Saturday my co-worker Anne Marie Watson and I are presenting at the Alberta Library Conference in Jasper, Alberta.

The topic of our discussion is affordable ways to integrate mobile technologies into library services, including text reference, QR codes, and mobile-friendly websites and apps.

In other [...]]]>

Scan this code with your phone or visit http://rdc.libguides.com/goingmobile

Saturday my co-worker Anne Marie Watson and I are presenting at the Alberta Library Conference in Jasper, Alberta.

The topic of our discussion is affordable ways to integrate mobile technologies into library services, including text reference, QR codes, and mobile-friendly websites and apps.

In other words, it will be about ways to go where library users are these days… on their cell phones, anywhere, anytime…

Our presentation slides and more information about technologies and resources are available on a Going Mobile LibGuide I created to complement the session.

The event will be held at the University of Alberta- Augustana Campus in Camrose, AB on Thursday, November 17, 2011.

I attended last year and was thoroughly impressed with the quality of speakers and activities. This year’s [...]]]> Early bird registration is open until October 20, 2011 for the Augustana Information Literacy in Academic Libraries Workshop.

The event will be held at the University of Alberta- Augustana Campus in Camrose, AB on Thursday, November 17, 2011.

I attended last year and was thoroughly impressed with the quality of speakers and activities. This year’s workshop is looking just as great, with the focus of the event centred upon Building the Information Literate University: From Concept to Strategic Change.

The only downside is that the Alberta Association of Academic Libraries Fall Meeting is happening the same day, which is another event that I got a lot out of attending last year.

In other news, Happy Academic New Year! :)

I have heard nothing but positive things about this program, and would have loved a shot at this [...]]]> [Posting now closed] If you’re a recent (2010 or 2011) grad of an accredited Canadian library school program I would strongly urge you to apply to the Academic Library Internship Program at the University of Alberta Libraries.

I have heard nothing but positive things about this program, and would have loved a shot at this opportunity had it been offered while I was looking for work and still met the criteria.

(Also, despite torturous winters, Edmonton would be a fantastic place to live.)

Deadline: May 31, 2011

The guide features resources and information on Open Access (OA) journal literature, copyright-friendly media (Open Culture), Open Education teaching resources, and Open Source Software.

Creating an “open” guide can increase patron’s awareness of:

- Resources freely available on the Internet regardless of their membership status [...]]]> I recently created an Open Resources LibGuide for RDC Library.

The guide features resources and information on Open Access (OA) journal literature, copyright-friendly media (Open Culture), Open Education teaching resources, and Open Source Software.

Creating an “open” guide can increase patron’s awareness of:

- Resources freely available on the Internet regardless of their membership status with a Library or financial restrictions.

- Copyright and alternatives to proprietary media and software.

- Opportunities to share work openly with others through, for example, OA journals and creative commons licenses.

* On that note, the content of this guide has a creative commons license attached should you wish to share, copy, distribute or remix what’s there.

A few years ago a librarian in the US named Bobbi Newman began the Library Day in the Life project.

This initiative occurs twice a year and invites library staff to blog (or post content to Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, etc.) describing what they do [...]]]> Round 6 begins Monday, January 24 through to Sunday, January 30

A few years ago a librarian in the US named Bobbi Newman began the Library Day in the Life project.

This initiative occurs twice a year and invites library staff to blog (or post content to Twitter, Flickr, YouTube, etc.) describing what they do each day at work for one week.

This is a great way to share with others in the library world (and beyond) what it means to work in a library.

For more information and to take part, visit: http://librarydayinthelife.pbworks.com

I’m going to try to participate by blogging here throughout the week. Given that I have the flu, four instruction sessions to teach (two of which will be formally evaluated), new employees to train, and a faculty dinner and dance to help throw, it should be an interesting time.

However, you can view all of the proposed sessions online. I find this to be a very interesting feature, for it provides an insightful view into the different [...]]]> It is now officially too late to submit a proposal to the next Canadian Library Association National Conference taking place in Halifax, Nova Scotia May 25-28, 2011.

However, you can view all of the proposed sessions online. I find this to be a very interesting feature, for it provides an insightful view into the different topics that have Canadian librarians’ attentions these days.

My submission can be found here. (Please ignore the formatting errors/typos that seemed unavoidable when using the system CLA has in place to collect submissions. What ever happened to good ol’ email?)

I hope to have the chance to attend and participate next Spring. It would be my first CLA conference and a great excuse to go home for a visit. Plus, I am very excited to start producing work that acknowledges the fitting marriage of Open Access and Information Fluencies.

Fingers crossed…

This fall, Knowledge [...]]]> This September, I will be an intern for AskOntario, a virtual reference service that serves public, college and academic libraries across the province. The service is run by Knowledge Ontario, which provides free online access to a variety of e-resources/digital tools in addition to providing real-time research help and information literacy instruction.

This fall, Knowledge Ontario was set to expand, with a number of institutions planning to join the AskON service.

Additionally, Knowledge Ontario recently won the Canadian Library Association’s Information Today Award for Innovative Technology.

And… Knowledge Ontario recently lost their government funding.

Like all cuts to education and culture, this is a significant loss and one that should not be tolerated by those both within and outside of the library world.

Knowledge Ontario is calling upon others to help them take action. You can do so by:

- Spreading awareness among those at your local library, in your local community and on the Internet (via blogging, twitter, etc.)

- Joining the Knowledge Ontario Matters Facebook group and the AskOntario Facebook page.

- Writing your local MPP, the Premier, & the Ministers of  Education, Training, and Tourism and Culture. (A draft letter has been prepared by Kim Stymest that is available here.)

Tomorrow’s webcast is happening from 3PM-4PM (EST). It’s entitled: Everything Librarians and [...]]]> About a year ago, I attended my first Blended Librarian webcast. I was impressed. These free, virtual events happen every few months and bring information science professionals from all over the place together to discuss  topics pertinent to librarianship, technology and information literacy.

Tomorrow’s webcast is happening from 3PM-4PM (EST). It’s entitled: Everything Librarians and Instructional Technologists Wanted to Know About Each Other and Never Bothered to Ask: An Open Forum

To register, visit: http://blendedlibrarian.org/events.html

In unrelated news, I am happy to report that I will (tentatively) be interning 1-2 hours per week for the AskON online research help service come September. I was also able to attend two days of WILU at McMaster last week, which was soo fantastic it deserves its own post sometime in the near future.

Library Related Conferences is an exhaustive list of conferences taking place worldwide that has been compiled and maintained by Marian Dworaczek (Senior Technical Services Librarian, University of Saskatchewan Library).

Articles of 1000-1500 words need to be received by March 31st, 2010.

The contest is open to current students and recent graduates of library programs in Canada.

I’d highly recommend that anyone who qualifies submit something.

* If you’re looking for [...]]]> The deadline for the Canadian Library Association’s annual Student Article Contest is fast approaching.

Articles of 1000-1500 words need to be received by March 31st, 2010.

The contest is open to current students and recent graduates of library programs in Canada.

I’d highly recommend that anyone who qualifies submit something.

* If you’re looking for inspiration, last year I won the prize for first runner-up for an article I wrote specifically for the contest entitled Exposing Open Access (PDF).