Cornwall library cuts agreed

As mentioned previously, Cornwall has been under increasing pressure to make budget cuts. It seems that libraries will have a 23% cuts. Lanson Boy has a good discussion about the debate here.

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.

Job feedback

I recently spoke about a job I went for.
Yesterday I got some feedback. Seems 180 were interviewed for 3 positions. Seems I did fairly well, but was not consistent on fine payments and asking users how they search for books. Bit of a shame. Good to get feedback, as it shows where I can improve.

Interviews and preparation Part.2

The day of the interview. Up at 6am for a 9am interview. Suit ready, lucky Vivian Westwood tie. Have a showers, shave and look my best. Then get to Cafe Nero nearby at 7.45am to do some last minute studies. 8.30am make a move to the where the interview to be there 15 minutes early.

I wait and was then shown round the library. The person showig me around had previously worked at Islington libraries. So we discussed people we knew and worked with. Its always a good idea to try an enamour yourself to other staff I feel, just in case the interview may ask what you were like. They could also be your future work colleagues.

I then had a fifteen minute test using my search skills via the library website. Fairly standard questions.

I then had the interview and after the test and preparation felt fairly confident. Questions ranged from what would you do if the system goes down and there is a line of people? A standard question dealing with how you work under pressure, how you prioritise and how you cope. Other questions were why I wanted to work there. Here I made a mistake in I didn't complement them on the web 2.0 youtube videos. I also was not too complimentary to my present work place (I said I felt slightly staid, which I do). Never be critical of work. It makes you look a moaner and you may do that at the new place. But predominantly I came over fairly well I felt. They even asked for my telephone number to inform me of their decisions.

I then asked my questions. One was what training I would need for the job. One of the interviewers said 'it doesn't look like you need any'. Not sure if that was a compliment, or I came over as a bit arrogant. That was a concern.

So that was it. After the interview I reflected on where I could have improved and where I did well. I was happy with my preparation and questions. I was concerned I may have come over as a bit arrogant (but that was due to my confidence).

Anyway, no news yet on the job.

British Library event

(Found via here) The British Library has an event on Tue 26 Oct 2010, 18.30 - 20.00 entitled Growing Knowledge:
Is the physical library a redundant resource for 21st century academics?. Priced at £6 and £4. Unfortunately I am away, but sounds interesting.

Textbooks via iphones

(Found via here). BBC website reports that 500 medical students at the University of Leeds, are obtaining there books via there iphone. Seems a good idea I suppose. If you have an iphone.

Can you sell your library? If not, why not?

Today and yesterday I helped out with the University Of London. I wasn't timetabled on, but as only one person was doing it, and for iover four hours I thought they may need a break. Anyhow, I love open days. How often can you be at work and tell people what a great facility Senate House, what a great building it is, that it has been used for a multiple of films.
So, my question is. How do you sell your library to clients? Because if you can't, no one else will.

Viral marketing of the library

(Found via here). NPR has an excellent article entitled 'Why the next big pop culture after cupcakes might be libraries'. The article looks at the impact of the viral marketing of libraries via the (excessively) meme'd Old Spice video and Lady Gaga also. The article looks at the positive article's that seem to being picked up, on the importance of libraries in this 'big society' no skills/pay/promotion world.
The article then looks at the positive impact of libraries on societies to. Obviously, people have to pay for them, but they do provide a cultural outlet for many users. But in Britain when I think of of Cameron, Conservatives and libraries I think of Goring:-

Whenever I hear the word culture, I reach for my browning.

Oh, this will never happen

(Found via here). Seems the Telegraph is not that enamoured with Margaret Hodge's Library Modernisation Review. In there delightful article
Cappuccinos in your local library? It's all just froth. In the article Michael Deacon calls for books and silence in his ideal library - and nothing else. I agree to some extent. Though some of the comments are......well, lets says homophobic (see Literary Stealing comment). Anyway, I do think Deacon is correct to some degree. Sections of the library do need to be silent for people to study. But there also needs to be area's for kids and people who may need to talk.

Liver and Mash.....another library mash up

The fourth UK library mash up is happening in Liverpool. The ning site says :-

The next (unless someone else sneaks in first) Mashed Libraries event will take place at the University of Liverpool on the 14th May 2010. Bookings will open on 6th April 2010.

The twitter hash tag is #mashliv.

For those that go, have a good one.

The Hollywood Librarian discussion

After the talks we discussed the role of libraries and librarians. Tell you what, it was depressing. Many of us felt that we are less valued. Our opinions are under-rated and that our job is now about numerics. One academic librarian at Art school pointed out art students don't take items as the books are usually heavy. Hell, I think i'll reach for a drink.

Three talks at HollyWood Librarian part 2

Presentations by Mike Allport from Southwark libraries and noisy library day. Then Rosella Black from Westminster libraries discussing how the lbrary has been used as a performance library because its an arts library. Finally Sara Wingate Gray, the Itinerant Poetry Library. Was interesting, but the Q & A was way to short as they talked too much.

Truro library re-opens adter £1.4 million refurburbishment

Having lived and worked in Cornwall and Truro, it was great to hear that it has re-opened after a refurbishment. Its a grade two listed, granite building which I used regularly in my sixth form days. The building was originally paid for by the British philanthropist John Passmore Edwards. I had seen it recently but hope to be there at easter and get a proper look at it.

Facebook in libraries study

(Found via here). An ALA report called Facebook as a Library Tool: Perceived v. Actual Use has been released. An interesting read if you have time.

New Books on my Amazon radar

A couple new geeky books I ordered from Amazon. First up is This Book Is Overdue!: How Librarians and Cybrarians Can Save Us All. The author says of the book:-

What is it like to be a librarian in a world of too much information? Constant change, exploding technology, shrinking budgets, growing numbers of the baffled...could there be a better spot than behind the librarians' desk to watch the digital age unfold? Check out the reviews on the Review page, and read the first chapter on Harper's Library Love Fest blog or download to the right.

A review of the book can be found here.

Another book I have ordered is Search Patterns by Peter Morville, who did the excellent Ambient Findability.

The author says of it:-

Search is among the most disruptive innovations of our time. It influences what we buy and where we go. It shapes how we learn and what we believe. This provocative and inspiring book explores design patterns that apply across the categories of web, e-commerce, enterprise, desktop, mobile, social, and real time search and discovery. Using colorful illustrations and examples, the authors bring modern information retrieval to life, covering such diverse topics as relevance ranking, faceted navigation, multi-touch, and mixed reality. Search Patterns challenges us to invent the future of discovery while serving as a practical guide to help us make search applications better today.

Reviews can be found here.

French Government behind Helping Universities and Libraries.......and stuffing it to Google

France's President Sarkozy has released plans unveiled a €35bn (£31bn) spending plan aimed at preparing France for the "challenges" of the future. France are looking to become the premier place to go to university in the world.
He also said:-

Sarkozy warned last week that he would not let France be "stripped" of its culture by the US giant Google's plan to scan books for publication in its online library. "This too is a question of identity," he added, in a reference to his ongoing efforts to discover France's inner self.

What is an academic library?

Whilst meeting my mentor for my Cilip chartership we discussed the what my working role was and what is the role of an academic library and librarian?
Since then I have been thinking what is an academic library in the broadest sense? Via wikipedia it is:-

a library which serves an institution of higher learning, such as a college or a university — libraries in secondary and primary schools are called school libraries. These libraries serve two complementary purposes: to support the school's curriculum, and to support the research of the university faculty and students.

But every library has an individual approach to this. Where I work, te library is part of the University of London, and serves 22 London Universities. From tropical diseases to art. The academic library therefore has a large remit to cover. The mission statement of the library can be found here. The library therefore can at times be unwieldly with so many patrons to 'satisfy'. On top of this the Library is also being rewired, which means a three week closure, retraining and re-acquainting ourselves with re-opened area's.

I also feel academic libraries serve are what Tony Hirst recently wrote in a blog post:-

- students (i.e. people taking a course);

- lecturers (i.e. people creating or supporting a course);

- researchers;- folk off the web (i.e. people who Googled in who are none of the above).

Do we within an academic library fulfil our criteria for the 3 groups? I couldn't really discuss that here on my blog, but I do feel that things should be simplified for users. Anyhow, no more to add.