Leading the Way: California Library Association Conference 2008

What I did at CLA 2008 Santa Clara Convention Center November 14-17

Friday: Adobe Systems Tour. Adobe is now one of the few Silicon Valley high tech corporations with a library. The library or resource center is organized under Adobe's Corporate Marketing. All 6 information specialists have MLS degrees.The Adobe Resource Center is next to the cafeteria, open 24/7 to employees with badges. Goldmine information portal supports internal research. As well as internal documents e-collection includes subscriptions to Springer Link and Overdrive. (employees are encouraged to get SJPL library card to access Safari) Information specialists answer online reference queries (mainly by email), help with creating custom search strings, tagging items, developing taxonomies, RSS, email alerts; also develop and give InfoU skills classes (in person and online).

Seminars I attended:

Saturday:
Opening General Session: On being writers: Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman. Not worth noting except that the session was diagramed by John Ward (see below)

Drawing CLA: John Ward. Ward is a graphic facilitator who captures verbal and emotional content of in diagrams. Ward drew diagrams for all Saturday sessions that I attended, and for William Crossman's talk (below) His CLA Diagrams are posted online.

Developing a Whole New Mind: Daniel Pink. Pink's Whole New Mind is one of the most challenging and inspiring works I've read recently. Pink's quote: "Libraries are the life of the mind."

Discussion with Joan Fry Williams and George Needham on Pink's presentation and how his ideas relate to libraries.

Sunday

Bilingual Teens and Spanish Speaking Seniors: Partners in Health Information Marin County Free Library / This pilot program, still in progress, trains teens to train senior citizens using MedlinePlus.

Open Source Instruction and Reference: Stanford Librarians described and demonstrated development of web-based open source software (Drupal) for their websites.

Next Generation Subject Guide: Contra Costa Library Virtual Services librarians demonstrated LibGuides by creating subject page.

Future of Librarians in the Post-Literate Age: William Crossman author of VIVO [Voice-In/Voice-Out:The Coming Age of Talking Computers. Futurist Crossman predicts talking computers (VIVOs) will make written language obsolete, replace writing and reading with speech and graphics, recreating an oral culture by 2050. Crossman sees librarians as taking on functions of scribes and storytellers.

Discussion with Joan Fry Williams and George Needham on Crossman's pressentation and how his ideas relate to libraries. Crossman stayed and there was very lively cross-discussion.
Evening: I joined a group of six CLA attendees (librarians and a library trustee) at Il Fornaio.

Monday:

Librarians, educators and CLA in Second Life: Making a difference: Sandra Vella (UC Davis), developed a mentor program for CLA members learning Second Life. Jeremy Kemp (SLIS SJSU) described his introductory Second Life learning program for incoming SLIS students.

Which way should I Go? Leading you through a menu of delicious tools, IM, Digital Reference and Second Life Technologies. After reviewing new developments in Delicious.com, instant messaging and digital reference, Alma Ortega met Sandra Ley in Second Life. Together, through Skype , they gave us a tour of Second Life library and educational sites including Santa Clara University's Virtual Library (The university recently entered Second Life), the Sistine Chapel and Dresden Art Gallery.

Demon Hunting and other life lessons: Jeanette Wallis (Glass Castle ) Best-selling writer Wallis talked about how she came to write, what she has learned since publication and how relatives and readers have responded to her book.

Great fun collecting handouts, key chains etc. Didn't win any raffles. (I hoped for an IPod). Loved hanging out at the InfoPeople Space Cantina, testing new gadgets and tech items and listening to mini-talks.

Sunday Survival

LaSeal Djonz' guide for Sunday survival for part-time librarians

1. Wear interesting, colorful, but not too outrageous (or dangerous) clothing.
2. Adopt a mascot (stuffed animal or hand puppet). If someone asks you why you’re carrying or wearing the mascot make up a line. “Mousy doesn’t get much attention, I’m giving her some.” or let the mascot speak for itself – you don’t have to be a ventriloquist. Caution: Don't extend this to invisible pals.
3. Adopt a persona -- one that is friendly, but not too off-putting. Act on your persona and keep it in mind for tough times. ("I’m really a princess in disguise.”)
4. Compose a library jingle. If you need inspiration, there’s probably some procedure that you should review or be more aware of. Better yet, turn it into a limerick or song.
5. Be a rover. Walk around the perimeter of the room during slow times (provided it’s okay with your desk colleague.) Occasionally take your shoes off and walk barefoot
6. Think of an odd topic and follow through (I want to find out about okra ) broaden it (eating, growing, commercial use,folklore etc.)–see what your collection has on it. You never know until you look for it. Isn't this what library research is all about?
7. Smile.

Years ago Sundays was made part of our schedule, like or lump it, and reference librarians were rostered other departments, i.e. Youth Services and General Collections.
I had always assumed that when I got to where I am now, (okay, at my age and situation) I wouldn't be working Sundays. I had to change my weekend activities, chiefly place of worship (most of the place of worship activities happened late Sunday mornings and afternoons) I wrote this to try to put things in perspective.