A supplement to Update/Gazette from the CILIP NW Branch Registered Charity no. 313014
North West News, No.42 , January 2012
nw news In this issue of nw news •
Ben Lee attends Library Camp Birmingham which inspires him to ask some tricky questions
•
Evelyn Webster reports back from Lisa Jeskin’s Social Media workshop
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And forthcoming training events
Frontline staff are trying to push innovation up the line – are you helping them? Ben Lee from ‘Shared Intelligence’ one of the sponsors of October’s Library Camp asks if Frontline staff are getting the support they need. Great organisations are ones who possess clear vision and ambition and express that in ideas, and in actions. Last autumn I was lucky enough to attend Library Camp 2012 and it was crystal clear Library Campers have vision and ambition, and bags of it. The discussions at this year’s Library Camp (which Shared Intelligence gave financial support to) produced real practical ideas - from reaching out to new users through itinerant poetry and reading, to running a ‘human-library’ to break down prejudice, to exploiting libraries’ potential to help schools teach information literacy, to maker-spaces in libraries and helping communities learn how to make and create instead of simply consuming.
Ideas like these are sometimes written-off as interesting conversations which will never become a reality. But in fact there are libraries across the country who, thanks to strong forward-thinking leadership have already brought maker-spaces, human-libraries, social media surgeries, and information literacy classes, into their libraries. As a result many have achieved increased social impact, attracted new users, and secured new funding. But Library Camp overwhelmingly attracts frontline staff, not senior managers (there are several possible reasons for this), and it was pretty clear from them that there are also a lot of library services where senior staff cannot or will not take a risk on implementing new ideas. Worse still, some frontline librarians had even been discouraged from putting new ideas into practice when they were willing to take those risks themselves. How can it be that some frontline staff feel their ambition for libraries is not shared by their senior managers? This may sound like a familiar story of junior staff carping about their bosses – but it resonates with our own experience at Shared Intelligence. We also know from experience that frontline staff have insight into how people use libraries and how to improve them, which can be lacking further up the chain. So while for many organisations the challenge is translating corporate ambition to the frontline, for some library services it is frontline staff who struggle to transfer their and vision ambition up the line. One librarian I chatted to was considering putting in a grant application for an exciting arts project she wanted to run in her library. But she was in two minds about whether to bother. Although her reason for getting up in the morning was to make her library the best it could be, she was still in two
minds, mainly because it would need sign-off from her manager: “I’m just not sure my manager is all that committed to libraries” she told me. “She’s in charge of lots of things and libraries are just one of them”. Instead of pushing 100% to be the best library service, her manager was always balancing different pressures, and sometimes that meant not putting the interests of libraries first. From the manager’s perspective it is probably a necessary compromise to use her limited bargaining power to get a better deal for some other service under her command - maybe sports, or adult learning. I wanted to ask why she didn’t just submit the application anyway without sign-off; if it got nowhere, who would know? And if she won the funding then that would surely be an easy misdemeanour to confess. But this does crystallise a serious issue of skills – one which an organisation like CILIP could grab hold of. If some of those leading the management of libraries are in charge of too many other services and thereby too conflicted to bat 100% for libraries, then perhaps less senior staff with fewer conflicts should be helped to develop the skills, and confidence to take key decisions, apply for funding, and innovate, themselves. As for whether it is right that some senior managers are not exclusively interested in libraries, it is probably too late now. So many senior posts in local government have been lost that it is common for assistant directors to have to take charge of three or four services (libraries often being just one of them) to earn their keep. Sure, things would be different if library services were run as autonomous services – like Academy schools, in which staff are exclusively concerned with libraries all the way to the top, and the politicians in charge care only about running the best possible library, instead of trading them off against leisure centres, cemeteries, education or social care. But to date only one or two library services has shown any interest in that route. So what happens next? Will those frontline library staff with brilliant ideas about developing new services keep plugging away, maybe getting some changes through covertly? Or will they be helped to lead change from the frontline by CILIP or other enlightened bodies?
Did you attend Library Camp? Are you still plugging at new ideas? Or are you a service manager? Do you find it increasingly difficult to balance competing responsibilities. Share you experiences with us at CILIP NW News Future Library Camps Sheffield Librarycamp Sheffield takes place at Sheffield Hallam university on Saturday 2 February. See the libcampsheff wiki for everything you need to know about the day. The Twitter hashtag is #libcampsheff. London Librarycamp London takes place on Saturday 2 March at the Senate House Library. Tickets were announced before Christmas and they've all gone, but you can add yourselves to the waiting list here. See the libcampldn wiki for everything you need to know about Library Camp London. Twitter hashtag is #libcampldn.
Using social media as a library Evelyn Webster, currently a student on the MA Library & Information Management course at MMU, reflects on the Social Media workshop organised by CILIP NW and delivered by Lisa Jeskins in Salford last November Lisa Jeskins’ intensive one-day social media workshop, held at Salford University, focused on simple, practical steps towards creating an effective social media presence as a library. Currently a hot topic for libraries, social media
is generating plenty of discussion about the best ways to take advantage of interactive web tools to promote library services. Often libraries and librarians are somewhat reluctant to embrace social media owing to the vast wealth of functions and sites, which can be overwhelming. To dispel some of our fears, Lisa took the group through how to use several different sites, the types of content that suit each one and the etiquette of using it as an organisation rather than an individual. The day was structured into presentations, exercises and discussion about different tools. We compared various twitter feeds, blogs, and Facebook pages set up by libraries, so that from a user perspective we could understand what made them appealing (and snag a few ideas to ‘borrow’ for our own libraries). As all of us were in the ‘cautious but willing’ band of social media users, it was fantastic to discuss the barriers to using social media in a positive way, finding solutions to concerns about the time commitment required, whether a large enough proportion of users could be reached, and how to strike a balance between being entertaining and being professional and library-like. Lisa pointed out that although we don’t want our posts to be irrelevant, we can and should be using social media to help expand peoples’ perceptions of libraries. Lisa also explained that social media maintenance needs to become a habit; accounts have to be updated regularly, because the value of social media is that it lets users interact with the library as if it were a person, and no one wants to talk to someone who doesn’t say anything for two weeks. However, updating doesn’t have to eat up huge amounts of time, and the bonus is, the more you tweet, create blog posts, or StumbleUpon things, the faster and better you get at it. What also stuck with me was that social media is not a fad, it is not going to go away; it will evolve and develop, and libraries will be much better positioned to exploit emerging tools if we have gotten to grips with current ones.
Training Opportunity : 'FRBR for the Terrified' Of particular interest to cataloguers, systems administrators and people who might need to get ready for RDA The British Library and the Library of Congress have announced their intention to implement RDA (Resource Description and Access) in the first quarter of 2013. RDA is based on the conceptual model of FRBR (Functional Requirements of Bibliographic Records) and initial testing of RDA among US libraries noted that a good grasp of FRBR was crucial to understanding of RDA. The Library of Congress has set out their Long-Range RDA Training Plan, which has specific training on FRBR as its first component. The Cataloguing & Indexing Group is offering introductory FRBR workshops in order to help people in a move towards RDA or to offer them a greater understanding of RDA records that they may encounter from other libraries, even if they are not planning to implement RDA themselves. This interactive workshop aims to provide a basic understanding of the FRBR model and familiarity with its vocabulary, which underpins the structure and vocabulary of RDA. The following topics will be covered: - FRBR user tasks and the functions of the catalogue - FRBR entities: work, expression, manifestation, item - An introduction to FRBR attributes - FRBR relationships The CIG workshop includes plenty of examples and looks at how they are dealt with by current cataloguing practice, as well as providing context for future training in RDA. It requires no prior knowledge of FRBR or RDA. 'FRBR for the Terrified' should be of interest to cataloguers, systems administrators and anyone with an interest in learning more about FRBR and preparing for RDA.
Meet the Committee It is sometimes easy to forget that there are real people behind the names on an email, so in future issues we shall be introducing the members of the Committee and finding out a little more about them.
applied and was accepted onto Birmingham University’s graduate trainee programme. On the first morning there were around eight graduate trainees and we lined up in the Head of Reader Service’s’ office where she allocated us to the various library departments. I was sent off to the Barnes Medical Library to be Acquisitions Assistant (1978 -1980) – and that’s how my career in health libraries started. Are you where you thought you'd be when you started in the profession? No. I was initially very pleased to get a job at all – 1982 was the depths of a recession, there were almost no jobs in librarianship and I was unemployed for nine months until getting a oneyear maternity leave post at Bilston College of Further Education. I was not particularly ambitious at that time – that came later. Position on the Committee and for how long? Did you do something else on the committee before that?
Name: David Stewart Job Title & Place of work Director of Health Libraries North West. The NW Health Care Libraries Unit is based in Wigan. Where did you study? At City of Birmingham Polytechnic in 1981. This was a Postgraduate Diploma course that ran January to December. CILIP Past President Brian (Tim) Hall was one of my lecturers as so too was Professor Jenny Rowley now at MMU. I had hoped to get a place in 1980, but competition was fierce and I had to wait another 12 months to get in. How long have you been in your current job? For thirteen years. I came to the north west in 1999. How did you get where you are today? In some respects “by accident”: I knew from the age of 16 that I wanted to be a librarian (the result of school libraries in both my junior and senior schools), but I also loved history; so I did an undergraduate degree in history at Birmingham University (1975 – 1978). In order to get onto a postgraduate course in librarianship, I needed to have at least one year’s experience working in a library, so I
I have been Chair of the Committee for two years and was Treasurer before that. What does that mean you actually do? The key role of the Chair is not really about chairing the actual committee meetings – it’s about keeping an eye on all the strands of work and making sure they move forward between committee meetings. The Chair also has to keep an eye on broader developments and news from CILIP HQ and provide an overall sense of purpose and direction. Chair also has to be able to lead AGM / Members’ day and ensure it’s an event attendees will remember. How do you feel being a member of CilipNW Committee benefits you? It helps me to understand the wide range of jobs that information professionals have and also the differences and similarities between librarians working in the public, educational, health and charity sectors.
What is the last book you read. I’ve just finished Railsea by China Mieville – I’m a science fiction fan, though I’m afraid that doesn’t mean science fantasy and the whole Terry Pratchett thing. I’ve just started Mieville’s Embassy Town.
"Book or eReader" Both. I have a Kindle – it is set up, loaded with books – now all I need to do is use it… Favourite library? Such a difficult question when libraries are so different now. I still have a soft spot for both the Birmingham University and Birmingham Central libraries – and both are likely to be replaced in the next two – three years. There have been some really good new or refurbished NHS libraries in the north west: Chorley, Warrington and Blackpool all spring to mind.
This is a free event but only CILIP members may apply. Early booking recommended as places are limited. Booking form: http://goo.gl/qOT6H Supported by CILIP NW Branch and Cumbria County Council Library Service.
Save the date LILAC 2013 is coming to Manchester
Dream job? LIS or other!! Hmm. Not an easy question either. I love the job I have but I think there is still an ambitious streak in me and it has been nice to be asked to apply for other more senior posts in other sectors over the last few years. Anything with good food, wine and chocolate would also be good.
Forthcoming events. First, Think Inside the Box: Doing More with Less with Kathy Ennis
This year LILAC is being held at the University of Manchester between the 25-27th March. LILAC is the Librarians’ Information Literacy Annual Conference. More information about the event, including themes and speakers, can be found at: http://lilacconference.com/WP/.
22nd February 2013 9.30am-4pm Community Fire Station, Kemplay Bank, Penrith. CA10 2FA For many years library and information professionals have been told by politicians, think-tanks and policy makers that they need to do more with less; to reform, be more efficient and to be more accountable – to think outside the box. In this CILIP North West full-day workshop Kathy Ennis wants you to Stop – Take Stock – Start Thinking Inside the Box. She will work with you: To explore the questions ‘more of what?’ and ‘less of what?’ To develop strategies for turning the threat of ‘more for less’ into an opportunity for personal growth and service development To enable you to actively promote the true value of library and information professionals and turn critics into champions
Congratulations to Sue Lawson whose name was pulled out of the hat to win a cilipNW sponsored Day Delegate place at LILAC this year. Thank you to everyone who entered the draw.
Manchester New Professional’s Network New LIS Professionals are doing it for themselves. The Manchester New Library Professional’s Network was founded by 4 MMU Library and Information Management students who were inspired to form the group after attending the 2012 CILIP New Professional’s Day (in London!) The key messages of the day stressed the importance of local impact, getting involved and being proactive about your own professional development so they responded by setting up a local forum for themselves and other new professionals to identify gaps in their professional knowledge and ways to fill them
Since setting up the network they have held two events in Manchester featuring such diverse topics as Information Literacy, Wordpress, Social Media, e-resources and Reader Development.
If you are a new professional (and I have to admit that from time to time I still very much feel new despite having been qualified for over ten years now) then I highly recommend joining this network. The blog can be found at
As well as organizing events, the network has a blog which shares advice and guidance between members striving to attain the elusive first professional post and beyond. I expect we will see great things from these bright people, shaping the future of our profession.
http://manchesternlpn.wordpress.com/ and they tweet @ ManchesterNLPN
A word from the Editor Judging by this newsletter, it seems as if LIS Professionals are increasingly taking ownership of their own development. Library Camp goes from strength to strength as organisers harness local commitment to the career and ManchesterNLPN shows what can be achieved by enthusiastic people building (and sustaining) a network of like-minded individuals. It makes me think if Libraries were a Hollywood musical we would all be hauling in hay bales and singing ’let’s put the show on right here’! If you have any examples of local professional enthusiasm in action I would be very keen to hear them. It has been a particularly hectic few months since the last newsletter. On the Committee we’ve been busy planning our 2013 programme of events including AGM and Members Day, details of which will be announced soon so keep an eye on your preferred source for details. I’m very much looking forward to LILAC and of course Umbrella which will be in Manchester on 2nd and 3rd July. Saturday 9th February is National Libraries Day and I would love to hear how you are celebrating. Whatever your library or information environment, whether for work or for fun, your contributions are always welcome.
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Copy dates for next issue of NW News. Editorial Copy Deadline: 1st March 2013.
Cover date: March 2013
Contact the editor: Alison Bond McNally
Email: a.e.bond@bury.gov.uk
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