Category: Links

Here you go after its world premiere last night:

OK, just saw this today, so I have no firsthand experience of how it actually works, but it looks cool, and is definitely getting close to reading as a social experience:

About Copia from Tim on Vimeo.

So I gave my students a choice to either do a path finder on trends in evaluating scholarly impact, or make a video loosely answering the question “You need a masters degree for that?” Seems that a large percentage of the class get that question when they tell a spouse/parent/co-worker/friend they are going to library school. So here are some of their responses in no particular order:

OK, something different this week. Some videos from the web. Here is the first. A great piece by Stacey Greene Wicksall.

Thanks to Alison Miner in my 511 class for the pointer to this outstanding video:

Folks it’s time to elect some board members over at SLA, and I would ask for your consideration of Jill Hurst-Wahl. Jill is a longtime colleague, a friend, and even a contributor to my upcoming Atlas of New Librarianship (shameless plug in the middle of a shameless plug – two points). Jill is one of those rare individuals who gets practice and academia, and is a tireless proponent of librarians and their vital role in business and society.

I should say, that I respect SLA’s no-campaign policy, and Jill certainly did not seek my endoresement, but this one for me is a no-brainer. She is the person I turn to for insight into special librarianship. Better yet, she is a voice I seek out on issues of librarianship regardless of library type. That is because she sees the profession not as some fractured menagerie of buildings, types, and parent organizations. Instead she sees librarianship as a positive social force.

I do a lot of talking about the obligation of leadership and the need for the profession to change. We must all step up and not only accept leadership positions in professional organization, but actively seek them out. We do this not for pride, or ego, but as stewards. Stewards of the profession, and indeed the multi-millennial traditions of librarianship. If we seek change, we must be willing to take on the tasks that come with that. We must be willing to put ourselves up for consideration.

So today I am endorsing Jill because she understands this obligation, and has served tirelessly to make a difference. Tomorrow, I want to endorse you. I have grown tired of people who sit in the back of the room and comment only to themselves. I have lost patience with those who complain loudly in the privacy of their offices, but say nothing in public. And as readers of this blog know I have zero tolerance for anonymous annoyed librarians. Leadership and service are not quiet. They do not come from identifying a need for a change – or even identifying the change needed. True leadership comes from showing up. From putting yourself before your peers, your supporters and detractors alike, and create change.

So vote for Jill, and when the next spot opens up, join her.

Here is some more information on Jill

Video:
http://www.slatv.org/media.cfm?c=758&m=3406&s=133&

SLA blog posts (candidate questions):
http://slablogger.typepad.com/sla_blog/2010/04/jill-hurstwahl-candidate-for-director-question-1-imagine-you-have-just-finished-your-term-on-the-sla.html

http://slablogger.typepad.com/sla_blog/2010/07/jill-hurstwahl-question-2.html

http://hurstassociates.blogspot.com/2010/04/sla2010-me-candidate-for-board-of.html

I really get no kickback, I’m just a huge fan of Scott Nicholson and his work on gaming in libraries. Now he has taken his research, his practice, and all of his great work with librarians and put it into a book that I highly recommend:
Nicholson, S. (2010). Everyone plays at the library: Creating great gaming experiences for all ages. Medford, N.J: Information Today.

Aside from a really great guide to gaming in the library, it is a fantastic example of good research combined with good practice.

http://books.infotoday.com/books/Everyone-Plays-At-The-Library.shtml

Congrats to Pauline and Diantha on a great book.

Boomers and Beyond: Reconsidering the Role of Libraries
Edited by Pauline Rothstein and Diantha Dow Schull
Publisher: ALA Editions
Price: $55.00
152 pages
8.5? x 11?, Softcover
ISBN-13: 978-0-8389-1014-6
Year Published: 2010

A roadmap to the trends and perspectives on the library’s role in meeting the needs of our aging population, this book offers

Proactive ideas that serve the increasing longevity of your patrons
Different perspectives on longevity from a variety of scholars and experts
A section on librarians’ responses to the issues
Supporting this growing population is a concern of many, and this book will help you find ways to be creative and take the initiative to build a better service model for these customers.

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction

Part I
Older Adults: Essential Concepts and Recent Discoveries

1 New Patterns of Aging: Implications for Libraries and Cultural Institutions
Joanne Gard Marshall and Victor Marshall

2 Optimizing Health: A Life-Span Approach
Margie E. Lachman and Stefan Agrigoroaei

3 Library Leadership for Mature Adult Learners in a Changing World: The Importance of Attending to Developmental Diversity
Ellie Drago-Severson and Jessica Blum

4 The Importance of Spirituality in an Aging Society
Robert C. Atchley

5 Work and Purpose after 50
Stephen Ristau

Part II
Institutional Opportunities

6 In Search of Active Wisdom: Libraries and Consciousness-Raising for Adulthood II
Mary Catherine Bateson

7 Information-Questing Moments: Retirement-Age Americans at the Library Door
Ronald J. Manheimer and Miwako Kidahashi

8 Reconsidering Age: The Emerging Role of Cultural Institutions
Diantha Dow Schull and Selma Thomas

9 Reclaiming the “Public” Library: Engaging Immigrants, Building Democracy
Nan Kari and David Scheie

10 The Library as Place in an Aging Society
Diantha Dow Schull

Part III
Librarians’ Perspectives

11 Conversations and the True Knowledge of Generations
R. David Lankes with assistance from Pamela H. Jureller

12 Old Dogs, New Tricks: The Myths and the Realities
Stephen Abram

13 Musings on Challenges for Librarians in 2040
Pauline Rothstein

About the Authors

Pauline Rothstein has a Ph.D. from Fordham University,and an M.L.S. from Pratt. She has had a long career as a practicing librarian in special and academic libraries, specifically as Dean of the Library for Ramapo College and librarian for the Russell Sage Foundation where she created a library. In her activities in the Special Libraries Association (SLA) and International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA) as well as local library associations she is known for her innovative ideas. Currently she is Program Administrator for the LIU/NYU Dual Degree Masters program at New York University, funded by an IMLS grant she helped prepare. She has taught at Rutgers University’s library school, the School of Engineering at City College and at Baruch College. A long time adjunct faculty member for LIU’s Palmer School, the Institute she developed on lifelong learning for older adults was the catalyst for the current volume.

Diantha Dow Schull established DDSchull Associates to provide advisory services to libraries, museums and foundations on program development, organizational planning, grantmaking and fundraising. Formerly she was President of Libraries for the Future (aka Americans for Libraries Council) where she designed and directed the Lifelong Access Libraries initiative and other national library development programs. Prior to joining LFF, Schull was Executive Director of the French-American Foundation, Director of Exhibitions and Education at the New York Public Library, Director of Interpretive Programs at the Library of Congress, and Assistant Director of the Museum Aid Program of the New York State Council on the Arts. Schull is a recognized expert in fund development and a sought after speaker for conferences and professional training. She serves as a member of the Board of the Connecticut Humanities Council and is Preservation Advisor to the Town of Southbury, CT. She holds a Master’s Degree in Museum Studies from the State University of New York and is the author of numerous articles on cultural institutions including “Public Libraries: Places for Renewal” in Aging Today, a publication of the American Society on Aging (July 2003) and The Civic Library: A Model for 21st Century Participation in Advances in Librarianship (Vol 28, 2004).