Community's perception of libraries

I read another interesting blog post from the 21^st Century Library Blog called, ‘The Perception of Your Library’ by Dr. Steve Matthews.

He was generally concerned of the lack of importance of the community’s perception of libraries despite the fact that librarians tend to survey their patrons about their services and programs. To best demonstrate this, Steve pulled our two different scenarios on library surveys. A worst case scenario reveal that the majority of the residents say they don’t know the location of their libraries, don’t use the library and had better libraries in other places. In contrast, a best case scenario shows that a huge proportion of residents say they know the location of their library, they regularly use them and they haven’t had better libraries in other places.

Steve is heading in the right direction for a greater importance on the perceptions of libraries in their communities, in which I believe librarians need to reflect upon. It is by developing our own positive thoughts of our libraries amongst our societies, which enables librarians to confidently and faithfully make positive contributions towards their 21^st century communities, if provided adequate support and funding. Hence, libraries become friendly and safe places for patrons to visit and most importantly, they are going to frequently visit our wonderful libraries to utilise our wonderful services and programs.

Bibliography reference

Matthews, S (2012), ‘The Perception of Your Library.’, 21^st Century Library Blog, blog post, 27^th August 2012, viewed 13^th September 2012, available at: http://21stcenturylibrary.com/2012/08/27/the-perception-of-your-library/.

Libraries and photo sharing in social media

This week, I read an interesting blog called, ‘On Remixing and Reshaping Online – I Do This for the Money, Prestige and Power. Said No Librarian Ever’ by Bobbi Newman posted on Librarian by Day blog.

Bobbi discussed about the issue of sharing photos with quotes on Facebook and ‘Pinterest’, when it comes to the ‘ethics, ownership and remixing culture’ (Newman, 2012). She got them to consider questions about the ownership of photos; the source they are from; whether the person actually says it; whether the person sharing it attempted to authorize them before even posting and sharing them on those social media networks and many more. The someecards Bobbi leisurely created, which are not accredited, and the picture of Abraham Lincoln were great demonstrations on how people nowadays, can easily make up something they may not in fact exist or not link to its original source.

I like the way Bobbi educated her audience to reflect upon the criteria of evaluating information and images by prompting questions as guidelines when talking about digital literacy. However, she would have achieved her outcome further if she focused on the provision of diplays on evaluating information and get the audience to use the images posted, as an exercise on the familiarity on evaluating and critiquing the deceived images.

Bibliography reference

Newman, B (2012), ‘On Remixing and Reshaping Online – I Do This for the Money, Prestige and Power. Said No Librarian Ever.’, Librarian by Day, blog post, 15^th August, viewed 5^th September 2012, available at: http://librarianbyday.net/2012/08/15/on-remixing-and-reshaing-online-i-do-this-for-the-money-prestige-and-power-said-no-librarian-ever/.

Libraries and Technology training

During the week, I have been reading a journal article called ‘Libraries Adding Value With Technology Training’ by Ormilla Vengersammy in Computers in Libraries magazine.

In this article, a library named the ‘Orange County Library System’, is currently coming up with innovative methods in responding to the needs of their communities served through technology education and training. Ormilla Vengersammy states that some of the major factors in becoming a library of the future are technology and training job seekers on completing online job applications etc. To achieve them, a variety of practical computer classes are offered in all OCLS branches, encompassing 8-12 computers, including a computer, whiteboard and data projector for the instructor. The instructors teach classes, specialising on technology training, ranging from the basics to the more advanced classes either face-to-face training or online.

In the present time, libraries are redefined as places to access books and other collection in both print and digital. The work of the OCLS is an inspiration to all libraries on the importance of moving towards the digital world by constantly keeping up to date with the latest technology. Through education and training on technology, they can greatly assist their patrons in filling online job application, computer skills, downloading eBooks and much more, whilst still maintaining information literacy.

Bibliography reference

Vengersammy, O (2011), ‘Libraries Adding Value With Technology Training’, Computers in Libraries, vol. 31, no. 9, pp. 11-15.

Dandenong library to move to new location

Yesterday, I read a local article called “Dandenong Library to book into new home” by Cameron Lucadon-Wells on the 9^th July 2012 in the Greater Dandenong Weekly local newspaper.

In this article, the Dandenong library will be shifting their collections and shelves to a bigger home in Thomas street, which will be more than DOUBLE the size of the current library in Stuart street. They will provide more PCs and mobile tablets, Wi-Fi connectivity, increase literacy programs, larger study spaces and many more. According to the Community services director Mark Doubleday, there has been a very strong demand for the expansion of foreign language books.

Although I have not visited the library in a long time, I genuinely believe the new location will transform the way the library is utilised. These enhanced services and larger spaces will allow library patrons more easy access free computers and internet, without having to impatiently wait for hours and hours and through advanced technology, the staff can educate their patrons about the use of the tablets. Through increased literacy programs, patrons participating in them will be highly equipped with the knowledge and skills to successfully seek for decent employment and education.

It will be interesting to see what the new Dandenong library looks like, once it officially opens in 2014.

The link to the article:

http://www.greaterdandenongweekly.com.au/news/local/news/general/dandenong-library-to-book-into-new-home/2617685.aspx?storypage=2  - viewed on 23rd August 2012.

Saving TAFE Libraries of the Future

On Tuesday, I read a fascinating opinion article called “Fear, Threat, Crisis: Victorian TAFE Library funding.” by the VATL president Paul Kloppenbory from the ALIA Incite news magazine. He strongly contended on the overall decline of both the VET expenditure per hour and the funding to the TAFE sector, according to a Monash University 2010 paper. Hence, the VATL (Victorian Association of TAFE Libraries) has called upon the Ballieu Government to recognise the importance of TAFE libraries and ensure the minimal impact of the funding changes towards the library services.

Since 2008, enrolments of private providers have proliferated and on October last year, there was a reduction of the TAFE funding, which has threatened key infrastructure of our largest tertiary sector.

TAFE libraries play unique roles in facilitating and servicing the information needs of staff and students and without them, our patrons would have to visit their public libraries for their requirements to be fulfilled, thereby placing students at a serious disadvantage in accessing these resources in order to enhance their learning. If VATL wants to convince the state government in restoring the TAFE library funding, they must invite them to visit every single TAFE library and take a good look of the resources available.

Bibliography reference 

Kloppenbory, P (2012), ‘Fear, Threat, Crisis: Victorian TAFE Library funding’, ALIA Incite, vol. 33, no. 1/2, pg. 25.

Training Libraries on technology use

Yesterday, I read a very interesting online blog called “Libraries, Give us Kindles and iPhones” by an ‘annoyed librarian’ from the Library Journal Blog website. She championed the need for all library staff to have adequate training on the use of technological gadgets in libraries in response to an article on how library experts on phone calls are the thing of the past.

My understanding is that twenty one years ago, the library had fourteen reference librarians; now there are nine library assistants, but fewer librarians. This is primarily due to the access of the internet and so therefore, the librarians have not been able to keep up with the digital world.

If libraries want to accustom themselves to the world of digital technology, all librarians need to keep up-to-date with the latest technology. This can be done by requesting IT technicians to administer a training program on the usage of smartphones and tablets, so that they will be sufficiently equipped to facilitate their library patrons on finding eBooks of their choice in smartphones or tablets whilst still preserving traditional and current resources of information (I.E. printed books, magazines, online databases etc.)

Here is the link to the article:

http://blog.libraryjournal.com/annoyedlibrarian/2012/07/23/libraries-give-us-kindles-and-iphones/  - Viewed on 9^th August 2012

Libraries and social media review

Today I read an online blog called “The Library on Social media: A beginning” by Mitja Brus from the Library of the European Parliament’s blog website.

It was mostly about social media within the library, in which they argue that the vocabularies of the social media world gave no or little results when it was used in the library, thereby having to tolerate the countless number of sources for information research. More depressingly, they could not provide service to their library patrons on their information channel preferences as a result of these circumstances. Luckily, they have a vision to successfully incorporate social media into their work and to provide their customers with full and convenient support and resources when it’s needed. With this vision in mind, they established a strategy that focuses on convenience and the provision of quality information to facilitate decision making in the library.

Although I don't frequently use social media, I do recognise that libraries, in general, need to be more equipped with the use of social media, in order to keep their library patrons constantly up to date with the events that are occurring in the library.

For more information, here is the link:

http://libraryeuroparl.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/the-library-on-social-media-a-beginning/ - Viewed on 3rd August 2012