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29 April, 2009

love you skerricks

I feel all warm and fuzzy. Ruth from Skerricks likes my story space. See her shout-out here. She has some amazing display ideas, and is so supportive of students' reading. Love that. That's what web 2.0 is all about people. Communication and information sharing and networking and participating in things here and there. Could you, would you, blog on a train, in a school, on a plane? With a friend, with a colleague?

You will meet new and interesting people
and you'd better get back to your L2TD exploration - deadlines, deadlines!

21 April, 2009

free verse




poetry out in the world;
off the page, in the dust and sand,
on arms and leaves,
on a poet's outstretched hand.

wander through the free verse project and then go to the beach and create!
This site is a goldmine for teachers, librarians, poetry lovers...

20 April, 2009

L2TD #2 and D*P*C #5 online photo sharing-flickr

I've signed up on flickr for test drive #2. My photostream here. Signup was easy, if labour-intensive - having to have another password, a screen name, etc. But posting was simple - and all my own photos, from trips to Brisbane and Surfers Paradise.
I was impressed with Mosman Library's guest list - Emily Rodda, Mem Fox, and a chocolate party! [Mary's suggested search from L2TD site].
I searched on the local area and found some beautiful images. Here are two of my favourites: soldier crabs and the banyan tree. Both images by the same photographer, walking around with his swish camera taking photos from surprising angles. The Banyan Tree is a local landmark, in the main park; the central meeting place a few years ago of the 'Back to the Banyan' reunion.

Flickr is fabulous for library service promotion. It's obvious. I like it. I'll have to get out with the camera more.
Late, late, late - just signed up for twitter (see sidebar). I'd like to use it for haiku and microfiction.
'night.

11 April, 2009

licence 2 test drive SLQ

Just surfing around today and I came across a new online program from Mary Kajewski at SLQ, so I signed up.
Licence 2 Test Drive is the State Library of Queensland's online program to learn more about emerging technologies on the web that are changing the way people, society and libraries access information and communicate with each other. It's open to all SLQ, Qld public library, Indigenous Knowledge Centre and Queensland government library staff - register before May 16. For school librarians and library staff, Syba Signs has The How 2 of Web 2.0: Online Learning Program commencing May 4.

Okay, so I started on blogs a few years ago and created one for my CSU subject Information Technology in Libraries last year. For L2TD, Mary invited us to respond to the questions in bold.

What do you think about lifelong learning?
Now I've finally got my degree is that the end of my professional learning? No way. It's another beginning. The process has to be continual and ... lifelong... because the world and the people in it are constantly changing, growing, developing and workers (particularly information professionals) must as well. There are many professions where CPD is compulsory. I have long participated in formal and informal CPD; this is one in a continuing list, and I know Mary K's programs to be useful and engaging (Emerging Technologies 2006). As an information professional I am committed to enabling others to participate in lifelong learning.

On Learning 2.0 - CPD programs where staff teams can work together or concurrently to explore new concepts and technologies. You get innovation, discussion, networking... it's all good. I celebrate Helene Blowers who started the 23 Things (which is what I was searching for earlier).
What do you hope to learn from the program?
By participating in licence 2 test drive I want to learn more about 2.0 applications that I don't generally use in my daily work - but WILL. I mean, my final CSU report The twenty-first century TAFE Library: Creating learning possibilities by bringing together people, information and technology was all about that.

What other blogs have you discovered? What do you like about them?
One of my favourite librarian blogs is Brian's Swiss Army Librarian on reference services. Favourite school librarian blog: Ruth's Skerricks. I have spent part of my CPD reading and contributing to industry blogs. Actual library blogs of note: SLQ's Exhibitions blog, and Wired 4 Teens. I'd like to find more Australian public libraries using blogs interactively. I like these blogs because they're inspirational, and provided for the purpose of information sharing. Love that.

Can you see a use for blogs inside the library? and How about a blog for a client audience?
I absolutely support libraries using 2.0 platforms to share information with clients and the wider community and to inject the library into other communities. It's a great platform to upload clients' reviews, photos from events to aid promotion, an interactive online bookclub or community space. As Andrew said recently, infiltrate other online communities, be the resident librarian and engage with others in that community. He suggests sites with local relevance like a local band's MySpace or a political site, and I would add - the CWA, Arts Council, Writers Centres, Authors' sites, local car clubs, sports clubs, school blogs, etc. Excellent point. Librarians need to be seen to be outside the physical boundaries of 'The Library'. Our expertise can be applied anywhere at anytime.

So I'll slap on my 'L' plates now and head on down the highway...

You will meet many fellow travellers along the way.

01 April, 2009

happy graduation CSU !

A special day for so many people today - lecturers, graduands/graduates, and all those supportive employers and fortunate future employers and clients.
Today was Graduation Day at Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, NSW, for those who've survived their studies of the Bachelor of Applied Science Library and Information Management (BAppScLIM), and Masters, Graduate Certificates and Doctorates in Teacher Librarianship and Information Management.
CSU celebrates in style - the week of festivities began on Tuesday with the Town and Gown ceremony with a spectacle of colour and movement along the main street featuring academic regalia. What a beautiful experience.
This from CSU - The School of Information Studies is expanding the scope of all of its courses in 2010 to reflect the critical importance of information and knowledge management across the broadest range of institutions. This is the profession to be in.
Roy Crotty, Associate Lecturer in the Teacher Librarianship course, sent a wonderful message of support for graduating students on the OZTL list this week. That's the kind of University this is. Aren't we lucky?
Aren't we so totally LIBRARIANS!
Happy graduation to all (insert streamers and balloons here).
And, yes, as soon as I received my final transcript from Charles Sturt I applied for Associate Membership of ALIA. An undergraduate degree and eligibility for Associate Membership is often a mandatory requirement for professional library positions. Are you feeling informed? Go - celebrate!

And yay to my friend Lisa too, also graduating from CSU this week, not in Librarianship, but Social Work.

p.s. 11 April - Congratulations to Naomi Rickersey who was awarded Zenith Management Services Group Undergraduate Library and Information Management Prize for our cohort. The top eight graduands (me included!) were nominated for the Prize. We submitted CVs and participated in interviews with Zenith staff. Sixty-one graduates - so Zenith nominees were in the top 13% of graduates in 2009. Thank you Zenith and CSU.