Congratulations to Gloucester and Somerset public libraries

As many of you may know, Somerset and Gloucester have ruled library cuts unlawful. This means that both councils will need to look at the closures somewhat differently. It was interesting how Cilip, The Guardian and BBC reported this.
Anyhow, congratulations one and all. Especial mention to for one campaignor who said this after the case:-

Gloucestershire residents should never have had to go through this stressful, upsetting and expensive process and serious questions now also need to be answered by the secretary of state Ed Vaizey. It is Mr Vaizey’s duty to intervene when authorities are not meeting their obligations to provide a library service available to all who wish to use it. Why were Gloucestershire County Council allowed to continue down this destructive path? In opposition Mr Vaizey was a vocal critic of library closures yet our many pleas for help have been ignored whilst library users were left to fight this alone – it is clear that he left his convictions at the door on entering office.

Go get 'em........

CPD Thing 15: Attending, presenting at and organising seminars, conferences and other events

Thing 15: Attending, presenting at and organising seminars, conferences and other events . Oh dear. My favourite. The article looks at attending events. Why you should attend. What you get out of it. What you get out of it.
This then looked at Jo Alcock's article on this idea here.
Next, was speaking at events. Again, why? How? What you get out of it? Also presentation tips are included. There's also a link to Ned Potter's article on this.
Organising an event? Librarycamp and unconference etc.
I would point out that something might be added how do you find out about events? I check Nesta and the RSA are two area's I look. I also keep an eye on cilip website.

CPD Thing 12: Mentoring : Puting the social in social media

Well, here is number 12. Bit quick the other one. Part 12 looked at social media within the library and information roles. The article looked at how originally had gone from 100 participants to 750 due to social media.

For Thing 12 I would like you to consider the role of social media in building up networks and a sense of community. Possible areas to consider are:

are there any other advantages to social networking in the context of professional development than those already outlined above?

can you think of any disadvantages?

has CPD23 helped you to make contact with others that you would not have had contact with normally?

did you already use social media for your career development before starting CPD23?

Will you keep using it after the programme has finished?

in your opinion does social networking really help to foster a sense of community?

So, lets go through these one at a time.


1. are there any other advantages to social networking in the context of professional development than those already outlined above?

Social networking can assist with work. For example, creating a work a wiki for depatments to provide how people do things at work (so a form of intranet).

2. can you think of any disadvantages?

The disadvantage with social media are many told. Social media can create people sign up for things and doing nothing with them. Examples, I have many. I have a twitter and Blog. The thing with signing up for both these is having to follow twitter feeds and other blogs to keep up to date. So investment of time is extremely important.
Also, the problem with social media is its easy to promise to do something and not do anything. Whilst if you promise to do something verbally you are more likely to follow it through (or should do in my opinion).

3. did you already use social media for your career development before starting CPD23? As said above i've a blog and twitter account. I've also a youtube channel.

4. Will you keep using it after the programme has finished? I certainly hope. Dependent on time.

5. in your opinion does social networking really help to foster a sense of community? I think social media can help. Note the success Voices for the Library.

23 Things for Professional Development Thing 6......The network affect

The CPD23 thing 6, looked at the use of social networks for library and information professionals. These sites would include:-
1. LinkedIn (mine)
2. Facebook
3. Lisnpn.
4. Welcome to Librarians as Teachers Network.
5. CILIP Communities.

I always feel as a professional, linked in is one of the best sites, as their is no data smog. Lisnpn is one I don't use enough. Short blog i'm afraid.

Women’s Institute to campaign for libraries via Cilip

The Women’s Institute to campaign for libraries. Anyhow, thats a pretty big organisation to be supporting CILIP campaign against public library closures.

CILIP London: Voices for the Library: a new model for library advocacy at The Sekforde Arms

Tom Roper will be talking at Sekforde Inn in London entitled CILIP London: Voices for the Library: a new model for library advocacy. I might got along. Also unsure what the hashtag is for the event

Library Advocacy event at Cilip

23 May Library Advocacy: Sharing and Learning from National and International Experiences. The event is on my birthday and £96.00 (so too expensive a present for myself, but for those interested, it might be worth a shot.

Congrats to Phil Bradley and David Pattern

Well, I expect most people will now Phil Bradley is now CILIP Vice-President Election for 2011. I'm really glad Phil won. He takes his work seriously, is always helpful (he answered a question for my masters dissertation) and he always says what he thinks (in a good way). Anyhow, I hope there's no conflict with his new role and his role with Voices for the Library?
Also, congrats to David Pattern who is IWR Information Professional of the Year (found via here). I've meet Dave a few times at the Library Mash ups, especially the Mash Oop North in 2009, in Huddersfield in which he waived me paying (so I certainly owe him a pint for that).
Both well done on the good news.

International Group Xmas Quiz 2010 at Cilip

For those in London Cilip is having a International Group Xmas Quiz 2010, on the 8th December, from 6pm. The Cilip blog says of the event:-

This is an 'international' quiz, preceded and followed by festive refreshments and networking. We are looking for teams of 4 -6 people. Prizes will be awarded to the best teams.

A voluntary Quiz entry fee of £5 per person will be gratefully received - to go entirely to ILIG's Emergency Fund.

Please note that, unlike our usual Informals, Quiz places are limited.

Sounds a good event for networking.

Haringey allegedly closing 9 out of 10 libraries in borough

(Found via here). Good library blog reports 'there is a rumour [my italics].....that the borough of Haringey is to close 9 out of its 10 public libraries, leaving only one central library at Wood Green.'

I have worked at Haringey and I hope this is not true. Also, I recently saw the library manager there Diana Edmonds at Cilip and asked if everything was OK with the libraries there. She seemed to feel it all OK.

Anyhow, lets hope its not true.

Huzzah to Phil Bradley

Seems Phil Bradley has some good news. Seems that he will be putting himself forward for election as Vice President in the 2010 Autumn elections(see link).
He says in the post:-

Just a brief posting about what I’m doing and focussing on in the next few months. For those of you who read my blog regularly, or chat to me on courses or Twitter, you’ll know that I’ve been concerned about CILIP for some time. This originally arose in part out of the ‘CILIP fail’ post that I wrote last year, as I felt that the organisation wasn’t using social media as effectively as it might. I’ve watched and
have been involved with the developing the future profession conversation, and posted a few times about what I think the organisation needs to be doing in the coming years. This led in turn to the suggestion of applying for the CEO position, which I was happy to do, and equally not upset that I didn’t get an opportunity take
that any further. I thought that it was important to apply for it as while I believe passionately in what CILIP stands for, what it tries to do, and have deep respect for its staff and members, I also believe in the phrase ‘put your money where your mouth is’. I didn’t believe then, and don’t believe now, that’s how I can best influence its development in the next few years.

I think thats great news, as I believe Phil often has a modern outlook on the profession and tries to move it forward. But like he says, victory is not assured, but at least he's started a conversation

RSS for library jobs

(Found via here). Whilst reading this blog post I discovered the LIS New Professionals Network. In this new resource I discovered an excellent Yahoo Pipes device that searches for Library jobs in the UK.

Cilip membership

I have a colleague I worked with previously in a library. She now is a school librarian in South London. I therefore told her she should join Cilip and get chartered, as it would improve her career and that it would be good for her. Also there's a £20.00 Amazon token for those that introduce them. Yup, there's no such thing as a free dinner. Well certainly not. Seems you have to fill out this form to obtain the token and not the one my colleague filled. Wouldn't it make sense to add in the other form if someone introduced you? Nope.
I went in an asked Cilip about this and 'they'll put a note' to see if I get the token. I'll just not bother trying to sell Cilip in the future.

Cilip article on tweeting controversy

Ok, controversy is a bit strong. Anyhow, as I wrote recently I went to a Cilip event discussing The Google Generation: implications for libraries and librarians and was told to stop tweeting. Not only was I asked but others, including Woodsie Girl, who wrote on it to. She has now written an article in Cilip article here.

Irony in the digital world

Having mentioned I was going to Cilip to hear David Nicholas discuss The Google Generation: implications for libraries and librarians , I went last night. I was fully armed with my blackberry and new twitter application. I briefly listened to the tales of woo in being under employed or looming job losses.
The evening started with a meet an greet and food an drink. Tom Roper created a hashtag here for the event and it was nice to see other tweeters there (1, 2, 3 & 4).
After the AGM meeting which was very strange lets say (although Stephen Cook and the chair were good), we had another break (and a glass of wine).
Here is where it got interesting. I had wanted to hear David Nicholas talk and it was fascinating and a great slideshare on the subject can be found here. As the talk proceeded it seemed us twitters were getting told off for tweeting. I was personally told by a gentleman, who's consumption of food was only surpassed by his consumption of wine, that the screen was annoying him. Others also commented as follows:-

WoodsieGirl: Just got told off for tweeting at #ggcilip! Apparently light was reflecting off my "blackberry" so ppl behind me couldn't see the speaker :s .

There really felt a me and them attitude from some there. Us tweeters perhaps see ourselves as Information professionals
rather than librarians. This was an event on the social web to a degree but we are told to be quite an behave by our elders. As Nicholas pointed out, that world no longer exist (though I doubt they heard that or could hear it unless their hearing aids were higher I suppose?)
It seems that many of the people there hadn't considered Cilip 2.0 or its consequences. It felt that the meeting should have a digital apartheid, where the digital natives sit at the back and the 'professionals' can sit in the front and pontificate. I'm sorry to say that's not the modern world.
Its a real travesty as the committee of the meeting wanted new blood and help there, but if the young are treated like that why bother?
By the way, I wasn't the only one to feel uncomfortable there.

Cilip event with Professor David Nicholas

Professor David Nicholas who wrote The Google Generation: implications for libraries and librarians is giving a talk on the subject at Cilip's offices on 12.05.10. I've booked early, and for those interested I suggest you do it now.

Chartership and beyond event in London

Last week I went to a Chartership and beyond event at Cilip. Those in charge of the event were Michael Martin, Franko Kowalczuk, Alex Seymour and Emma Illingworth. Two of them have also written about it here and here.

We then had a break and looked at some old portfolios to see how they were set up. There was only three and too few for all of us to look at.

There was a discussion by Michael and Franko on what chartership was (and was not) and how to start and finish a portfolio. We were then split into groups to discuss area's of concern within the library or area's we were looking into, to improve the library. This could then be added within our portfolio. This was an interesting discussion on information literacy amongst other things. Was fairly interesting to hear different librarians views.

Anyhow, got a nice certificate at the end of it.

A Cilip talk about finding your way around London

Today I went to an interesting talk with Cilip entitled Legible London: A Wayfinding System for London, with Tim Fendley from Applied Information Group.

The talk looked at :-

The Mayor wants everyone to walk more. But how do you get information on the easiest or quickest routes for navigating your way across London? Many visitors use the Tube map! Is that really the answer?

Tim discussed how 44.5% of peoples navigate through London to get to area's is via the tube map. Tim's company is looking how we can improve finding our may around London easily and walk more.

Tim was saying how our cognitive behaviour is to look for visual markers to find our way around (for example Selfridges at Oxford street is seen as a good marker). Also he discussed how at Tube's there are multiple exits which make finding the correct exit more difficult.

It was an interesting discussion about how this organisation is trying to change how people find there way around London.

5 UK Library stories of 2009

Following on from from lisnews Ten Stories That Shaped 2009, I thought I would do my 5 UK stories.

1. Cilip 2.0. This was a discussion started by Brian Kelly & Phil Bradley which looked at Cilip Bob McKee failure to take on board some of the web 2.0 technologies within CILIP. The power of the network caused Cilip to rethink there policy and have an open forum on the event in April and produce a draft paper on the subject.

2. Woodsiegirl meme on 'why i became a librarian. I like blogging because sometime one persons post can spiral into a bigger discussion (see above). Well blogger Woodsie girl discussed why she became a librarian. A few others started adding there reasons why and the wikiman made a wiki for others to enter and discuss the subject on. This was actually pretty life affirming and a great idea.

3. Many had heard that Wirral maybe closing many libraries in that area. Thankfully all 11 were saved. Many local people voiced there concern on the closures, making politicans back down (for the moment).

4. Most stupid idea of the year? Culture minister Margaret Hodge's suggestion that libraries should link up with internet bookseller Amazon. Um, people go to libraries so they don't have to pay and store it. A library and a bookseller are two divergent markets and its not possible for one to be the other without major changes in the organisation (read money).

5. UK mashup still going strong. It was good to see many librarians meet this year for two mashups in Huddersfield and Birmingham. I went to the Huddersfield one and was really great to see a profession working to help our users experience (and learn something to).

Anyhow, thats my top 5? Anybody have any others?

Job promotions and possibilities......

I have recently gone for a job promotion at work, and thankfully have an interview on the 24th of November. Although I'm doubtful I'll get the role, I am taking the process seriously and trying to cram as much information as possible for the interview. Even if I don't get the role it will still be something I can add to my Cilip chartership portfolio.