Study Visit Confirmation

It’s been a few weeks since my last post, so I thought I’d use this opportunity to share some good news.

Back in August, my line manager suggested I apply to attend an EU-funded study visit. I’ll admit to being quite dubious at the time – I thought only the best of the best were ever awarded places on these kinds of things. I was even more dubious when I saw the application form itself - it was solid! I brushed it under the carpet and ignored it for a while, and when the week of the deadline arrived I still hadn’t done anything about it. I was really in two minds – it’d be great to do but surely my chances were low, so why even bother. In a moment of madness, I posted my dilemma on Facebook. Usually, the majority of people just ignore my status updates but this one generated a huge response and everyone said I should go for it. So I did. I burned the midnight oil and with the help of my long-suffering boyfriend, put together the best damn application I could manage. Popped it in the post the day before the deadline and never expected to hear anything more of it.

Heritage Open Day

On Thursday 18 Aug, I went along to a Heritage LMS open day held at the IS Oxford headquarters. Each institution could have two places free of charge, so our Graduate Trainee came along with me.

Neither of us are overly familiar with the software and, from my point-of-view, it was quite a valuable day. There were presentations by IS Oxford staff tackling issues such as reports, global changes and the new Heritage Cirqa software. I made 6 pages of notes and there are several things I hope to follow up. I left the presentations feeling as though I’d picked up some good tips and some valuable action-points. Today, all attendees received an email containing information, helpsheets and links to do with those topics discussed during the presentations. Although my involvement with the company has been quite basic until now, I must admit to finding IS Oxford user-friendly and approachable.

I am a follower of Heritage on Facebook and this week it proved to be quite fun. They built up the event over the preceding days by posting statuses about the buffet (which was top notch) and providing updated weather reports for the day itself. On the train heading to Oxford I was browsing Facebook and there were updates of early-bird open day visitors arriving. Staff took a number of photos during the day and I’m hoping these will soon be posted to Facebook. I know it’s not to everyone’s taste, but I am a fan of this social network and Heritage having a page somehow closes the distance between ‘them and us.’





Image supplied by IS Oxford

 

CPD23 Thing 6



Image taken by Rosmary



Thing 6: Social Networks

I use Facebook on a daily basis to keep in touch with friends. It works well for me and suits my needs. However, when I worked at the school library, it would regularly be at the centre of cyber-bullying issues and the police were often involved. I am a Facebook admin for NWHC library page, which we use mainly to promote the library blog. I‘m not sure how to maximise it yet, but I feel this is an under-developed marketing tool for the library. My personal account follows several library initiatives on Facebook and I’ve learnt quite a bit through it.

Twitter. Hmmm. I’ve checked in daily since Thing 4 recommended it, but we’ve still not really gelled. I use it to raise my current awareness of professional issues, but I don’t like the barrage of useless tweets which come along with that. I’m persevering with it but will see what happens.

I really ought to have a LinkedIn account. When recruiting for the job, my new line manager Googled me to see if I had an online presence, and I’d probably have scored a little higher if he’d been able to find me on LinkedIn. I’ll try to find time for it during the week.

I use Cilip Communities fairly often. BtB is part of the Blog Landscape and my role on Update with Gazette’s editorial panel involves using the forums.

I’ve recently compiled a training plan for our graduate trainee and part of it was to explore relevant social networking sites. Generally, I’m quite a fan of social networking and get a lot from it. I find it valuable and easy using my iPhone apps, though that’s not to say I want a million different accounts dotted about all over the place. I social networking sites convenient and useful but must admit they are definitely a double-edged sword.
 

CULN Conference

Earlier this week I went to an event held by the College University of Leicester Network (CULN) entitled Librarians’/LRC Research and IT Conference. It consisted of three presentations and one workshop, all specialising in digital data. Here is a brief outline of my thoughts on the day.

Dr John Haggerty from Salford University described himself as a ‘computer scientist’ and his talk focussed on the security issues of online data. He discussed it wonderfully in layman’s terms so that those of us without in-depth knowledge of encryption or contamination issues etc would be able to understand. He explained how digital data is intangible and ubiquitous, and how this can be problematic.  He focussed on challenges such as storage, structured/unstructured information, encryption needs, longevity of data and how all of this is changing yet again because of the throwaway culture arising relating to digital data. He gave Facebook as a perfect example of this. People create (unstructured) information purely for the purpose of giving it away, without thinking about who then owns that information or how it is stored and maintained. As technology upgrades happen faster and there is a general reduction on technology costs, Dr Haggerty predicted that these problems will increase in the future and we, as professionals, need to be aware of such issues, particularly if we use social networking as part of our jobs.

QR Codes

Just scanned my first QR Code. Downloaded a QR Reader app on the iPhone a while ago but didn't get round to using it til tonight. I was flicking through a TV magazine and found one out of the blue. It contained various trailers for TV programmes.

Great fun! And ingenious too! So many possibilities! I saw a couple on the walls when I visited the library at the Stoke campus of Staffordshire University recently, wish I'd had chance to scan them to see what treasures they held.

Looked up Quick Responce Codes on Wikipedia to find out a bit more about them. Didn't realise they were as old as they are, and I especially didn't realise they'd been used in Kylie and Pet Shop Boys pop videos! Widely used in the East but with a slow uptake in the West.

Hmmm, just a little randomness here, thinking out loud; wonder if I can generate a QR Code for this blog and then post it to my Facebook profile? I shall let you know how I get on...

Voices for the Library

A website I regularly browse is Voices for the Library. It provides support and a voice during this difficult time of public library cuts. It is well worth a look - if you aren't familiar with it, log on to it now!

At the end of February, Voices for the Library asked its Facebook followers 'what three words would you use to describe what libraries mean to you?' I said 'enjoyment, relaxation and community'. Voices for the Library has kindly given me permission to reproduce the image created from the responses. I love Wordles, often use them in my wall displays at work, and this makes for a rather interesting snapshot!

World Book Night (part 2)

Well, folks, World Book Night has come and gone. I would very much like to blog about how wonderful the experience was; however, here is the reality of it...

My original application was rejected but I was acceptyed as a Reserve Giver. I couldn't believe my luck. As a Reserve I wouldn't know which titles I'd distribute until I unpacked them, it's just whatever was leftover after all the original Givers had received their chosen titles. That's fine, I thought, just glad to be able to take part. I planned to distribute my books to staff in local schools.

Things seemed a little 'funny' right from the very start. Communication was patchy and I received only 4 emails in total - asking me to be a reserve, confirming a collection point 100 miles away, changing the collection point to a local library and then saying I should have received my books/numbers. However, my books AND numbers both failed to arrive.

I am so disappointed, I was thrilled to be taking part in it and feel very let down by WBN. Did they not research the undertaking beforehand? They knew exactly how many books were to go where, so I don't understand how so many complications could have arisen. It's just such a shame. I know it's a gigantic project and some people have said we shouldn't complain as it's free, but that isn't the point. There's even a Facebook page dedicated to people who failed to received WBN books! Hopefully I'll be able to take part next year and the teething problems which ruined it for so many people, will have been ironed out by then.

Despite this, I spent Sat night at my local library for a WBN event. It was great, 290 people turned up and I left with 3 free books! (Only 1 of which had a number with which to track its journey though...)

World Book Night (part 1)

Have had some good news this week. After initially being refused, my application to be a Book Giver for World Book Night has been accepted!

I apllied late last year and was turned down, but have now been accepted as a Reserve Giver. This means that whilst I'm definitely as Book Giver, I won't get to select the titles I distribute, I'm simply alloacted whichever ones are available.

I'm presuming anyone reading this blog entry will know what WBN is, but of course you may not. Very remise of me! 20,000 people are selected and are each given 48 books to distribute as they see fit. The idea is that each book has a number attached to it and by logging onto the website, the journey of each book can be recorded. It's a marvellous way of spreading the joys reading for pleasure - for FREE.

This is the inaugural WBN and I am thrilled to be taking part. My allotted pick-up point is Stone Cross Library (in West Bromwich) and from Friday lunchtime my books should be available for collection, and I'll attend a session on Saturday evening at Sandwell Central Library, to start the distribution process. It's a wonderful scheme and I am very excited to be involved. Reading has given me masses of pleasure over the years, and has helped me through some difficult times in life by providing an escape. Reading allows you to travel anywhere and live any number of different lives. To give that possibility to somebody, as a gift, is incredible.

WBN is a huge undertaking, and as this is its first year, there have been a few hiccups along the way. The WBN website has crashed and the Facebook page has forums dedicated to complaints. People don't know which titles they've been allocated, collection points haven't been confirmed, communication is patchy. So far, I've had confirmation of my pick up point but not my unique reference number or the titles to distribute, but I'm just going with the flow. This project is meant to be about fun, so I'm trying not to get too hot under the collar about it and instead remember the ethos of WBN.

Letting off steam.

My day at work yesterday involved running outside to the playground, at the request of the dinner-lady, to stop two teenage lads from battering the hell out of each other. I pushed myself to the front of the crowd and stood directly inbetween the lads to separate them. I didn’t get hit but punches were thrown around me, as though they were oblivious to the physical barrier I presented. My presence was not enough to prevent the fight from continuing. I was the only member of staff on the scene and eventually, one of the lads ran off.

Immediately after this, another incident occurred with a year 7 boy. He came into the library to escape the teasings of a ‘friend’ and went straight to the back of the portable whiteboard. He sat on the floor facing the wall, refusing to move or talk to anybody. Unable to coax him out, we had to call for assistance from his mentor.

I spent breaktime and lunchtime maintaining a constant surveillance for social networking sites. These sites are banned in school due to cyber-bullying concerns, yet pupils insist on sneaking onto them. Last academic year Bebo was the trend, this year it’s Facebook. If I see Farmville just once more….!

Then, after work, there was a meeting for support staff relating to Single Status. Here, I realised that all sorts of things are going on behind the scenes which employees are not kept informed of, and an incomplete job description was sent for assessment on my behalf. I am likely to be downgraded because of this and will need to go through an appeal procedure if I want to protect my salary.

Yesterday was not a great day at work, to say the least. I seemed unable to do any valuable tasks and spent the day simply reacting to incidences and situations. I know, I know… these things happen when you work with teenagers, but still… on occasions it gets me down. I’m only human. Yesterday, I felt nothing more than a babysitter-come-security guard. There are times I love working in a school, but there’s also the flip side of the coin too. Grrrr!

You must think I’m such a Moaning Minnie, and I guess I am today. Not a very pleasant blog posting to read, sorry about that folks. Moan over.