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Insane Totoro posted:THATCamp is a great idea. That they are hit or miss. We like to tell the attendees that if they have a crappy time at THATCamp it's their own fault since they provide the content, discussion and vigor. If anyone has questions on actually doing that let me know. I have helped organize 6 of the things with a 7th on its way for this fall.
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Jul 1, 2014 20:59
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All library conferences I've attended have been navel-gazing circle-jerks, so lol at the phone interviewer who was appalled at your lack of attendance.
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Jul 2, 2014 01:07
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Lee Harvey Oswald posted:All library conferences I've attended have been navel-gazing circle-jerks, so lol at the phone interviewer who was appalled at your lack of attendance. The green comic sans font in her emails should have been a warning sign, but I figured it would be over enthusiasm I could deal with, not outraged pouncing about conferences and potential journal publication.  Do you really want to hear my opinions about the state of higher education in the US or student retention vs. university competition given the recent downswing in birth rates since 1960 in a phone interview? I was prepped for talking about interlibrary loan strategy and management techniques and had those notes in front of me, not potentially controversial research agendas... Nothing more awkward in an interview than one committee member getting riled up, the target waffling and stammering, and the other three trying to get back on topic with friendly sounding questions.Thanks very much for the info on THATCamp, it looks pretty cool. There's one coming up in September nearby I think I'll try to get involved with. Toph Bei Fong fucked around with this message at 04:59 on Jul 2, 2014 |
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Jul 2, 2014 04:55
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Anybody heading to Digital Preservation 2014 in D.C., July 22-23? I met one goon last year, but I would welcome meeting more if you're going to be attending. In addition, I'll plug my working group's service for digital preservation Q&A site (soft launch): http://qanda.digipres.org/ Abyss fucked around with this message at 19:17 on Jul 8, 2014 |
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Jul 8, 2014 19:10
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Anyone headed to Charleston this year? All my previous conferences have been goon-less. Wait this is perhaps a good thing.
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Jul 8, 2014 19:14
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Insane Totoro posted:Anyone headed to Charleston this year? Incorrect, I'm the other goon that was at Digital Preservation last year, and goons are good people. And qanda.digipres.org is a model I hope other library communities move to, so we can dump the gossiping and complaining that dominate listservs.
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Jul 8, 2014 20:44
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Abyss posted:Anybody heading to Digital Preservation 2014 in D.C., July 22-23? I met one goon last year, but I would welcome meeting more if you're going to be attending. Thanks for the link. Just thought to check this thread before I head to CurateCamp 2014 tomorrow morning. In DC for an internship this summer and I didn't get to attend the actual Digital Preservation conference because of work, but I'll be there for the unconference. New to digital preservation and folklife, but excited to attend. Any goons going to be at these sessions? Focus on digital culture! Feel free to PM me if you'll be there. For anyone interested but not attending, here are some interviews with two of the unconference co-chairs (unchairs?): http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreservation/2014/07/lolcats-and-libraries-a-conversation-with-internet-librarian-amanda-brennan/ http://blogs.loc.gov/digitalpreserv...r-j-blank-pt-1/
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Jul 24, 2014 03:34
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Pod-Sixia posted:Thanks for the link. Just thought to check this thread before I head to CurateCamp 2014 tomorrow morning. In DC for an internship this summer and I didn't get to attend the actual Digital Preservation conference because of work, but I'll be there for the unconference. New to digital preservation and folklife, but excited to attend. Any goons going to be at these sessions? Focus on digital culture! Feel free to PM me if you'll be there. PM isn't working, but I'm around. I'm the guy that did the Q and A lightning talk.
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Jul 24, 2014 19:59
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I just participated in a week long Leadership Institute for librarians in my state. Has anyone done one of these types of immersion programs elsewhere? Does it actually result in transformational leader type people? Or just a networking opportunity? Or even not necessarily related to libraries. I just want to know if the model can actually work, if I missed the point of mine, or if they're just about taking your dollars for something you can put on a resume.
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Jul 26, 2014 21:42
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a friendly penguin posted:I just participated in a week long Leadership Institute for librarians in my state. Has anyone done one of these types of immersion programs elsewhere? Does it actually result in transformational leader type people? Or just a networking opportunity? Or even not necessarily related to libraries. I just want to know if the model can actually work, if I missed the point of mine, or if they're just about taking your dollars for something you can put on a resume. The important thing is that the librarians in charge in the industry think it's transformational. Does it matter if it is or not as a resume point? Some of these programs are competently run. But some of them are serious echo chambers.
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Jul 26, 2014 22:09
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a friendly penguin posted:I just participated in a week long Leadership Institute for librarians in my state. Has anyone done one of these types of immersion programs elsewhere? Does it actually result in transformational leader type people? Or just a networking opportunity? Or even not necessarily related to libraries. I just want to know if the model can actually work, if I missed the point of mine, or if they're just about taking your dollars for something you can put on a resume. Coincidentally, I'm in the middle of a grant funded study of these things. Could you PM me which one you went to? In general though, even the most competent immersion programs like ACRL/Harvard are most useful for the networking. Whatever initiative you take out of the program is hard to sustain at home. From what I've seen the year-long fellowship programs are better at building competencies.
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Jul 26, 2014 22:43
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Ahhh, I think I have accidentally screwed myself. I've been trying to get out of the legal sector into the academic sector for a few years now, and my applying has grown a bit...scattershot. Not that I've applied for any jobs that I wouldn't take or aren't qualified for, but I am now applying for jobs I probably wouldn't have gone for a year or two ago - like the job I had an interview for last week. This was an exclusively back end cataloguing position (no real contact with users), temporary until April, a very long awkward commute, and low paid. I've now been offered this position, and in any other situation in the last six months I'd have happily accepted, despite the downsides, as it would be in the correct sector, I could network like crazy, I might turn out enjoying it etc... The problem however is that I have another interview, this Wednesday, for another position at the SAME academic library service. This one is a library assistant, permanent, in the old library. Beautiful setting, nicer locale (commute wise). As I'm already doing that job somewhat at my Saturday position (which is at the same institution, and frankly is the only reason I'm getting these interviews) I feel relatively confident as much as you can for these interviews. Technically a library assistant position may be lower than a cataloguing position, but I think I'd enjoy the work more. And this could be the only chance I'd get to work in the old library of an ancient university, which is a genuine interest. Which is why I'm freaking out a bit. If I reject the temporary cataloguing job, and don't get the library assistant job, I'd forever kick myself. I've been trying so long and so desperately to get out my current job that it seems stupid to reject anything. But if I accept it, and then get offered the other position, a position frankly I'd love to do...well, if I accepted that position after accepting the other position it could screw my career with this entire institution. I guess I should call their HR dept - tomorrow, I only got myself a could of days to think - and see if there's any way I can accept this position pending the interview on Wednesday. or maybe I should just accept the cataloguing job, in many ways it's technically better. Might be better for CV (despite the temporariness of it.)
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Aug 11, 2014 21:47
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1. Temporary university library job = it's a trap. Dead end unless there's a specific plan for you to move up. 2. Ask the temp job supervisor if you can have until the decision is made on the assistant job for you to make your decision, but make it clear you're still very interested. But word it like "I have to consider all the offers and to at least interview for this other position. What is the firm deadline for making a decision?" 3. Back end jobs are terrible ways to get noticed. Being out and working in a visible way is also nice. Especially if permanent. 4. The folks making the decision on the temp job should be sympathetic to your situation if they're decent librarians. 5. Breathe.
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Aug 12, 2014 12:58
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Also this isn't somehow in Pennsylvania is it?
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Aug 12, 2014 12:59
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Insane Totoro posted:Also this isn't somehow in Pennsylvania is it? No - Oxford, the UK. Ugh, I'm just no good at these situations. I should have told the recruiting manager when she called that I had another interview, instead of just asking for a couple of days to think. Ah, you live and learn... I have to get back by end of Wednesday - so I guess I can go to the other interview and see how I feel it went. If it was an obvious washout I can just call and accept the other one, if not... well, then more awkwardness.
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Aug 12, 2014 17:01
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[quote="Insane Totoro" post="429934010"] My take on it is that you're choosing between taking a useless class in person versus a useless class online where you can at least suffer in your underwear with a Yuengling. I struggle to think of a class I took in LIS school that wasn't watered down when compared to a dedicated seminar or course elsewhere. You're not in LIS school for an education. You're climbing over the roadblock. Your posts are really helpful. And the first line of this post is hilarious!
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Aug 19, 2014 00:31
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I'm starting my MLIS program soon and had a quick question about books. The textbooks for my courses are expensive, as most textbooks are, so I'm considering renting the textbooks from Amazon. Is this a good idea? Did you all ever refer to the textbook you used in one course for another course or at some other point during your program? I think renting the textbook is a good idea, but only if I would never use that textbook again after that one course. Your thoughts would be most appreciated.
apdear fucked around with this message at 21:23 on Aug 20, 2014 |
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Aug 20, 2014 21:11
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I can't comment on the renting but as for using or reusing the text books it entirely depends on the courses you take and which professors. There were some books that were used in 2 or 3 courses but the majority were used only in 1. No idea what it will be like in your program, however.
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Aug 20, 2014 21:15
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I don't think there were any books I used in multiple courses, I rented a few times and it worked out just fine. I can think of only one book I purchased and held onto - a book on database design. Have you considered trying interlibrary loan?
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Aug 20, 2014 21:25
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nesbit37 posted:I can't comment on the renting but as for using or reusing the text books it entirely depends on the courses you take and which professors. There were some books that were used in 2 or 3 courses but the majority were used only in 1. No idea what it will be like in your program, however. Did you end up selling your books after your program finished?
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Aug 20, 2014 21:28
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Kusaru posted:I don't think there were any books I used in multiple courses, I rented a few times and it worked out just fine. I can think of only one book I purchased and held onto - a book on database design. Have you considered trying interlibrary loan? No I haven't considered that yet. I think renting would work well; I'm just curious about whether you all referred to your books again. It would be counterproductive to rent the book and then buy it later if I realize it would be helpful for another course. I guess this question will be best resolved through trial and error. Did you sell most of your books after your program?
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Aug 20, 2014 21:33
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I kept some, others I sold as the semester ended. I went really fast and did two masters degrees in 3 semesters so things were a little crazy and I didn't to track things beyond a semester out. I don't think I ever had to re-buy something I had sold back though.
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Aug 20, 2014 21:33
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apdear posted:I'm starting my MLIS program soon and had a quick question about books. The textbooks for my courses are expensive, as most textbooks are, so I'm considering renting the textbooks from Amazon. Is this a good idea? Did you all ever refer to the textbook you used in one course for another course or at some other point during your program? I think renting the textbook is a good idea, but only if I would never use that textbook again after that one course. Your thoughts would be most appreciated. MLIS courses have required textbooks?  You're a librarian, ILL that poo poo. Or rent. Edit: Okay, I did photocopy the glossary from the textbook once, just as a quick reference. But that all becomes old hat pretty soon Insane Totoro fucked around with this message at 21:40 on Aug 20, 2014 |
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Aug 20, 2014 21:33
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Insane Totoro posted:MLIS courses have required textbooks? Thanks for your feedback. Kusaru also suggested ILL. Textbooks are very expensive! It's worthwhile to think of other options.
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Aug 20, 2014 21:56
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mediadave posted:No - Oxford, the UK. Well, I ended up taking the temporary job anyway and in hindsight I don't know why I was feeling so sick with stress about it, so I guess I'll be working at the Bodleian library! Woo! Admittedly in five months time I'll be frantically looking for another job, but at least then I'll be doing so from a different position.
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Aug 20, 2014 22:10
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apdear posted:Thanks for your feedback. Kusaru also suggested ILL. Textbooks are very expensive! It's worthwhile to think of other options. Many academic libraries won't borrow textbooks through ILL, so you should probably check your library's ILL policies. mediadave posted:Well, I ended up taking the temporary job anyway and in hindsight I don't know why I was feeling so sick with stress about it, so I guess I'll be working at the Bodleian library! Woo! Admittedly in five months time I'll be frantically looking for another job, but at least then I'll be doing so from a different position. Tell everyone at the Bodleian library that their policies on thesis purchasing sucks. I've been trying to buy a copy of a 2005 thesis in the Bodleian stacks for one of our faculty, who needs it for a book he's writing. It's completely stalled because they require permission from the author, and he's not responding to anyone's attempts to contact him. It's been eight goddamn years dude, just let ProQuest sell your thesis already.
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Aug 20, 2014 22:25
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apdear posted:Thanks for your feedback. Kusaru also suggested ILL. Textbooks are very expensive! It's worthwhile to think of other options. Alternatively, ask your professor to put a copy on course reserve.
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Aug 20, 2014 22:46
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Today I went to the Arizona State Museum, and I thought why not go to the ASM library and figure out why when I was cataloging some Arizona Historical Society journals a few years ago, there were only records for a handful of issues; I figured they at least, or UA, or ASU or someone, would have records in Worldcat. Well, they did, but only for the title. No detailed records for each issue. Given how much clutter in Worldcat the library I was working at was responsible for over the years (I was worried I'd contributed to it) this makes me feel pretty good about the work I did; since for our users detailed records (IIRC with tables of contents) are a hell of a lot better.
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Aug 21, 2014 04:42
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as students, were you all members of the ALA? i'm pretty sure students are eligible for a discounted rate. was it beneficial, as a student, to be a member?
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Aug 21, 2014 21:08
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apdear posted:as students, were you all members of the ALA? i'm pretty sure students are eligible for a discounted rate. was it beneficial, as a student, to be a member? No
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Aug 21, 2014 21:35
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apdear posted:as students, were you all members of the ALA? i'm pretty sure students are eligible for a discounted rate. was it beneficial, as a student, to be a member? The ALA did nothing for me when I was a member, and seems to exist primarily as a check box to show participation and interest in the industry, unless you're deeply involved in the political lobbying it does. I'd save your money until you're job hunting, where it will help you look like you care. The organization itself doesn't do much for you as a student that you can't get for free reading industry blogs.
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Aug 21, 2014 21:58
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Spoilers Below posted:The ALA did nothing for me when I was a member, and seems to exist primarily as a check box to show participation and interest in the industry, unless you're deeply involved in the political lobbying it does. I'd save your money until you're job hunting, where it will help you look like you care. I feel as if targeted professional organizations do a better job. Like your regional associations and ACRL and stuff. Edit: Apologies if I sound snarky, working on an ILS migration and THIS IS COFFEE NUMBER FIVE
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Aug 21, 2014 21:59
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Insane Totoro posted:I feel as if targeted professional organizations do a better job. Like your regional associations and ACRL and stuff. I agree with this wholeheartedly. They actually have presentations about new things happening in your field, new products you might be interested in, new developments and new trends that will affect you, rather than the very broad "Libraries are slowly dying off; how can we add more computers? Can we really convince people who've had their jobs since the 80s to retire? Should we? The government is our friend, except when it is our enemy; what can we do about this?" type stuff that typically comes from the ALA. I'm being a bit facetious here, but they really are very broad in scope, and often times much too lofty to focus on practical things.
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Aug 21, 2014 22:11
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That being said, you should still keep up on broad trends. Just not spending $$$ on it.
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Aug 21, 2014 22:30
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Okay, good to know. Glad I asked, I will definitely save my $$$.
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Aug 22, 2014 01:01
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Lee Harvey Oswald posted:All library conferences I've attended have been navel-gazing circle-jerks, so lol at the phone interviewer who was appalled at your lack of attendance. This, I pretty much quit going to them. Might have to pick it up again now that I am in academia.
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Sep 5, 2014 12:46
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Let me tell you how libraries are still RELEVANT!
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Sep 5, 2014 13:18
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Show. Don't tell. Something something actions speak louder than words. If librarians as a culture spent equal effort in doing as much as they talk about doing.... Well....
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Sep 6, 2014 00:31
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Insane Totoro posted:Show. Don't tell. The KNVI (Royal Dutch Association of Information Professionals) has two seminars at their next congress with this title, you might be on to something here. 
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Sep 18, 2014 09:10
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Here, have some depressing poo poo:quote:LIBRARIAN (Professional Librarian I) - Range NON / 13 At that point why even bother?
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Oct 5, 2014 00:23
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