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!!
Sunday, February 10, 2008
These are a few of my favourite things...
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!!
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!!
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Beyond the Hype symposium
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.
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.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
New Beginnings...
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..
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..
Sunday, January 27, 2008
A chiclet is what?
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
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
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Finally finished!
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
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
Saturday, January 19, 2008
"I'm just not an adventure type of girl"!!
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....
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....
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