LISNews: Librarian News

I loved Michael Stephens' Office Hours column this week, "Seek a Challenge:"

Coasting, in library school and in our jobs, is not an option. Sending students who have coasted through their LIS program to your library to coast perpetuates this problem. I can tell which students are merely sailing through their program, just as I can tell when a professor has “checked out” of his or her own job.

Students—are you doing the bare minimum in your LIS program? Are you turning in “good enough” papers that show no excitement, curiosity, or passion for librarianship? Or are you going above and beyond the expectations of your teachers? You get what you bring to your program.

The onus for change lies with both students and LIS faculty. Students should provide constructive evaluations of their learning experience. Faculty should respond with curricular changes and updated course offerings as quickly as possible. Library school administration should enable these conversations about change in an open, transparent process. LIS programs must be nimble and quick if they are to survive in the current economy. -- Read More

My sister's birthday is at the end of the month, and it's a milestone one.  Fortunately, she is good at sharing ideas, and posted a link to tickets for the new Glee tour that's coming to our area in June.

I'm thinking, perfect idea. I need a birthday present, I want it to be a nice one, and heck, we both like Glee. So I click on over to the ComcastTIX.com page she shares on Facebook to see what the prices were...and as you can see from the screenshot below, there's no pricing information at all.  I know when the tour is coming to our area, when I can buy tickets (at three different dates and times no less!) but not how much it's going to cost me (before the arm and leg I sign over in broker fees).

I figure, maybe there will be some information after the "buy tix" link, but nope - I just get "Could not get event information" (in really small print, no less).

-- Read More

I've been reading Alex Wright's Glut: Mastering Information Through the Ages, and the following quote (page 151) struck me:

[T]he Wikipedia is stirring tensions between established interests - academic scholars and publishers - and a rising populist sentiment. While Wikipedia is unlikely to spell the demise of traditional scholarship, it serves as a telling example of the power of "books about books" to challenge existing institutional systems. The Web, like the printing press, seems poised to augur long-term social and political transformations whose effects we are only beginning to anticipate. And once again, the humble encyclopedia may prove the most revolutionary "book" of all.

I remember an exercise in my Art Librarianship class where we had to compare Wikipedia with Grove Art Online. General consensus was, Wikipedia won over time for currency and accuracy. The David of reference work hath slain the Goliath of reference, at least in this case. (And Library Journal found similar results!) -- Read More

I was lucky with the library school I attended – location (New York City) and teaching philosophy (all in person classes) led to numerous professional and social opportunities. Coupled with my high energy, try anything once, personality, Library Land was my oyster.

A conversation with an online friend reminded me of this blessing. She’s in a small LIS doctoral program at Emporia State University – 100 percent online studies, and a very small cohort (10 students). Coupled with where she lives (Arkansas), it’s very difficult for her to find opportunities for professional growth, publishing and speaking engagements, and networking.

It led me to wonder what we are doing – on personal and institutional levels – to create and exchange ideas? Listservs and social networking are great for sharing ideas, but are we talking to our like minded peers and letting those ideas grow into formalized projects? Are library schools showing students the variety of opportunity they have with the LIS degree or just pigeonholing them into the library building? Individually, are we taking risks to share ideas (controversial as they may be) and seek out growth opportunities when our personal situations are less than ideal? It’s one thing to “like” a friend’s library article on Facebook, but it’s another to express your opinion on that article. -- Read More

I believe all publicity is good publicity - a podcaster friend always reminds me "haters still count as a download."  But, San Diego's KPBS gave a clear example of pure bad publicity this week, in a piece profiling "librarian/stand up comedian" Meredith Myers timed to coincide with the ALA Midwinter Meeting hosted in their city this past week:

Young, Hip Librarians Take Over (January 10, 2011)

Reaction towards what was probably intended to give younger library professionals a larger voice and break down traditional librarian stereotypes was swift and negative. Public librarian Janie offered the following:

I am no longer "young and emerging", but I am very open-minded, always seeking change and tech savvy. -- Read More

Announcing a new(ish) podcast for librarians: The Knitting Librarian. The knitting librarian combines all things sticks and string with all things library and information science. Segments include: The Big News of the Day (show notes only), Knitting Update, This Week in LIS, Me me me me, and the Awesome Sauce. Episodes released biweekly.

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Latest episode recorded and released on September 3, 2010: Episode 9 - Are There Pants for This? (direct download) (show notes)

Andy Woodworth, Emily Lloyd and others have been weighing in on the very contentious debate over what an MLS actually means these days. Inspired by their ideas and the related spirited debate, I'm throwing my hat in the ring with two thoughts. -- Read More