Taking Risks: Steps to Growth

Once again, Steve, over at Family Man Librarian, posts another good one, this time on the topic of taking risks, both professionally and personally. What can I say? I agree. The only problem I have is that it's sometimes so hard to do, that's all.

You know, whenever I give a presentation on electronic records management or digital preservation (which are very rare nowadays), I always encourage the audience to take risks, to take a chance. To do something towards digital preservation. To accession a CD-ROM or DVD. To capture a website. To accession an old email account. I often make my pleas with a kind Anthony Robbins intensity (okay, not so intense, but you get the picture). And I think the reason why I am so passionate about taking risks when speaking is because I am really trying to break through my own shell of stubornness and refusal to listen to my own advice and convince myslef of the growth that comes in the wake of taking a risk.

Yes, I want to take more risks. Not just risks in relocating to another city or another country. But also taking a risk to pursue another path, another direction, envisioning a new goal.

Anyway, go read Steve's post.

Reflections Through an Open Letter to Self

Steve, blogging over at Family Man Librarian, has posted an open letter to himself. What a neat idea and what a great way to re-focus your priorities and adjust your attitude. I applaud his courage and creativity.

New X-Files Movie?

According to this report by the BBC, David Duchovny, who played the role of Special Agent Fox Mulder on FOX's hugely successful sci-fi/paranormal television series between 1993 and 2002, is expecting to receive the script for another X-Files movie sometime this week.

Great news! Chris Carter, the show's creator, and Frank Spotnitz, the head writer, have been busy!

I am one of those people who believes that nothing on television is worth watching ever since the X-Files went off the air. And to some extent, based on my viewing habits, I think this still holds true. But, anyway, that's another topic for another day.

Harry Potter Pandemonium

With most folks reading the latest (and last) Harry Potter novel this weekend, the news website DCist is reporting that the Washington DC area is the biggest Potter fan base in all of America, at least according to Amazon.com order statistics.

Your intrepid blogger, journalist, and Washington insider will investigate further.

Stay tuned.

Future of Archivists

There is a DegreeTutor.com link making its rounds around the librarian-blogosphere that features interviews with prominent librarians such as Michael Stephens, David Lee King, and Meredith Farkas, among others. They discuss the future of librarians, with many referencing advances in communication and collaboration technologies as catalysts for radical change.

I wonder if the author of this piece would consider talking to archivists and ask them what does the future hold for archivists and archives?

What would we say if such an interview were held?

Librarians seem to basking in a lot of online sunlight lately. With The New York Times piece on librarians being hip (okay, I thought the article was a crock, honestly, something to do with clothing style, rather than professionals being hip, I dunno, I was confused) and now this discussion on the future of librarians, they are enjoying some good exposure.

I think it is time we archivists--whatever stripe you are, hipster, expert, casual, lone wolf--start being heard as well.

Blogging Directions

I apologize to my readers for not posting anything new in the past few weeks, weeks that have been filled with several project deadlines.

The good news is that many of the documents and reports I helped prepare and write were accepted by senior management. Judging by the positive, almost gleeful reaction of supervisors and colleagues to this news, I believe I achieved a milestone.

I honestly wish I could blog more about the work I am undertaking at the moment, but so much of the work is confidential in nature. I also wish I could blog more about research on digital preservation and recent findings I am discovering, but that particular research project has been put on hold, so there is very little to say other than the consultants we had in mind were all very competent.

As I have discussed in previous posts, where I debated and discussed the role this blog would perform in chronicling my work, I am still wondering how best to utilize this blog without jeopardizing the sensitive nature of the work I am doing. I do not see myself resolving this matter any time soon.

Part of being a researcher in any field, be it archives, libraries or history, is to share findings and therefore build upon existing knowledge in the field. And in an “Archives 2.0” age—forgive me if you are sick of two-point-oh wordisms—that sharing also means connecting and collaborating with other like-minded professionals through blogs, for example. But unfortunately for now at least I cannot discuss much.

So, to summarize:

In terms of posts related to work, there will not be many, if any at all.
In terms of posts related to the evolving role of archives and archivists in this Web / Digital Age, there will be more posts of that nature. In terms of posts related to my own personal journey and transition to other areas of information management, there will be just about the same amount.

Fourth of July, My Work, My Webcam, NDIIPP Report

Fourth of July
The institution where I work let us out of the office early today because of the Fourth of July holiday tomorrow. But before I left, I managed to submit a few work-related documents and an important memo that will set in motion one big project. A good way to start a holiday, I say. Something accomplished. I feel good about that.

My Work
Interestingly, I find myself, once again, not really doing the "archives-thing," if you know what I mean. Rather than processing or reference work, I am putting my research and writing skills to more use, this time around focusing on project planning and strategies and business documents. For long-time readers of The DIGITAL Archive, this is not so much of a surprise, because my work in the Archives has really been of the non-traditional kind. Web, software, hardware, research, writing.

It's experiences like this that lead me to believe that, while I can appreciate libraries and archives, I really do not know if I should call myself a red-blooded archivist. To be honest--and to paraphrase historian and digital preservation pioneer Dr. David Kirsch--I am neither a librarian or archivist, but someone who cares about these cultural centers and will use his skills (web, writing) to make others aware and care for these places.

My Webcam
Over the weekend, I bought a Creative Live! Cam Notebook Pro webcam. The webcam is fine, not outstanding, but offers sufficient clarity to broadcast live video. It cost me $19.99 ($20.99 with tax, unbelievable). Worth it.

I opened a ustream.tv account to test the broadcast quality of the video stream. Actually, as I write this post, I am broadcasting live on ustream.tv! Okay, let's see, number of viewers. Zero. Oh. I see. Well, Internet stardom is not at hand, I guess.

NDIIPP Report
I apologize for not writing a report on last week's NDIIPP event on digital preservation. I will get to it. Soon.

Tighter Security

In the aftermath of the failed terrorist attacks in London and Glasgow, the United States Department of Homeland Security is increasing its security presence around airports and vital government/public buildings.

Haven't seen anything different out there. Still, the summer is starting off on a troublesome note.