Updated Wiki page for Voices for the Libraries

U have just updated the wikipage for Voices for the Library. I'm not sure how good it is, but I have updated it.

700th entry and off to support Marcus Garvey to support

This is my 700th entry and today is Save Our Libraries day. The following link is a live blog on the Guardian site. I'm going to Marcus Garvey later, as its the first library I worked at and there supporting them for the day. Listened to radio five have been following it to.
Therefore, a big shout to all the team from voices for the library who have helped make this a great idea.

5 UK Library stories of 2010

Last year I did a blog post entitled 5 UK Library stories of 2009. So, being someone with an originality, I thought I would repeat the top five stories for this year. I do say, some may disagree with my choices, but its just my view point.

1. Last year at number 1 I had the CILIP 2.0 discussion, that Phil Bradley had started. Phil had discussed the need for change within CILIP. So much so that Phil is now Vice President of CILIP. It was interesting in it seemed to be very much a twitter campaign for canvassing. It was also good news for library professionals in the UK, in a year with very little cheer.

2. The creation of Voices for the library. Created as an advocacy site to stop the library public closures and underline what libraries offer, the site has even been mentioned within the Guardian after being online for just four months. The people working on it are doing an excellent job.

3. The real wikiman's post and presentation with Woodsiegirl entitled Escaping the Echo Chamber – presentation. Again, looking at how we can go beyond just talking to our own community of librarians to underline a librarians value to customers, society and the economy.

4. Thank you for not tweeting, was a post about tweeting at a CILIP event and how other users didn't like it and told people off (myself included).

5. And last but not least my own post entitled Good Library blog.....missing the point.....as usual in which I looked in which Tim Coates wrote an inflammatory post about library closures and his attempt at 'assisting' libraries from closing. 25 comment later, seems neither party could agree who was correct.

Well, thats it.

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.

Advocacy in full effect

In my previous post I commented on The Observer article. Well seems the comment section has been pretty busy. In this section people like Phil Bradley , SimonXIX and IJClark responding some of the critics and queries about libraries and closures. Adocacy in full effect.

Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏ event part.3 (Ned Potter)

The real wikiman then took over. He discussed that instances of the echo chamber. He pointed out Seth Godin's article The future of the library, which had librarians jumping bacause of much of its inaccuracies. We responded in our own small, niche bubble, arguing about it amongst ourselves. But not all. Toby Greenwalt wrote a reprisal to Seth on the Huffington Post called To Know the Library Is To Love the Library -- But Who Knows the Library? Ned here is pointing out that we have to reach beyond our circle and inform an educate others where they may or are misrepresenting the profession.
Phil Gave example of others reaching out to the media, which was not in there remit. For example, Phil Bradley (who was actually at the event) had two days talking to radio five about libraries. Secondly, how Chrystie Hill (a librarian) did a talk at TEDx. These are media's you would not associate with libraries and librarians. But, they do make people aware of us. Ned's main point being we all need to be advocates for our profession.
Anyhow, I could add load more, but I will add Ned's closing comment, which was:-

There is no such thing as abstaining from library avdocacy.

Amen to that brother.

By the way, Ned and Laura's excellent presentation can be found here.

LISNPN London meetup 01.10.10

As I can't make the New Professionals Information Day, i'm going to the meet up after at the College arms. I tried to get a friend I worked with previously at a public library, and she was worried that the event is all about talking about libraries. My email response?

yup. we just talk about our collections and shushing policies.

I think I put her off. Anyway, many others going tomorrow?

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

Uk librarians on twitter

(Found via Phil Bradley's twitter feed), if you wish to join or follow over 240 UK library twitter, go here. I'm just about to join myself. It is also been created by Phil himself.

Jill Bradley's Service

As mentioned previously, Phil Bradley's wife, Jill passed away recently. Phil has just entered a very touching piece on his blog about the service. She sounded a lovely person and my thoughts are with Phil and Jill's family and friends.

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?

Thoughts with Phil Bradley

Many of you will know Phil Bradley's blog. He had said in previous blog post that his wife was ill. Unfortuntely, she seems to be worst by his last entry. There's not really much I can say, except my thoughts are with you and your wife.

Boolean for Idiots

(Found via here) I was interested in this simple Boolean search tool. Really easy to use, simple for students of most ages to get there head around to. You could also try these videos to (1 and 2). For the video links thanks Colin.

Online Information event in October, 2009

This year I will be going to Online Information, but only the Tuesday one. Tony Hirst will be moderating the semantic web coming of age, with speakers such as Conrad Wolfram and Stephen Arnold. At the same time Brian Kelly is moderating a talk called building on use of personal web 2.0 technologies. Also Phil Bradley is talking at Twitter 101: top tips for information professionals. Unfortunately, I'll not be able to go on the Wednesday as I really wanted to hear Ellyssa Kroski.

Phil Bradley discuses Cilip use of Web 2.0 technologies draft paper

Phil Bradley has written about Cilip draft Council Paper. This is obviously after the fall out from the Cilip 2.0 discussion in late April 2009.

Phil says of the document:-

I'm pleased to see all of these draft statements, which echoes and develops what both Brian Kelly and myself talked about at the April Council meeting. I'll be interested to see how this develops from words into actions next!

Let see how it pans out I suppose.

Mash oop north......Brian Kelly talk

Brian Kelly was the firt speaker I listened to, who discussed 'Enthusiastic amateurs and overcoming institutional inertia', which is something very close to my heart. Brian spoke about how to approach institutions about implementing web 2.0 idea's or just iniatives. He discussed how different people and organisations can bring new idea's in. He discussed how doing something and showing how good it may work within  organisation is a good way to implement things (rather than to march over them). A good Idea, if the organisation is open to change.  

Paul Stainthorp and his colleague Josh Winn, seemed part of a lucky minority to have less institutional inertia than others (I must ask if they have any opportunities there then.....thats a joke btw)

Brian talked about how we could use recent reports to underline how we could aid are bringing in new 'web 2.0 technologies'  to assist our users/students/patrons. He pointed us in the direction of two of them. The Demos report and Higher education in a web 2.0 world. These should be use as indicators to both management and staff to underline our need to go forward and to enable our users rather than to stop them.

Brian discussed the Cilip 2.0 debate also between Phil Bradley and the Cilp CE, and hw Cilip was shown it need to be changed. Very Cluetrain manifesto.

Brian also said another approach to bringing in change is to show your rivals and what they are doing to instigate change. An example would obviously be Sheffield University, which is presently using netflakes, vle etc.

I later spoke 1 to 1 with brian and had an interesting discussion with him. I really found it an informative approach to this problem. 

Facebook in libraries? Can it ever succeed?

I recently discussed David Lee King's article looking into facebook in libraries. Well a few other bloggers have been discussing this article (1 & 2).

I then went back to the original article and looked at the comments Kings comments had got and at the relevant libraries that had been using it (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6).

In looking at this I noted that the highest of these facebooks pages was 349 and lowest 25. My question is, will facebook ever be able to replace the online catalogue? I mean, with figures these (fairly) low, how would we get are patrons to go to this site and make people comment on our services?

My idea for facebook libraries is to offer something free that the catalogue does not. I think search skills video's on youtube or something along those lines. Without people visiting the facebook page its just a dead link in my opinion. We have to offer more for less in these days of credit crunch.

Funeral

As you may know, my brother was murdered. This friday we will finally lay him to rest. I miss him terribly, but i'd like to say thanks to some lovely comments left behind and the support I have had, especially Phil Bradley's. I will always remember the good times. But always hoped for more......

Jody the Junglist

This is for my brother, who passed away. Here are 2 links. One from the BBC and video a great friend made of him. Thanks for everyones thoughts. Its appreciated.

The Google storm rages on........

I recently discussed the fall out from Google Librarian central, which Steven Cohen had pointed out, had not been written in for 1 year. Well, they have finally responded, and told us there back. But only as a newsletter.
As one critic said:-

They've been thinking about how best to communicate with us, and this apparently is best done by closing the weblog and reverting to a newsletter. Is this one of the first examples of a company dumping Web 2.0 technology in favour of 1.0?

Meredith Farkas has been defending the Google line, saying:-

Some people are up in arms because they feel that Google has some obligation to libraries beyond the contractual obligations to those they’re working with. Some people feel like librarians have been used. I must be missing something, because I don’t feel anything of the kind. Marketing is designed to make you like a company or product. Their marketing worked.

Fair point Meredith, but as a company there making a profit of everyone's culture, there not doing this so we can access information. Google have said that:-

Google's mission is to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful.

ut I'd agree with another view point, that :-

Google's real mission is to organize the world around advertising.

If there doing it on the back of being the only company making books available online, they have a monopoly to decide what goes up and what gets hits. But hell, Marketing is designed to make you like a company.