A Wandering Eyre

I started a new series over at ALA TechSource today, with apologies to Karen Schneider for stealing sucks for my title. Unsucking Online Education seems to be my mission for the moment, maybe for forever, until it no longer has the suckage of a Dyson, the pet hair version. Enjoy.

–Jane, death [to suckage] is my gift

There has been a lot of fun with the ILS (Integrated Library Systems, just for you Mr. R) vendors recently. First there was Roy Tennant’s post, then Blyberg’s (which makes use of one of my very favorite nonwords), then Steven noticed that III has a Flickr account, and Nicole weighed in on that subject (along with some words from Michael Stephens).

I tried to leave a comment on Nicole’s blog, but I always get this weird error message, so I decided to write my comment here:

I work in an Innovative library and I have something to say to you Innovative. Lip service is not the same as service! Are you listening? Do you care?

–Jane, no more lip service

p.s. Please excuse the obvious overuse of parenthesis as sentence devices. (Though technically, I am not at all sorry.)

I came across a new blog today, by a systems librarian in Australia, named Carolyn McDonald. Her blog is the Red Dirt Librarian. Her second post is about IT Management models in libraries.

Technology must be managed well and, IMHO, with users in mind. I have begun to see a need in many of our libraries for a human face to be put on IT. The videos iACPL are doing are a great way to make IT seem less scary to the rest of us. The newest installment from iACPL (link above) shows how a new breed of librarian may be changing the way libraries approach IT. Sometimes it only takes one person to be the tipping point in a department, one project, or something that can push the technology to be about people and not IT.
–Jane, is people

I know this is a little late, but WebJunction has a new look. I like the soothing color scheme and the boxes which make information easy to scan. Congrats to the WebJunction Team.

–Jane, happy to be doing good works

Normally, I would not post this stuff, but it was Firefly, so how could I possibly resist?

Your results:
You are Wash (Ship Pilot)

Wash (Ship Pilot) 75% Zoe Washburne (Second-in-command) 70% Malcolm Reynolds (Captain) 70% Dr. Simon Tam (Ship Medic) 65% Kaylee Frye (Ship Mechanic) 60% Derrial Book (Shepherd) 55% Inara Serra (Companion) 30% Jayne Cobb (Mercenary) 25% Alliance 25% A Reaver (Cannibal) 15% River (Stowaway) 15%

You are a pilot with a good if not silly sense of humor. You take pride in your collection of toys. You love your significant other.

Click here to take the Serenity Personality Quiz

Darien Tag

Originally uploaded by Wandering Eyre.

Some of you may have noticed the last bit of Michael Stephens’ post this morning regarding a great read and a great library. Dear readers, most of you know that I think the Cluetrain Manifesto is an amazing call for businesses (read libraries!) to change and you also must know by now that I love the Darien Library.

They deserve to have that tag in Library Thing. Some of you may be wondering what makes Darien different from your library. Why do I go into fits of joy whenever I see that they are doing something else?

• They trust their people. Everyone on their staff who wants to blog, can, in their own voice, and style. When speaking with Louise Berry and Alan Gray at Midwinter, I was impressed with their desire to see their staff succeed, for their voices to be heard, and for their library to be the kind of place that works from the bottom up. This was not mere lip service, which is what I fear is the noise I hear most often. They were striving to, not only create a human face for their library, but promote it as one of their hallmarks.
• They cared enough about the success of their new initiatives that they planned an all day staff retreat to kick it off. All. Day. Staff. Retreat. Amazing, yes? When was the last day all of your staff attended a training, together? When was the last time there was an honest discussion? When was the last time the library was closed?
• Louise Berry, their director, is also a great lady who seemed like the kind of boss many of us long for. I must admit that being managed well is a blessing, one that it very hard to lose.

I think that Libraryland should feel blessed to have places like Darien Library, AADL, and PLCMC in our midst. They challenge us to be better by creating a higher standard to which we all can aspire.

–Jane, looks around for ways she can make changes

Thanks to Michael Stephens for the information. This is a follow-up post for this previous installment.
Another bill was submitted on the same day as the Social Networking Website Prohibition Act. The other bill is amazing in its differences as it actually calls for education of children instead of censorship. The alternative bill was submitted by Sen. Dan Kotowski called the Internet Safety Education Act. Way to go, Illinois. You elected one smart guy. Let’s work on getting more, ok?
–Jane, *sigh*

Darien Public Library, a place I have never been to physically, but am in love with nonetheless, will soon have a fine addition to their team, John Blyberg.

Congratulations to both parties. I must admit I am not sure of whom I am more jealous: John for getting to work with such cool people or Darien Library for having John on their team.

–Jane, is expecting great things

Today, Beth Tumbleson wrote:

In short, blogs empower the end user while permitting staff to promote library services and resources.

Indeed. Library and Web 2.0 are about empowerment. That is learning in action!
–Jane, empowered by learning

This post could also be titled: How much I wish listservs would rot in hell and I finally took out my hate in a public manner on a listserv this morning.

I have two grumps about listservs recently, each occurring on different lists:

Grump #1 - If you are having a conversation that has gotten out of control and you have been asked repeatedly to take it off the list, but you continue to go on and post ridiculous tripe that clogs our inboxes, there is a special place for you. One day, I am going to break down and post this or this to that listserv and I will laugh manically, then go have a stiff drink. Those of you currently stuck in this particular microwave with me, can join me at the bar.

Grump #2 - If there is a blog and a listserv and you make me read both but neither content is independent from the other I may have to shoot myself. I am impatient (and apparently today, a bit bitchy) and I do not want to read it all twice. I got it the first time.

Grump 2 resulted in a reply to a listserv that was as terse as this post. *sigh* I called my friend and said, “Should I send this? I think I am being a witch.” She supported me sending it, but maybe I should have asked someone less mouthy then either of us. (note to self: find less mouthy friends) I think the fact that I had to ask should have been my first clue, but I decided to send it anyway.

Some days I do not learn. Some days I willfully ignore the lessons beating against my head.

–Jane, maybe someone will put her on notice