Latest presentations on SlideShare…

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 [...]

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Society of Chief Librarian’s Conference: public libraries, recession, web 2.0 & social media…

Although it’s still early days in terms of official research, public libraries are emerging once again as recession sanctuaries;  providing vital services, in times of economic crisis.

I recently presented on this very topic at the Society of Chief Librarian’s (SCL) Conference at the University of Warwick.  (Presentation available via my SlideShare page, click here).  Attending the conference [...]

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Unison presents 5 point plan aimed at securing the future of public libraries…

At the end of 2008 Unison published this timely report which looked at the current state of the public library service in the UK and its volatile future.  
The report highlights the public library as a “priceless – if often underused – link with the community” and calls for the government and local authorities to [...]

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Important public library impact study published in Scotland…

It’s an exciting time for public libraries in Scotland as we take important steps towards recognising and communicating our impact and value to society, with the help of a timely quality assurance tool!
The Public Library Quality Improvement Matrix (PLQIM) was introduced by the Scottish Library and Information Council in 2007 to “provide a robust method for defining [...]

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Director of Malawi National Library Service wins prestigious CILIP award

CILIP have just announced Mr. Gray Nyali as the recipient of the 2008 International Library and Information Group (ILIG) Award.  This award honours librarians “making a difference in Libraries and Information Services outside of the U.K.”
As Director of Malawi ’s National Library Service, Mr. Nyali has worked extensively with Book Aid International and various other partners to deliver a [...]

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The big bad BBC?

Although slightly off-topic I think that the views expressed by Hollywood actor Kevin Spacey earlier this week are somewhat relevant to my research into the social value of public libraries. 
Bias at the BBC?
Spacey claims that the BBC has shown “unfair” bias towards West End musicals produced by Andrew Lloyd Webber, failing to grant similar prime time exposure [...]

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