Libraries
Don't Make Me Tap The Sign...
Ever since I wrote my 'Do No Harm' post late last year, I've seen a few examples of where this model could be used in GLAMs around the word. I'm not the best at self promotion but occasionally I will see twitter conversations around this topic and drop a link to the model. This is usually met with positive comments but is quickly forgotten. I've been encouraged to write it up properly for something like Lead Pipe so it can get a wider exposure, but that will be a bit of a work in progress at the
Do No Harm
Since I listened to the Incendium Radical Library (IRL) cardiCast episode I can't stop thinking about the collecting policy they have adopted (time stamp 17:49). IRL have broad frameworks they align the library with, so when accepting new donations or looking at acquisitions they look at how these items could harm the wider community and balance that against the good they could do. In Annelise's words: "I guess like the frameworks of this library is social justice, anti-oppression, intersection
We Don't Want Your Donation
GLAM Blog Club's theme this month is Donation which instantly sent shivers up my spine thinking about all the terrible books people bring into the (public) library to donate. As Hugh's example shows, it's often the things we don't put into our collections that make a library. In my own professional life I have seen two types of librarians in regards to donations. One being the accept almost everything librarian, and the other decline's almost everything. I am of the latter persuasion. In one wor
DoDeDoDo (Production)
It’s been several months since I posted up my prototype of an RFID based library reference tracker that I lovingly called the ‘DoDeDoDo’. Since then I’ve worked through several variations of case design, code, and wiring. I even added a blinky light to it! I feel now that it is fit for reproduction and have ironed out the many, many bugs that came with not really knowing what I was doing. I still don’t but I’ve learnt a lot along the way. If you are looking to replicate this system and roll it o
DoDeDoDo Web – Reference STAT(S)!
Back in July I wrote about an RFID location based enquiry tracking system (DoDeDoDo) and two months later I’ve moved on from prototype to production and they are working relatively ok. There are some bugs to work out before I present a new write up and I’ve modified the code slightly to make it easier to troubleshoot and added an LED because blinky lights are awesome. In the meantime I created a locally hosted, web based solution for staff in the workroom that I’m pretty happy with and wanted to
DoDeDoDo – A Location Based Enquiry Tracking System
The Problem For years WA libraries have been tracking information requests/enquiries that staff (mostly front-of-house) handle in their day-to-day work. From this financial year onwards we are now required to break down these enquiries into five categories: * Reference transactions and information requests * eResource enquiries * Technical enquiries (including public PC and photocopier/printing help) * Community information and Government services enquiries * Any other enquiries (Includ
Bon Appétit
A few months ago the algorithm (or Twitter, I forget which) blessed me with a YouTube series from the magazine Bon Appétit where chef Claire Saffitz attempts to recreate various lollies. I noticed in several of the videos there was a colleague of hers called Brad who was pretty hilarious in a bumbling sort of way. Turns out that he had his own series called ‘It’s Alive, with Brad’, a series I consumed with gusto. The cameraman/editor Vinnie adding hilarious text to make fun of the host (wourder)
All Right Stop, Collaborate and Listen
I’m back with a brand new edition…of GLAM Blog Club. Now that you can’t get that song out of your head, let us turn to the theme for this month, ‘collaboration’. Ever since I first found out that authors collaborate and write books together I’ve wondered ‘how do you even do that?’ Do they write a chapter each and try to fit them together? Or do they sit in a room together with one of them typing and the other leaning back on a chase lounge, cigarette dangling from their limp hand, an arm folde
Comics, Manga, Anime, Oh My!
To me, the difference between a Marvel trade paperback and a manga omnibus is like the difference between a cheeseburger and sushi. While both are forms of comics, the art styles, backgrounds, and stories are so distinct. What I have noticed in public libraries is that while I can tell the two apart, many of my colleagues struggle. After removing all identifying labels from comic collections many staff were left confused when it came to shelving. While you can add extra stickers on the back of i
The Library of our Discontent
Fear. Fear takes many forms, from childhood nightmares to crippling anxieties. I experienced a lot of fear this past month, mostly around getting this blog post done in time (my fears were realised), but there were professional fears too. Will my public PC system crash (yes, repeatedly), will anyone come to my NLS8 presentation (yes), will I mess it up (no). As I've been mentally writing this blog I've spoken to a lot of people, and over the past few weeks I think I've worked out what I fear the