Quilterjo Learns New Things...

Moving...

2010-01-01T17:37:00.000+10:00

I have moved my blog to a new address: http://jobeaz.wordpress.com

Feel free to follow me over and update your info :-)

Keep moving forward.....

2010-01-01T13:03:00.003+10:00

Happy New Year! I cannot believe how fast 2009 flew by, and how so much will be changing for me in 2010. This time of year brings with it the requisite thinking about the past year and hopes and dreams professionally for the year to come.

2009
-was accepted as a member of ALIA'S New Generation Advisory Committee
-was accepted into the joint QUT/ALIA's ePortfolio pilot study
-began to build and truly value my PLN
-went back to work full time as a Young People's Library assistant
-turned 40
-spent some time in our Regional Libraries and met many of the staff who work there
-lost and gained friends, and learnt much from this
-accepted a three month contract as a Young People's Librarian
-co-wrote/edited a paper for LIANZA on ePortfolios
-resigned from my job

2010
-accepted a new job as Youth Outreach Librarian with Logan City Council Libraries
-attending VALA in Melbourne in February
-will be meeting in real life some of my online friends
-have written some proposals that may or may not eventuate - will let you know....
-accepted as a committee member for New Grad stream of ALIA Access 2010
-to make the most of every moment and take joy in the little things as well as the big things
-to keep moving forward

My goal for 2009 was proactive participation, and to thy self be true. The same can be said for 2010: to keep learning, keep loving and keep growing as a person and in my profession. To spend as much quality and quantity time with my family and to cultivate things that bring joy to my life, be it reading a book, going for a walk with the family or trying new things. Oh, and in the words of @KatieTT to have more red lipstick days in 2010!

Don't sweat the small things....

2009-12-17T20:01:00.001+10:00

My Grandmother - Norah Dean - passed away peacefully in her sleep on Friday 11th December 2009. She had recently turned 86, and for her birthday gave me a present, some of her rings. She has been very sick this last year, and had spent some time in intensive care. She told me a month before she died that she was happy to turn 86, but that was it.

Our family was lucky to be able to spend a day with her whilst she was in the hospital a few weeks ago. She was very lucid, and spent the day regaling my kids with stories about her parents, grandparents and her only son (my dad). It is a memory that I will cherish forever - her in the hospital bed and my kids sitting next to her listening intently to stories about the infamous Granny Cackles. We took photos of her with the kids, and I am so glad to have these last photos of her.

The funeral was held on the Gold Coast yesterday, and was just lovely. The service opened with one of her favorite sayings: 'Don't sweat the small stuff, just sweat the big stuff'. It was just a short service, with my whole family in attendance, as well as some of my Nan's bowling friends, residents from her nursing home, her best friend of 49 years Una, and many of my dad's cousins.

She knitted and sewed right up until a few weeks before she died, with her creations going to various charities across the Gold Coast. I remember her trying to teach me to knit when I was little, and her deciding that I was unteachable. I still cannot knit, but when I learnt to stitch and quilt, she was delighted to receive one of my quilts. She took great pleasure in showing the quilt to her friends whilst telling them that I still could not knit!

It is very sad to lose her, but I am so glad she is not in pain anymore. She will be greatly missed by my whole family and myself.

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. - Helen Keller

Storylines Q150

2009-11-30T19:52:00.000+10:00

I was very lucky to be able to attend a two day workshop run by the State Library of Queensland last friday. The workshop was part of the Q150 celebrations, its aim for participants to create a digital photostory that captures a memory or story somehow relating to Queensland.

Three staff from our library, four retired volunteers from the Milne Bay Military Museum and a partridge in a.. oops and a retired oral historian attended the workshop.

I must say one of the best parts of the workshop was talking with the other attendees. I learnt heaps from them, and was on the receiving end of some great tech tips!!! I was also very moved by the amazing war digital stories that they created.

I chose to create a story based on some interviews I had done with some of the parents who attend our storytime. Due to time constraints, I only used one of the interviews. We used a free program called Windows Movie Maker, and below is the end result. And yes, that is me with the ducklings on my fingers!!!!

Week 6 SLQ Licence to Test Drive Part B

2009-11-18T09:26:00.001+10:00

Test Drive #6 looked at the rise of online videos. This is in part due to increasing improvements in technology and the decreasing costs of the tools needed. This has led to a massive rise in creating content, uploading content, and being able to freely share it. My 9 yr old has asked for a digital video camera for christmas so she can start making movies...... Youtube has made it very easy to upload and share content, and I know our whole family uses it when looking for 'how to' information.

I like how libraries are using Youtube to share staff training, new programs and resources, how to guides, promotion and marketing and talking about the future of libraries. I have uploaded some of the school holiday programs run by our Young People's team.

I have also used Vimeo to host a couple of digital photo stories that I have created about our library.

I have chosen to embed this clip from Youtube as it is sort of an in family joke in our house. Both my husband and son game, and WOW terminology features heavily in their conversations. Heard repeatedly:

Me: That's it! Get off that computer now or I am going to....
Husband or son: I've just got to log off somewhere safe....

My son found these clips on Youtube and they have become family favourites! I especially like the little brother, and in another clip he talks about how he had to visit the local library and use their resources as his mother had banned him from all technology!!

More Google - or week 5 of SLQ Licence 2 Test Drive

2009-11-15T17:02:00.001+10:00

Week 5 is titled More Google!! I have been increasingly using google for more and more things lately. I now have a gmail account - as do both my kids - and have customised my google page at work with iGoogle. I have added weather and news widgets, my google reader, a star trek quote widget, a SLQ search widget, and a coffee quote widget - all the important things, lol. I use google docs and I have also been playing around surfing (or trying not to sink) on the new Google wave. I use Google maps regularly, and also the Google calendar, synching it to my iphone.

I am constantly surprised by the amount of *things* Google does. I enjoyed playing around on Google books and wasted spent some time searching and narrowing my searches using their advanced search box (such a librarian, I know..). I also was amazed at Google translate as I had only vaguely heard about this site, but had not played around on it. I typed in my blog's URL and then translated the page from english to spanish - just because I could!

This site has great potential for explaining information about the library's services and resources to multi-cultural patrons.

I read somewhere - can't remember where - about people being afraid of Google's domination in our online lives. I guess this is where we as librarians need to be able to step up to the plate and teach digital literacy skills that equip our customers to critically think, live and learn in an online environment, I know of many libraries that do this already. I like this quote that I read in an Educause Journal about digital literacies:

Ironically, while some see the profusion of realities as threatening to us, to our children, and even to democracy, the new media is nothing if not simply another way of viewing our world, of interacting with one another, of opening ourselves to learning in realms of possibility we never conceived of before. In our development as higher-order thinkers, multiple realities are far less important to our survival than our ability to understand what we see, to interpret what we experience, to analyze what we are exposed to, and to evaluate what we conclude against criteria that support critical thinking. In the end, it seems far better to have the skills and competencies to comprehend and discriminate within a common language than to be left out, unable to understand.

PS - I am updating my post with my response to a comment on this post. 'Quite ironic really that I completely forgot to include google as a search engine, google reader, You tube, blogger and google scholar. Just goes to show how completely integrated they are within my life that I didn't even think to include them!'

Licence 2 Test Drive - Part B - Week 4

2009-11-03T20:03:00.000+10:00

Week 4 of the State Library of Queensland's Licence to Test Drive Part B looked at web browsers.

A web browser is the software program loaded on your computer, Smartphone or a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) which you use to connect to the Internet. The browser is used for retrieving, presenting, and navigating information resources on the World Wide Web and email.An information resource is identified by an address or Uniform Resource Locator (URL) this may be a web page, image, video, or other piece of content. Hyperlinks in web pages or other resources enable you to easily navigate your browser to other sites or resources.

I looked at some of the popular web browsers, including internet explorer, firefox, safari and google chrome. When I bought my iphone last year, I used safari for the first time, and now use it as the web browser on my mac. My work computer uses internet explorer as its SOE. I was quite surprised watching this You tube video about web browsers. I have never used firefox, but my friend in IT up the road at council is always telling me how much better it is, and after watching this little clip I am thinking of installing it on our computer downstairs. But then I was quite impressed by Google chrome as well....

So, this Licence 2 Test drive has been a good one, and has forced me out of my web browser comfort zone and challenged me to try some of the others available. So, if for no other reason than that, then I am very grateful to have been gently pushed.

Week 3 SLQ Licence to Test Drive Part B

2009-10-16T10:25:00.001+10:00

This week I reviewed Podcasts and Audio as part of the State Library of Queensland's Licence to Test Drive Part B.

A podcast is a non-music audio or video recording that is distributed over the internet. The word “podcasts” is derived from Personal On Demand broadcast – hence podcast. You can listen to a podcast anytime, anywhere. The distribution is what makes a podcast unique. It's also what makes a podcast powerful. Interested listeners can receive updates through RSS feeds when new content is posted.

I enjoyed this post, and was amazed at the variety of institutions podcasting, especially the State Libraries of NSW and VIC and the Powerhouse Museum.

I personally have tried Audacity, though have mainly used it for capturing music. As I have said before, I have an iphone which I love, and have applications on it which I use for podcasting and listening to podcasts.

The first is Audioboo, an iphone app that allows anyone with an iphone to record and publish themselves. I have used audioboo to interview parents attending storytime at our library, members of our young writers group, staff members who are participating in this learning program, and to record random bits of information, documenting a specific time or place. I have also used it to capture an interview to use in a conference presentation.

I also have another application on my iphone called TED, which allows me to watch small video clips about technology, entertainment and design. I can also listen to podcasts of talks as well.

The mobile device makes creating and listening to podcasts amazingly easy, and this has huge ramifications for libraries. Capturing family histories, sharing stories and explaining new happenings are just some of the things that could be done.

On my holidays I.....

2009-10-14T14:58:00.002+10:00

On the first day of my holidays, I attended two library conferences, participated in a presentation, cleaned my house and sewed a quilt top. In my trackies. From the comfort of my lounge. And loved every minute of it! How and why I can hear you asking.....

Over the last few weeks, I have been co creating/co editing a conference paper that Gill Hallam was to present at LIANZA 09, in Christchurch. The paper was on the use of eportfolios as a tool for professional development within the library industry. My partner in crime Rebecca and I finished editing the paper last week, and Gill presented the paper on Monday lunchtime. Our paper can also be viewed using the following tiny URL: http://tiny.cc/ALIAeportfolio .

I had hoped to be able to attend the QPLA conference in Townsville this week, and asked for holidays accordingly. The conference themes of technology, challenge and change appealed to me, and I would have loved another chance to hear Michael Stephens's talk. Unfortunately, I didn't have quite enough $$$, and I didn't win the free conference package, thus not being able to attend. So, I decided to spend my hols at home, catching up on some things around the house.

Sunday evening, I changed the settings on my Tweetdeck, and added two hashtags to the deck - #QPLA09 and LIANZA09. I was then able to follow in real time - via twitter - the conversations and presentations from people actually attending the conference, and from other twerps (twitterers) who were participating virtually as well.

This worked out really well for me, and I was able to follow all the conversations surrounding both conferences, as well as ask questions, receive responses, and answer comments about the eportfolio presentation, all via twitter.

At one stage I was sewing and watching the conversation flow at the same time!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/22229268@N05/4010002499/

I am so grateful that there are technological tools that allows me to participate in conversations that are happening all over the globe. I am also grateful that I know about them, and can use them to enrich both my professional and personal life.

Good News

2009-10-07T11:06:00.001+10:00

I am currently sitting in my local cafe Star gardentown, opposite my work. I am having morning tea and enjoying using their wifi for the cost of a cup of coffee. My car is in getting serviced, and I had an hour or so before work to fill in. I am using the time to catch up on emails, RSS feeds and blogging.

I can't believe that I have not blogged about this as yet, but I have a Librarian's job!! Whoo Hooo!! I am now the Young People's Librarian at the Toowoomba City Library. It is only two days/week, for a three month contract, but it is my first job! And so far I love it. I have worked some reference counters, ordered some books, went through the mending pile to see what can be mended, discarded or reordered, weeded some books, played hopscotch with some kids and begged our council IT guy for help as I stuffed up trying to add an image to our council's webpage. In my defense, I had a bad head cold, forgot to resize the image and it was my first go.....

Our school holiday library programs were awesome once again, with great feedback from children, teenagers and parents alike. I created another Animoto of our program, and I know its long, but it was really hard to cull such great photos of the kids enjoying themselves!

So, there you go. A quick catch up on what's been happening in my life lately.

Mashups @ SLQ's Licence to test Drive

2009-09-27T17:11:00.000+10:00

View Toowoomba Regional Libraries in a larger map

A mashup is a web application that uses content from more than one source to create a single new service displayed in a single window. - SLQ

Yeah, I have created a mashup of all the libraries that are now part of the Toowoomba Regional Council. Why on earth would you want to do that I hear you ask. Week 2 of the SLQ's Licence to test Drive Part B is Mashups, and this week my mission was to create a google maps mashup. So there you go, done!

I really enjoyed going back and looking at mashups again, and in particular enjoyed viewing Paul Hagan's Flicker and google street view mashup. It is definitely worth taking the time to follow this link and look at the incredible historical photos of New York and compare them to now.

Just a few weeks ago a fellow twitterer (I call them twerps!) created a mashup of twitter users and the Local Government Network 09 Conference. Whilst not attending IRL, I followed the conference online using the #LGN09 hashtag, and decided to add my name to the list. A very cool thing to do, and you can read more about how and why he did it here.

Book Launch @Toowoomba City Library

2009-09-24T09:26:00.006+10:00

Local author Deb Pachilke and illustrator Mick Grace, launched their book 'Eric the Echidna Has Lost His Spikes' at the Toowoomba City Library a few weeks ago.

"Eric the Echidna" is a children's book about an Echidna who gets caught in a storm and loses his spikes. Go on a journey with Eric and meet some of his friends who helped him find them. Beautifully illustrated pencil drawings recreate the Australian bush and animals.

To find out more about the book, its author and illustrator, you can read their blog Eric the Echidna or contact Deb at harbedinc@internode.on.net

The following animoto is their story:

Licence to Test Drive - Part B

2009-09-23T09:32:00.001+10:00

The State Library of Queensland has released Part B of Licence to Test Drive, its online program that encourages library staff to actively participate in learning about new and emerging technologies and the impact that they can have on libraries.

Part B Week 1 is online applications and tools. Zoho writer and Google docs are two of the web based applications looked at this week. As a member of ALIA's New Generation Advisory Committee, we use Google docs to share agendas and documents, allowing us to edit and collaborate from our various locations around Australia. I like being able to have access to these shared documents, and being able to access them whenever and wherever I want. I used Zoho writer a few years ago, and wasn't overly impressed, but went back and looked at the site again and played around. It has a very 'Google' feel about it now, and seems much more user friendly.

Google Apps Overview

View more presentations from Sharon Elin.

I love Slideshare! I love being able to read and participate by commenting on others' presentations. I have, over the years, followed many links to Slideshare presentations that have been shared. I have learnt heaps and felt I was able to be part of conference presentation, even if I was in a different country or city.

Am signing off quickly as there is an approaching dust storm coming my way. The first shot is from my back deck looking south west. And the second photo was taken by @oldm8 and is of our Town Hall in Toowoomba just two hours after my photo was taken.

Six word memoirs

2009-09-14T20:28:00.000+10:00

Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak from SMITHmag on Vimeo.

I followed a link by @heyjudeonline on twitter the other day, and discovered the most amazing site and concept. Six word memoirs challenges you to write your life story in just six words. I have been utterly delighted, amazed, shocked and saddened by the incredible range of memoirs that I have read. I am still working on a perfect six word memoir, and will share it when I get it just right (that may be never!)

Teenage son may drive me crazy - self explanatory
Love is a mandarin on pillow - about my poodle

Can you write your memoir in just six words?

Book Week 2009

2009-09-07T12:32:00.000+10:00

I cannot believe how much time has passed since I've last blogged - the time seems to be flying by this year. Since I last blogged, I have spent 10 days filling in as a librarian in Oakey, one of the libraries that helps make up the Toowoomba regional libraries. This was the first time I was able to use my qualifications, and I loved every moment of it! Working in a smaller library was a great experience, and I was able to learn heaps and put into practice much of what I had previously learnt at library school.

I returned to my own library and got back into the swing of being a library assistant again, and preparing for book week. The CBCA theme this year was Book Safari, and our YP team created a jungle themed adventure using books, stories, songs and rhymes. I also made another animoto. The YP team entertained nearly 1400 kids from the local area, and a great time was had by all.

We are now in last minute preparations for the Sept/Oct school holiday programs, having chosen Superheroes as our theme. Some of the staff have expressed interest in our Batgirl screen print Tshirts, and have decided to bring in their own to screen print! Will post pictures as they come to life :-))

Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to read.

Harry Potter and the School Holidays

2009-07-12T12:13:00.002+10:00

The school holidays are nearly over in Queensland, with most students returning to school this coming Tuesday. With the much anticipated release of the next Harry Potter Movie this Wednesday, the Young People's team -of which I am a part- decided we would theme our school holiday programs around the 7 Harry Potter books.

We made crystal ball snow globes, sewed owl softies, made Nimbus 2000's and Harry Potter glasses, wands and capes. We also screen printed HP logos on calico bags, made HP beaded bookmarks, created Meg and Mog collages and made HP themed door hangers.

Each school holiday we also run a treasure hunt of some sort, and this year it was made up of 21 excerpts from all 7 books. The younger kids had to find all the hidden excerpts and find the 21 highlighted words within a word search. The young adults had to find the excerpts and then write down which book the quote came from!

Below is an Animoto video of all of our school holiday activities.

We also hosted two workshops with Gary Clark, the creator of the Swamp cartoons on the last friday of the holidays. Below is an audioboo interview with some of the teenagers who attended the last session, and a 30 second animoto of his workshop.
Listen!

Wordless Wednesday - Family

2009-07-08T19:44:00.002+10:00

Gratitude

2009-06-17T15:39:00.000+10:00

My how time flies! It is so incredible to think that the year is nearly half way through. It is time once again to reflect upon the things that matter in my life, and to be truly grateful for them.

1. My poodle! I was out for the count yesterday with a migraine in my left eye, and my beloved, old poodle kept me company for the day. It was so lovely having him snuggled up next to me on the couch. He turns 12 this year and has been one of the best things to have happened to our family. We have had him for 9 years and took ownership of him from some people who were going to put him down.

2. A job. I am truly grateful that I have a job. It may not be the job I want as a librarian, but it is in the same industry, and it pays the bills! This week I have heard 2 heartbreaking stories of families who have lost jobs due to the current financial crisis, and listened in horror/awe as they try to get their lives back on track.

3. Learning new things. I was lucky enough to spend a week out in Oakey at one of the regional libraries, and be on the receiving end of learning 'librarian' things. It was great to be able to put into practice some of the theories that I learnt whilst at uni. I am truly grateful to Fay, the librarian out there for sharing her knowledge so freely with me.

4. Hope. Have been thinking about hope a fair bit this week, and the part it plays in our lives. The hopes and dreams I have for my life and for my kids, for my country and for our world. I have just finished a book about Joseph Fritzel, the man who locked his daughter and her children in a cellar for 24 years. I wonder at what point she gave up hoping to be released? I wonder what her hopes and dreams are now, one year on. Hope is a very powerful emotion, and I am still hopeful that one day I will find a job that utilises my degree.

5. Literacy. I am so glad I can read and write. I was thinking about this yesterday as I was unable to read for the day due to my migraine. I am grateful to my parents for fostering my love of reading, I am sure it drove them crazy finding me still up reading by torchlight under the covers every night! I hope (there is that word again) that I am instilling the love of reading writing and learning in both of my children.

Library and Information Week

2009-06-02T06:30:00.002+10:00

Last week across Australia, Librarians and Information Professionals celebrated Library and Information Week , the aim of which is to 'raise the profile of libraries and information service professionals in Australia'(ALIA 2009). It is a chance to promote the Library to the local community and to introduce new services or resources, and in all honesty, it is a chance to showcase the broad range of services that the library provides.

As an Associate member of Alia, I read with interest the theme for the week: Libraries - Your passport to discovery - Connect, Access, Discover. Alia gave examples of what Libraries from around the country had previously done to celebrate the week, and offered great ideas for future events. Our Young People's Team participated in National Simultaneous Storytime at 11am last Wednesday, with Councillor Ros Scotney reading Pete the Sheep to a group of Prep, Year 1 and 2 students from a local school.

I decided to celebrate LIW in my own way. I talked about it on twitter, and enjoyed the Australia wide conversations. I also decided to interview some of the parents and children who attend storytime at our library. What better way to promote the library and its services than by the people who actually use them!

Listen!

Listen!

Library and Information week also saw me participate in my first New Generation Advisory Committee teleconference. I was both overwhelmed and very excited to be part of that group. I also had the privelege of giving my first radio interview with ABC Southern Queensland. The conversation cenetred around Library and Information Week, technology and the services that our Library provides. You can hear it here!!!
So, there you go. One new grad, not as yet employed as a librarian's attempt at celebrating Library and Information Week. Am looking forward to the next one....

SLQ's Week 6 Folksonomies and Tagging

2009-06-01T12:21:00.000+10:00

This fortnight we are looking at tagging and folksonomies , and the tools that enable us to create and share our content. I like the idea of tagging, and have been using tags for some years now to add what I perceive to be keywords, that will help describe my content. I love the word folksonomy, or the unstructured categorization scheme that tagging is part of. It at first glance seems in direct contrast to the Library's taxonomy, or formal categorization scheme, but I think eventually we will end up with a combination of both. One of my friends is writing an essay for her Grad Dip on this topic, and I have enjoyed discussing this topic with her.

I have rediscovered Del.icio.us, a social bookmarking tool that uses tags to bookmark my favourite web locations in the cloud. This means I can access my information from which ever computer I choose to sign in on. I have always meant to get around to using Delicious, but am determined to import my favourites from home and work and then retag them so I can always have access to them. It is funny that as I write this I am following a discussion on twitter on this exact topic!

I have been using Technorati for a few years also, and have found it a great way to find new blogs on a certain subject. What I love even more is the Technorati State of the Blogosphere an annual report that provides an in depth look at the who, what, when and where of blogging, how to use it for profit and how brands enter the blogosphere. It is always a good read.

Library Thing is another web tool that uses tagging for classification. I love my Library Thing account, and try each month to update it (though I sometimes forget). It is a great way to keep track of what I have read, but also to find new authors. I love scrolling through other people's accounts and reading their book titles. I have often used this to source a new author! Though this in no way compares to real conversations with customers as to their likes and dislikes and suggestions. I can admit to actually reading and finishing my first Nora Roberts book on the advice of a customer just last week, and discovered Patricia Briggs and Linda Le Plante from conversations at the help desk! But Library Thing is truly the next best thing as it facilitates through tagging the 'if you like.... you will like ....'

The Horizon report (2007) has this to say:

"A little group of Web 2.0 technologies—tagging and folksonomic tools, social bookmarking sites, and sites that make it easy to contribute ideas and content—is placing the power of media creation and distribution firmly into the hands of “the people formerly known as the audience” (Rosen, 2006). No longer satisfied to be consumers of content, today’s audience creates content as well. Producing, commenting, and classifying are just as important as the more passive tasks of searching, reading, watching, and listening."

I love this quote as it alludes to the notion of engagement, active participation. 'No longer satisfied to be consumers of content.... but creating content as well(Horizon Report, 2007). Now if only we can provide services that allow our customers to do this!

SLQ Week 5 - RSS Feeds

2009-05-20T09:47:00.002+10:00

Am up to Week 5 of the State Library of Queensland's Licence 2 Test Drive, and this week we are looking at RSS feeds. I could not imagine living without RSS feeds as they are such a time saver. I really like the following Youtube clip as it clearly explains what an RSS feed is, and why you would want one.

I have been using my Bloglines account now for over two years, and I could not imagine ever going back to the old way of looking for information. My Bloglines account automatically retrieves updates and is separated into three different folders : a professional libraries folder encompassing library, librarian and library related blogs; a friend folder that tracks the lives of many of my online non-librarian friends and finally a news/weather and other interesting sites folder. All of the information comes to me in one place, and I can view all blog posts or updated information whenever I want.

My Bloglines account is a vital professional tool, and it enables me to keep up to date with what is happening in Library land. I follow blogs from information professionals from around the world, and this global perspective encourages me to think and do libraries with a broader/wider understanding, and from a deeper knowledge base.

I really like the Powerhouse Museum's Photo of the day blog. This is such a great idea and is a wonderful way to share the amazing photos contained within their collections. I think our local history library could do this, and share the story that the photo contains. It is also a way to engage with the community as it promotes conversations and connectivity.

I am thinking of changing Feed readers at the moment, and exporting my Bloglines account into Google Reader as I have had a lot of trouble lately accessing my information. I was sent this link via twitter after making a comment about the reader being offline again which explains some of their problems.

A week of discoveries....

2009-05-10T16:12:00.004+10:00

Listen!

I love being a librarian. I don't actually have a job as a librarian as yet, but I still love the possibilities of what could be. I love that part of what I need to do to keep relevant and up to date is keep learning! This week I discovered Audioboo , and my mind has been reeling with the potential. My twitter friend @dramagirl shared some thoughts about what she was doing with Audioboo, and I was intrigued. Above is a link to my second Audioboo, recorded using my iPhone at the Toowoomba City Library. It contains an interview with my friend and work colleague Kelly, talking about her SLQ's License 2 Test Drive online learning experience.

I would also like to use Audioboo to record interviews with some of the teens who attend our young writers group at our library. Also to record snippets of conversations with customers as to why they use our facilities/resources. Also would be great for collecting oral histories as part of the Local History Collection. Imagine a link on a website that allows the user to hear an interview with a patron about a favourite book, or author, or service....

This week I also discovered the Columbus Metropolitan Library's 2008 Annual Report. Sounds boring? I don't think so! It is a visual representation of their report, and contains amazing interviews, news promos and conversations with staff, customers, friends of the library, board members and their executive director. What a wonderful marketing tool! Was a half an hour well spent.

I spend alot of time thinking about marketing and promoting our library, and read alot about organisational change. I discovered a quote this morning and was very taken by it. It was from a slideshare presentation on The New World of Word of Mouth . It talks about how to give customers an experience that they will want to talk about and share.

"You must decide what you stand for, and then align every one of your systems to reinforce it. You must recruit for it, you select for it, you orient for it, you train for it, you reward it, you promote for it, and you terminate those that don't have it" John Young

Lastly, I turned 40 this week, and enjoyed a week of festivities! I also discovered a few things about myself. I am overwhelmingly grateful for the friends who share my life! Thanks to all for spoiling me so rotten. Thanks also to my many new friends who share my digital spaces. I am really loving the relationships that are being built there, and hope one day to meet IRL. I am also grateful to have such a wonderfully supportive family, who love me and encourage me to reach for the stars. Thanks for everything. Lastly, I discovered that I like being me, and that being 40 is great :-))

Week 4 SLQ Licence to Test Drive

2009-05-01T20:23:00.000+10:00

This fortnight we looked at social networking as part of the State Library's Licence 2 Test Drive . I am particularly interested in this topic for marketing and promotion, and creating relationships with patrons/customers. Just this week David Lee King posted a blog about the use of social networking tools both professionally and personally, and the fine line that divides the two. It is a very good post, and worth a look.

Librarian Idol - in a post on a very similar theme - states, "So, here's one thing I'd like to see. If we're so focused on libraries using social media, then we need to train our librarians up on actual social networking skills for online communication". He then gives 4 tips on how to do this. Also a great blog post and worth reading.

I am personally involved in a few social networks, and my fav at the moment is twitter. My account is a mix of both professional 'friends' within the library/online industry, and geographical 'friends' that live within my community. I have also been fortunate to meet up with some of my twitter 'friends', and have yet to be disappointed with the contact.

I am ever so grateful for my professional 'friends' who continue to educate, inform, inspire and encourage me to become not only a better person but a better librarian. I am so glad that I work in a profession where most share so freely of their knowledge. I am *loving* building online friendships with people from my local community. I love that my 'friends' know that I am a librarian, and I enjoy answering questions and passing on any info that I can. I especially like when they come into the library to say hi!!

Now for the shameless plug! This last month month has seen me create a Ning network aimed at the teenage readers within our community. We just released it this week, and still need to advertise heavily within the schools and at work. It is called Virtual Libraria , and I will keep you posted!

Lest we forget

2009-04-25T06:07:00.001+10:00

101 Field Battery

My dad was with the artillery

Marching (in jeans) Toowoomba 2008

Today we celebrate Anzac Day in Australia. Wikipedia defines Anzac Day as a national public holiday that 'commemorates the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps who fought at Gallipoli during World War 1.' Anzac Day is a time to reflect on the futility of war, and a time to remember the men and women from all the wars who fought, and gave their lives for their country.

My dad is a Vietnam Vet. I was unaware of this fact whilst growing up, and only found out when I was in Year 12. I still don't really think I fully comprehend what that means, or all that he went through. He decided to march for the first time ever in an Anzac Day Parade in 2007, and in 2008 my whole family attended a dawn service in Toowoomba to watch him march. It was a very moving experience, and one that hopefully we will always remember. This year he decided not to march.

I still remember one year stopping to buy a lapel pin when my son was little. We looked at them all and he asked where the Vietnam pins were. At that time there were none available, and my son said no thanks, he wanted one that remembered his Grandpa! Out of the mouths of babes. I am glad that these are available now.

As you go about your day today, please take a few minutes to reflect on the futility of war, and remember the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice, so that we can be free.

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.

At the going down of the sun and in the morning,

We will remember them.

Lest we forget.

Gratitude

2009-04-23T17:48:00.001+10:00

5 things that I am grateful for this week:

1. I was accepted into ALIA's New generation Advisory Committee. I applied for this in December, and found out just last week. No doubt it will be a massive learning curve.

2. Great supervisors!

3. A wonderful husband. This week I have been building a ning network and was having problems with some HTML coding. After I gave up and took a break, my husband kept going and worked it out!!

4. Professional Development. Tomorrow I am attending an Edna workshop at USQ. I am looking forward to learning some new things and hearing cool and inspiring stories of what others are doing.

5. WIFI!!! Am at the Star Cafe opposite our library, and for the cost of a great cup of coffee, I can use their newtwork.

PS Thanks to Flexnib and Kalgirl for reminding me to be grateful :-)

Week 3 SLQ Licence to Test Drive

2009-04-22T06:50:00.001+10:00

This fortnight I have revisited wikis, as part of the SLQ's Licence to Test Drive. Their definition follows:

A wiki (originating from the Hawaiian term for quick) is an open shared space

for collaborative editing. Contribution to a wiki requires no HTML or

programming knowledge. Unlike protected Web pages, any information added

to a wiki can be changed or deleted by "anyone". Previous versions of pages

are saved for easy recovery from errors.

I have enjoyed looking up some of the links given in this exercise, and viewing what others are using wikis for. I especially liked Wookieepedia - a stars wars wiki that encourages fans to add to the collective knowledge of the site. I showed my Stars Wars loving husband and son, who have since spent way to much time looking up things!

In contemplating their use in libraries, I especially like the thought of using them as an intranet based procedures manual. All staff then have access to all information pertaining to how the organisation works, including all those piddly little in house rules!! Would be a great way to introduce new staff to an organisation in a very un-threatening way. Would be especially good for all staff to add their job descriptions, how-to manuals etc so all the information is contained in one place.

I also liked the Library Success: A best practices wiki . I spent a fair bit of time on this site following links on subjects that I was interested in. This site embodies one of the things I like best abut libraries - the free sharing of information.

One of my best 'wiki' experiences was with my daughter last year after reading a post on Tame the Web. We followed a link and Miss 9 and I added some local Toowoomba content to help Abbey - an American school girl - complete her homework . We edited the wiki, added a photo of ourselves and included some links about Toowoomba and our library where I work and the school Miss 9 goes to. We then sent a postcard to her as per the instructions on the wiki. Miss 9 still talks about helping Abbey do her homework! For me, I still think about that librarian dad using his skills to think outside the square and use technology to enhance his daughter's learning journey!

Next Gen Librarian

2009-04-06T19:37:00.000+10:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/hansdorsch/2862635664/

I can't believe I forgot to share one of the best parts of my Relay for Life experience! Our tent displayed a sign which stated, 'will read books for money', which was out team's attempt to raise more play money for the Relay for Life. I was in charge of bringing books to read.

Instead, I bought my trusty iPhone!! I have blogged before about Stanza, an ebook reader app that I have downloaded onto my phone. Stanza would be one of my favourite applications, and I love the sheer volume of free books that are available. So, being the nerdy, geeky, tech loving librarian that I am, I used the many opportunities I had to share with people information about literacy, and the many forms it can take. I talked about Stanza, and font size, about Project Gutenberg and downloading free books. I showed online catalogues, showed ebooks, and read pages from books. I also talked about vision impaired people downloading stanza to their desktop, and choosing a font size that suits them.

I talked. And shared two of my loves - reading and my iPhone.

Relay for Life

2009-04-05T11:25:00.001+10:00

It only seems like yesterday that my Father in Law was diagnosed with Cancer. We as a family dropped everything and flew to New Zealand to spend two weeks with him as he started his chemo. I will never forget watching the nurses get dressed in the many layers of protective clothing and gloves they wear to administer the chemo, and then watching them pump it through an IV tube into his body. Somehow the irony of that still gets to me. The above photo is one of my favourites of the trip - our kids teaching their Grandad new skills. It helped pass the time and allowed him to learn new skills that he soon excelled at!

It was therefore an honour to partake in this year's Relay for Life . Many thanks to Rory - a shelver at our library - who put the call out for all interested participants. Six staff members answered the call along with two ringins. Staff who didn't walk participated by cooking, and then eating a delicious fundraising morning tea which raised nearly $80.00. All together we raised $1000.00.

The opening ceremony was a very moving experience for me watching all the survivors walk proudly past. It was good to see the Mayor of our Regional Council, local member Ian MacFarlane and some regional councilors participate. It was also very moving to see many families remember their loved ones with banners, photos and candles lit in their memory.

Some highlights were putting up our tent - see dad, I did learn something from all that camping we did when I was young; the ever changing weather - we experienced all four seasons in one day with thunder, lightning and rain, strong winds, high humidity and beautiful sunshine; and amazing conversations. As we walked and talked, we worked out a few statistics. The track was 1.6 kilometres round. We walked for approximately 9 hours, it took us 6 minutes to do one lap of the track, thus walking roughly 144 kilometres give or take a cuppa break or two!!

Thanks to all who donated money, and to those that walked - thanks for the new memories! My thoughts and prayers go out to the many families whose lives are touched by cancer, and to my FIL - I did this for you, here is to continued good health. I love you.

Week 2 of SLQ's Licence to Drive

2009-04-01T19:53:00.000+10:00

Week 2 saw the discussion centered around online photo sharing, with Flickr being the main website looked at. I just love Flickr, and have a personal account that I use regularly. What I really enjoyed about this exercise was having a look at some of the other photo sharing sites. I looked at photobucket, Smugmug and snapfish. I had fun just typing in random words and looking at just how creative and talented some people are.

I have blogged about this before, and have posters up at my work on why we need a flickr account. Our library is now one of 11 libraries within the Toowoomba Regional Council. A paid Flickr account would allow us to keep all our photos in the one place, give us unlimited sets, and would allow us to start promoting the wonderful services that all the libraries provide. Flickr also allows us as staff to engage in conversations, connect with customers and create masterpieces using the many Flickr toys!

On a very personal level, I have just read my friend Kelly' s first ever blog post, and have been blown away! She embodies all that the 23 things/SLQ's Licence to Drive programs are all about:

'I have created this blog as a commitment to myself, to continue my journey to learn more about myself, my life, my loves and all the things I don't even know about yet'.

What can I say but ALRIGHT Kelly, and thank you!!

Trail Blazing Aspirations...

2009-03-30T12:41:00.001+10:00

Don't follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Ralph Waldo Emerson

I having been filling in as a Library assistant as part of the Young People's team at the Library where I already work. I am truly loving doing the job and all that it entails, and have been working full time for the last month or so. Initially I was worried about doing the job as it is sort of a sidewards step towards actually getting to work as a librarian, but the experience I am gaining is invaluable and is good for my resume. The thing I find hardest is the lack of time on my computer playing around and catching up on what it happening around the world in Library Land. I am hoping that now I have my very own laptop I'll be able to keep on top of things (no 14 year old boys allowed!).

My talk to council went very well. The Corporate Communications team have started twittering and are beginning to push information out to the community about all aspects of council, which I think is great! We (Toowoomba Regional Council) also received a plug about twittering from Mosman Council , who were the first in Australia to have a twitter account.

I will say it again (and again and again....) our library truly needs to start moving with the times. It doesn't matter that we are in a regional area, or that out here we don't do things like that! We need to upskill our staff and encourage all who work there to learn new skills. We need to use some of the tools that are freely available and start promoting who we are and what we do. We need to tell people what great services we provide and what wonderful resources we have to offer. We need to let our customers share their stories about us and then we need to tell them to all who will listen! And we need to take responsibility for it, not leave it up to others.

I have encouraged all who work at our regional libraries to partake in the State Library of Queensland's Licence 2 Test Drive . This program is a variation on Helene Blowers 23 Things , and is one of the most rewarding training programs I have ever been part of. So far quite a few of the library assistants have joined up, and of this I am so proud. I have also signed up and can't wait to rediscover the 23 things that truly changed the way I 'think' and 'do' libraries.

I saw the above mentioned quote on the wall at my gym this morning, and I experienced what Oprah calls an 'Aha' moment. I don't want to sit behind a desk and serve people, I want to stand next to them. I don't want to do what others are doing in my workplace, I want to create my workplace in the digital spaces that people (our customers) already inhabit. I don't want to let the fact that I am not working as a librarian as yet stop me from doing what I believe in, nor stop me from participating fully or being responsible for my own learning journey. I want to leave a trail.....

My MacBook

2009-03-29T21:00:00.002+10:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grahamblackall/2945489969/

Just a quick blog post to brag about my new Macbook. I sooo couldn't resist this awesome photo in Flickr which captures some of my new favourite things! My kids tell me that I love my iPhone more than them (sometimes true) and now I have another new gadget to love!

The last week has been a massive learning curve as I learn 'Mac', and I am hoping to attend some beginner 'mac' classes next sat so I can continue my learning journey! Even blogging - something I love to do and which had been like second nature to me tonight has been a whole new adventure with my Mac.

Will blog again tomorrow and share some more of what has been happening lately. Thanks for taking the time to drop by :)

jo

PS Still can't find my user photo, and this will be my first question in class!

Building a digital identity

2009-03-05T10:37:00.003+10:00

I am going to attend a meeting with the Corporate Communications team plus an IT member from our local Regional Council to discuss new ways of marketing in the digital environment next week. For anyone who has read any of my blog posts, you would know that I believe that libraries in general don't market themselves well. I have often commented on other ways we could be doing this using some of the social networking tools that are available at the moment. I love David Lee King's quote from his book 'Designing the Digital Experience': 'Digital Landscapes allow us to invite participation - their goal is to jump start conversations about products and services'. He also talks about the need to invite people to participate with you, your community and your organisation.

Here is a brief outline of the main 5 points I want to share:

Corporate Brand - We can present our brand to not only our local community, but to a state, national and international community of people through social networking. A corporate digital presence allows for viral marketing, hot linking, importing blog posts and uses images to illustrate conversations.

Tools - I am going to concentrate on just three: Facebook, Flickr and Twitter, and talk about their rise to fame, some statistics and how people use them. These tools allow people to create content, participate in real conversations, tell personal stories and create positive, memorable experiences (King 2008).

Community Engagement - These tools allow the free flow of conversation between staff members, between staff and community members and between community members and other interested parties. They also encourage transparency and the feedback provided via community engagement can lead to dynamic 24/7 town hall meetings that take place in digital spaces instead of physical ones. Free and open lines of communication are available to the public, which can only improve our customer service and customer focus. Our Toowoomba is a wonderful example of a local website that encourages community engagement . I would love to see us advertise our events with them! Once the event is registered with them, the link can be used to viral market via Facebook and twitter.

Immediacy - Being in these spaces allows us to create content and deliver it almost immediately. It also allows us to follow up queries or complaints often instantaneously or within a few hours, instead of days or weeks. The information that is pushed is interactive and encourages participation. Kathryn blogged about creating a Netvibes account that pulled in via RSS feeds conversations about their library as way of evaluating services and keeping up to date with what your community is saying about your organisation. This twitter feed is read from the bottom to top:

Economic Boon - In our current economic crisis, the financial outlay for these services is virtually nothing. The tools themselves are all free, and all that is required is a little staff time and effort for a big results.

Many thanks to @dramagirl for her words of wisdom, inspiration and encouragement in helping me put this together. I would also appreciate any feedback that anyone has to offer. Oh, and by the way, the answer to @WazL's question was no!

Thanks for stopping by :-)

ePortfolios

2009-02-18T10:53:00.002+10:00

Photo courtesy of Bonnie Heim

Earlier in the year I applied to take part in a joint QUT/ALIA pilot study on ePortfolios for the Library and Information Sector. Just over twenty of us were accepted into the program, and we finally met up with each other at the ePortfolio Symposium in Brisbane early last week. This photo was taken after we had just held our first meeting on our expectations of our involvement in the study. We were also required to talk into a video camera for a minute or so about our backgrounds and expectations. Our group was made up of students, new grads and early, mid and late library professionals representing a wide range of LIS sectors. I was a 'new grad, not yet employed'!!

'An ePortfolio is a purposeful aggregation of digital items - ideas, evidence, reflections, feedback etc, which "presents" a selected audience with evidence of a person's learning and/or ability'(Sutherland, S and Powell, A. 2007). ePortfolios have also been described as the product, created by the learner, a collection of digital artefacts articulating experiences, achievemnets and learning'(JISC - Effective Practice with ePortfolios). For me so far, my ePortfolio is an organic web2.0 tool that will help capture who I am, what I have done and will help me set the direction for what I want to do.

The AeP2 Symposium was a worthwhile experience for me personally as it introduced me to the very wide variety of ways ePortfolios are being used. I was able to listen to experts from around the world share both their knowledge and experiences in this field. I was especially impressed by Ruth Wallace from the Northern Territory talk about empowering disenfranchised learner identities through ePortfolio use. Very powerful!

My last day in Brisbane was spent with Shane Sutherland in a Pebble Pad workshop. Pebble Pad is our tool for the creation of our ePortfolios, and I must say it is very glam. It has an iPhone-ish feel about it, which automatically made me feel right at home. Below is my customised desk top, no doubt it will keep changing!

So, here are some of my thoughts so far on my involvement in this project. I asked to be considered to participate because I truly believe in life long learning. I have finished my studies and need to look for a job where I can use my professional qualifications. Being part of this project will encourage me to learn new skills, and to hopefully use these skills as part of my job application process. After I have added all the information about myself, I can create different webportfolios to suit different purposes, ie job applications, ALIA audit for professional development etc.

Secondly, I admit to being a public library evangalist. I love that people can come and use our facilities regardless of educational, religious, or socio-economic status. So included in my ePortfolio project will hopefully be some research on the viability of approaching interested stakeholders within the community and offering an open source ePortfolio for all community members. Free and equitable access for all - have we heard that somewhere before? How can we apply that to giving every interested community member the chance to have their own ePortfolio? Somewhere they can store all their information, certificates, qualifications and be able to learn current and relevant Web 2.0 skills on their personal learning journey.

Lastly, I wanted to be part of the bigger picture, and hopefully give something back to the LIS community. Who knows, but maybe some of the outcomes of this pilot may help shape some new policies on continuing professional development within ALIA.

Author Kate Morton to visit Toowoomba

2009-02-17T14:01:00.001+10:00

The popular author Kate Morton will be visiting Toowoomba on Thursday 26th February. She will be speaking at the Empire Church Theatre at 10.30am. The Toowoomba City Library has 150 free tickets to this event, and they will be distributed on a 'first in, best dressed' basis. They can be picked up from the Enquiries Counter on the ground floor of the Library in Victoria Street.

Kate is the author of two very popular books: The Shifting Fog, and The forgotten Garden. Please click on the link to read a small extract from her book The Forgotten Garden, or here to read an extract from her book The Shifted Fog.

Hope you can make it for a great morning!

20th Anniversary of Toowoomba City Library

2009-02-01T10:49:00.029+10:00

I finally finished my second digital photo story! This one tells the story of the Toowoomba City Library's 20th Anniversary Celebrations. It contains photos of staff, local dignitaries, the Friends of the Library group and customers, all who have played a major role in supporting the Library. Apparently it was a wonderful night (I was at the NLS4 in Melbourne at the time) and all who attended spoke very favourably about the library and the services we provide.

Toowoomba City Library's 20th Anniversary Celebration from Jo Beazley on Vimeo.

Great new book

2009-01-31T06:17:00.037+10:00

YAY! It has finally arrived! I ordered this book through work and it came in this week. The one chapter I have read so far has been great, and has a very similar feel to his blog posts. I know that I talk about - and think about even more - libraries promoting themselves in digital spaces, user centred experiences and customer service. In the one chapter I have read so far David makes note of all three things, so I can't wait to keep reading.

The book is available at our library (sorry, can't link you to the exact book) and so far is definitely worth the read!

On a slightly different aside, I read this quote on my twitter stream and was very taken by it:

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and then relearn. Alvin Toffer

That quote reminded me of what I have above my desk at work and at home, and is of a very similar theme:

#know how to find information
#know how to validate it
#know how to synthesize it
#know how to leverage it
#know how to communicate it
#know how to collaborate with it
#know how to problem solve with it.
#that's the 21st century set of literacies!

May literacy in all its many shapes and forms be promoted as part of our life long learning journey, and try and borrow David's book from a library - it is so worth a read!

On holidays - or how not to have a relaxing week off

2009-01-22T08:01:00.001+10:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/eqqman/3120691002/

I am having my first week off work in over a year. Last year I needed to take all my annual leave to attend my prac in Brisbane and a conference in Melbourne. I envisioned myself relaxing, hanging out with the kids, watching some tennis and being able to get some stuff done online that I needed to do. The reality has not been this at all! It has been very hot, our poodle is still not well (more vet trips and $$$), my kids are at the end of 8 weeks holiday and are going stir crazy - fighting with each other -and more importantly I cannot get them off our two computers. Normally I am ok with this, as we encourage digital literacy in our house, but not when it means I cannot get to my computer. I have changed passwords etc, and today I will resort to taking keyboards (again) when I go out of the house. I so need a laptop that is just for me. Sigh.

When I have been able to get to a computer, I was able to download Stanza to my iphone and to my desktop. What a wonderful piece of software. I have downloaded books onto my iphone and can now read at leisure in a font that suits me best whenever I am out. I really think the two outstanding features for me is Stanza's ability to change font size, and the inclusion of books from Project Gutenberg.

I also was able to download the DCPL app and road test it. What an amazing application. I was able to show it to a few staff where I work, and was excited by the people who actually 'got' what is was all about(we still don't have a website that is current or relevant). A catalogue that is user friendly and available in a medium that is relevant. I loved the simple look of the app and have had a great time putting the search interface through its paces! I now know where all the DC Public Libraries are, along with their opening hours and phone numbers. So if I ever get to the States, I can find my way around all the DCPL because of my iphone library catalogue application!

I stated previously in my blog the need for us to promote ourselves in digital spaces, but as I am not yet employed as a libarian where I work, these decisions and actions are not up to me to try to be involved in. Quite frustrating really. As there are no projects in our library, there is not any way to even get onto a project team that can be looking into these things. And even if there was a project team, I would not be able to be part of it because I am employed as a library assistant and not a librarian. So all that makes me less employable in the future as I have no experience in even being part of a team! Another sigh.

So enough of me feeling sorry for myself. Once school goes back I can start my volunteer work and hopefully start learning new things that can and will make me more employable.

Thanks for stopping by :)

7 things you may not know about me meme

2009-01-13T17:03:00.000+10:00

http://www.flickr.com/photo/miscellaneous/2177842637/

I was tagged by Kathryn Greenhill last week for the 7 things meme. So here are 7 things that you may not know about me!

1. English is my only language, but I have always wanted to learn another. I did exceptionally well in Year 8 and 9 french but moved schools and could not continue learning.

2. I didn't get my licence until I was older, so my first car was my boyfriend/husband's orange kombe volkswagon. It was all back to front and very confusing! My dream car is either a black hummer or a yellow jazz!

3. Anyone that knows me would be able to answer this for me. My addictions are chocolate and coffee. We only drink Zentveld's coffee in our house, and I will never drink instant. I have been told that I am a coffee snob, and I take that as a compliment!

4. My achievements as a pimply teenager were that I actually passed my senior year! I grew up on the Gold Coast and often did not go to school as the beach was a much better option. I really wasn't into study (unlike Kathryn), and consider myself a late bloomer when it comes to education.

5. I am not the best at singing (just ask my kids) but enjoy it. I sing along to many of the DVD's that we watch - especially Mumma Mia. My kids are forever telling me not to keep singing Abba!

6. My Star sign is Taurus the bull. I am not really into astrology but once read that Taureans(?) were stubborn, and this is very true!

7. I love getting up early in the morning! I am truly a morning person and do my best thinking, planning, creating early in the morning. I walk at 5am every morning, and use this time to think and just enjoy the beauty of the morning.

There you go. I have decided that anyone who is reading my blog can consider themselves tagged!

To promote or not to promote, that is the question...

2009-01-10T05:42:00.002+10:00

I have been thinking about this topic alot lately, and my conclusion inevitabley ends up the same. Our library needs to promote who we are and what we do. And not only to our physical customers but to our potential virtual customers also.

I read with interest David Lee King's post Ask a Librarian service needs a reboot, and the 41 - at time of writing - comments that were inspired by his post. The notion of digital vs physical customer, and how our libraries serve, or fail to do so is at the heart of his post.

I then followed a link posted on my facebook this morning to a blog post from a digital initiatives librarian from the states: DCPL iPhone application ready for download. WOW. How amazingly cool is that. I am going to download the application (when I get my itunes back up and running as it crashed when I was trying to install stanza a new ebook reader app) and give it a workout. I loved the very clean interface. I will post more about this after I've tried it!) So congratulations to DCPL for creating an application that can and will meet the needs of the very mobile, digital natives whose technological expectations/expertise are often mind blowing to a Gen X'er!

So, all this leads me back to the promotion of our services and resources, and in particular starting to promote our library online. I have found a few local websites, and am going to put together some info and then email it to the powers that be. If you have suggestions, or ideas that have worked well for you please feel free to comment.

Reflections

2009-01-01T05:37:00.002+10:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/21644167@NO4/3031353198/

It is New Years Day and I am thinking about all that has happened in the last year, and my goals and aspirations for this new year.

2008

I finshed my grad dip and am now a qualified librarian. I am taking a year off to try and gain some experience, and am planning on re enrolling for 2010.
I have attended conferences, unconferences, seminars and webinars on library 2.0/web 2.0, a subject I am passionate about. I have learnt heaps!
I have been humbled by the generosity of library bloggers from around the world who so freely share their thoughts and knowledge. I have learnt so much!
Blogging opens doors. I have been truly amazed at the opportunities that have opened for me because of this, and the friendships and relationships that I have developed online.
Technology is a tool that can only enhance our library services (to some this sounds like a given, but in some work environments this idea is not embraced).
Social Networking has etiquette and regardless of age/experience/qualifications libraries must be involved in teaching this as part of their information/digital literacy programs (I am going to blog about this in a seperate post).
The best learning occurs when it is self directed, and then it often becomes a joyous experience.
To thyself be true.

2009

Proactive participation is my goal for all things this year.

I have been accepted to be part of the Australian ePortfolios Project and I can't wait.
I have written some proposals for future projects so will see if they are successful.
I will be volunteering in a high school library and in a public library in another town for one day a week, hopefully learning lots about all aspects of the industry.
I have a list of 'tech' things I have read about but want to learn more about. Maybe try for one a month?
To keep talking and blogging about all the ways that technology can enhance workplaces and spaces.
To create another digital photo story on the amalgamation of our library services, and in doing so meet and spend time with the staff who run these libraries.
To keep learning and growing. We have at the heart of our profession the notion of life long learning. May I truly embrace this and always be open to hearing about, and learning about new things.
To thyself be true.

May this new year bring you joy, peace and happiness.

Exceeding expectations

2008-12-12T06:11:00.003+10:00

I have been reading this book by Andrew Griffiths titled, '101 Ways to Really Satisfy Your Customers'. His main point being that customer service is about exceeding your customer's expectations. I have been thinking about this alot lately and believe that our work provides great customer service, but I have been wondering how many times we exceed our customer's expectations at the library? From personal experience I know that if I have received bad customer service I often will not go back to the store, but I also tell others about it. I also try really hard to do the opposite. If I experience outstanding customer service, I try and tell as many people as I can. I wonder how many people go home and talk about the service they received from our work? Is it positive or negative? Are they telling others?

I was so thrilled to read Catyquilter's blog post on this exact topic this morning. One of Andrew's recurring themes in his book is You need to meet and, where possible, exceed your customer's expectations. In Caty's post she states how a local Toowoomba business that she frequents regularly gave her a gift certificate as she was picking up a layby as a way of saying thank you for her patronage. Not only did she spend the money in their store, but she also went on to talk and blog about it. In her post she comments on their staff and their products. What a great story! And no doubt I will find myself in their store for a look based on her experience.

Chapter 6 in the book is on face to face customer service. So my goal for today is to encompass numbers 48-53 into my face to face interactions with our customers. Be welcoming. Be organised. Be prepared to make a recommendation. Talk to the cutomer, not through the customer. Do something unexpected. Remember to say thank you.

A tasty morsel..

2008-12-08T06:29:00.003+10:00

Just a quick post about NLS4, as today is a very busy one for me. Also I really want to get my head around some of the ideas presented, and let them sink in. First up, it was absolutely wonderful. Great conference, great presentations, great social networking, great food!

If I could sum up what I have taken away with me in two words it would be proactive participation. This theme was evident in nearly all of the presentations, and really spoke to me. I have applied to be part of an eporfolios study at QUT in Brisbane, so that is my first step!

I also got to meet some fellow bloggers who I had been reading and communicating with! Thanks to Librarian Idol , Connecting Librarian and Better than Cheesecake ie Andrew, Michelle and Susanne for graciously sharing your passion so freely. Also to the Shanachie boys for once again sharing the importance of telling stories and keeping stories and making the stories count.

It is hard to articulate just how amazing it was for me to be part of the NLS4 and to just soak up the enthusiam, joy and hope for the future that new grads bring to the industry. I am very proud to be a part of that, and I hope my zeal and enthusiasm never wane.

Nice things do happen to me sometimes!

2008-12-01T17:03:00.001+10:00

I had some really nice things happen this last week. I received my last assignment back in the mail, and when I opened it I saw that I had received a HD! Yeah! Very nice way to finish off my Grad Dip. My family decided to take me out to tea to celebrate, which was great. This photo was taken at my sister's house and my husband is thinking, 'thank god she has finished studying!'

My sister made this very early graduation ice cream cake in the shape of a graduation cap! Very cool I thought, and I was touched by her creativity and thoughtfulness.

Lastly, some of my friends at work all put in and bought me a new charm for my 'library' bracelet. I have blogged about my bracelet before, and so was amazed when they gave me a mobile phone charm to add. My work friends said it's to represent my love of technology and my iphone! Needless to say when I global emailed my thanks to all involved I used the opportunity to talk about technology as a wonderful tool that can only enhance our work environment and our services! Thank you to everyone involved for the beautiful gift. I will wear it with pride.

Unconference

2008-11-22T05:56:00.003+10:00

Had a great time at the State library's Unconference on thursday. I got to hear Erik and Jaap from the DOK Library Concept Center talk abit about their library, but mostly about the LBI Shanaachie Tour. I really liked their ideas about 'making stories, telling stories and keeping stories'. Library staff often have the most amazing stories to tell, so taking an active role in capturing this history is important. They also talked about library as an experience, and what we can do as staff to facilitate this.

The rest of the day was broken down into concurrent sessions. I learnt about meebo as a tool for online reference and the importance of evaluating any new programs and services that staff run. I was absolutely amazed and inspired by Dave West and Anne Spelman from the Moreton Bay Regional Shire talk about the Mash it Up Festival. This project brings young people together and uses emerging technology and social networking in new ways. The staff from the State Library also did some presentations on some new tech tools which I also enjoyed.

In her post on encouraging organisational innovation Helene Blowers included this quote which to me sums up my day at Unconference.

Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.
William Pollard

PS - Was so taken in by the day that I forgot to take photos - can you believe that?

New friends

2008-11-15T06:07:00.001+10:00

Had a very cool thing happen at work today. I was helping shelve books when I saw a couple standing in the foyer of the library. I looked, and then had another look, and walked over and said, 'Excuse me, are you Catyquilter?' And she said yes! Thank goodness it was her, not quite sure what I would have done if she'd said no!

I have been reading Catyquilter's blog for some time now, and along the way realised we had some things in common: a love of technology, owning a poodle, quilting, the library - I work there and she borrows book from there:) - and of course blogging!

Blogging truly is a wonderful tool that allows for amazing conversations on both a global and yet deeply personal level. Am so glad to have met a fellow blogger, and look forward to having lunch one day.

iPhone

2008-11-12T10:10:00.001+10:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zkyo/353699064/

I can't remember if I have said lately how much I love my iphone. I spent the weekend playing on it (I can do this with no guilt as I have finished uni) and added some new applications and moved some bits and pieces about. I decided to create a new ringtone, add it to my itunes and then sync it to my iphone. Simple right? Not so. Creating my new ringtone was easy, and if it worked would sound excellent!!!! It all sounded so easy in theory. After a few hours, reinforcements (my husband) and a dozen or more forums on the topic I am not conceding defeat, just taking a breather.

It should work. The forums are split 50/50 on being able to do it and swearing at apple. So, if there is anyone out there who has done this (and it worked), please help. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I still love my iphone though :)

Continuous improvement

2008-11-10T09:48:00.003+10:00

I have decided to be proactive. There will be no job as a librarian where I currently work as a library assistant, and no way to gain any experience there either. My wise husband asked me if I would consider volunteering my time in order to gain experience. Hell yes! So, I am now volunteering for one day a week in a local private high school library. I had my first day last wednesday and it was great. What amazed me most was the sheer amount of knowledge that the staff have in order to keep up with their students! I was so impressed with that attitude of continuous learning that was very prevalent.

Speaking of continuous learning, on the weekend I attended another webinar from the Webjunction/Maintain IT folks in the States. I really am enjoying these and learn so much from them. Branding libraries and their services was the topic, and was led by Michael Leach from Harvard Uni. He covered topics such as why brand, how to sell services, what audience is the target, how to market the brand, and some current branding models. We looked at colours and then some examples of library brands from across America. What spoke to me was the 'when' to use your brand - all the time!!!

'People need to see the brand before they can associate with it' - Michael Leach

It should be on websites, stationary, check out slips, program flyers, and anywhere the library 'is'. Over 86 librarians participated from all across America and Canada and only me from Australia!!! For me participating in these webinars helps me stay up to date on current issues, which is vital since I am not working as a librarian.

Questions, questions....

2008-10-31T05:54:00.001+10:00

What is more important, experience or education? This has been the question I have been posing to the librarians at my work. Do I keep studying, will a Masters help me in an interview? All stated experience as the most important. But what happens if you don't have it? How do you get it?

You can imagine my delight in picking up the May 2008 American Library Journal and reading these word from another new grad - Sarah Dribin - in America:

I do have limited experience... I also have a glut of ideas, theories and methodologies I'm anxious, yearning (zealous!) to put into practice. While experience is important, it is something that is gained through observation, experimentation, growth and the subsequent accumulation of wisdom. These elemental steps can only occur when we, as fledglings to the field, abandon our reverence for the way things have been done and blaze a new trail we are eager to see reinvented by those who come after us!

I could not in my wildest dreams have said that better than Sarah. John Berry gives me hope by stating at the end of the article:

Sure, experience is worth having. But new ways to do things better in the library are what good administrators constantly seek, and experience doesn't always deliver that. Creativity, intelligence, and willingness to risk innovation are far more important in my book.

Is this true? Do people really believe this? I truly hope so!

Done

2008-10-28T14:16:00.001+10:00

http://flickr.com/photos/catchris/1801260434

There is a saying in academic circles in South East Queensland, and it goes something like this: If you haven't started studying by the time the Jacarandas are flowering, you will fail. The Jacaranda Tree in our backyard is starting to flower, and I can say that I have completed my last assignment for my last subject of my grad dip. Yeah! All I have to do now is pass! So bring on the absoulutely gorgeous site of the Jacarada in full bloom I say!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/catchris/1801274266

Shaken, not stirred...

2008-10-25T04:34:00.006+10:00

I have one essay to go until I finish uni, and then I will be a qualified librarian. I will not have a job, but I will be qualified (if I pass!). I love libraries. I love what we do for the communities in which we live, I love sharing this with the patrons I serve, and I love the possibilities of what can be. These last few days have not been the best - if I am going to be honest - they have been pretty crappy! My belief in self, and in what I believe professionally has been severely shaken. I have not yet qualified nor graduated, yet my zeal, enthusiasm and love for what I do has taken a battering.

So whilst licking my wounds I realized I was still grateful for many things, and to many people. I am grateful to my friends at work who have continually encouraged me whilst I have been studying, and who 'get' what I believe. I am also deeply grateful to the blogospehere for providing encouragement on a national and international level. I am grateful to library bloggers like Michael Stevens who encourage librarians to have heart and to continually learn and be open to new ideas and technology, to Helene Blowers who encouraged me to play and create and to be a change champion. I am so grateful for the one on one time I spent with Stephen Abrams, who encouraged me to think globally, and for Kathryn Greenhill who believes that librarians matter! I am also so glad I discoverd Librarian Idol ! It was so good discovering that other new grads have crazy ideas racing through their heads at hideous times of the night! I am also inspired by quilting bloggers like Leanne Beasley who encourages conversations about books on her blog!

I bought myself a beautiful black bracelet at the end of my prac in Brisbane in June. It has a red heart charm attached to it. I wear it to any library events that I attend. It is a reminder to myself that I love libraries. It also serves as a reminder that how I 'see' and want to 'do' libraries is not a one size fits all mentality. I fitted in very well on my prac, but what I believe may not fit in everywhere.

So, there you go. What happens next who will know. (actually what happens next is finsishing that last assignment!!!)

QPLA Conference

2008-10-23T08:52:00.001+10:00

I was given the opportunity to attend day 1 of the Queensland Public Library Conference at the State Library of Queensland in Brisbane this week. The theme of the conference was future thinking - future proofing. It was very interesting to hear how much the amalgamation of the councils had impacted upon libraries and their services.

William McGuinness was one of the keynote speakers and he spoke about the importance of public libraries in our everchanging society. He also stated that libraries were a gift to help imagination bloom. I quite liked that mental picture!

Dr Phillip Daffarra spoke on building foresight capacity into library thinking and planning, and the need to deal with constant changes in our practice.

I really enjoyed Kevin Hennah who talked about library makeovers, and the need for public libraries to lose their 'ugly' bits! He showed some great before and after photos of some of the work he has done with library spaces. What stood out for me was the need to see your library from the customer's perspective as they move around the spaces we have created for them. Image, signage and uniformity of style were also very important, and need not cost alot of money!

I am studying digital preservation this semester at uni, so really enjoyed the talk by Cathy Pilgrim from the National Library of Australia on the Australian newspaper digitisation program. I was amazed that I actually understood most of what she was saying, so all the readings I have done this semester must have sunk in! What was excellent was the use of library 2.0 tools as a way to connect users with content in a participatory environment, via tagging, commenting on text and adding content.

I listened to a talk on fundraising in libraries by Dr Griffith, and a wonderful talk by Dr Helen Partridge on librarian 2.0, or what are the skills and knowledge that need to be taught in educational institutions to equip future librarians to deal with the vast changes that are taking place.

All in all a great day of learning, and I am extremely grateful to my work for paying for me to attend - even if I did have to catch a bus home, but that is a whole other story!!!!

Procrastination

2008-10-19T16:18:00.001+10:00

I have vacumed my house. I have mopped my floors. I have cleaned the windows and the mirrors in all the bedrooms. I have done three loads of washing. I have ironed. I have read my "Library Blogging" book. I have let my son use the computer instead of me. I have made two cakes and I have a roast in the oven for tea even though it is hot. I have not done my assignment. I have not done my last uni assignment. I can't believe I have not done my last uni assignment.

Get your game on

2008-10-18T06:22:00.001+10:00

Library staff experimenting with new gaming technolgy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/alatechsourceblog/368452188/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/evpl/2948960957/

On friday morning I participated in a gaming webinar as part of Web Junction's MaintainIT Cookbook series. It was hosted by Lori Reed from the PLCMC and Beth Galloway from Information Godess Consulting. This very fast paced thirty minute webinar covered some of the steps that need to be taken to start a gaming program in your library. This was my very first webinar, and it was quite full on listening to the conversation, whilst watching the screen shots on the computer whilst participating in the live chat all at the same time! Normal behaviour for my 13 year old I'm sure, but challenging for me.

Things of note for me were:

Do your homework. Research the concept extensively, find out what the kids want, write a proposal and use the kids to advocate it.
Gaming promotes literacy. Use this to market your proposal to those who are not interested.
Give it a go! I really like this concept. Hold a staff gaming night where everyone tries out as many different types of games available, from DS Lite to Wii to DDR to Club Penguin.
Use it to attract a different audience. Introduce some of the Wii games to elderly residents at retirement homes, and invite them to a monthly gaming tournament at the library.
Library as the third place. Use your library space to create an environment where everyone is welcome and can be part of a community activity. Create a Wii bowling league!
National Gaming Day is November 15 in America.

Best spent thirty minutes of my Friday :)

Librarians as champions....

2008-10-08T08:31:00.002+10:00

I read with interest this statement made by Kathryn Greenhill on her blog. She says:

"I threw in a bit about the tools that I thought their staff should know about already. If you work to connect information and people, there is no excuse to still not know about:
- blogs
- wikis
- RSS
- screencasting
- online virtual worlds
- podcasting
- photo and image sharing
- folksonomies
- social bookmarking
- cloud computing
- gaming and libraries"

Phew! What a very cool list of tools that we as librarians should know about! The fun starts in discovering ways to use these tools to promote who we are and what we do, thus encouraging greater access to our online and physical environments. I have said it before, but for our library this could mean a Flickr account that all the regional libraries can have access to, telling our library's story through digital photo stories (I have done this and am hoping to do another when I finish uni) an internal and external library blog and a local history wiki. Many of the members of our staff have worked at our library for over ten years, with some 22 and 25 years! An internal wiki would allow them to share some of the knowlwdge they have with the rest of us. If along the way we discover that a particular tool is not relevant to what we do, well that's ok, because at least we know about them, and can, if need be impart this information.

I read this quote in the American Library Journal, and I have it written above my desk, "Librarians must be viewed as champions of new forms of information and access" - Eisenberg 2008. May I continue to do so.

There is hope wherever you look

2008-10-07T08:03:00.005+10:00

http://www.flickr.com/photos/buecherwurm/2555677834/

I was struck by this photo I found on Flickr, entitled 'There is hope wherever you look'. The photographer had written a haiku underneath the photo:

In friendly waters...

Caressed by a tender light..

Hope and love unfold...

by Ines Langs 2008

The beautiful photo reminded me that there is always something to look forward to, and not to give up hope.

So, thinking along these lines I thought about the things I have to look forward to. I have one last assignment to do, and if I pass I will have completed my Grad dip in Applied Science and Library technology(or something like that!).

I have enrolled to attend a virtual 'webinar' in a week or so about gaming and libraries. What a very interesting topic. The Shanachie boys have produced a video on this topic called if you are not gaming you are losing. One of the librarians quoted in this production talks about her YA circulation statistics going up 200% after introducing gaming!!! The downside is that it starts for me in Australia at 4am!!

The annual QPLA conference is coming up again, and it is being held at the State Library in Brisbane instead of Bundaberg this year. Because it has been shifted, I am able to attend the conference for one of the days. Such a good time to listen and learn.

Also coming up in November is the Unconference, hosted by the State Library. I really can't wait for this one! Great chance to learn heaps about how librarians are implementing Library 2.0 technologies, and I get to hear Erik and Jaap from the DOK Library Concept Centre talk on telling the library's story. These guys, also known as the shanachie's, will also be at the New Librarian's Symposium being held in early December, so I get to hear them twice!!

What an amazing time of learning coming up for me - can't wait. Isn't that what libraries really are about? Encouraging life long learning regardless of what format it takes.

Will...... as in I will keep learning, I will be open to learning new things

2008-09-27T06:06:00.001+10:00

I read this quote on a blog posting this morning and was very taken by it:

"In times of change learners inherit the earth while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to work in a world that doesn't exist". - attributed to Eric Hoffer

I have not had the greatest last few days as I have come to fully understand a few things that I had kind of known, but was hoping against hope would not be. I followed a link and and was very encouraged by this article from Seth Godin. I set up my blog as a way to document my personal learning journey, with the title reinforcing what it was to contain - me learning about new things. May I always continue to do so.

Three beautiful things

2008-09-23T06:37:00.001+10:00

I followed a link on a blog posting the other day that took me to Three Beautiful Things. I was very taken by the idea and thought my post would reflect this.

1. The gift of friendship. A colleague's husband passed away suddenly last week. As I sat at the funeral, I was humbled by how many of our staff were there to offer condolences, friendship and support in which ever way they could.

2. Family. My niece turned four on the weekend and we celebrated with some friends and family members. Truly, what can be better than hanging out together, cooking a BBQ, laughing, sharing stories and catching up?

3. School holidays. Firstly I love them because it means I don't have to make the school lunches for two whole weeks! Also because I get to spend time with my kids, just hanging out.

Never in my wildest dreams...

2008-09-13T05:31:00.001+10:00

Sometimes, you just have to be careful what you wish for. Because just sometimes they may come true, and not in the way you think!

I was sitting at home, minding my own business and moaning about doing my uni assignment when the phone rings late wed afternoon. It was Clare Snowball ringing to let me know that she was unable to fly out that day to Brisbane to give her talk as she was very sick. I felt so sorry for her, as she had put so much time and effort into her presentation, and was really looking forward to hearing Stephen Abram talk. That was until she asked if I could go in her place to give her presentation. I beg your pardon? Not quite sure if I caught that right!

So, there I was, on thursday, sitting by myself in the foyer of Z block at QUT. I was pondering how just a few days ago, I was going to miss Clare and Stephen's presentations because I had missed out on a ticket, wishing there was someway I could have seen them. And never in my wildest dreams, would I ever have believed that not only was I going to hear Stephen talk, but going to give Clare's presentation as well.

Stephen's talk was great, and he was sad to hear that Clare was sick as he was looking forward to meeting her and hearing her presentation. I did not trip or fall over, and hopefully presented Clare's information to the best of my ability.

Teenagers' reading?

2008-09-07T07:00:00.001+10:00

I would not exchange my love of literature for all the gold in the world

http://www.flickr.com/photos/happyaslarry/436601676/

Am not sure if I have said how excited I am by the fact that Clare Snowball is coming to our library to talk! She will be talking on Teenagers and Web 2.0 technologies. I have been following Clare's blog Teenagers' reading? for awhile now, and 'met' her via comments I had placed on her blog. She will be in Brisbane next week speaking at a seminar for Information Professionals called Reality 2.0, run by SLQ and ALIA. This seminar sold out very quickly, and I was moaning to Clare that I was going to miss her talk, and since she was in the area (Warwick/Toowoomba) did she want to come and talk our library!! I still can't believe she said yes. She will be talking at the Toowoomba City Library on Monday 15th September at 9.30 am. All welcome.

Come to the Library...

2008-08-31T07:05:00.001+10:00

I have been thinking about and talking about self promotion for awhile now. The new council budget was passed down last week and it was decided that the Library would no longer charge for computer and internet classes. YEAH! The question then arose of how to attract people to actually attend the classes. I mentioned Brisbane Square and the way the Learning Lounge has put aside certain times on certain days for this purpose. This got me thinking, and reminded me of the post by David Lee King on new ways to think about technology and tools. What I got out of his blog was connections, and our need for them.

So, this takes me back to promoting what we do, for example our basic computer and internet classes. Do we try and sell it as the learning of new technology? (well, that is part of it), but for me it is about the connections. Come to the Library and learn how to keep in contact with friends and family in far away places. Come to the Library and we'll teach you how to set up an email account. Come and bring a friend to share your new learning journey. Come along and laugh and play! Come and learn how to see the photos of the new baby/wedding that they want to send you. Come and we'll teach you about Flickr. Just come to the Library!!

So, my goal at work this week is to ask any interested library staff to come up with five free(or very cheap) ways to promote our computer and internet classes. I have great faith in the answers I will receive from the many assistants, shelvers, casuals and librarians, and it won't cost a thing! Except the knowledge that staff are thinking and talking about how we 'do' libraries, and what can be better than that?

Feel free to comment! You can do so anonymously via the comment box below, or feel free to write your name. Can't wait to hear your thoughts....

Book Week '08 "Fuel your mind"

2008-08-23T07:04:00.004+10:00

What an amazing job the Young People's team at the Toowoomba City Library have done on Book Week this year. The theme was "Fuel your Mind", and the staff put together an interactive, multi-media package. It contained great stories, songs, dancing, shadow puppetry, a powerpoint display and most importantly, active participation from all the students across Toowoomba who attended the show.

My favourite book read was 'Aliens Love Underpants', by Clare Freedman and Ben Cort. What a wonderful job you guys have done, and all the time and effort you have put in has paid off !

May the many children whose lives were touched by Book Week this year become active participants in using libraries as part of their life long learning journey.

Self promotion?

2008-08-16T06:06:00.000+10:00

Was excited to see some of the displays in the Auckland Library. This was one of the many interspersed around the collection and highlighted the Librarian's choice in books. Such a simple display that adds such a personal touch to their space, and promotes who they are and what they do.

I have been thinking on this area of self promotion and still believe that we owe it to ourselves to do the best we can do, regardless of, and often despite our circumstances. I know some may disagree, and that is ok. But for me, I need to believe that no matter how busy we are, how snowed under in our work loads that we still can find the time to promote who we are and what we do. And it is often the small, unnoticed, everyday things we do that promote us the best! The kind words spoken, the understanding smile at the mum who is having a bad day, carrying heavy books for an elderly customer, going the extra mile in a reference interview, bringing in a beautiful morning tea for staff to thank them for a job well done. Our circumstances may be that no grand gestures can take place, but we can still smile and serve and provide customers with a great experience that will make them want to return!

Home again

2008-08-13T16:43:00.000+10:00

I can't believe that we are home again. What an amazing 10 days away.

We spent sat/sun/monday visiting Rotoura, Taupo and Hamilton, and it was freezing. Minus 2 both mornings with frosts! We loved the drive and the scenery, and were amazed at the beautiful green countryside. We spent half a day visiting a Maori village and saw thermal pools, bubbling mud and the geyers, all wonderful memories of my own from a childhood visit. We also rode a gondola and saw amazing views of Rotura and the lake. We rode a luge down!! The kids swam in a thermal pool in freezing outside conditions - crazy I say! We visited the Huka Falls, and loved the botanical gardens in Hamilton, a definate highlight for Dion and myself.

We spent thelast day in Auckland with Nigel and Carolyn, and headed out of NZ at 7.30 am this morning. I couldn't sleep, and have been up since 11.30 pm australian time. The flight back was good, as was our travel back to toowoomba, though it is hard to get used to brown grass again! Our cat and dog were very pleased to see us.

Once again, thanks so much to Nigel and Carolyn for helping us visit, and for allowing us to spend this precious time with you both. A privilege.

Whanau - family (farno)

2008-08-12T14:18:00.001+10:00

We have spent alot of time sitting in the whanau room whilst at the hospital. I really want to tell the story of the lady I met last friday. Her sister was in one of the rooms in the last stages of breast cancer. She had been fighting it for the last 9 years, and sadly passed away on saturday afternoon. She had just spent a month in Australia with her three daughters. The sister of the dying lady just wanted to talk, and was saying how she was unsure what she was supposed to do in the situation. She was torn between wanting to spend as much time as possible with her beloved sister, and trying to facilitate everything else going on around her. They were waiting for her parents to fly in from South Africa, but sadly she died before they arrived. As a 'sister' myself, it was a very confronting conversation, and makes me appreciate mine all the more for all the things she does (like doing our school washing whilst we were away!! - thanks!)

We also met some other amazing people in the blood ward: Mark who has been battleing leukemia for over a year and his lovely wife Jane, 'the lady with the glittery hat' as Maggie called her, the homework 'helpers' (all patients) and the many family members of patients who we spent time with.

Whanau or family has never been so important. Being part of a family, and appreciating them for all that they do - the good and the bad is a must. And never, ever taking them for granted. Imparting this concept to my kids is vital.

We are so grateful for the time spent with Nigel and Carolyn, and for the time that the kids have spent visiting with their NZ grandad. We have tried to be as open and honest with the kids as possible, so this week has added new words to their vocabulary!!! as well as a new understanding of life and death.

Tenakawa or hello or greetings

2008-08-08T13:49:00.000+10:00

Have had a good last few days. Yesterday we caught a ferry over to Devonport and climbed Mt Victoria. What absolutely amazing views, I still can't believe how green everthing is. Also went to The Auckland Public Library which was three floors of amazing!!!! I think our library has a much bigger collection but just not the physical spaces that only enhance the collections. After lunch we were back at the hospital and Nigel was up for a walk around the ward on some metal crutches. So far no hideous side effects from the chemo, just some nausea.

This morning we caught a bus to the museum and spent a few hours walking around. I was amazed by the kids. They were so uninterested in all the static displays, and yet as soon as the displays became interactive, I couldn't drag them away! Very interesting statement on kids that are born with a mouse in their hands! They especially loved the volcano display and the hands on oceans areas.

They have given Nigel a walking frame with a seat built in, and he has been hooning around the ward. The nurses have told him to slow down!! The kids are doing some homework and I am about to go and do some more uni readings.

Thanks for stopping by!!

Kia-ora

2008-08-06T14:43:00.000+10:00

Don't you just love technology? My father in law has a new lap top, and I've taken over for my tech fix!

The above photo is of the kids doing a lap around the ward with their Grandad Nigel. He is trying to go for a walk once or twice a day. The difference in his colour now compared to last week is amazing. The chemo was put off until yesterday, and they administered 3 different kinds one after another over the whole day. Very amazing to think that they use hideous drugs to kill off hideous diseases. The chemo went very well(very emotional to watch though) and Nigel is feeling very well, no side effects as yet.

Today we took the kids for a walk around Auckaland City and went up the Skytower. Beautiful views. My favourite so far has been One Tree Hill. I am definately showing my age when I say I am reminded of the U2 song of the same name!! Unfortunately there is no tree there anymore as it was vandalised and had to be taken out!! Can you believe that?

Well, had better go and do some uni readings so I can try and keep up. It is much better doing all the readings without being on the forums to get stressed out by all the postings!!

Thanks for all the kind wishes of good health towards my father in law. So far so good. Thanks for stopping by.

The D List - does not include 'doing' facebook!

2008-08-03T08:27:00.000+10:00

I haven't read a book for ages that I have enjoyed so much. I laughed, cried, and commiserated with Jackie, the main character as she learns to live and love. It's also a book about blogging and the power of words. Definately worth a read. I must admit that I found it as I was working in the returns room at my library. Pretty good perks I say! I read the first page and was totally hooked.

Today is D day in our house - doing stuff in order to go away tomorrow. Doing things like washing, ironing, packing, taking the cat to the cattery, charging the billion and one gadgets that we all own, freaking out wondering if I've remembered everything.... the list is endless.

Am hoping to get to the Auckland Public Library so I can check some emails, do some uni postings and check my facebook (not that I'm addicted or anything). Many thanks for all the well wishes for good health to my Father in law. He started chemo on wednesday, so everyone is just taking one day at a time. As one of the customers in the library stated when asked how she was, 'every day not underground is a good one!'

Land of the Long White Cloud...

2008-07-30T11:42:00.000+10:00

The last two weeks in our house have just been crazy. My father in law collapsed in New Zealand, and we have had to suddenly organise a trip across the Tasman. Our major hassle has been acquiring our passports, of which I now possess three out of the four! My very wonderful dad is on a train as I write picking up our fourth passport from the Department in Brisbane.

The kids will have to take school work with them, and I'll be taking all my uni work. I will also have to try and conquer my facebook addiction as we'll have no computer or internet access for the time we're away. (maybe Liam and I can sneak into an internet cafe for a WOW/facebook fix!)

We are going to try and spend time at the hospital mixed with a bit of sightseeing. Will post some photos of our time away when I get home.

See ya, and thanks for taking the time to read!

New Fabric....new quilt?

2008-07-16T12:30:00.000+10:00

Oh my goodness! I haven't been inside a quilt shop for awhile, but was picking up a BOM today from Precious Time and this fabric 'layer cake' just jumped right out at me! Can you believe it - coffee fabric? It is part of a new range by Moda called 'Bistro', and will be widely available in September/October. Hmmm, can I wait that long? The photo doesn't really do it justice, beautiful limes, creams, turqouises, chocolates and caramels. Yum!

Coffee and friends

2008-07-15T08:19:00.000+10:00

Coffee, My Old Friend

By Karie Lesly

An aroma that fills the room with warmth brewing gently, steady and

calm.

Two friends together in stolen moments sharing soul, heart, life.

Weaving through the years

like a fine delicate lace.

The design unravels details,

simplicity, sometimes flaws.

And even still, meshing together

bonded by each cup.

The tenderness of solitude

occassionally with a good book.

As I take the first sip

of the first cup

I realize again that I am blessed.

To share this cup with such a friend,

sometimes it being only me.

So much more than flavor, roast or blend...

A way of life.

Bean Peace

A poem by Drew K.

A mystery wrapped in brown,

A fragile enigma,

Enveloping the senses,

With the earthy steam

Of a bean.

The mind wrapped in warmth,

The essence of dark roast,

Heating from within,

The senses thrill,

With every lingering

Sniff of the aroma

In the mug

What better way to spend some time than catching up with good friends whilst drinking good coffee?

http://cocoajava.com/java_poetry.html

Reality bytes..

2008-07-07T09:24:00.004+10:00

Reality has well and truly hit!! My prac has finished and I am back to the real world. Back to my beloved family and home - no glamorous apartment at Roma St Parklands to walk home to, and back to my real job.

Thank you to those staff members who were interested in what I learnt at my prac. It was so nice being able to share what to me has been a very important part of my 'learning' process. Apart from missing my muffins (thanks to Amy and Emily for filling in whilst I was gone), I think the nicest thing I heard was that as I have learnt things and passed them on, it has inspired others to want to learn about some of the new things that are happening in Libraries. What a compliment, and thank you.

I spent my last week finishing off my assignment on prac, and posted it via email yesterday, such a good feeling. Only one more subject to go, with three assessments, so am definitely on the downward slope. I will be learning about digital preservation, which will be very interesting I am sure.

On the tech front, am trying to justify why I need an iphone. I have a severe case of technolust, and thought it could be an early graduation present! (one of the reasons on my list). I read all I can on them, and can't wait for their arrival in Australia. Actually, am going to shout myself to the New Librarians Symposium 4 in Melbourne for my graduation present to myself. What better way to finish off my studies than by attending a conference designed for new librarians.

Thanks for taking the time to read and have a great day!

Wordle

2008-06-29T15:26:00.003+10:00

I have just discovered Wordle and must admit that I could become very addicted to this!! Just like a tweet cloud but I chose to use as text my posts on my prac in Brisbane. What fun. Also great for making posters on library events and information, in fact for making Wordle clouds on almost anything and everything!

Had better get back to writing my assignment, see ya.

THANK YOU

2008-06-29T10:51:00.003+10:00

THANK YOU
Originally uploaded by Werner Schnell

What can I say but THANK YOU to all staff at BSQ Library for allowing me to complete my prac with you all. I had the most marvelous time, and woke up each and every day so excited about what I would be learning.

As I spend the next few weeks completing my written report on my prac, I am going to use the time to really reflect on many of the things I observed at BSQ, in particular the notions of customer focus, customer service, the idea of roving reference vs the reality of it, user education, upselling, and some of your ideas on training. As my mind percolates on these matters, I will also be tossing into the equation the notion of Library 2.0 and looking at how it impacts upon these ideals and processes.

Just to say once more thank you so much for all the time you guys put into answering my many questions and for allowing me to constantly shadow your each and every move! I will miss you, and your workspace very much!! I do look forward to keeping in touch, and can't wait to hear how the new 23 Things training will be put into practice in your work environments, and actually seeing how you implement what you'll learn by creating an even better library service that has at its heart user participation! I am so jealous!!!!

Thank you, I will miss you all, and think of you often as I go back to my own Library.

Wonderful Week 2

2008-06-21T07:44:00.003+10:00

neon glow
Originally uploaded by yinyang

Another great week of prac! I can honestly say that I wake up each morning so excited about going to the Brisbane Square Library and what I am going to learn about each day. I feel truly lucky to be there.

Many people have asked why BSQ? To see first hand the concept of roving reference, which I first heard about in a library tour in 2004. It has been really interesting observing the reality of this service compared to the concept.
Secondly the notion of a floating collection and the many libraries that operate under the banner of Brisbane city council libraries. Our recent council amalgamations have meant we now have 8 or 9 (can't remember) libraries that will need to operate as one, with a floating collection, one library management system and lots of staff that will need to communicate with each other and get to know one another without feeling threatened .
Also, to see in action the concept of all staff being able to perform all duties whilst on the library floor. This works really well, and I have loved watching this process flow. Obviously great staff training and education needs to take place for this to exist, but from a customer's point of view imagine talking to a well trained staff member who can meet their information needs, be it for reference information or general enquiries as to how things work.

I have learnt heaps this week and am so looking forward to my last week there. I think it will be very hard for me to go back to my own workplace!

Brisbane Square Library

2008-06-15T07:29:00.003+10:00

Brisbane Central Library
Originally uploaded by petaj

I can't believe that I have completed one whole week of my prac! Time does fly when you're having fun! I forgot my trusty camera this week but found this great photo on flickr to use. It really capture the sense of space quite well.

Where to start? Firstly the building! I just have to say that I haven't sneezed once! To those that know me at my current work, this must seem like a miracle!! I can only assume it has to do with the newness of the building and maybe the massive space the collection is housed across.

The staff basically work across all four levels of the library, from the workrooms in the basement, to self check out on the ground floor, to computers, learning lounges, meeting rooms, children's and young adults on the first floor to signing up customers, fiction, non fiction, reference and large print on the second floor. I am going to take my pedometer in next week and count my steps for a day!

The staff are great! I was worried that no one would talk to me, but they are all very friendly and willing to share freely of their knowledge. I have spent this week truly understanding the depth of this library service. I basically tagged alongside many different staff members, learning about their jobs as I observed what they were doing.

I feel very grown up and Brisbane city like as I wear my sand shoes and backpack to walk to work!! I try to walk along different streets every time so I can always be seeing new things.

And still my favourite part of the week is the online reference desk!! Very nerdy of me I know, but I just love hearing the sound of an incoming question, and the process of being able to provide access to information in a format that is current and relevant to those that are used to working/learning/communicating like this.

I still have sick kids so I'd better go. Thanks for stopping by!

One day down, 20 more to go!

2008-06-08T07:15:00.003+10:00

Well, first day of prac is completed! I travelled down on the bus to Brisbane Square Library for the day on friday, where I spent the day generally learning about the library and its spaces and collections. Most importantly though, I was able to spend some time learning about the virtual reference service 'ask a Librarian'. After doing assignments on this area last year, I was very excited to see it in practice, and am hoping to be able to spend some serious time with the librarians who run this service.

I go back to Brisbane tomorrow, and will spend the next three weeks completing my prac. My high expectations have already been met, so here is hoping for a great rest of my prac!

On a quilting/stitching note, I received my japanese quilt back from Bev the incredible machine quilter! She stippled the quilt with gold thread, effectively tying in all the different japanese fabrics. I truly love it, and just love wrapping myself up in it on a cold night (as do the cat and dog and kids!)

You may notice a new chiclet on the sidebar of my blog. I am part of a Quilting Gallery of Bloggers from all around the world. A great site to spend hours reading quilting/stitching blogs from around the world!!

Book Launch at the Toowoomba City Library

2008-06-05T20:57:00.004+10:00

I attended a book launch of 'The Story of the Swamp' at the Toowoomba City Library today. It was written by Jane M. Smith, one of our Librarians, and edited by Jayne Fitzpatrick, another of our Librarians. The book is a children's history of Toowoomba, and was written with information supplied by Peter Cullen.

The launch was attended by members from the new Toowoomba Regional Council, staff, local historians, interested community members and the media. The book was officially launched by the new Mayor - Peter Taylor.

The above photos taken by Judy, are of the editor Jayne and writer Jane, then one of Jane, then of the actual launch of the book. The book covers a broad range of topics about Toowoomba and is aimed at primary school aged children.

The book is on sale now at the Toowoomba City Library for $6.00 and is a great read. Congratulations on a great job!

3 more days until prac....

2008-06-03T12:32:00.003+10:00

Well, semester 1 is finished and prac is nearly here! My first day is this friday, and then the following 3 weeks. I feel excited and scared at the same time, just like starting school again, wondering if I'll fit in, will I like it, will I know enough and will anyone talk to me? I am so looking forward to all the new learning I will be doing.

This past week or so has been full on, to say the least. Our car was in an accident (Dion is ok) but our car is out of action for 6 or so weeks as it gets fixed. My in-laws very graciously offered one of their cars for us to use, and this has been wonderful. Add a trip to the coast to pick the car up, two orthodontist appointments, a school disco, work and all of the other stuff that gets crammed into a week and you can get the picture!! Oh, and getting things ready at home so I can go away for prac!

On this note, I must say that the thing I will miss the most is my family and animals, the thing I will miss the least is making school lunches! May the experience be so joyous for my husband that he offers to do it for the rest of the kid's schooling!

Oh so sad!

2008-05-25T06:41:00.002+10:00

Our much loved poodle has spent this week being carried around like royalty - all on the advice of our vet! He dislocated his kneecap whilst playing with Maggie, and is feeling very sorry for himself. Only a few more weeks of carrying him up and down stairs and hopefully all will be well again!

I am now counting down the days until I begin my prac in Brisbane, and am getting very nervous as well as excited. What am I looking forward to the most? Not making school lunches for three whole weeks!!!

Thanks to everyone who has viewed my digital photo story on Vimeo. It has had 60 hits!! Cool.

The Third Space

2008-05-18T12:05:00.003+10:00

After hours spent trying to upload my digital photo story to Youtube, I have (with much consultation from forums, my husband and my son) decided to post it to a different video sharing site, Vimeo. One that supports digital photo stories!!

I originally decided to create a story so that I could put into practice some of the skills I learnt at a recent seminar run by Edna. I chose our library as it is a great way to promote the wonderful place it is, and the great staff that work there! I must admit to being quite proud of my first effort, though the quality is lost somewhat along the way.

Hope you like it, feel free to follow the link back to the site and write a comment on it. Thanks =D

http://www.vimeo.com/1028299

Oh, a great hint for better viewing is to start the clip and let it buffer, then drag it back to the beginning. The clip will stop and start and be very frustrating to watch if you don't!!

Stitching Time

2008-05-13T13:47:00.004+10:00

Stitching day! It was so good to be back at my stitching group after a few weeks break due to school holidays and uni assignments. Bronny showed off her completed quilt top made from charm packs from a Moda fabric range, Jill was starting a new quilt , Karen was just watching on and Sally was putting together a new block at the ironing board. As for me, it was just good to sit with a cuppa, a scone with jam and just relax, content to be in the company of friends and a sister!!

Am still trying to work out the formatting of these photos!!

Assignment 2 completed!!!

2008-05-12T14:06:00.002+10:00

What a great feeling knowing that I have finished uni for this semester. I finished my last assignment on Sunday morning, all that is left to do is electronically submit it. The feeling of relief is immense.

With all the extra free time on my hands I have been madly snapping photos of staff and our work environment so that I can create a photo story of our Library. Feel free to view them on Flickr - just type in Toowoomba City Library in the search bar. Today I spent the day bogged down in Skreemr looking for audio that is free of copyright. Oh the joys.... I think(?) I have narrowed my search down to just two, both instrumental. Will have to see what looks/sounds best.

Now that my assignment is finished, I can go back to my stitching group and sit and not feel guilty!!

Edna Worshop in Brisbane

2008-05-01T19:21:00.003+10:00

Today I attended a Workshop in Brisbane run by EdNA. Marianne, Angela and myself attended and learnt about framing our digital footprints, digital literacy, embedding multimedia, learning without borders and new skills using the edna toolkits. A great day was had by all, and more importantly, we learnt alot.

The posting underneath this was created using Voice thread. As time was limited, we only had a quick play, and I was able to post directly to my blog! You have got to love technology. I am (after I finish uni this semester, and sometime before my prac) going to try and make a digital story about our library and its facilities. So watch out for me and my trusty digital camera in a work space near you and don't forget to smile!!!

Voicethread

2008-05-01T13:47:00.002+10:00

The joys of the World Wide Web

2008-04-30T11:42:00.003+10:00

Oh my Gosh!! What fun I have had today!!! What I should be doing is my next uni assignment, but what I have been doing is playing on Project Playlist. Oh the sheer joy of searching for old favourite songs and adding them to my playlist. I was then able to add the html to my blog so everyone can listen to the songs I like!! Can you believe this?? You have got to just LOVE the Internet!!

Tomorrow I am attending a one day seminar on digital storytelling run by Edna. I am going down with two friends from work, so it should be a great day of learning and laughter. Will take some photos whilst I'm there and post them on the weekend. I am also hoping to be able to make a photostory and then add it to my blog for all to see.

Had better go and actually start some uni work, as all I have done so far today is go to the gym, have coffee with some friends and play online!

Lest we forget....

2008-04-24T14:39:00.003+10:00

Tomorrow is Anzac day, and we all pause to pay tribute to all the men and women who have sacrificed their lives whilst serving this country. We also pay tribute to the men and women who have served and are currently serving their country now in the various war zones around the world.

Last year was the first year I have taken my kids to a dawn service. It was made so much more special as we were able to watch my Dad march with his group of Vietnam Veterans. This year he is marching in the Anzac day parade in Brisbane with some of the actual men he fought with!! No doubt it will be a very emotional day for all involved. He served in the 101 Bat, Artillery, as support for the 6th Battalion. These are some of his photos taken during his tour of Vietnam during 1966 and 1967.

I was thrilled this year when the Anzac badge we bought recognised the Gunners, one of which my dad was. It was only a few years ago that Maggie and I stopped to purchase an Anzac badge, and she asked them where all the Vietnam badges were. We were told that there were none produced, and she ever so politely told them she didn't want one! She said she would be back to buy one when they had pictures of her Granddad's war on them. Oh, out of the mouths of babes....

So, as we remember Anzac Day, may be remember not only the men and women who gave up their lives, but also the men and women who are still alive, who fought in wars, and are often still fighting the emotional wars that returned with them.

I love you Dad, and am so proud of you!!

Fabulous!!

2008-04-14T07:52:00.001+10:00

Here we Go!
Originally uploaded by kmb733

What can I say about Disney on Ice High School Musical 1 & 2 The Ice Tour but... Fabulous(InSharpay's words!!) Our whole family received tickets as birthday presents this year, and nearly all of us enjoyed the concert. The 13 year old boy was not feeling the best, and this may have coloured his mood slightly(!) but on the whole we had a very wonderful time.

My favourite songs were Fabulous, a sort of 50's number by Sharpay, and We're all in this together. So sad really that I enjoyed it as much, if not more than my 8 year old daughter!!

So thanks to Grandma Coralie, and Grandpa Joe for the tickets, we had a great time.

Assignment 1 finished, and counting....

2008-04-10T12:19:00.006+10:00

Nothing compares with the feeling of hitting the send button on a completed uni assignment! One down and one more to go for this semester, then 3 weeks of prac at the Brisbane Square Library and then, last semester. Oh so close, but so far.

After electronically posting my assignment, I had last weekend off, so I decided to start a new quilt. I have been quietly buying japanese fabric for the last 7 months, and finally decided on a pattern that would showcase the rich variety of fabrics. The pattern is called Le Jardin, and I love it done it these fabrics!! Very biased opinion I know.

Don't you just love the detail on the fabrics? I absolutely love these dragonflies!! I can't wait to drop it off to Bev for her to quilt, something geometrical and funky I think. Or not.

School holiday time, and I have been working nearly full time filling in for a friend at work whilst she is on hols. Dion has taken 2 weeks holidays and is being the house husband! Needless to say lots of time on the computer for all involved and not much else.

This weekend we are going to Brisbane to see Disney's High School Musical 1 & 2 The Ice Tour!! Will post some pictures about our experience.

Easter break and uni assignments

2008-03-25T07:54:00.005+10:00

Happy Easter! I hope your easter break was one filled with fun, family and laughter. We had a nice quiet break, I worked for a few hours and spent the rest of the time trying to get on a computer to complete a university assignment.

Oh the joys of having family who love computers and gaming. I eventually was able to log on for some time on monday, and nearly finished my assignment.

I did find out though that our school - Concordia Lutheran College - has a blog!! How cool is that!!

I spent the rest of my weekend doing some stitching!!

Off to drop kids to school and sick dog to the vet.

Many Happy Returns...

2008-03-06T08:42:00.004+10:00

Well, the kids birthdays are over for another year.My, how the time flies. Liam turned 13 and Maggie turned 8.

Maggie celebrated her birthday at school, then at swimming lessons, and then went out for tea to Pizza Hut with family and a friend. We made birthday cupcakes to give out at school and swimming, to make the day feel a little more special.

Liam was away at school camp for his 13th birthday. It felt so weird waking up in the morning and not being able to wish him a happy birthday. One of the teachers on camp made him a birthday package with lollies and chocolates inside, and all the kids sang happy birthday to him. He chose to celebrate at Hogs Breath Cafe with family.

Both kids received phone calls from friends and family members which made their day. The annual Happy Birthday Song phone call from the Brumpton family is always received with much joy!!

So, to my two beautiful children, I wish you much joy and happiness this year. May you enjoy your year at school, make new, and enjoy old friendships, and above all learn to be your own person.

I love you both.

2008-02-17T06:25:00.003+10:00

This week many of the blogs I have read have been talking about trusting staff, mentoring, training and the art of empowerment in the workplace. And I have been thinking about something I read all week. Alan Grey, from Darien Library in the states made a comment when talking about the central core business of what happens in libraries. He believes it is, "the in-the-moment, one-to-one relationships between an engaged staff member and a committed patron". What a mighty aim!

I have been thinking about this statement, and what needs to happen beforehand in the workplace for this to be the desired outcome of nearly every interaction. Before this statement can come into being, staff in the workplace need great training, and lots of it, in lots of different areas, continual support and encouragement of a job well done, access to professional development opportunities, and a willingness to be a part of something that is bigger than them.

I believe his statement is aimed at all library staff and their interactions with customers. Be it shelvers who help customers find librarians who can meet their needs, dealing with customer concerns in the returns room, reference enquries at the adult help desk, helping children find a specific blue covered book with red writing on it about dogs at the children's help desk, to the issuing of items at the front counter.

May our love everything that libraries are about be reflected in our actions at work this week!!

These are a few of my favourite things...

2008-02-10T06:56:00.001+10:00

My creation
Originally uploaded by jobeaz

At the 'Beyond the Hype' symposium I attended last weekend, we were challenged by a speaker to see what our web presence said about the institutions we work for. Using 5 of the most prominent social networking sites around at the moment, my answer was nothing.

So I decided to change that. I took my trusty digital camera into work this week and took photos of us at work. I uploaded them to Flickr and made some mosaics of our work environment. This mosaic incorporates all the things I love about Toowoomba - the library, the flowers, the colour and the place!

Facebook has some entries from staff who work at the library :) I have tagged some toowoomba sites on my del.icio.us account, and decided that Utube may just have to wait awile!!

Beyond the Hype symposium

2008-02-03T06:49:00.000+10:00

Was ever so grateful to my work for allowing me to attend the Beyond the Hype Web2.0 Symposium in Brisbane this last two days. I have learnt so much, and been exposed to many differing thoughts on the notion of Web 2.0 and the concept of Library2.0. Christine Mackenzie, from Yarra Plenty Regional Library was one of the keynote speakes, and her concluding remarks stuck with me. She stated that the ongoing job of librarians is to learn to learn, adept to change and to scan the horizon.

How can I apply that in my studies this year, and in my job? We are forever talking about life long learning, and how important it is for improving literacy in our customers, but I think we need to take it on as a mantle in our own personal and professional lives also. May I always be willing to listen to new ideas, learn new things and be open to new suggestions.

Adapting to change will be a huge part of my professional life this year as our library amalgamates with 7 or 8 others.. The new Toowoomba Regional Shire commences mid march and with it will come changes. And a lot of them. May we adapt to these changes with understanding, integrity and enthusiasm. Our library can only get bigger and better as we embrace these changes!

Lastly, scanning the horizon. For me the challenge is for my thinking to have an external focus, instead of an internal one. To be on the lookout for new technology, new operating systems, new social networking sites, new ways of doing things and embracing new ideas.

These school holidays I have watched with my kids, 'Meet the Robinsons'. The theme of this great movie is keep moving forward, and that many failures can lead to success. After watching it so many times, the theme song has taken root in my head and heart. Keep moving forward. Keep moving forward even if there are failures and stumbling blocks along the way. Keep moving forward. Learn to keep learning. Adapt to change. Scan the horizon. And keep moving forward.

New Beginnings...

2008-01-31T07:40:00.001+10:00

Maggie and Liam
Originally uploaded by jobeaz

Yesterday both kids went back to school after eight weeks school holidays. This year sees Liam in year 8 and Maggie start year 3! Back to school for the kids means back to real life again for me, making school lunches, ironing uniforms, driving here and there to extra curricular activities and, most importantly back to uni.

I am so looking forward to attending the Beyond the hype web 2.0 Conference in Brisbane this weekend. Can't wait to learn heaps!

Better finish getting the kids to school..

A chiclet is what?

2008-01-27T05:17:00.000+10:00

A few friends reminded me that I forgot to answer the question I posed, 'What is a chiclet?' According to Wikipedia a chiclet or chicklet "is a small icon adjacent to a blog post, article or web page that indicates the availability of an RSS feed". One of the best definitions and explanations of a chiclet I found was on an online Realtors website. It talked about them being eye candy!

You can even make your own with whatever you want on them!! I found a great tutorial on how to..

http://www.squidoo.com/chiclet

Just thought I should add to your trivia knowledge base!

see ya

Finally finished!

2008-01-26T05:22:00.000+10:00

Yeah! I have finally completed my Learning 2.0 23 Things project. The last few 'things' have taken a while as I've had a very sick dog who is still not well :( , more trips to the orthodontist with more broken wire and brackets, and gathering the last minute back to school things for the kids.

Task #21 was discovering some useful search tools for locating podcasts. This task was .. different. I spent quite a lot of time actually learning about podcasting, which I was so glad to do as the word is bandied around quite a bit. I discovered http://podcastalley.com/ 'the site to find podcasts'. Like stepping into a whole new world!! I listened to podcasts on library info, harry potter, coffee, parenting and I still think I may be a little disappointed with the quality of some of the podcasts I listened to. Maybe my expectations were to high? I have previously listened to podcasts from the Australian War Memorial, which were great, so I may have been expecting some of the same high quality.

Task #22 was to take a look at some titles that are available on NetLibrary, and learn how to download audiobooks. I was very impressed with this site and loves playing with all the interactive options whilst 'learning' about the different options available. The notion of downloading an eaudiobook is great!! If you were at a computer for a lot of the time, you could be listening to a favourite book being read to you!! Don't you just love multi tasking? Oh the things I have discovered!! The implications for this technology are so widespread. I was thinking of all the visually impaired people who use libraries, with these ebooks added to collections, their reading materials are almost endless.

Task #23 is to summarise your thoughts on this program. I have loved doing it! I am so glad I read about it in a library journal and signed up to do it. I have learnt so much over the last few months, and am feeling more confident using/talking about some of the new technologies around at the moment. This learning will be added to by my attendance at a Learning 2.0 seminar in Brisbane next weekend, where papers will be presented on some of these technologies, as well as forums discussing their use in libraries. Can't wait.

I have decided to keep blogging also. I must admit is is very cathartic, and I have really enjoyed this part of my 23 Things journey. I have enjoyed reading other people's blogs as well, and have learnt so much from reading them. If I had to pick one thing to take away from this online learning experience, it would be to never stop learning about new things, or be afraid to try them out. Who cares if you don't like them, the process is just as important as the product! May life long learning become an important part of who we are.

see you

"I'm just not an adventure type of girl"!!

2008-01-19T05:37:00.001+10:00

100_7692 Flooding in Charleville
Originally uploaded by Photos By Lisa

Was thinking of my friends who live in Charleville and the flooding that is happening there at the moment, and wondering this morning if they were evacuated during the night. In talking with them, my friend said, "I'm just not an adventure type of girl" ! Who would want to be? Here's hoping that the river stays it's banks, and that the gully doesn't rise too much more.

Here is a link to some of the amazing photos of the flood taken by our friends :

http://www.pastdown.com/jan18

Thinking of you all....

Elvis on YouTube!

2008-01-15T06:08:00.000+10:00

Can you believe what is on YouTube? I just LOVE Elvis, and especially love this song. Task 20 was discover YouTube, and I cannot believe some of the things that are on it!! Some is very clever and creative, some just weird! Being an 80's queen, I searched for bands like Duran Duran, Spandeau Ballet etc, and had a fabulous time watching and singing along.

As for YouTube and libraries, who knows? It would possibly be funny attaching a few clips that show librarians not taking themselves so seriously (library dominoes, blonde in library), but I don't really think so. It would be interesting to find out if librarians are using YouTube, and how.

Hope you enjoyed one of my all time favourite artists and songs!

8.15 am

Me back again. Was thinking over this issue of libraries and YouYube and thought that the possibilities are endless! Clips of instructing patrons on how to use the... was one thought. I decided to type libraries into the search engine on Youtube and spent way to long watching some very clever clips. Two in particular were great: a film clip of a typical work day in a public library using Madonna's 'Ray of light', and the winner of a competition looking at popular misconceptions of the library. What a great way to promote your young adult section of the library by running a contest on Youtube?

2008-01-13T05:59:00.000+10:00

Have spent some time looking at new and innovative online applications and tools. The first was Zoho writer, a web-based word processing tool, that allows users to create and share documents over the net without specific installations.

I also chose to explore meebo and Ning, two award winners from the 2007 Web 2.0 Awards list.

Meebo is an instant messaging service that allows you to IM from wherever you are, regardless of what software you are using. The ramifications of this are incredible. Many library reference services now are using meebo to enable their patrons to IM them regardless of which provider they are using.

http://wwwl.meebo.com/index-en.html

Ning allows users to incorporate many of the new Web 2.0 tools into a website, encouraging social networking. The Beyond the Hype: Web 2.o website is a great example of this, and allows users to chat, post to forums, develop widgits, badges and encourages users to explore the new technology.

http://www.ning.com/

To see many of the new Web 2.0 innovative websites http://www.seomoz.org/web2.0

better go...

Monique's quilt

2008-01-12T16:12:00.001+10:00

Monique's quilt
Originally uploaded by jobeaz

As the title of my blog suggests, quilter jo is learning new things! I couldn't resist making a mosaic of some of the photos taken of the completed top of my sister-in-law's 40th birthday quilt. It is based on the pattern Ruth's Quilt, by Leanne Beasley of Leanne's House. Still needs lots of work before it's finished....