On July 11, 2011, I entered to win free registration at the upcoming ALIA conference, NLS5 (New Librarians Symposium). My submission was a video, created with iMovie and uploaded to YouTube. I have never created YouTube content before, and it was suggested that entrants use a tool that was new to them.
The lyrics are meant to chronicle my journey from young girl to English lit undergrad to library student. I thought this was the best way for me to express metamorphosis, which is the conference theme. My entry will also be judged on my reasons for attending NLS5, and what I can contribute to the LIS community.
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Thursday, 23 June 2011
Thinking Ebooks: the Future of Lending in Libraries
Today I attended a forum at the State Library of Queensland (SLQ) that was all about ebooks. Librarians and student librarians were tweeting throughout the event, and socialising over morning tea and lunch on the slightly chilly terrace.
Presenters included:
Martin Taylor - founding director of the Digital Publishing Forum for digital publishing in NZ, publisher and managing director at Addenda Publishing.
Kate Eltham - CEO of QLD Writers Centre since 2006, founder of if:book Australia.
Sherman Young - Assoc. Professor and Assoc. Dean of Learning & Teaching in Arts at Macquarie, author of The Book is Dead, Long Live the Book.
John Scott - Burdekin Library Services Manager (via recorded video)
Jacinda Woodhead - associate editor of Overland literary journal, runs blogs Overland and Meanland.
Jennifer Moran - panelist and contributor to Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian.
Ebook lending may be the way forward for libraries, but there are many challenges along the way. Ebook channels are still evolving and the lifecycle of the ebook is not yet stable, so although there is room for error, there is also room for experimentation.
Martin Taylor had a tough job today - speaking from the publishing side. If you're unfamiliar with the cloud over publishing lately, Harper Collins USA has been very unpopular with libraries and librarians since they changed their terms of service to allow only 26 checkouts per ebook before requiring the library to repurchase the title. They say that is the average number of checkouts a paperback can withstand before it needs replacing. Some librarians have responded with an intention to boycott, and others are fighting to increase the arbitrary number of loans.
Taylor expects that ebooks will eventually follow a model not unlike the movie industry, where cost to the user decreases post-release, and the publisher makes more money in the long run than in the opening days of a release. He says public libraries will face new challenges for patrons' time, and that the greatest threat to libraries' digital success will be a bad customer service experience. He adds that terms are needed to manage channel conflict (ie; publishers-authors-libraries-schools), and that libraries will face new competition.
A partnership between publishers and libraries is Taylor's hope for the future. Within this partnership, they would talk directly to authors and publishers, challenge traditions by "opening the door" to a hybrid paid/free model, and help the public understanding of the need to experiment and change. As to the libraries themselves, they should consider and trial several access models, creating options that work at each point in a book's economic lifestyle.
Kate Eltham discussed ebook lending, both in libraries and peer to peer. New consumer models include commercial peer to peer services, which she likens to 18th century private libraries, where chosen members could borrow books. The Lendle (Kindle) and Lend Me (Barnes & Noble) "matchmaking service" style services available to US ebook readers is a step in the right direction, but it's limited by geography and a single-loan model, neither of which helps Australian libraries.
Eltham notes that the library sector is shackled with policies at the moment, but believes that libraries will deal directly with self-published authors in the near future. She thinks the internet can tackle issues of geography, access, and convenience, and that we should think about the book as a service, not as a product.
Presenters included:
Martin Taylor - founding director of the Digital Publishing Forum for digital publishing in NZ, publisher and managing director at Addenda Publishing.
Kate Eltham - CEO of QLD Writers Centre since 2006, founder of if:book Australia.
Sherman Young - Assoc. Professor and Assoc. Dean of Learning & Teaching in Arts at Macquarie, author of The Book is Dead, Long Live the Book.
John Scott - Burdekin Library Services Manager (via recorded video)
Jacinda Woodhead - associate editor of Overland literary journal, runs blogs Overland and Meanland.
Jennifer Moran - panelist and contributor to Sydney Morning Herald and The Australian.
Ebook lending may be the way forward for libraries, but there are many challenges along the way. Ebook channels are still evolving and the lifecycle of the ebook is not yet stable, so although there is room for error, there is also room for experimentation.
Martin Taylor had a tough job today - speaking from the publishing side. If you're unfamiliar with the cloud over publishing lately, Harper Collins USA has been very unpopular with libraries and librarians since they changed their terms of service to allow only 26 checkouts per ebook before requiring the library to repurchase the title. They say that is the average number of checkouts a paperback can withstand before it needs replacing. Some librarians have responded with an intention to boycott, and others are fighting to increase the arbitrary number of loans.
Taylor expects that ebooks will eventually follow a model not unlike the movie industry, where cost to the user decreases post-release, and the publisher makes more money in the long run than in the opening days of a release. He says public libraries will face new challenges for patrons' time, and that the greatest threat to libraries' digital success will be a bad customer service experience. He adds that terms are needed to manage channel conflict (ie; publishers-authors-libraries-schools), and that libraries will face new competition.
A partnership between publishers and libraries is Taylor's hope for the future. Within this partnership, they would talk directly to authors and publishers, challenge traditions by "opening the door" to a hybrid paid/free model, and help the public understanding of the need to experiment and change. As to the libraries themselves, they should consider and trial several access models, creating options that work at each point in a book's economic lifestyle.
Kate Eltham discussed ebook lending, both in libraries and peer to peer. New consumer models include commercial peer to peer services, which she likens to 18th century private libraries, where chosen members could borrow books. The Lendle (Kindle) and Lend Me (Barnes & Noble) "matchmaking service" style services available to US ebook readers is a step in the right direction, but it's limited by geography and a single-loan model, neither of which helps Australian libraries.
Eltham notes that the library sector is shackled with policies at the moment, but believes that libraries will deal directly with self-published authors in the near future. She thinks the internet can tackle issues of geography, access, and convenience, and that we should think about the book as a service, not as a product.
Monday, 13 June 2011
Building a Research-led Profession
Workshop 3
May 9, 2011
Ann Gillespie spoke to us about evidence-based practice. In practical terms, this means:
Evidence-based librarianship has been around since about 1997, and evolved from medical librarians working in evidence-based medicine. Ann made a case for evidence-based practice, but she also pointed to its challenges. There is a lack of time practice it, a lack of confidence, a lack of research and critical appraisal skills, and a gap between the research questions that are asked and what is actually delivered.
I can see the lack of time being one of the biggest conflicts in a workplace. If your employer does not support EBP, it would be difficult to gain permission to spend time researching. Ideally, you could show a projected savings of time and/or money if a project or report is delivered using the principles of evidence-based practice. Unfortunately these resources are often put ahead of skills and expertise.
The class discussed the meanings of two words: Professional and Research. Our pair came close to the Australian Council of Professions definition, which included an adherence to standards, a public acceptance of their special skills and knowledge, and a high level of education and training. What we missed was a professional's willingness to use this knowledge and these skills to benefit others.
It was more challenging to pin down a definition of research. It's both a noun and a verb, so it can create something tangible, and it also requires action. It's also a way of finding out information, confirming facts, or gathering a basis for comparison. The definitions from Leedy and Ormorod (2005) made research into a logical progression. The detailed breakdown really helped me to see "behind the scenes" of research - the things you do without thinking about them.
Research involves more than looking up information; you must reflect on it or critically review it. Once you're actively researching, evidence-based practice can happen. Similarly to reflecting on experiences and learning, the application of knowledge is just as important as the gathering of knowledge.
I agree with the potential benefits of following EBL we discussed - higher standards, lower risk of failure, adding knowledge to the field, informing other practitioners, and providing solutions to problems. I hope to find a place of employment where EBL is encouraged, and in the meantime I will try to consider the wider outcomes of my own research.
May 9, 2011
Ann Gillespie spoke to us about evidence-based practice. In practical terms, this means:
- Converting information into answerable questions
- Finding the best available evidence to answer those questions
- Critically appraising the evidence for validity and usefulness
- Applying the results of that critical appraisal to your professional practice
- Evaluating whether it makes a difference to performance
Evidence-based librarianship has been around since about 1997, and evolved from medical librarians working in evidence-based medicine. Ann made a case for evidence-based practice, but she also pointed to its challenges. There is a lack of time practice it, a lack of confidence, a lack of research and critical appraisal skills, and a gap between the research questions that are asked and what is actually delivered.
I can see the lack of time being one of the biggest conflicts in a workplace. If your employer does not support EBP, it would be difficult to gain permission to spend time researching. Ideally, you could show a projected savings of time and/or money if a project or report is delivered using the principles of evidence-based practice. Unfortunately these resources are often put ahead of skills and expertise.
The class discussed the meanings of two words: Professional and Research. Our pair came close to the Australian Council of Professions definition, which included an adherence to standards, a public acceptance of their special skills and knowledge, and a high level of education and training. What we missed was a professional's willingness to use this knowledge and these skills to benefit others.
It was more challenging to pin down a definition of research. It's both a noun and a verb, so it can create something tangible, and it also requires action. It's also a way of finding out information, confirming facts, or gathering a basis for comparison. The definitions from Leedy and Ormorod (2005) made research into a logical progression. The detailed breakdown really helped me to see "behind the scenes" of research - the things you do without thinking about them.
Research involves more than looking up information; you must reflect on it or critically review it. Once you're actively researching, evidence-based practice can happen. Similarly to reflecting on experiences and learning, the application of knowledge is just as important as the gathering of knowledge.
I agree with the potential benefits of following EBL we discussed - higher standards, lower risk of failure, adding knowledge to the field, informing other practitioners, and providing solutions to problems. I hope to find a place of employment where EBL is encouraged, and in the meantime I will try to consider the wider outcomes of my own research.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)