National Library Week has been over for a bit, but I decided to use this post as a postscript (mainly so I could post some links to cool videos). My library once again had a fines amnesty in honor of National Library Week. What did your library do? Without further ado, on to some fun courtesy of this year’s honorary chair of National Library Week.
I love Neil Gaiman’s writing–short stories, novels, comics, graphic novels, children’s books, whatever form he wants to write, I’ll read it. It’s kind of equivalent to what my friend says about Jeremy Iron’s voice–he could read the phonebook and she’d listen. Well, Neil Gaiman could write a phonebook and I’d probably read it. The fact that he was the Honorary Chair of National Library Week (last week) just cements his coolness with the librarian crowd and bibliophiles in general. So from @your library, check out the two videos from An Evening with Neil Gaiman. He talks about Marquis de Sade, librarians, freedom of speech, alphabetizing his library as a child, happy horror writers, and how books are like sharks. Trust me, you will enjoy watching the two part interview. And if, for some strange reason you don’t, well I don’t know what to say about that.
If you don’t have two hours to spare for Neil Gaiman’s interview above, then at least check out the wonderful video below of Gaiman reading “Instructions” (you’ll find the text also in his collection Fragile Things) as you view Charles Vess’ wonderful illustrations. (The illustrated version showcased below will be released April 27th, by the way.) Absolutely lovely.
And, though it has nothing to do with National Library Week, I just had to share a link to Tagxedo. This is, as Lifehacker stated, “Wordle on steroids.” It not only generates gorgeous word clouds but has so many options for customization that even the pickiest, most exacting designer will be satisfied.
Finally, a lovely comic from xkcd that ties in nicely with yesterday’s Earth Day.
Have a fantastic weekend, read a lot, get outside and enjoy the lovely spring weather, and the Waki Librarian will be back next week with more random fun.
This post is a little of this and a little of that. It made sense when I saved the links, but like most things in this hyperlinked world–what makes sense one minute makes much less sense the next (especially as the smell of burned leaves permeates the library–generator issues, don’t ask and don’t panic). So on to the technology stuff and please forgive any randomness along the way.
First up, this post from Lifehacker on how to Hone your eye for fake online reviews. I teach freshmen in my classes how to evaluate online sources and I think I’ll include this in my next class. How annoying is it that we have to be on the lookout for fake reviews? So annoying, especially as Consumer Reports is not freely available online.
Okay, so this isn’t about libraries, but it is about technology and archives. If you care about the NARA (National Archives and Records Administration) website, you might want to participate in Archives.gov redesign. I am so excited that the website will be redesigned and that NARA is asking for input. (Yes, I know this makes me an archives geek.)
I posted a bit ago about the exciting news of Library of Congress archiving public tweets from Twitter; this is a follow up by Resourceshelf: more information about Library of Congress and Twitter. Resourceshelf has done a lovely job of summarizing and explaining what will happen now that Library of Congress is archiving Twitter. There is also information about Google’s service, Google Replay, that allows for searching Twitter tweets.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming of libraries, technology and a bit of do-it-yourself fun. Apparently some people consider Spring Cleaning to be an antiquated ritual, but I find that there is something about spring that makes going on a cleaning spree seem like the greatest idea since we turned scrolls into codices.
Before delving into the DIY and technology, we must talk about conference season. Conference season is upon us and that means purchasing airfare (unless you have a teleporter, in which case we must talk). Before purchasing your tickets, check out Lifehacker’s Frequent Fliers Guide to Finding Cheap Airfare for some hints on saving money. Remember money saved on flights equals more money to buy books!
If spring cleaning isn’t your thing in the physical world but you are up to spring cleaning in the digital world, check out Lifehacker’s Top 10 Ways to Declutter your Digital Life 2010 Edition. Don’t procrastinate, declutter your digital life today. Great tips, many of which I am going to implement this spring.
Multiple people have alerted me to the latest developments with the Library of Congress and Twitter. If you’ve not heard, the Library of Congress will archive all public tweets which is an amazing feat and awesome dataset. I look forward to seeing what research comes from using the tweets.
I think this looks like a fun project: Digital Copier & DIY Book Scanning, but I’m with the people in comments who wouldn’t use it to scan an entire book (and we won’t even begin to talk about all the possible copyright issues). Still this might be a good device in a pinch, especially if you don’t have money for a scanner.
And, of course, to end we have this wonderful xkcd cartoon which relates beautiful to the first link about airplane flights.
Have a wonderful weekend, have some fun reading and enjoy the last days of National Library Week.
This post is a break in the Waki Librarian’s regularly scheduled programming; we will return to a discussion of libraries, technology, and self-improvement in the next post. Today’s post turns to my other loves in the information world, history and archives, so just bear with me for a moment and I promise it will be worth it. This post is about a spotlight on local history, well local to California, and the wonders of archives. So please leave your pens and drinks outside of the archives and join me in delving into the world of archives for just a bit.
In addition to my role as online literacy librarian (and all around help support for my colleagues when they have questions about web stuff) I also oversee the University Archives. Or, to be more precise, I go down to the basement of the library each week, try to make as much sense as possible out of the collections, and just process a collection until I can’t take it any more (any archivists reading this will know exactly what I am talking about, for the librarians in the audience, go find your local archivist, buy her/him a nice cup of coffee, and s/he will be happy to explain what we do in the archives). This method seems to be working as we have an entire collection processed, described and even findable via our library’s catalog; this is a huge triumph in my opinion.
So why would anyone go into archives or, as our archives intern/volunteer would say, deal with the Sisyphean task of processing in the archives? Because it’s about bringing order into the chaos, it’s about constructing history and making visible what was previously invisible, and it’s about using all the skills, talent, and schooling to retain the records that help formulate collective memory, solidify social identity, and allow for the possibility of social justice. Now I’m not saying all the collections I process can help with all these things, but they all do help with maintaining institutional memory which is important. All too often in today’s hyperlinked, hyperkinetic world we forget about the past, forget about history, and forget about memory. Or, even worse, we relegate those concepts and research to the dusty back shelves that only “old timers” and “luddites” would want and care to go. Obviously I don’t buy that argument for a second and think archives are incredibly important (if not also time consuming and at times frustrating places to work) and I’ll give you a couple of examples of why archives are vital.
One of my colleagues, Joe, is currently taking a history class which requires him to create a blog as part of his class project. He also happens to be one of the few people at my library I can talk with about history without having his eyes glaze over in the first 30 seconds. Joe gave me permission to share his blog Italian Farmers of Alameda. I highly suggest you take a look and poke around a bit; it is beautifully laid out and the photographs are fantastic. I love the way that this blog shows a combination of local history and archival research melded into a blog format. And, you completely understand and get a sense of his love of history and interest in family genealogy from this blog. See, archives and history don’t have to be dusty (in fact, if your archives are dusty, you have a problem and should check your HVAC).
Archival materials have also been used in moving ways in historical documentaries and films. Of course the first name that comes to mind is Ken Burns, who has created numerous films using archival sources as visual aids in telling his story. (Yes, I know there is great debate about Burns’ use of archival materials, but we aren’t getting into that right now). Photographs and historic documents are evocative and moving and completely lovely when used correctly in film.
Collin, the aforementioned intern/volunteer at our archives, isn’t taking a history course at the moment, but he is currently working on archives and web design courses; he created the video below for one of his classes (turn up the volume on your computer, or even better use headphones, because the audio track is very quiet).
This video shows yet another good use of archival materials in a web environment plus it would be a fabulous marketing piece for the archives. If you liked it, go leave him a nice comment on YouTube or better yet go visit his blog The Litbrarian and pester him to start posting again.
Finally, if all this talk about archives and local history has given you archives fever, and you live in the Bay Area, go check out the San Francisco History Center. The archivists are very nice and helpful, the collections are wonderful, and it is a great place to get your feet wet in archival research. But definitely bring a warm coat, the reading room is rather chilly.
That is all I’m going to say about the archives and local history right now. I hope it peaked your interest enough to go talk to your local archivist or visit a local archives. Really, archivists like to talk with people and show off their archives’ collections as much as librarians love to explain research strategies to people. And archivists don’t bite, I promise.
The Waki Librarian will be back with your regularly scheduled library and technology programming shortly. Enjoy the day, read a lot, and share the good vibes of National Library Week with the archivists, there is totally enough of it to go around.
Rationality is very important, but that doesn’t mean that everything we do in life or in the library is rational. I could write a long introduction but I think Seth Godin does a much better job than I could, so my rational decision is just to get to the rest of the information for this post. Allons-y!
First, check out Seth Godin’s post, Are you rational?. Godin nicely examines the difference between rationality and irrationality and that irrationality shouldn’t have the negative connotation that we’ve associated with it. If for no other reason, read it to figure out the context for my favorite sentence from this post: “If you need to hate on Copernicus in order to have more faith, something is seriously wrong.”
In one area of the library where we really should be rational is how we deal (or not deal) with library vendors. The Librarian in Black wrote a fantastic post against unethical library vendors. I hope the vendors are listening along with the rest of the library world so we can finally make progress on figuring out how to create a sustainable model for vendor relations–in my library’s case it is especially relevant to our database subscriptions. I know my library has had to make difficult decisions regarding database cuts because of our dismal budget and the fact that the vendors have priced their products out of our reach; this is a shame not only for our users but also for the vendors because they are losing business. In such a no-win situation, it is time to change the way business is conducted so everyone can benefit.
Do you like statistics to back up your rational decisions? Statistics are fun, confusing, and wonderful all at the same time. This video, State of the the Internet, is full of statistics about the Internet, especially social media. It is a good reminder of how hyperconnected much of the world is and how important it is for those of us who work in libraries to keep up with where our users are and what they are using online–not to mention keeping abreast of what they expect of the library in this changing Internet landscape.
And no, I didn’t forget that the iPad launched and this “magical” piece of technology is creating buzz all over the blogosphere this week. The iPad is a huge success in terms of sales and I think it will be very interesting to see how it will be used by librarians and how it will be deployed in libraries. If you want a nice FAQ about the iPad, check out Walter Mossberg’s The answers to your questions about the iPad and his review of the iPad. For a different take on the iPad, check out Lifehacker’s self-proclaimed rant from January, The Problem with the Apple iPad.
Finally, we end with this lovely interview with Neil Gaiman, the Honorary Chair of National Library Week (National Library Week runs from April 11th to April 17th this year). This is a great interview; Gaiman mentions Doctor Who and uses the word “hullabaloo,” so how could one possibly not enjoy this?
Have a fantastic week and don’t forget to read (and give your favorite librarian a hug [or cookies or at least say “thank you for being awesome”] during National Library Week).
Do you accumulate clutter in your life? What about at your library? Just like we need to weed the collection at the library, sometimes we need to take a mindful, conscious look at the clutter in our lives and do some weeding too. We need to weed not only material clutter, but also mental clutter I think in order to be most effective in our work and have the space to think creatively. I find this especially important when I’m trying to create lesson plans, articles, or lectures. Today’s list of tips will help you decrease your clutter, find alternatives to Google (should you want them) and give you a fun video break.
How can you not like a blog called Unclutterer? This is a nice article: How much is enough. Some good tips about organizing and sorting through your stuff (and junk). The only caveat I have is that I don’t think one could ever have too many books. Of course one copy of each title may be more than enough.
Lifehacker never ceases to amaze me and if you are limiting the number of items in your house (see previous link) you may be interested in how to make your stuff last longer. This is a nice compendium of helpful articles and resources for getting the longest life possible out of everything from your clothes to your mp3 player. Helpful at home and good to share with the students in your library trying to stretch the life of their laptop batteries while cramming for final exams.
After you get done with all that organizing, you might want to take a break and check out Zenhabits’ article on Becoming Google free. Now I happen to be a fan of Google; I adore Chrome (best browser in my opinion) and Gmail (I was so excited when my university switched over to Gmail), but I can understand not wanting to have all your information stored with one company. I am waiting to hear an update on how it is working out for Leo before dropping Google’s applications.
Finally, when you need to take a break from organizing, watch this fantastic video; really, watch it to the end and enjoy.
Have a fantastic weekend. I hope your life becomes or continues to be uncluttered, that you take the time to read some books, relax, and come back next week for more tips and tech to apply in the library and in life.
Happy Friday! This is just a very quick post and I promise there will be a more substantial post later in the day. I just wanted to quickly share this talk/post by danah boyd, Making sense of privacy and publicity. She gave it as a keynote at sxsw and it is really quite wonderful. If you haven’t heard danah boyd speak, I highly suggest you take the opportunity if she is speaking at a conference you attend in the future.
Honestly, sometimes I think that the most difficult part of writing a blog post is trying to decide what the title should be. This post’s title was easy because I’m only going to be writing about two things today: photography and simplicity. Well, and I’ll be writing about what these have to do with libraries, but that is practically a given on this blog.
I happen to love photography and I love tips on self-improvement so I, of course, love this article: Use photography to overcome shyness. Another great, short post from Lifehacker. Plus, if you become less shy and good with a camera you can help out your library by taking great shots to use in publicity campaigns for the library. (Just don’t forget to get people to sign image release forms!).
If you want to improve your photography skills, either for taking photographs for your library or just for taking better vacation photos, check out the BBC Photography Masterclasses. Most of the Masterclasses focus on wildlife photography, but many of the techniques will help you shoot better photographs, no matter what your subject matter.
Now that you have a few more tools for taking great photographs and overcoming shyness, what does photography have to do with simplicity? Well, simplicity is usually best when creating a photography or any other image/graphic.
When I learn new techniques for Photoshop or photography or anything else, I want to layer and use every single technique into one image which usually ends up looking okay, but not great. Then when I start stripping away layers (in Photoshop) or extraneous objects (when framing a photograph), the image becomes more powerful.
It is in the simplicity of the image that it becomes memorable, which is a good thing to remember because, as librarians, we too often feel the need to tell people everything that could possibly help them in the library and want to share every tool and technique that we know. But this can lead to information and sensory overload. We need to remember that simplicity is key whether in explaining how to use a database or what images to use for a new campaign for library funding.
Simplicity in photography and in life frees up your mind to work better. And the use of simplicity in your work can spill over into other areas of your life. But, as we all know, not everyone is willing to take the time to organize and de-stress their lives. Zenhabits has a lovely post on 10 ways to deal with non-simplifying others. I think this is an essential read for anyone who wants to thrive in simplicity and not become separated from the world.
Get out there and start taking photographs, check out some Masterclasses, and remember that simplicity is beautiful. Have a lovely week, read a lot, and the Waki Librarian will be back with more technology and library stuff later this week.
Teachers, instructors, lecturers, professors, etc. don’t get a lot of respect. It seems like the respect level is at an historic low during this recession. The cuts to the education system, the massive number of pink slips, and the crowding of classrooms makes me feel that we, as a society, are severely undervaluing the teaching and learning process.
I include librarians and archivists in the teaching group. We teach at the reference desk, on the fly, online, and in the classroom. We are just as dedicated to the learning process and we are just as undervalued.
But I hate just complaining about how we are undervalued; I think we all should actually do something about it. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but something has got to change if we are going to continue to have an educated public and dedicated, professional, wonderful educators. I’m definitely not saying that the educational system is perfect, or that it doesn’t need some serious changes. I’m just saying that we need to first decide that we value education and then go forward from that standpoint rather than from the standpoint that teachers just teach because they can’t make it doing anything else.
However, the video that was featured on TED and was the best retort to those who say teachers are fairly worthless is Taylor Mali’s “What Teachers Make”
Go out and change the world, read some good books, and report back. The Waki Librarian will be back soon with some library, technology, and productivity tips.
Some weeks make it easier than others to have a positive attitude. Luckily for me, this week was a great week and having a positive attitude really wasn’t that difficult. First, we got the overhead lights working again in the archives thanks to our awesome electricians. That was enough to keep me smiling all day (we haven’t had working overhead lights for months due to some truly interesting electrical wiring issues). Everyone liked the cookies I brought in to celebrate having lights in the archives and to thank the electricians. It is finals week on campus which means next week is break week and I’ll be able to get a ton of work done. The weather is absolutely glorious in the Bay Area this week. Plus, I just accessioned the first faculty collection in the archives which makes my archivist heart happy. But in case your week hasn’t been going as well, at least we can all be happy it is Friday!
I am really enjoying reading the blog, zen habits and thought the post How to be a positive person, in under 300 words was wonderful. Being positive doesn’t mean sticking your head in the sand and ignoring what is going on in the world; it means that you don’t get discouraged and cynical when setbacks and challenges occur. Besides, just as colds and yawns are contagious, so is a positive attitude. If for no other reason, go look at the post because it ends with my favorite quote about why it’s worth having a positive attitude.
I like reading books that are outside of my professional areas of interest and research areas and seem to read a lot of business and marketing books. I found out about this this book, Ignore Everybody and 39 Other Keys to Creativity while reading Seth Godin’s latest, Linchpin. Hugh MacLeod’s Ignore Everybody is fantastic–short, funny, great cartoons, and even better advice. For a taste of it check out this snippet on his gapingvoid blog.
If you are finding it a little difficult to focus at work because of the lovely spring weather, check out Lifehacker’s Keep Your Daily Momentum Going with a 10/15 Split. I am a fan of taking a few minutes each day to organize what I need to get accomplished during the day. What methods do you use to keep organized and stay productive?
