Catch Up 3

It hasn’t been a bad couple of weeks if I do say so myself. A couple of weeks ago it was off to Adelaide for Technology, Technique, Unique, the 09 ALIA National Library and Information Technicians Conference. For the LTs unable to make you missed a good conference. I was a sort of busy week for in addition to just being there, I presented one of my leadership sessions on the Monday. This time assisted by Jennifer Dyer. There were 35 in attendance twice the usual number of previous times. I would like to hope everyone who attended got something out of it. I also presented a paper on www searching techniques. From the statistic section of my webpage I can see the various search phrases people use to access my site. The results are very interesting. I also presented the ALIA National LT Groups Report on the Thursday morning. Don’t forget to look for Kev the floor cushion in the Raeco catalogue.

Also, I found who Mary was. The Mary who wrote the comment a few weeks ago. Her name isn’t Mary. Gee whiz it is a bit confusing. But then I am only a bloke.

I just returned from Darwin and attending the Top End Symposium. The theme was ‘Exploring library spaces from learning and elearning’. I have never been to a Top End Symposium and I found it very informative. Also, I have never been to Darwin and I found it very HUMID. I thought I knew about humidity from a Sydney summer, but that is kid’s stuff as compared to Darwin. As one of my colleagues said, ‘I didn’t need to bring my cardigan with me to Darwin’. He was on the money there.

Now picking up from where I left off from my last post. In early October 2008 the NSW LT Group ran another L4LTs. This time we held it on a Friday and had very good attendance. Later on that month I attended the ALIA LT Educators forum at TAFE in Sydney. This meeting was attended by LT educators from the various TAFE’s, Uni’s and other RTO’s that teach the LT course. In attendance were my colleagues Gail Schmidt and Trish D’Arcy. The object of the meeting was to bring everyone up to speed about the course recognition

procedure. After that Gail and I were off to River of Opportunity V in Canberra. It was good to catch up with colleagues from Victoria and the ACT.

One of the last things for 2008 and one of the best was NLS4 in Melbourne. This was an excellent NLS with top-notch speakers and a committee of wonderful people ably lead by convenor Tania Barry. The NLS dinner was held at the MCG. Even a ‘not interested in sport’ type of guy like me was impressed with the location.

The last thing for 2008, library life wise, was the NSW LT Group dinner.

Catch up 2

As per my diary on Tuesday 8th July 2008 I went off to ALIA’s National Advisory Congress (NAC). There was a good role up. Far better than previous ones. The topics we were tasked to discuss were PD and review of the Education/Workforce Summit. I think the ALIA webpage for reminding what it was we discussed.

When I was at the ALA Conference this year (2009) I attended two membership meetings. During these meetings there were discussions about the operation of libraries in difficult financial times, as well as two resolutions from the ALA membership that would be referred to ALA General Council for consideration. The resolutions were, that ‘ALA supports the right for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender couples to marry’ and that ‘ALA supports the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq and Afghanistan’. If these resolutions are accepted they become ALA policy. I look forward to seeing what happens in ALA General Council. Now we are not taking about some government policy protest group adopting these resolutions. We are talking about a library association.

BTW, this year’s NAC topic, us members have been charged to discuss is ‘lobbying and advocacy’.

On Friday 25th July 2008 I ran a ‘Leadership for Library Technicians’ (L4LTs) in Adelaide for the SALT Group. I think there were 12 people in attendance. I thank Martina, Angela and Amanda for their hospitality during my brief stay. It is unfortunate to hear that the SALT Group has ceased operating after 30 years. However, it is not writ anywhere that groups (ALIA or other) have to last forever. They are commenced when the need and support is there and closed, in most cases, when the support is no longer evident and remaining members just can’t do it anymore.

During August and September there would have been a couple of NLS 4 meetings. Tuesday 23rd September I was out at Mt. Druitt TAFE presenting the ALIA prize to the best student. I consider this an important aspect for LT Group committee members to do. Pity the Convenor of the NSW LT Group doesn’t get a look in for the Ultimo TAFE graduations.

The end of September saw me on my way to Brisbane to present L4LTs to students doing the library studies course at Southbank TAFE.

Catch up 1

Mary ?? made a comment that she has been showing my blog to people and it is sadly out of date. Gee whiz I wouldn’t have thought the machinations of some boofhead LT from the burbs would be of much interest to anyone, let alone it being referred to others.

So in an effort to keep my fan/s happy I have searched high and low and found my 2008 diary to provide me with a factual reference to guide these writings. (Actually, it was on the shelf behind me as I type, but searching high and low just felt a more dramatic thing to say.)

Where did the wacky adventures of Aus LT finish in 2008. I was off to the COLT Conference and ALA Annual Conference in Anaheim, Calif. I was hoping to write a blog, like I did for Washington DC, but I just ran out of time. (Most of the Washington DC blog was done after I got home). I know many people are able to attend conferences, blog, twit, facebook, sms, etc. all at the same time. However, this bloke can’t and has no intention of trying or learning. There is too much stuff going on at an ALA conference for me to waste my time with some www thingie. (I am quite happy being a 20th Century sort of guy.) For my friends and colleagues, who are interested they will have to wait until I return to find out what happened.

Back to the conferences. The COLT Conference like the previous one I attended was an enjoyable experience. The people are very welcoming and friendly. They also included me in a panel discussion about how technical services staff can also be ‘the face of the library’. It appears when I am in the US I have an accent. Can’t hear it myself. But there you go.

The ALA Conference was also an enjoyable experience with so much going on, between the sessions, exhibition and guest speakers. One of the speakers was Jamie Lee Curtis, she has written a number of children’s books. She was very surprised, that she, someone who didn’t do very well at school and took to easy road of being an actor, would ever be asked to speak to an audience of librarians.

During the conference I came across the globe travelling Gill Hallam and ex-pat Jennefer Nicholson. Jennefer was there because IFLA had a stand at the exhibition. Unfortunately, IFLA did not have a presence at this year’s ALA conference. Not according to my eyesight anyway. Typing of IFLA, many of our US colleagues, at this year’s ALA conference, were disappointed that the IFLA conference had been moved from Brisbane and felt the explanation provided by both IFLA and ALIA were not satisfactory. (My cat's had kittens I wonder if I can blame the GFC for that?) When I got home I discovered that the IFLA elist had gone into meltdown over what happened. There were all sorts of interesting posts, some I reckon were on the money. I would be glad to share the more interesting ones, if asked.

June Jottings 2008

A couple of things have happened over the past couple of months. I presented a session about Web 2.0 and wikis at PD Day for Teacher/Librarians and Library Assistants at Harrington Park Public School on Tuesday 6th May. Then of course there came LIW (Library & Info Week). Had a couple of activities during the week. Attended Mt Druitt TAFE graduation on the Monday to present the ALIA prize. The A/Director said in his speech that you never really leave Mt Druitt TAFE, which is pretty true in my case as I have been going back there regularly since I graduated. The winner of the ALIA Award was Carmen Green. On Tuesday NSW LT Group had their National LT Day activity at a restaurant in Burwood. Although, the numbers were small it was good to catch up with everyone. All being well, there should be a National LT Day roundup article in the July inCite. Yesterday, Victor Davidson and I ran another Leadership for LTs seminar in Sydney. 15 people attended and it shows LTs and library assistants are anxious to take their first steps on the Leadership ladder. I am currently working on Leadership for LTs – part 2. It should be ready for its first outing later in the year.

A really exciting thing happened this week. The NLS 4 program was published on the website. If you have a few minutes have a look at it. You will see the high standard of keynote and session speakers. There will be news about the other speakers in due course. To think NLS’s are for new librarians is wrong. If you have a look at the program you can see there are sessions to suit other than new librarians and library technicians. I went to NLS06 in Sydney in 2006 and had an excellent experience. So if you are a new or not so new librarian or an LT have a look at the program and seriously consider being a delegate. I am sure it will be a rewarding experience.

It’s that time of year again. The COLT and ALA conferences are being held in the US. This time they are being held in Anaheim, Calif. As I did last year I will be setting up a ‘Aus LT Goes to Anaheim’ blog. Hopefully, I will be able to do regular posts. Unfortunately, last time by the time you go to a conference all day and then out for the evening it doesn’t leave much time to write lengthy posts about the day’s activities. If that happens I may have to do what I did last time and save up my writing and posting until I get home.

2008 so far ... a bit more

I made a bit of a mistake with the number of votes I got in the election. The official letter was received during the week and I got 198. The bit about lowest number of votes, etc, etc is still applicable.

Also, during the latter part of the week an Interim Report from the ALIA Education and Workforce Planning Summit has been posted on the ALIA Summit webpage.

2008 so far

I haven’t done a post for a while. I am sure most people who have an interest in things ALIA would be aware that I did not get in as ALIA VP/P (elect). I got 160 odd votes, my lowest in the 4 years I have been standing for the position. It has been obvious over this time that the 14% – 15% of the members who bother to vote don’t want a library technicians holding high office in the Association. But it should be remembered by the 100% of members that they only got to vote, 3 out of the 4 times, cos this LT decided to stand for nomination.

ALIA financials are out I will leave the in depth analysis to another post.

I attended, as Convenor of the National LT Group, the ALIA Education & Workforce Planning Summit in Melbourne on Friday 28th March. There were about 55 – 60 summiteers (I nicked that word from the PM’s Summit) and I think it generated more questions than answers. But then maybe that is what is supposed to happen. The outcomes from the Summit haven’t been put up as yet but keep you’re an eye out for them as I think they might make an interesting read. Anyway, we as members can use them as a benchmark to measure the performance of ALIA management.

I will have to share with you some things from the group I was in at the Summit. It would appear the universities, who are responsible for the educating members of the profession, aren’t talking to the major library and information sector employers about what skills they would like their new graduates to have. I understand there are territorial and ‘political’ issues here, but it did have this boofheaded bloke from the burbs shaking his head. Now, to look at the training of library technicians. Under the VET (Vocational Education Training) scheme employers are actively involved in providing course designers with what they expect from graduates in the workplace. I know professional education and paraprofessional training is different, but ….

Another interesting thing that was said and came across as a ‘light bulb over the head’ moment to some, was that employees have to assess what their own PD requirements are and then go to their manager and see if their employer can assist. It is not about the manager doing all the assessing. Huh! Isn’t that what happens or should happen.

By the way. If any of you thought this was a junket on ALIA. It was self funded. Airfare, other travel costs, accom, meals do the math.

On Saturday 12th April I was in Perth to run a ‘Leadership for Library Technicians’ seminar, with Jean Broomhall, the Convenor of WALT, co-presenting. 16 people attended and I hope it was beneficial for them. Many LTs have leadership skills and abilities and all they need is brought to their attention and the opportunity to display them.

Had a couple of NLS4 meetings this year. I was able to attend one of the meetings when I was in Melbourne for the Summit, which was good. Despite what the skeptics think, many who have never been within co’ee of a conference committee, everything is going along really well. So if there are any new librarians out there reading this they should seriously consider coming along. It will be a top symposium.

ALIA Election 2008 2

For people who have been trying to access my website from the ALIA candidate info page there has been a little problem. For the last couple of weeks the company that hosts my website have had problems with their servers. They are slowly getting them fixed but of course my one is taking the longest. Lucky I am not trying to run a business from it. Also, I am still paying for the site that no-one can access. I know we are not talking much money here but like a lot of things that is not the point.

Hopefully, it will be back in the not too distant future.