Friday, December 28, 2012

Google Translate, Digitization and "What Turned Jaron Lanier Against the Web?"

Jaron LanierSmithsonian Magazine has an interesting article about Jaron Lanier, who is a computer scientist, inventor, author, and speaker.  He was a pioneer in the field of virtual reality.  Lanier helped to create the web as we know it today, yet in the last decade he has turned against what the Internet has become.  This is a fascinating article, even if you don't believe his point of view.  One of the things he discusses is how the Internet has changed our economy and he uses Google Translate as an example.  Google Translate is fueled - we can assume - by digitized and born digital texts.  Lanier said:
But there’s another way to look at it, which is the technically true way: You gather a ton of information from real live translators who have translated phrases, just an enormous body, and then when your example comes in, you search through that to find similar passages and you create a collage of previous translations.
The word "collage" stands out to me.  A collage version of a photograph is different. It may evoke different emotions and meanings.  It may tell a different story.  Pulling together different pieces of translated text from digital works may leave the reader with the wrong impression.  It may be close to what a human translator would say, but it is not the same.

If you had asked me 20 years ago if digitization would lead to fuzzy translations, I would have said "no" and I would have been wrong.  

Thursday, December 27, 2012

2012 Year in Review: My life as teacher and director

A friend asked me recently if - when I began teaching at Syracuse University - I thought I would become the director of its library and information science program...and the answer was "no!"  In 2001, teaching graduate students was something I was going to do for a couple of years.  But then, I kept doing it part-time and then...well...I realized that it was what I really wanted to do.  But be the program director?!  It wasn't until Dave Lankes became the director that I saw something that I wanted to do and so here I am.  [BTW Dave and I are like "two peas in a pod" as well as like "ying and yang."  It can be quite interesting, especially for the students!]

My SU officeTeaching - I now teach four different graduate courses over the course of an academic year, two each semester.  In addition, I co-teach the graduate gateway course in the iSchool, with several other faculty members.  Teaching dominates my weeks during the academic year.  Besides class prep and time in the classroom (or on the computer for my online classes), there is time grading assignments.  Grading assignments is not something that goes quickly, so when you multiply the time for each student's assignment  by the number of students in the class, and then by the number of assignments in the class, it can be overwhelming.  Yet it is the feedback on assignments - whether individually or en masse - that makes a difference, so all of those hours sitting, reading, and commenting are worth it.  (I do have to remember to get up occasionally and exercise, as well as get another cup of tea!)

Directing - Add to the hours of teaching the task of directing the program, which is not a trivial task.  Which is more important?  That depends on the moment - literally. Some days are filled with meetings, emails and tasks that must be done then in order to keeps things - recruitment, marketing, course scheduling, new initiatives, etc. - moving forward.  And there are evenings when I come home with the best of intentions to grade papers, only to be faced with a slew of emails that need to be answered. My colleague Dave Dischiave says that email is not communication tool, rather it is a to-do list because every email requires an action.  True.

[By the way, my school does not have departments, so no one has the title of "chair."]

Jill, Nick Berry, Loranne Nasir, Colin Welch & Topher Lawton. Photo by Sara Kelly Johns
Jill & LIS students at NYLA 2012
What does the director do?  What don't I do!
  • Meet and communicate with prospective students.
  • Get involved in admission and scholarship decisions.
  • Meet and advise current students.
  • Write letters of recommendation.
  • Hear complaints and hear words of praise.
  • Arrange...stuff.
  • Run and attend meetings.
  • Email...about...stuff.
  • Meet with prospective employers.
  • Explain the program to....
  • Assist with course scheduling.  (This is more work than you think!)
  • Represent the program/school at events/conferences. Juggling conference attendance with teaching is an interesting act.
  • Oversee accreditation related activities.
  • Care about...everything.
  • In the face of all adversity and disenchantment, stay calm and try to smile.
  • Try to maintain a home life and stay healthy.
The last is important to mention because academic institutions do not have a start or end time to their days.  Things are happening all the time (literally) and that often translates into long days (and weeks).  I learned from Kenny Crews the importance of engaging in activities where you cannot do work at the same time.  Thank goodness then for bowling, gardening, canning, and walking.

The March Toward 2015 - For every director, chair or dean of an LIS program, the re-accreditation of the program is a huge responsibility.  Our next review is in 2015 and it has already been on my mind since I said "yes" to this position.  Look at my to-do list and you'll see tasks that are tied it.

I'm not sure where to put this...so...For those that are critical of LIS programs (and who isn't), a hint...understand the accreditation activities that the program is involved in, whether that's ALA or NCATE (which is changing to CAEP) or something else.  Can you turn your criticism into a help as the program prepares for re-accreditation? Yup, that will get their attention!

Aldo LeopoldAs I look ahead to 2013 - two years before 2015! - I see a full year in front of me...teaching, conferences, admitting new students, graduating current students, meetings, email, and more. (Can you say accreditation tasks?) Hard to believe that in May, I will be one of the people to shake hands with our graduating LIS students as they walk across the stage.  Yes, another duty of the director and one that I will do with great joy! In the end, it is seeing them graduate, land jobs, and become members of the profession that makes everything else worthwhile.

Here is hoping that your 2013 is as full, challenging and rewarding as I believe mine will be!

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

2012 Year in Review: Conferences

Buckhead, GA: Outdoor fire pitNormally I can recite with ease the conferences that I attended in a year, but not this year. Wow...what a year! The joy of attending conferences is joy of learning something new.  With the number of conferences I attended, this year, I'm glad that I have notes and blog posts to help jog my members.  Here are the highlights.

January - SLA Leadership Summit in Atlanta (Buckhead), GA - One of the things about this mid-winter SLA event is that no matter where the conference is held, it is always colder than expected.  Atlanta was no different.  (Watch out Dallas this coming February!)

The Leadership Summit is exactly as it is named...a meeting of SLA's leadership from around the world.  It is hoped that every unit in the Association is represented at this meeting, in order to keep the units up-to-date on the Association's activities.  Those who are seeking leadership positions in the Association are also encouraged to attend.  Not only are new procedures discussed, but there are activities to help the leaders gain new skills.

This meeting was at the start of my second year on SLA's Board of Directors and what stood out to me was the information that unit leaders needed to be hearing or paying attention to.  Indeed, my perception of "what's important" has changed since being on the Board, including what meetings are important (like the open Board of Director meetings).  I recognize that every SLA member cannot attend this event, but I also know that more members should be there to meet with the leadership, discuss issues, etc.

In March, I spoke at both the NYS Educational Media Technology Association Spring Conference and the Computers in Libraries Conference.  Educational Media Technology Association Spring Conference is a small event that impressed upon me the role of school library systems.  The conversations and presentations were inspiring and informative, especially around the use of ebooks with young children.

Computers in Libraries in one of my favorite conferences in one of my favorite cities.  I found Michael Edson's keynote to be very thought provoking.  In talking about innovating, his thoughts were a whisper of what I would be hearing more of later in the year.  My notes say:
Keep in mind that this is an endurance sport.  Think Big.  Start Small. Move Fast.
I went to several sessions on ebooks and that topic repeated itself throughout the year. (If you're looking for a definitive answer in what is going with ebooks, suffice it to say that we are all still learning about them and that includes the authors and publishers.)

Leslie Reynolds presenting the SLA IT Divisionoutstanding member award to Jill
This year, I spoke at both the spring and fall SLA Upstate New York Chapter meetings (April and October).  While these are not conferences, it does allow me and others to talk about what occurred at the SLA conferences.  I'm pleased that as a member of the SLA Board of Directors I am able to bring information to my chapter that will be helpful to them. 

Not on my blog calendar was the #140Cuse Conference that was held in Syracuse in April. My presentation was on digital literacy, which also was a theme in 2012.  (By theme, I mean something that kept coming up in conversations or conferences sessions like change, risk, ebooks, and digital literacy.)

I spoke at three conferences in June: New York Archives Conference, NYS Higher Education Initiative, and HighEdWeb Syracuse. Each provided an opportunity to hear what was on the minds of others, which included thoughts around technology and change.  Our profession continues to be in the midst of change.  We might even say that change is truly a constant for us.  In order to survive as an information professional, you need to be able to thrive in an industry that is in a constant state of flux.

I have attended every SLA Annual Conference since 1992 and this was the first one to be held in July and in Chicago.  It was HOT!  The keynote speaker was Guy Kawasaki, who had recently published the book Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions.  I never did write up notes from his talk, so here are notes from Chris Vestal, who did an excellent job capturing Kawasaki's main points.

The session that had the biggest impact on me was a talk given by Robin Bew from the Economist Intelligence Unit on the world economy.   We tend to think about our own regional or national economy, however, Bew provided a world view that I think we need to hear.   I recorded a podcast after Bew's talk, which will give you an idea of what thoughts he raised in me.

Here is a video of Robin New speaking in China in May 2012. While this is not the same speech that he gave at SLA, I think it is still worthwhile hearing the perspective that he gives. Start around the 5 minute mark, after his introduction to the event itself.  Part way through, he begins talking specifically about the Chinese economy.  While that sounds like it may not be relevant to you, it is interesting to hear what he says about business in China.

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Chicago was an interesting venue for the conference.  All of the sessions were held at McCormick Place, which must be one of the largest convention centers in the world. There is talk every year among SLA members about what venue, location, etc., would be best for the conference.  Perhaps because I've been to over 20 SLA conferences, I know the positives and negatives of every option people put forth.  Every conference attracts those for whom it - and its location - make sense.  For some, that means going to a easy-to-reach location, etc., while for others it means traveling to an out-of-the-way  location for a very different experience (a la R-Squared below).

I didn't attend a conference again until September and the R-Squared Conference in Telluride, CO.  I wrote several blog posts during and after that conference, and you can read them here. For me, this was the most important conference I attended all year.  Why?  First, because I learned brainstorming and other techniques (e.g., community surveys and action briefs) that I have already been able to use and will continue to use.  Second - and more importantly - because it was a conference that dared to do things differently from where it was held, to having interactive keynotes, to unconventional sessions/tracks, etc.  This conference proved that we are hungry for events that feed us in different ways than what has become traditional.  I fully expect that other conferences will implement some of what was done at R-Squared and I'm sure they will be the better for it.

The two keynote speakers at R-Squared - Josh Linkner and Tamara Kleinberg - are both authors and their books are available for purchase.  I really appreciated the various brainstorming techniques that Linkner taught us in his interactive keynote session.  I have used several of them since then (role storming, brand storming and the long list).
 

In November, I attended the New York Library Association Annual Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY. I blogged about NYLA here and here. If I counted correctly, 20 students from the SU MLIS program attended the conference this year, which is 6-8 more than last year.  For me, that is one of the highlights of the event - watching the students interact with library practitioners (and future colleagues), listening to their observations, and hearing what they have learned.  Some wrote blog posts about the conference and I've linked to them from mine.

The keynote was given by David Weinberger. Here is a 3-minute video of MLIS student Pamela Gardner talking about both Weinberger and the session given by George Needham.



David Weinberger has written several books and I've provided links to them below. It was wonderful to see how his thoughts resonated with the NYLA attendees and I look forward to hearing him speak again.

       


If you've been keeping track, then you know that there are only four months this year where I did not attend a conference (February, May, August and December).  I am very fortunate that my employer helped me attend those conferences that were not in the Central NY region.  And I am also fortunate that a number of conferences were held "in my backyard."  That always makes getting to a conference much easier!  I also know that not everyone is so lucky.  For those who cannot get to a conference, we owe it to them to bring back what we have learned and to share it!  That sharing may be through tweets, blog posts, presentations, write-ups, or conversations.  If we come back from a conference and keep what we have learned to ourselves, then we have not helped our profession or society.  So if you have not yet talked about what you learned this year at a conference or educational event, please take time to do so.  Consider something you need to do to wrap-up 2012.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Resources for dealing with tragedy (#newtown)

Statue across from the site of the Oklahoma City bombing
[Nov. 22, 2015: I've just checked all of the links in the post and updated any that no longer worked. Why? Given recent events, I want to be able to circulate this post again.]

Given the tragedy that occurred this morning in Newtown, Connecticut, where someone with a gun entered an elementary school can killed several people, I have pulled together these resources for dealing with tragedy.
For more information on today's tragedy, please consult your local or national news (U.S.).

T is for Training (podcast): In Theory or But Really In Practice

For the last several years, I have participated in a podcast called T is for Training hosted by Maurice Coleman. Begun in 2008, T is for Training is a podcast (or "call" as we often say) by library trainers for library trainers.  However, sometimes the conversation isn't about training, but rather about other things that affect libraries. 

Two weeks ago, it was just Maurice and I on the call, and Maurice turned his interviewing skills on me and asked me lots of questions about my role as director of the library and information science program at Syracuse University. If you're interested in knowing what I'm up to, this will clue you in (60 minutes).



T is for Training's Talkshoe  page, http://www.talkshoe.com/tc/24719
T is for Training's web site (not up to date): http://tisfortraining.wordpress.com

Thursday, December 13, 2012

NYLA12: All libraries are involved in politics

I started this blog post a month ago. Guess it's time I finished it! 



One of the lessons that is ringing in my head after the New York Library Association Annual Conference is one that I've known for a long time...and one that I don't think we tell our LIS students about.

All libraries are involved in politics.

2020 vision brainstormingBefore I go further, what does the word politics mean?
    • the policy-formulating aspects of government as distinguished from the administrative, or legal
    • the complex or aggregate of relationships of people in society, esp those relationships involving authority or power
    • the civil functions of government
    • the art and science of government 
    As an entity unto itself, a library is subject to "office politics," where human nature, personalities, and hierarchies all play a role.  Like all politics, office politics can be benign and can  help to get things done.  Problems occur when the "politics" heat up and its maneuvering leads to interference.

    Most libraries exist as part of a larger entity, whether that is a larger organization, a municipal government, town, etc. Here is were the politics get interesting.  In a town or city, does the public library understand the politics - the relationships - in the area?  Does the library director and staff know who in the community "pulls the strings" whether done overtly or behinds the scenes?  Is the library in a positive relationship with those that could affect its future, whether those people are its trustees, friends group, local politicians, etc.?

    The problem with politics is that you can't teach the gamesmanship that goes along with it.  (At least, I don't think you can.)  Learning comes from watching, listening, trial and error.  It comes from knowing when to walk away from a situation, rather that "playing all your cards" in an effort to win.  It comes from looking for win-win situations and sometimes making those situations appear out of thin air.

    At the core of politics is information.  You can't get involved in the politics of your community or organization if you do not have good information and lots of it.  Since we're information people, by nature we have the basic material to be effective political agents. How we use that information is what really matters, when it comes to being an effective political agent.

    If you find that you need to become more involved in the politics that surround your library, here are some things you might want to do:
    • If your library is governed by trustees or a board of advisors, attend any open meeting that they have.
    • If your library has a friends of the library group, interact with them. These are people from your larger community, who may be well connected and can clue you into the larger political realm.
    • Talk to those that use the library and ask how things are going for them and for the larger community.  You don't need to offer advice, etc., just listen and consider how what you are hearing impacts the library.  (Note that this works no matter if you are a public, academic or special library.)
    • Invite those that seem to hold the power in your community to library events.  Send them personal invitations, then be sure to thank them for coming. Not only will they learn by attending the event, it is a powerful political message to have them seen in the library.
    • If you are part of a public library, go to town/city government meetings like the planning board.  In one town where I lived, I went regularly to the planning board meetings and it was very educational!  That is where the area's values are clearly demonstrated.
    • Get to know the reporters that cover local politics or local news.  Feed them information about possible stories.  Invite them to library events.  Ask them what's going on in the community.  They always know more than what they can "print."
    • Listen...listen...listen.  Listen more than you talk. Listen for connections between pieces of information.   Take in more information than what you share.  Ensure that what information that you do share is correct and relevant. 

    Monday, December 03, 2012

    Video: Should "Happy Birthday" be Protected by Copyright?

    I talk about this in my copyright class and so it is cool to see someone tackle the subject in a video. Produced by the PBS Idea Channel, the first five and half minutes are copyright and why "Happy Birthday" will not be in the public domain until 2030.

    Wednesday, November 28, 2012

    Blog post: An Update: What Skills Does a Digital Archivist or Librarian Need?

    This blog post in the The Signal is a must read because it presents the results of a survey that asked about qualifications a successful job candidate needs.  I'll not repeat it here...so go read it for yourself!

    Monday, November 26, 2012

    The Importance of Physical Space

    On Saturday night, while reading graduate student papers, I was also tweeting thoughts and ideas that came to me from them.  Students in my one class had to tour four libraries of their choosing, pay attention to specific details in those libraries, then write-up what they found along with a personal reflection.  While several of my tweets seemed to be about space, this one started a Twitter conversation:

    Into the conversation jumped a number of librarians and LIS students from across the U.S.  The conversation was quite lively and even continued after I had gone to bed.

    Since there is overlap between the libraries that the 25 students visited, I cannot say that I read about 100 different libraries, but I can say that I read about 100 different experiences of libraries.  (I would guess that I read about 50-75 unique libraries.)  Even when two students visited the exact same library, what they noticed was different and how they felt about the library often was different.  From their library visits, they got a sense of how space matters.  Some libraries have been blessed with the ability to see how to use their limited space in a way that makes it welcoming, while others have not. There were a few comments about libraries where these LIS students really didn't want to spend any time because they didn't like the space. (And if an LIS student feels that way, what must the community members feel?)

    Grocery stores, large department stores, "big box" stores, theme parks, and hotels are among the institutions that recogize the importance of space to their financial success.  For example, a grocery store wants you to move through the store in a specific way, so that you will pass by foods that they want you to purchase.  They also want you to shop in a specific order. You will notice that a grocery store (and not a small family-run store on the corner) has you enter and go through the produce section first.  That is on purpose.    Aisles are wide and uncluttered, because clutter causes us to move quickly by whatever it is.  And...by the way...the entrance to the store isn't cluttered either, also on purpose.

    When you look at the shelves in a store, items are placed intentionally.  This is not a haphazard arrangement.  Sometimes the arrangement annoys us, but they wouldn't do it if it didn't make them money.

    How do we arrange our libraries?  Do we think about the best layout for the goals that we have?  If we want the library to be a community center, have we laid it out with that goal in mind?  If our focus is on literacy, does the layout and placement of material support that?  Are our aisle wide and uncluttered?  Do we make it easy for people to linger?  For those that linger, can they find the things that they need (restrooms, power outlets, water/food)?  Is our signage big and easy to read, even from across the room? 

    In Twitter, people commented on libraries that were making their spaces more flexible.  Two academic libraries were noted as having purchased furniture that is movable, so that the students can rearrange it at will.  Students who want to study together, work on large project, etc., can move the furniture to meet their needs.  (Yes, sometimes it will seems as if they do it just to have fun, but we'll never know if that creative endeavor sparked something important.)

    As the tweets flew by, I remembered visiting the public library in Telluride, CO.  This library had placed specific items in its entry way, including a place to sit and the restrooms.  From the entry way, you could look inside the children's room.  This means that a parent could be on her phone in a noisy area, while still keeping an eye on her child.  The children's section was closest to the front door, which meant that they didn't run all through the library to get to their own space.  And from the front door, it was easy to see how the entire library was laid out. Is this the ideal layout for every public library?  Perhaps not, but it is interesting to see how they considered their space and then how people use it.

    I know that there are architects that work specifically with libraries.  If you are going to renovate your library space, I encourage you to work with library architectural firm.  I also encourage you to learn about space design on your own.  Don't just rely on what the architect tells you!

    Also recognize that how your libraries decides to configure its space may indeed be different that what others do, but that it should not be haphazard.  Quoting David Weinberger from his book Everything Is Miscellaneous: The Power of the New Digital Disorder (page 2):
    More typical merchandisers use physical space against customers so the customers will spend more money than they intended... When Medill talks about making it easier for Staples' customers to get out of the store fast, he's a bona fide revolutionary.
    With that all in mind, I found these books that you might want to read or skim through.  Even if you think this is malarkey, I bet you'll find something that could be useful.

    Finally, I should note that one of my students wondered why we - not-for-profit libraries - would want to take clues from for-profit businesses.  Just because we don't make sell things doesn't mean that we can't learn from those that do.  Businesses spend millions of dollars to create spaces that people will enjoy and that they will come back to.  Shouldn't we take what they have learned and use it, so people will enjoy and come back to our spaces?

    And because this topic has consumed me, as I've been writing and revising this, I found this video of a the new Surrey City Centre Library (Canada). Obviously, they had the funding to pull this all off!

    Wednesday, November 21, 2012

    Wayback Wednesday: Digitization - Ubiquitous?

    When I first got involved in digitization, we called it scanning.  It was a slow process, compared to today, and fraught with finicky and expensive hardware and software.  What we could scan in an hour, we can now do very quickly on a photocopier with scanning capabilities. (And I'll note that the photocopier of today does a better job then the scanners I had access to around 1990.)  Over time, were developed terms, techniques, and processes around digital curation, preservation, etc., and it became much more than just scanning.

    Walkway at Governor's Island, VAFast forward to 1998-2000 and efforts to get more cultural heritage organizations involved in digitization.  Clearly they all have content that should be more widely available.  Clearly digitization is something that they could benefit from.  Clearly, though, small organization then - and now - do not have the budget or manpower to embark on something like this.  Thankfully, some larger organizations have worked with smaller organizations to get their materials digitized.  For example, in Central New York, the Central NY Library Resources Council has LIS interns working with small cultural heritage organizations to digitized their content

    I am tempted to write that digitization is not ubiquitous today, yet that is not true.  I have a multi-function printer at home that scans and I know others do as well.  So the act of turning paper into a digital file is ubiquitous.  People likely do it daily, but never think of the word "digitization".  Nor do they think about what could happen after that paper is made digital.  And that is where we can make a difference.  Not only with people in our communities, but with staff at cultural heritage organizations.  We can be their advisors, their guides, their manpower...but we're not.  Why? Is it that they do not value our skills, don't know about our skills, or that we are looking for bigger/better opportunities?

    As I look at my LIS students, I see people who are excited by digital technologies and about areas of study such as data science.  I see them interested in aspects of digital libraries and digitization, but their focus is shifting.  A growing number are interested in the preservation of cultural heritage, which has digitization as one of its electives.    

    I am reminded of when I took a course in Cobol (around 1988).  My boss told me that I was taking a history class, because Cobol was a thing of the past.  Today corporations are still looking for Cobol programmers and people who know other "archaic" programming languages.  Will there be a time when the same will be true for digitization?  We will be looking for people who can get down and dirty with the basics?  Who can work with people who are at the beginning of their thought process on making things digital?

    Jill...where are you going with this post? Dunno.  I've labeled this post "Wayback Wednesday", which is a label I've used when I've pulled older content from this blog forward into the present.  This post, however, is me ruminating on where we've been (wayback) and where we are today (Wednesday!).  And I don't think I have answers for my questions.  Perhaps I need to continue to think about "digitization" in terms of skills, curriculum, job opportunities, etc.  Like learning Cobol, perhaps I need to find ways of making those basic skills important for today. 

    Saturday, November 10, 2012

    NYLA12: Should we break with doing things a specific way?

    Bernie MargolisThe New York State Librarian, Bernie Margolis, held a session at the New York Library Association Annual Conference in order to hear from his constituents. Since the session was entitled "Grill the State Librarian", Bernie decided to dress appropriately!  He remarked at the beginning of the session that "to grill" is an activity and that he would look for this to be a two-way conversation.

    If you know Bernie, then you know that he likes to tell stories (and use props).  One story is about the width of railroad tracks. (I'll note upfront that this is great story that may or may not be true.)  The punchline has to do with something that occurred hundreds of years ago influencing how we do things do.  Why didn't we break with "tradition"?  Why didn't we look for and invest in a better way?

    In libraries, we as guilty as the next organization in terms of always doing things the same way.  Even when shown a new, more exciting, more effective, or more efficient way of doing "X", we generally resort to the way it has always been done.  It turns out that change is hard.

    Matthew GunbyNYLA made several changes this year to the conference.  Most noticeable was that it used some newer spaces in the  Saratoga Springs City Center and Saratoga Springs Hilton Hotel (which are attached to each other).  This led to a little confusion and also joy since we didn't have to trek between buildings for specific sessions. [By they way, this convention center does not have the best signage.  With the renovations that they have done, I would think they would have improved the signage too.]

    The other very noticeable change was having pecha kucha talks instead of a poster session.  Both practitioners and students gave short six minute talks in the exhibit hall on Friday.  The talks were very good and it was interesting to see how the presenters dealt with their surroundings.  (And even if they stuck to the strict pecha kucha format.)  This format reminds me that our presentations are often too long.  What if we shortened them and left more time for questions?  And what if we made our presentations such that they encouraged questions?

    Univ of Albany pecha kucha presenter
    NYLA has been in Saratoga Springs for three years in a row.  Even though there were changes to the conference this year, we've grown quite comfortable with Saratoga and what it has to offer.  Things will get shaken up next year when NYLA returns to Niagara Falls, NY (September 25 - 28, 2013). The Convention Center is walking distance from the Falls and from Niagara Falls, Canada.  It is in an area that has continued to be renovated, which means we will all be learning something new and will be doing things differently!  Some who attend may have never seen the Falls and so this will give them a prime opportunity.  Yes, we may all break with doing things as we have in the past!

    Pecha kuchaOh...I've gotten ahead of myself.  BEFORE NEXT YEAR...can we take a moment to think about what we can do differently now? Did we all learn something at NYLA that we should be implementing now?  Did we learn something that we should be communicating to others now? During informal conversations, I learned more about how libraries interact with friends groups.  During two sessions, I learned more about how libraries are chartered in NYS and some of the implications. I need to create opportunities to discuss that information with my students.  Likely students do not consider how a library is chartered, when they are looking for a job, yet the library's charter (type) provides useful information about its environment. 

    If you were at NYLA, what changes are you doing to make in your practice based on something you learned?  If you weren't at NYLA, what changes are you doing to make in your practice based on another conference that you attended?  Are you ready to break with how things have always been done?


    Syracuse University students blogged the conference. Here are links to some of their posts (and as more are published, I'll add them):
     

    Call me maybe? (Business cards)

    Business cards
    To the right are a few of the business cards that I received at the New York Library Association Annual Conference.  Five of them are from LIS students, while the one in at the bottom is from a seasoned practitioner.  What stands out to me are two things. (BTW to prevent spamming, I have purposefully obscured their contact info.)

    First, we still value "the card".  It remains the easiest and consistent way of transferring contact information from one person to another.  Yes, I'm all for using QR codes and, in fact, two of these cards have QR codes on the other side.  Yes, I'm all for capturing people's Twitter names rather than exchanging business cards.  However, those two (and other) methods don't work for everyone.  The card is still the thing.

    Second, if we're still going to use business cards, we want to have fun with them and we want them to stand out.  How do you know, though, if your card will stand out appropriately?

    When I got my first set of business cards for my consulting practice, two colleagues tested my cards in ways that I wasn't used to, but that quickly made sense.  One colleague had worked in a print shop for a number of years and so she took one of my cards and picked her teeth with it!  What she was testing was the quality of the card stock.  Thankfully, my card passed that test.  The other dropped by card on the floor and looked down at it.  Was it interesting enough...readable enough...to want to pick up? I passed that test, too.

    For those reading this that are designing your business cards (like students), you might want to keep those tests in mind.  Yes, it is better to have a business card on card stock rather than on copier paper.  Yes, the information should be accurate and relevant.  Yes, the format of the information should be clear and easy to read. Yes, it is okay to have a non-traditional design.  And...yes...you should give them to people!   (And ask for one of theirs.)

    Monday, November 05, 2012

    Using Copyrighted Works in Teaching: A Guide for Syracuse University Faculty

    In August 2012, Syracuse University published its "Using Copyrighted Works in Teaching: A Guide for Syracuse University Faculty."  This guide contains information on using copyrighted works specifically in teaching and does not provide advice for using copyrighted materials in other situations.  The 27-page guide is written in plain language.  It has been made available on the SU web site for its own instructors and for those outside of the SU community that may be interested in it.

    Amazingly, it has take a couple of months for me to sit down with a cup of tea to read the booklet.  Now that I've done so, I'm pleased with how it conveys the law and the options available to an instructor.  It does, though, leave the question of "now what?" 

    In every university that is implementing guidelines for their instructors, there are instructors that need help transitioning from how they have done things in the past to how they should do things in the future.  This is not a "just do it" moment.  This is a time where individual faculty members may need or want specific guidance, and extra sets of hands to help with re-making their courses. I wonder if any universities are deploying staff to help with this?


    Thursday, November 01, 2012

    Paper still matters

    Draft of the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation on display in SyracuseIn celebration of the 150 anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the Preliminary Emancipation Proclamation toured New York State. This was the first time in decades that this document had left the State Archives. In Syracuse, people viewed it from 9 a.m. until midnight on September 27, with some standing in line for 2.5 hours just to get a glimpse.

    I went at 9 a.m. before heading to work and am thankful that the line was short.  Still I didn't have forever to stand and read this draft, which contains President Abraham Lincoln's handwriting.  Rather than standing there and reading the text, I later went to the State Archive's web site where a digitized copy of the document resides.

    I had not heard of a "preliminary" Emancipation Proclamation.  Its existence was not taught in school, yet now that I know it exists, I realize how important it was. 100 days before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued, Lincoln signed the preliminary which signaled his intent. If the Confederacy didn't comply, he would free their slaves.  On January 1, 1863, he did just that.

    There is much that I don't know about my ancestry.  I do know that one set of great-grandparent lived and died in North Carolina.  It is likely that their parents were directly affected by the document that Lincoln wrote and signed.  Yes, that document - and the final version signed on January 1, 1863 - changed the course of my family and of my own life.

    The other thrill for me, when I saw the document, was knowing that it has been digitized.  Digitized!  That actually meant that none of us needed to stand in line. We all could have gone to the web site instead.  Yet there is something special about seeing the paper and the ink there in person.  The lines of people in every city across New York State were a testament that in our digital world, paper still matters.

    Tuesday, October 23, 2012

    What I learned about GSU's copyright case

    I heard Phil Frankel, a Syracuse-based attorney, speak on Oct. 19 about the GSU court decision, which is now being appealed.  I don't think I can write a summary, but several things stand out to me:
    • The publishers had not done due diligence to determine if they owned the copyright on the articles that they had sued over.  A good chunk of articles were eliminate from the lawsuit because the publishers didn't own the copyright on them and thus did not have the right to include them in the lawsuit.
    • GSU had modified their process during the lawsuit to try to be more correct.  The judge then looked at more recent articles, rather then ones before GSU updated its policies.
    • The judge did not like the Fair Use check list that GSU was using.  The judge felt that a checklist could cause a person to make an incorrect decision.
    • The judge used guidelines developed in 1976 for classroom copying, which are not part of the law.  See http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ21.pdf  This is very interesting, since we know that guidelines limit what the law actually allows.
    • Finally, this is not over.  An appeal has been followed.  At the moment, while many we look to see what they might do differently in the wake of this decision, this does not set a national precedent.  The precedent it sets is technology only for that judge's jurisdiction.
    Here is a link to the ARL issue brief on the case.  It seems to cover many of the points that Frankel made.

    Sunday, October 14, 2012

    For my students: How to use Twitter

    This is off-topic for this blog, although some who are not my students, may find it useful.


    In the iSchool, several of us are avid users of Twitter. We use as a way of staying connected to our colleagues, friends (professional and personal), and students.  Since some students are still acclimating to Twitter, this tutorial will help you become more proficient.

    What is Twitter?



    For many people, Twitter is replacing short email messages.  In addition, some are using it as a way of taking notes and immediately disseminating those notes to others.  You see this happen at numerous conferences and it is definitely one of the ways that I use Twitter.

    How many people are using Twitter?  According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 8% of U.S. online adults use Twitter daily (May 2012). People are using it from PCs, laptops and their mobile devices.

    How to signup for Twitter -Twitter has a help page on this. 

    Yes, you can change your Twitter name, but I would encourage you to select a name upfront that you want associated with you.  
    You are your Twitter name.  Now at conferences, it is not the business card that people want, but your Twitter name.  We might follow someone on Twitter during a conversation as a way of starting what we hope will be a long-term connection. - From Being Social, May 1, 2012
    Please use a profile photo.  While the photo can be anything, if it is a photo of you, then people will associate your Twitter name and tweets with a visual of you.  That can be a real benefit!  For example, I've had people introduce themselves to me because they recognize me from my Twitter profile photo.

    Twitter allows you to receive email notifications.  I find this annoying and so I receive no email notifications.  You may want to try it for a few days, just so you know what you could be notified about.

    You will notice that some people have customized the background of their Twitter page.  This is not necessary.  However, if you get to a point where you want to do it, here are directions.


    Who should you follow?  Twitter only works if you are following other people and other people are following you.  You will notice that the number of people an individual is following and the number of people who are following that individual is generally not the same, and that is okay.  You do not have to follow everyone who follows you.  You should only follow those people whose tweets you want to automatically see.

    Finding people to follow can seem difficult at first.  The trick is to locate a few people that interest you, then check to see who is following them. You may find among their followers people that you also want to follow.  For example, you may want to look at the people I am following (or who are following me) and see if any are of interest to you.

    What should I tweet? Tweet about things that are newsworthy.  That could be an ah-ha moment in class, an unanticipated traffic jam, link to a good article/video/web site, information from an event you are attending, etc.  If someone tweets something that you want your followers to see, yes, do re-tweet it!

    Sometimes tweets are actually a conversation between two people.  While these can be done as public tweets, you may also want to consider sending them as direct messages (or DMs). 

    By the way, Twitter allows you to protect your tweets, which means that ONLY the people who follow you can see them.  I encourage you to not protect your tweets.  If you want to have an impact, your tweets need to be public.

    What shouldn't I tweet?  Do not tweet information that would allow someone to steal your identity or that you do not want misused (e.g., telephone number).  Do not tweet anything that you wouldn't want announcement in the newspaper about you.  It is also wise to not tweet about things like what you are eating or that your heading to lunch, unless it is the best meal ever OR you're heading to lunch with an extraordinary group of individuals.  As many people will tell you, they really don't care the mundane activities in your life.



    How to I keep up with all of the tweets?  This is the hard part for people to learn.

    First, stay in the moment.  Don't worry about what someone said yesterday.  That was yesterday.  Notice what is being said in Twitter now.

    Second, setup Twitter lists. (See help here.)  Once you get above 100 followers or so, you need to create lists in order to organize the tweets that are coming to you.  I have setup many lists, including some that are for a short period of time.  Without these lists, I would never be able to know what is going!  For example, I have a Twitter list of 35+ people who frequently tweet about copyright.

    Third, once you get into using lists, then you need to consider using software (app or web site) to help you.  Two that are frequently mentioned are Tweetdeck and Hootsuite.  I have used both and prefer Hootsuite (free version).  I use it on my mobile devices and through my browser.

    Why do I like HootSuite?  From Being Social, Nov. 30, 2010)
    1. It is easy to use. (quick start guide)
    2. You can see multiple lists at once.
    3. You can organize your lists into different tabs. I have my tabs organized by broad topic areas.
    4. You can sync your browser version of HootSuite with the version that is on your phone, so each has the exact same columns (lists) and tabs.
    5. The free version has a lot of functionality to it.
    Yes, I recommend that you use the free version of HootSuite. A few of you may find that you'll need to upgrade to the pro version, but most will be quite happy with what the free version provides.
    I should also note that Hootsuite allows you to schedule tweets.   You may not ever care about doing that, but there are instances when it can be handy.

    Will Twitter may a difference in my life?  Yes and let me give you a few examples to illustrate.
    • Use Twitter to share  URLs and ideas with your classmates in real time during class (if your instructor allows you to tweet during class).
    • Follow your instructors, especially those who may use Twitter to communicate class information.  You may find that they will share information via Twitter before it goes out through other media.
    • Follow hashtags for events - including professional conferences - and gain insights from tweets being sent from specific sessions.  Often the tweets will contain rich/important information.  It will be like you are reading someone's notes.
    • By following the news media, you will know about breaking news events quickly.
    • At conferences, tweets can help you figure out where people are going and when.  It can even tell you what sessions are "hot".
    • Some use Twitter to organize events like meetups. 
    • Many organizations are using Twitter as one of the ways they post job announcements.
    • Twitter can enhance your professional reputation. While you might think I'd like this first, I'm listing it last on purpose.  Twitter does not enhance your reputation overnight.  Instead, you need to be a steady user of Twitter for quite a while and you need to be tweeting about things that the profession - your profession - care about.  You also need to be following and be followed by people who are well thought of professionally.  How do you know this has occurred?  Perhaps you're meeting people that you wouldn't have otherwise.  Maybe job announcements are being directed your way through Twitter.  It could be that you're being included in Twitter conversations with people that you admire.
    Is there more that I can do with Twitter?  Yes. Once you are comfortable with Twitter, ask your followers how they use Twitter and learn from them.  Undoubtedly, you'll find that people use it differently and some of those uses might be things you will want to try.

    Finally...I must admit that when I first heard that colleagues were using Twitter, I didn't understand it.  It wasn't until a I was the 2007 Computers in Libraries conference that I was able to watch people use it and talk to them about its benefit.  I joined Twitter on April 28, 2007 and it has had a huge upside in my life.  According to How Often Do You Tweet?, I tweet on average 7.8 times per day, but I can tell you I will tweet much more than that during a conference!  Of course, there are also days when I might only tweet once.  That type of ebb and flow has been okay both for me and my followers.

    If you are like I was, you may not see the benefit, but I encourage you to jump in.  Swim the waters of Twitter for several weeks and then see how you feel about it.  You may find that you can't quite live without it!

    Saturday, October 13, 2012

    Decision rendered in Authors Guild v. HathiTrust et al.

    This past week, the judge rendered his decision in the Authors Guild v. HathiTrust et al. copyright case.  Yes, HathiTrust won!  The Authors Guild is reportedly now considering their next step, so this still may not be over.

    You can read the Honorable Harold Baer, Jr.'s decision at  http://www.tc.umn.edu/~nasims/HathivAG10_10_12.pdf

    Since I know that commentaries and summaries written by others can be quite helpful, here are several that I have found:

    Monday, October 01, 2012

    LIS graduates, the information industry & job hunting

    As a member of the board for the Special Libraries Association (SLA), I am part of a 9000 member association that welcomes information professionals from a variety of backgrounds. We acknowledge that some of our members - yes, even those with an MLS/MLIS - have moved away from "traditional" library positions and into positions in the larger information industry.

    When I attend the Computers in Libraries conference, I am among library workers - some of which do not have an MLS/MLIS - who see how technology can be used in libraries of all sorts.  Some of the attendees are more like IT professionals than LIS professionals. 

    When I look at the career opportunities for those graduating with an MLIS degree, I see opportunities in all areas of the information industry.  I see them using their skills in organizations and corporations, in libraries, IT departments, marketing departments, and more.  In fact, let's be honest...our iSchools and some LIS programs recognize that we can't just prepare students to work in libraries.  We must prepare them for the places that need their skills.  We are preparing them to work in the information industry.

    DenialIf we are educating future librarians, then it is easy to identify the potential employers with whom they should interact and the types of jobs that they should be seeking.  However, if we are educating them to be information professionals, then how do we connect them to employers that need the skills of these graduates but who recoil when they hear the word "library" (as in "I have a degree in library and information science")?  Do we tell our LIS graduates to market themselves as having an M.A./M.S. and to not mention LIS? Should they talk about their classes and skills without using the word "library"? 

    If the answer isn't that LIS graduates should downplay their degree, then is it that an LIS graduate must find the "right" potential employer who understands the degree?  And how does a LIS graduate find such an employer?  Is it just luck?

    Here could be a place where SLA or another association could have a huge impact.  What if an association hosted a job fair at its annual conference and invited employers who are looking for information managers, etc., and marketed that job fair to graduates of LIS programs?  That could develop into a signature event.

    I must admit that this topic is personal.  When I graduated with my MLS degree, my first job was in a corporate data center as part of the IT staff.  Yes, what I had learned and done in graduate school prepared me for that job. As everyone does, I also picked up additional skills on the job. I spent five years in IT before moving to the corporate library.  Over the years, my IT background has been important to my career.  I know that walking out of grad school and into a non-library position is possible, and I want it to be possible for everyone.

    And now I need to turn this frustration into action and find ways of making it happen - not just for the few, but for everyone.  Will you join me?


    Addendum (10/2/2012): While I likely do not agree with the entire premise of this book, this text from The Demise of the Library School: Personal Reflections on Professional Education in the Modern Corporate University by Richard J.Fox caught my eye (p. xviii).  It seems appropriate to include here:
    The emergence of the library and information science paradigm began the transition of library schools from a single disciplinary approach to a more multi-disciplinary knowledge base and, in an even more transparent fashion, from an orientation to the library profession to a plethora of information professions including librarianship.

    Wednesday, September 26, 2012

    Brainstorming the library of the future

    I was speaking to someone (Greg) last night who works for a company that works with libraries. He'd like to set up a time his group to interact with library and information science students, and I'm happy to comply.  This morning, my mind started thinking about what that meeting (lunch) might entail  and an exercise from the R-Squared Conference came to mind.  I'm using this blog post to document my idea, not only to share it with him, but also so you might use it too.

    Creative SpaceAt this lunch event, I would like to gather as many of this organization's employees as possible. Then I would like invite two students for each employee. (So twice as many students as employees.)  Why? Students are used to thinking creatively and I want to "up" the creative thinking in the room, but not totally overwhelm this organization's employees.

    When participants "sign in", I would ask them to put their name and their favorite animal on their name tag.  This will give people something to immediately discuss, especially if I tell them their their favorite animal can't be a dog or a cat (easy choices).

    Participants would be encouraged to sit at tables were there are at least two employees and four students.  Each table would have a big piece of butcher paper (or newsprint paper) with markers, pens, and crayons.  Once settled in - and perhaps after eating lunch - each table would be assigned a brand (e.g., Apple, Chuck E. Cheese, Disney, Las Vegas, or Starbucks) and would use that brand's point of view to brainstorm these questions:
    • What would a new library look like?
    • What services would it have?
    • Who would use it?
    • How would it function?
    • When would it be open?
    • Where would it be located?
    Participants would first be encourage to quickly share what they know about the brand, then move into the questions.  With a big piece of paper in front of them, they could write or draw their answers.  They would be encourage to come up with one vision per table - based on the brand that they were assigned - but individuals could capture ideas that didn't included in the final vision.  (Those notes could be interesting to review later.)

    That 10-15 minute brainstorming session would be followed by a debriefing where each table would present its ideas.  We would mark those components that resonated with others in the room.  All of the notes would be captured for later use (including photos of the drawings, etc.).

    Better safe than sorry may be the most dangerous thing ever saidWhen we did a similar exercise during R-Squared, my table was tasked with designing a Starbucks influenced library. The hub/center of the library was the cafe, with music/media being close to the cafe, then the books. Music is piped into the space. Seating is comfortable in order to encourage people to linger. People can download media easily, including ebooks. People can even download parts of ebooks, which means they can select specific chapters that they want to read. In addition, people can combine books with music, so that a book could have a specific soundtrack.

    The library would have extended hours, opening early and staying open late. And it would be a kid-free zone. This is keeping the way people use Starbucks, where you don't find kids hanging out. It is a place for adults only.

    We didn't talk in detail about what furnishings and other stuff would be in the library and I wish that we had.  I think it would have been good to talk about the environment on that level.

    Okay...now that I've gotten this written, time to spring my idea on Greg!

    Monday, September 17, 2012

    #RSQ12: More final thoughts

    I thought I was through writing about the R-Squared Conference, but then I looked through my tweets and realized that I'm not.


    Libraries organize the information that comes to them in many different forms, but we don't reach out into our communities to organization the information and knowledge that is resident in its people and organizations.  (I should note that some libraries are doing this, but most are not.)  Would libraries be more irreplaceable if they did this?  Would they be more central in the community?  Would it become the major connector between everyone?  Yes. Yes. Yes.


    The tweet above came during the final keynote with Tamara Kleinburg.  Near the end of her talk, she advocated that we remove limits by breaking rules.  Now while she isn't saying that we should break the law, it is true that sometimes the rules in our head limit what we do.  Think about the rules that you follow everyday, often unknowingly.  What would happen if you challenged those rules or even changed them?  Could that lead to more innovation?


    I tweeted this (above) during the final keynote. This totally resonated with me because of a change coming to the daily newspaper in Syracuse, NY.  Like other daily papers, the Post-Standard is moving to publishing on paper only specific days per week, and publishing web-only editions on the other days.  I suppose that many of knew this day was coming, but had ignored the warnings.  What warnings are libraries ignoring?  What challenges are libraries not meeting head on?


    Topher Lawton (@hieanon) said the above quote in a blog post about the conference.  One piece that people may gloss over is the phrase "don't be shy."  The group that gathered at R-Squared was definitely not shy, in fact, I would say that they are all ready to make waves.  They are not going to be shy about what they learned.  And some (like me) were likely charged to go to R-Squared, learn, and then be ready to change their organization.

    Change does require being willing to fail and fail big!  But we shouldn't fail because we're ignorant risks.  We to do our research - do our homework - and then charge ahead. Whether we succeed or fail, we need to remember to learn from what we do and use what we learn on our next project.

    Okay...I think I've now written my last R-Squared blog posts....!

    Friday, September 14, 2012

    #RSQ12: Final thoughts

    The Risk and Reward Conference (R-Squared or R2) has thrown down the gauntlet for other conferences.  It has said, in essence, "yes" people do want an interactive and immersive experience.  Yes, people are willing to stay in the same track in order to have that experience.  Yes, keynotes can be interactive.  Yes, you can dress down and still be professional...and learn.  Yes, we are ready to move away from the current conference mold.

    Wizard. Genius. Explorer.What worked well:
    • The registration process.  Each person was able to provide information about themselves, which was then used to create a nice online list of who was attending.  Now we can use this list to keep in touch with each other, especially if more people add contact details.
    • The emails that were sent in advance.  The R2 team didn't inundate us, but they used email to help set the stage for the conference.
    • The use of Twitter and Facebook before and during the conference.  The conference had its own Twitter account and their is a Facebook page too.  Two of the evening informal events were coordinated through Facebook.
    • The location worked extremely well because it is a small, safe community that allowed us to take risks.  The amenities in the area and the gondola were real pluses.  Also the people were genuinely friendly and helpful.  (As a side note, commuting by gondola is definitely the way to go!)
    • Josh Linkner was an excellent opening keynoter, who set the bar high for the the remainder of the speakers.
    • Having four interactive tracks was a nice way of organizing the days.  I liked that we had to register for our experience (track) in advance. 
    • The interactivity in all of the sessions worked well, at least from my vantage point.  "Doing" can be a very good way to learn new concepts (or brush up on old ones).
    • The interactive zone was a nice ice-breaker on Sunday evening. 
    • The audio interviews and blog posts that the conference team did (and continues to do) are awesome.  What a nice way of sharing the conference with others!
    • Some info from the tracks will be going online and that is a nice touch, since we'll be able to see what other tables, etc., did.
    • The conference swag was nice and a bit different! And the sessions gave away different swag, which means that we all didn't come home will all the exact same stuff. [Pins, coasters, metal water bottles, adventure sling (type of backpack), bumper stickers...]  
      • The card (above) was given to everyone at the closing keynote.  I've received some feedback about the words that were used on the card from those who were not at the event.  I wonder if others have found that wording doesn't resonate with everyone?
    • The way the conference program was done was cool!  I know that it is an idea that was done at DrupalCon.  Each person received a lanyard with a small booklet on the end, which had the person's name on the outside.  Inside -and printed so it was easy for the wearer to read - was the conference program!  (added 9/14, 8:17 p.m.)
    What might be tweaked:
    • If this event is done again, the organizers should define who should attend it and the specific experiences.  That could allow people to select experiences that are more appropriate for them.
    • The time spent in the experiences could be tweaked.  Could some of that time be used, for example, to have people share across tracks?
    • When we registered, people who have dietary needs could state them.  While that worked well, those who didn't have dietary concerns seemed to like the vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, which caused some problems.
    • It would have been helpful to have a map of the area in advance, in order to know where events would occur (and in relation to the three hotels). For example, while it was easy to get around the area, knowing that the convention center was in Mountain Village, while some of the events were not, would have been helpful.
    • Telluride is an awesome location, but difficult to get to.  Knowing travel options (which airports one could use, for example), would have been very helpful.
    • I know that among the questions for the future is whether they would use Telluride again.  That is something for the team to consider as a way of lowering the cost of the conference.
    • The word "conference" didn't really convey what this was.  The team might use the word "experience" for the entire event or "immersion."
    • The final keynote was "okay".  It could be that our minds were too full.  Dunno.  
    • The nighttime events were fun (and optional), but they were on top of really full days.  The team might consider what really makes sense to do or for others to propose. 
    Tweaking, by the way, means that there will be another R2.  At this point, we don't know if that will occur.  I know that a lot of effort went into this one, and they will have to think hard about whether they can do that effort again. And if they do another, do they want people to come back and do a different track?  Do they want people to come back for a different level of engagement? Do they want a whole new group of people?
    That all said...WOW!  This conference brought together 350 librarians ( public, academic and school), trustees, folks from library consortia and associations, and staff from state libraries.  People came from across the United States, including Alaska.  One person came from Sweden, who was in the States on an exchange program. There were also a few people who work with libraries (e.g., architects and software vendors).  And I believe that no one was disappointed.  We each learned something.  We each left R2 changed.  Now we need to change those who could not travel to Telluride.

    I have placed photos from Telluride and the conference in Flickr at
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/jahw/sets/72157631530252728/  Below are a few as a teaser.

    Mountain Village gondola station View of Telluride from the gondola

    Artist working in the middle of Colorado St. Horses at the R2 opening reception