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.

Job interview that I didn't get

Had another interview at an academic library. Unfortunately I didn't get it. Wasn't really my best interview, so only disappointed in self. Oh well. Give me time to get on with the Wiki I started then.

BBC in Epicfail on public library closures in Morning news

Waking to the BBC breakfast news, I was interested in the piece on the public library closures. After watching it i'm more disheartened by the ineptitude of the BBC's reporting (iplayer piece here, thanks to wikiman). I thought the BBC was about balanced and fair reporting? Well I was wrong.
The report looked at the possible 375 closures countrywide. Mentioned the 250,000 drop in users. The second statement is total wrong. As Ned Potter wrote:-

For example, in the last year use of the library by black and
ethnic minority groups has increased; use of the library
by non-Christian religious people has increased; and the
number of 5 to 10 year olds who claim to have visited
their library ‘in the last week’ has increased (by more than
20%!). In other words, even during a down-turn in overall
visitation, kids and some minority groups are finding more
reasons to visit than before – I think that’s good news…
Incidentally, the report says more than once, ‘The decrease
in library visits is consistent across all socio-demographic
groups.’ Maybe I’m missing something, but that seems
quite a sweeping statement in light of the statistics above.
If the report itself glosses over any positives, what hope is
there of the headlines picking up on anything other than
the negatives?
In May, three months before the DCMS released their
report, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and
Accountancy released their own survey (CIPFA, 2010)
on exactly the same subject, amid far less fanfare. Their
findings cover the same five year period, but make much
better reading. Both surveys find physical attendance to be
down by around 4%; the difference is, CIPFA took the time
to investigate online activity as well. This, they discovered,
was up by a massive 49% across the country in the last year
alone.

The BBC then BRIEFLY mentioned the closures in Gloucester (even though it had spoken to friends of gloucestershire libraries about this segment of news). It then proceeded to mention the Buckinghamshire experiment in which 14 of the libraries are now volunteer run. A few questions were asked if user liked it and they said it was fine (thanks BBC, a free party political broadcast for big society there). They then asked the person in charge of the volunteers if it worked. He said yes, but that it took 60 volunteers, free time and pre-requisite skillset. A brief mention was then made of Stony Stratford patrons withdrawing all library books to stop the library closing.

That was it.

No mentions of people trying to stop these closures. Like Voices of the library, Save Doncaster Libraries, Barnet Libraries, Save Somerset's Libraries amongst others. No mention was made of the use of Twitter support for libraries snowballs worldwide. The whole social web and everything that librarians and patrons have done, totally ignored even though they contacted some of these people.

Funny really, that when the BBC had to close Radio 6 the BBC loved pointing out people trying to stop the closure, using the voice of Jarvis Cocker to do so. No mention of the open letter by authors such as Philip Pullman, Kate Mosse & Michael Holroyd against closures.

Anyhow, for those who wish to complain about this dire reporting the link is here.

Real Wikiman is writing a book

The real wikiman has revealed he is writing a book. In the post he says the following:-

this isn’t a book about marketing the profession (or the industry) – it’s about marketing your specific library. So, I would absolutely love to hear what you think you’d like to see in such a book. Each chapter will be on a different theme, and they’ll all feature a case-study. I’m yet to finalise the proposal with Facet, so if you can give me your ideas quick I’ll try and make sure they’re addressed!.

Sounds interesting. He also asks anyone to send him any idea's, saying:-

I would absolutely love it if you can leave me some comments, or email me your thoughts if you’d rather it be private, and tweet a link to this post to encourage others to do the same (or share it on Facebook).

So I'll put my totally unoriginal idea's here. These idea's I expect Ned already knows. First up, read Brian Mathews Marketing Today's Academic Library: A Bold New Approach to Communicating with Students I suppose is the first step.

Secondly, ask Joanne Alcock about her dissertation which was about 'marketing in HE libraries in the UK'.

Thirdly, check Nancy Dowd's blog and Book called The Accidental Library Marketer.

Fourthly, Marilyn Johnson This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. I remember reading a chapter in the book that described a librarian at New York library and would introduce himself to authors, offering to assist them if needed. These would then assist him when setting up any financial events they may need for the library.

Anyway. I expect he knew this already.

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.

Voices for the Library gets beyond the echo chamber

After going to the Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏ event, and listening to what both Ned and Jo talked about getting beyond the echo. At the talk Jo discussed that Voices of the library she volunteers on was getting some press coverage. Well, seems this weekend thats proven Without libraries, we will lose a mark of our civilisation in the observer, in which they are quoted.
But then, as Jo knows the only reason an academic librarian tries to keep public libraries open is like, turkeys at christmas, as someone told her once.

Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏ event part.4 (conclusion)

So. How was the evening? Well, pretty damn good. I came away from the event feeling totally revitalised and feeling pretty glad what I do. Meeting people like Gary Green, Phil Bradley, Laura, Jo bo Anderson and Bethan Ruddock actually did make feel embarrassed at how little I have done in comparison. It might just push me to do more.
BUT. In response to Ned and Laura, I do say this. Both seemed to be critical of the echo chamber. The echo chamber has its problems. Agreed. But without that echo chamber how would those two groups from the evening of come together. Also echo chambers can act as a meme to users (which I think is a good thing?)
Finally, I should point out Laura has put up a post on the event here.

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.

Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber‏ event part.2 (Laura Woods)

Following on from my earlier post (and most likely regurgating Fiona and Ned's post).
Anyhow Laura started the talk by explaining what the echo chamber. It is :-

any situation in which information, ideas or beliefs are amplified or reinforced by transmission inside an "enclosed" space. Observers of journalism in the mass media describe an echo chamber effect in media discourse.

Anyhow, Laura inderlines how librarians on both sides of the atlantic are suffering from fear of closure and how when we discuss this, we seem to discuss it within a 'library bubble' [my quote]. Laura mentioned how we as a profession are an easy target, and that we have many sceptics that see little relevance as now 'everything is online'. Laura felt we should reach beyond our users and make the none users as are (future) advocats. Laura pointed out if we (libraries) were invented today, we'd be seen as something fantastic.

She then said how her an Ned had put out the idea on twitter on getting beyond the echo chamber. Library by day started a post on the subject called Thinking Outloud About The Echo Chamber. In the article she says:-

Are we, the twittering, blogging, technology inclined shouting into the echo chamber? Are we only puffing each other up? Do we care that this defeats our purpose and goals? I guess it depends on your goals. (Some I’m sure, are just happy to have choir to preach to.) But for most of us, its not. If we’re too busy telling each other “right on man” who’s engaging in discussion with those who don’t agree with us? Because let’s face it, they aren’t reading your blog or following you on twitter.

Laura then went on to say we need to hear more about criticism, so we can see how we improve the service and jobs we do. Then Ned appeared from his journey from Leeds (les said the better).

Interviews and preparation Part.1

This is a follow up to an earlier post by Meredith Farkas and Ned Potter's recent post about working in libraries. My post will look at a recent interview I had for a job within an academic library in London as maternity cover. Its just a reflection of my approach to it. What I felt I did right and what I didn't do correctly.

Firstly, I was a bit shocked, as getting any interviews in this market was a surprise. I also was a bit fearful, as I have had some faux pas at interviews.

I then saw it as an opportunity. Therefore, my first port of call was to look at the job specification. Unfortunately, I couldn't find it. Therefore, first thing you should do, is make individual folders (virtual or paper) of each job you go for later reference. I therefore looked at the job specification via the cache web page I found. I also looked at the application form. This would allow me to see what I was going for and what I had put respectively. Then, I started reading a book my girlfriend used called Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions. This is a really good book, and had a great anecdote, in which he says of a lawyer who never lost a case, was once asked why he was such a great lawyer. He said he was not a great lawyer, but the best prepared. Preparation was therefore what I was going to do.

My first piece of preparation was to look at the library website. In looking at this I discovered three things. Firstly, that they used Millenium III library management system. Secondly, that they used the same photocopying and print system than what I had been used. Finally, that this was found via the libraries youtube channel. Very web 2.0 and something that made the job more appealing. Therefore, I felt at an advantage because in the interview I could point out I wouldn't need so much training.

I then looked at the panel and checked there digital status (aka linkedin, facebook etc. This allowed me to see what there area of expertise was and what they looked like.

I then looked at the map of where I had to go for the interview, and printed off directions. Just in case I got lost. I certainly did not want to be late for an interview as that created a very bad impression.

I then proceeded to be Great Answers to Tough Interview Questions. I set up a table of questions he raised, giving a short answer to each. I then looked at the questions I should ask. I did this over a week before the interview so I was honed in on the target. Getting the job. Being this well prepared I felt pretty confident.

In part two I will discuss the interview.

Football or career? the choice of life

The Liverpool manager Bill Shankly said:-

“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.”

Well, on 30.11.10 I can either see my football team play play Wigan for £10 (if there are any tickets left that is?) Or do I pay £10 to go to Marketing Libraries Outside the Echo Chamber?

The evening:-

will bring together a great panel of speakers. In the first session, Laura Woods and Ned Potter will explore how the information profession is full of forward thinking professionals sharing great ideas.......
In the second part, we will hear from Jo Anderson and Bethan Ruddock talk about the Voices for the Library campaign and how they are reaching out to users and stakeholders outside the echo chamber to promote the value of public libraries.

I'm very much siding with the library event. Better be good, an arsenal better win.

Lisnews post on the need for a masters degree

Lisnews has a interesting post entitled The Master's Degree Misperception which looks at the need for librarian need for a masters degree (or as this is an American post an MLS degree).

The author puts forward the idea that:-

I’d like to imagine that I got an advanced degree so that checking out books would be a once in a while thing, not a regular gig.)

It is a disservice to the education, to the degree, and to the profession when the bulk of a librarian’s daily tasks could be performed by someone with a GED. It does not take a master’s degree to place a hold on a book, clear a copier, push in chairs, tell people they are being loud, shelve items, or other similar tasks. When librarians are seen doing this and then told there is an advanced degree requirement, there is a reasoning dissonance that occurs in the outside observer.

Well, although the author says he helps out on the desk etc, do many of us with degree's get the profession insist on a greater separation of duties?

Actually, no. Just because you have a masters degree does not mean you get to do the reference work, cataloguing or specialising. Many masters students in the UK certainly won't even get the most basic library roles. I remember the real wikiman, point out that his first jobs in libraries uasually asked for a minimum of 5 GCSE's but usually wanted at least degree's students, if not masters students.

I would love to be able to do more interesting things at my library, but my masters degree does not allow me to do that, as i'm doing shelving, photocopier repairs etc but i'm just happy to be able to work.

To spend or not to spend on one's career?

The real wikiman blog has an article entitled Do you spend enough on career development? As is usual with his blog he makes some fairly salient points. His most glaring is:-

I’m very fortunate in two ways: firstly I work for an employer that invests in training opportunities and takes developing its employees seriously, so for all stuff directly relevant to my job I get sent off on training all the time. Secondly, by the time this blog is two years old this time next year, I think I will have attended more than 10 fantastic events for free (and with train fares paid), that I would otherwise have paid to attend myself as a delegate, because I’m either speaking at them or helping organise them. It sounds outrageously cynical / glib to say it’s worth submitting a paper for an event you really want to go to, but it really is worth bearing in mind! You’ll get more out of the day anyway, and you’ll save a lot of money. Same goes for volunteering to help run things – hard work, but free attendance For The Win.

I do feel nowadays, contracts are becoming short -term and career development funding slashed. Maybe we need more courses on how to submitting a paper perhaps?