Nick Bland The accidental illustrator - Library and Information Week
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The vendors’ issue
Nick Bland
The accidental illustrator
Library and
Information Week
Share your story
Buildings full of books
Time to redefine ‘library’
May 2013 VOLUME 34 Issue 5
Future of the profession
The golden age of information
Australia’s Favourite Librarian
Why are so many called Sue?
May 2013 INCITE | 1
CONTENTS
INCITE is the magazine of
the Australian Library and
Information Association. It
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Frontline The last word –
© ALIA 2013 ACT: Rachael Hind AALIA Nick Bland talks
0408 673 362 being the NSS author
05
Apart from fair dealing for the
rachael.hind@alia.org.au
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in any form, by any means, 0416 366 634 elect Julie Rae a row
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NEWS
Contributors assert their moral
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claudia.davies@alia.org.au
Enthuse energise
rights to be identified as the
VIC: Margie Anderson AALIA (CP)
inspire – A recipe for
authors of their works.
03 9315 1090 the future
07
_________________________________ margie.anderson@alia.org.au
15 ALIA Election results
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COVER
Nick Bland, author of this
year’s National Simultaneous
Storytime book The Wrong
Book.
2 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5
CONTENTS
20
ALIA team – out and
about: ANU libraries, and
ANU’s Asian Collection
FEATURES 30 Future gazing
32 A regional picture
26 Something to sell
33 Making it work – the 123
27 We’re all on the same page of good supplier relationships
28 Working for libraries
May 2013 INCITE | 3
regulars
FRONTLINE – PRESIDENT
Vanessa little
Australian Library Copyright Committee The ALIA staff are the ‘glue’ that
have been active in presenting the holds our Association together. I would
library position into this review. like to acknowledge the staff as they
Our 2012–13 Board has been worked through a year of transition from
committed to addressing the very key one leadership team to another and
issues facing us and our future as a for their dedication to the welfare and
profession. My special thanks to Vice benefit of ALIA members. Following Sue
President Julie Rae in her passionate Hutley’s departure from ALIA, Rob Miller
leadership of the ebook agenda and the took on the role of Acting Executive
Future of the Profession research. I also Director while recruitment to the position
thank Joseph Cullen and Kathryn Cass, was conducted. On behalf of all of the
our outgoing Board members, for their ALIA family, I thank Rob for leading the
dedication and work. team most effectively throughout this
A role such as that of President time. I also would like to acknowledge
usually comes with some difficult and Janetta Mascilongo who left the
sometimes controversial decision position of Director: Professional Services
making. The decision by the Board this during the year. Janetta has been an
year to outsource the Association’s enthusiastic supporter of ALIA’s training
academic journals has been the source activities and of the course accreditation
of some debate in the profession, but program. She left big shoes for Janice
Much has changed, much has been I am confident that it is the right move Taylor to fill when Janice commenced in
achieved, and there is much left to be for this time and that members will see the role.
done from my year as President of ALIA. improvements in accessibility and the Perhaps the most exciting aspect
Changes have not only been internal reach of our journals and our authors. of my year as President has been the
to the ALIA organisation, but also within I hope that you are all happy with the National Year of Reading 2012. With
the library and information landscape in new format INCITE and the ALIA Weekly over 4000 activities across the country
Australia. email newsletter. I believe both of these and many, many partners, supporters,
My term as President has seen the improvements have brought a freshness and ambassadors, this initiative has
need to galvanise members and to and a renewed sense of connection to far exceeded the expectations of the
be vociferous in our advocacy across members of ALIA. 15 founding partners who established
many library sectors. Together, we have I am proud of the commitment and the concept. ALIA has been not only a
had success in Queensland with our sound management of the Association founder partner of the National Year of
Dumb Idea campaign about State by our 2012–13 Board. Mindful of the Reading, but also the auspicing body
Government libraries and I thank the need to be fiscally responsible, but in for grants from the Commonwealth
many members who contributed effort a time of transition and change for the Government, business, and philanthropic
to that campaign. Association, the Board, with support organisations. We delivered a highly
We have continued to work with from ALIA staff, has put the Association successful year and established
our school library members and into a surplus position again this year. My ourselves as a trusted, reliable partner for
colleagues to press the Commonwealth Board colleagues have been wise and government and others.
and State Governments to adopt the wonderful counsellors, contributors, and Finally, I would like to acknowledge
recommendations of the school libraries leaders for the Association and I thank the vital role that our new Executive
review. So far we have not reached our them most sincerely for their contribution Director, Sue McKerracher, has played in
desired outcomes, but the dialogue is during my presidential year. consolidating and reshaping ALIA as we
still open and the collaboration between Becoming a member of the take on the many important issues in our
associations continues to strengthen ALIA Board is just one way in which near future. Sue has been inspirational
through our joint efforts. volunteering supports the Association. to staff, the Board, and members in her
Our advocacy for TAFE libraries has I have been increasingly aware, ability to develop partnerships, and
yet to have an outcome, but again throughout my term as a director, advocate and strategise for libraries and
the partnership between the Board, of the many and varied ways in librarians, and, on your behalf, I thank
members, and the ALIA staff has shown which members demonstrate their her for her substantial contribution this
how quickly we can mobilise, and clearly commitment. Editorial boards, Advisory year. I would also like to acknowledge
articulate our position with key decision Committees, and ALIA Groups involve her family who do without her for a
makers. more than 200 volunteers at a senior number of days every week, while she
This year has seen the level. Then there are the conference undertakes her role with ALIA.
commencement of a review of convenors and their helpers, reference I now hand over the presidential
copyright legislation in Australia. group members, panellists, and baton to Julie Rae for 2013–14. Julie, I
Well overdue, this review opens up representatives on external committees. wish you well for your year as President
the dialogue between libraries and It is impossible to thank everyone and hope that you find the year as
copyright holders regarding rights in the individually, but please be assured that energising and exciting as I have.
digital world. Access to information in your contribution has been recognised
every format is essential to our future and valued.
and both ALIA and our colleagues in the
4 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5
regulars
FRONTLINE – PRESIDENT ELECT
julie rae
Please join me in thanking Vanessa write and publish these works to ensure connect to the word, whether it is digital
Little for her contribution and dedication the future of reading through libraries is or on paper? What role will they play if
over the past 12 months as President. Her still maintained. the funders continue to think of libraries
commitment to fighting the continual Over the past number of years we as just places for books?
battles of ensuring libraries across the have seen libraries morph into places
Open access
nation survived in times of economic that are no longer just repositories of the
Over 20 years ago, academic
downturns has been nothing less than printed word, but community spaces
libraries experienced the demise of
outstanding. From Queensland to where people come together, readers
printed periodicals and have battled the
Western Australia, Vanessa tirelessly meet authors, patrons hear stories,
landscape to build collections in digital
raised the flag for libraries by working study groups form, tutoring takes place,
formats. The battle still rages with access
with the Board and ALIA staff to fine and people ‘hang out’. Regardless of
to titles withdrawn, escalating costs, and
tune and further develop our advocacy whether it is in print or digital, the use of
now open access is the new frontier.
campaigns. words, the sentence, or ideas go to the
IFLA’s position paper on open access
We also say farewell to Kathryn very heart of what we do. Without the
describes it as follows:
Cass and Joseph Cullen, our departing container, are libraries merely community
“Open access is the now known
directors. At the same time I would like to spaces where people come together?
name for a concept, a movement
welcome the incoming board members, How many people have you heard over
and a business model whose goal is
Susan Coker, Alyson Dalby, and Damian history talk about the importance of their
to provide free access and re-use of
Lodge, and I look forward to working local library and how it played some part
scientific knowledge in the form of
with them over the next 12 months. in their success?
research articles, monographs, data and
Over the past two years the ALIA
The semantic web related materials. Open access does this
Board has been grappling with the future
Google, Amazon, Apple, Kobo, etc by shifting today’s prevalent business
of the Association and what it will look
have all taken over our role of making models of after-publication payment by
like in the next 10 to 50 years so that we
books available and they are doing subscribers to a funding model that does
can plan accordingly. But this future is
extremely well at it. They have large not charge readers or their institutions for
about much more than the Association;
collections of ebooks, many free, making access.” [IFLA]
it is about our professional existence.
it easier for people to download and
Over the next 12 months, we as a Big data
read without the extra hassle of leaving
profession are faced with a number of The new frontier, according to
their home or having to return the book.
challenges. Most will not be dealt with SAS, the corporation that consults
We teach people how to use the
within this timeframe, but what we do with businesses on this topic, states
internet; our reference collections have
over the next year will help shape the that ‘big data’ is a popular term used
been replaced with the world wide
future of what we become. The difficulty to describe the exponential growth,
web; bookclubs are online; communities
is, as David Pogue suggests in his paper availability, and use of information,
are online; individually, we connect
A few guidelines for anyone attempting both structured and unstructured.
with more people than we ever have
to predict the future of technology(1): Much has been written on the big data
before through social media, web 2.0,
“everybody who takes a stab at these trend and how it can serve as the basis
and online chat rooms. The much talked
kinds of predictions inevitably winds up for innovation, differentiation, and
about web 3.0 will have a direct impact
looking like an idiot” as you invariably growth(3). What impact will this have
on our information services by bringing
get it wrong. on our profession? While initially the
back results tabulated and ready for use.
So I am not suggesting that we will concept of big data is mostly being
Tim Berners-Lee originally expressed the
predict the future, but we can see some discussed in commercial companies,
vision of the semantic web as follows:
big issues that we need to face as a what can we do with our own data to
“I have a dream for the Web [in
profession together. assist in our future growth? Also how do
which computers] become capable
The issues that the board will be we manage and maintain the data our
of analyzing all the data on the Web
working on over the next 12 months are: own organisations may produce through
– the content, links, and transactions
research? Governments are now stating
Ebooks between people and computers. A
that research conducted with public
Sarah Houghton in her blog Librarian ‘Semantic Web’, which should make this
money will need to be available for all
in Black aptly writes that she is breaking possible, has yet to emerge, but when
to use. While there are projects like the
up with ebooks, and the reason why it does, the day-to-day mechanisms of
Australian National Data Service (ANDS),
is, she says: “I mean the whole messed trade, bureaucracy and our daily lives
will more of these be required, can our
up situation – the copyright nightmares, will be handled by machines talking
particular set of skills morph into this field?
the publishers, the fragmented formats, to machines. The ‘intelligent agents’
the ridiculous terms of service, the people have touted for ages will finally Qualifications
device incompatibility, the third-party materialize. Will these so called intelligent If funders and others believe there
aggregation companies libraries agents replace the need for a reference is no role for libraries, and that libraries
do business with – all of it.”(2) I can librarian?” restrict trade, this may have a direct
understand her frustration, however we impact on the need for qualifications
Funding of libraries
do not want to break up with ebooks. and the recognition these bring.
Schools fight battles every day with
We want to embrace all they have to Accredited professionals, highly valued
limited funds and higher expectations of
offer and work with our colleagues who for their skill and able to adapt to our
students’ literacy levels, but how do they
May 2013 INCITE | 5
regulars
changing environment, are a vital As you can see from the list, there ALIA will continue to work
ingredient for the success of libraries. is much to consider, think about, and with academic boards on course
ALIA’s role in accreditation of courses investigate, and this can not all be done accreditation and requirements for the
and ensuring courses are relevant and in just 12 months. These are ongoing profession.
accessible is an important element in this issues that we must all address as a ALIA will continue to monitor the
mix. profession. I, for one, am excited about trends and future technologies that may
the possibilities for our future. Already we have direct impact on our profession
Copyright
have started delving into the detail of and will keep you informed through our
Copyright plays a major role in our
some of these issues: various conferences, publications and
work, with issues of length of copyright,
ALIA has developed a set of communiques.
exceptions, and fair use becoming more
principles on ebooks and elending, ALIA has developed a futures space
important than ever. How these issues
through our consultations with you, you for all of us to contribute; aliafutures.
are addressed over the coming years
can find them on our website. wikispaces.com. Let’s work together to
will have a major impact on libraries’
ALIA will continue to be represented help shape our role and importance into
capacity to deliver services.
at the Book Industry Consultative the future.
Future of the profession Committee, discussing elending and
the availability of ebooks with the other 1. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.
As part of our strategic plan, ALIA is cfm?id=the-future-is-for-fools
looking at the future of the profession – industry stakeholders. 2. Houghton, Sara. breaking up with e-books. librarian
where we will be in 50 years, 100 years. ALIA will participate in international in black. [Online] 21 August 2012 . [Cited: 1 march 2013.]
http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/.
Yes, the landscape is changing, but does activities through IFLA, especially in 3. http://www.sas.com/big-data/
the premise of what we do – connecting the area of copyright and other legal
people to information and ideas – matters, open access, and ebooks.
continue? Our futures paper will develop ALIA will continue to work on
over this time and we welcome your copyright issues with the Australian Digital
contributions. Alliance and the Australian Libraries
Copyright Council.
6 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5
NEWS
Election Results Save the Date: ALIA Annual
General Meeting
ALIA congratulates Susan Coker, incoming ALIA Vice-
President, and Alyson Dalby and Damian Lodge, incoming ALIA’s AGM will take place 14 May 2013, from 6pm, in the
ALIA Board Directors. Ferguson Room at the National Library of Australia.If you can
We also congratulate everyone who nominated for these join us in Canberra, please come along – networking and
positions for their excellent candidature, and thank the ALIA refreshments follow the official business.
membership for their votes.
Susan Coker Alyson Dalby Damian Lodge
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May 2013 INCITE | 7
news
The Future of the profession
We all want to know what the future holds for library and Technology will encourage this view of the world. It is
information services, and while it is, of course, impossible to already possible to provide information services remotely to
predict in exact terms, we have used global trends, early thousands of users, removing the practical need for on-site
indicators, and futurist thinking to develop themes which can professionals. This works from an efficiency perspective but it
guide our discussion about where we might be headed. can compromise customer service.
Our ideas are contained in the Future of the Profession In a digital environment, where the emphasis is on
discussion paper, which is now available to download, read, economies of scale, what could this mean for library and
debate, and comment upon. The purpose of the paper is to information services?
provoke discussion across the sector between library leaders,
information service providers, vendors, practitioners, students,
commentators, colleagues in Australia and internationally – Theme 2 is connection.
anyone and everyone with an interest in the field. With the basic necessities of life – water, food, and fuel – in
This discussion paper is a work in progress. We have set out shorter supply, people will be encouraged to cluster together
a proposition based on our findings, now we would like to hear in a tight urban footprint, to make best use of the transport
what you think – do you agree with our three themes, or do and utilities infrastructure. While this supports the practicalities
you think there are further alternatives we need to explore? Do of existence, it threatens people’s quality of life. To counteract
you think our scenarios have merit or are there other outcomes this, government will invest in civic spaces – buildings, parks,
that you feel are more likely? plazas, where people can meet, mingle, and breathe in the
air. Space to study, work, create, and connect will be at a
Theme 1 is convergence. premium.
In a tighter economic environment, governments
and organisations will be looking for ways to operate
Theme 3 is the golden age of
more efficiently and at lower cost. Convergence will information.
be more attractive than people and services working
Our proposition is that, while there is an ever-increasing
independently from multiple locations. volume of information, we have yet to reach the golden age
of information, where all knowledge is available to everyone,
all the time – albeit at a price. In this environment, library and
information professionals can embrace the concept of big
data while government, businesses, and other organisations
struggle to manage the deluge of facts, knowledge, and
insight.
Consultation
In addition to our library and information colleagues, we
will be asking social and political commentators, technology
experts, corporate strategists, and other top flight thinkers to tell
us what they think about our visions of the future.
The 2013 ALIA National Advisory Congress will see a series of
two-hour workshops held in every capital city around Australia
between August and October to talk about the Future of
the Profession. The workshops will be based on the discussion
paper, published on 1 May, and the feedback generated in
the intervening months.
There will be a Future of the Profession Summit in Sydney in
October 2013, at which we will present the outcomes of the
various discussions of the previous six months. The event will
provide the opportunity for library leaders to define what our
public-facing position should be on the future of the profession
and how this should inform ALIA’s strategies, policies, and
activities in 2014 and beyond.
You can comment now, and at any time through to
the end of October 2013. Become a wiki editor aliafutures.
wikispaces.com/home, email advocacy@alia.org.au, or join
the discussion on ALIA’s Facebook page and through Twitter
#aliafutures.
8 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5
May 2013 INCITE | 9
news
library and information week
The Library and Information Week
theme for 2013 is share your story and
The possibilities are endless. Make
sure that you share your great ideas with
Tuesday 21 May:
we want to hear yours. Let us know us. We also would love to see the results. National Library
why you love library and information Make sure you share your favourite
services, what makes a great librarian library users’ stories with us and take any Technicians’ Day
or information professional, how you pictures (or video) and send it in to us. National Library Technicians Day is
ended up in the LIS industry, or any other celebrated on the Tuesday of Library
How can you see others’ stories?
LIS-related story you would like to share. and Information Week every year. The
Keep an eye out on Twitter for
You can let us know by emailing media@ day provides an opportunity for Library
the hashtag #liw13, or check out the
alia.org.au, connecting with us on social Technicians to promote ALIA, the
compilation from across social media
media, sending us Youtube videos or profession, and their role in libraries and
platforms on our storify page www.storify.
Instagram photos, postcards through to celebrate their many achievements.
com/ALIANational/share-your-story.
snail mail… anyway you can think of to
connect with us, we will welcome. What will we do with all of these stories? Ideas for Tuesday at your library:
We also want you to use Library We want a diverse multi-media • Celebrate the library
and Information Week as a platform to database that tells the stories we find technicians who work in your
get your users to tell their stories about difficult to quantify in numbers. We library
libraries and the people who work in will then use our ‘story’ for advocacy • Check out information
them. Here are some ideas for how you campaigns to help secure the future of and book in for the 2013
can get your users to share their story: the LIS industry. We plan to use these ALIA Library Technicians
• Print out postcards from www. important and vibrant stories to create Symposium
alia.org.au/liw and have your information packages that will go out to • Have library technicians share
users send them to you or fill all federal MPs (post-election) and state their story about the industry
them out with their story MPs to let them know the importance of • Attend one of the many
• Have a youtube video or libraries and information services. Library Technicians’ Day events
Instagram photo competition around the country
encouraging your users to Monday 20 May:
share their library story Wednesday 22 May:
• Create shadow people (like LIW launch
the ones on the LIW poster) National Simultaneous
To launch Library and Information
and put them up on the wall.
Week, ALIA will be announcing the Storytime
Encourage your users to write
winner of the Australia’s Favourite Now in its 13th successful year, NSS is
their story on the shadow
Librarian competition, launching the 13 a colourful, vibrant, and fun event that
people
Project campaign, working on finding aims to promote the value of literacy
• Encourage your users to reach
an Australia definition of the word library, using an Australian children’s book that
out via social media and share
and asking library users and workers to explores age appropriate themes and
their story
share their story. addresses key learning areas of the
• Print out and laminate speech
bubbles or get some small Ideas for Monday at your library: National Curriculum for Grades 1 to 6.
chalk boards. Have library • Put up displays and event your In 2012, 380 000 children at over 2000
staff and library users fill in their users to share their stories about locations across Australia took part in
favourite things about your libraries and library workers National Simultaneous Storytime. This
library or information service • Attend the ALIA QLD trivia night year at 11am, children across Australia
and take pictures to post in in Brisbane will be reading Nick Bland’s The Wrong
your libraries. You can even get Book. Scholastic Australia is sponsoring
some fun props involved this wonderful event. Let us know about
• If you live in a sunny place, your event by tweeting #nss13.
have users write their stories in
chalk outside the entrance of
the library
10 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5news
Let’s redefine ‘library’
for Library and
Information Week
Speaking at the ALIA Information Online conference
in Brisbane, in February, IFLA President Ingrid Parent talked
about the need for a new definition for libraries. She
reminded us that the Oxford Dictionary definition of library is
‘a building containing collections of books, periodicals, and
sometimes films and recorded music for use or borrowing
by the public or the members of an institution’.
For Library and Information Week this year, we’re
asking you to help us create a new definition for the word
‘library’. Here are some fabulous quotes from writers and
commentators in America and Europe, but where are our
Australian quotes?
Help us come up with some words we can use to help
change how people think about libraries in Australia –
Ideas for Wednesday at your library: public libraries, school libraries, university and TAFE libraries,
• Make National Simultaneous Storytime a really big and all those special libraries and information services –
event by inviting a local politician or celebrity to and we’ll publish the best in INCITE.
read at your event. Make sure you invite the media Email advocacy@alia.org.au and join the discussion on
along. Facebook and Twitter (#redefinelibrary).
• Have a spare top hat and tails laying around? Dress
up like Nicholas Ickle to read the book
• Have crafts, songs, and other books ready to go with
the story.
A librar y is
Thursday 23 May: Biggest Morning Tea thought in
cold
Mid-May is a popular time for big events in Australia. storage
a
A library is not
The Thursday of Library and Information Week is always the
uel
Australian Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea. Herbert Sam
luxury but on e of
Ideas for Thursday at your library:
• Put on a morning tea at your workplace and use the the necessities of
event as an opportunity to collect stories. life
• If you really want to have some fun, have a morning her
Henry Ward Beec
team theme! At ALIA House last year, we had a book-
themed morning tea. The l
ib
the t rar y is
Friday 24 May: Wrap up emp
learn le of
Friday is the finale of Library and Information Week. Use this
Carl
ing
day to celebrate your achievements over the past week as T Row
an
a
A librar y is
well as the past year.
r
Ideas for Friday at your library:
• Work with your library staff to create your library’s
hospital fo
definition of the word ‘library.’ Let us know your the mind
definition by emailing advocacy@alia.org.au or
e
A library in the middl
s
tweeting it through #liw13 Anonymou
of a community is a
13 Project cross between an
Library and Information Week happens to coincide this emergency exit, a life
year with National Cyber Security Awareness Week, which
has provided ALIA a perfect opportunity to launch the 13 raft and a festival
Project campaign. The 13 Project is an exciting new initiative to Caitlin Moran
promote the role of teacher librarians and school libraries and
to engage students in learning cyber and digital literacy skills.
For more information on National Cyber Security Awareness
s
as well as resources and information for your library or personal ar y i
use, please visit www.staysmartonline.gov.au A libr under
ty
infini oof
Look out for our NSS and LIW wrap-ups ar ein
on the ALIA website. n Lev
Carso
Gail
May 2013 INCITE | 11regulars
ENERGISE, ENTHUSE, INSPIRE
EEI gives a voice to the new generation of library and information professionals. If you
have any suggestions or topics for this column, please contact the column co-ordinator
Lesa Maclean at maclean.lesa@gmail.com
A recipe for the future
Librarian androids, direct-to-brain innovation can happen and document
downloads of the world’s knowledge, or the creations. We need to think beyond
librarians in outer space: the potential thinking outside the box. Are we even
future? The future of the profession was thinking?
a topic that was heavily discussed at
3. Update your toolkit.
the recent New Librarians Symposium
Learn to use technology outside of Library and information science
(NLS6) and ALIA’s Information Online.
your comfort zone. Social media is just is a profession that is expanding
From open data to augmented
an extension of a virtual branch, think exponentially as the information
social networking to geocaching, the
of Twitter as being the voice of front available grows. Information
conferences were buzzing with different
desk staff who answers ready reference professionals of the future will be able to
takes on innovation. Not even the futurist
and directional queries. Play with social analyse information in ways we are still
Dr Stuart Candy who spoke at NLS6
media sites to learn their worth, and imagining. The future librarians could be
could predict the future, so how do we
decide what best suits you and your innovators, philosophers, technologists,
prepare for it? I propose that the future
N
organisation. Learn HTML
of librarianship just needs a little spice.
and CSS through online
tutorials, read blog posts
Preparation Time: 1 lifetime
Feeds: RSS
about how to make
your website mobile
ot even the futurist Dr
Ingredients:
1 librarian (can be either seasoned or
fresh from library school)
friendly. I am by no
means an expert in how Stuart Candy who spoke
1 computing device
1 internet connection (NBN currently
to fix Toshiba tablets, but I
cracked mine open and at NLS6 could predict
optional)
1 ounce of willingness to learn
fixed it after Googling
gadget forums for how to the future, so how do we
get past the boot screen.
50 kilograms of patience
A pinch of spice of life 4. Get creative.
prepare for it?
The internet is a
Methods: playground where your
patrons and library science students are
or astronauts. The different backgrounds
we bring to librarianship give the
playing. Are you in the sandpit? Jump
1. Get interested. profession a rich array of skills and
into using that new app, make a mash
Technology news daily announces makes for a diverse and vibrant working
up, record a book trailer, play the game
discoveries that seem futuristic. Keeping environment. We should embrace
you are afraid of losing. Reflect on your
current with gadgets and technology our differences and work towards
losses and wins equally. Get creative in
through local and international collaboration, whether it is between
any way that you are comfortable.
technology blogs is a great way to be on libraries across the world or maybe to a
the pulse and get interested. I stay pretty 5. Stir until mixed. librarian in outer space.
up to date with new developments and The traditional library school
technology news through the blogs teachings are still important. Metadata Kysira is a recent QUT Library and
and social media. And by participating isn’t going anywhere, and we have the Information Science graduate and is
in the blogs, I have ready access to a knowledge of traditional information currently an information management
community of tech-savvy people when I management principles. We could be librarian at the Queensland
have to go beyond my tech skills. playing in open data, creating new Parliamentary Library and Research
services, or providing linked data for Service. She likes reading long comic
2. Innovate yourself. our databases to connect information books on the beach, and hopes to
Tools like social media sites, 3D in meaningful ways. We could be become an international librarian. You
printers, and smartphones are just providing traditional reference services can find her on twitter as @klfair, or as
tools. They are tools that have been or information literacy classes through the She-Hulk Librarian at klfair.wordpress.
developed from innovative thinking Skype or Tumblr. com.
that we need to adopt as a profession.
These tools were created because there 6. Repeat steps 1–5 until retired.
Looking to the future is hardwired into
Kysira Fairbairn
was a gap in what people needed and Information Management Librarian
what services already existed. The Edge our professional psyche. Undertaking
Queensland Parliamentary Library and
at the State Library of Queensland has research projects or partaking in the
Research Service
a basement full of weird things where professional development scheme is part Twitter: @klfair
they are letting the public use their of our need to never stop learning. Use kysira.fairbairn@gmail.com
www.klfair.posterous.com
3D printer and create arcade game these steps to reflect on your professional
machines. Offer spaces where further work ethic.
12 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5May 2013 INCITE | 13
news
Kobos in Schools:
policy which each student signs if
they wish to borrow a Kobo. Parental
permission is also sought to ensure the
Kobos will be replaced by parents if a
Hot Tips for Reader Engagement student damages them. This information
is noted on the borrower’s record.
Campbell High School
Keith Mullumby, Teacher Librarian at
Campbell High School, is enthusiastic
about the Kobo ebook reader trial he
instigated over the last twelve months at
his school. Keith explains that he hopes
physical monographs will be with us
for a long time, but ebooks offer some
advantages. These include: not taking
up any shelf space, cost effectiveness,
instant gratification (can be bought and
available within minutes of a request),
durability, and an inability to be lost
(ebook readers can be lost, but the
text can be re-downloaded from most
vendors at no cost).
Campbell High’s Library has 30 Kobos
available for seven-day loans. The staff
have purchased covers for the Kobos
Megan Taylor and Rose Clifton from St Francis Xavier College Library. and currently have 165 books available,
including non-fiction titles.
As today’s students are more than also allowed staff to keep track of the
Keith indicates that their target
confident with technology and many solutions to any of these issues as they
audience is their students as well as the
are far less comfortable with reading went. To protect the devices, Rose
English faculty, as he hopes English texts
recreationally, teacher librarians are purchased a skin for each Kobo as well
can be provided in this format in the
using Kobo ebook readers to open up as a neoprene case for each. All of the
future. He has designed a feedback
the world of digital reading for their Kobos currently live in their boxes.
form for users to fill out to ensure the
students. Three schools from Canberra Megan Taylor, one of the Teacher
Kobo project at his school has data to
tell us about their ebook reader journeys. Librarians at SFX, advises library staff to
inform the continued success of the
begin with around five to ten Kobos for a
St Francis Xavier College Kobo trial. A library policy and contract
trial period. Megan purchased a variety
Library staff at St Francis Xavier for students’ use of the Kobos has also
of ebook readers to investigate which
College (SFX) have spent been put into action.
S
the last six months working
Merici College
on their Kobo project with
Merici is an all-girls Catholic College.
some great results. Thirty
Kobos were purchased:
20 for general use and
taff note that the Merici has 30 Kobos for students and
staff to borrow for a week and this
10 for a literacy program.
The Kobos are rarely on
Kobos help engage lower loan is renewable. Tracey Kent, one of
the Teacher Librarians at Merici, says
the library shelves as the
students have shown a
ability readers; students library staff promote the Kobos heavily
and notice they are becoming very
popular with staff. The ebook readers are
strong interest in borrowing
them. Staff note that the
can change the font checked for damage before they are
loaned out, but so far no damage has
Kobos help engage lower
ability readers; students size to suit themselves occurred. The Kobos are recharged by
library staff before being loaned out.
can change the font size
to suit themselves and, best and, best of all, the Kobo Merici has one Kobo account and
loads all of their devices with books
ensures reader privacy
of all, the Kobo ensures
from this account. Tracey advises other
reader privacy. This allows
library staff to ‘give it a go and iron out
lesser able readers to read
problems as they arise.’
books that are suited to
Merici, Campbell High School and St
their reading level without their peers
type would suit their library’s needs and Francis Xavier College staff are all part
noting what they are reading. Another
said that the Kobo’s license agreement of an evidence-based practice group
advantage to Kobos are the reading
lent itself favourably to purchasing books evaluating the success of implementing
statistics provided under the heading
once and being able to put them on all Kobo ebook readers in their libraries. All
‘reading life’ on each device.
of the school’s devices. Megan said that are interested in promoting higher rates
It wasn’t always plain sailing though.
staff selected 40 books for the Kobos of reader engagement. We look forward
Rose Clifton, a Library Technician and AV
and the students were able to select 40 to reading about their results later in the
Specialist at SFX, said staff implemented
more. The English faculty also had input year.
a ‘problems board’ to keep track of
into the selection which assists students
issues that occurred, including students
in accessing year level texts as well as Rachael Hind
altering the language on the Kobos,
books for accelerated reading classes. ALIA ACT Manager
deleting books, and drawing or playing
Staff implemented a Kobo borrowing rachael.hind@alia.org.au
Sodoku on them. This message board
14 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5regulars
LIS: Investigations Where ALIA’s Research Committee brings you news from
the world of library and information services research.
PDA – panacea or The problems that PDA programs
are prone to will be viewed differently
others that agree strongly with Walters’
principles, assessment of acquisition
problem? according to the librarians’ stance on programs is much harder and would
these two principles. Walters outlines involve an attempt to demonstrate the
From our collection: six problems that can beset all PDA relationship between library services and
programs and four that can affect educational outcomes such as research
Walters, William H. 2012, ‘Patron-Driven ebook-only programs: productivity, test performance, and the
Acquisition and the Educational Mission • failure to distinguish between quality of students’ written assignments.
of the Academic Library’, Library students’ immediate This is a very well written and useful
Resources & Technical Services vol. 56, desires and their long-term article for anyone wanting to get a clear,
no. 3, pp. 199-213 educational needs comprehensive picture of the pros and
• failure to make full use of cons of PDA, and an overview of what to
librarians’ knowledge and consider if establishing this as a method
Patron driven acquisition (PDA) has expertise of purchase or alternative to traditional
been adopted by many libraries across • failure to represent the full interlibrary loan.
all sectors in Australia as a cost effective range of library stakeholders,
method of collection building and an such as future students and Dr Diana Hodge
efficient way of meeting the information faculty Manager, Academic Library Services,
needs of patrons without delay. • systematic and idiosyncratic Education, Arts and Social Sciences,
William Walters looks at some of the biases in selection University of South Australia
downsides to this method of collection • potential overspending or Diana.Hodge@unisa.edu.au
procurement. discriminatory restrictions on
Walters describes all the variables spending arbitrarily imposed
that can be manipulated and combined • issues related to bibliographic
to create PDA programs that suit control – records being
individual institutions – very handy for available in the catalogue but
anyone thinking of establishing PDA in the item not being available
their library. He goes on to outline two for use
key principles of academic librarianship Ebook-only:
that can guide the assessment of PDA or • limited availability
other collection development programs. of academic titles
The problems he identifies with PDA stem available as ebooks
from the acceptance or rejection of • embargoes on the
these principles. The first is “libraries serve availability of a title
T he most effective collection
is not necessarily one that
provides access to the greatest
number of resources.
their parent agencies”. If the academic as an ebook
library serves the university, does it exist • high prices of
to teach students or is its role purely to academic ebooks
supply requested information? How the • ebook licensing
library answers that will inform how they issues that limit
assess the success of any acquisition patrons and libraries’
system. The second principle is “selection rights
increases the value of the collection”. For those libraries
The most effective collection is not which view their services in
necessarily one that provides access technical terms, the ultimate
to the greatest number of resources. goal may be to deliver
The role of the librarian is to restrict the documents in response
collection so as to guide patrons to the to requests; acquisition
works that are the most useful and best programs with this goal
quality. can be assessed simply
by statistical means. For
May 2013 INCITE | 15news
Australia’s favourite librarian
Many of the stories the public read about the LIS industry focus on the physical space of the library, leaving the people
who work at them out of the equation. We wanted to provide an opportunity to get Australia’s librarians and library
employees in on the story and provide a platform for library users to discuss the best qualities of their favourite librarian.
438 NOMINATIONS
5 NT CAME IN FROM
16 WA
27 QLD
ACROSS AUSTRALIA
9 SA
(212 Individual librarians
44 NSW were nominated)
71 VIC 37 ACT
3 TAS
6 tafe
8 government
10 state library
16 univeristy
21 special
36 school
Most often used words:
Always Love Knowledge
115 public Librarian
Books
Help
Reading
Caring
Wonderful
Community Friendly Happy
Great Good Most
Best Libraries Need
Helpful Information Place
LIBRARIANS AND LIBRARY
WORKERS OF ALL KINDS
WERE NOMINATED
16 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5news
145 LIBRARIANS,
13 915 votes on the poll +
LIBRARY WORKERS,
AND A LIBRARY DOG
WENT UP FOR VOTING
ON OUR POLL 2200 facebook likes +
1560 poll comments +
233 email votes +
71 votes by phone +
53 Tweets +
N E WS
Dec 29, 2004 - The Inkscape
developers have set a goal
for the release of Inkscape 0.41
21 stories in the media +
for mid-late January. There are
some noteworthy new features
that would be worth getting out
to users, and with some major
internal changes that will be
taking place soon, a good stable
release is needed prior to starting
such an undertaking.
Dec 29, 2004 - The Inkscape
developers have set a goal
for the release of Inkscape 0.41
for mid-late January. There are
some noteworthy new features
that would be worth getting out
to users, and with some major
internal changes that will be
taking place soon, a good stable
release is needed prior to starting
such an undertaking.
= A whole lot of love
for librarians and
library employees.
Librarians named Sue seem to be
favourites around Australia. Sue was by
far the most popular name in our poll,
with 12 different Sues nominated.
Check out the June/July edition of INCITE for Australia’s Favourite Librarian as voted by you!
May 2013 INCITE | 17regulars
A DAY in the life of...
Edmund Balnaves, Prosentient Systems
mis-use of the feedback forms in our
DSpace digital library systems. The
morning also involved talking to a
library about its upgrade to the latest
version of Koha. It included nudging
along a new technology project for
news scanning and automated feeds
to the digital library for one of our
clients. It also included some planning
for a forthcoming DSpace technology
training session for the new Solomon
Islands National University staff (their
Systems Librarians are coming to Sydney
for the training – a prospect we are very
excited about).
We are a small team at Prosentient
(six in all) supporting quite a diverse
group of libraries (over 400 using
different systems). Our clients, being
mostly special libraries are kindred
operations: often with only a few staff
and supporting library clients and
systems on a tiny budget. They face
big challenges and are meeting these
challenges often in very adventurous
ways. I have a great time working with
these libraries – they are full of ideas and
they innovate marvellous ways around
When you get the technology bug, around the world. My library business has
problems. We always try to let their
it is quite infectious. So, when my day evolved to suit my temperament – taking
ideas drive our software development
starts, it starts with technology. Hopefully opportunities to work with software,
directions.
not the ping of an SMS – that may mean with librarians around the country, and
But every job has its downside: let me
an early alert of a problem on one of the to play with new technology. Some of
tell you about tenders. They are horrible.
systems we monitor. It might be the tinkle today’s challenges involved helping one
No one likes working on them; they are
of Skype, as this time of year is busy with of our staff with some new code to use a
usually long-winded, laborious, and with
preparations for our forthcoming sessions ‘captcha’ approach to stop mischievous
in the Information Technology Section
of the International Federation of Library
Associations (IFLA), and planning entails
contact with my colleagues around the
world – especially Slovenia (the section
chair), Rome (other section colleagues),
and Germany. Early morning in Sydney
picks up late afternoon in Europe, which
can work well for chatting.
At work I have two other major hats
to don (apart from my red, fire-warden’s
hat). The first encompasses the world of
library information technology hosting,
design, and support. The interesting thing
about running your own business is that it
can be a blend of the opportunities that
are presented and your own interests
and focus. Working with open source
systems means that our small team in
Australia is connected with a wider
group of developers, documenters,
library technologists, and library staff David Cook, Rob Garnsey and Harkaran Bajwa Singh from our office.
18 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5an unlikely fate. While they are for carpooling systems with
a necessary evil for a business a small group of enthusiasts
and good governance in setting up a new not-for-profit
the public sector certainly association – the Community
requires them, no one pretends Carpooling Association. I know
they are fun. Lots of creative I also have to prepare my
energy all for just a chance to paper for the IFLA conference
reach starting point. Today’s in August (reminder to self: put
tender work involves crafting a in a calendar alert). Carpooling
carefully worded response to a has been my entrée to writing
tender which is implicitly written apps for smartphones and
for commercial software, but tablets and I can see they are
offers potential for
T
an open source
approach. Not
all organisations
accept open he interesting
source, but
there is growing thing about
acceptance.
The specifics of running your own
any job are always
constrained by the
role you have at a
business is that it
given time: mine is
(as you can see)
can be a blend of
very technology
focused. However I
the opportunities
have always been
impressed by the
that are presented
collegiality of the
library profession and your own
(in specific contrast
to the information interests and focus.
technology
profession). Even
though I love the
technical side of things, it is by the technological ‘place to be’
participating in the professional and give me more gadgets to
association that I maintain play with. I see in the last email
contact with the wider view for the day an announcement
of the library world. I do this in on the IFLA list serve about the
IFLA through the IT standing bicycoollibrary.org initiative
committee, and, more and that gets me mulling how I
recently, by serving on the ALIA could integrate my carpooling
board. With this comes extra and library strands together.
work, a lot of which has to be
done out of hours, but it also Edmund Balnaves
entails many rich experiences. ALIA Director
For instance, Wednesday last Director, Prosentient Systems
week was the ALIA Prize for ejb@prosentient.com.au
Best Student at Mt Druitt TAFE
– a great chance to meet
fired-up students entering the
library scene. Today a board
meeting commanded several
hours of time and associated
pre-reading, and post-follow-
up, but was also replete with a
wide spectrum of issues facing
the profession. I can’t think of
a more important time to be
involved in ALIA.
The afternoon (what is left
of it) entails a round of phone
calls and emails to set the
agenda for the next day.
The evening may entail
dabbling with code – this time
May 2013 INCITE | 19regulars
ALIA Team – Out and About
Australian National University libraries
From Rachael Hind, ALIA ACT
1 Manager:
My first impression of Chifley Library
is that I wish I was a student again. The
library is welcoming and appears user-
friendly. Food and drink is permitted
(wow!) and free wi-f i is provided. There
is plenty of quiet study space provided,
as well as ample areas for cooperative
group work to take place.
The mobile phone booth is an
interesting feature, allowing people to
talk on the phone without disturbing
others around them. Imagine talking on
a phone in a library!
We were informed that the library is
regularly open until midnight which must
be so helpful for students who juggle
families and work commitments with their
study load.
A most impressive feature is a
room designed to assist students with
disabilities. It has a very welcoming,
comfortable feel and allows students
with additional needs to be provided
Continuing our mini-series of articles with the space and appropriate
by staff at ALIA House about their fact- equipment they need to study.
finding visits to local Canberra libraries. While the Chifley Library still has that
Previous issues have covered the AIATSIS same retro feel and it still smells like an
Library and the National Library of academic library, it certainly is a library
Australia. for the 21st century student.
Our next visit was to the Australian The WK Hancock Building is known as
National University (ANU) libraries and Hancock Library and provides material
2
we all felt so inspired as we followed a from most areas of science, engineering,
trail from the Chifley Library, then to the technology, and medicine.
Hancock and on to Menzies library – all
in the space of a couple of hours. The major strengths of the Hancock
The Chifley Library, named after Library collection are in:
3
Joseph Benedict Chifley (Prime Minister • General science
of Australia from 1945–1949), supports • History and philosophy of
the teaching, learning, and research science
activities of staff and students in the • Science policy
ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences • Chemistry
and the ANU College of Business and • Mathematical and computing
Economics. The Library is also a valuable sciences
resource for the broader ANU community • Physics
and visiting scholars and researchers, • Psychology, biological and
and welcomes all members of the medical sciences
public. • Forestry, geography, geology,
Four Information Commons earth, and environmental
computers in the Chifley Library sciences
4
provide students and staff with a • Engineering and technology
variety of digitising, authoring, and Information commons computer
publishing tools. Professional authoring facilities for use by ANU students and
software is available to edit scanned staff are available in the Hancock
images, create web pages, create Library. There are over 100 PC and Mac
multimedia presentations, author printed computers available for student use.
documents, and burn interactive or The RG Menzies Building, known as
archival CD ROMs and DVDs in various the Menzies Library, is the hub of the
formats. Library’s Asia Pacific focused services.
The Menzies Library is a heritage-listed
building and is named after former
20 | INCITE Volume 34 Issue 5You can also read
