A few months ago Peter Chapman, editor of Refer approached me and Jo Alcock (after fellow blogger Jennie Law recommended us) to co-author an article on librarians and blogging for the Autumn edition of Refer: The Journal of the Information Services Group. Our article is now available online if you want to check it [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Conferences, Library 2.0, Social Value, public libraries, web 2.0, tagged Advocacy, libraries, public libraries, public spending, recession, social media, Social Value on October 19, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Just thought I’d share a couple of presentations that I delivered at two different conferences last week.
First up is my keynote presentation from the SINTO lecture in Sheffield; “A Look at the Role of Public Libraries in Times of Recession“
And secondly, a joint presentation between myself and Liz McGettigan from Edinburgh City Libraries at the [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Conferences, Social Value, public libraries, web 2.0, tagged Conferences, cultural heritage, IFLA, IFLA 09, IFLA Milan, IFLA poster sessions, libraries, Poster sessions, public libraries, social capital, web 2.0 on September 8, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
One of my favourite parts of any conference is always the poster sessions. This is the time when you get an opportunity to experience (all in one place) the wide variety of library projects and research initiatives happening all over the world.
Poster sessions are always very busy so I made sure that I arrived early [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Conferences, Library 2.0, web 2.0, tagged access, free wifi, IFLA, IFLA 2009, Librarians, libraries, Library 2.0, milan, web 2.0, wireless on August 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Instead of talking about the presentations, the hot topic at the start of the IFLA conference seemed to be the WIFI access at the conference centre. Many were discussing the fact that they would have to pay €10 for 4 hours WIFI access. The alternative was to either queue for 10 minutes complimentary access in [...]
Read Full Post »
One of my favourite things to do on holiday is to visit public libraries; some people might think that’s a bit sad but I look at it as keeping up to date with everything that’s going on internationally.
On this trip I visited Toronto Public Library’s Central Branch, which occupies a very convenient space on York [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Conferences, Evaluations, Library 2.0, Social Value, public libraries, web 2.0, tagged canada, conference, IFLA, libraries, Library 2.0, public libraries, web 2.0, WLIC on August 26, 2008 | 2 Comments »
I’ve been lucky enough to spend the last three weeks in Canada, visiting Toronto, Québec City and Montreal. The main reason for my trip was to attend IFLA’s World Library & Information Congress in Québec City. It was such a brilliant experience; meeting librarians from Japan, Canada, USA, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia…I think just [...]
Read Full Post »
Earlier this week a group of Library Science students from across America visited us at the University of Strathclyde as part of their study tour of the UK. It was brilliant to meet up with them and to discuss both the differences and similarities between libraries in the UK and USA.
It was also a privilege [...]
Read Full Post »
Posted in Books, Social Value, public libraries, tagged ALA, enid blyton, fiction, judy blume, libraries, paula danziger, reading on July 17, 2008 | 2 Comments »
I was one of those children who preferred reading to playing ‘red rover’ in the playground at lunch time. I used to overhear my gran and my aunts witter on to my mum that I always had my nose stuck in a book when I should be ‘out playing’. But I think my mum [...]
Read Full Post »
That’s just 1 of 5 conclusions reached by a national study investigating the use of libraries and museums, carried out by The Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) in America.
The report also found that libraries, along with museums evoke considerable trust amongst diverse sets of adult users; moreso than any other information sources. The study also confirmed that the [...]
Read Full Post »
Well, that’s if predictions made by Futurist Richard Watson actually come true. Libraries, along with post offices, direct marketing, free parking, butchers and sit down breakfasts will cease to exist in just 12 years time. And a few years after that we’ll see the death of blogging, spelling and web 2.0, apparently! We’ll have to wait [...]
Read Full Post »
