Ryu Murakami to Release Novel Directly Through Apple iPad - Japan Real Time - WSJ: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Hurray! The novel as multimedia has arrived. (I can't wait to see what this looks like for librarians.) Brooks from NYT recently playing on McLuhan's "The Medium is the Message" says the "The Medium is the Medium." If we weren't already confused enough...
He makes a strong argument for EFF: " It could be that the real debate will not be books versus the Internet but how to build an Internet counterculture that will better attract people to serious learning."
Sunday, July 18, 2010
Saturday, July 3, 2010
The OtherLibrarian's blog about professional & librarian as oxymoron
My response as follows:
I haven't read all the replies yet, but one thing comes to mind as a distinguishing factor when I explain to others how I differentiate professional from para-professional and it doesn't really have anything to do with the list mentioned here. I was one of those who pooh-poohed the idea of MLIS while working in a library as a page with master's degree in literature at minimum wage. After receiving my MLIS, of course, I had a different take on the whole thing. Making more money was a big incentive for supporting getting the degree for me, but in getting the degree I made a commitment over and above the one I had prior to the degree. I made a commitment to consider the role model associated with the title, a commitment to supporting lifelong learning not only for myself but for everyone, a commitment to not make assumptions but rather "look it up" (research) and provide supporting statistics when possible. I could go on, but suffice it to say that with the "commitment" to the field came the "professional" standing, not just the degree. For para-professionals, being a librarian (one who works in a library) is often about a "job" rather than a vocation. It's more like "a calling" for those that choose to make the commitment to be a professional librarian, though, as in any field, the degree is only one step of the journey. We practice our academic skill set and learn from our day to day experience, all the rest of the numbered items are of consequence only in this regard.
I haven't read all the replies yet, but one thing comes to mind as a distinguishing factor when I explain to others how I differentiate professional from para-professional and it doesn't really have anything to do with the list mentioned here. I was one of those who pooh-poohed the idea of MLIS while working in a library as a page with master's degree in literature at minimum wage. After receiving my MLIS, of course, I had a different take on the whole thing. Making more money was a big incentive for supporting getting the degree for me, but in getting the degree I made a commitment over and above the one I had prior to the degree. I made a commitment to consider the role model associated with the title, a commitment to supporting lifelong learning not only for myself but for everyone, a commitment to not make assumptions but rather "look it up" (research) and provide supporting statistics when possible. I could go on, but suffice it to say that with the "commitment" to the field came the "professional" standing, not just the degree. For para-professionals, being a librarian (one who works in a library) is often about a "job" rather than a vocation. It's more like "a calling" for those that choose to make the commitment to be a professional librarian, though, as in any field, the degree is only one step of the journey. We practice our academic skill set and learn from our day to day experience, all the rest of the numbered items are of consequence only in this regard.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Suggestion from Self
Idea for Virtual Leadership Workshop
Difference between
Change
Progress
Growth
PLA 2010 Leadership Pre-Conference
Much thought given to why this didn't work for me.
Comments from Leadership Task Force members were that perhaps it seemed uninformative because it wasn't new to me, but that other attendees may not already be aware of simple concept of know yourself, know your community and get a seat "at the table."
I don't buy it. I wish it were possible to survey the participants to find out if this was new information. It seemed to me that the presenter must think that librarians are living under a rock if this is to be perceived as professional level insight.
I had hoped to be able to bring something back to the library leaders in my system libraries, but the learning experience was limited to the networking done at the break out tables with peers. When we came back to the larger group to share our take on the case studies, for the most part we were all on the same page. The case study was lame, in that it wasn't even a library case study. I really had the feeling that the presenter didn't care if we got something from the workshop or not. Had any work gone into the preparation? (Was obviously canned to me.) I had the sense that he thought he was doing us a favor by showing up. Maybe he was doing it for free. That would explain a lot.
One positive note is yet to be played out. Our closing exercise was to discuss with those at our table what we planned to take away with us to apply at home. My hope is that we will have an opportunity to do some social networking with each other so that we might support one another in making sense of how to lead after the pre-conference ship has sailed.
Comments from Leadership Task Force members were that perhaps it seemed uninformative because it wasn't new to me, but that other attendees may not already be aware of simple concept of know yourself, know your community and get a seat "at the table."
I don't buy it. I wish it were possible to survey the participants to find out if this was new information. It seemed to me that the presenter must think that librarians are living under a rock if this is to be perceived as professional level insight.
I had hoped to be able to bring something back to the library leaders in my system libraries, but the learning experience was limited to the networking done at the break out tables with peers. When we came back to the larger group to share our take on the case studies, for the most part we were all on the same page. The case study was lame, in that it wasn't even a library case study. I really had the feeling that the presenter didn't care if we got something from the workshop or not. Had any work gone into the preparation? (Was obviously canned to me.) I had the sense that he thought he was doing us a favor by showing up. Maybe he was doing it for free. That would explain a lot.
One positive note is yet to be played out. Our closing exercise was to discuss with those at our table what we planned to take away with us to apply at home. My hope is that we will have an opportunity to do some social networking with each other so that we might support one another in making sense of how to lead after the pre-conference ship has sailed.
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