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UNYSLA Spring Meeting: Toot Your Own Horn: Measuring & Meeting Your Objectives
Today the Upstate New York Chapter of the Special Libraries Association has its spring meeting and the theme was "Toot Your Own Horn: Measuring & Meeting Your Objectives". The speakers were Jim DelRosso, Sean Branagan and myself.
Why Assessment Matters: Defining Your Results -- You can see my slides below. My key message is that we -- libraries, librarians, library services/projects -- need to capture how we are impacting our users in the near-term as well as for the long-term. (Yes, think long term!) The data and stories are important for demonstrating our worth to our administration or management. Yes, we do great at capturing numbers such as circulation or number of users, but not always how our services have changed or impacted our users. Can you assess the impact that is occurring now? In the future, can you do another assessment to see what the continued impact has been?
Plural of Anecdote: Assessing the Success of a Digital Repository -- Jim DelRosso talked about the Digital Commons@ILR and how they have assessed it. Three things stood out to me:
One activity that Sean advocated that we do is to create a 500-word story about our specific libraries or services (one story per library or per service). The story (narrative) should communicate what the service is and how it should be used, its benefits, etc. It needs to talk about the service from the user's point of view. Once you have that narrative, start cutting the number of words used. Go from 500 words to 125 words, which means you need to select your word more carefully and think about what is important to communicate about the service. Once that is done, edit down to 50 words, then down to 25 words. After you have described the service in 25 words, edit down to 10 words and then to three words. The three-word description is likely your tagline or slogan; however, you may find the 10 or 25 word description to be appropriate to use on different marketing pieces. It is likely that the 125 and 500 word versions will be narratives that could continue to be used internally to remind staff about the vision of the service.
I can see the benefit of creating personas and stories, yet I know that neither is easy and that many will not stop to do the exercises. However, I can see the benefit in both and will look to incorporate those activities into one of the classes I teach (Planning, Marketing and Assessing Library Services).
Finally, I have to give thumbs up to the ice-breaker activity Chris Miller had us do. He gave each of us a piece of paper that contained a space for us to each write a question we would ask others over lunch. The paper then has spaces for 11 names and answers. Our task was to ask our interview question (e.g., where is your favorite place to go for a walk?) to 11 different people and write down their answers. After lunch, each person was introduced and then we chimed in with any pieces of information we had learned about him/her. With ~25 people in the room, it took a half hour to get through everyone, but it was fun and informative! We all learned something new about each other and it definitely was different than the normal introductions. I can see using that exercise again.
The Upstate New York Chapter will have another meeting in the fall. The web site and the chapter's email list will be used to announce it.
Why Assessment Matters: Defining Your Results -- You can see my slides below. My key message is that we -- libraries, librarians, library services/projects -- need to capture how we are impacting our users in the near-term as well as for the long-term. (Yes, think long term!) The data and stories are important for demonstrating our worth to our administration or management. Yes, we do great at capturing numbers such as circulation or number of users, but not always how our services have changed or impacted our users. Can you assess the impact that is occurring now? In the future, can you do another assessment to see what the continued impact has been?
Plural of Anecdote: Assessing the Success of a Digital Repository -- Jim DelRosso talked about the Digital Commons@ILR and how they have assessed it. Three things stood out to me:
- Define your target audiences and then create personas to represent each target audience. (Jim said he got this from someone who is in the Boston area, but I didn't catch the name.) The persona is created by understanding what the demographics of the that audience (group of users) is, as well as other information that makes that group of users different from other groups of users. The persona is the "picture" or description you can refer to so when you talk about your target audience (users), you have persona to help you can visualize what that audience looks like.
- You need data and the anecdotal stories. In fact, sometimes the data will tell you a story OR point out that there is a story there that you don't know. Jim noted that we always tell stories. He also said that we make up stories when we see data, so why not provide the stories rather than having people make up stories that could be misleading?
- Sometimes you only need one story (or one data point). Jim told a story about one use of the Digital Commons that got other people interested in it as well as outside recognition. One use. Don't ignore stories even if they are based on what seems like a small use or data point. They could be very powerful evidence.
One activity that Sean advocated that we do is to create a 500-word story about our specific libraries or services (one story per library or per service). The story (narrative) should communicate what the service is and how it should be used, its benefits, etc. It needs to talk about the service from the user's point of view. Once you have that narrative, start cutting the number of words used. Go from 500 words to 125 words, which means you need to select your word more carefully and think about what is important to communicate about the service. Once that is done, edit down to 50 words, then down to 25 words. After you have described the service in 25 words, edit down to 10 words and then to three words. The three-word description is likely your tagline or slogan; however, you may find the 10 or 25 word description to be appropriate to use on different marketing pieces. It is likely that the 125 and 500 word versions will be narratives that could continue to be used internally to remind staff about the vision of the service.
I can see the benefit of creating personas and stories, yet I know that neither is easy and that many will not stop to do the exercises. However, I can see the benefit in both and will look to incorporate those activities into one of the classes I teach (Planning, Marketing and Assessing Library Services).
Finally, I have to give thumbs up to the ice-breaker activity Chris Miller had us do. He gave each of us a piece of paper that contained a space for us to each write a question we would ask others over lunch. The paper then has spaces for 11 names and answers. Our task was to ask our interview question (e.g., where is your favorite place to go for a walk?) to 11 different people and write down their answers. After lunch, each person was introduced and then we chimed in with any pieces of information we had learned about him/her. With ~25 people in the room, it took a half hour to get through everyone, but it was fun and informative! We all learned something new about each other and it definitely was different than the normal introductions. I can see using that exercise again.
The Upstate New York Chapter will have another meeting in the fall. The web site and the chapter's email list will be used to announce it.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Audio interviews with Ulla de Stricker & Jill Hurst-Wahl on defining and creating your success
Dennie Heye in the Netherlands interviewed myself and Ulla de Stricker about our book, The Information and Knowledge Professionals Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success, for the SLA Europe Chapter. Dennie asked use about the book in general, then narrowed in on a couple of specific chapters. Our interviews are indeed different, so feel free to listen to them both.
Interview with Jill (20 min.) - Jill talks about the valuable concept of social capital and the importance of using business cases to sell our ideas to management and stakeholders.
Interview with Ulla (~15 min.) - Ulla explains how the book is a collection of many years of experience, the myths around writing a good resume, why you need a professional tag line and why passion alone does not sell an idea.
Related blog post: Announcing: The Information and Knowledge Professional's Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success
Interview with Jill (20 min.) - Jill talks about the valuable concept of social capital and the importance of using business cases to sell our ideas to management and stakeholders.
Interview with Ulla (~15 min.) - Ulla explains how the book is a collection of many years of experience, the myths around writing a good resume, why you need a professional tag line and why passion alone does not sell an idea.
Related blog post: Announcing: The Information and Knowledge Professional's Career Handbook: Define and Create Your Success
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Field 720
Why do I so rarely see field 720 used? I just downloaded a record that had two names not in the LC Authority file, yet both were in field 700. Here is the description of field 720 from MARC Full.
Added entry in which the name is not controlled in an authority file or list. It is also used for names that have not been formulated according to cataloging rules. Names may be of any type (e.g., personal, corporate, meeting).
Used when one of the other access fields (e.g., 1XX (Headings) or 7XX (Added Entries)) cannot be used because the level of control and/or structure of the name does not meet the requirements of the other access fields. Field 720 should not be used for uncontrolled names intended to provide subject access. In that case, field 653 (Index Term-Uncontrolled) is preferred.Sounds like the field to use when the names aren't in LCNAF or some other file.
Just asking, am I missing something?
5 April
It has been suggested, in a comment, that perhaps these are controlled in a local database. Maybe, but in a shared cataloging environment where we don't have access to the local database is it good policy? Just asking. I can see if they were in the German or French or Brazilian authority files but something local not so much. I very rarely see the 720, are people using it? Am I just not clear on the concept?
Added entry in which the name is not controlled in an authority file or list. It is also used for names that have not been formulated according to cataloging rules. Names may be of any type (e.g., personal, corporate, meeting).
Used when one of the other access fields (e.g., 1XX (Headings) or 7XX (Added Entries)) cannot be used because the level of control and/or structure of the name does not meet the requirements of the other access fields. Field 720 should not be used for uncontrolled names intended to provide subject access. In that case, field 653 (Index Term-Uncontrolled) is preferred.Sounds like the field to use when the names aren't in LCNAF or some other file.
Just asking, am I missing something?
5 April
It has been suggested, in a comment, that perhaps these are controlled in a local database. Maybe, but in a shared cataloging environment where we don't have access to the local database is it good policy? Just asking. I can see if they were in the German or French or Brazilian authority files but something local not so much. I very rarely see the 720, are people using it? Am I just not clear on the concept?
CIL2011: Final wrap-up and looking toward next year
It's been over a week since the Computers in Libraries Conference ended and I'm finally writing my last blog post about the event. Consider this stuff that didn't fit anywhere else.
What's in a name? I had several conversations this year - outside of the conference - about the conference's name. The name "Computers in Libraries" no longer captures what the conference is about. This is a conference that attracts people that are passionate about what libraries can do, who are creative in their approaches (innovators), and who - yes - see technology as an enabler, but not always as the most important thing to consider.
Renaming the conference would be a hassle, but could broaden interest in the yearly event. Perhaps there is an appropriate name with the same acronym? Creative Innovations in Libraries (CIL)?
The CIL web site - I have always appreciated the CIL website, which contains information on all of the sessions, speakers, etc. It is easy to navigate and requires nothing special in order to use it. Information Today always makes the presentations available on the web site, after the conference is over, for anyone to review. That level of sharing reflects the level of sharing that the CIL community desires (and on occasion has demanded).
Mobile conference program - This year, Information Today launched a mobile conference program and told people how to add it to their smartphone's home screen. Nothing like having the program on your phone so you can quickly check what sessions are going on, where they are, etc.
Add sessions to your calendar - There was also an iCal version of the schedule that was available for people to add to their Google calendar. And once in Google, it could be synced to other calendar programs. Again the emphasis was on making it easy for people to access the schedule.
For those three things above, Information Today gets two thumbs way up!
A community - CIL isn't just a conference, it is a community that welcomes new participants. I don't know that newcomers always recognize that they can (and should) engage in conversations with anyone and everyone that is at the conference. It is through conversations that we all learn. And...yes...important learning does happen outside of the sessions.
Next year - CIL 2012 will be held March 21 – 23, 2012 at the Washington Hilton. I'd encourage you to find a way of getting there in order to hang out with this creative and innovative group of people (all 2000 of them). Yes, there are less expensive hotels in DC and you can cut costs even more by sharing a room. If multiple people come from the same organization, Information Today has offered a price break in the past and I'd hope they would continue that.
If you are interested in presentation at CIL, look for the call for proposals likely in August-September 2011 (my guess).
And let's hope that the Washington Hilton has spent money upgrading its communications network and Internet connection. While CIL isn't just about technology, this is a group that carries a lot of technology with them and we want/need reliable Internet access!
Related blog posts:
What's in a name? I had several conversations this year - outside of the conference - about the conference's name. The name "Computers in Libraries" no longer captures what the conference is about. This is a conference that attracts people that are passionate about what libraries can do, who are creative in their approaches (innovators), and who - yes - see technology as an enabler, but not always as the most important thing to consider.
Renaming the conference would be a hassle, but could broaden interest in the yearly event. Perhaps there is an appropriate name with the same acronym? Creative Innovations in Libraries (CIL)?
The CIL web site - I have always appreciated the CIL website, which contains information on all of the sessions, speakers, etc. It is easy to navigate and requires nothing special in order to use it. Information Today always makes the presentations available on the web site, after the conference is over, for anyone to review. That level of sharing reflects the level of sharing that the CIL community desires (and on occasion has demanded).
Mobile conference program - This year, Information Today launched a mobile conference program and told people how to add it to their smartphone's home screen. Nothing like having the program on your phone so you can quickly check what sessions are going on, where they are, etc.
Add sessions to your calendar - There was also an iCal version of the schedule that was available for people to add to their Google calendar. And once in Google, it could be synced to other calendar programs. Again the emphasis was on making it easy for people to access the schedule.
For those three things above, Information Today gets two thumbs way up!
A community - CIL isn't just a conference, it is a community that welcomes new participants. I don't know that newcomers always recognize that they can (and should) engage in conversations with anyone and everyone that is at the conference. It is through conversations that we all learn. And...yes...important learning does happen outside of the sessions.
Next year - CIL 2012 will be held March 21 – 23, 2012 at the Washington Hilton. I'd encourage you to find a way of getting there in order to hang out with this creative and innovative group of people (all 2000 of them). Yes, there are less expensive hotels in DC and you can cut costs even more by sharing a room. If multiple people come from the same organization, Information Today has offered a price break in the past and I'd hope they would continue that.
If you are interested in presentation at CIL, look for the call for proposals likely in August-September 2011 (my guess).
And let's hope that the Washington Hilton has spent money upgrading its communications network and Internet connection. While CIL isn't just about technology, this is a group that carries a lot of technology with them and we want/need reliable Internet access!
Related blog posts:
- CIL2011: Three Keys to Engaging Digital Natives
- CIL2011: Planning & Realizing the "Fourth Place"
- CIL2011: Different models of learning spaces
- Community, Collaboration, and Learning: Time for the Fourth Place
- CIL2011: Topeka's QR Code Scavenger Hunt
- CIL2011: Going Mobile
- CIL2011: Value through Longevity: File Format Migration Using Open Source Tools
- CIL2011: How Libraries Add Value to Communities
- CIL2011: Community Tagging by Cataloguing Staff
- CIL2011: Random Thoughts
- CIL2011: Innovative Marketing Tools and Strategies
- CIL2011: Search tips from Mary Ellen Bates
- CIL2011: Monday mornings keynote (not!)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
CIL2011: Three Keys to Engaging Digital Natives
I'm just realizing that I hadn't published this blog post from Tuesday, March 22. My apologies.
The Tuesday keynote speaker is Michelle Manafy - Director of Content, Free Pint Limited.
(BTW I wish her screen shots were larger. The graphics on her PowerPoint template take up too much space.)
Her three main points were:
The term digital native was introduced in 2001. Digital natives have had a lifelong immersion in digital technologies. They actively speak the language of digital phones, the Internet, etc. Many of the people in the room at CIL
By the time they graduate from college, they will have:
Andy Warhol's saying "everyone will be famous for 15 minutes" has change to "everyone will be famous to 15 people." - Tara Hunt, The Whuffle Factor
Shift in privacy, for example:
The inclination to live publicly allows police to crowdsource an investigation.
Social sign-on -- allow people to sign onto your site using their ID from their social site (e.g., Facebook). Allows for more information sharing and community building.
TakingItGlobal - leveraged social sign-on to integrate user data, to create a sense of community, and to allow users to promote TakingITGloblal back in their social networks.
SparkNotes
"Crowdsoucing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people." - Jeff Howe
HAUL videos (Youtube) - videos about shopping sprees (hauls)
When we bring digital natives into our organizations, we then limit they're ability to innovate through information sharing.
Quirky - social product development - provides real-time market feedback. Marketing starts will the product is being discussed and well before it gets to market.
Local Motors - the largest community of car designers. All vehicles are designed in an open community process.
ProPublica - Crowdsourced journalism
DigitalKout (sp?) - play games to improve the accuracy of scanned documents.
Schools app - on Facebook - allows universities to create private areas in Facebook.
Knowledge shared is power.
Digital natives are more likely to purchase products and services that they helped to create. They also have more confidence in peer created/shared content.
This is a generation that wants to do business with itself.
Kids today have a really different view of currency. Currency doesn't need to be money. It could be ratings and reputations.
Companies need to engage their users - listen, respond, react. Be constructive.
Threadless - crowdsourced t-shirt designs
PBS Digital Nation Project - Project team posted rough video from the project. User feedback was factored into the documentary. People are still engaging there talking about how living digital has changed their lives.
There is a UK library that is being rebuilt and re-envisioned from the ground up. Want to build a community around information. They are going to leverage mobile technologies. The library is leveraging QR codes, GPS and virtual reality to help users navigate the physical library.
The Tuesday keynote speaker is Michelle Manafy - Director of Content, Free Pint Limited.
(BTW I wish her screen shots were larger. The graphics on her PowerPoint template take up too much space.)
Her three main points were:
- Public opinion not private lives
- Knowledge sharing not knowledge hoarding
- Interactions not transactions
The term digital native was introduced in 2001. Digital natives have had a lifelong immersion in digital technologies. They actively speak the language of digital phones, the Internet, etc. Many of the people in the room at CIL
By the time they graduate from college, they will have:
- spent 10,000 hours playing video games
- sent or received 200,000 emails and IMs
- spent 10,000 hours talking on cell phones
Andy Warhol's saying "everyone will be famous for 15 minutes" has change to "everyone will be famous to 15 people." - Tara Hunt, The Whuffle Factor
Shift in privacy, for example:
- IJustMadeLove.com
- Police routinely monitor Twitter for gang activity. Gang members openly use Facebook to talk about their lives.
The inclination to live publicly allows police to crowdsource an investigation.
Social sign-on -- allow people to sign onto your site using their ID from their social site (e.g., Facebook). Allows for more information sharing and community building.
TakingItGlobal - leveraged social sign-on to integrate user data, to create a sense of community, and to allow users to promote TakingITGloblal back in their social networks.
SparkNotes
"Crowdsoucing is the act of taking a job traditionally performed by a designated agent (usually an employee) and outsourcing it to an undefined, generally large group of people." - Jeff Howe
HAUL videos (Youtube) - videos about shopping sprees (hauls)
When we bring digital natives into our organizations, we then limit they're ability to innovate through information sharing.
Quirky - social product development - provides real-time market feedback. Marketing starts will the product is being discussed and well before it gets to market.
Local Motors - the largest community of car designers. All vehicles are designed in an open community process.
ProPublica - Crowdsourced journalism
DigitalKout (sp?) - play games to improve the accuracy of scanned documents.
Schools app - on Facebook - allows universities to create private areas in Facebook.
Knowledge shared is power.
Digital natives are more likely to purchase products and services that they helped to create. They also have more confidence in peer created/shared content.
This is a generation that wants to do business with itself.
Kids today have a really different view of currency. Currency doesn't need to be money. It could be ratings and reputations.
Companies need to engage their users - listen, respond, react. Be constructive.
Threadless - crowdsourced t-shirt designs
PBS Digital Nation Project - Project team posted rough video from the project. User feedback was factored into the documentary. People are still engaging there talking about how living digital has changed their lives.
There is a UK library that is being rebuilt and re-envisioned from the ground up. Want to build a community around information. They are going to leverage mobile technologies. The library is leveraging QR codes, GPS and virtual reality to help users navigate the physical library.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Save the Data
The Sunlight Foundation is tyring to ensure government transparency.
Some of the most important technology programs that keep Washington accountable are in danger of being eliminated. Data.gov, USASpending.gov, the IT Dashboard and other federal data transparency and government accountability programs are facing a massive budget cut, despite only being a tiny fraction of the national budget. Help save the data and make sure that Congress doesn’t leave the American people in the dark.Related articles
Some of the most important technology programs that keep Washington accountable are in danger of being eliminated. Data.gov, USASpending.gov, the IT Dashboard and other federal data transparency and government accountability programs are facing a massive budget cut, despite only being a tiny fraction of the national budget. Help save the data and make sure that Congress doesn’t leave the American people in the dark.Related articles
- Save The Data! Save the Data! (theartofaccess.com)
- US gov 'transparency' websites targeted for big, fat budget cuts (go.theregister.com)
- Data.gov & 7 Other Sites to Shut Down After Budgets Cut (readwriteweb.com)
Information Standards Quarterly
Image via WikipediaNISO’s first open access issue of Information Standards Quarterly (ISQ) is now available. The full issue as well as individual articles are available for free download in PDF format. Some of the content is:
- NISO Year in Review 2010 by Karen Wetzel
- TC46 Year in Review 2010 by Cynthia Hodgson
- SUSHI Implementation: The Client Side Experience by Omar Villa
- SUSHI Implementation: The Server Side Experience by Brinda Shah
- Dedicated to Standards by Andrew Pace
- Standard Spotlight: The OpenURL Maintenance Agency: Extending and Promoting the Use of OpenURL by Phil Norman and Jeff Young
- Member Spotlight : American Psychological Association: Using Standards to Improve the Dissemination of Knowledge by Linda Beebe
- Establishing Suggested Practices Regarding Single Sign On (ESPReSSO) Working Group by Heather Ruland Staines, Harry Kaplanian, and Kristine Ferry
Social Networks and Archival Context Project
The Social Networks and Archival Context Project (SNAC) sounds interesting.
Leveraging the new standard Encoded Archival Context-Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families (EAC-CPF), the SNAC Project will use digital technology to “unlock” descriptions of people from finding aids and link them together in exciting new ways. We will:
Leveraging the new standard Encoded Archival Context-Corporate Bodies, Persons, and Families (EAC-CPF), the SNAC Project will use digital technology to “unlock” descriptions of people from finding aids and link them together in exciting new ways. We will:
- Create efficient open-source tools that allow archivists to separate the process of describing people from that of records.
- Create a prototype integrated historical resource and access system that will link descriptions of people to one another and to descriptions of resources in archives, libraries and museums; online biographical and historical databases; and other diverse resources.
- SNAC :: Social Networks and Archival Context Project (socialarchive.iath.virginia.edu)
More reading on the rejection of the Amended Settlement Agreement in the Google Book Settlement Case
Lois Wasoff recommended this readings during a Copyright Clearance Center webinar on this topic (March 30, 2011):
- Inside Judge Chin's Opinion
- Book Ruling Cuts Options for Google
- Google Block: The Google Books settlement should teach the company humility. It won't.
- A Digital Library Better Than Google’s
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Event: Digital Preservation Management Workshop, SUNY Albany, June 5-10 - Applications Open
As received in email.
Call for ApplicationsWe are very pleased that our colleagues at the University at Albany, SUNY will host the five-day Digital Preservation Management workshop this June in Albany, New York. Application Form available on April 13, 2011 at 1:00pm ET at http://www.regonline.com/DPMworkshop-Albany2011.
Digital Preservation Management: Short-Term Solutions for Long-Term ProblemsLocation: Albany, New York, USADates: June 5 – 10, 2011Tuition: USD $ 950.00
Who Should Attend?The intended audience for the workshop series is managers at organizations of all kinds who are or will be responsible for managing digital content over time. The workshop begins on Sunday evening with an opening session, continues Monday -Thursday 9am - 5pm, and concludes on Friday at noon. Additional information about the workshop content and instructors is available at: http:// www.icpsr.umich.edu/dpm/workshops/fiveday.html.
Instructors and Keynote Speaker Nancy McGovern is the lead instructor for the workshop and will be joined by three topical instructors. The Keynote speaker for the Albany June 2011 workshop is Theresa Pardo, the Center Director of the Center for Technology in Government.
Application for RegistrationWorkshop applications are reviewed before a formal acceptance and registration for the workshop may occur – a two-step process. The application system will be available at 1pm ET on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 and will remain open until the workshop is full (24 participants). We have already had a very high level of interest in the workshop and encourage early application. Apply online at: http:// www.regonline.com/DPMworkshop-Albany2011
Please Note: Applicants will be notified within five (5) business days if they are accepted to register for the June Albany, NY workshop. Until then, all applicant status will be ‘pending’. Persons accepted to register will be able to do so at the beginning of May when the registration and tuition payment system will be made available.
About the WorkshopThe Digital Preservation Management Workshops, a series presented since 2003, incorporate community standards and exemplars of good practice to provide practical guidance for developing effective digital preservation programs. The workshops were initially developed at Cornell University beginning in 2003 under the direction of Anne Kenney and Nancy McGovern. Since 2006, McGovern has continued curricular development and directing the workshop from ICPSR at the University of Michigan. This has included development of Special Topic advanced workshops and a Train-the-Trainer program. Through 2010, the workshop series was developed with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. If you have questions, please contact us at: digital-preservation @ icpsr.umich.edu
Call for ApplicationsWe are very pleased that our colleagues at the University at Albany, SUNY will host the five-day Digital Preservation Management workshop this June in Albany, New York. Application Form available on April 13, 2011 at 1:00pm ET at http://www.regonline.com/DPMworkshop-Albany2011.
Digital Preservation Management: Short-Term Solutions for Long-Term ProblemsLocation: Albany, New York, USADates: June 5 – 10, 2011Tuition: USD $ 950.00
Who Should Attend?The intended audience for the workshop series is managers at organizations of all kinds who are or will be responsible for managing digital content over time. The workshop begins on Sunday evening with an opening session, continues Monday -Thursday 9am - 5pm, and concludes on Friday at noon. Additional information about the workshop content and instructors is available at: http:// www.icpsr.umich.edu/dpm/workshops/fiveday.html.
Instructors and Keynote Speaker Nancy McGovern is the lead instructor for the workshop and will be joined by three topical instructors. The Keynote speaker for the Albany June 2011 workshop is Theresa Pardo, the Center Director of the Center for Technology in Government.
Application for RegistrationWorkshop applications are reviewed before a formal acceptance and registration for the workshop may occur – a two-step process. The application system will be available at 1pm ET on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 and will remain open until the workshop is full (24 participants). We have already had a very high level of interest in the workshop and encourage early application. Apply online at: http:// www.regonline.com/DPMworkshop-Albany2011
Please Note: Applicants will be notified within five (5) business days if they are accepted to register for the June Albany, NY workshop. Until then, all applicant status will be ‘pending’. Persons accepted to register will be able to do so at the beginning of May when the registration and tuition payment system will be made available.
About the WorkshopThe Digital Preservation Management Workshops, a series presented since 2003, incorporate community standards and exemplars of good practice to provide practical guidance for developing effective digital preservation programs. The workshops were initially developed at Cornell University beginning in 2003 under the direction of Anne Kenney and Nancy McGovern. Since 2006, McGovern has continued curricular development and directing the workshop from ICPSR at the University of Michigan. This has included development of Special Topic advanced workshops and a Train-the-Trainer program. Through 2010, the workshop series was developed with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. If you have questions, please contact us at: digital-preservation @ icpsr.umich.edu
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Statistical Abstract
The U.S. Census Bureau is considering stopping compiling and publishing the Statistical Abstract. There is a petition drive going on to save it.
Related articles
Related articles
- The end of the Statistical Abstract of the United States? (flowingdata.com)
- Update on Statistical Abstract | Free Government Information (FGI) (freegovinfo.info)
Notes from lecture given by David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States
David S. Ferriero, Archivist of the United States, spoke at Syracuse University on March 28 on the topic of "Protecting National Security in an Open Government Environment: the Role of the National Archives". What follows are my notes, which I hope capture his comments, as well as the Q&A, accurately. I wish I could have typed faster which he delivered his prepared remarks, because I know I missed valuable information.
Piece of trivia, Ferriero has three letters (reproductions) on the wall of his office that he wrote to three of our presidents (Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson). David Stam, who introduced Ferriero, remarked at the ability of the National Archives to locate them.
Ferriero is pleased at the progress that has been made in terms of making archival materials available to the public. He hopes that people will avail themselves of the Archives' 44 locations across the U.S.
Several federals acts have strengthened the role of the Archives over the years. The amount of information collected is staggering, including electronic records. (Ferriero noted later how little of created content the Archives actually collects.)
President Obama launched the open government initiative on his first day in office. The Archives wants to open as many doors (and windows) to the Archives as possible. Make more information available and in more efficient ways. They are not waiting for people to come to the Archives, instead they are using social media to go to where people are online and put content there for them to find. (Note the social media links on the Archives homepage.)
The are engaging the public as citizen archivists, in recognition that we (the public) can strengthen the holdings of the Archives. We may view items differently that those that work at the Archives, and see information that others have ignored (e.g., war plans written in Russian). Every day new discoveries are made. This collaboration between staff and citizen researchers is crucial. (He talked about this again later in response to a question.)
He said there is a delicate balance between providing documents to people versus protecting national security. Three groups work within the Archives on this:
(A) Military plans, weapons systems, or operations;
(B) Foreign government information;
(C) Intelligence activities (including covert action), intelligence sources or methods, or cryptology;
(D) Foreign relations or foreign activities of the United States, including confidential sources;
(E) Scientific, technological, or economic matters relating to the national security;
(F) United States Government programs for safeguarding nuclear materials or facilities;
(G) Vulnerabilities or capabilities of systems, installations,
infrastructures, projects, plans, or protection services relating to the national security; or
(H) The development, production, or use of weapons of mass destruction.
[Comments below this are from the Q&A]
Question: With the problems we've seen oversees, what is the Archives doing to ensure the records remain safe? They have 44 facilities, which helps. Yes, there are vaults. The most critical documents are highly protected. He does not see a time when all of the content of the Archives will be digitized.
Ferriero has visited 27 of the facilities to talk to employees. One of the issues that arises is always that people feel disconnected. What can they do to ensure that all of the employees feel as if they belong to one organization? Can the Archives look outside itself and learn from others? Can it use social media to engage its employees? Can it learn the emerging tools so it can advise others? Can they eliminate duplicate processes? He is getting the staff involved in generating ideas and help create the "new agency".
What is the impact of Wikileaks? It is an interesting heads-up. Surprised that it hadn't happened sooner. A large number of people have access to the system where the information lived. There is a lot of discussion (ISOO is included in it) to find solutions without "throwing the baby out with the bath water."
The ISOO staff are Archives staff - archivists and former national security personnel. The only two criteria for keeping documents classified are national security and weapons of mass destruction. (See list above for more details.)
We know that the records of the Archives are not complete. How does that influence Ferriero? In the past, records have been lost due to fire, theft, etc. The real problem now are electronic records. There is a high risk around those records because the digital environment is unstable. Some records stay in an agency for 30 years before being sent to the Archives. 30 years in an unstable environment?!
Question about items missing from the Archives. While it hit the news in the last year, it was old news. Must be vigilant. They have a records protection team to educate staff and put processes in place, e.g., checking people's bags when they leave a facility.
It is not just stealing stuff, but changing items that belong to the Archives. One person allegedly changed a date on a pardon given by President Lincoln.
A government agency can approve the release of information. It may not be the entire document, but may be a dedacted version of the document.
How do we compare to other countries? In his response he mentioned the International Council on Archives (ICA). In terms of practice, we're close to those of Canada and the UK. In terms of electronic records, we're slightly ahead of our peers.
Is there concern about federal records that may be in a private archive? They do have legal staff that spends time tracking down documents that belong in the National Archives. Documents sometimes show up on eBay and in other places.
Is there an advocate in the system for throwing things away? No. The Archives only ends up with 1-3% of the records that are created. Every agency has schedules for what is kept and what is sent to the Archives.
Queston about Ancetry.com. Ancentry has a lock on the content for five year, then people can use it for free on the Internet from anywhere. Content is available at the various Archive locations.
Citizen archivists are researchers (not archivists) who are using the Archives records and then telling the Archives what they are discovering that the Archives should know about.
The Archives budget has been cut. David Ferriero has been working to educate Congress on the role of the Archives and its contents.
Between his comments and the Q&A, David Ferriero spoke for just over one hour. The was a good turn out for the event from across campus and the event was recorded so that others can view it later. I am not sure, however, when or how the recording will be made available. (I'll try to follow-up on that.)
Piece of trivia, Ferriero has three letters (reproductions) on the wall of his office that he wrote to three of our presidents (Eisenhower, Kennedy and Johnson). David Stam, who introduced Ferriero, remarked at the ability of the National Archives to locate them.
Ferriero is pleased at the progress that has been made in terms of making archival materials available to the public. He hopes that people will avail themselves of the Archives' 44 locations across the U.S.
Several federals acts have strengthened the role of the Archives over the years. The amount of information collected is staggering, including electronic records. (Ferriero noted later how little of created content the Archives actually collects.)
President Obama launched the open government initiative on his first day in office. The Archives wants to open as many doors (and windows) to the Archives as possible. Make more information available and in more efficient ways. They are not waiting for people to come to the Archives, instead they are using social media to go to where people are online and put content there for them to find. (Note the social media links on the Archives homepage.)
The are engaging the public as citizen archivists, in recognition that we (the public) can strengthen the holdings of the Archives. We may view items differently that those that work at the Archives, and see information that others have ignored (e.g., war plans written in Russian). Every day new discoveries are made. This collaboration between staff and citizen researchers is crucial. (He talked about this again later in response to a question.)
He said there is a delicate balance between providing documents to people versus protecting national security. Three groups work within the Archives on this:
- The Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) - They handle FOIA requests.
- The National Declassification Center - Its job is to eliminate the backlog of documents waiting to be declassified. Looking at those type of documents that people are most interested in first (e.g., UFOs and the Kennedy assassination). At the moment, they are trying to make wholesale decisions on boxes, etc. The web site will tell you what records are currently classified.
(A) Military plans, weapons systems, or operations;
(B) Foreign government information;
(C) Intelligence activities (including covert action), intelligence sources or methods, or cryptology;
(D) Foreign relations or foreign activities of the United States, including confidential sources;
(E) Scientific, technological, or economic matters relating to the national security;
(F) United States Government programs for safeguarding nuclear materials or facilities;
(G) Vulnerabilities or capabilities of systems, installations,
infrastructures, projects, plans, or protection services relating to the national security; or
(H) The development, production, or use of weapons of mass destruction.
- Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO) - There are more than 2000 classification guides used by the U.S. government. Among this ISOO's work is to "standardized [controlled unclassified information] policies and procedures that appropriately protect sensitive information through effective data access and control measures."
[Comments below this are from the Q&A]
Question: With the problems we've seen oversees, what is the Archives doing to ensure the records remain safe? They have 44 facilities, which helps. Yes, there are vaults. The most critical documents are highly protected. He does not see a time when all of the content of the Archives will be digitized.
Ferriero has visited 27 of the facilities to talk to employees. One of the issues that arises is always that people feel disconnected. What can they do to ensure that all of the employees feel as if they belong to one organization? Can the Archives look outside itself and learn from others? Can it use social media to engage its employees? Can it learn the emerging tools so it can advise others? Can they eliminate duplicate processes? He is getting the staff involved in generating ideas and help create the "new agency".
What is the impact of Wikileaks? It is an interesting heads-up. Surprised that it hadn't happened sooner. A large number of people have access to the system where the information lived. There is a lot of discussion (ISOO is included in it) to find solutions without "throwing the baby out with the bath water."
The ISOO staff are Archives staff - archivists and former national security personnel. The only two criteria for keeping documents classified are national security and weapons of mass destruction. (See list above for more details.)
We know that the records of the Archives are not complete. How does that influence Ferriero? In the past, records have been lost due to fire, theft, etc. The real problem now are electronic records. There is a high risk around those records because the digital environment is unstable. Some records stay in an agency for 30 years before being sent to the Archives. 30 years in an unstable environment?!
Question about items missing from the Archives. While it hit the news in the last year, it was old news. Must be vigilant. They have a records protection team to educate staff and put processes in place, e.g., checking people's bags when they leave a facility.
It is not just stealing stuff, but changing items that belong to the Archives. One person allegedly changed a date on a pardon given by President Lincoln.
A government agency can approve the release of information. It may not be the entire document, but may be a dedacted version of the document.
How do we compare to other countries? In his response he mentioned the International Council on Archives (ICA). In terms of practice, we're close to those of Canada and the UK. In terms of electronic records, we're slightly ahead of our peers.
Is there concern about federal records that may be in a private archive? They do have legal staff that spends time tracking down documents that belong in the National Archives. Documents sometimes show up on eBay and in other places.
Is there an advocate in the system for throwing things away? No. The Archives only ends up with 1-3% of the records that are created. Every agency has schedules for what is kept and what is sent to the Archives.
Queston about Ancetry.com. Ancentry has a lock on the content for five year, then people can use it for free on the Internet from anywhere. Content is available at the various Archive locations.
Citizen archivists are researchers (not archivists) who are using the Archives records and then telling the Archives what they are discovering that the Archives should know about.
The Archives budget has been cut. David Ferriero has been working to educate Congress on the role of the Archives and its contents.
Between his comments and the Q&A, David Ferriero spoke for just over one hour. The was a good turn out for the event from across campus and the event was recorded so that others can view it later. I am not sure, however, when or how the recording will be made available. (I'll try to follow-up on that.)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Link to all CIL2011 blog posts written by Jill
This blog post is mostly for my students, who I'll be talking to about CIL.
If you want to see/read all of the blog posts I wrote on the Computers in Libraries Conference, this link will show all of them to you. (BTW I should be writing one more post to wrap things up.)
If you want to see/read all of the blog posts I wrote on the Computers in Libraries Conference, this link will show all of them to you. (BTW I should be writing one more post to wrap things up.)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Webinar: Unraveling the Good Book Settlement Rejection, March 30, 12 noon (US Eastern Time)
This one-hour free webinar is being presented by the Copyright Clearance Center. As their web site says:
As you very likely know, on March 22, Judge Chin issued his long awaited opinion in the Google Book Search settlement proceedings, rejecting the Amended Settlement Agreement (ASA) proposed by the Authors Guild, AAP and Google. On Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 12:00pm EST, join copyright expert Lois Wasoff and me as we analyze this highly-anticipated decision, what it means for those affected by the proposed settlement, and what is likely to happen next.
To register for this free, one-hour event click here.
In his 48-page opinion, Judge Chin discussed the various objections before the court, including concerns regarding copyright, international law, antitrust, privacy and the class action/procedural aspects of the case – ultimately concluding that the ASA is not “fair, adequate and reasonable” as required for court approval of a settlement.
Judge Chin did, however, leave the door open for the parties to renegotiate and resubmit the settlement, urging them to consider adopting an “opt-in” rather than “opt-out” model which would ameliorate many of the concerns raised in the objections.
As you very likely know, on March 22, Judge Chin issued his long awaited opinion in the Google Book Search settlement proceedings, rejecting the Amended Settlement Agreement (ASA) proposed by the Authors Guild, AAP and Google. On Wednesday, March 30, 2011, 12:00pm EST, join copyright expert Lois Wasoff and me as we analyze this highly-anticipated decision, what it means for those affected by the proposed settlement, and what is likely to happen next.
To register for this free, one-hour event click here.
In his 48-page opinion, Judge Chin discussed the various objections before the court, including concerns regarding copyright, international law, antitrust, privacy and the class action/procedural aspects of the case – ultimately concluding that the ASA is not “fair, adequate and reasonable” as required for court approval of a settlement.
Judge Chin did, however, leave the door open for the parties to renegotiate and resubmit the settlement, urging them to consider adopting an “opt-in” rather than “opt-out” model which would ameliorate many of the concerns raised in the objections.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
Video: Digital Media - New Learners Of The 21st Century
This 53 minute PBS video is described as:
Featuring the foremost thought leaders, innovators and practitioners in the field, Digital Media is a startling preview of a 21st Century education revolution.While the video is focused on education, we might consider our libraries, etc., will participate in this and what digital content we might contribute to these learning efforts.
Watch the full episode. See more Digital Media - New Learners Of The 21st Century.
Featuring the foremost thought leaders, innovators and practitioners in the field, Digital Media is a startling preview of a 21st Century education revolution.While the video is focused on education, we might consider our libraries, etc., will participate in this and what digital content we might contribute to these learning efforts.
Watch the full episode. See more Digital Media - New Learners Of The 21st Century.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
VuFind
VuFind, the open-source discovery tool has released a new version.
The next significant version of VuFind has been released this morning. Here are some of the highlights of the new release:
The next significant version of VuFind has been released this morning. Here are some of the highlights of the new release:
- Improved support for non-MARC metadata and authority records
- New search tools: autosuggesters, snippets, keyword highlighting, alphabetical heading browse
- Alternate jQuery-based theme (for tighter integration with non-YUI sites)- Easier and more powerful favorite list management
- More API integration: book previews through Google Books/OpenLibrary/Hathi Trust, cover images from B&T Content Café
- Expanded OAI-PMH and RSS output capabilities
- Better discovery by search engines with automatic sitemap XML generation tool
- Numerous bug fixes, plus better-commented and standardized code
MARC Printed Documentation
LC is seeking comments on changing from print to online documentation.
The Network Development and MARC Standards Office is considering some changes in the publication of the MARC 21 Format documentation. For many years we have printed the formats and their updates and the code lists and sold them through our Cataloging Distribution Service (CDS). In the last decade, however, CDS and our Office have developed alternative publication channels -- first the Concise formats were made available online for free, then the format documents were added to Catalogers Desktop where they were enriched with links to code lists and cataloging norms, and finally the full format content was published for free on the web. As a result, the demand for the printed format documentation has dwindled to very small numbers. (I, myself, rely totally on the online now and am not expeditious about filing in those updates!)
Format updates:
I have announced at the last two ALA meetings that we were considering not printing several of the updates and I have talked with a number of persons individually about that. Now we are ready to act and are proposing not to print any of the full format documents henceforth -- Bibliographic, Authority, Holdings, Classification, Community Information -- but want the community to have an opportunity to voice any concerns. We would continue to print the concise format annually, but perhaps in a reduced form -- only a looseleaf binder with Bibliographic, Authority, and Holdings.
We would also establish a printing stylesheet for the online format pages that would eliminate internet framing material, yielding pages very close to the current print. They could be used by those who prefer print to update a printed format resource.
The free online version of each format would continue to be available online in both full and concise forms, as it is now.
The annual printing schedule has also hampered us from issuing updates after each MARC meeting and made it difficult to make minor corrections. Over time we have begun to make the minor corrections to the online as they are found but are still wrestling with the update schedule and as a result are beginning to get the print and online out of synch (the online currently goes through Update 12 (October 2010) while the print has been published through Update 10/11 (February 2010)).
If we go to updates only online, as noted above, we would still print the Concise Bibliographic, Authority, and Holdings annually. We would update the online with an official update in September/October and March/April of each year. Minor corrections would be made to the online text as they are discovered.
Code lists:
The Language, Geographic Area, and Country MARC code lists are still printed on an occasional basis. The latest updates are Language in 2007, GACs in 2006, and Countries in 2003. The Organization codes, and the Relator and Source code lists ceased to be printed several years ago and are online only because they are more frequently changed than the ones mentioned above. The Language, Geographic Area, and Country code lists are also online and are updated as changes occur. These code lists are also in CDS's Catalogers Desktop with rich links, downloadable in an XML format from the MARC site, and are available through a new web service: Authorities and Vocabularies Service (id.loc.gov), commonly called ID. In ID, the codes and their captions are being augmented with links to each other and with their corresponding terms in LCSH and NAF, where possible.
Our proposal is to no longer issue the Language, Geographic Area, and Country code lists in print form but depend on the different online services for access.
We would like to hear from you on these plans. Could you please respond via email to ndmso@loc.gov by April 4, 2011.
Canada
As the publisher and distributor of the MARC 21 formats in English in Canada and of the French formats worldwide, Library and Archives Canada will also review its plans for production of printed updates pending any decision taken by the Library of Congress.
The content and structure of the French MARC 21 formats at www.marc21.ca is currently being upgraded to align with the printed full formats.
Canadian users of the MARC 21 formats in English may send their comments to the Standards team at Library and Archives Canada at: marc@lac-bac.gc.ca
The Network Development and MARC Standards Office is considering some changes in the publication of the MARC 21 Format documentation. For many years we have printed the formats and their updates and the code lists and sold them through our Cataloging Distribution Service (CDS). In the last decade, however, CDS and our Office have developed alternative publication channels -- first the Concise formats were made available online for free, then the format documents were added to Catalogers Desktop where they were enriched with links to code lists and cataloging norms, and finally the full format content was published for free on the web. As a result, the demand for the printed format documentation has dwindled to very small numbers. (I, myself, rely totally on the online now and am not expeditious about filing in those updates!)
Format updates:
I have announced at the last two ALA meetings that we were considering not printing several of the updates and I have talked with a number of persons individually about that. Now we are ready to act and are proposing not to print any of the full format documents henceforth -- Bibliographic, Authority, Holdings, Classification, Community Information -- but want the community to have an opportunity to voice any concerns. We would continue to print the concise format annually, but perhaps in a reduced form -- only a looseleaf binder with Bibliographic, Authority, and Holdings.
We would also establish a printing stylesheet for the online format pages that would eliminate internet framing material, yielding pages very close to the current print. They could be used by those who prefer print to update a printed format resource.
The free online version of each format would continue to be available online in both full and concise forms, as it is now.
The annual printing schedule has also hampered us from issuing updates after each MARC meeting and made it difficult to make minor corrections. Over time we have begun to make the minor corrections to the online as they are found but are still wrestling with the update schedule and as a result are beginning to get the print and online out of synch (the online currently goes through Update 12 (October 2010) while the print has been published through Update 10/11 (February 2010)).
If we go to updates only online, as noted above, we would still print the Concise Bibliographic, Authority, and Holdings annually. We would update the online with an official update in September/October and March/April of each year. Minor corrections would be made to the online text as they are discovered.
Code lists:
The Language, Geographic Area, and Country MARC code lists are still printed on an occasional basis. The latest updates are Language in 2007, GACs in 2006, and Countries in 2003. The Organization codes, and the Relator and Source code lists ceased to be printed several years ago and are online only because they are more frequently changed than the ones mentioned above. The Language, Geographic Area, and Country code lists are also online and are updated as changes occur. These code lists are also in CDS's Catalogers Desktop with rich links, downloadable in an XML format from the MARC site, and are available through a new web service: Authorities and Vocabularies Service (id.loc.gov), commonly called ID. In ID, the codes and their captions are being augmented with links to each other and with their corresponding terms in LCSH and NAF, where possible.
Our proposal is to no longer issue the Language, Geographic Area, and Country code lists in print form but depend on the different online services for access.
We would like to hear from you on these plans. Could you please respond via email to ndmso@loc.gov by April 4, 2011.
Canada
As the publisher and distributor of the MARC 21 formats in English in Canada and of the French formats worldwide, Library and Archives Canada will also review its plans for production of printed updates pending any decision taken by the Library of Congress.
The content and structure of the French MARC 21 formats at www.marc21.ca is currently being upgraded to align with the printed full formats.
Canadian users of the MARC 21 formats in English may send their comments to the Standards team at Library and Archives Canada at: marc@lac-bac.gc.ca
US WorldCat Mashathon Registration
Image via WikipediaOCLC announces registration for the US WorldCat Mashathon.
.Registration is now officially open for the WorldCat Mashathon US, sponsored by the OCLC Developer Network.
Join fellow coders, developers and tech-enthusiasts for the next two-day WorldCat Mashathon on Thursday and Friday, April 7-8 simultaneously in 3 locations:
.Registration is now officially open for the WorldCat Mashathon US, sponsored by the OCLC Developer Network.
Join fellow coders, developers and tech-enthusiasts for the next two-day WorldCat Mashathon on Thursday and Friday, April 7-8 simultaneously in 3 locations:
- Washington, DC
- Columbus, OH
- San Mateo, CA
- Brainstorm potential apps for the WorldCat Search API, MapFAST and other new OCLC Web services.
- Gain development access to 1.5 billion items from more than 10,000 libraries worldwide.
- Integrate these resources with many others to create innovative new services.
- Meet fellow developers across the information industry.
- Share your creative vision and be a part of the next wave of online library development.
CIL2011: Planning & Realizing the "Fourth Place"
Yesterday afternoon, Paul Signorelli, Maurice Coleman and I did a session on Planning & Realizing the "Fourth Place". Because Paul could not physically come to Computers in Libraries, he was going to Skype-in to do his portion of the presentation. We checked with the Information Today IT staff in advance and knew that it should work, but that was before we all realized that the Washington Hilton's Internet connection sucked. Thankfully, (1) this is a topic we had been discussing for months; (2) we had Paul's slides; and (3) Maurice had gone over the slides with Paul. thus, Maurice and I handled the entire presentation, improvising when necessary. Paul was eventually able to Skype-in and hear us, but we could not hear him. Amazingly - and likely because we're all professional trainers with a great idea - it all went well and was well received. (You can read Paul's account of the event here.)
What is a fourth place? Ray Oldenburg’s idea of the Great Good Place tells us that home is the "first place" in our lives, while work is our "second place". Those are the two places where we spend the majority of our time and they are places where we should feel comfortable. Places like Starbucks want to be our "third place"...that place where we hang out. We envision the "fourth place" as being a place of learning. Yes, libraries are a place where people may just hang out and they are a place of learning, but our vision of fourth place emcompasses what libraries could become (and some already are).
The idea of "fourth place" came up in a T is for Training podcast last August, when someone who called himself Walter Salem called into the program. As Paul wrote in his blog:
Salem was exactly what we were seeking: a person who is not involved in training but who expressed a passion for what libraries are, what they have been, and what they are becoming. While he was commenting via the audio portion of the program, a few of us noted via the typed chat that he seemed to be describing Oldenburg’s third place, and we actually suggested that to him. At that point, he corrected us by emphasizing that what he really loved was the sense of a place where he was surrounded by learning and the potential for learning, and that’s where we started translating his thoughts into something concrete for libraries and any other onsite or online community willing to use all the tech and human tools available to us.Walter Salem wanted a space where all types of learning activities could occur, including activities that are noisy or messy. He wanted the space to be outfitted with lots of stuff that people could use. And he saw it as a place for collaborative learning. Our minds raced and we understood how libraries could be this place for learning in ways that many libraries do not consider.
Consider gardening. Where do you users go to learn how to garden? Do they come into the library with plants and ask the reference staff to diagnose problems? Do they bring in compost and ask staff to tell them why the process is going slowly? No...someone who is wants to learn about gardening talks to another gardener. Yes, the person may consult some books, but the real learning comes from interacting with people who have knowledge, the plants, and the earth. The Northern Onondaga Public Library (NOPL) has created a LibraryFarm where people can check out a garden plot and learn. The library supports the garden by loaning tools, providing space for discussions, etc. It facilitates the learning activity, but is not directly involved in it In other words, people are learning to garden from the library but from other LibraryFarmers.
There are other examples in and out of libraries that are similar. There are libraries that loan cake pans and other items for hands-on learning. A great example came up after our session. One person mentioned that he had worked at a library many years ago where one of the staff members ran a bicycle chop shop on the weekends, out of view of the administration!
My job yesterday was to get the audience thinking creatively about fourth place activities (especially those that are messy), as well as how to add space for it (e.g., shipping containers). My slides are below for you to look through. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have. Paul's slides are also below. Maurice's are not yet online. One of the things we emphasized was to allow the users to define how the space was going to be used for specific activities and to allow them to run with their ideas. In others words, get out of their way! Be a facilitator of learning, but not necessarily the trainer (or even the person who defines exactly what learning will occur). Help the get the resources they need, but don't then feel that you need to strictly control those resources.
I hope you will see the possibility of creating a fourth place for your community. If you're unsure of the possibilities, but are intrigued by the idea, consider sharing these slides with your colleagues and then engaging in a real brainstorming session where you don't automatically censor the ideas.
Cil2011 v2.2 -paul Fourth Places for Learning Skills & Acquiring Knowledge
Finally, thanks to Information Today for allowing us to do this presentation. A special thanks to JD Thomas and Bill Spence, who oversee the IT stuff for the conference. You gave us advice and stood by ready to help. And when the technology didn't work, you stepped back and allowed us to improvise and didn't worry about what we'd do!
Addendum (3/27/2011): Julie Strange emailed me about folding shipping containers. This is seen as a way of using less space for shipping empty shipping containers. I don't know how the idea of them folding could be used "out in the wild" (e.g., when using a container as a building), but I'm sure somebody will think of something!
Paul, Maurice and I have been contacted since Wednesday by people who have follow-up ideas or who are seeking additional information. We are thrilled to hear from all of you! Let's keep the ideas flowing and the information moving!
What is a fourth place? Ray Oldenburg’s idea of the Great Good Place tells us that home is the "first place" in our lives, while work is our "second place". Those are the two places where we spend the majority of our time and they are places where we should feel comfortable. Places like Starbucks want to be our "third place"...that place where we hang out. We envision the "fourth place" as being a place of learning. Yes, libraries are a place where people may just hang out and they are a place of learning, but our vision of fourth place emcompasses what libraries could become (and some already are).
The idea of "fourth place" came up in a T is for Training podcast last August, when someone who called himself Walter Salem called into the program. As Paul wrote in his blog:
Salem was exactly what we were seeking: a person who is not involved in training but who expressed a passion for what libraries are, what they have been, and what they are becoming. While he was commenting via the audio portion of the program, a few of us noted via the typed chat that he seemed to be describing Oldenburg’s third place, and we actually suggested that to him. At that point, he corrected us by emphasizing that what he really loved was the sense of a place where he was surrounded by learning and the potential for learning, and that’s where we started translating his thoughts into something concrete for libraries and any other onsite or online community willing to use all the tech and human tools available to us.Walter Salem wanted a space where all types of learning activities could occur, including activities that are noisy or messy. He wanted the space to be outfitted with lots of stuff that people could use. And he saw it as a place for collaborative learning. Our minds raced and we understood how libraries could be this place for learning in ways that many libraries do not consider.
Consider gardening. Where do you users go to learn how to garden? Do they come into the library with plants and ask the reference staff to diagnose problems? Do they bring in compost and ask staff to tell them why the process is going slowly? No...someone who is wants to learn about gardening talks to another gardener. Yes, the person may consult some books, but the real learning comes from interacting with people who have knowledge, the plants, and the earth. The Northern Onondaga Public Library (NOPL) has created a LibraryFarm where people can check out a garden plot and learn. The library supports the garden by loaning tools, providing space for discussions, etc. It facilitates the learning activity, but is not directly involved in it In other words, people are learning to garden from the library but from other LibraryFarmers.
There are other examples in and out of libraries that are similar. There are libraries that loan cake pans and other items for hands-on learning. A great example came up after our session. One person mentioned that he had worked at a library many years ago where one of the staff members ran a bicycle chop shop on the weekends, out of view of the administration!
My job yesterday was to get the audience thinking creatively about fourth place activities (especially those that are messy), as well as how to add space for it (e.g., shipping containers). My slides are below for you to look through. Feel free to ask me any questions you might have. Paul's slides are also below. Maurice's are not yet online. One of the things we emphasized was to allow the users to define how the space was going to be used for specific activities and to allow them to run with their ideas. In others words, get out of their way! Be a facilitator of learning, but not necessarily the trainer (or even the person who defines exactly what learning will occur). Help the get the resources they need, but don't then feel that you need to strictly control those resources.
I hope you will see the possibility of creating a fourth place for your community. If you're unsure of the possibilities, but are intrigued by the idea, consider sharing these slides with your colleagues and then engaging in a real brainstorming session where you don't automatically censor the ideas.
Cil2011 v2.2 -paul Fourth Places for Learning Skills & Acquiring Knowledge
Finally, thanks to Information Today for allowing us to do this presentation. A special thanks to JD Thomas and Bill Spence, who oversee the IT stuff for the conference. You gave us advice and stood by ready to help. And when the technology didn't work, you stepped back and allowed us to improvise and didn't worry about what we'd do!
Addendum (3/27/2011): Julie Strange emailed me about folding shipping containers. This is seen as a way of using less space for shipping empty shipping containers. I don't know how the idea of them folding could be used "out in the wild" (e.g., when using a container as a building), but I'm sure somebody will think of something!
Paul, Maurice and I have been contacted since Wednesday by people who have follow-up ideas or who are seeking additional information. We are thrilled to hear from all of you! Let's keep the ideas flowing and the information moving!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
CIL2011: Topeka's QR Code Scavenger Hunt
The speaker was David Lee King from Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library.
They did the big read. Gave away paperback books. Had the book as an ebook. Had related dinner theater, etc. There was a QR code near the books in the library, which told you what you needed to do for the scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt was held around the town (outside of the library). Two businesses adopted QR codes after hearing about it from the library. When you were done with the hunt, you were entered into a drawing.
Promoted the QR code scavenger hunt with T-shirts and other items.
Did it work?
They did the big read. Gave away paperback books. Had the book as an ebook. Had related dinner theater, etc. There was a QR code near the books in the library, which told you what you needed to do for the scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt was held around the town (outside of the library). Two businesses adopted QR codes after hearing about it from the library. When you were done with the hunt, you were entered into a drawing.
Promoted the QR code scavenger hunt with T-shirts and other items.
Did it work?
- There was info on the QR code in their newsletter
- Shared info on Facebook, etc.
- News media picked up on it.
- 300+ people started, but only 8 people finished. Fingered that people didn't want to go all over the city and perhaps ask where the code was in an establishment. People may have felt obliged to buy something in the businesses and so didn't go.
- Learned from it.
- Now are using it to connect users to the library's mobile web app.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.
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