http://www.thenation.com/article/164881/upheaval-new-york-public-library...
Here's hoping Marx is a step up from LeClerc.
]]>It should come with a warning label.
Warning: Wearing this kit will attract every Kiwi within a 5 mile radius. Proceed with extreme caution.
People I've never met before, and usually don't see a second time, will come out, vigorously shake me hand, ask if I'm from eNZed, and then do or say summat extra nice and be off to presumably do good elsewhere.
I can only imagine that it's packing an even better effect of late since they are winning in the Rugby World Cup at the moment.
Proving once again that LOC has one of absolutely everything packed away someplace, they produced a Kiwi. Her colleague, unintentionally awkwardly, asked if I supported the All Blacks, though that was not his turn of phrase. Taking the surreptitious advice of a friend from Oz given through World of Warcraft whispers over her slip based on Druidic spellcraft, I didn't repeat the seemingly safe slang and was rewarded for indicating that I did support the All Blacks. A delightful but short mihi ensued.
As you've doubtlessly put together by now, there is very little point to this post. I shall slightly redeem meself by adding that if you've got the chance, get to a lecture at LOC, in especial if it happens to have a little reception afterwards. I joked with one of the other participants about feeling as if we were participating in forbidden rituals since we found ourselves in a glorious AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY thing that I would call an oubliette but clearly had windows and a proper door along with some stunning architectural detail. Tread off the path both in dress and in essence.
]]>I love thinking in colour, and this lets users choose a colour when editing a text document. I also love that there's a built in chat component. What an incredibly useful, simple tool.
]]>Hopefully this will become less of a problem now :D
Kick on over to
It's far from compleat just yet, but there are areas that are quite detailed. If we all start with our neck of the woods, this will make one heck of a tool for folks that are homebound, school kids doing projects, and folks that are just morbidly curious about history.
There are high quality pictures of the markers themselves, precise coordinates of the signs, and good google mashups that let you really get a feel for what's where and when. While the search and indexing is a bit clunky, this is a great resource as it is, and it immediately made me think "I need to go blog about this."
]]>http://gamesandlibraries.wetpaint.com/page/Eli+Neiburger+transcript
Rather than cut and paste his comments into chat, he thankfully and thoughtfully said a little bit, took a query, answered it, then expounded. This was quite different from the usual cut and paste Yank, and it certainly had my attention. Not only did he know who I was right away (stroke the ego a little to the left!) but he also did very well swimming outside the normal stream of conclusions.
Certainly feathers were ruffled by some of his statements, but what makes Eli intriguing is that he's one of a handful of gaming researchers in the US that actually understands the point of gaming. It shouldn't be earth shattering to point out that gaming should be fun. However, certain people have beaten the fun out of gaming in a fashion that's quite similar to the average high school English teacher beating the beauty out of your favourite sonnet. In demanding equal time and equal respect for gaming, he's setting his feet where few dare to tread.
It's interesting to feel the pulse of this group; to me there's a stark difference between a presentation given by Americans and anyone else. The Anyone else lot in question is generally from someplace in Pasifika, and even there generally from NZ's West Island ;). These folks tend to adhere to the European form of scholarship whether they realise it or no; they put together stellar content and they welcome tough questions. Sorry, but Yanks tend to yelp as if they're stung when posed with a heavy duty tough scientific question. Thanks to the wonders of virtual reality, this means I can have my food for thought format once a monthish and have something brilliant to think on.
I'm a little old fashioned, because I still think that most of the time it's a very good idea to tie gaming back to either curriculum or book reading. One of the most clever presentations I've attended was one of Beth Gallaway's "Get Your Game On" where she genrifies games. Flip to slide 56ish of
http://www.slideshare.net/informationgoddess29/swfln-get-your-game-on
if you're curious. Ever after, I've used that to talk to teens that game in order to provide Reader's Advisory.
As an aside, I like this professional guild more than the one on Aerie Peak thanks to some of the side discussions I've had via whisper. It's a shame it's mostly a once a month lot, but I've come to expect that from busy librarians.
]]>"Pardon me, you seem to have my drawer. Would you mind sharing?" Our heads or hands would sometimes touch, and that would be the beginning of yet another beautiful friendship. Stupid OPACs.
Mind you, retrospectively, a lot of their policies were less than Patron centric. However, as Library Gossip Queen, I know through the grapevine that their sucky ex duhrector was like to blame for much of my opinion. Indeed, that one ended up paired perfectly with the crummy board of a wee Upstate New York Library...
Anyhow, "I have always depended on the kindness of strangers". Being a luddite, I don't have a mobile, nor do I want one. I currently don't have a lappy. I've ever enjoyed coming up with creative alternatives on the road. Borrowing someone's phone or internet connection builds character, grants you a good story, and introduces ye to someone new. (I don't even want to think on how badly those items are actually needed in less developed areas.) So I shy away from having me own stuff right now.
Let me just say, free Internet access at the Library is not a given. A lot of people feel the need to password or Patron barcode protect their terminals. From what or whom I'll never know, but this little bar to access has often meant a missed social outing for me, or a wrong turn on the road, or what not.
Props to the East Brunswick Public Library for not currently having this barrier. After causing the information desk Librarian to chuckle at the mention of where the Reference Department used to be in that Library, I happily settled into a terminal, satiated my unfettered communications addiction, and got back on the road again refreshed. It turned out to be the only quality time I had with a computer in a number of days this go.
]]>I'm a Librarian, though, and like a good little Librarian, I went and skittered over to politifact and bls to double check. Yep, pretty hideous. Also, the former had freggin' nothing. (Surely there must be a whole heap of folks lying about veteran's employment. I will blame my bad search skills. #reasonsIamnotareferenceLibrarian.)
I propose a two pronged attack. First, hire indigenous people to staff your desks. I love that this is the case in New Zealand. You will probably kill two birds with one stone and end up hiring a vet at the same time. You should have seen the tent at this job fair - sodexho. Hooray! The folks that were just getting shot at sure want to work in a hotel or a cafeteria someplace.
Beef up your collections in American Indian literature if you're on Turtle Island, your local First Nation elsewhere. Cuts some of the sting out of unemployment, educates *everyone*, and helps preserve culture. Sounds pretty on mission to me. :)
]]>If you want to force push your representative into supporting your Library, you must use the C word.
A lot.
Think kindergarten levels of repetition.
The C word?
Constituents.
If you don't believe me about the weight of this word, sit down, watch the news, and count how many times you hear a politician use it. Speak their language.
Libraries serve *everyone*. They are bipartisan in nature. We are not niche arts programmes, we are a social safety net and the nation's think tank.
That phone call chart on their wall might not have "Library Funding" very high on the hash list, but that'd change overnight the second they think of shutting us down.
Sit down with them, preferably *not* right before budget time, and talk to them about this. Bring a Library card for them in their name all ready to be filled up. Bonus points if you get an older member and say the words "What legacy would you like to leave?"
Ornery member? Wait for the next guy.
Do NOT wait a second if a new member arrives on the scene! If you show up from the start, you'll get a meaningful relationship instead of the nod and smile you get on Library Legislative day.
Thank AND spank. We are very good at the first. However, I'm tired of Librarians giving photo ops to members that do not support Libraries. No shoot for you!
]]>Fear not! Luckily New York's Metropolitan Opera (http://www.metoperafamily.org) has a model season. One can do worse than visiting the site and copying shamelessly, or checking one's collection against next year's offerings. While these might not hit the best performers, they certain highlight many of opera's must haves.
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/season/index.aspx?type=next
As always, amazon's wishlist is a great way to get the word out on what you would like on your shelves, but might not have the budget to put there.
]]>Some of them aren't, but a lot are. What more do you need for a wee bit of inspiration while crunching scandalously dirty data?
]]>http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Albany-library-budget-trails-138...
The little mister laid that one on me early in the morning. I am morbidly intrigued by Albany Public HeLl since they so continuously take the wrong decision it runs close to statistically impossible. Library school students, take note! Don't do what these guys do!
The largest problem is that there is little to no rotation at the Board level. Despite having left upstate New York years back, were I to attend a meeting there would only be a couple of faces I didn't recognise. This in and of itself would not be terrible if there were a decent Director in living memory. Edgar Tompkins anyone? Psst, there are a few good candidates still slaving away on your staff. Try one of them next go round. They have a vested community interest and a good eye for the problematique. At least do a shotgun google search before hiring someone. Promoting from within is not a communicable disease.
Okay, okay, we can muddle on another year or two with terrible leadership. At least the mission statement now sounds like it ought to.
Sorry? What? Oh, you planned a budget vote at the end of the life of your long range plan. Oh dear.
Yeah, this effectively will make voters think that you had no plan B. As the sole factor, it probably wouldn't matter. In the midst of a deep recession, and thrown in the mix with poor leadership, one sees why the rats have long since left.
Gee, I'm sure glad we took the elitist tack and appealed to wealthy voters by renovating the branches before the Main Branch. What's that? They weren't terribly appreciative when we sold off their traditional locations for properties a friend of a friend had at a *wink wink nudge nudge* price?
The worst part of this entire scenario is that the bad decisions of an ex director continue to haunt them. His testosterone got him into the poor graces of the Mayor. The Mayor withdrew support at a key time, resulting in an initial budget referendum that was insufficient to meet the plans in the works. Had that director listened to one of the preeminent consultants in the field, literally none of this would have ever happened. If Nolan Lushington will work for you folks, for the love of the gods, listen to his advice.
Even if you put on a stiff upper lip about the initial underfunding, and pulled yourself up by the bootstraps of the eventuality of having a million dollars a branch, one might quickly arrive at the conclusion that a million a branch should be doable. It is. Motley Fool would tsc at living below one's means. What's that? We made cuts?
I suppose. If we want to cut the most popular programming while leaving the fat of an endless parade of administrative staff that frankly do not need to be there, then yes, congratulations, you've made cuts. I can't imagine why folks are irritated in increasing numbers each year at referendum time.
]]>http://www.oclc.org/research/events/2011-06-08.htm
being held next month in The District.
Who loves the French? I do.
]]>I can't help but wonder how it got to that, though.
What is it that turns a heart from bitter to right? There was an interesting NPR talk on Loyalty: The Vexing Virtue
http://www.amazon.com/Loyalty-Vexing-Virtue-Eric-Felten/dp/1439176868/re...
it doesn't hurt that I'm reading the Other Queen, too.
http://www.amazon.com/Other-Queen-Novel-Philippa-Gregory/dp/1416549145/r...
I point out that I've seemingly always walked a tightrope between greatness and infamy. The latter makes for very strange bedfellows and great storytelling. As I've run into those on the left road, I've tried to help pull them up.
I can't help but think back to a number of years ago at a Midwinter that I crashed. A swoop and I were discussing torture and how incredibly ineffective it was at drawing out good information. Great inquisitors make someone on the other side of the fence volunteer information because they *want* to please you.
But what about smaller instances? This is information after all. What about an anonymous tip here and there - the sort of thing that makes a courier spill the beans. Is it what we see in one another? Is it the prick of conscience?
They tell us in fundraising that guilt is a bad motivator and to shoot for altruism. They also say that what a Patron checks out is none of our damn beeswax. Do we interfere if we suspect a pattern? Do we occasionally sacrifice privacy and education in favour of enrichment?
]]>Why do you need it? Because Galen says so, that's why.
http://galencharlton.com/blog/2011/04/reading-upgrade-instructions-is-fu...
]]>Let's say for a moment that you didn't hear anything particularly bad about this painter. You weren't SUPER diligent, so perhaps you didn't turn over all the rocks you might have. On the day your contract specified the painter to arrive, he didn't show. Perhaps this happened the other way round, a family emergency occurred, and you kindly asked the painter to put things on hold for the foreseeable future.
No services were rendered. No money changed hands. No real harm was done.
Now let's shift this into the world of automation.
It is very rare to have a bad round of bidding in the Library world. There are poor negotiations, but most of us have get three bids beaten into us.
All RFPs are equal, but some are more equal than others. I hate to use the loaded word "actionable" but when I read how vague some of the proposals are, a tech company would need a ouija board to capture a Librarian's intent sometimes. This also tends to happen with enhancement requests. Still, a good vendor will handhold if need be in order to deliver quality service.
But what about a bad vendor? Is there such a thing? How do we steer clear of the big iceberg?
Yes Virginia, there are.
Unfortunately, PTFS and SirsiDynix have taken to extortion as a substitute to software as a service. There might even be a few more baddies out there, but hey, I have seen court papers for these with my own beady little eyes or heard tell directly from a party or two with my own little ears.
(http://www.scribd.com/doc/53254142/SirsiDynix-s-Complaint-Against-CPC)
I suppose it's an easier alternative. The mentality is surely close to purse snatching from little old ladies. Let's not provide proper service, or worse, any service whatsoever, and if a Library cries foul, let's threaten to sue the bejeezus out of them. If they put their foot down, perhaps we'll need to spend the funds to take it to court. Or perhaps we'll just settle out of court, since we know any sane judge will not side with us.
(http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/technologyproductsvendors/884206-296/si...)
We're not *not* bait and switching as a business practice!
Please do avoid both like the plague.
Did you know that some of the vendors are so awful that they now roll gag orders into their contracts? If you're on a negotiations team, I'd highly recommend their removal. If their service is crap, you should be able to tell the rest of the community that. Nor should you waive your rights to pursue a claim in court. These two things are giant red flags not to sign on that dotted line.
So what do you do, if you suspect that the bullies stack the deck? Head straight for a Law Librarian that you trust. They might not be willing or able to give you proper legal advice, but many will give you their informal opinion. At a very minimum, they'd be able to refer you to a Lawyer *they* trust. You can pay a little up front to avoid a big mistake, or you can pay a lot in court costs or extortion money later. (We _would_ let you out of your contract, but hey, it's so easy to just collect money for doing nothing!) Here's hoping that your Bar Association will be able to connect you with someone pro bono. Lawyers do love us even if they might not beat down our doors to prove it. (Oh fine, you got me, lawyers don't have feelings. ;) )
Know your rights, and be willing to stand up. We can't afford to hide under our desks any longer. Our taxpayers deserve better.
]]>