Hipster Librarians

Finding Good Information on the Internet

"Finding Good Information on the Internet." Scientific American / Kevin McCluney.
New York: Scientific American Online, July 16th 2011

Naughty Librarian / Pearle Vision

Is That a Bad Thing?

"We have more libraries per person than any other city in the world.

I’ve got more libraries in my area than I have Tim Hortons."

~ Doug Ford

See:
Our Public Library: Project Rescue 

The Tao of Librarianship

"The Tao of Librarianship." Information Tyrannosaur / Andy Burkhardt.
Burlington, Vermont: Information Tyrannosaur, July 19th 2011.

"It is a philosophy which values balance, moderation, compassion and being pliant and adaptable. There is a wealth of wisdom from the Taoist philosophy that could be applied in librarianship. ...

Be Like Water (8) – “The best are like water, bringing help to all.” Water helps all people, that’s it’s nature. Just so, we should constantly be thinking about how we can best serve others. Water also is quite adaptable. It can fit easily into any sort of container and it naturally goes with the flow. Librarians too should be able to change themselves, their services, and their resources to meet their community’s needs. They should be able to adjust along with the changes that are constantly happening in the world both technologically and socially."

Make a Wish

Retiring Librarian Knows the Secret to Good Service

"Retiring Librarian Knows the Secret to Good Service." The Gleaner / Chuck Stinnett.
Henderson, Kentucky: The Gleaner Online, July 22nd 2011.

""People ask, 'What do you need a library for if you've got the Internet?' " [Donald Wathen] said. "Libraries aren't about books or tapes; libraries are about people. The library is here to serve people, to help people."

The key, he said, is embracing change and responding to what customers want.

The library today not only loans books and other materials, but provides access to technology, a variety of free classes, genealogical help and other services, and safely houses elements of Henderson's history: Old photos and documents; microfilm copies of The Gleaner, deeds, birth and death records, marriage records; old telephone books and city directories; old high school albums and more.

"People come here to find a good mystery or knowledge of how to get a job or access to a computer or ... (to attend) children's story hour," Wathen said. Some patrons visit three or four times a week; some come every day."

We Want Books!

Annual Report of Public Libraries 2010

Annual Report of Public Libraries 2010 / Federation of Ontario Public Libraries.
Ontario: Federation of Ontario Public Libraries, 2011.

From Numbers to Values: Challenges in Telling the Whole Story of the User Experience

"From Numbers to Values: Challenges in Telling the Whole Story of the User Experience." CLA Conference 2011 / Alvin M. Schrader.
Halifax: Canadian Library Association Conference, May 2011.

Breathe

Matt Willey

Critical Issues Facing the Government of Canada

Critical Issues Facing the Government of Canada / Canadian Library Association.
Ottawa: Canadian Library Association Political Task Force, 2004.

"Whether we are talking about the major library systems in a Canadian city, the small, beautiful rural library branch, the happy school library, the major research library at a university, the technical library of a college, the proud library on a reserve, the hospital library for patients and medical pros, or a fresh law library in Canada’s newest territory Nunavut, we can clearly recognize that libraries support nearly everything we care about in Canada:

* Learning and schools for our whole lives

* Preparing children for their futures

* Medical care and good health and nutrition

* Peace order and good government

* Healthy and effective communities

* Entertainment, the arts and culture

* A great democracy

* A wonderful country."

National Core Library Statistics Program Statistical Report, 1999: Cultural and Economic Impact of Libraries on Canada

National Core Library Statistics Program Statistical Report, 1999: Cultural and Economic Impact of Libraries on Canada / Alvin M. Schrader & Michael R. Brundin.
Ottawa: Library & Archives Canada, 2002.

"It also becomes evident that libraries as physical, and increasingly virtual places, play multiple roles in the lives of their users; and, moreover, that Canadians place a high value on libraries as places for the construction of community—whether the communities are those of the general public, post-secondary students and faculty, school students and their teachers, or employees in government, industry, and the not for-profit sector. 

In the quest for quantitative descriptions and generators of economic activity, we should remember that each library transaction—whether it is a reference question, onsite consultation of material, borrowing for off-site use, or remote access—represents a “moment of truth” in the lives of Canadian library users.   

Each interaction is an opportunity for librarians and their staff to contribute to the personal and professional satisfaction of clients of every age and walk of life every day of the year in every corner of the nation.  Every outcome of library service is an individual’s story."

Doctors Prescribe Regular Library Visits

"Doctors Prescribe Regular Library Visits." Kitsap Sun / Katie Scaff.
Kitsap County, WA: Kitsap Sun Online, July 13th 2011.

"Kitsap Regional Library is working with health clinics and the nonprofit organization Reach Out and Read to promote early literacy this summer through a program called Libraries Are Doctor-Recommended."

The Long Lost Library: Living On A Budget

"The Long Lost Library: Living On A Budget." Cullman Sense / Meghan Nelson.
Cullman, AL: CullmanSense, July 14th 2011.

"At this point, you may be wondering what, exactly, the Cullman Public Library has to do with living on a budget. The answer is quite simple: it provides free book (and I was surprised to learn, movie) rentals, as well as internet and computer access.

I use 'free' in a loose manner, since the public library is funded by the government, which is, in turn, funded by us, the taxpayers. So, rather than 'free', the public library is actually more like something you are required to fund regardless of whether or not you plan to use it. When viewed in this fashion, it seems ridiculous not to take advantage of something for which you have already paid."

The Dark Ages Began with Closing A Library

What Skills Does a Digital Archivist or Librarian Need?

"What Skills Does a Digital Archivist or Librarian Need?" The Signal / Bell LeFurgy.
Washington: Library of Congress The Signal Online, July 13th 2011.

Keeping the Antennae Up: How Listening In The Library Improves The UX

"Keeping the Antennae Up: How Listening In The Library Improves The UX." Designing Better Libraries / StevenB.
Philadelphia: Designing Better Libraries, July 13th 2011.

"The best thing about listening to the user community is that it is something any library worker can do. No special training is needed. There are no listening workshops. The more staff members we can enlist to think of themselves as individual listening posts the better positioned the library is to both discover what’s broken and quickly fix and detect ideas for new services. When an undergraduate walks up to the reference desk and asks the librarian on duty why it’s not possible to send a text message from the library catalog, the antennae should start buzzing and the ideas should start flowing. If we do a good job of picking up the signals, there is no end to the ways in which we can enhance the library experience for our community members."

Follow Your Bliss

Lost in the Card Catalogue