nirak.net - Musings of an LIS Student

Our presentation was accepted for the C&U/TSRT Spring Meeting.

The Dean of my library is presenting opposite me. eep!

I am both excited and scared. My main problem is that I have about 2 hour’s worth of information I need to whittle down to a 20 minute speech- my co presenter will then talk for 20 minutes and we’ll have about 10 minutes for questions.

Our presentation is called “Library Friendly Technology: Applications that work @ your library.” After the presentation I will link the powerpoint.

Wheeeee!

karin :: Mar.28.2007 :: Uncategorized :: 1 Comment »

Consumerist recently posted about the possibility of Free Netflix Rentals For Brooklyn Residents.

According to Consumerist, Netflix wasn’t aware this was in progress. I hope it works!

karin :: Mar.24.2007 :: Uncategorized :: No Comments »

So, last week a coworker and I attended the Mountain Plains Library Association conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I didn’t get to see much of the area, but I love what I’ve seen of New Mexico. I could see myself living there.

After attending only two conferences, I have to say I am getting a little antsy to present- but I feel that I don’t have enough experience yet. All the presenters could talk about practical applications of what they’re doing in their libraries. I am really looking forward to getting my first “real” library job- while I work in a library right now, I am basically a secretary, and have little to do with the library at all.

A fellow student and I are going to present at the C&U/TSRT Joint Spring Meeting in May. The theme is “The Next Generation Library” and we’re presenting “Library-friendly technology: applications that work @your library” - mostly the presentation will be geared towards using portable applications to try out new technology when you can’t install anything on your computer. I’ll provide a CD with applications that people can copy right over to a keydrive- most can even be run right from the CD! The hard part will be keeping the discussion short enough - it’s only an hour, so I only have about 20 minutes to demo the software.

There is a deadline today to submit proposals for fall’s Nebraska Library Association conference, but I have decided against that. I have been stressed this semester- 3 classes and full time work (plus the conference and presentation and, well, life) are proving to be a bit much for me. I’ll take a Library Instruction Use class in the fall that will involve presenting before the conference anyway, so that’ll be enough.

One of the sessions at the MPLA conference that really excited me was “Developing Online Multimedia Tutorials for Library Resources and Instruction” (See the presenters’ Website). I am excited about the possibilities of distance learning, and can see how librarians can have a HUGE impact on making distance learning an enjoyable and interactive experience for students. I would love to be part of that- helping build community for distance ed students, helping to design courses and provide course content, serving as a point of reference and school contact for distance ed students. The thing I love about distance ed is that it offers the opportunity for students to attend classes they would never be able to otherwise, and allows a professional to attend classes to further their career without being tied to a place. I have decided that, instead of trying to present more this next year, I will try to hone my skills in making online “presentations” or tutorials. Which means, I’ll have to record my voice. Scary.

There were other sessions at the MPLA conference I enjoyed a lot:

• Wikis in Collaborative Learning presented by Kathleen Kelsey and Roy Degler at Oklahoma State University - This was interesting and I liked the discussion about vandalism. I was, however, mildly disturbed by all the naysayers. People were especially concerned about ownership of intellectual content, which is really something I hope we can get away from as we move into the age of remixing to build new ideas. I have a lot of thinking to do in this area.
• Imaging: Worth a Second Look presented by Gina L.B. Minks, Amigos Library Services - A nice overview of imaging for libraries with little budget. Gina used to work where I do- libraryland is a small world!
• Launching 90 Languages for Your Patrons: Language Learning and Global Culture in the Library by Stephen Shorb and Marvel Maring at the University of Nebraska at Omaha (where I attend classes once a month) - I loved this presentation! I have seen the language learning center at UNO and it’s a great looking area and a great resource. This is a great example of new directions libraries can take to enhance education.
• Keynote Speaker: Joseph Janes - Joseph is a great speaker- I would be happy to one day be a fraction as good as him. The talk itself wasn’t groundbreaking for me, but it was exciting and uplifting anyway.

As you might have guessed, I have been busy lately, but there’s an end in site- or at least a slowdown. the next two weeks will be spent working on my cataloging records (ugh) and my final presentation for my “Special Libraries” class.

karin :: Mar.23.2007 :: Uncategorized :: No Comments »

Tomorrow I leave for New Mexico to attend the NMLA / MPLA 2007 Joint Conference in Albuquerque. I am excited, not looking forward to the 24+ hours to drive there, though I am looking forward to to spending time with my coworker- another LIS student in a distance program. (ooo, that sentence was baaad, you can tell I’m tired)

I hope to come back with lots of new blog ideas and feeling at least somewhat refreshed.

karin :: Mar.13.2007 :: Uncategorized :: No Comments »

In my Special Libraries class this semester we visited the State Library (not to be confused with the Nebraska Library Commission). The space and collections really are neat- there are law books that go back for centuries, secret passages, and beautiful architecture and artwork. The librarian there talked about how her policy is to keep everything, period. She indicated that yes, eventually she will run out of room, but didn’t say what happens next. She doesn’t trust digitization as a method for preservation, either, based on the fact that she heard that CD’s only last 10-20 years. (I won’t go into that one)

In the discussion we had online afterwards, most of my classmates applauded her tenacity in keeping everything. I was one of the few that questioned how long such a policy is sustainable. It’s not that I want to digitize everything and throw it out, but I think that sometimes decisions need to be made on what’s important to keep.

Of course, there’s a lot I don’t know about the situation- like how many other copies of these books exist. In a small, specialized library there’s often no one else even to ask, so what’s a librarian to do? Better to keep everything than risk making a wrong decision about what to throw away. I don’t envy that librarian’s position- faced with a shrinking budget and people that question the value of the library, she has to make decisions that may affect the future of the library.

I thought of this tonight when I read this:

Prelinger Library Blog: Society of American Archivists decides to nuke its listserv archives

Oh, the irony. I’m sure there will be an outcry from a lot of people over this (download them quick! at least they gave you notice!) but I am interested in the fact that the Society for American Archivists have made a decision that no, everything is NOT worth saving. And it’s not just anything, it’s part of their own past. They didn’t rush in, they considered, weighed the options, and decided against keeping the archives. Essentially, this puts the burden elsewhere- if someone else things the archives are worthwhile, they’ll need to act quick.

A lot of talk about digitization ignores the actual cost of it. Not only the cost right now- the cost over years and year of redundant systems. We’re running into the same “save everything” mentality, thinking we’ll be saved by ever cheaper memory. But the truth is, everything can’t be saved. there’s just too much being created. How do we decide? Who gets to decide?

I know I’m not qualified. Honestly, I don’t know that I ever will be qualified- the job may have to fall to someone smarter (and much more decisive) than me. One thing is clear- the decision will have to be made. And whoever makes it runs the risk of being villianized for a long, long time.

Technorati Tags: archives, longevity, saving, history,

karin :: Mar.13.2007 :: Uncategorized :: No Comments »