that we did in library school which focused on the evaluation of a library's new service model that promotes library patron self-sufficiency through the use of technology. It was an amazing group that generated some great ideas using people-centered design methods. More info on our People-Centered Design Thinking site.

Marshmallows, Gum Drops and Twizzlers
I co-facilitated a talk table program where we discussed how libraries can work to promote genetic literacy in the community. Find out more about the Human Genome Project Community Conversations Initiative.

Board Games, Arts & Craft, Food and Drinks
I attended a very interesting panel program (organized by my colleague Sandra Sajonas) titled If You Didn't Work Here, Would You Come Here? showcasing some great examples of library outreach and programming for people in their 20s and 30s. Check out the write up of this program in Library Journal.

Are you going to PLA?

2010-03-11T20:15:00.006-05:00

As I'm preparing for PLA, I realized that the conference is not a month away anymore, it's in a week. I'm looking forward to my first in-person PLA conference. I attended the virtual PLA conference two years ago. Are you going to PLA? If so, be sure to check out some of the programs mentioned in my last blog post about PLA?

Testing ALA Website Accessibility

2010-02-26T21:21:00.007-05:00

From ALA Emerging Leaders Team K:

We are seeking volunteers to take part in a usability study examining the accessibility of the American Library Association (ALA) website for individuals using assistive devices. The ideal participant would be a member of ALA who requires an assistive device to access the Internet. Participants will be able to take the test at their own locations, and on their own devices. The study will run during March, April and May of 2010. The results of the study will contribute to a report that will lead to improvements in accessibility of ALA’s website.

If you are interested in participating in this usability study, or can assist us in recruiting suitable participants, please email us at accessibilitytesting [ at ] ala.org. Feel free to forward this message to any individual or group whose members might be interested in participation.

Thank you,
Chelle Batchelor, University of Washington Libraries
Lisa Chow, Brooklyn Public Library
Cynthia Matthias, Hennepin County Library
Jennifer Rutner, Columbia University Libraries

ALA Emerging Leaders 2010
Team K: Usability-Accessibility Test

Save the Date: HealthCampNYC

2010-02-12T12:25:00.008-05:00

SAVE THE DATE

HealthCampNYC: Using Collective Knowledge to Improve Health Literacy and Community Health

Friday, May 14
Brooklyn Public Library, Central Library

HealthCampNYC is a regional health unconference for librarians, literacy professionals, public health professionals, medical professionals, community-based organizations and people interested in sharing with and learning from each other.

Participants at HealthCampNYC will be expected to share their work, skills and knowledge as active participants. In the rich tradition of unconferences, attendees will determine and manage program topics and sessions. Sessions may include (but are not limited to): how-to workshops, debates, or problem-solving sessions. This collaborative environment presents unique opportunities for learning, sharing, and relationship-building.

For more information: http://healthcampnyc.wetpaint.com/

HealthCampNYC is hosted by Brooklyn Public Library with support from The Health Education and Literacy for Parents (HELP) Project and New York Academy of Medicine Library. This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract No. NO1-LM-6-3501 with New York University.

Please feel free to share this info and the Save the Date flier with anyone who might be interested.

PLA 2010 in Portland, OR

2010-02-05T18:58:00.013-05:00

Are you going to the PLA conference next month?

Check out these programs that my colleagues (including fellow graduated PULSE trainees) and/or I will be presenting at PLA -

Revitalizing Communication and Professional Development Through Unconferences: The Brooklyn Public Library and Darien Public Library Experiments
Thursday, March 25 at 2pm-3:15pm

DIY Usability Study: Is Your Library People Focused?
Friday, March 26 at 8:30am-9:45am

How Libraries Can Work to Promote Genetic Literacy in the Community: Brooklyn Public Library's Human Genome Project Community Conversations (HGPCC) Initiative
Friday, March 26 at 2pm-3:15pm

STEP UP! Timely Outcomes-Based Model for Helping Job Seekers
Friday, March 26 at 2pm-3:15pm

If You Didn't Work Here, Would You Come Here?
Saturday, March 27 at 8:30am-9:45am

Check out the PLA 2010 programming schedule for more info.

DOHMH Public Health Library Internship

2010-02-04T21:44:00.010-05:00

Take a look at this internship opportunity at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Public Health Library. I interned at this library about three years ago and had a really great experience.

DOHMH Public Health Library Internship Announcement

The Public Health Library of the NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene is offering an unpaid internship opportunity for library students. We are seeking a motivated, action-oriented student to assist the library staff in providing direct library services to the researchers of the agency and to assist in any special projects assigned. The Public Health Library, overseen by the Bureau of Public Health Training, also provides classes on information retrieval and bibliographic management to agency staff. Candidates would need to be able to assist during library's operating hours (Monday through Friday from 9 to 5pm). Students interested in health science, public health, or government librarianship are encouraged to apply. Please send resumes to Gloria Willson, Library Director, at gwillson [ at ] health.nyc.gov or fax to 212-447-8239. To learn more about the Public Health Library, please visit - www.nyc.gov/health/library.

Dewey: Stick with it, let it go, or work with it

2009-10-15T17:04:00.011-04:00

There has been a lot of discussion about libraries using or not using Dewey. Take this Library Journal article: The Dewey Dilemma, for example. Part of the article focused on the Darien (CT) Library and how they use a combination of Dewey and subject categories; "We wanted to retain the findability of Dewey while encouraging and enabling browsing" - Kate Sheehan, knowledge and learning services librarian.

The article mentions some good points such as children's books where the question usually involves finding a book on a particular topic for a particular age/grade. From my experience, patrons usually want a story book (fiction) on that particular topic for a particular age/grade. This makes it even more challenging because fiction is organized by the author's last name. It doesn't even involve Dewey at all.

Sometimes patrons tell me that they don't like the system that we use, that all they want to know is where the [insert subject/topic] books are without having to ask someone, especially having to wait in line at the reference/information desk.

Also, I know that many libraries are pushing for great customer service, but how good is that customer service if people are feeling lost, confused, and sometimes even frustrated?

So what do you think? Should we use Dewey, not use Dewey, use a combination of Dewey and something else?

October is National Medical Librarians Month

2009-10-02T18:47:00.004-04:00

Looking for quality health or medical information and perhaps not having much luck? Why not ask your medical librarian?

ALA '09 Recap

2009-07-15T12:24:00.014-04:00

Highlights of ALA 2009 in Chicago

Unconference Program

Combination of quick presentations and discussions
Topics ranged from Web 3.0 to information literacy. See schedule for list of topics.
Participated in a discussion about planning and facilitating unconferences. There's an increased interest in doing library unconferences. Look out for our program on BPL ThinkTank, an unconference staff development event that we did at Brooklyn Public Library (BPL) at the Public Libraries Association (PLA) conference in March 2010.

Emerging Leaders Poster Session

Over 20 posters were presented by this year's emerging leaders based on their projects.
Projects included working with the PLA conference planning subcommittee, attracting librarians in the millennial generation to participate in ALA, etc.

Visit to Chicago Public Library

Visited the new YouMedia space, a space specifically designed for teens with the latest digital media technology

ALA 2009 Poster Session

My colleague and I presented a poster session "Keeping People at the Center of the Public Library: Analysis of Disruptive Technology and Suggestions for Creating a People-Centered Environment". Check out our project wiki.

Congrats to Libraries and Autism: We're Connected for winning the 2009 Association of Specialized and Cooperative Library Agencies Award. Libraries and Autism is a collaborative project among two libraries in New Jersey that produced a customer service training video for library staff to help them better serve individuals with autism.

ALA 2009 Poster Session

2009-06-24T21:14:00.006-04:00

Check out my poster session at ALA 2009 in Chicago.

Keeping People at the Center of the Public Library: Analysis of Disruptive Technology and Suggestions for Creating a People-Centered Environment

Monday, July 13, 2009 from 1pm-2:30pm
Table #3
ALA Exhibit Hall

Should the Three NYC Library Systems Be Merged?

2009-06-22T17:14:00.006-04:00

Last week the Mayor and City Council reached an agreement to restore library funding so that NYC libraries can continue to provide 6-day library service. In the midst of the budget crisis and petition signing, WNYC did a piece titled "One Library System Instead of Three: A Radical Cost-Cutting Solution?". I've heard the merger idea suggested before. What do you think? Should the three NYC library systems be merged?

SLA '09 Recap

2009-06-19T12:03:00.018-04:00

Some random thoughts, experiences, and pictures of SLA 2009.

SLA Leadership Development Institute

Pain-free public speaking: SEE - Stories, Examples, Enthusiasm
Align in 09: Two-year alignment project that looked into more effective ways to communicate to the non-library world about information professionals. A portal will be set up to discuss project findings and share information. Methods used in this alignment project included surveys, focus groups, and dial sessions. It was found that the name "Special Libraries Association" is not meaningful based on research and a discussion was started about a name change for the association.
Top 10 picks for your SLA leadership toolkit:

SLA Opening General Session

Keynote Speaker: Colin Powell mentioned that instead of navigating through the SLA website to get to Click University, he just searched for it using Google. Maybe it's time for some web usability testing?
Congrats to Pam Rollo, SLA@Pratt Advisor, for being selected as a SLA Fellow.
Congrats to Michelle Dollinger, SLA-NY President, for being selected as a SLA Rising Star.

Thinking on Your Feet: Dynamic Communication

Expanding your comfort zone
Speaking your audience's language
Benefits and features of a product or service
What's the worse possible thing that can happen?
"Plans are useless but planning is essential" - Eisenhower

Writing a Resume that Gets Results

Your resume is not an autobiography
Resume = marketing tool
Networthing
Summary/Qualifications section
Skills - Transferable skills and technical/career-specific skills

Interviewing Tips & Techniques

Essential HR Handbook: 100 Best Interview Questions
Five biggest interviewing mistakes: Acting nonchalant, talking too much, exaggerating, not listening, and being unprepared

SLA Unconference Session #3

Interesting discussion on participatory librarianship. See discussion notes
Story telling vs. story listening

Developing a Job Search Strategy

Keep learning/keep current -- core competencies of information professionals
Building and developing networks
Mentors
Business cards. Suggestions: VistaPrint and Moo
Having a Google presence

Critical Thinking

Decision making and strategic planning
Presentation (PDF)

National Library of Medicine (NLM) and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Tour

NLM's Plan for 2006-2016
HITECH Act and measuring meaningful use
MedlinePlus is going to be redesigned sometime next year. Check out the search cloud
Tutorial: Understanding Medical Words
National Training Center and Clearinghouse
Outreach Evaluation Resource Center
NIH Library's physical space was redesigned based on staff suggestions instead of using a consulting firm

Conferences and Unconferences

2009-06-05T15:01:00.007-04:00

It's that time of year again - lots of conferences and unconferences are happening. Just this week, I attended LibCampNYC, an unconference focused on libraries and library technology. There was another NYC unconference, Library Camp NYC, in August 2007. Unconferences are about collective knowledge and ideas and the session topics are determined by the attendees. Unconferences have usually been stand-alone events, but this year, there are unconference sessions throughout the SLA conference and ALA has an unconference day during the ALA conference. Looking forward to the conferences and unconferences in D.C. and Chicago. Also, if you're going to ALA, I will be presenting a poster session "Keeping People at the Center of the Public Library: Analysis of Disruptive Technology and Suggestions for Creating a People-Centered Environment" on Monday, July 13 at 1pm-2:30pm.

Is the MLS/MLIS Necessary?

2009-06-02T20:04:00.008-04:00

Having just received my MLIS two weeks ago, I still wonder if the degree is necessary. While I did learn some very interesting and useful things in library school, I'm not sure how much I really use or refer to that knowledge in my everyday work. A recent Library Journal article talked about the decreasing number of MLS degreed librarians in public libraries. The article discussed many aspects, including the changing of core functions, decline of reference, centralized collection development, and the changes in desk staffing. What does this mean for the future of the profession and libraries?

Keep Your Library Open

2009-05-15T11:03:00.019-04:00

"If education and information are going to provide the means as America digs itself out the great big hole we are in, the public library is handing out the shovels. Cut or kill the libraries and you yank away a shovel" (Libraries Are America's Lifelines. Leave Them Alone).

New York City libraries are facing a 22% budget cut (Library Journal). This would mean:

Over 900 library employees would be laid off
Many neighborhood libraries would be closed on the weekends
Less programs such as storytime, computer workshops, workshops on resume, interviewing, and job searching, book discussions, health workshops, etc.
Less books, DVDs, CDs, magazines, e-books, audiobooks, databases, etc.

What you can do:

Write to your City Council Member.
Find out more ways to take action to save NYC libraries.

BPL Sibshop Workshops

2009-05-14T18:29:00.010-04:00

Over 60 people attended last week's Sibshop workshop series, hosted by Brooklyn Public Library, The Child's Place for Children with Special Needs. This was the first time the training has been offered in a library and one of the very few times it was offered without charge. Sibshops are workshops for children and teens who have a sibling or siblings with special needs. The two-day workshop series was conducted by Don Meyer, Director of the Sibling Support Project. Find out more about Sibshops.

Save NYC Public Libraries

2009-05-11T19:43:00.004-04:00

All three library systems - Brooklyn Public Library, New York Public Library, and Queens Library are facing budget cuts in the coming fiscal year, which starts in July. Please take a moment and sign the petition to save NYC public libraries.

Workshops on Sibling Issues & Sibshop Model This Friday & Saturday

2009-05-05T09:28:00.010-04:00

What: Workshops on Sibling Issues and Sibshop Model Training
When: Friday, May 8 and Saturday,May 9
Where: Brooklyn Public Library (Brooklyn, New York)
Who: Siblings, parents, families, service providers, and anyone interested in sibling issues

Workshop Details:

Friday, May 8 from 9am-4pm

Brothers & Sisters of People with Special Needs: Unusual Concerns, Unusual Opportunities
A Panel of Brothers & Sisters
Sibshops: Getting Started

Saturday, May 9 from 9am-3pm

Demonstration Sibshop

* No need to register at this point, just show up. More information

SLA@Pratt Career Fair Photos and Presentations

2009-04-25T20:19:00.009-04:00

Over 120 people attended Friday's first annual SLA@Pratt Career Fair at Pratt SILS.

See more photos and some presentations on the SLA@Pratt site.

Share your experiences and continue the discussions with your colleagues at SLA@Pratt Connect using your Google, AIM, Yahoo or OpenID account.

You can also find SLA@Pratt on Facebook and Twitter.

Sibshop Training and Sibling Workshop at Brooklyn Public Library

2009-04-18T14:14:00.010-04:00

What: Sibshop Training and Sibling Workshop
Who: Siblings, parents, families, service providers, and anyone interested in learning more about sibshops and sibling issues.
When: Friday, May 8 and Saturday, May 9
Where: Brooklyn Public Library

Sibshops are workshops designed to celebrate the contributions made by brothers and sisters, as well as acknowledge the challenges of the sibling role. Don Meyer will discuss the good and not so good parts of being a sibling of a person who has special needs, while offering suggestions to parents and providers. There will be group discussions to share experiences and hear what
others have to say about growing up as a sibling of a person with special needs. The Saturday workshop is geared for 8 to 13 year olds and their families.

This is no charge to attend this workshop. For more information and to register - http://tinyurl.com/sibworkshop.

A Few Days Left to Register for SLA@Pratt Career Fair

2009-04-18T13:03:00.007-04:00

There's only a few days left to register for the SLA@Pratt Career Fair on Friday, April 24th from 4pm-7pm at Pratt SILS.

Libraries Connect

2009-04-16T22:48:00.010-04:00

I just realized that this week is National Library Week. The theme this year is Worlds connect @ your library. The way I see it, libraries are about connecting - connecting to and with resources, services, ideas, people, communities, etc. I see this whole connecting mesh thing in my mind of what libraries can do - the potential of libraries. What do you see when you think of libraries? Speaking of connecting, check out SLA@Pratt and connect with your colleagues.

SLA@Pratt Career Fair on Friday, April 24th

2009-03-30T22:30:00.022-04:00

SLA@Pratt will be hosting the first annual SLA Career Fair at Pratt Institute School of Information and Library Science on Friday, April 24th from 4pm-7pm. Bring your resume and business card. Students and alumni from Pratt and other LIS programs will have the chance to network and ask questions of professionals from a variety of NY special libraries: law, corporate, academic, medical and museum, as well as representatives in information architecture and book vendors. RSVP for the SLA@Pratt Career Fair by Tuesday, April 21st.

Sibshop Workshop Series on May 8 and 9

2009-03-28T13:55:00.017-04:00

Brothers & Sisters of People with Special Needs: Too Important to Ignore! A Workshop Series: Friday, May 8 & Saturday, May 9, 2009.

The workshop series include:

Brothers & Sisters of People with Special Needs: Unusual Concerns, Unusual Opportunities
A Panel of Brothers & Sisters
Sibshops: Getting Started
Demonstration Sibshop

This is a good opportunity for parents and families to learn about sibling issues and for service providers and those interested to learn more about sibshops and get training.

Please register by Friday, April 24th. For more information and to register.

This program is sponsored by the Brooklyn Public Library and the Children's Services Committee of the Brooklyn Developmental Disabilities Council. Additional support provided by the Brooklyn Early Childhood Direction Center, YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities and New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.

Science, Magic, Medicine, and Harry Potter

2009-03-19T20:00:00.018-04:00

This is really cool. The American Library Association (ALA) Public Programs Office, in cooperation with the National Library of Medicine (NLM) has a traveling exhibition, "Harry Potter's World: Renaissance Science, Magic, and Medicine", which was created to explore the link between Harry Potter and the history of science using materials from the National Library of Medicine. Public, academic and medical libraries may apply to host the banner exhibition. The deadline is May 1. Check out the exhibition site.

Libraries for the Future (LFF) Closes

2009-03-18T21:38:00.009-04:00

Libraries for the Future (LFF), a national non-profit organization that supports innovation and investment in America's libraries, has closed due to budget issues. LFF developed and supported many great programs, including the Human Genome Project Community Conversations, a project that aims to promote genetics literacy in communities by using public libraries as a resource for information and venue for workshops, lectures, and discussions. I am actively involved with this project at Brooklyn Public Library (BPL). This project will continue since there are still some funds, but it's sad to see that a national non-profit organization of 17 years is now closed.

Freedom of Information and Open Government

2009-03-16T14:04:00.009-04:00

Freedom of Information Day is on March 16, the birthday of James Madison, who is "widely regarded as the Father of the Constitution and as the foremost advocate for openness in government" (ALA).

Each year, the American Library Association (ALA) presents the James Madison Award and the Eileen Cooke State & Local Madison Award to "recognize those individuals or groups that have championed, protected, and promoted public access to government information and the public’s right to know" (ALA).

Freedom of Information Day coincides with Sunshine Week (March 15-21), a national initiative to open a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.

Check out related NYC events going on this week.

Library Journal 2009 Movers & Shakers List is Out

2009-03-15T21:48:00.007-04:00

Congrats to all the 2009 Library Journal Movers & Shakers, including one of my mentors, Joe Murphy. Also, check out the map that Library Journal put together of the locations of the 2002-2009 Movers and Shakers.

Public Space and Libraries

2009-03-11T22:55:00.013-04:00

A friend and I were walking around Union Square tonight and noticed this giant tri-fold science fair type of board with "public space" written very big on one side. There were groups of people around it - some reading, some writing, some even drawing. It was interesting to see the messages that people put on the board. My friend and I decided to contribute and this is what we wrote:

I'm thinking now that I should've taken a picture of the entire board to really show what was happening. Would've also been a good picture for one of my class assignments. Next time...

Libraries = Collections?

2009-03-10T23:07:00.014-04:00

Over the past few years, based on conversations with people, libraries are associated with books, audiobooks, DVDs, CDs, e-books, databases, etc. - basically resources or collections of resources, regardless of the media type. Yesterday, I was doing shelf-reading of a print reference collection. Today, I had a conversation with a few colleagues about collections and circulation statistics. Overall, libraries are deeply connected and defined by its collections. My colleague, Nate Hill recently blogged a post about the changing role of public libraries which covers a bit of what I discussed in my last post and will discuss in this post.

For a long time, libraries have been and are still defined by their resources and collections of resources. Increasingly, people are finding information online on their own, which has brought up questions like why do we need libraries and how can libraries stay relevant. It's not only the resources that defines what libraries are, the library staff plays a crucial role. Why not encourage and support an environment for library staff to use their ideas, skills, creativity, and knowledge to collaborate with the community to develop, organize, create, and coordinate events, programs, wikis, blogs, etc. while using the collections? I think there's potential in libraries playing this kind of role and it's great to see that it's happening.

Community Health Information and Public Libraries

2009-03-07T19:20:00.013-05:00

Yesterday I attended a workshop "An Apple A Day: Providing Consumer Health Information at Your Library" presented by Arpita Bose from the Mid-Atlantic Region of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine. It was a great workshop. The workshop prompted me to think again about the lack of health information available, particularly easy-to-read, multilingual, and community-based resources. I feel like there is so much that we, as librarians and information professionals, can do, not just in terms of health information, but any information, in general. We can and should play a more active role in working with organizations, institutions, and communities in creating tools and resources to provide access to community-based information and going beyond the resource guides that libraries have been creating and using.

I was in Philly last weekend and visited the Mutter Museum. Pretty interesting museum. What I also found interesting at the museum is Philly's local health information website maintained by the College of Physicians of Philadelphia. Philly Health Info.org is "a comprehensive directory of health services, events and information for Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties." I wonder if the Free Library of Philadelphia and other libraries in Philly participate in this. It is similar to NOAH - New York Online Access to Health since it also links to other resources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and MedlinePlus. It links to NOAH as well. What's different is that it also includes information on health services and events. I wonder how many people use their site, if people find it useful or find it all, can people find it without directly searching for it. I wonder the same thing about NOAH.

User Experience in Libraries

2009-02-25T21:20:00.025-05:00

Last month, the new Darien Library in Connecticut was opened to the public. With the bad news about libraries laying off staff, cutting hours or closing, it's good to hear about a library opening. Based on the article in Library Journal, Darien Library's blog, pictures and the opening day video, the library sounds and looks pretty amazing.

What's also amazing and interesting is the creation of a user experience department. According to Darien Library's blog post, the User Experience Department is "primarily concerned with the experience of the Darien Library user, drawing from the successes and failures of human-to-technology interface design. Usability, aesthetics, community, collections, and customer service are the key tenets of this user-centric service initiative."

That is exactly what I learned about and did as a collaborative research project in the People-Centered Methods and Design class that I took last year. The course is based on a project of your own choosing. You can work on the project by yourself or with another person. It's more of a seminar than a lecture-type course. Highly recommend it for those at Pratt SILS. Here's the course description.

It's important that the user is at the center of library services or any service. I think it's a matter of seeing things from the user's perspective. Of course, there are factors like age, language, etc. to consider. Sometimes users have to jump through many hoops to complete a task (for example, make a photocopy). The task of making a photocopy which probably can be completed in a few minutes could turn into something that can take up to 15 minutes or more because the user needs a library card with money (value) on it in order to make a photocopy. Is it really necessary? Can there be no other options?

Take a look around you and see how people are using service interfaces, library-related or otherwise. Are they completing what they need or want to get done? How long does it take them? Do they look satisfied, frustrated, confused, etc.? Let me know - I would like to hear about your observations and experiences.

So what do you think about the Darien Library and its User Experience Department? Anyone up for a field trip to Darien, CT?

Library School and LIS Education

2009-02-24T11:03:00.012-05:00

Being in my last semester of library school, I've been thinking a bit about my library school experience. The past 2 and 1/2 years has been a good experience, especially being a part of the Public Urban Library Service Education (PULSE) program. PULSE is a collaboration between Brooklyn Public Library and Pratt Institute School of Information and Library Science (SILS) and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). As part of the program, I am getting a broad range of hands-on experience that complements and enhances my classes. This semester, I am taking Usability Leadership and doing a practicum/internship at Columbia University.

Courses that I've taken:

Introduction to Information Professions with Glen Bencivengo (Core/Required)
Information Services and Resources with Phillip Yockey (Core/Required)
Knowledge Organization with Rick Block (Core/Required)
Information Technologies with David Walczyk (Core/Required)
Urban Public Library Service with Donna Fleming
Collection Development with Nasser Sharify
Medical Librarianship with Helen-Ann Brown
People-Centered Methods and Design with David Walczyk
Information Architecture/Interaction Design with David Walczyk
Metadata: Access and Description with Rick Block

There's a lot out there about library school and LIS education - achieving a balance between theory and practice, the popping up of I-schools, and recent news about Rutgers' change in school name - just to name a few. What is library school? What is information school? What is library science vs. library and information science vs. information science? I will be receiving a master's in library and information science (MLIS) in May. Does that mean I got a bit of both library science and information science? I'm not even sure I know what the difference is. This year, Pratt SILS was re-accredited by the American Library Association (ALA). It makes me wonder how LIS programs are evaluated when they can be and are so different from each other, not just with names of schools and degrees but also with requirements for admission and graduation.