Category: News

Posted on

I Want Your Blood…Donated

As many of you know, I have been battling Hodgkin’s Lymphoma for the past year. I’ve been through chemo and most recently a stem cell transplant. Throughout this entire ordeal, I have received numerous blood transfusions that have enabled me to keep fighting. Through the kindness of others, I have been able to live.

So, to pay it forward, my wife, friends, and I are coordinating a blood drive with the American Red Cross on Wednesday, June 4th. It will take place at Holy Cross Church in Dewitt, NY from 1:00-7:00pm. We are asking everyone to please consider coming out and donating blood that day. It’s such a wonderful thing you can do for those who really could use your help. It takes about an hour of your time although the actual donation takes about 10 minutes.

You can contact my wife directly ([email protected]) to set up an appointment or call the American Red Cross. Please join us in giving back to our community!

I’d also ask my area librarian friends to post a flyer (download it here) on any community boards you may have. And feel free to pass this along to others who may be able to help. Together we can make a difference! Thank you.

Blood Drive

Posted on

IMLS Grant Funding Program to Boost Library Workers’ Online Teaching Skills

A press release on a new IMLS grant we’re doing with the fantastic folks at South Central Regional Library Council

Original story at http://ischool.syr.edu/newsroom/index.aspx?recid=1620

IMLS Grant Funding Program to Boost Library Workers’ Online Teaching Skills

By: Diane Stirling
(315) 443-8975

3logosThe School of Information Studies (iSchool), as a partner with the South Central Regional Library Council of Ithaca and The 3Rs Association, Inc., will be developing a program to strengthen the teaching and learning skills of library workers who provide outreach education using online learning environments.

A grant of $336,665 has just been awarded to support the three-year project by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) via its Laura Bush 21st Century Librarians Program. The monies will enable development of a program to guide transfer of in-person teaching skills and pedagogy to the online environment; help librarian-trainers evaluate and gain experience with various online delivery platforms; and teach library workers how people learn effectively in online education situations.

Project principal investigator is Mary-Carol Lindbloom, executive director of the South Central Regional Library Council. She conceived the skill-building program and invited the iSchool to participate. iSchool Professor R. David Lankes is Syracuse University’s liaison to the project. He will provide input into course development and delivery and oversee graduate assistant and hourly students who will be hired to help implement the program. iSchool faculty members Marilyn Plavovos Arnone and Jill Hurst-Wahl, plus WISE distance-education coordinator Alison Miller, also will help formulate program content.

The group plans to develop “train the trainer” materials for 120 librarians who are responsible for providing continuing education through their libraries. They also will develop an online learning segment, to deliver to 240 librarians from throughout New York State that illustrates best practices to support online learning.

Finding What Works

As more teaching changes from in-person classrooms to online platforms, there is a need for clear guidelines on what works and what doesn’t in terms of the pedagogy, technologies, and devices used in the online environment, according to Professor Lankes. “What’s happening is that people are saying, ‘I’ve taught this in person for 10 years; I’ll teach it online.’ Yet, it’s not like ‘shazam’, and you can teach it online. What we’ve learned at Syracuse since we began doing online education in 1993 is that there is no ‘shazam’ to this; there is a lot to think about when you make the transition to online teaching and learning. There are a lot of good instructors who do very interactive things when everyone’s seated around the table. The question then is, how do you do something like that in the online environment?”

Transferring Skills

Professor Arnone said that librarians are experiencing situations where the outreach and education they do increasingly involves online elements. The program will help develop skills for online teaching and unique aspects of learning via an online environment. The goal is to boost presentation and technology skills which library workers can use to conduct effective online sessions. “This is about being able to teach effectively and transfer what you know into an online environment, and understanding the differences in online learning, since not everyone likes it,” Arnone noted.

Those who teach online need to understand how to gain attention, make content relevant and interesting, and build learners’ confidence, while also setting clear expectations for the experience, she added. In addition to addressing those aspects, workers will learn how to offer “multiple means of representation–opportunities to present information in ways that learners can feel good about–so it’s coming to them in the way that they prefer. Addressing disability issues and accessibility for online learners, and the adjustments that can be made for online learning, also will be incorporated, Professor Arnone said.

Materials and presentations created for the program’s 10 informational modules will be available to the worldwide library community through the project’s LibGuides website, via WebJunction, and as disseminated through library conferences and publications.

Posted on

No More Speaking Engagements for the Year…and Cancer

The short version: I am not accepting new speaking engagements for the next year.

The longer version: I am accepting no new speaking engagements beyond those I have already committed to, unless they can be pre-recorded.

The long version: On Friday I am having surgery to find out if a recent “suspicious” scan indicates remaining cancer. Hopefully, it is nothing. It could, however, indicate the need for additional treatment. In any case, it has become clear in the past month that I cannot simply return to life as usual following my chemo. To remove some uncertainty, and to prevent leaving folks in a lurch, I’m not taking any new engagements.

For now, the plan is to keep those few dates that I have accepted (assuming a negative biopsy). I will only accept new engagements that I can videoconference into, and where a recorded version of my remarks is acceptable as a back-up.

Last year I had to cancel too many engagements. I have organized conferences, and I know how hard a last minute cancelation is. Even if this biopsy is negative, I know that for the next few months (years really) it will be a wait and see situation.

I still hope to be involved in the field, and hope to travel to conferences. However, my focus is on my family and recovery first. I will let you all know how I am doing as well.

I will also never write an “all clear” blog post again…they appeared to be cursed.

Posted on

Expect More at SXSW

photo-41

The Digital Public Library of America announced the availability of LibraryBoxes throughout the SXSW conference (and Austin). Folks can connect wirelessly to these boxes and download books, videos and other digital files. We’ve included my Expect More book for those attending the conference. Thanks to Rachel Frick and Margy Avery for making this happen. Enjoy.

More can be found on their blog post: DPLA, LIBRARYBOX AND SXSWI (http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/dplaalpha/2013/03/09/dpla-librarybox-and-sxswi/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter)

Posted on

Another (Better) Note About My Health

Last November I posted a not about my failing health. Since August I was struggling with some unknown ailment that was causing constant fatigue (sleeping 16 and 18 hours a day), shaking, headaches, and a general lack of energy. Things hit a peak in October with multiple emergency room visits when I temporarily lost the ability to coherently speak. It was bad, and I had to cancel speaking engagements, and greatly curtail all of my efforts. Over this period I lost 30 pounds (actually, let’s face it, that I could use). The next few months were better on anti-seizure medication, but as I learned, these drugs can be very debilitating in and of themselves. Imagine slowing your brain down by 10%, constant tremors, and still lots of fatigue.

The good news is after some intensive testing at the Cleveland Clinic, and with the persistent work of my primary care doctor, today I have a clean bill of health and I am just about back to 100%. Now I am playing catch up on projects and deferred responsibilities. I am also starting to slowly take on new speaking engagements and travel obligations.

While this post is to let those who expressed such kind concern know the good news, I would also like to thank the many many people who helped me through this tough time. From Jill who took on a heavy load at work, to Kathryn whose kind words of encouragement let me see light at a the end of a very bleak tunnel. I would like to thank everyone who expressed concern, and certainly the conference organizers who understood and either let me graciously bow out of an obligation, or let me do my work remotely.

Lastly I would like to thank my wife who was an amazing companion throughout everything. When you marry and promise to stay together in sickness and in health you never really think of what a large promise that can be. She simply amazed me with her patient help, her unbelievable advocacy, and her optimism in the face of very dark times.

I am lucky. My condition passed. But I know there are still too many people facing chronic debilitating illnesses. You have my respect and admiration.

Thank you all for your patience. Now, back to changing the world!

Posted on

A Note About my Health

Normally I don’t use this blog for personal news and announcements. However, recently my medical life has come crashing into my professional life and I wanted to let you know what is going on.

For the past three months I have not been feeling well. This has lead to courses of antibiotics, a ton of blood tests, and several stays in the hospital. I seem to be on the mend, but I still am not allowed to drive or travel and I sleep a lot. Also, we have not discovered the root cause of all of this (if there even is one).

Due to my illness I have canceled my trips and speaking engagements through the end of 2012 or switched them to virtual presentations where possible. Thank you again conference and event organizers for your understanding and patience. I owe you a debt (and my son a trip to England).

Right now I am concentrating on catching up. I owe many of you emails, some papers, and many more responses. I’m working on it. Please be patient with me, but also feel free to send me a poke or a prod if you need something soon.

To my class I apologize for being behind in grading. I’m fixing that over turkey I hope.

For all who have sent me good wishes, thank you. I hope to be up, around, and a pain in the ass real soon. I still have some fun projects on tap for 2013 so stay tuned.

Posted on

Site Go Boom

Had a technical glitch with my homepage. It is back up, but I’m working to fix the look and feel issues…looks like it is time for a new design.

Posted on

Travel and News for the Upcoming Year

This year I will need to stay off the road again this spring to take care of my wife as she has surgery on her other foot (the good news here is that she only has two feet so this should do it). That said if you are looking for a speaker via the Internet (Skype, Adobe Connect, FaceTime, iChat) I’m your man (and at greatly reduced honoraria). I appreciate your patience.

Here is my confirmed speaking for the Summer and Fall.

June:

  • ALSC Division Leadership Session

July:

  • The 4th Annual Connecticut Library Leadership Institute (http://ctlibraryassociation.org/meetinginfo.php?id=49&ts=1339707904)

August:

  • Ticer International Summer School 2012 (http://www.tilburguniversity.edu/research/institutes-and-research-groups/ticer/2012/)
  • Master Class for de Library School in Amsterdam (http://www.libraryschool.nl/LibrarySchool/Home.html)

October:

  • AASL 2012 Fall Forum (http://www.ala.org/aasl/conferencesandevents/fallforum/fallforum)
  • Internet Librarian International Keynote (http://www.internet-librarian.com/2012/)

November:

  • LYRASIS eGathering 2012 (https://mylyrasis.lyrasis.org/AnnualMeeting/AnnualMeeting.aspx)
  • Ohio Library Council
Posted on

IMLS Funds Next Phase of ILEAD U: ILEAD USA!

I am thrilled to once again head up the instructor corps for ILEAD U – now ILEAD USA expanding to multiple states.

The ILEAD USA project, sponsored by the Illinois State Library, seeks to help librarians develop new technology skills by meeting a specific community need, all the while being supported by peer learners in a network of collaborating teams. Building on a successful statewide project in Illinois, the 18-month continuing education immersion initiative is designed to expand librarians’ leadership abilities while also helping them build their participatory technology skills to effectively engage their constituents. Twenty-eight five-member teams in Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, and Utah will attend three three-day, in-person sessions over the course of nine months. The sessions will be held simultaneously in each of the five states with plenary sessions broadcast live on streaming video. Between in-person sessions, virtual meetings and activities will allow participants to hone their newly acquired skills; experiment with participatory technology tools; and continue communication with the ILEAD USA network of participants

The Atlas of New Librarianship is the text for the program and new librarianship ideas are turned into reality by the amazing teams.

Kudos to Anne Craig and the amazing team at the Illinois State Library.