Delicious? Tasteless!

Have you seen the mess they've made of Delicious?

I thought I'd look through the list of bloggers registered with CPD23 and I couldn't search them using the tags. I even tried my own personal list and tags are gone along with some sites!

And then I saw this blog post from Phil Bradley. Yep, it looks like it's not just me, it's thousands of us in the same boat. I'm lucky in some ways that I haven't been relying on just Delicious, but mainly use Xmarks. This is sync-ed with my PC at home (where I use Firefox) and I can also log in at work to the Xmarks website.

Here we are though, relying on these wonderful pieces of software where everything is hosted externally (and not using up space on our own hard drives), making it easy for us to access the information wherever we are... Perhaps the web 2.0 world is just moving too quickly? I'm not saying don't embrace web 2.0 technologies, but perhaps we're just relying on them all a tad too much?

What do you think? Do you think we have the right as account holders to have a say in how these sites should be developed? (Particularly in the case of Delicious and possibly Facebook, when they have so many users and hold so much of our personal information.)

Thing 17: Presentations

Well I love using PowerPoint, but obviously I'm behind the times here! Plus it's not very often that I sing the praises of microshaft software.

I can't get either Prezi or Slideshare to work at work, so I've had to leave them both to check at home - again! I even had one of our Development Librarians tell me to check a presentation he'd put on Prezi. I had to politely inform him that his laptop obviously had better and more up to date software on than our standard staff PCs (which run via WYSE terminals!) ARGH!! Bane of my life! I've already asked for the additional software to be installed, but it "may be some time".

Anyway to the matter in hand...

Prezi
Having had a look, it certainly makes what might be a simple presentation all singing all dancing, but is it just me that gets a bit queasy with the zooming in and out? (I'm not drunk by the way!) Looking at some other responses to this, it seems to be quite easy to use (WalkingLibrarianNZ) and has some positive reviews (Continuous Learning). I'll have a look and see if I can make an all-singing, all-dancing presentation to wow the masses! I might not feel quite so queasy if I design my own presentation!

Slideshare
This looks more usable. I think I could actually make something of this. I like the visual resume. I'll have a bit more of a look at this one too.

Seeing as I can't use them for work, I certainly think I might have a look at how to use them personally. I might be looking for a job in the next six months and creating my own CV using either of these would be good practice and might give me a few Brownie points. Although I think they both need excellent images and/or graphics, which may be the stumbling block...

Thing 19: Catching up

What a long list of "Things"! I can't believe how much we've covered and also how much I've learnt. I used to be on top of all this software and have got way behind in what's available and what it can be used for. I hate to say it, but I'm going to blame it on the sector I work in... I've worked in acdemic libraries for ages and there is a need to be on top of these resources, knowing what's there and what they can be used for and also needing to know about it yesterday. The emphasis in the public sector and I'd imagine in some others as well is completely different and we seem to be happy to be one step behind!

I will try to pick out my top three or so!

My Personal Brand
This now seems to be constantly on my mind whenever I register for something online. It doesn't matter what it is, I'm thinking of my username, etc. Trouble is, I started out not thinking of this at all and some are still quite a mishmash of brands. My plan will be to create something that is me and me only, I love what Joeyanne Libraryanne has done, so maybe in the future it could happen! Most of my friends seeing this would wonder where the elephant is, so I think my brand may have to develop over the years...

Google Calendar
I may have mocked this a bit in my post back in August, saying that I would never use it, I don't have the time and I have to use Outlook calendar at work, etc, etc. I've persevered and now I find it invaluable. I tend to use it instead of a diary at home now! I've got two online calendars on the go, one in Outlook for work and one in Google for work and life! It is proving to be a lifesaver sometimes. Thank you so much CPD23, I completely swallow my words and take back everything I said at the time!

Evernote
I'm not using this as much as it can be used and still find myself thinking I could do a lot more with it, but it's getting used! I tend to use it mainly for personal notes, since I have to use the web version at work (which tends to be quite slow), but I think it's great the fact I can note something at home and check it later on my phone and at work.

Screencasting
Not something I thought I'd be adding to this list. It's not being used currently, but I can see the potential, particularly for training purposes. I really need to look into it more and see where it can be used before I make a case to the powers that be.

I already had a blog and followed people before this, but I do it a lot more (it's taking me away from Facebook, which is possibly a good thing!) I've also had a LinkedIn profile before starting this, but I can't say I do a lot more with it. I've not got involved in any discussions - must try harder!

This blog, I'd like to think it continues, but I'm not sure. It has a specific purpose currently, but the title I chose meant that I should be able to muse and think about libraries, etc into the future.

One thing though, I'm more aware of what's out there. I can suggest something feeling confident I know it works and it's used in libraries elsewhere. I just hope I can remember it all!

So as a postscript, I feel this is image is apt...

 I need to take a lesson from these who never forget!

Thing 18: Screening and podcasting

I got confused for a minute, I thought I'd missed a Thing somehow, then remembered!! You can tell it's been a bit of a busy time recently. I've got to a point where the world of work is spinning and I'm getting dizzy hoping it'll end soon! Event planning is coming out of our ears, in addition to the day job which still bumbles along... More of the events later methinks. OK back to the matter in hand!

Jing
I tried to use this at home and was really impressed. Shame we can't use it at work, it would be a nice addition to the "useful pieces of software". I might suggest it for the new staff image (if it happens!) Anyway, we do have a pretty good alternative in...

Screencast-o-matic
This works on a work PC!! Wehay!! I am happy! I've not created any useful videos as yet, it's been too chaotic to do that, but I can see so many uses. We often write so many instruction manuals and it would make instructions so much easier to follow. Not really certain about where the files could be stored either (our shared drive is a bit all over the place following the restructure). I am however determined to try out a test instruction file and send it to staff to see what they think. We could be onto a winner here! I'm feeling positive!

Podcasting
I can see this may be useful. It would be nice for some of our speaker events to be made available after the event for a certain period of time. Our LitFest in March is very popular and tickets for some authors are gone in days. If the authors agree it would be a nice thing to offer podcasts of the event. (I'm glossing over the possible extra cost involved here!)

There's no point in making any audio files available on a staff PC, we have no sound on them!!

As a user, I subscribe to podcasts from the BBC and listen to the files at a later stage on my iPod. I was wary at first, not really sure how it would work, but it's so easy and just like subscribing to a blog! However, I've not looked around to see what other podcasts may be available for me to subscribe to. It's still a bit of a new thing for me, so I need to look around. Are there any you listen to, which you recommend?

Thing 16: Advocacy

This is hard! OK, here goes!

Well I certainly try to stand up for the profession and libraries as a whole. It's difficult at the the moment because I work in a UK public library and I'm on a fixed term contract, which means I can be got rid of a lot more easily than if I was permanent.

We've had our RFID self-issue units in most of our libraries for over a year. Certainly a number of members of the public commented and said that they hoped it wouldn't mean staff were going... We always said no, but we've gone through a massive transformation (restructure) where lots of jobs were deleted from the structure. Supposedly people have gone through natural wastage, retirement, voluntary redundancy, etc... I'll leave you to read that as you will.

When Save our Libraries Day took place in February we didn't have many extra people in the library, but a few came in to ask what we were organising. Locally, there was quite a lot of apathy, which surprised me, although possibly we had a few more people suddenly join (where they are now I don't know!)

We advertised new opening hours in June this year as part of the transformation, suddenly everyone came out of the woodwork complaining! By this time there was little we could do, the consultation period for the new hours took place in November last year...

I certainly and very fond of fighting off the stereotypical view of libraries. One of the sewing blogs I read thought it would be wonderful to be a librarian, stamping books all day; The TV show Silent Library, which I believe has been in Japan and the States before it came here - ARGH, now that programme really does wind me up!! I'll be the first one out there sticking up for us to say how wrong they are.

I'm certainly in awe of people who stand up for us so much. I'm lucky to have worked with Johanna from Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries and she is amazing. So enthusiastic - I don't know where you find the energy Jo!! Her latest blog post about advocacy, is possibly the best comment about this "Thing" I've seen. The quote I'll take from her post is

As a librarian you have to be involved in advocacy and if you are not then you are in the wrong job.

I wish I could take part in Read-ins like Annie from The Hobbit Hole has done, but I'd have to go outside county for fear of my job!

I think I'm probably getting to the point in a round about way! I do stand up for us and will the the first person to notice an article and make sure people read it. I tend to publicise these on my Facebook page (not all my friends know what a library can offer). The latest article which I felt supported libraries was one written by Caitlin Moran in The Times newspaper. Unfortunately this is behind The Times pay wall so I can't provide a link. The most unfortunate thing about this article was the strapline, which many of my colleagues read as anti-libraries. Not good to get people reading.

By the time the economy gets back to normal our libraries will be coffee shops, Lidls and pubs.

 A response to this article is viewable though on the Voices for the Library website.

I have stood up for the library and service at risk of a complaint once or twice, but it's not an easy thing to do. We run Baby Rhyme Time sessions in most of our libraries. Our Young People's sections are not always separate from the main library, so the sound of parents and babies can be heard throughout the library. I once had a member of the public come in and complain about the noise of the parents singing and the babies laughing. He said

Libraries are silent places and this is disgraceful. Either they go or I go.

My reply ran along the lines of

I'm sorry if you feel this way, sir, but this is something which happens every week at this time. You could come into the library at another time during the week.

His look was of astonishment, so I continued...

Whether we like it or not, these are the adults of the future in this country and may be running the country. It's good to encourage them into libraries from an early age.

It was nice to have a another reader come up to me later on and say she thought my reply was brilliant and if we'd got rid of one adult reader, it was better to have 20 new young readers. I have to say I'm completely in agreement with her!

All in all though, I think possibly "Must try harder" applies to me in this situation!

Thing 15: Conferences, seminars, events

A post I'm happy to go on for hours about, so I'll try to keep this as short and sweet as possible!

I've been lucky enough to attend a few conferences. I can remember in 1995 before I went to my first ever residential conference that it would be like a training course. How wrong I was! It was the School Library Association conference in Sheffield. I can remember really getting involved, networking with all and sundry, etc. I came back with so much enthusiasm for the job. It was a real eye-opener to actually get lots of networking time, which doesn't seem to happen on training courses.

Eleven years later in September 2006, I attended the European EndUsers Conference in Edinburgh, for users of Endeavor's library software, such as Voyager, Metalib, SFX, etc. Flights all behaved, and we had time to look around the city (at least two items ticked off on Joeyanne's list!) The conference dinner was held in the Advocates Library along the Royal Mile, which is a really lovely building. I had plenty of chance to network (another from Joeyanne's list), papers from sessions which clashed were available to pick-up and chat to the presenters to find out more. I managed to make contacts from around the world, who I'm still in contact with, even though I don't work with Voyager anymore!

The last ever International EndUser took place in Chicago six months' later. I applied and was granted one of the ten Bon Voyage grants which paid for the majority of the fees. I agreed to do a joint presentation with a colleague from another institution. Presenters often get cheaper fees or sometimes get to go for free, so it's a good thing to do if you're brave enough. My first international conference and first conference presentation - not to mention my first ever trip to the States!! We arranged to get there in advance to give time to get over the jetlag, we had a couple of days to check out the city (even booking up tickets for the Chicago Cubs baseball in advance!) First time presenting is nerve-racking. I'm certainly guilty of a couple of Ned's bugbears. I do say "sort of" and "things like that" and "etc". I can, however, laugh off things which go wrong. My colleague fortunately was an experienced presenter and so it was possibly a lot easier than it could have been!

I was invited to repeat it six months later in Brno, Czech Republic. Unfortunately my colleague had to present on their own, as my employer couldn't afford even the reduced presenters fees.

In 2008, I applied to give a poster presentation at IGeLU. If you'd like to try presenting at conferences, try a poster presentation. I think these originated in the States, so if you don't know what a poster presentation is, here goes... Basically, the presentation is represented by a poster and not by stand up and talk. Generally there is a section at the conference where poster presenters are required to be by their posters and talk to delegates who are interested in the subject/presentation. It's a lot easier, in my opinion, than a stand up presentation.Yes, handouts are expected, but you don't have to talk to masses, only one or two at a time, which is much easier on the nerves, not to mention the voice (if they don't have microphones). There's no producing all-singing, all-dancing PowerPoint presentations and no worrying about equipment going wrong.

Me and my poster, Madrid 2008

Although at the last minute at this conference, I was asked to provide a .pdf of the presentation and deliver this to the whole conference at the introductory session!! You try talking to this lecture theatre full of international delegates from this stage... :-)

I've never organised a conference in my life, I think it would be fun to do, I'm a very organised person, and would probably enjoy doing it. The closest I've ever come is to organising events at the library!

So in a nutshell, I certainly agree with Joeyanne's ten pieces of conference advice. Conferences are full on and you need to have some me time, even if it's just to sit down with a cuppa for more than the 15 minute breaktime. Organising your travel so delays in flights, etc don't mean you make a bit too much of an entrance is recommended. As is, factoring in time to look around the location, this too can be a great time to network with others. Comfortable clothing is definitely recommended, but check the weather first! Madrid in September is decidedly hotter than the UK!!

If you're shy of standing up in front of hundreds delivering a presentation, try to find someone to join up with, or try a poster presentation. The latter are becoming increasingly popular and really do relieve some of the stress and nerves. Doing a presentation is often also a good way to go cheaply, as many presenters are offered reduced fees. It gives you kudos within the conference and also within your organisation. Many organisations like the thought of their name (as well as yours) up in lights!

I often see conferences I'd like to attend, but have found in my current organisation that many higher up in the pecking order are often chosen first... I was even hoping to have gone to the LIANZA conference this year, but something makes me think I'll not be in New Zealand by then!!

Thing 14 revisted: Zotero

I've installed Zotero on my laptop at home now and had a look. It looks easy to use and with a nice front end.

I have managed to save some quotes from the CPD23 blogs and have retreived them by logging into the web version at work. However, the web version won't allow me to add any new quotes, so I can really only make use of the software at home. I'll try and see how I get on, I think it's nice to mention others in posts, comments, thoughts and ideas often come from hearing others.

We get students in our libraries, but they never ask about anything like citing software. It can't see it being added to the new image for our public PCs, even though we now have Firefox going on the public PCs (what about the staff ones?) If we offer the software, we would also need staff in each library trained in using it, which would be impossible to offer. Public library staff cannot offer the same level of IT skills as academic library staff.

Thing 14: Citing stuff!

Well I've been a bit quiet since my last burst of creative juices over a week ago! Thanks for all your comments, they all help and have suggested some ideas of what I could do to get access to these resources. I'm still here, but have been reading all the blogs I subscribe too and also updating my other blog (for which I've now signed up for a challenge!), so it's certainly all go!

Like Isla and some other blogs I've read, these tools certainly weren't available to me at University. I'd have been laughing if they were. I was the sort of person who wrote it down on a scrap of paper to lose it about an hour later and then not know where the reference came from! I ended up with an address file box for my Masters, which helped no end. I think it is also helpful which form of referencing you use. At least with Harvard I could just stick the name and date in and worry about the rest at a later stage. When I first started writing long word processed reports, it was almost like using a typewriter and everything had to be planned in advance (no I'm not that old, but...)

I'm at work now and can't check out any of the free software, so I'm off to Evernote to remind me to check those at home!

I've certainly used EndNote. I previously worked for an academic library and we subscribed to that, part of my role was to demonstrate to students how it worked. I also updated the Referencing and Plagiarism section of their website, so there's very little I don't know about Harvard referencing! I think I could tell the developers if they're software is producing the bibliography in the correct format! I'm proud to say that I worked with Jo of the Friends of Gloucestershire Libraries (before she came famous in the UK for her advocacy work - more in a later post methinks!) That's my claim to fame over with!

As for how I would use them. At the moment I don't have a need to use any of these tools in my work, so as Isla suggests it would be as well for me to be aware of what is out there and particularly if it's free. A job doesn't always last for life and knowledge of different software, etc goes down well on a CV!

To quote my title - this is all 'Citing stuff