Oh no! Please let this be a typo or something:
Librarian wins couch potato contest
Friday, January 04, 2008
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Open Letter to 2007
Dear 2007,
Just before you walk out the door, 2007, I would like to tell you a few words. Yes, I see you want to leave and let 2008 fully take over. But I have a few things to say.
What a year you have been. You were full of ups and downs, good times and bad times, like most years, really. But, 2007, you were different in many ways, too.
I found myself in relocation mode in 2007, living and working in a different city, something which I had not even considered until, well, until 2007. The experience has been enriching, perhaps more personally than professionally. I had a hunch that this would have been the case, but I have taken the ride all the same, for the sake of, well, for the sake of second chances, a new start, a new path, perhaps even a new beginning.
But, 2007, a new beginning--those intricate tiny cautious steps down an untraveled road toward an unknown destination--often spans longer than 365 days.
And so that brings me to 2008.
Welcome 2008, you look brand-spanking new. You are a clean slate.
What resolutions should I impose on you? Better blogging habits (a post a day?).
While I think about New Year's resolutions, dear readers, what are yours?
Just before you walk out the door, 2007, I would like to tell you a few words. Yes, I see you want to leave and let 2008 fully take over. But I have a few things to say.
What a year you have been. You were full of ups and downs, good times and bad times, like most years, really. But, 2007, you were different in many ways, too.
I found myself in relocation mode in 2007, living and working in a different city, something which I had not even considered until, well, until 2007. The experience has been enriching, perhaps more personally than professionally. I had a hunch that this would have been the case, but I have taken the ride all the same, for the sake of, well, for the sake of second chances, a new start, a new path, perhaps even a new beginning.
But, 2007, a new beginning--those intricate tiny cautious steps down an untraveled road toward an unknown destination--often spans longer than 365 days.
And so that brings me to 2008.
Welcome 2008, you look brand-spanking new. You are a clean slate.
What resolutions should I impose on you? Better blogging habits (a post a day?).
While I think about New Year's resolutions, dear readers, what are yours?
Monday, December 17, 2007
Lost in the Archives: Funding
Thanks to Ed for pointing out this CBC News article to his readers. The story is about the case of several hundred missing items from the Ontario Archives.
The CBC story focuses mainly on a final report written by Audior General Jim McCarter concerning the missing items and on the painter, A.J. Casson, whose prints have gone missing - or, as the auditor general concludes, were stolen while the works were being moved.
But Ed brings up a good point, one that is far too often overlooked. While the auditor general finds fault with the archives operations, I wonder if the auditor general examined the staffing situation or the funding in the Ontario Archives?
Not being familiar with the Ontario Archives, I cannot make any direct comments. However, I can state that most archives I have known are usually struggling with inadequate funding and staffing. Materials pile up, overwhelming the staff. It is so typical a story that whenever I hear it told, I cringe and laugh a disturbed-ready-for-the-loonie-bin laugh.
It is not uncommon to have an archives staffed by maybe 2-3 professional archivists assisted by support staff or students. Nor is it uncommon to have the archives department low on the budget list. But these realities contribute to the problem of missing, uncatalogued items. And let's be honest, they are not just missing items - they are lost history, pieces of the past taken away from the public's right to see and explore and experience.
These realities are rarely discussed. Rarely. Policitians are more than happy to talk about preserving the past and digitization projects, but rarely talk about the people behind the scenes. It is as though the work gets done magically, overnight, like those Elves in that Grimm Brothers' fairy tale.
What will it take to change the discourse? Shall we lose more stuff, shall we let more go uncatalogued until things reach epedemic levels. Sadly, it is usually at that stage when the powers that be take serious notice.
The CBC story focuses mainly on a final report written by Audior General Jim McCarter concerning the missing items and on the painter, A.J. Casson, whose prints have gone missing - or, as the auditor general concludes, were stolen while the works were being moved.
But Ed brings up a good point, one that is far too often overlooked. While the auditor general finds fault with the archives operations, I wonder if the auditor general examined the staffing situation or the funding in the Ontario Archives?
Not being familiar with the Ontario Archives, I cannot make any direct comments. However, I can state that most archives I have known are usually struggling with inadequate funding and staffing. Materials pile up, overwhelming the staff. It is so typical a story that whenever I hear it told, I cringe and laugh a disturbed-ready-for-the-loonie-bin laugh.
It is not uncommon to have an archives staffed by maybe 2-3 professional archivists assisted by support staff or students. Nor is it uncommon to have the archives department low on the budget list. But these realities contribute to the problem of missing, uncatalogued items. And let's be honest, they are not just missing items - they are lost history, pieces of the past taken away from the public's right to see and explore and experience.
These realities are rarely discussed. Rarely. Policitians are more than happy to talk about preserving the past and digitization projects, but rarely talk about the people behind the scenes. It is as though the work gets done magically, overnight, like those Elves in that Grimm Brothers' fairy tale.
What will it take to change the discourse? Shall we lose more stuff, shall we let more go uncatalogued until things reach epedemic levels. Sadly, it is usually at that stage when the powers that be take serious notice.
Friday, December 14, 2007
It's Friday, It's Funny Friday
So the Annoyed Librarian is up to her/their freaky Friday blog posts. This time around, it is a humorous look at the five things she/they like most about being a librarian. You can read all five here.
For now, my personal favorite:
"Third, it's not busy, busy, busy all the time. If librarians were busy all the time, there wouldn't be so many librarian blogs, now would there? Busy librarians don't have time to blog so much. You can tell those librarians without much to do by the frequency of their blog posts. Show me a librarian who posts every day to two or three blogs, and I'll show you a librarian who's mastered the art of looking busy without working very hard. I'm not making fun; these librarians are to be imitated. Master that art, and your work life will be much improved." [Emphasis mine]
If you have been reading my most recent blog posts regarding the Social Web and Real Work (here and here), I think you would have to agree that this is one heck of a statement. And as the AL writes, imitate these librarians, "and your work life will be much improved."
Merry Christmas, Annoyed Librarian. I hope all three, four or five of you have a nice time off. Cheers!
For now, my personal favorite:
"Third, it's not busy, busy, busy all the time. If librarians were busy all the time, there wouldn't be so many librarian blogs, now would there? Busy librarians don't have time to blog so much. You can tell those librarians without much to do by the frequency of their blog posts. Show me a librarian who posts every day to two or three blogs, and I'll show you a librarian who's mastered the art of looking busy without working very hard. I'm not making fun; these librarians are to be imitated. Master that art, and your work life will be much improved." [Emphasis mine]
If you have been reading my most recent blog posts regarding the Social Web and Real Work (here and here), I think you would have to agree that this is one heck of a statement. And as the AL writes, imitate these librarians, "and your work life will be much improved."
Merry Christmas, Annoyed Librarian. I hope all three, four or five of you have a nice time off. Cheers!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Hills and Valleys and Your Career
Once again Steve Oberg, blogging over at Family Man Librarian, has posted a very candid and personal piece about librarianship, choices, decisions, and the hills and valleys that a professional naturally encounters on his or her career path. In his post, he cites--and is inspired by--a blog post written by Steven Bell, who discusses his ascent from librarian to director...while balancing family life and its hefty demands.
The theme shared by both authors is a general but poignant question: Am I where I should be professionally? In other words, have I made the right decisions, based on various environmental circumstances of the past, and am I happy with where I am professionally? Have I accomplished and achieved all that I could have? Their responses are surprising...and reassuring!
Regardless of the profession you find yourself in, whether librarian, archivist, or some other information professional, or whether you find yourself at the crossroads of life, the fact is we all start to ask such questions after a certain amount of years in the profession. Am I where I should be professionally? Did I envision something different?
We ought to expect peaks and valleys in our professional life, and incorporate them (as best we can, being mere mortals, of course) into our planning. There will be good times--moments of exhilaration, recognition--and bad times when the surrounding fluid sounds of success diminiss into a din of noise and static, where nothing seems to make sense.
Steven Bell, however, provides some insightful advice: Treat a career path as a runner treats a marathon. Plenty of pacing, planning, bursts of energy, moments to recharge.
I have been in this field since 2001, almost 7 years, and one thing I have gleaned, which I hope can be of value to anyone reading, is to keep one's short-term and long-term goals and objectives in mind, especially long-term goals and objectives. Never lose sight of those long term visions. There will be times when a short-term situation may seem to take precedence, like that lingering never-ending project, that contract extension, but never lose sight of the long-term. Keep running toward the longer-term goal. This is not a sprint, the fastest one past the finish line wins. No. This is a long run. Do not sprint toward the short-term, wasting precious time and energy. Focus your time and save your energies for the long-term.
To use another anology. This is a story, a book with many chapters. Some chapters last a long time, full of twists and turns. Other chapters, well, those we simply cannot wait to finish, to close, and move on.
Where ever you are in your career, if graduation day occurred a few months ago or several years ago, this is your professional career. This is a long run; it is a story with many chapters. Be ready to run the distance; be prepared to finish one chapter and start another.
The theme shared by both authors is a general but poignant question: Am I where I should be professionally? In other words, have I made the right decisions, based on various environmental circumstances of the past, and am I happy with where I am professionally? Have I accomplished and achieved all that I could have? Their responses are surprising...and reassuring!
Regardless of the profession you find yourself in, whether librarian, archivist, or some other information professional, or whether you find yourself at the crossroads of life, the fact is we all start to ask such questions after a certain amount of years in the profession. Am I where I should be professionally? Did I envision something different?
We ought to expect peaks and valleys in our professional life, and incorporate them (as best we can, being mere mortals, of course) into our planning. There will be good times--moments of exhilaration, recognition--and bad times when the surrounding fluid sounds of success diminiss into a din of noise and static, where nothing seems to make sense.
Steven Bell, however, provides some insightful advice: Treat a career path as a runner treats a marathon. Plenty of pacing, planning, bursts of energy, moments to recharge.
I have been in this field since 2001, almost 7 years, and one thing I have gleaned, which I hope can be of value to anyone reading, is to keep one's short-term and long-term goals and objectives in mind, especially long-term goals and objectives. Never lose sight of those long term visions. There will be times when a short-term situation may seem to take precedence, like that lingering never-ending project, that contract extension, but never lose sight of the long-term. Keep running toward the longer-term goal. This is not a sprint, the fastest one past the finish line wins. No. This is a long run. Do not sprint toward the short-term, wasting precious time and energy. Focus your time and save your energies for the long-term.
To use another anology. This is a story, a book with many chapters. Some chapters last a long time, full of twists and turns. Other chapters, well, those we simply cannot wait to finish, to close, and move on.
Where ever you are in your career, if graduation day occurred a few months ago or several years ago, this is your professional career. This is a long run; it is a story with many chapters. Be ready to run the distance; be prepared to finish one chapter and start another.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Circular Entertainment
The consumer co-creates with the creator in creating a more perfect entertainment experience.
This story on CNET Blogs sure warms me up.
This story on CNET Blogs sure warms me up.
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Social Web, Real Work: Feedback
I was very pleased to read the many thoughtful and balanced comments on my last blog post regarding the Social Web and Who is doing the real work.
To everyone who commented, thank you. I have not received so much feedback since, well, since I don't when, quite frankly.
Personally, I like the Social Web. I use a number of online tools and resources, including but not limited to Blogger, Twitter, Flickr, and Del.icio.us. I have a Facebook account, but sadly have not had much time to update it or really use it in a meaningful way.
I opened a Second Life account (created a simple Avatar) to see what the fuss was all about, and I opened several other accounts to services whose names have either vanished from my brain or vanished from the Web landscape altogether.
Truth is, the Social Web is valuable: I have learned from and shared knowledge with many out there, many of whom will never know just how much their blogging, flickring, or twittering has helped me.
However, working in an archives for many years and having faced the usual troubles of archives around the globe (i.e. limited resources, limited staff, low priority), attempting to adopt the Social Web as even a part of Real Work becomes a very, very difficult task.
By Real Work, take, for example, processing archivists. Their bread and butter--their Real Work, in other words--does not and will not entail dealing with the Social Web. Sure, on a personal level, they may check this account or that account. But their daily output (in meters/linear feet), their accessioning of boxes and files, their management of backlog, that is their Real Work, that is the stuff that for better or for worse keeps the department afloat. No records processed, no archives. And then nevermind opening up a shop on Second Life for reference services or for showcasing digitized material. Before material gets digitized it needs to be accessioned. And when there are deadlines to be met, reports to be written and submitted, a manager or supervisor does not want to hear about the Social Web.
The Social Web is awesome, as I explained beforehand. Make no mistake about it. I use it when I have the time, and then mainly for personal and professional development. But I feel it is important to speak for those whose work, the behind the scenes work, never gets noticed...and never benefits from the Social Web.
I read a blog post by David Lee King in which he said he had actually done library work on Facebook. He sounded a little surprised that he had done actual work using Facebook.
For those whose positions--or their bosses--allow for the use of the Social Web to conduct business, I tip my hat to you. Consider yourselves fortunate to be working in such an environment. There are some places where the Social Web is not a priority, for it cannot solve immediate and pressing needs.
To everyone who commented, thank you. I have not received so much feedback since, well, since I don't when, quite frankly.
Personally, I like the Social Web. I use a number of online tools and resources, including but not limited to Blogger, Twitter, Flickr, and Del.icio.us. I have a Facebook account, but sadly have not had much time to update it or really use it in a meaningful way.
I opened a Second Life account (created a simple Avatar) to see what the fuss was all about, and I opened several other accounts to services whose names have either vanished from my brain or vanished from the Web landscape altogether.
Truth is, the Social Web is valuable: I have learned from and shared knowledge with many out there, many of whom will never know just how much their blogging, flickring, or twittering has helped me.
However, working in an archives for many years and having faced the usual troubles of archives around the globe (i.e. limited resources, limited staff, low priority), attempting to adopt the Social Web as even a part of Real Work becomes a very, very difficult task.
By Real Work, take, for example, processing archivists. Their bread and butter--their Real Work, in other words--does not and will not entail dealing with the Social Web. Sure, on a personal level, they may check this account or that account. But their daily output (in meters/linear feet), their accessioning of boxes and files, their management of backlog, that is their Real Work, that is the stuff that for better or for worse keeps the department afloat. No records processed, no archives. And then nevermind opening up a shop on Second Life for reference services or for showcasing digitized material. Before material gets digitized it needs to be accessioned. And when there are deadlines to be met, reports to be written and submitted, a manager or supervisor does not want to hear about the Social Web.
The Social Web is awesome, as I explained beforehand. Make no mistake about it. I use it when I have the time, and then mainly for personal and professional development. But I feel it is important to speak for those whose work, the behind the scenes work, never gets noticed...and never benefits from the Social Web.
I read a blog post by David Lee King in which he said he had actually done library work on Facebook. He sounded a little surprised that he had done actual work using Facebook.
For those whose positions--or their bosses--allow for the use of the Social Web to conduct business, I tip my hat to you. Consider yourselves fortunate to be working in such an environment. There are some places where the Social Web is not a priority, for it cannot solve immediate and pressing needs.
Friday, November 30, 2007
The Social Web is Cool, But Who's Doing the Real Work?
In between reading and sending emails, researching and analyzing data, and writing and editing reports, I try to make the time to keep abreast of happenings in the blogosphere by browsing through my RSS feeds and reading my favorite blogs, current news and events websites, or social networking websites.
But, honestly, I barely have the time to read these blogs and websites even after trimming the excess and reducing my reading list down to the most essential. The fact is, I have very little time at work to engage in, let alone cyber socialize with, the social Web that so many are hyping constantly.
This morning, I followed the pathway to The Irreverent Archivist whose post "Is This the 21st Century," which is actually quite good, links to the OCLC CAPCON conference website where I found several PowerPoint presentations on social networking, including one presentation by Roy Tennant. Being familiar with Roy Tennant's name through the blogosphere, I downloaded his presentation and was impressed by what he had pulled together in terms of social networking in libraries and the various web technologies offered (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Last.FM, LibraryThing, Second Life, etc).
But as the presentation pages passed me by, I became overwhelmed by the number of social networking websites out there and wondered who has the time at work to both set-up and maintain an account on all these social networking websites? Who has the time to travel around Second Life when a report is due? Who has the time to update their Facebook account with the latest applications, or produce a YouTube video, or catalog books on LibraryThing when a boss or supervisor wants that report ASAP?
I think we should be very cautious when we collectively--librarians, archivists, fence-sitters, don't know how I got here people--promote the Social Web because the Social Web requires time and that means time away from work. Maybe for some lucky souls work is the Social Web. But there are many, many more souls whose work is predominantly defined by daily outputs and servicing real people in the real world.
While I agree these social networking websites are wonderful tools when used efficiently in various information-centric environments, they are clearly aimed at those who have the time or have been given the time at work to use them.
Even on the Social Web, there are haves and have-nots. So while there are those whose time is spent in Second Life, there are many more in real life getting the real work done.
But, honestly, I barely have the time to read these blogs and websites even after trimming the excess and reducing my reading list down to the most essential. The fact is, I have very little time at work to engage in, let alone cyber socialize with, the social Web that so many are hyping constantly.
This morning, I followed the pathway to The Irreverent Archivist whose post "Is This the 21st Century," which is actually quite good, links to the OCLC CAPCON conference website where I found several PowerPoint presentations on social networking, including one presentation by Roy Tennant. Being familiar with Roy Tennant's name through the blogosphere, I downloaded his presentation and was impressed by what he had pulled together in terms of social networking in libraries and the various web technologies offered (Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Last.FM, LibraryThing, Second Life, etc).
But as the presentation pages passed me by, I became overwhelmed by the number of social networking websites out there and wondered who has the time at work to both set-up and maintain an account on all these social networking websites? Who has the time to travel around Second Life when a report is due? Who has the time to update their Facebook account with the latest applications, or produce a YouTube video, or catalog books on LibraryThing when a boss or supervisor wants that report ASAP?
I think we should be very cautious when we collectively--librarians, archivists, fence-sitters, don't know how I got here people--promote the Social Web because the Social Web requires time and that means time away from work. Maybe for some lucky souls work is the Social Web. But there are many, many more souls whose work is predominantly defined by daily outputs and servicing real people in the real world.
While I agree these social networking websites are wonderful tools when used efficiently in various information-centric environments, they are clearly aimed at those who have the time or have been given the time at work to use them.
Even on the Social Web, there are haves and have-nots. So while there are those whose time is spent in Second Life, there are many more in real life getting the real work done.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Happiness on the Job
A special thanks goes out to the Annoyed Librarian for pointing this one out.
Time Magazine has produced an interesting interactive career satisfaction scale that displays the level of happiness (or lack of happiness) people feel about their jobs. Sadly, I could not find any mention of archivist. But I did see the entry for librarians (close enough, I guess).
Don't just sit there reading this post - get on over there to Time's "One Day in America: Happiness on the Job" web page!!
Time Magazine has produced an interesting interactive career satisfaction scale that displays the level of happiness (or lack of happiness) people feel about their jobs. Sadly, I could not find any mention of archivist. But I did see the entry for librarians (close enough, I guess).
Don't just sit there reading this post - get on over there to Time's "One Day in America: Happiness on the Job" web page!!
Monday, November 12, 2007
Brush with Washington Famous, Part 4
For this installment of Brush with Washington Famous, I had a brush with a famous Canadian living in visiting Washington, DC.
This past Saturday evening, I went shopping at Trader Joe's, a grocery store where lots of students and local residents buy their groceries because of selection and good prices, when I saw none other than former Alberta premier Ralph Klein perusing the ailses. Dressed casually, he strolled around, hands in the pockets of his blue jeans.
I was standing in line when I saw him and the first thought that came to mind was, "What the heck is he doing here??"
This time folks, without an entourage, motorcade, security, or, say, a "I ♥Alberta Beef" sticker on his lapel, I cannot say with certainly if this was in fact Ralph Klein. But this person sure looked like him.
And....you know, I think it was him, especially after reading this item from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
According to the Center's website, "Mr. Klein will be at the Institute from October 2007 - December 2007..." The Institute is located in Washington, DC on Pennsylvania Avenue.
It looks like I had yet another encounter with Washington Famous (or folks from Canada who want to be famous in Washington).
This past Saturday evening, I went shopping at Trader Joe's, a grocery store where lots of students and local residents buy their groceries because of selection and good prices, when I saw none other than former Alberta premier Ralph Klein perusing the ailses. Dressed casually, he strolled around, hands in the pockets of his blue jeans.
I was standing in line when I saw him and the first thought that came to mind was, "What the heck is he doing here??"
This time folks, without an entourage, motorcade, security, or, say, a "I ♥
And....you know, I think it was him, especially after reading this item from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.
According to the Center's website, "Mr. Klein will be at the Institute from October 2007 - December 2007..." The Institute is located in Washington, DC on Pennsylvania Avenue.
It looks like I had yet another encounter with Washington Famous (or folks from Canada who want to be famous in Washington).
Friday, November 09, 2007
Unmasking the Annoyed Librarian
The movement to unmask the Annoyed Librarian is picking up strength and momentum. Heck, even the Annoyed Librarian herself has entered the race. According to her most recent blog post, the perrenially annoyed one asserts that she is not--I repeat, not--Meredith Farkas, dispelling any and all blogosphere rumors to the contrary.
I do not know Meredith Farkas; however, I am aware of her blog Information Wants to be Free. I wonder if this is the Annoyed Librarian's coy attempt at thrawting the attempts to unmask her. Putting us off the track, so to speak.
I personally believe the Annoyed Librarian is a group, a collective of annoyed librarians collaborating to publish blog posts. The editor, probably the most vocal of this chummy bunch, is the one we have come to know and love (or hate) as the Annoyed Librarian. Notice how some blog posts elucidate on the weaknesses of the American Library Association, while others are critical of popular bloggers/librarians. This seems to point to several authors. Granted, my argument is not without holes. But it is what it is.
That said, why the movement to unmask the Annoyed Librarian? Shouldn't we have a bit of mystery? Shouldn't we have someone who remains anonymous and thus is more able to shine a discerning light on the issues of our time or our profession?
I am proud to say that I found the Annoyed Librarian's blog and blogged about her/they long before she/they became the blogosphere hit that she/they is/are today. May 29, 2006 to be exact.
So let the Annoyed Librarian remain anonymous; let her/they blog without hinderance.
Yes, that is good and true.
But then again. I wonder. I wonder....
I do not know Meredith Farkas; however, I am aware of her blog Information Wants to be Free. I wonder if this is the Annoyed Librarian's coy attempt at thrawting the attempts to unmask her. Putting us off the track, so to speak.
I personally believe the Annoyed Librarian is a group, a collective of annoyed librarians collaborating to publish blog posts. The editor, probably the most vocal of this chummy bunch, is the one we have come to know and love (or hate) as the Annoyed Librarian. Notice how some blog posts elucidate on the weaknesses of the American Library Association, while others are critical of popular bloggers/librarians. This seems to point to several authors. Granted, my argument is not without holes. But it is what it is.
That said, why the movement to unmask the Annoyed Librarian? Shouldn't we have a bit of mystery? Shouldn't we have someone who remains anonymous and thus is more able to shine a discerning light on the issues of our time or our profession?
I am proud to say that I found the Annoyed Librarian's blog and blogged about her/they long before she/they became the blogosphere hit that she/they is/are today. May 29, 2006 to be exact.
So let the Annoyed Librarian remain anonymous; let her/they blog without hinderance.
Yes, that is good and true.
But then again. I wonder. I wonder....
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Annoyed vs. the Webtamer and other tales from the Archives
The mysterious but always outspoken (and often controversial) Annoyed Librarian strikes again, this time dishing out her annoyance at video games as becoming part of the library school curriculum and their usage in libraries. She quotes The Shifted Librarian describing a gaming course offered by Dr. Michael Stephens. Both Stephens and Shifted are proponents of gaming in library school and libraries. The latter, Stephens, whom the Annoyed Librarian affectionately calls the Webtamer (or Dr. Webtamer, since earning his Ph.D), is the prolific blogger/librarian behind the Tame the Web blog, which regularly promotes the use of gaming and social networking technologies in libraries to encourage community involvement.
Taken with a grain of satirical salt, the Annoyed Librarian argues that library school, already in many respects an “intellectual joke,” as she call it, will become more so if it embraces video gaming as the new education model. And the people promoting these activities, those “twopointopians,” should continue doing so on their blogs, even though they are probably too busy playing video games or social networking.
For the record, I like Michael Stephens, aka Dr. Webtamer, at least the parts of his professional life that he blogs and photographs. And in some ways, I envy his stature in the library field. He travels extensively and gives presentations across the United States, talking about stuff he loves. His excitement is tangible; he truly loves his profession. He’s excited about his work and how all those little gadgets and social networking technologies impact his work and life – and how they can do the same for library schools and libraries.
There are other bloggers/librarians whose day jobs, it seems, are filled with nothing but Second Life, iPods, and Guitar Hero. Although their jobs do not reflect reality, my reality at least, I nonetheless cannot fault them for being so joyful.
I hope they realize how very fortunate they are—how very fortunate--for many us in this field toil in obscurity.
Also for the record, I like the Annoyed Librarian as well. I believe she is a collective of annoyed librarians, and someone in the group is the editor. How can one person be so prolific and still have time to do their day job? In any case, the Annoyed Librarian remains one of the few blogs in the blogosphere that, with wit and satire, nails the foibles of library school so succinctly. It has acted as a personal balm on many occasions.
In regards to video games and gaming, I blogged about video games in the corporate world a few blog posts ago. Citing a BBC news article--and with tongue firmly pressed in check--I figured, what the heck: If video games are the collaboration model for many young adults entering the workforce, then the workforce should adopt video games as the means to get its young employees to collaborate and get the work done. I even figured I best dust off my old 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to prepare myself. Remember that one, folks, the NES?
Then I read a blog post from our Chief Information Officer, which stunned me, quite frankly. (Sorry, folks, his blog is behind a firewall.) Essentially, he argues that we, our institution, should have a presence in the virtual world Second Life. I had to re-read his post twice just in case I misread his comments. But it’s true: He firmly believes in virtual spaces such as Second Life as a viable and business valuable strategy. Cool, but...
On the one hand, I can appreciate the case Stephens, Shifted and our CIO present. The collaborative space, influenced by videogames, is an emerging platform where people come together and, bound by common goals, work together in the virtual space to achieve said common goals. But on the other hand, I wonder if all this virtual/collaborative space is nothing but another layer of unnecessary work and extra steps to attain information, knowledge, or getting the job done. It’s fun, sure, but is it necessary?
Don't get me wrong: I love a good game of Half-Life 2 as much as the next guy. But what does a first-person shooter--or twanging a guitar controller--have in common with information delivery?
Taken with a grain of satirical salt, the Annoyed Librarian argues that library school, already in many respects an “intellectual joke,” as she call it, will become more so if it embraces video gaming as the new education model. And the people promoting these activities, those “twopointopians,” should continue doing so on their blogs, even though they are probably too busy playing video games or social networking.
For the record, I like Michael Stephens, aka Dr. Webtamer, at least the parts of his professional life that he blogs and photographs. And in some ways, I envy his stature in the library field. He travels extensively and gives presentations across the United States, talking about stuff he loves. His excitement is tangible; he truly loves his profession. He’s excited about his work and how all those little gadgets and social networking technologies impact his work and life – and how they can do the same for library schools and libraries.
There are other bloggers/librarians whose day jobs, it seems, are filled with nothing but Second Life, iPods, and Guitar Hero. Although their jobs do not reflect reality, my reality at least, I nonetheless cannot fault them for being so joyful.
I hope they realize how very fortunate they are—how very fortunate--for many us in this field toil in obscurity.
Also for the record, I like the Annoyed Librarian as well. I believe she is a collective of annoyed librarians, and someone in the group is the editor. How can one person be so prolific and still have time to do their day job? In any case, the Annoyed Librarian remains one of the few blogs in the blogosphere that, with wit and satire, nails the foibles of library school so succinctly. It has acted as a personal balm on many occasions.
In regards to video games and gaming, I blogged about video games in the corporate world a few blog posts ago. Citing a BBC news article--and with tongue firmly pressed in check--I figured, what the heck: If video games are the collaboration model for many young adults entering the workforce, then the workforce should adopt video games as the means to get its young employees to collaborate and get the work done. I even figured I best dust off my old 8-bit Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) to prepare myself. Remember that one, folks, the NES?
Then I read a blog post from our Chief Information Officer, which stunned me, quite frankly. (Sorry, folks, his blog is behind a firewall.) Essentially, he argues that we, our institution, should have a presence in the virtual world Second Life. I had to re-read his post twice just in case I misread his comments. But it’s true: He firmly believes in virtual spaces such as Second Life as a viable and business valuable strategy. Cool, but...
On the one hand, I can appreciate the case Stephens, Shifted and our CIO present. The collaborative space, influenced by videogames, is an emerging platform where people come together and, bound by common goals, work together in the virtual space to achieve said common goals. But on the other hand, I wonder if all this virtual/collaborative space is nothing but another layer of unnecessary work and extra steps to attain information, knowledge, or getting the job done. It’s fun, sure, but is it necessary?
Don't get me wrong: I love a good game of Half-Life 2 as much as the next guy. But what does a first-person shooter--or twanging a guitar controller--have in common with information delivery?
Monday, October 29, 2007
Canadian Dollars Does it Again
The Canadian Dollars, affectionately known as the Loonie (those fearsome birds), has hit a new high against the US Dollar. So much for earning a once sweet American dollar!!
Follow this bird's ascent on Yahoo! Finance.
Follow this bird's ascent on Yahoo! Finance.
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Gaming in the Working World?
The news story on BBC News online--"When work becomes a game"--sounds interesting. I remember way back, when I was a young kid playing video games, I was often scolded for playing too long with my video games and not spending enough time doing my homework.
Well now look here. The tables have turned. It looks like the skills needed and acquired in playing video games, particularly team-based games, may become required skills for the workplace of the future.
Time to dust off my Nintendo!!
Well now look here. The tables have turned. It looks like the skills needed and acquired in playing video games, particularly team-based games, may become required skills for the workplace of the future.
Time to dust off my Nintendo!!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Brush with Washington Famous, Parts 2 and 3
A few weeks ago, I walked past the former Director of Central Intelligence and former head of the Central Intelligence Agency F. James Woolsey. I chronicled this event in a recent blog post.
In an almost surreal moment, I looked to my left and saw another agent open the door to the first SUV and out stepped US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, her long black legs reaching toward the sidewalk. She walked toward the Watergate with purpose even when someone from a local cafe shouted, "Hi Condi!"
Yesterday, Saturday, I had two--yes, count 'em, two--encounters with the Washington Famous. I was doing my usual Saturday grocery shopping when I bumped into Ben Stein's shopping cart (or, to be more accurate, his cart almost bumped into me - but he quickly apologized
).
).Ben Stein is an economist, writer, comedian, TV personality, game show host, reality show host, and on and on the list goes.
Bumping into him near the cold cuts and cheese section was a surprise and then seeing him line up in the express check out lane was equally surprising. I guess these Washington elites and Hollywood types are not all that different from us (aside from a few million dollars in their bank accounts).
My second encounter with the Washington Famous occurred later on in the evening when I was leaving the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts building following its daily free show program.
I was crossing the street from the Kennedy Center to the Watergate complex when I saw a sleek black Cadillac slowly pull to the curb, followed by two large, black SUVs. The slow, deliberate movement of the three vehicles alerted me that this was a coordinated motorcade.
Two secret service agents jumped out from the SUVs (looking suspiciously like Agent Smith from Matrix fame), and I continued crossing the street, actually walking between the two now parked SUVs. The driver of one SUV looked at me with piercing eyes; I could see his communication ear piece and its coiled wire running down into his shirt collar. Another agent with bulging eyes saw me coming and probably sized me and concluded I was no threat.
In an almost surreal moment, I looked to my left and saw another agent open the door to the first SUV and out stepped US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, her long black legs reaching toward the sidewalk. She walked toward the Watergate with purpose even when someone from a local cafe shouted, "Hi Condi!"While I have serious mixed feelings about living and working in this city, these encounters with the Washington Famous add some needed distraction to the daily routine.
The big question is: Who will I bump into next. Stay tuned!
Friday, October 19, 2007
So Far Away From Blogsville
Where were you?
For those wondering where I have been, why the silence on the blog front, the reason is simple: I was and continue to be very, very busy at work. It is hard to believe, but I am almost 8 months into my projects, and I am simply attempting to wrap up one of them. This is the nature of archival work; things take a long, long time to complete. I am not particularly fond of this because I find my attention wanes roughly six months into any given project.
What were those two Jott blog posts all about?
I had a meeting last week (or was it two weeks ago?) with a colleague who works with advanced technologies; he determines their business value, analyzes their potential, and dispenses recommendations and cautions as to how the institution should proceed with them. Lately, his focus has been on Web-based technologies such as blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, mashups, collaboration, social networking, etc.
During the course of the meeting he mentioned Jott, a free service that allows subscribers to call a toll-free number and send messages to yourself, to groups, teams, or even to Twitter or your blog. The magic is that Jott transforms your spoken word into text. My description is probably not doing justice, so go check out this page.
What do you want to do with your life?
I wanna rock. I WANT TO ROCK. No, wait, wrong answer. It's no secret that I am still looking for that elusive dream job. But while reading David Lee King's latest blog post, I think I am homing in on what I'd like to do. As a Librarian and Digital Branch Manager, David's list of work activities reads like a dream job:
For those wondering where I have been, why the silence on the blog front, the reason is simple: I was and continue to be very, very busy at work. It is hard to believe, but I am almost 8 months into my projects, and I am simply attempting to wrap up one of them. This is the nature of archival work; things take a long, long time to complete. I am not particularly fond of this because I find my attention wanes roughly six months into any given project.
What were those two Jott blog posts all about?
I had a meeting last week (or was it two weeks ago?) with a colleague who works with advanced technologies; he determines their business value, analyzes their potential, and dispenses recommendations and cautions as to how the institution should proceed with them. Lately, his focus has been on Web-based technologies such as blogs, wikis, RSS feeds, mashups, collaboration, social networking, etc.
During the course of the meeting he mentioned Jott, a free service that allows subscribers to call a toll-free number and send messages to yourself, to groups, teams, or even to Twitter or your blog. The magic is that Jott transforms your spoken word into text. My description is probably not doing justice, so go check out this page.
What do you want to do with your life?
I wanna rock. I WANT TO ROCK. No, wait, wrong answer. It's no secret that I am still looking for that elusive dream job. But while reading David Lee King's latest blog post, I think I am homing in on what I'd like to do. As a Librarian and Digital Branch Manager, David's list of work activities reads like a dream job:
- attended a meeting about progress with Second Life projects
- attended a meeting about the upcoming election year and content possibilities with the Digital Branch (ie., blogs, community sharing, partnerships, etc)
- created a draft document of digital branch content and staffing guidelines and emailed it out to our guidelines group for review
- drooled over the library’s new iPod Touch - the last of our Techie ToyBox goodies to arrive!
If I shared with you my daily work activities, I would probably lose my readership (yes, all two of you), so I will not.
If your daily work activities are similar to mine, or if you're lucky enough that they resemble David Lee King's, let me know either way.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
This is my second blog...
This is my second blog post to blogger using jott. For those who do not jott is a new service that allows users to telephone a jott specific number and speak their idea and jott transcribes whatever they say into words and publishes it to either blogger or twitter or even to yourself.
Click here to listen
Powered by Jott
Click here to listen
Powered by Jott
Friday, October 12, 2007
Sunday, October 07, 2007
A Lesson Learned
In the past few weeks I had several blog post ideas circulating in my head. Rather than writing them down or simply making a few notes, I filed them away in my increasingly cluttered brain.
Well, the filing system in there failed, sadly, and much of what I had to write about were drowned by the onslaught of monotonous work. The word busy does not even begin to fully describe the level of work in these past few weeks, hence the lack of updates to this blog.
So a lesson learned: If a blog post idea strikes you--anytime, anywhere--be sure to have some sort of notepad (the real or Microsoft kind) readily available. Do not put faith in the memory prowess of a tired and busy brain.
Well, the filing system in there failed, sadly, and much of what I had to write about were drowned by the onslaught of monotonous work. The word busy does not even begin to fully describe the level of work in these past few weeks, hence the lack of updates to this blog.
So a lesson learned: If a blog post idea strikes you--anytime, anywhere--be sure to have some sort of notepad (the real or Microsoft kind) readily available. Do not put faith in the memory prowess of a tired and busy brain.
Monday, September 24, 2007
The Web and History
Last week, I attended a meeting hosted by a local young adult / young professionals organization. The organization discusses news and events of concern to the neighborhood and often schedules movie nights that focus on a particular theme. It's great for socializing and learning a new thing or two about our world.
On this evening the movie scheduled was called "Beyond the Gates," a film about a teacher and a Catholic priest caught in the middle of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where Hutu killers massacred Tutsis by the hundreds of thousands. Based on a true story, the movie was rough and gut-wrenching.
The movie--and the entire Rwandan genocide--reminded me of one courageous Canadian solider, Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire, a commander on a United Nations mission in the troubled African country.
The tragedy remains raw for anyone taking a casual glance at the story: Lt. Gen. Dallaire's losing battle with U.N. bureaucracy and subsequent inability to act against the chaos unfolding around him and his eventual struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression are well chronicled in a book he penned.
Dallaire warns that if we fail to learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.
History.
I believe Web technology offers a chance to keep history alive to everyone from a university professor to a student to everyone else in between.
National Public Radio (NPR), the U.S. equivalent of the CBC in Canada, had an interview with Dallaire when his book was published. NPR recorded the interview with Dallaire and now offers it over the Web. Streaming audio technology has been around for several years now, but this is still a remarkable use of the technology. It's live and alive.
Meanwhile, the United States Marine Corps University Archives is actively recording the stories of veteran marines. I recently contacted Dr. Jim Ginther, Archives Team Leader in the Library of the Marine Corps, and asked if he planned on making these recordings available over the Web.
"The long range plan is to make these available on-line," Dr. Ginther explained, adding that "no firm timeline has been set for specific interviews or groups of interviews." The real issue at the moment revolves less around content, but more around hardware and software. "We are in the process of upgrading our systems to allow us to do just what you suggest," he said.
With that, I wished him and his project the best of luck.
The Web remains undoubtedly an exciting place, and an excellent place to share with others stories from the past.
On this evening the movie scheduled was called "Beyond the Gates," a film about a teacher and a Catholic priest caught in the middle of the 1994 Rwandan genocide, where Hutu killers massacred Tutsis by the hundreds of thousands. Based on a true story, the movie was rough and gut-wrenching.
The movie--and the entire Rwandan genocide--reminded me of one courageous Canadian solider, Lt. Gen. Romeo Dallaire, a commander on a United Nations mission in the troubled African country.
The tragedy remains raw for anyone taking a casual glance at the story: Lt. Gen. Dallaire's losing battle with U.N. bureaucracy and subsequent inability to act against the chaos unfolding around him and his eventual struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression are well chronicled in a book he penned.
Dallaire warns that if we fail to learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it.
History.
I believe Web technology offers a chance to keep history alive to everyone from a university professor to a student to everyone else in between.
National Public Radio (NPR), the U.S. equivalent of the CBC in Canada, had an interview with Dallaire when his book was published. NPR recorded the interview with Dallaire and now offers it over the Web. Streaming audio technology has been around for several years now, but this is still a remarkable use of the technology. It's live and alive.
Meanwhile, the United States Marine Corps University Archives is actively recording the stories of veteran marines. I recently contacted Dr. Jim Ginther, Archives Team Leader in the Library of the Marine Corps, and asked if he planned on making these recordings available over the Web.
"The long range plan is to make these available on-line," Dr. Ginther explained, adding that "no firm timeline has been set for specific interviews or groups of interviews." The real issue at the moment revolves less around content, but more around hardware and software. "We are in the process of upgrading our systems to allow us to do just what you suggest," he said.
With that, I wished him and his project the best of luck.
The Web remains undoubtedly an exciting place, and an excellent place to share with others stories from the past.
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