Hot Off The Press

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".

TEDx Conferences

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.

DOHMH Public Health Library Internship

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.

Is the MLS/MLIS Necessary?

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?

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

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.

SLA@Pratt Career Fair on Friday, April 24th

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.

User Experience in Libraries

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

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.