Talk on library and films at Senate House tonight (well actually 21.10.10)

I'm going to a talk tonight* at Senate House entitled Something Stirring in the Stack? Why filmmakers enter the library. The event is hosted by Professor Ian Christie.
The blurb saysa of the evening:-

Libraries have often provided an incongruous setting for unacademic pursuits on screen, from manhunts to hauntings, and of course seductions. But they also represent knowledge, which is often dangerous as well as enlightening. And in a select group of films, culminating in Amenabar's recent Agora, the defence of the library becomes a powerful symbol of civilisation itself. Little wonder that filmmakers are heavy borrowers.

The twitter hashtag is #EV2010c1021. I'm going as per usual.

* #epicfail the date of the event is actually 21.10.10. Apologies for the error.

Netflix and the library. This meme goes on......

Rebecca Fitzgerald post on tame the web Using Netflix at an Academic Library seems to have gone wild. Her original comments pointed the following :-

Our academic library in New York started a Netflix subscription last Fall. We started out with one account allowing for the maximum number of DVDs, 8 at a time. By the middle of Spring semester, we had two accounts. The New Media professor took over the prior, and we made the new one for all other courses. New Media requires many movies for students to watch. Our library has a very limited budget when it comes to film purchasing, especially popular titles. Netflix has saved us an enormous amount of money (around $3,000) by allowing the physical rentals as well as instant play. The streaming movies have been a great success; instead of students waiting for the one DVD on reserve, they can go to the computer or into the library’s film viewing room, where we have a Roku player set up, and watch the movies on our flat screen TV. The amount we save just having the instant play is significant; it’s almost like having multiple copies of the movie on reserve.

I was a bit concerned about this. It obviously goes against terms and conditions of netflix contract. These being that the films are for PERSONAL use only. Other have also mentioned this in more detail.

Read write web has an interest article on the subject called Netflix Turns a Blind Eye to Illegal Use by School Libraries. Seems that:-

Steve Swasey, Netflix' vice president of corporate communications, but indicated no plans to enforce the rules. "We just don't want to be pursuing libraries," he said. "We appreciate libraries and we value them, but we expect that they follow the terms of agreement."

Not sure that the film studios would agree with that sentiment. As the experts on copyright etc libraries should be upholding it, rather than using it to our own advantage.

The Googlization of Everything (And Why We Should Worry) has a free chapter available

Having spoken previously of the release of The Googlization of Everything (And Why We Should Worry), the author, Siva Vaidhyanathan has released the first chapter free here.

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.

Who should head the library? Well certainly not a librarian

(Found via here). Saw this post by Dale Askey entitled Librarians leading libraries. The opening sentence starts:-

Consider this: if we librarians have a profession, then we are professionals. As such, if libraries are to be operated professionally, they need librarians and should be run by those most qualified, i.e.- librarians. Why then do so many elite institutions hire unqualified scholars to lead their libraries?

He then points out that Yale President Richard Levin had appointed Frank Turner to University Librarian, even though a historian. Adam has a pretty relevant point. Are there no librarians to take on this role? After the recent discussion on the Agnostic, Maybe entitled The Master’s Degree Misperception, I think to some degree our qualifications are perhaps rarely needed.

One final point, loved this comment on Dale's blog

Another Mash Up in Bath

Mashed Library 2010 – MashSpa in Bath! is coming on the 30 October,2010. The cost is £20.00 only. I would love to go, but unfortunately will be on holiday.

First impression of the Amazon Kindle

I was recently around a friend who has a new Amazon Kindle. I know that much has been written on the Kindle, so I wanted to see what the fuss was about.
Firstly, it is very light and easy to put in a (large) pocket. Its easy to use and the look and feel is nice. The battery life is excellent. Its easy to buy new titles.
My problems with it. First off, when you turn the page, it has to reformat and flickers, which I think may cause eye strain (but I'm no expert). Also I prefer the paper format, and enjoy the look and feel of books.
Anyhow, short and sweet.

Facebook film

As many of you may know, on 15 of October, 2010 the film The social network is released. Based on the excellent The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal, the film looks at the early life of facebook and Mark Zuckberg's company and falling out with friends in Harvard over the company. I'm really looking forward to it. I might even put it on my facebook page.

Goodbye Bloglines....hello Google reader

Thanks to Dave Pattern, on twitter who informed me that Bloglines is closing down. As I have used it for over four years, I've finally transferred my feeds to google reader. Pure laziness has kept me on bloglines, but having transferred them, some are working. W00t.

Anyhow, more on the bloglines closure here and here.

The Googlization of Everything release date confirmed

Siva Vaidhyanathan has confirmed the date of the release of his book The Googlization of Everything as being early 2011. Have spoken of the book before I'm quite excited by this news.

The book :-

Assesses Google's global impact, particularly in China, and explains the insidious effect of Googlization on the way we think. Finally, Vaidhyanathan proposes the construction of an Internet ecosystem designed to benefit the whole world and keep one brilliant and powerful company from falling into the "evil" it pledged to avoid.

I also noted another interesting book by Tim Wu's book The Master Switch: The Rise and Fall of Information Empires. Both sound fascinating.

Programmable web and British Library Maps Crowdsourced Sounds

Programmable web has a great post entitled British Library Maps Crowdsourced Sounds, this discusses:-

The SoundMap uses Google Maps to plot sound recordings over England and Ireland. When you click on one of the push pins the sound recording will be played in your browser. For those looking to contribute, there is a blog post with ideas on what kinds of sounds to record.

I'm always impresssed by what the British library does.

Oh my.....librarians promoting themselves

(Found via) here. Phil Bradley pointed me in the direction of Voices for the Library website and blog. The site says :-

Voices for the Library is a place for everyone who loves libraries to share their stories and experiences of the value of public libraries.

The team includes Bethan Ruddock, Gary Green, Ian Clark, Johanna Anderson, Katy Wrathall, Lauren Smith and Mick Fortune.

So, if you want to:-

Promoting the need for and value of trained librarians within a free and open-to-all UK public library service.

Go there today. And great site and even better idea.

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.

Frank Skinner get's busted for Times article

Seems the west bromwich supporting, unfunny comedian Frank Skinner, has been roundly slated for his article in The Times [no link to story due to the times walled garden policy].
The Guardian has an article entitled Frank Skinner's attack on free libraries is a bad joke, which opens with the rebuke :-

Do you believe in a well-funded, free library service? The comedian Frank Skinner doesn't. Writing in the Times last week, he sneered at old black and white images of cloth-capped workers educating themselves for free. He's a working-class lad himself, he reminded readers, and libraries never did anything for him. These dreary hangouts are just a big joke.

Seems there's more people that support libraries I'm afraid Frank.

Can the social web save the public libraries in Britain?

I was interested to see that Mumsnet has started a thread entitled to think that we NEED libraries? This is horrific.. I had only heard about Mumsnet prior to the UK election of 2010.
Mumsnet had been responding to the threat that public libraries are presently facing.
I had noted that the good library blog had noted mumsnets interest in public libraries in a post earlier this week.
But who are mumsnet? Well its described as :-

a British community website set up by mothers to give advice on parenting and family issues.

As said previously, I had only learnt of Mumsnet during the last election, when they seemed to become the new essex man of political punditry and/or poor journalism.
Not all of the talk about mumsnet though was always positive though.
Mumsnet seems to me to also be a support group for parents and family members. Discussing the needs, advantages and disadvantages of parenting. In discussing the fear of public library closures seems a fairly symbiotic relationship, in that for those who work in public libraries, will know that parents are regular users of libraries. Many parents may bring there kids for childrens hour or to get books for there homework. Or so they can use it for free internet access and homework clubs.
But can the social web help us in stopping closures?
Well, yes and no. I do think mumsnet could be a useful tool in assisting in bring these closures to the forefront of politicans. Mumsnet, as said previously was very much seen as important to politicans in the last election. So there support is needed.
But I did not this comment on the mumsnet post:-

StuckInTheMiddleWithYou Sat 21-Aug-10 14:16:28
Would MN like to run a campaign on this?

Thats not good then, if they can't start a campaign on the site.
I also feel you would need greater support from other high end users (say kids, schools, pensioners). The support and iniative of other librarians and users to would help.
Anyhow, its the weekend. Enjoy.

The decline of the library?

With all the depressing news about the closures and cut within public libraries, it good to see some positive news for a change. Norwich's Millennium Library, in which the BBC reports:-

Figures in April 2010 saw the library's popularity increase by nearly 20,000 people compared to the previous year.

I wonder what they are doing right then?

Sarah Hammond and Public Libraries 2.0 article

I'm a bit behind, but just seen that Sarah Hammond has article entitled Public Library 2.0: Culture Change?.

The main premise of the article being that she wanted :-

To discover the level of engagement of UK public libraries with Library 2.0, I specifically concentrated on blogging in order to narrow the focus of the research to a scope that was achievable given the time constraints. I also felt that blogs are perhaps the most versatile Web 2.0 tool at libraries’ disposal, so that taking a snapshot of blog activity would give a pretty good idea of their wider engagement with Web 2.0 tools. Consequently, I tried to find as many UK public library blogs as I could. Further to this end, I wanted to explore the attitudes and behaviours of public librarians towards the use of Library 2.0 in their libraries which I did with an online survey.

If you have time and work in public libraries its well worth a read.

Great piece on Librarianship by Rory Litwin

I'm a big fan of Rory Litwin and his blog. I remember reading a great piece he wrote a few years ago entitled The Central Problem of Library 2.0: Privacy. Certainly worth a read.
Anyway, he has another great piece entitled Our niche and how to get back into it. This opens with the following gambit :-

More and more, I find that the library profession’s efforts to stay relevant in the age of information technology are in fact eroding our relevance. As a result of these efforts, it is becoming less and less clear what we offer that is different from what everybody else offers in the information economy.

He then proceeds to say:-

I have a good idea of how I use my knowledge of our resources, and I know that I wish I knew more. I don’t wish I knew more about our search tools – those are designed to be easy to use for librarians and the public alike, and I don’t regard our ability to use them as anything special. Where I feel that greater knowledge would help me to be a better librarian is across the board – within my assigned subject areas, yes, but in all subjects, and particularly about things like scholarly communities, the research into reading behavior, learning theory, media studies, and all of those fields that are connected to what we do. I think that improving my general knowledge and working to improve my insight into people are the most effective ways I can work to become a better librarian.

Thought provoking.

Reuters article on the social web and how universities are integrating them

(Found via here). Reuters has an article entitled Schools, tech comPanies tailor social sites for students. The article says:-

Colleges and universities across the United States are going beyond simply creating websites and pages on Facebook for students to "friend" or "fan." They are working with technology companies to build their own social networks and integrate them into campus life to boost admissions and retain students.

Obviously, somethig that could be transfered to a library environment. So, perhaps you could use it for patrons to sponsor books (to increase money's for the library).

Could twitter be used to see positive book reviews?

I've previously discussed social cataloguing sites here before. Therefore, I was quite interested on programmable web to see Fflick, a movie review site, which:-

Fflick is a social movie review site, where the reviews come in bite-sized pieces from Twitter. The way its developers combine the reviews with other APIs and visuals shows how an excellent site can be built by bringing in content from elsewhere.

The most impressive piece is how Fflick mines Twitter to find tweets that include mini movie reviews. It looks for the name of a movie (or sometimes a portion of a movie name). From there, it also attempts to determine the positive or negative sentiment, seemingly by looking for specific words in a tweet.Therefore, I was wonering if this could be done for book? Taking API data from Amazon for book covers and Librarything etc for reviews?

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.

Yahoo pipes and Spectrum Software

As mention previously, I've been reading about gaming, and have a fond memory of my ZX Spectrum years. On top of this I wanted to combine it with my trying to learn Yahoo Pipes, especially after reading Information twist result on 'this made me' project, using Pipes.
Therefore, I've presently used nearly all his code trying to make one for Spectrum Games companies, and use a map to show where they are. Results can be seen here (its early days yet).
What I wish to do, is then have another map showing each companies games, and perhaps use world cat to indicate if these companies have been tagged etc.
Thanks to Gary for the twitter assistance to..

Chips and Mash today at Huddersfield

Most of you reading this will most likely be there, but Chips and Mash are at Huddersfield university today. The hash tag for those following via twitter may be found here.

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.

Kindle thriving

(Found via here). The Guardian today reports that the Amazon Kindle is outstripping hard back sale. Kindle it says is selling 143 ebooks to 100 hardbacks.

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?

The glorious past of the ZX Spectrum

I recently recieved a £20.00 amazon token from Cilip for introducing someone. With this I bought Race for a New Game Machine, The: Creating the Chips Inside the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, The Ultimate History of Video Games, Smartbomb: The Quest for Art, Entertainment, and Big Bucks in the Videogame Revolution, Arcade Mania: The Turbo-Charged World of Japan's Game Centers: The Turbo-charged World of Japan's Game Centers. I've started Race for a New Game Machine, but was so boring. I therefore started reading The Ultimate History of Video Game, which is much better, but very American orientated read.
It seems there's little been little written on the ZX Spectrum, the object that started my love of PCs and especially games. The only area of coverage of the Spectrum's history was the BBC program last year.
I was first given a computer in 1983, a ZX 81, which had 1 K of memory and an awful keyboard for gaming. To this could be added a wobbly 16k expansion pack, which often caused the machine to crash. A tape recorder and television would be required to load the game. The tape recorder had to have clean heads and be at the correct tone to load the game. The best game was Forty niner in my opinion. Due to the 16k memory, some of the games were fairly rudimentary at best.
Whilst at school my peer group had access to these relics and a few BBC computer. If you were fortunate enough, and your father was a teacher, you could perhaps take this home at the weekend and play Chuckie Egg on it.
To me, the Spectrum was a revelation. I was a teenager and this machine was what most of my peer group was using. The spectrum, not only created a buzz about the games from British companies, that seemed to be sailing a wave f a future service industry based economy. These companies included Imagine software based in Liverpool. Ultimate based in Ashby De La Zouch. Ocean software based in Manchester. Gremlin Interactive. Each one had a different platform of gaming they represented.
Ultimate, usually had the most aesthetic and colourful games. These included Atic Atac, was an arcade adventure game in a haunted house. The best arcade adventures came from them.
Ocean, often got Sega and sports games, including Match day and Daley Thompson's decathlon. Many a joystick would be broken playing these games.
Imagine was best remembered for its incredible demise which was caught on a BBC documentary.
The Spectrum boom also created British programmers who hacked games for the Spectrum and became rich as teenagers. People such as Matthew Smith who created Manic Miner and Jet Set Willy. In the early 1990's he disappeared and ended in a commune in Holland.
On top of this, the Spectrum created other careers. For example a weird thing called 'game journalism', with Magazines such as Crash which was a Spectrum only magazine, and used some incredible art work by Oliver Frey. The writing was usually witty and tongue in cheek. Perfect for teenagers.
Another interesting thing about the Spectrum was the politics of the games reflected the period. For example, in 1984 Gremlin produced Wanted: Monty Mole. A mole in platform game in which character had to escape flying pickets and King Arthur [Scargill], at the height of the coal miners strike.
Another political aspect of gaming was the company Automata UK. All there games were non-violent, reflecting the still often cited claim that games create violent individuals
In 1984, with my first months wages I could afford my own Spectrum. My adventure's from now on in would always be based around a computer.

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

Southampton librarians strike against volunteers

After a recent strike by library Southampton libraries held a one-day strike over plans to replace some of them with untrained volunteer, seems there is to be another strike against this policy.

Library Mashup slideshare presentation

(Found via here). Having previously discussed Nicole Engard's book Library Mashups : Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data, I noted she has a slideshare on the subject of the book here. Interesting too.

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.

The Library got game.....

(Found via here). University of Illinois:-

will finish archiving over a dozen famous computer games, then step back to consider where to go next with their project. These programs go back over four decades, and include a 1993 version of Doom, various editions of Warcraft, and even MIT's Spacewar! circa 1962.

We wondered, given the gaming nature of most of the software being preserved, why the venture is calling itself the Preserving Virtual Worlds project. So we called up the project's coordinator, Jerome McDonough, Assistant Professor of Library and Information Science at the University of Illinois, to ask him about the name.

According to the article here.

Great job if you can get it ;)

Scottish Libraries first to have ebook dowloads

South Ayrshire have become the first in the country to offer a free downloadable "ebooks" service. Link to the interview is here.

The social library.....

(Found via here. The Wall Street Journal has an article entitled Libraries Have a Novel Idea. It looks at how the Internet Archive is:-

Starting Tuesday, a group of libraries led by the Internet Archive, a nonprofit digital library, are joining forces to create a one-stop website for checking out e-books, including access to more than a million scanned public domain books and a catalog of thousands of contemporary e-book titles available at many public libraries.

and that:-

To read the books, borrowers around the world can download and read them for free on computers or e-reading gadgets. Software renders the books inaccessible once the loan period ends. Two-thirds of American libraries offered e-book loans in 2009, according to a survey by the American Library Association. But those were mostly contemporary imprints from the last couple of years—say, the latest Stephen King novel.

But the more interesting news is that the internet archive has set up Openlibrary.org

[which] goes a step further by opening up some access to the sorts of books that may have otherwise gathered dust on library shelves—mainly those published in the past 90 years, but of less popular interest.

If you take an item out, only one copy is available due to copy right restrictions. My main concern though (via a friend mentioning it). If you have a digital copy, could you not just make another another digital copy? Isn't it just trying to put an analogue answers to a digital world?

Definitely would check the two articles.

Today programme discussing libraries

Yesterday, Today reporter Bob Walker went to Nottingham and Grimsby to look at the effect library cuts would have upon patrons, and what can be done to preserve them. Link here.

Hear the one about a librarian that went to the Internet librarian in London?

No. Neither did I. My question is to anyone out there how do library professionals afford to go to Internet Librarian this year. The cost this year is over £500.00 for a two day conference. Obviously, the event has some great speakers, but is this show just for managers? Is there no way there could be some places at a reduced rate for 'ordinary' librarians? I have been to library mash ups and these have not been prohibitively expensive. Though on the new website Owen Stephens does point out:-

The venue and catering are probably the main costs associated with hosting an event. If you are inviting people to speak you may need to cover their expenses (or even pay speaking fees, although the first three events haven't had speakers who charge to speak). The main ways of covering the costs are through sponsorship, and through a fee for the event. Costs can be kept down considerably by getting a venue for free - which is often an option at Universities.

So, my question is this. Is anyone going? And if you don't mind me asking, how did you get your company to agree?

Clay Shirky talk to be streamed live from RSA tonight

Clay Shirky whose new book Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age will be talking on the book in London, at the RSA. For those unable to attend (like me) a live stream can be found here , starting ten minutes before the 6pm start.

New library mashup website released

(Found via twitter). Owen Stephens has set up a website for UK mash ups here. Includes an upcoming events page, how to organise your own event, Ingredients, Techniques, Recipes,Menu suggestions and Projects.

Great article on Public libraries from the States

(Found via here). The go-to-hellman blog has a very insightful post entitled Are Public Libraries in a Death Spiral?. In the post he makes two very salient points when he writes:-

A favorite budget-cutting tactic of public library directors seems to be curtailment of opening hours ......To me, this seems like the worst possible thing for a public library to do. ........Public library funding comes from the public, and the best way to convince the public that their library deserves more funding is to get the public inside the library doors.

Public Broadcasting is a good example for public libraries (and a competitor for donor support). Does public radio turn off their transmitter when they need money? No, they put on specially good programming and have pledge drives. My local library puts donor names on bricks; I'd like to see libraries put donor names on opening hours.

Tough economic times are exactly when public libraries are needed the most. The assistance that libraries offer to people looking for work, training for new occupations, learning to read, or finding social networks makes public libraries valuable parts of their communities, but that doesn't happen when the doors are locked.

Would Britain be willing to pledge money to its libraries to increase hours? I doubt it. The Lib/con pact are looking at cuts, and what services we do provide will be reduced (in my mind). So, last one that leaves the library, please turn off the light.

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.

The conservative policy on Libraries? We have the answer

For those of a squeamish disposition please turn away now. Seems the lovely lib/con pact is cutting into the library budgetby suspending the Libraries Modernisation Programme by £12m. All Ed Vaizey promises seem pretty hollow. Well, with Cameron as leader thats no surprise then?

5 years on....the 7 year itch strikes early

Five years tomorrow two important events occurred. One important and one I look on with declining interest. The important one is meeting my German girlfriend at a friends 30th birthday. I opened our conversation with the following joke:-
What did the German watchmaker say to the clock that didn't work? Ve have vays of making you tock.
OK, not funny.
Anyhow, the second event was getting on the MSc in Library Science. The only thing I had to do was get some experience of working in a library. This was achieved when I was given an 8 hour voluntary role at a public library in North London. I enjoyed the course and my time there. I brought a fresh breath of air and outlook to the library.
I've since moved on from there and in with my girlfriend. I work in an academic library on a short-term contract. Idea's and fresh approaches are frowned upon. Cynicism being my only release from the drudgery of my role that still exists (for the moment). Training is usually self taught, as there is no training at work. The only time I feel fulfilled is blogging, reading the learning. Gary Green's recent post made me look at changing direction and learn some new skills (which I'm slowly doing). I'm also looking for a role within as an SEO or something where my mind is used.
The good thing is at least I have one thing to celebrate tomorrow. Thank god for my girlfriend.

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.

A return to normality

Well, I have returned from my trip to Germany. I was away with my my girlfriend and parents in an area of Bavaria called Allgau. We stayed here in a Bed and Breakfast in a small village called Zaumberg, near a lake called Buhl. We were there for 4 days and did so much like hiking and eating well. We went so Immenstadt and Missen, which had its own brewery. If you ever get the chance I would recommend going.

Was great to be away. I returned on Thursday for an interview on Friday. Unfortunately, the job was placed already but I will look into the area I was to be interviewed for.

Away on holiday

From Saturday I'll be in German and Sunday off to Allgau in Bavaria for a few days with my girlfriend and family. Hopefully bring back some photo's of the area.

Good news about libraries.......shock, horror

After the sadness about 10 library closures in Belfast, in which I stated 'maybe one day I'll have some good news on this blog.' Well, the BBC reports 'Libraries in Wales see borrowing rise, against UK trend'. Its seems, in Wales, there's been a 3.7% increase in usage of libraries.

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.

Fun with Yahoo Pipes.....but not me

I've been reading Gary Green's twitter feeds about his 'this made me' idea on Yahoo pipes. The idea was quite simple but very ingenious and set out on his blog:-

I wanted to put together a visual representation of things I consider influenced me throughout my life and made me the person I am today, just as an experiment to see what I could come up with.
I’ve actually managed to turn that idea into something concrete using Yahoo Pipes to pull through information I added to a Google spreadsheet. Yahoo Pipes then automatically created the map with markers and details of influences in those markers.

Anyhow the result can be found here. Its a really good use of maps though. Impressive.

Chips and Mash. Huddersfield 31st July

Found via Karen Blakeman's twitter account, it seems Huddersfield will be having another mash up on 31st july,2010 entitled Chips and Mash. David Pattern, the organisor is thinking of looking into RFID area for this event. No pricices etc as of yet.

10 libraries to close in Belfast

As mentioned previously the 15 Libraries that were proposed to be cut, has been reduced to 10 (story here). Maybe one day I'll bring some good news on this blog.

Library Mashup book reviewed

Having mentioned previously a book review of Nicole Engard's Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Databook, I noted that there's a further review here on the book.

How to make stuff

Wikiman's blog has an interest post entitled Just Do It (yourself)… free tools to empower. So for those who want to know how to make a poster, podcast or video, check it.

James Murdoch.....a chip off the old block

As mentioned previously the British Library is to digitise newspapers from the early 1700's and put them online. Seems James Murdoch attacks British Library for digitising newspapers. Lovely, nice to see them taking our history for a profit.

BL to digitalise old newspapers for the Internet

(Found via here). The British Library is to digitise newspapers from the early 1700's and put them online. Brightsolid the British Library online publishing wing is in charge of the project (see here).

Library humour falls flat

I was looking at my twitter feeds last night when this one came up from Michael Stephens tweet saying :-

Not pleased at all with Jay Leno's remark about library cuts in LA

This morning I found this was his comment (found via here):-

"People here in Los Angeles are upset that the mayor's proposed plan to cut the budget of libraries. This could affect as many as nine people."

The great great thing about Leno's humour is its of a generation. Not this generation.

Job tips for Librarians

Meredith Farkas has a great article entitled Tips for library job applicants in a tight market. Most of its pretty obvious, but in these days of struggling for jobs or considering a change of career its worth a read.

Give way to digital format? Not yet, we're British......

Seems us Brits do not want to get rid of our physical objects like CD's,DVDs and books in an article entitled 'The majority of Britons are still 'wedded to Cd's, DVDs and books'. I use both, but I do enjoy the physicality of the object. How long that lasts is another matter.

Job cuts in Hampshire

The axe is being wielded in hampshire public libraries it seems. The BBC reports Sixty Hampshire library service jobs to be cut.
The article says:-

The authority needs to save more than £1m but has promised not to reduce opening hours or close any libraries.

The plans could see more self-service facilities at branches while a further review will also look into the mobile library service.

Affected staff, which include managers and workers in support roles, have been told of the plans.

The importance of phones......130 years on

Radio 3 last night had a programme entitled The Pleasure Telephone (available to UK users here) which discussed how the love of telephones is nothing new, and how in the 1880's people could have a telephone fairly cheaply. Sounded quite similar to Tom Standage's book The Victorian Internet.

My new t-shirt

Maybe I won't wear this to work.

A blog post I can relate to

(Found via here). Here's a great blog post entitled 10 Easy Ways To Make Your Day Worse. Here's Josh Hanagarne list of 10:-

1. Hold onto that grudge

2. Blame someone else for your own shortcomings

3. Wonder why anyone wastes their time on you

4. Think of yourself as a lost cause

5. Tell a lie

6. Just kill some time

7. Think about how much you hate your job while you’re at work

8. Belittle someone

9. Tell yourself that you can’t make a difference

10. Slouch in every chair you sit in

I defy anyone not to have at least one of these during a day.

Liver and Mash today

The fourth installmet of Library mash up starts today in Liverpool. Like many i'll be unable to attnd but following it by twitter with the following hashtag #mashliv. More information on todays proceeding can be found here. All those there (physically and digitally), enjoy.

A shiny forager survey

Shiny forager blog has a post entitled have you worked for free?
In the post she says:-

I am presenting a paper at the conference. It is called: Would You Work For Free? Unpaid Work in the Information Profession and How to Make it Count.

In the article she also says:-

Dear reader, can you help? - either by participating in my survey or passing it on to anyone in your network to whom it applies? You can find the survey here: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VCV6RHN

So, if you have time, please do the questionaire, it only take a couple minutes.

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.

Guardian article on free labour

And not the one that lost. Seems that The Guardian has an article entitled Council services in our hands, which looks at public services going to volunteers. This has been mentioned previously. What a great idea. After the initial euphoria of volunteering it all slows down. Anyhow, why do I pay taxes for experts to do jobs and get volunteers instead. Ridicolous idea.

Web 3.0......the video

There's an interesting video here called Web 3.0 by Kate Ray A story about the Semantic Web interviews with:-
Tim Berners-Lee
Clay Shirky
Chris Dixon
David Weinberger
Nova Spivack
Jason Shellen
Lee Feigenbaum
John Hebeler
Alon Halevy
David Karger
Abraham Bernstein .

Catch it now.

The return of CIPA

CIPA or the Children's Internet Protection Act which was a bills that the United States Congress proposed to limit children's exposure to pornography and explicit content online. Seems Jessamyn West found out someone has challenge the ruling. An interesting legal case seems likely.

Musical Darwinism: the evolutionary implications of indeterminate notation and its intersection with a Library 2.0 world paper

A colleague of mine has just written an interesting paper entitled Musical Darwinism: the evolutionary implications of indeterminate notation and its intersection with a Library 2.0 world. Very worthwhile if interested in musical libraries a web 2.0.

4 years on

It seems the 02.05.06 was my first blog post on this site. So its happy anniversary to me.

To quote a sex pistols song

Ever get the feeling you've been cheated? Good night. Well it does to me now Google to launch ebook store. And I thought Google books was just so they could organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful?

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.

Is it really only Five years old?

I read today that youtube is 5 years old. Youtube seems so ubiquitous now I can't remember it not being there.

The annoyance of bloglines

I have been using Bloglines since I started this blog. Unfortunately, for the past 24 hours its been down. Techcrunch has an interesting article. I think I may need to transfer to Google reader.

New blog for jobs

A site I use well regular for jobs is Jobs for info pros and really has a great twitter site for jobs. Well they've started a new blog to. Check it.

What future for the social web?

Recent news of the demise of Ning and the possible closure of Bebo has seemed to underline the disintegrating space for social websites. It seems the power of facebook has taken over the whole space.
Phil Bradley though has an interesting blogpost entitled Alternatives to Ning.

Dissertation of Sarah Hammond

Sarah Hammond has released the results of her masters degree here. The title of the theses being How are public libraries engaging with Library 2.0?. Really interesting read if you have time. Hope you get a good result Sarah for all your hard work.

Librarything discussing ebooks

I expect this is too late, but Tim Spalding on his Librarything blog has an interesting article entitled Reading alone: How ebooks will kill the smallest libraries. An interesting argument which concludes with these lines:-

But if something is gained, something will definitely be lost. The list of ebook "externalities" is long: the death of physical bookstores, the wounding or death of traditional public libraries, the concentration of retail power in a few hands, surrendering your reading history to corporations, privacy and censorship issues in undemocratic states, leaving your books to your kids, lending books to friends, showing off, subway voyeurism, etc.

Depressing reading.

Mobile Libraries in the UK

There is an interesting story in The Guardian entitled Is the mobile library dead?. Worth a look if you have time.

A break away........

Sorry for all 5 disappointed readers, but been to Cornwall to see family. Was ok but very quite without my brother there.

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.

Happy anniversary to me

I have now been at my current position for two years. Therefore I made whisky cake, but run out of whisky and put amarillo in instead. No photo i'm afraid.

Audio book via Librivox

(Found via here). I was just reading about Librivox which is described thus:-

LibriVox volunteers record chapters of books in the public domain and release the audio files back onto the net. Our goal is to make all public domain books available as free audio books.

Seems a great idea and worth volunteering for.

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.

Forbes feels young learners needs libraries too

A recent articles in Forbes entitled Young Learners Need Librarians, Not Just Google has indicated many some of us have said before. Oh well.

Nesta event screened

After the What's App? - The App Economy Event I went to last night, they've put a video up of it here.

The changing face of public libraries

Seems there is a change a foot with public libraries in the uk (haven't we heard that before?) With Free internet access and e-books could help reverse a decline in the number of people using libraries in England or so Culture Minister Margaret Hodge says. But I thought we were already doing that? And E-books? Please, the price of entry is still prohibitive for many users (aka that thing called 'the working classes'?)
Department for Culture Media and Sport also released the report here on this idea.
Seems its been canned already to.

Nesta event tonight

As mentioned previously, I am off to a Nesta event entitled What's App? - The App Economy Event. Hopefully I'll be twittering it tonight.

The demise of the profession?

(Found via here). Here is an interesting item via The Economist entitled Data, data everywhere. An interesting article that looks at the ever increasing world of data.

A day out doing Flash

Today I went for a Flash course in Finsbury Park. Its only two saturdays, but very enjoyable. Role on next week.

Marilyn Johnsons NYT book review

(Found via here). Marilyn Johnsons excellent book has her reviewed in the New York Times here.

Meeting other bloggers......and not work related

A little know fact about me is I am an Avid Arsenal FC fan. I have been a fan for nearly thirty years, when I watched my first game (and defeat) on television. I am an avid reader of Arsenal soccer blogs, and often read an American blogger on the subject. He is presently here (in London) for a couple of ghames and therefore i'm meeting him for a pre-match drink. But do we talk blogging or football.......choices,choices

Mash-up is an old term.....151 years to be exact

(Found via here) Disruptive Library Technology Jester pointed out that the term mash-up is 151 years old. He/she writes:-

Ron Murray, a colleague at the Library of Congress (and no known relation to me), sent me a note about the history of the term “mash-up” in the Oxford English DictionaryL1 (subscription required). The definition of the first sense is “A mixture or fusion of disparate elements” with the notation that usage is rare before the late 20th century, and the OED includes this quotation:


1859D. BOUCICAULT Octoroon I. 13 He don’t understand; he speaks a mash up of Indian, French, and Mexican.

The reference to “Octoroon” appears to be for a playL2 called The OctoroonL3 that was first performed in 1859, making the mashup term about 151 years old.

Wow. I always thought it was only about 60 years old and came from reggae mash up.

£40 book token or your library?

With the economic downturn and likelihood of the 25,000 job losses due to council tax reductions. Seems Radio 5 discussed what councils should be saved and let go.

Here's the best idea though:-

Northamptonshire County Council, for instance, says that so few people use its libraries (17%), that it would be cheaper to give everyone a £40 book voucher.

Oh, can I have them as Amazon tokens please?

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.

Patriot act extended

(Found via here). Seems the Patriot Act is being extended until 2011. Great.

Ning Library 2.0 saved

Ning Library 2.0 saved, so I have been informed. Gary, thanks for the heads up, i'll hopefully use it a bit more often now.

Hollywood Librarian 2 at Stuart Hall, Part II

The day started in Hoxton at the Stuart Hall library. Assistant librarian Holly Callaghan introduced the event and discussed the vent and how it was the second in the series of events held here. She discussed Maura Seale's treatise on the portrayal of librarians entitled 'Old maids, and social rejects : Mass media representations and public perceptions of Librarians'. This describes how 5 types of librarians are identified within modern culture. These being:

1.The Old Maid Librarian.
2.The Policeman Librarian.
3.The Policeman Librarian.
4.The Inept Librarian.
5.The Hero/ine Librarian.

Then we watched Desk Set. Then a break for lunch.

Hollywood Librarian 2 at Stuart Hall

The Hollywood Librarian 2 is actually not Hollywood Librarian, but the presentations of us. Therefore we will be watching Desk Set and The Gun of Betty Lou's handbag and a discussion.

Hollywood librarian at Hoxton

As mentioned previously, I've come for a screening and discussion on The Hollywood Librarian. Just read through Iniva programme on the subject, i'll have to pdf the stuff. Will be twittering and updating the blog.