UPDATE: Announcement: Call for Papers Deadline Extended

Back in May, I posted an announcement concerning a Call for Papers for the 8th European Conference on Digital Archiving, to be held in Geneva, Switzerland between April 28-30, 2010. The conference is being organized by the Swiss Federal Archives in collaboration with the International Council on Archives' (ICA) European Regional Branch (EURBICA) and the Section on Professional Associations (SPA).

Fast forward to September--just a few days ago--I received an email from the Swiss Federal Archives notifying me that the paper submission deadline has been extended to September 13, 2009.

You can find more information on the extension of deadline on the Swiss Federal Archives website.

Spread the word among your colleagues.

Announcement: Call for Papers, 8th European Conference on Digital Archiving

A few days ago, I received the following email. It is an announcement and a call for papers for the 8th European Conference on Digtial Archiving that will be held in Geneva, Switzerland from April 28 - 30, 2010.

Dear Sir,

The Swiss Federal Archives organise together with the International Council on Archives' (ICA) European Regional Branch (EURBICA) and the Section on Professional Associations (SPA) the 8th European Conference on Digital Archiving that takes place in Geneva, 28 - 30 April 2010.

As of now it is possible to submit abstracts online at Abstract Submission. I am writing to ask if you can publish this short announcement in your blog. You find more information on the conference and details on the Call for Papers on our website www.bar.admin.ch/eca2010

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.

Thank you very much for your help to promote the ECA 2010!

Best regards,

Mercedes Matas

Wissenschaftliche Mitarbeiterin

My pleasure, Ms. Matas. I wish I could attend. The conference sounds interesting. (Wink wink Mercedes!)

Constant--and, I might add, very patient--readers, by all means, please feel free to spread the word about this announcement and call for papers to your colleagues.

Still Here

Hello readers!

No, I haven't closed up shop or fallen off mothership Earth. Just taking one of those unplanned, unscheduled, indefinite blogging sabbaticals.

More to come soon.

Take care, everyone.

It's 6:48 PM DST: Do You Know Where Your Sun Is?

It's certainly hasn't set yet, that's for sure.

A clear sign that Spring is around the corner.

F.W.I.W. (Part II)

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH - PART II

Archives*Open, open or closed?: Russell D. James has been asking me if the Archives*Open blog is still open since I have not posted anything new in quite some time. Sometimes the best ideas run into unplanned obstacles.

The Archives*Open idea is still one with potential. Writing about what other archivists are doing with Web 2.0 tools and technologies to enhance and improve access to their archival materials and in turn inspiring other archivists to follow suit is encouraging and energizing. As I mentioned in the previous post, I'm really excited with what archivists are doing with these new tools and technologies. It has the power to change things, to change attitudes.

But still what I will do with the Archives*Open blog remains unknown. For lack of a better explanation, the Archives*Open blog is resting for a while.

The Archives*Open Twitter feed remains open and active, however, sending out tweets of interests to archivists. Additionally, the Archives*Open LinkedIn network, which has almost 40 members from around the world, is ripe for further growth. Feel free to join one or both of these networks.

Transit Nightmares: In mid-January, the local commuter rail service, Agence Metropolitaine de Montreal (AMT), which provides rail service between Montreal and the surrounding area, launched its "new and improved" service to encourage people to use public transit. With extra trains and better scheduling, the new and improved service was something most if not all commuters embraced. But the plan fell off the tracks no sooner had the so-called "new and improved" service began. Trains were late, trains never showed up, and trains stalled in the middle of no where, while commuters were either stranded on station platforms or packed like sardines in trains. Commuters were pissed. It got so bad that even the laid-back Quebec government cried foul.

From a Web 2.0 perspective, the AMT website is sorely lacking. It provides very little useful information to commuters, and offers little or no means to communicate with the transit agency. Where's the two-way communication, where's the always available information when we need it, heck, where are the GPS-enabled locomotives? Meanwhile, the local bus and metro transit agency, Society de Transport de Montreal (STM) does not fare much better. The STM website holds promise, but its valuable content is static, its stuck on web pages that deserve a bottom-up re-design.

Quebercers pay notoriously high taxes, which partly funds transit services. Let's build a transit service that works, more importantly, that responds to the public's needs. A good website is part of the solution. Take a look at the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) websites with their real-time schedules and email alerts and SMS services pushing out transit alerts to riders.

Photo credit: kevincrumbs

F.W.I.W. (PART I)

FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH - PART I

A word on work: I always approach each new job--make that, each new contract--with cautious optimism, and in this case with this new job, it's no different. The prospect of working on shaping and managing a university's content creation, storage and distribution mechanism is exciting and could take years to complete. So I am cautiously optimistic because the project I am working on, while it's yet another contract, is arguably one with the potential to last much longer than a standard 12-month contract.

Blogging at work: I'm blogging on a department-wide blog at work. The blog was started by the educational technology team in hopes of enabling conversations among staff. I wrote one blog post so far, and I intend to write at most two blog posts a month. It's a team blog so there are plenty of contributors. I am not sure if the blog is publicly available or restricted to the campus. When I find out, I will inform you all.

Music Music Music: When people ask me what was the last movie I saw, the answer often shocks them, as so often the movie I last saw was from one or two summers ago. While I enjoy a good movie (or a good book), I truly love music. I am always on the hunt for new (or old) music. If I were to write one those 25 Things You Don't Know About Me memes, I would definitely include on that list the love of music.

Speaking of music, I recently discovered a Scottish electronic band called Boards of Canada. Unlike some electronic music, which seem to comprise emotionless beeps over beats, Boards of Canada's sound has a rich sonic atmosphere and deep emotional undercurrents. I 'acquired' nearly their entire discography, which dates back to the late 1990s, and I am hooked to listening to their music.

Music has had such an impact on my life--like so many of you reading, I'm sure--that now I'm thinking about about creating music. I don't know where I'm going with this idea--or even if it's merely a daydream--but I want to enrich other parts of my creative life.

The Zen of banjos: While I was working in the Archives at the International Monetary Fund, I met an archivist with a unique passion for string instruments, particularly banjos. His passion is so great that he created an online database called Banjo Sightings Database. What most struck me about this archivist, however, was his desire to devote most of his time and energy to activities and causes well beyond his archivist role. I found his perspective inspiring and exemplary. 

Archivists and archives: Before I was given a job offer at McGill, I had applied to an archivist position at another large Canadian university. The position was called digital archivist, outreach services (or something like that), and the posting mentioned that the selected candidate would use current and emerging Web 2.0 technologies, such as blogs, to support the university archives' outreach activities. I thought I was dreaming. This position sounded ideal. So I applied...and, roughly 3-4 months later, I was subsequently rejected.

Rather than receiving a rejection email, I found out about the university's decision on a listserv. A listserv! How unprofessional! No wonder the university archives needs a digital archives outreach specialist. I emailed the Chair and requested an explanation for both why was the notice made public before the rejected applicants were informed and, on a personal note, what were the reasons for my rejection.

Profusely apologizing about the listserv mistake, the person who responded to my email further explained that I was not accepted because--wait for it, wait for it--because I had too much experience! Since graduating from library school, I had been told that I did not get the positions I had applied to because I did not have sufficient or matching experience. After several years of bulking up my experience with contracts, even relocating to the United States for a job, I was now told that I had too much experience. I had good laugh, believe me.

But, seriously, this is one example out of many in the past few months that has lead me to realize that the archivist hat I once wore is no more. It was something I once did, and now that chapter has ended.

At the moment, I'm really excited by grassroot archivists harnessing Web 2.0 technologies, challenging the status quo. To stress over these rejection notices and their incredulous explanations seems like a gross waste of time.

Onwards!

The Friday Abstract: Hang In There Readers

It's been a while since my last blog post, I know, and I certainly intend to write a few new blog posts in the coming days. In case you're wondering what the heck's been happening over at The DIGITAL Archive (yes, all two of you, I'm sure, are waiting anxiously for an update), I'm doing fine, tired but otherwise doing fine as I become acclimatized once again to the working world's tenets of routine, meetings, and deadlines.

While you wait, and while I write, some music to hold you over until we meet again, same blogspot, same URL, same feed.

Boards of Canada - Seeya Later

The Friday Abstract: Not So Abstract

Unlike the standard friday abstracts, where I entertain my readers with a bit of the bizarre, I will break with friday abstract tradition this once and bring you an update not so abstract in nature.

Today marks my second full week at my new job. While McGill University remains a familiar environment, having worked there previously, much has changed, at least much as changed in regards to what I have been assigned to do.

I'll save the details about work for another blog post - as soon as I make the time to sit my butt on a chair and command the guy in my head that does most of the heavy word lifting to start hammering a few more words to form a coherent blog post.

If you follow me on Twitter (if not, here I am @dkemper), you have probably noticed a slight slowdown in tweets, which I guess you all know is to be expected. However, unlike other times, when work so radically altered my scheduling I barely blogged regularly, this time I shall endeavour to make the time to maintain an active and consistent online and social networking voice.

Ironically, I have been very active with my Archives*Open Twitter feed (if you're still not following Archives*Open on Twitter, now is your chance, @archivesopen). As I mentioned in a previous blog post (Holy Twitter Tweets, Batman!), I am rethinking the future direction of the Archives*Open blog. I am not yet sure how to proceed.

To that end, I am still working diligently on the Archives*Open Twitter feed, tapping into the power of search and RSS feeds to automatically send archives-related news, articles and blog posts through Archives*Open's Twitter feed.

I am also participating in other ways. I am monitoring the Archives*Open Twitter page when I get the chance and connecting with more archivists and records managers on Twitter. The number of connections being formed and the rise of community is wonderfully surprising to me. I love it when archivists get together and tweet! You guys and gals are awesome!

Well lookee here. I never expected to write a whole bunch. But dog gone it, I just did.

Perhaps the little guy in my head who does all the heavy word lifting is more ready than I thought.

For now, thank God it's Friday. TGIF.

Photo credit: patries71

Saturday / Sunday Slide: Smurf Shoe

Discovery. It is always illuminating and satisfying to discover something new, particularly new music, which is something I am almost constantly seeking. Thanks to Twitterer @bizaaron for tweeting about Freescha, an indie-electro duo based in San Fernando Valley, California.

Listen to this little ditty called Smurf Shoe. It is difficult to tell if this is an official music video or a fan-created video. Admittingly, the video is strange - in a good way, though.

One thing is certain: If you ain't shakin' your rump by the end of the video, check your pulse.

What does President Obama and I Have in Common?

Guess?

Give up?

This was our first week on the job.

(Hence the lack of any new blog posts here.)

Holy Twitter Tweets, Batman!

Twitter

After the Twitter bird feathers settled following my blog post on the 15 People All Archivists Must Follow On Twitter, I felt that I, make that, we--and by we I mean readers of this blog and Twitter users now following one another--had accomplished something close to a major milestone. We created a small but vocal and flourishing micro-blogging community.

Granted, I realize that many among the list do not always tweet about archives, archivists, or pressing archival issues (in that regard, I am probably the biggest practitioner of impractical tweets), but there is a sense of shared interests, which I am certain will bear fruit in the weeks and months ahead.

Moreover, by testing Twitter, many of us are now not only talking the Web 2.0 walk, but walking the Web 2.0 talk [thanks pakurilecz-dk], building and gaining real-world experience. What works. What doesn't.

It's true, Twitter can be addictive, like cigarettes. A potential time-waster, if used without discipline. But Twitter, simply put, is a nimble, mobile, light-weight publishing tool! Nothing comes close!

Twitter may change in a year or two. Another service may appear on the horizon. But what remains in the constant flux of technology evolution, and what will always remain, is our humanity: People want to create, communicate, share, and participate, and they will use these social technologies.

Reinvention: New Job

No, that's not a typo or a misprint, nor are you hallucinating. I found a new job. The telephone call and the official offer documents arrived mid-week and so therefore I can make the announcement here. I was offered, and accepted, a position at McGill University.

This position marks my return to the university, where I studied and received my MLIS and worked in the University Archives for several years.

This time, I will be working under the Information Technology Services banner, focusing on managing digital content and enabling collaboration among University units. It's a step in a new direction, one requiring, I feel, a Kierkegaardian kind of faith. Expect a slowdown in blog posts in the coming weeks, though a few pithy tweets are not entirely out of the question.

Archives*Open (perpetual beta)

When I launched Archives*Open back in early December, I was inspired and energized and greatly encouraged by the positive feedback and comments.

Today, I still feel inspired and energized. But now, with a new job starting imminently, I wonder if I can honestly maintain energy levels.

I hate to see a bright idea dim.

So in an effort to keep things moving I am making Archives*Open more, well, open, leveraging tools, technologies and services that are freely available on the Web to push content to the blog - with some editorial assistance on my part.

For example, I have started using a Twitter service called Twitterfeed, which takes RSS feeds (title and description fields only) and tweets them to a Twitter account. Regarding the Archives*Open twitter feed (@archivesopen), I am creating search parameters that encompass archives, access and Web 2.0 and saving them as RSS feeds and then running them through Twitterfeed to the @archivesopen Twitter account.

I have done something similar with Delicious, the social bookmarking service. Every time I find a website that fits 'the Web 2.0/innovative access to archival materials' classification, I tag it with "archivesopen" (no quotation marks, natch) and in time the bookmark (short blurb and URL) will be tweeted.

You can join in as well.

If you have a Delicious account, you can tag websites with "archivesopen." Fingers crossed, the bookmark will be tweeted via the Archives*Open Twitter feed.

Upwards and onwards. Stay tuned.

Photo credits comicbase; carrotcreative; Suviko

15 People All Archivists Must Follow on Twitter

UPDATE: 15 and counting. More names being added. See below.

Whether you are new to Twitter, or a veteran of the popular social networking and micro-blogging service, there is one thing that almost all of us at one time another focus on: finding and following people.

Like most social networking websites, the long-term value of Twitter is attained through participation and community. With Twitter, participation is easy. Open an account and send out your updates (or tweets) in 140 characters or less. To find and follow people (community) who share your interests and from whom you can learn, personally and professionally, however, is a little more difficult, as it is not always clear on Twitter what are people's professional identities or interests.

To remedy the situation, I have done some digging around. Inspired by Darren Rowse, who started a timely blog aimed at Twitter beginners called Twitip, I have collected a list of fifteen people all archivists must follow.

If you are an archivist or interested in archives and archival issues, these fifteen people should become part of your follow list.

1. @RobinRKC

2. @archivesnext 

3. @adravan 

4. @mike_rush 

5. @anarchivist 

6. @dancohen 

7. @Jill_HW 

8. @helentaylor 

9. @amycsc 

10. @MerrileeIAm 

11. @caturday 

12. @Michigania 

13. @mzarro

14. @publichistorian

15. @jessewilkins

Do you have other Twitter people to suggest? Send me a tweet at @dkemper or to @archivesopen! Want to get started with Twitter, sign up here.

UPDATE (13/01/2009)

@Al30 

@russelldjames 

@souslapoussiere - French/English

UPDATE (14/01/2009)

@BobRGarrett

UPDATE (15/01/2009)

@spellboundblog

@lynnemthomas 

@nicolehgarrett

@lisagrimm

UPDATE (24/01/2009)

@msarchive

Interesting People, Interesting Blogs (Part 12)

This is the first installment of the new year of the much beloved blog post series called "Interesting People, Interesting Blogs," a place where the editor of The DIGITAL Archive (ahem, me) carefully examines and scrutinizes blogs and honours one for being very interesting.

For this installment, I have chosen "The Posterity Project," a blog written by Gordon Belt, an information professional with a background in special libraries and archival administration who is based in Nashville, Tennessee. According to Belt, The Posterity Project is

a blog chronicling news and issues related to archives, history, civic responsibility, and open access to public records, with reflections on archives and history in the "Volunteer State" of Tennessee.

I chose this blog for three reasons:

1. The impressive volume of timely and quality content

Impressive volume is an understatement. Belt writes prolifically on archives matters and links extensively to other websites. My personal favorite is the Weekly Roundup, where he cites interesting tid-bits from newspaper articles, blog posts, and websites. At times, The Posterity Project blog seems to transcends the usual blog formatg and becomes more like a large resource center.

2. Clean layout and design

With so much content, one would believe a blog would soon become a disorganized mess, but Belt manages to keep his layout clean and streamlined, a difficult feat considering some blogging platforms. (Cough, blogger, cough.)

3. Highlights the value of regional blogging

While The Posterity Project covers historical and archival stories and issues from across the United States and beyond, Belt makes a solid effort in showcasing local and regional historical and archival resources in his home state of Tennessee. One impressive feature incorporated in the blog (which should be emulated by other blogs, in my opinion) is the use of Google Maps in displaying an interactive map of archives in the state of Tennessee. Very well done. I hope other historians and archivists in Tennesse (and elsewhere) are reading The Posterity Project.

Photo credit kevindooley

The Friday Abstract: Uncle Jay Explains the News

Yes, it's true, my Uncle Jay explains the news. Well, actually, Uncle Jay is not really my uncle, nor is he related to my family in any shape or form. I just found him on YouTube. Actually, I found him on a website that someone had recommended for a completely different reason. And the person responsible for that website had embed this video and I thought, Voila, I found this week's Friday Abstract. It that clear?

Oh, never mind, the Friday Abstract is served!

Ready, Set...Those New Year's Resolutions?

Happy New Year DIGITAL Archive readers! It's a little late, true, but, you know, better late than never, right.

So, what are your new year's resolutions? No, seriously, what are they? We've all made some, loudly or secretly. This time around, however, let's avoid those long lists of resolutions that so often (I'm at pains to say it) fail miserably.

Social media and technology expert Chris Brogan wrote a thoughtful post on new year's resolutions - and how to achieve them. First off, he doesn't make any; rather, he selects three words that help him define goals for the year ahead.

3 Words to Achieve Goals in 2009

Brogan clearly and logically explains the potential and power of selecting three words to set goals for 2009. Unlike traditional New Year's resolutions, which often push us, mostly reluctantly, towards a set of goals, the three keyword technique pulls us toward those goals. Their hope inspires us to achieve them. So how do we set those three keywords? Brogan offers this advice:

Look for three words that will help you frame your challenges and opportunities for 2009. Don’t think about where you are this exact moment...Try setting your three words far out on the horizon, but such that they can lead you to your goals every day.

Nice Stuff. But I'm Stuck!

As hard as I tried, I could not come up with even one word. But then, serendipity stepped in to the picture in the form of an email from a friend. In his email he wrote: Work. Freedom. Enlightenment. I kid you not. Perhaps he had read Brogan's blog post. I don't know. But what I do know, these three words sound perfect to me.

Work.

In these difficult economic times, I believe most adults fall into one of the following categories: employed and satisfied, employed but fearful of losing their job, and plain and simple unemployed and discouraged. If you fit in either of the latter two categories, I, in those immortal words, feel your pain. Seeking work in these times is hard work. Period. But let's use this keyword to inspire us, to pull us towards our goal. Work. Let's see. What kind of work? Let's step it up a level: What are you passionate about? It often said, but so true. What are you passionate about? Whatever it is, I am certain it will propel you through these difficult economic times.

Freedom.

Year after year, we drag chains that are latched to bad habits. We drag chains latched to negativity. Sour moods. And so on. These chains weigh us down and weigh down our productivity - and, worse still, weigh down our goals and dreams. What is the solution? Freedom. But to achieve freedom we need action. We need to take appropriate, effective, and resolute steps to achieve freedom from those chains that hold back. Objectively and often swiftly, we need to create plan and set it into motion.

Enlightenment.

This one is a touch vague and open to interpretation, which could be a good thing. From my perspective, the pursuit of enlightenment is about seeking wisdom from sources that we may have overlooked previously, such as those around us who are smarter and wiser than us. It also is about listening to understand rather than talking and wanting to be heard. It also is about quiting the mind in order to hear that still, small--and usually incredibly knowledgeable--inner voice.

Work. Freedom. Enlightenment. This is not another blog post. This is something I really want to pursue. Consider this a record of my decision.

Set your 3 words for a successful 2009!

Photo credit Harpagornis

Just Tweet It: The Twitter Song

Just Tweet It

(inspired by Michael Jackson's "Beat It" and Twitter, of course)

They told him don't you ever blog around here

Don't wanna read your posts cuz they're never clear

The time is passing fast and you better be sincere

So tweet it, just tweet it

You better tweet, under 140 characters if you can

Don't wanna see no long blog post, don't be no literary man

You wanna be followed, better follow others while you can

So tweet it, but you wanna just blog

Just tweet it, tweet it, tweet it, tweet it

No one wants to be deleted

Bloggin' all long and rough is not bright

It doesn't matter, left-wing or right

Just tweet it, tweet it

Just tweet it, tweet it

Just tweet it, tweet it

Just tweet it, tweet it

UPDATE: The Youtube link to Michael Jackson's "Beat It"