tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71814306583150154112024-03-12T16:57:18.682-07:00The Conscious LibraryPause, reflect, record. Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.comBlogger43125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-71443226194871765452016-07-20T02:35:00.000-07:002016-07-20T03:12:53.263-07:00CILIP Conference 2016: Scott Bonner shows us what libraries do best. I was lucky enough to attend the recent <a href="http://cilipconference.org.uk/">CILIP Conference</a> in Brighton on 12 and 13 July 2016. Thanks to the CILIP Multimedia and Information Technology (MMIT) group who provided me with a bursary to attend. I am a member of CILIP and the MMIT group is one of my special interest groups (SIG). I have been a member of CILIP for a year now, and this was the first time I made real use of my membership.<br />
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Aside from reading the CILIP Bulletin, newsletters and updates, I'm ashamed to admit, I've not explored in-depth the many things available to me as a member. There are a lot of bursaries available through the SIGs for members to attend conferences, so if you're toying with the idea of joining then this is certainly one advantage to becoming a member and a good way to dip your toe in the water.<br />
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One of my main motivations for wanting to go to this conference was to hear keynote speaker Scott Bonner of Ferguson Municipal Library. Ferguson Municipal Library was awarded <a href="http://lj.libraryjournal.com/2015/06/awards/2015-galelj-library-of-the-year-ferguson-municipal-public-library-mo-courage-in-crisis/">Library of the Year </a>in 2105. As director of the library, Scott made the decision to keep the library open during the riots and provided a space for people to come when there was nowhere else to go. Teachers used the library to set up a temporary school so that parents had somewhere their children could go. The library became a meeting place, a community hub a place you could go to get help or offer help. - Sound familiar?<br />
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When I read about this story, of a small library, open and welcoming to all, in the heart of a community that was being ripped apart by the worst imaginable crisis, it really spoke to me.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pVipyXXMPwYHxC0M_d98cgyzZrzaZgFhv2nkJwL-52d2Hxfj0-aHhROf7ZgVATU4IbYk-HJ4CHDbGqq0yQEpI3yJfn5dWilZvrDgtySCkmdVfb-O_-TIoqh5WIvCT6AvVqRIUj8kZbA/s1600/Dallas+Tweet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1pVipyXXMPwYHxC0M_d98cgyzZrzaZgFhv2nkJwL-52d2Hxfj0-aHhROf7ZgVATU4IbYk-HJ4CHDbGqq0yQEpI3yJfn5dWilZvrDgtySCkmdVfb-O_-TIoqh5WIvCT6AvVqRIUj8kZbA/s320/Dallas+Tweet.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A recent tweet from Dallas Public Library</td></tr>
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Scott maintains that he did something that many other libraries have already done and continue to do. And it's true that he's not the only library to do this. He just did it at a time when the power social media meant that it quickly became world-wide news. <br />
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This media attention brought a new dimension however. While keep the library open and safe for all, Bonner was faced with the added responsibility of keeping the media out of the library, to protect the safety and privacy of the patrons within.<br />
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Scott learned a lot from his experiences and it changed his approach to librarianship. He learned that when a community is in crisis people need to feel useful, they want to help. It's important for a library to provide a space not only to benefit those in need of help, but also to facilitate those who need<i> to</i> help. He learned that a shirt and tie can be a barrier to communicating. And he learned that sometimes, for your own safety, you have to walk away and hope that the library will still be there in the morning (it was).<br />
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Bonner's keynote was honest and delivered with modesty. His approach was one of 'this is what to do if you have a library in a community that's in turmoil', but drove home the point that what he did is what we all do every day. We say yes as much as possible, we get to know our organisations and community partners, we make mistakes and learn from them and we keep our doors open.<br />
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The difference was that during the initial riots after the shooting and again in November after the Grand Jury decision not to prosecute, the community's needs changed and the library changed with them. The library went from being a passive service provider to an assertive one.<br />
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They not only opened their doors but they reached out. They showed that there was a way out of the turmoil and there had to be other ways to come together and enact change in a positive way.<br />
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<div dir="ltr" lang="en">
Many other orgs closing. But we will stay open to serve people of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ferguson?src=hash">#Ferguson</a> as long as safe for patrons & staff, up to 8p. Love each other.</div>
— Ferguson Library (@fergusonlibrary) <a href="https://twitter.com/fergusonlibrary/status/536987892380631040">November 24, 2014</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
Here's a storify of the tweets during Scott's keynote which apart from anything else, demonstrates the humility with which it was delivered. Thanks to <a href="https://storify.com/wigglesweets">@wigglesweets</a> for putting it together.<br />
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<div class="storify">
<iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="no" height="750" src="//storify.com/wigglesweets/scott-bonner/embed?border=false" width="100%"></iframe><script src="//storify.com/wigglesweets/scott-bonner.js?border=false"></script><noscript>[<a href="//storify.com/wigglesweets/scott-bonner" target="_blank">View the story "Scott Bonner " on Storify</a>]</noscript></div>
Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-72621472879350559402015-11-15T03:39:00.001-08:002015-11-15T03:39:55.601-08:00Thing 23 : Making it all work togetherMaking it all work together could mean different things. There's the 'making it work together so that you have synergy between your various social media accounts' and 'making it work so that it doesn't encroach on the rest of your life' .<br />
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Making it work so that it doesn't encroach on your personal life is a skill in itself. I've been working on a few work-related social media projects lately and trying to fit them into and around my normal work schedule has been difficult. I currently use Hootsuite and Buffer to manage my accounts, schedule posts and keep track of hashtags etc. The one thing that I don't like about Hootsuite is that when I retweet someone's tweet, it looks like my original tweet. It gives a RT @.. at the start of the tweet but I would prefer if it just retweeted the original tweet instead. I like buffer for adding articles that I come across, and then it sends them out in intervals. I use scheduled posts in Facebook also, which is useful. You just have to be careful if you schedule a post about an event and then it gets cancelled.<br />
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I'm not sure if these tools really alleviates any of the work though. It still takes time and effort to write the posts, make them sound original or personal. At the moment, social media management occupies about 30% of my working week and that's enough for me. I don't think I could do it full time. It's not a healthy life-style to be stuck infront of a computer all day. I think if you're given the opportunity to take on a social media account for work purposes then it's important to make it clear to managers and colleagues that this is an extra responsibility which takes time and effort. It's easy to think that social media is a fun past time and something that should be done on your own time, or only take 5 minutes.<br />
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I've said this before, if I traveled on public transport I would get so much more done. I would love an hour a day, to myself to get all my posts and tasks set up for the day. I think it would work a lot better.Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-56459158355662919092015-11-15T03:21:00.001-08:002015-11-15T03:21:41.212-08:00Thing 15: Advocacy for LibrariesComing back to this one. I didn't have the energy to write about advocacy a few weeks ago. I'm not sure if I have now either but here goes.<br />
Library Ireland Week starts tomorrow the 16th of November here in Ireland. It's probably the closest thing we have in Ireland to an advocacy campaign. It's a good programme and there has been a lot of effort put into it this year with some good coverage on national media.<br />
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Library Ireland Week always takes the general line of 'libraries are great' which is fine, we are great. I would like to see a campaign along the lines of 'what would we do without libraries' or 'imagine if all the libraries closed tomorrow' or even 'this is what we could do if we were properly staffed and funded'. The campaign highlights the wonderful things that happen in libraries in Ireland but doesn't say anything about the understaffed, underfunded libraries that are stretched to the limit. I realise that the LAI cannot be activists and there would be a conflict of interest in some cases. I would like them to at least call on the government to meet certain standards when it comes to funding and staffing of libraries. At the moment public libraries are at the mercy of Local Authorities when it comes to funding and staffing but they, in turn are at the mercy of national government and have very little say in the funding that they receive every year.<br />
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Some European countries have a library law, so governments are legally obliged to meet certain targets regarding services and funding in their country's libraries. It would take a major campaign to have something like a library law written in Ireland. Given how slow are government are at dealing with other current legal debates I doubt that libraries are on their priority list.<br />
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A comment on the Rudai blog post that I just read said that Advocacy begins within your own organisaiton. I agree with that. That's where I think social media can be useful.<br />
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I am at the moment managing the social media campaign for our Galway's Great Read which is a month long literary festival that we hold every November. This is in the lead up to our 2016 commemorations next year. One of the elements that I'm trying to get across is the work that goes into the planning and organising of these events. We have about 30 events all over Galway County in libraries big and small. I'm showcasing the work and also the libraries themselves. I'm hoping this will act as a bit of an advocacy campaign for our library service. If it reaches some of our policy makers and decision makers higher up the chain then it will be a good thing.<br />
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It's hard work though, this is where it's important to have plenty of other people on board. The more people you have contributing to a campaign the stronger it is.Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-5326360874747182522015-11-15T02:52:00.001-08:002015-11-15T02:52:49.414-08:00Thing 22: Mobile Things I'm pretty attached to my mobile phone. For a long time I resisted the lure of the smart phone and stuck to the standard phone for making phonecalls. Eventually I took the plunge into the world of apps and I haven't looked back since.<br />
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I find my phone so handy for accessing emails and keeping up to date with all my social media accounts, listening to music, podcasts, radio, keeping in touch with colleagues, daily news etc. It's my go to device for any online work-related activities. My social media activities have really increased in the last few months however because of this course, and other work-related projects - to the point where I've made a conscious decision to delete some accounts and apps from my phone in order to give myself a break.<br />
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It's important to be able to switch off and take a break from it all. I would say that is the only draw back to the convenience of having a smart phone. It's very easy to be constantly distracted by all the dings and pings and notifications. I make a conscious effort to turn off notifications for all the apps and every so often I will go through my apps and delete the ones that I no longer need. I also try every so often to go on a Facebook diet and delete that app too.<br />
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There are some situations where I just have to use my phone for work purposes - if for example I'm photographing an event and need to tweet it etc. I'm conscious of what that must look like to my colleagues and members of the public when then see me tapping away. Unfortunately there's no way around it if I'm required to update our social media accounts in work then using my phone is the quickest way to do that.<br />
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I really like the idea of the GUM app. It's very new in production which is probably why there's not many messages popping up when you scan the bar codes of the books. It would be an easy one to use in house in your own library for projects. Encourage your library borrowers to download the app and use it to read and leave reviews on the books you have on your own shelves. Or you could incorporate it into a scavenger type hunt in the library - leaving clues on certain books to be discovered when you scan them using the app. All this depends on the app being made available on both android and apple devices - unless you're lucky enough to own a suite of iPads. I messaged the developers on twitter to see if they were planning an android version. At the moment they are perfecting the apple version and then android is next on their list.<br />
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There's mixed views on the Beacon technology. Some people don't like the invasive nature of getting messages on your phone as soon as you enter the library. You do have the option to turn off this function on your phone. As long as there is choice I don't see an issue with it. Unfortunately, like with most new technology, I'm guessing it will eventually be used for direct marketing purposes for brands. So yet another way to have ads pushed upon you when you don't want to see them. I dislike the way that apps always eventually succumb to the revenue generating advertisements.<br />
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If I were to pick an app that I use the most on my phone at the moment it's Twitter and Instagram. I manage 3 twitter accounts as well as my personal one, plus I'm trying to build up a work Instagram account at the moment, so it's handy to have them on my phone. I'm loving Layouts at the moment, it's a really useful app for creating a montage of photos together to create an Instagram post.Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-49380531676929304932015-11-08T09:06:00.001-08:002017-09-29T13:31:39.143-07:00Thing 21: Creating InfographicsI love Infographics. To me they are a type of art-form and as such they require a lot of skill to make a good one. I have 'Information is Beautiful' by David McCandless on my bookshelf. It's a gorgeous book full of interesting images displaying some very mundane information. Whoever thought a chart on sandwich fillings could be so beautiful?<br />
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I think they are a very effective way of communicating statistics in a visually appealing manner and in terms of advocacy I think they would be a very useful tool for libraries. I think we really should use them a lot more. Even as a quick tweet or Instagram image of the monthly or annual statistics for the library. 'here's how we did this month...' Maynooth University Library do it, and they put the info graph on all their computers as wallpaper. Brilliant and inspiring!<br />
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Here is my attempt at an infograph, using some of the stats from the Rudai 23 Blog. It took <i>hours! </i>Far longer than I like to spend on something. I do a lot of promotional posters in work, and I can manage the basics and throw together something pretty quickly. Infographs I find a bit mind boggling though. I end up getting bogged down in detail: "how would this look on the left? No on the right? Is that center? Dont like that font? Oh if that was just a smidgen more orange - ah I've ruined all now! Start over..."<br />
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If I was doing this for work I think it would be too time consuming, taking into account all the other responsibilities we have and the lack of staff at the moment. It's a pity because I would love to use this tool more.<br />
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I used Ease.ly to create it - not so easily. I found the site a little fiddly to get used to. I use canva a lot and I like it. It keeps any images or logos you might have uploaded for use later, which easely doesn't do. Easely has better templates for infographs though and one feature it has that Canva doesnt is that you can group objects together and move them around as one. This is really important to me.<br />
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I tried a quick infograph for work a few months ago using the stats from our summer reading challenge. I made a twitter banner and facebook banner with it and I think it looked good. But that took hours and meant that someone else was under pressure while I put it together. I would like to do this more often. It's important to be able to show off after putting so much work into a big programme like the summer reading challenge. It's really important that other people know about the impact of our work as well and an Infograph is the perfect way to show that. You can see it<a href="http://www.twitter.com/westsidelib"> here. </a><br />
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<a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/1171180/RUDAI23/thumb.jpg"></a><img alt="RUDAI23" height="400" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/easel.ly/all_easels/1171180/RUDAI23/image.jpg" title="easel.ly" width="257" /><br />
<a align="left" href="http://easel.ly/" style="text-align: left;">easel.ly</a> Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-58395182797774555482015-11-07T06:48:00.001-08:002015-11-07T06:48:56.741-08:00Thing 20: Presentations I'm warming up to the idea of presentations. I've given a few presentations of varying length and I've learned over time a few useful things. The most important thing you need to do for any presentation is practice, out loud, more than once. It doesn't matter how many times you repeat your presentation in your head, you really need to say it out loud to get the full effect of what you're saying and hear how it's going to sound to your audience.<br />
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I recently attended a training day provided by the Career Development Group called Abstract to Audience. It was all about presenting and went through every element to a presentation from the tiny details of what fonts to use in your slides, to how to overcome those performance nerves.<br />
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Because at the end of the day, that's what a presentation is - a performance. You have something to say, and maybe you want to impart some vital information, but you have to find the hook to engage your audience. Whether that hook is in your images, your delivery or perhaps you use a prop, it depends on your personality and who your audience is.<br />
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So I've done a couple of presentations in the last few years, mostly to colleagues. They haven't been disastrous, but there was definitely room for improvement. The more I've done them, the better I get at them. I recently did my first real 'outside' presentation at New Professionals Day Ireland's networking event. This was the first time I was invited to speak at an event and for me it was a real honour.<br />
I surprised myself about how not nervous I was. Once I got into my stride I was fine. It threw me a little that the event was in a small room and I didn't have a podium to hide behind. I had my 'story' written out on paper but not having anything to sit it on I kind of forgot about it, and I also had to hop to the side to switch slides which meant I was a bit out of sync between my slides and what I was saying. It's important to be prepared for little things like that - this is where the practicing and preparation pays off.<br />
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<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3AEEtSgCHBjeVZJUkFKc0xUbms/view?usp=sharing">Here is the presentation</a> that I did, though the slides themselves don't give any great indication about the content of the presentation. You can read a summary of the day<a href="http://www.libfocus.com/2015/11/the-social-librarian-how-to-get.html"> here. </a><br />
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<br />Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-52260361932394139032015-11-07T04:03:00.001-08:002015-11-07T04:03:35.840-08:00Thing 19: The Legal Side of Things <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/britishlibrary/11288554883/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Image taken from page 58 of '[The River Dee. Its aspect and history. ... With ... illustrations ... by A. Rimmer.]'"><img alt="Image taken from page 58 of '[The River Dee. Its aspect and history. ... With ... illustrations ... by A. Rimmer.]'" height="296" src="https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5504/11288554883_bffa7e8c98_h.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the British Library Flickr Page</td></tr>
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<br />By nature I'm a person that likes to follow the rules. I try to be as careful as possible when using images. I make a lot of promotional posters for work so it's important that the images that I use are free to use and not the property of someone else. Sometimes it's just not possible to find the right image though, in which case I've resorted to taking out the camera and making my own, not beyond the realms of possibility. There's plenty of editing tools and apps for phones now that allow you to make a decent looking photo. <div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlireland/7092805033/in/photolist-bNLtPX-od5ipc-ouhB4c-owjFRK-ouhBya-od6cHt-oumPcA-ouxfbS-ouxfHJ-od6eE4-od6dTV-od52RE-od5kuy-od5oKw-od6gCH-eatSMd-hmY4qJ-cHvXgu-dUZ87N-inkwpb-xvevS7-rg7Dj6-iQi74k-xzwbcH-dAZ15j-bzACuC-rzyEr5-dNrqo5-hhkdvU-qPR1Sb-bw94a3-a4JwZt-bc93bc-bxRJcu-qEk6sP-b7LTMi-owjE7T-od55BQ-ouhAxx-bUV8ZR-bAYhi1-b5X4U8-7n7hxE-a8Ygpi-7VHsVh-9nLVp9-kxy3Qx-jpHAKv-f1dsVf-9T3cWG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Irish Guards' Mascot - Leitrim Boy"><img alt="Irish Guards' Mascot - Leitrim Boy" height="304" src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7267/7092805033_4451a0e4e9_h.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the National Library of Ireland Flickr page, found via Flickr Commons</td></tr>
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My problem is time. Searching for images is very time consuming. I end up wasting hours going through page after page of images and moving onto the next website when I've found nothing on that website. It's hard work finding the right one. I didn't spend too much time looking for the images in this blog post for that very reason. I use the <a href="https://www.flickr.com/commons">Flickr Commons</a> page quite a bit. Or else I limit my search in Flickr to commons license images. The other tool I use quite a lot is Google Images, I can limit my search under the search tools to 'labeled for reuse' - it's not as reliable but sometimes it does the job. I use <a href="http://www.unsplash.com/">Unsplash</a> quite a lot for images, in particular for the Rudai 23 images. </div>
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There's peace of mind knowing that the images you're using are legal. There's a bit of work involved in attributing each image but it's important to do it. Coming from an art background, I've had my images used without credit and it's not pleasant. </div>
Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-11545804393222909882015-11-01T12:04:00.001-08:002015-11-01T12:04:37.680-08:00Thing 18: Communicating Through PhotographsI was reading another Rudai 23 particiapant's blog post on Thing 18 this morning and they really hit the nail on the head. They commented on how social media has shortened our attention span. We flick, we skim-read, or browse without stopping for more than a few seconds. It's no surprise that sites such as Pinterest, Snapchat and Instagram are growing more popular.<br />
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Thankfully I'm still able to sit down and read a book without losing interest after a few sentences. I think it's just the immediate and ever changing nature of the internet that makes us flit from post to post like a butterfly. We know there could be something potentially more interesting further down in the feed, so unless it really grabs our attention we wont stop. And usually striking image will make me stop. Especially if it's a beautiful photograph with some tastefully positioned text, or an interesting vintage-esque Instagram photo.<br />
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I love Instagram, I have an account and try to use it when I remember to. I would love to use it for work. Our library authority covers a wide region and it's difficult to find a way that I could keep an Instagram account populated without physically being at all the library events myself. Instagram only really works when you're there in the moment. There's not enough happening in the one library that I do work in, it would end up looking very repetitive.<br />
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I'm going to try an Instagram account for an upcoming project in my library to see how it goes. I think it'll be a good way to generate exposure for our library service. Hopefully I'll have something meaningful to blog about in a few months.<br />
<br />Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-33014393916510612662015-11-01T09:10:00.000-08:002015-11-01T09:10:23.469-08:00Thing 17: Reflective Practice The post that Stephanie wrote on reflective practice is probably one of the most important ones on the whole course. The methods that we are using for each module - doing and then reflecting are essential to be able to effectively get the most out of the experience for ourselves. It's also important that we reflect properly however. I know that my posts have not been the deepest in reflection. I guess it's a consequence of having so much involvement in the back-room development of the course, as a result I feel like I'm reflecting all the time. Asking questions like - will this be relevant? will people find it useful? does it make sense?<br />
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I have had plenty of opportunity to reflect on the course as a whole and my experience on the project, what would I do differently, what have I learned from it. The process of reflection is definitely something that I will take away with me from the course and use again in order to effectively learn from my professional experiences. I am quite cerebral by nature. I think using the Gibbs cycle is effective for someone whom reflection is new, I tend to go through those steps naturally, and I'm sure most people do the same. I think a lot, and reflect on everything. I lack the discipline to write it down however.<br />
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In my art days I used to write morning pages - 3 pages of writing at the start of every day. It's is an effective method of processing your thoughts so that they don't cloud your brain, and free yourself so that you can devote your thoughts to the creative process.<br />
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It's a bit like blogging I suppose, but a bit more personal. I feel that it might be a good practice to take up again. I am currently wearing a few different hats in my professional career - my day job, extra things outside of work such as this project, the WRSLAI, and a European Literacy Network. Sometimes I find it difficult to switch off or separate them so that they don't occupy my time all at once.Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-3090010045913898302015-11-01T03:29:00.000-08:002015-11-01T03:29:11.538-08:00Thing 16: Collaboration Tools I have skipped Thing 15 Advocacy for now. I think I need to devote more energy than I have at the moment to write that one.<br />
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It was great to get a more in depth explanation of how the collaboration tools work within Google. Google wins again! It really is an excellent tool for collaboration. I use it all the time for sharing files via Google Drive, editing documents and hangouts. I work in two libraries and I am never at the same computer for an entire day so I find it really useful to access whatever I am working on via Google Drive.<br />
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I have never used Doodle but I certainly will in the future. It can be a tedious part of collaboration when you're going back and forth via email between a group to find out a suitable time for everyone to meet. Thanks Siobhan for introducing us to it.<br />
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I've contributed a few comments to the document and I've read some of the other comments. It's nice to see a bit of humor in them, everyone seems to be enjoying the collaborative process and the opportunity to converse in a new way.<br />
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I think collaboration is becoming more and more a part of our jobs as we connect with people that are not in our immediate workplace. Collaboration is a skill like everything else. The tools are helpful but it's also important to find the right people to make the collaboration a success. You do need someone or more than one person who has the drive and energy to keep a project going. You also need to be sure that everyone is on the same page, knows what the expected outcomes of a collaboration are. It's important to take not that everyone has their own personal outcomes, or side-effects that they may be hoping to get also. You will have a common goal but also unique individual goals too. And I've discovered that it's important to meet in person at least once or twice also. Tools help with the functions and tasks, but there's nothing to compare to a face to face meeting.Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-88449294506153204602015-11-01T02:02:00.002-08:002015-11-01T02:02:45.004-08:00Thing 14: Augmented Reality Since I wrote the Rudai 23 blog post on AR and described my AR project as part of that, this is going to be a brief post. There's no point in repeating myself. <div>
It has been interesting reading the other participant's reactions to the AR posts. Some were quite critical of the idea of using something like an iPad to locate a book on the shelf when there's an already functioning system in place - i.e. a human being. And they have a point. I suppose it's interesting to look at what technology is out there, keeping in mind that there are certain contexts where it might work better than others. </div>
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I was delighted to see some participants loved the AR task and even went on to use it in their library programming. When you do something like an AR project in your school library to record book reviews or something like that it might seem like a lot of trouble to go to when you could just ask the pupil to write the book review and stick it on the book. Why go to the bother? </div>
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I feel it's important to demonstrate to children the potential of the technology that's out there. It's also important that they know the process. When you think about the technology that existed when I was a child (ahem, giving away my age now) ; cassette tapes were the thing. They were analog, it was easy to investigate how they worked and the functionality of the tape player etc, you could physically hold the technology in your hands, it was all there in front of you. </div>
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It's less obvious to us now how things like touch screen technology works, or how AR works, until we try it for ourselves. I think it's important to be aware of the functions and steps required to create a digital technology in order to understand it better. Until we use it ourselves it's difficult to see it's purpose or realise ways to make it useful. </div>
Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-53140159982737560092015-11-01T01:44:00.000-08:002015-11-01T01:44:11.835-08:00Thing 13: Professional OrganisationsIt took me a while to come around to the idea of joining a Professional Organisation. I joined the LAI a few years after graduating but it was another year or two before I really put my membership to any use. I am now a member of CILIP also and currently finding my way around their website and finding out what they can offer.<br />
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Some of the best opportunities of my career so far have come to me through my membership with the LAI and my involvement in the WRSLAI committee. I think it's extremely worthwhile. The LAI is a small organization and is being run on a completely voluntary basis so they don't have as many activities as CILIP and rely on the sub groups and committees to organise CPD events. They do have an annual joint conference with CILIP every year which I hope to go to some year.<br />
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The simple act of being on a mailing list for your professional organization means that you are kept up to date with any new developments and CPD opportunities. It means you have a greater connection to the profession as a whole rather than simply the one dimensional aspect of focusing on wherever you currently work, which can be limiting if you're hoping to progress in your career.<br />
There are plenty of opportunities to specialize in a specific field by joining a subgroup. If you join a subgroup, you may be eligible to apply for a bursary to attend a conference. If you attend a conference you can write a conference report which will then be published in your library journal.<br />
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All of this counts towards your CPD record which enables you to pursue Fellowship or Chartership.<br />
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So joining a professional organization can lead from one opportunity to the next and will definitely give your career a boost.<br />
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I need to practice what I preach a little though. I have had plenty of opportunities to write conference reports in the last couple of years and I haven't used them. It's a good starting point if you're thinking of entering the area of publications. I'm not an academic writer, but conference reports are very manageable. I think that at the end of this course that will have to be on my to do list, as well as exploring avenues to fellowhsip or chartership.Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-48778617001325178512015-11-01T01:19:00.001-08:002015-11-01T01:19:28.248-08:00Thing 12: Attending ConferencesI've been to a few conferences over the last couple of years. It took a while for me to warm up to the idea of the Conference - being an introvert. I'm not a good mixer and I'm terrible at small talk. The art of making conversation is exactly that - an art - which I don't posses. I've read a few articles lately about how to function at a conference if you're an introvert and they say things like ' have a few ready made conversation starters ' , 'chat about the speaker' and it's all true. Most of the time this works. But I think a lot of people feel a bit introverted at a conference naturally so the conversation does dry up after a while. In which case you need an exit strategy like ' I just need to make a phone call' or 'I'm going to look at some of the stands' .<br />
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The most important thing to remember is that everyone is in the same boat. We're all there for the same purpose and it might take a few attempts to get the conversation going but once you start you might suddenly discover someone working on a similar project to you, or someone you had been tweeting during a twitter chat. I have found that the more conferences I attend the more familiar I am with the faces and names.<br />
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I usually go to the Public Libraries Conference when I can. It's the only library- related training that we get and it's worth going to. I always come away from them feeling inspired with new ideas. The downside is that i'm not in a position in my work to try out those ideas but I'm stockpiling them for the day when I can.<br />
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I also attend the Western Regional Seminar every year - I'm on the committee so it would be bad form not to turn up. I'm joking of course. I help plan the events and it's very enjoyable. A lot of work goes into the preparation of it. Because we cater for librarians of all disciplines in the West of Ireland the content is always varied and we cover academic and public topics.<br />
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I recently came back from a networking seminar in The Netherlands. This was like a conference with just the networking and none or very little of the conference. The purpose of the seminar was to find European partners to apply jointly with for funding from Erasmus+. The grants stipulate that you must partner with an organization in another European country, but it's very difficult to find the right partner. So Erasmus hold networking seminars where potential partners can gather and meet each other and work out ideas.<br />
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It was the most intensive networking session that I have ever attended! The organizers used games and other tools to break the ice which really helped (and I think I'll be stealing). <br />
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It was a huge learning experience for me and by the end of it I had lost all inhibitions about approaching people to initiate a conversation. I regret not bringing a card with my contact details - especially since my name is difficult to remember for other nationalities. I was pleasantly surprised to see a lot of people used QR codes to share their contact information.<br />
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I have recently moved onto the next level of attending conferences and started presenting at them. I recently presented at the New Professionals Day Ireland autumn networking event 'The Social Librarian' and really enjoyed it. More about that in Thing 20.<br />
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The main thing that I've discovered over the years is that the more you do it the easier it gets. If you're feeling nervous then try the short evening information sessions hosted by A &SL or the one day seminars hosted by the WRSLAI before going for the big two day conferences. And remember how welcoming and open Librarians strive to be in the workplace? It's the same in a conference, so there's nothing to be afraid of.Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-30285437869959638812015-10-18T19:00:00.000-07:002015-10-18T19:00:00.780-07:00Thing 11: Reflective PracticeThing 11 is all about time management. I think my time management is pretty OK. I've been doing something outside of work hours for the last few years, whether it's studying part-time or doing projects like the Rudai 23 so I'm used to the extra work load. I'm getting better at compartmentalizing the various parts of my life and making sure I have time to fit in work - family - fitness etc.<br />
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I have fallen behind with my blog posts but that's because I've been devoting time to the management of Rudai 23. Now that that part has finished to a certain degree I can now devote a bit of time to getting my own 'things' finished.<br />
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I'ts good to make a schedule for your week if you have a lot on, even if it's just a schedule in your own head, and stick to it. I've worked through lunches, and spent sunday nights in front of the computer to keep on top of things. The way I look at it though, it's not because I cant manage my time or I have too much work, it's because I know if I've worked through my lunch, I can then put my kids to bed and read them an extra story without feeling like I have to rush down stairs to catch up on my work. So for me that's worth it.<br />
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I do feel envious of people who travel to work on public transport because I think I waste a lot of time in my car. I commute 50 mins to and from work every day, and I think I could get a lot done in those 50 minutes if I was on a bus or a train.<br />
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Time management for me is all about routine. Have a good routine, stick to it and you might be surprised at how much you get done. Prioritise what needs to be done and work out what you can leave till later - that 's not procrastinating just scheduling. Find ways to be efficient in your work - or ask for help. And breath - don't forget to leave a bit of breathing space to do nothing, that's just as important as everything else.<br />
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<br />Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-91781388518520373272015-10-18T02:50:00.000-07:002015-10-18T02:50:34.734-07:00Thing 10: Live StreamingIt's useful to wait two months before blogging about an event because you have completely forgotten what happened and then you have to go back and read about it. - I'm joking of course.<br />
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I was one of the background people for the Rudai 23 Hangout on Air. I was monitoring the twitter feed and commenting and tweeting from one device, while watching it from a second device. It was exciting and nerve wracking and it felt great to be involved in it. There was a lot of work involved in the preparation leading up to the hangout - making sure everyone involved had a good internet connection, the right equipment etc.<br />
Once the hangout started it was a bit like a twitter chat but with visuals. The technical glitches did dominate the proceedings for a lot of the session and there were a few problems with sound. If we were to do it again I would insist that everyone has headphones with a mic attached.<br />
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I love the idea of a hangout for an informal work conference. I have since used hangouts with a few of the Rudai 23 Team to discuss the project and it was very useful. The more we use it the easier it is to be mindful of not speaking over people and the conversation does flow.<br />
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As a public Hangout on Air I'm not so sure I would use it again in my work but I do see its merits. I think it would be very good for a small panel discussion - for example with some librarians in the UK or US as part of a regular series for my library group. David Lankes has a 'video show' called <a href="https://vimeo.com/126483512">This Week in Libraries </a>which is kind of along the lines of what I'm talking about. It takes a certain skill - like any good television journalist I suppose- to be able to fill that kind of role, not something I possess I fear. But I would be happy to be part of the 'backroom' stuff.<br />
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I've looked at periscope a few times. Every so often my phone chirps as someone I follow is streaming from periscope. The most exciting so far was when Jam Holmqvist streamed from the Next Library Conference. I was struck with major conference envy. There have been a few occasions where I have been tempted to whip out my phone and stream a 'happening' at my library but didn't because of the issue of permission and privacy rights. How far do we really need to go with online sharing? It is really necessary to have everything out there? I realise the importance of showing what really goes on in libraries but we need to respect people's privacy as well.<br />
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<br />Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-82801406879918947282015-10-18T02:22:00.000-07:002015-10-18T02:22:06.626-07:00Thing 9: Video It's no surprise that I stalled at Thing 9. I've only just recovered from the trauma of having to listen to the sound of my own voice for the podcast thing and here I am again having to record my voice for the screencast.<br />
I completely see the merit of screencasting and I wouldn't let my own personal feelings stop me from using it in a work situation. I would just use subtitles instead.<br />
So it took two attempts to do the screen cast. I decided to pick a topic that I was comfortable with and knew well - Pinterest.<br />
I should have storyboarded it first, or at least written a script or a few points that I wanted to cover. My first attempt was far too long, with lots of umms and ahhhs and spelling mistakes when typing into the search bar. Not very professional at all. The second attempt was marginally better. I decided that would do, not wanting to dwell on it too much.<br />
I should say I had a few glitches getting screencastomatic to work, but I think that comes with trying any new software. I had to install a plug-in and the microphone took some 'tweaking'.<br />
Uploading my screencast to YouTube was straightforward enough. When I tried to add annotations however nothing happened. I was expecting to see the option for automatic subtitles come up, as described in Wayne's post but it wasn't there. I know this happened with another few Rudai people and I just didnt have the time to explore the problem further, or manually add my own subtitles. So I left the video as it, with my audio.<br />
I did enjoy doing it and I think screencasts would be hugely beneficial in libraries. We are currently in the process of switching to a new library management system and I think a few screen casts on how to use it would be very apt for both staff and public.<br />
On regular occasions I have to show members of the public how to log out of someone else's google account and log into their own. It's just 4 steps, but it would be good to have a screen cast of those kind of things on the public access computers desktop. I know most people will still ask me for help rather than watch a video but there will be a few who would probably prefer to watch the video, and feel a bit more self sufficient at working it out themselves from there.<br />
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And here is the video itself:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fxaYyxGwhvI" width="560"></iframe>Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-84233894609040113452015-08-18T09:56:00.000-07:002015-08-18T09:56:14.491-07:00Thing 8: Curator Tools I was a contributor to the Rudai post on curator tools so again I might sound a bit biased. I wrote the bit on Pinterest. Anyone that knows me knows how much I love Pinterest. I think the visual element of it is very suited to displaying book covers. I would love to see it used as a way to display new titles added to a library collection, or to compile reading lists on different genres or topics. Our library uses it to collate genealogy titles and it has a growing list of followers.<br />
I've also been pinning a lot of the pins to the Rudai 23 boards. It's an interesting way to collate articles related to a topic. I know we have tools like Evernote and Pocket for this purpose as well but I like the visual layout of Pinterest. It's an easy way to flick through and find the stuff you want.<br />
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I havent't used Flipboard much and I did take a look at it after reading Thing 8. I think Flipboard is just one of those social media tools that I just cant fit into my life. If I travelled on public transport everyday maybe, but still, I think my social media cup might floweth over if I take on Flipboard. I like the idea of using it for educational purposes however, by creating magazines to share on certain topics.<br />
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Storify is a really interesting tool. I did a bit of searching for examples of it being used in an educational context and I found an example of a storify of President Obama's inauguration. I think it would be a really innovative way to teach a class about an historical event or a global issue.<br />
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<br />Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-29373512808579995942015-08-11T08:43:00.001-07:002015-08-11T08:43:29.456-07:00Thing 7: PodcastsI have recently gotten back into podcasts having not listened to them for a while. It depends on my schedule and whether or not I can fit a podcast into whatever I’m doing. At the moment my car radio doesn’t work so It’s handy to have something to listen to while I drive. Also I’ve returned to working full time so I like having something to listen to for those long Mondays spent tidying our library after a hectic Saturday. (we’re closed to the public on Monday mornings). At the moment I am listening to Serial and I'm hooked.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymMXjtbe-dVTtI95-RJYmKxQOWRIbri4scJ6JIJEKlswZLdq5OQms-HO6c9EgM7bE7AOo3c4fRKUJikxRfrFKnTLyg64rY12LQ7F-_k28LE9QyO9XDvrmAfuZRXzCESTuWMIVe0DKJu8/s1600/Capture.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="122" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhymMXjtbe-dVTtI95-RJYmKxQOWRIbri4scJ6JIJEKlswZLdq5OQms-HO6c9EgM7bE7AOo3c4fRKUJikxRfrFKnTLyg64rY12LQ7F-_k28LE9QyO9XDvrmAfuZRXzCESTuWMIVe0DKJu8/s320/Capture.PNG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ferguson Public Library Facebook Status</td></tr>
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I have to admit the main reason that I chose to include podcasts as a ‘Thing’ is because I wanted to tell everyone about Circulating Ideas. I think it’s such useful and interesting resource. I have learned so much from listening to it. I know a few people have said that they didn’t think it is relevant to them because the interviews are all with US based librarians but I think they are very relevant. Steve interviews people he believes are doing something significant in the library profession – take for example his interview with Scott Bonner, the director of Ferguson Public Library in Missouri. <a href="http://www.policestateusa.com/2014/ferguson-missouri-riots/">Exactly one year ago Ferguson city was a war zone</a> with rioting on the streets. It wasn’t safe for people to step outside their front door. <a href="http://www.ala.org/transforminglibraries/libraries-transforming-communities/blog/one-year-later-interview-ferguson-mo-library-director-scott">Scott Bonner</a> chose to keep the public library open during this time and as a result it became a safe haven for people to go when they had nowhere else. Steve Thomas’ interview with Scott Bonner is inspirational.<br />
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I’m going a little off topic now. The point that I’m trying to make is that even if our libraries are a little bit different than the libraries in the US we still operate by the same values and principals. We’re not all that different in reality and I find most of the Circulating Ideas podcasts very relevant.<br />
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I would however love to see an Irish/UK based podcast for librarians. There is some talk about it on twitter and I can really see it happening. I’m not sure if it’s something I could do. I hate the sound of my recorded voice. I think I sound very Oirish, like Darby O’Gill. I know we give out about movie stars when they attempt the Irish accent, but perhaps that’s how they really hear us? I mean have we really listened to ourselves? I did acquire a bit of a Canadian accent when I went travelling for my obligatory one year in Australia, but that was so that people could understand me. Maybe it’s time to resurrect the Canadian me.<br />
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I didn’t record anything for this blog post. I did the recording for the Rudai 23 blogpost and I think that’s punishment enough for everyone.<br />
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Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-3655668968741865662015-08-07T12:51:00.000-07:002015-08-08T02:14:17.614-07:00Thing 6: Reflective Practice I'm delighted to have an opportunity to take a few minutes to take stock of where I am at with this course. Things have been pretty hectic up until now and i'm looking forward to catching up on my own reflective blogging.<br />
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I've been dipping into everyone's blogs since the start of the course. It's a nice way to get a feel for how our Rudai 23 community is growing. I am becoming familiar with the names and faces on the different networks. I love it when I see someone pop up on LinkedIn and then a few days later, join the facebook group or send out a tweet and i know they are studiously working their way through the course.<br />
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Highlights so far for me have been the buzz on twitter. An it's really buzzing. Every night I check my stream for the hashtag and there's always a few new tweeters joining the conversation.<br />
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The impromptu hangout was a bit hairy but definitely worth trying. We will be finalising a date tomorrow for a proper hangout.<br />
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I have been surprised about how far I still have to go with releasing my 'internet self' . When I did the 23 things course in 2011 I was very wary, like a lot of people doing this course, about putting myself out there. It's a scary thing, akin to standing on a stage infront of thousands of people and telling them your deepest secrets. I've only just gotten the courage to post a proper profile picture on all my networks that's instantly recognisable. I'm also getting a lot braver about connecting with people, commenting on blogs, responding to tweets. It takes a while and it's scary at first when people talk back but very rewarding.<br />
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I think that everyone that is doing this course is looking for something. I'm not talking about the obvious things like Chartership or a Job - those are a given. I think some of us are looking to make something happen, to contribute to the library profession on a bigger scale, and I really think we could. Already there are murmurings about starting a UK/Irish podcast. I'm looking forward to seeing what people have to say when the topic of advocacy comes up. We are sorely lacking in advocacy for libraries in Ireland at the moment and I would love to collaborate with someone on an advocacy project. <br />
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<br />Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-52719686955069616732015-08-07T08:10:00.000-07:002015-08-07T11:57:05.615-07:00Thing 5: Online NetworksI've been shamefully short in my last few blog posts but I will make the effort to be more expansive from now on.<br />
My reflections on the things for this course are probably a bit biased since I am the course coordinator and as such I think all the elements that we are covering in the things are worthwhile.<br />
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As with everything though, there are advantages and disadvantages. You will find one thing suits you better than another. I have preferences for different networks for different purposes and the two covered in this thing are very different.<br />
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I have heard mixed reactions to the idea of using Facebook for professional purposes from other course participants and I can completely relate to that. I was strictly friends only for a long time but the more I used facebook the more the lines became blurred.<br />
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I spent a week in Stockholm a year ago with a group of librarians from all over Europe and we now keep in touch through Facebook. While I have added them as friends, the majority of our interactions come from a group that we set up.<br />
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Shameless plug coming up: It's called Literacy For All - European Library Network. Look us up and please join if you are interested in Adult Literacy and Libraries in Europe.<br />
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We have used this group as a collaboration tool in order to facilitate projects, searching for funding opportunities or meetings online or at conferences. It has been a very effective way to reach everyone because everyone is on Facebook at some stage every day. Arent we? It's not just me.<br />
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Other groups that I have joined are Storytime Underground, Wordpress for Librarians, Libraries and Social Media and Programming Librarians Interest Group.<br />
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I feel I need to explain why I like Facebook Groups so much.<br />
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I find all of them very useful for stealing ideas first of all. My interaction with each varies but I can definitely attribute some of my work and projects to things that I have read about or seen in these groups.<br />
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I find there's always someone there ready to answer a question and often I contribute if someone has a query. It's just another type of online community to me, a very useful and rewarding one.<br />
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There's no agenda with the group members like you might find with linkedIn, people are there to help and learn. It's a place to share your successes and also your failures and you will always get a pat on the back or a sympathetic ear from someone. It's mostly front-line staff also, from what I can tell, like myself, experiencing the same things that I am experiencing.<br />
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The informal nature of Facebook means that I can interact more freely also. I certainly wouldn't post in Facebook the same way that I post on LinkedIn. <br />
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I personally dont have a problem with connecting with colleagues on Facebook. The facility to categorise your friends makes it easier and I can place people in Acquaintances if I don't want them to see everything that I do.<br />
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I have been a member of twitter for 5 years - since my last 23 things course actually and I love it. It's a very easy ready way to connect with people. I like how efficient it is, that you are restricted to 140 characters makes you really consider what you want to say, and whether it's worth saying.<br />
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I haven't used twitter for personal networking very much. I have a personal account but I seem to feel more comfortable tweeting from an institution account, which I do for my library group and the Literacy Network as well as one of the Libraries I work in.<br />
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I have been the main tweeter for the Rudai 23 account and surprisingly this is the account I've had the most interaction from. I think because there is a specific purpose to the tweets and a very ready audience who are interested in what we are doing then I am getting more out of it.<br />
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I am looking forward to going back to my personal twitter account and having a proper stab at using it for networking once this course is finished.<br />
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<br />Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-8018554767920271662015-08-06T13:52:00.000-07:002015-08-06T13:52:05.144-07:00Thinglink Experiment <img class="alwaysThinglink" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/685949580675645441/1024/10/scaletowidth#tl-685949580675645441;1043138249'" style="max-width: 100%;" /><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/jse/embed.js"></script>Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-44916714099840170042015-07-27T10:04:00.001-07:002015-07-27T10:04:41.581-07:00Thing 4: GoogleJust when you think you've seen it all.. <div><br></div><div>I thought I was up to date with all things Google but I had never heard of Hangouts on Air before, so I stand corrected! I can't wait to try it out- not sure what yet but I'm thinking and planning. Something will come to me. </div><div>We tried an impromptu Group Hangout the other night and it was a learning experience. I now understand the value of having a consistent photo, and name, and making sure it's your real photo and and name, on all of your social platforms. Here is why:</div><div><br></div><div>We are at a stage in this course where we are all exploring the different networks, I think we've covered 4 big ones. We are all getting to know the participants and finding our feet. It can get very confusing if the people you are connecting with have different profile photos on each network. If you are connecting with someone on hangouts it's important that they know your name, remember how they know you, and are able to connect that memory with the person they are speaking to in real time. This gets all the introductions out of the way fast and means that you can get straight into the important stuff. </div><div>Imagine if you went to every conference looking completely different. Nobody would remember who you are, and you would immediately lose all the valuable networking efforts that you made at the last conference. It's the same online. </div><div><br></div>Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-67179819340486350042015-07-18T06:45:00.001-07:002015-07-18T06:45:33.821-07:00Thing 3: My Professional BrandSo I've been on LinkedIn for a few years now and I have a love / hate relationship with it. Mostly because the app is awful and LinkedIn insist on constantly suggesting that I invite all my gmail contacts to connect. It seems like a contradiction, since it gets all antsy with me if I try to connect with someone that I don't know. If we are to network doesn't that mean introducing ourselves to people we don't know?<br />
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I think as a concept LinkedIn is a great idea but the functionality of it needs to be revisited.<br />
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Having said that, I do dip into it a few times a week. I find the CILIP group very active. I've tried getting a few groups up and running, on LinkedIn and Facebook and I've learned you need two things - a lot of members<br />
- a lot of ethusiasm.<br />
It's hard to get a group going, no more than physical group-work is difficult, which I do in my job every day. Groups take time to nurture and grow. The CILIP group works because it has a lot of members and they're very active on LinkedIn. I asked to join the UCD SILS Alumni group about a year ago and my request is still 'pending'. <br />
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As for my professional brand - i can see from looking at other profiles and reading Michelle's post that mine needs a bit of work. I've filled out my profile but it seems a bit all over the place. A lot of my work is bitty, - helping here / helping there/ a bit of everything. I don't have a 'dragon slaying story' - yet.<br />
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So here is my <a href="https://about.me/nodonovan">about.me</a> page. It's very rough and ready and will take (more) time to fill in properly.<br />
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Time time, who has the time? <br />
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<br />Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-35903658928227921652015-07-12T06:56:00.001-07:002015-07-12T06:59:12.895-07:00Thing 2: Why I Became a LibrarianThis is post is part of the Rudai 23 course of which I am course coordinator. I'm not going to blog for every module but I thought it made sense to write about this one. <div><br></div><div><b>Why I became a Librarian.</b></div><div><br></div><div>My first memory of the library was a one room library with a very small section of children's books,presided over by a formidable woman who struck fear into the hearts of every child that entered there. Phew! Thankfully things have changed since then. </div><div><br></div><div>Like a lot of people, I didn't intend on becoming a librarian. My only love and ambition for a long time was art. A career was not on the top of my agenda and I worked simply to live and fund my art habit. I eventually realised that perhaps I could combine my artistic endeavours with a paid job. A library assistant position came up in Kildare, and knowing that the Kildare Library Service was closely linked to the arts centre in Newbridge, I went for it.</div><div> I got the job and was assigned to Celbridge Library. Not as closely linked to the art side as I would have hoped but I soon discovered that i enjoyed the work. Then I discovered that you could study to be a qualified Librarian. A whole new world opened up to after that. I took a career break to study the HDip in Library and Information Studies in UCD and as soon as I finished my exams I moved to Galway and got a job as a library assistant there. </div><div>And this is where things slow down a little. One mortgage, a wedding, two babies, a recession and nine years later I'm still a library assistant.</div><div> I try to suppress the jolt of frustration that I feel when I say those words. I certainly didn't expect to be still at the bottom of the ladder after such a long time. </div><div>Instead I focus on the positives. I have learned so much from my work. I've said yes to pretty much a.ny.thing that has come my way and as a result opportunities (like this course) have presented themselves when I least expect it. </div><div>That is definitely one of the reasons why I love this job. The variety of work and the potential for exploring so many different aspects of librarianship during an average working week keeps me hooked. There is always an opportunity to learn, and to pass on what you've learned to others. The daily connections that I make with people, whether it's online or in person and the opportunity to help them are the reason i love the job so much. </div><div>Onwards and upwards from here. </div>Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7181430658315015411.post-64954692804384042552015-07-11T10:27:00.001-07:002015-07-11T10:27:43.919-07:00Testing a Thinglink <img class="alwaysThinglink" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/api/image/676476202898161665/1024/10/scaletowidth#tl-676476202898161665;1043138249'" style="max-width: 100%;" /><script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//cdn.thinglink.me/jse/embed.js"></script>Niamhhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05391029683602473352noreply@blogger.com0