Podcast of information literacy information from Curtin University of Technology Library and Information Service

Podcast of information literacy information from Curtin University of Technology Library and Information Service Podcasts @ your library

New (To Me) Library Podcasts David's Random Stuff, October 13, 2006

In doing some research for my ACRL Virtual Institute talk, I ran across a couple of interesting new to me library podcasts.

The Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology Library has launched a new podcast called TheBRAINcast. They've done three episodes so far including a library tour (featuring a student), information on reference services (including chat) and e-books. They're aiming to publish every two weeks and look to be on schedule so far. They've had five different people talking in the three episodes, which lends a great variety of voices. continue reading

Google for more Podcasts ... library

Learning Activities for Virtual Reference

Taxonomies in practice: Benjamin S. Bloom Taxonomy of educational objectives

Thinking Levels	Learning Activity
Knowledge	Define virtual reference services.
Comprehension	Explain how virtual reference services complement other library services.
Application	Think of examples of the types of library users served by virtual library services or the types of libraries that offer such services. Are there any patron or library types that are not suited for this approach?
Analysis	Describe the features of the virtual reference services described in the readings.
Synthesis	Develop a set of criteria that can be used to measure the success or failure of virtual reference services.
Evaluation	Using the criteria developed above, compare/contrast the features and relative effectiveness of services described in the readings. Submit the same question to three virtual reference services and compare the interactions and answers

Adapted from McWhorter, Kathleen T. Study and Critical Thinking Skills in
College, Fifth Edition. New York, 2003. in An Introduction to Reference Services in Academic Libraries

Job Pathfinder - Join the race

During my recent hunt, I learnt a few things; may be documenting this learning curve helps someone:

How to write a cover letter (2 column), resume (2 or three column, including what they say about you), networking (with 47 types of relationships), going to an interview with a BUSINESS PLAN, and be sure to send THANK U (in case they missed you), to those who interviewed--moral is don't burn any bridges behind, you may be called anytime later.

Click here for a full picture: [doc file] My Job Pathfinder

NB. Also know the mantra that WORKS, viz., SHARE [as says the Guru, Pul C Green, author of GET HIRED]:

[PS. depends on which agency trains you, some call it: Accomplishment statements; some call it: Skill benfits map (i.e., show and tell in resume & in Interview) -- follow any guru, but make sure your path has the following]

1. Situation (describe a scenario)
2. Hindrance (explain what you was the bug)
3. Action (what was the strategy to deal with the situation)
4. Result (based on your action, state what was the result, or reaction, positive or negative)
5. Evaluate (sum up the effect of your scenario)

See also an excellent resource for Job Hunt

Google for much more
Technocrati
Job Pathfinder
Pathfinders

Show Your Business Plan

Most frequent question in a job interview:

... 'How do you think you will go about this job?' This is a perfect opportunity for you to show your business plan. If the question is not asked, you should find an opportunity to bring the conversation to a point where you can show your plan, preferably earlier in the proceedings, rather than later.

Continue reading the whole strategy @@@ Copyright: seltekconsultants.co.uk; Second Interview Checklist [in Sales jobs, science vacancies, technical engineering recruitment ]

Business plan is also called: Proposal for service

Another scenario is if you have a clear idea of the position, a proposal for service, addressing specifics of the job, would be a strong follow up. (Be careful not to "give away the store"; in other words, don't be that detailed. Make them want more.) Of course, the letter will be carefully edited and look great.

Whatever is the name, show your skills, competency and interests (in precise way), and my include (in your resume or a project proposal for a task in an academic environment):

Description of Context.—Does the proposal describe the real-life environment and context in which the work will occur, particularly the client characteristics, organizational resources, state-of-the-art in the field, cultural milieu, unit mission, and personnel having particular relevance to the problem being addressed? Is there a relevant history of prior work regarding the problem? Are any assumptions being made about the present and future course of the situation, e.g., future funding? Which Career Center stakeholders are and are not impacted by the proposed program?
Continue reading from CAREER CENTER MANUAL, PHILOSOPHY, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES

See my previous posts on Cover Letter:

A Cover Letter Pinpointing Their Needs and Your Skills

Interviews, Doing presentations at ...

Web Analytics - A Librarian's Outlook

Urchin & web analytics

A while back I’d ranted a bit about some of the troubles I was experiencing with our current web server log analysis package (AWStats) and a commercial package I was test driving at the time (WebTrends). Fortunately, with the installation of the geoip-free plugin for AWStats and a little help from my Perl guru husband, we managed to get a customized domain report from our free web log analysis package while managing to steer clear of a (not free) platform- and browser-specific solution. continue reading

E-Metrics: Measures for Electronic Resources

The E-Metrics project is is an effort to explore the feasibility of defining and collecting data on the use and value of electronic resources. Although ARL has some experience in tracking expenditures for electronic resources through the ARL Supplementary Statistics, there is a widely held recognition that more work needs to take place in this area.

Whats making news:

Web Analytics - An Absolute Imperative, by Chuck Richard from OutsellNow on September 20, 2006,

A Study of Website Navigation Methods, Thomas S. Tullis, Ellen Connor, Lori LeDoux, Ann Chadwick-Dias, Marty True, & Michael Catani, Fidelity Investments

My previous posts

Wheels for Google, Google on Wheels

The Six A’s for Evaluating Web Content

God.com: Web Analytics Series no.2

Beliefnet.com: Web Analytics Series no.1

Infostructure Tools - eRider Starter Kit

eRider Starter Kit
July 2005

Tactical Technology Collective

A guide to starting, managing, and running an eRider project has been released by the Tactical Technology Collective with funding from OSI's Information Program.

A movement of technology assistance providers working in developing and transition countries has been emerging since 1997. Known as eRiders, their work is based on the Circuit Rider model used successfully in the United States to provide nonprofit organizations with assistance in using technology to build capacities. The eRiding model has been effectively used internationally to bring struggling organizations up to speed in the use of technology to fulfill their mission.Continue Reading...

Pull and Push Communications: Ranganathan's Laws re-interpreted

I strongly feel that Ranganathan's Second and Third Law of Library Science have a direct relationship with pull and push communications strategies. A clarification on this is necessary (to avoid any clash of ideas). There is a bit of overlap in the implications of these two laws. This overlap may sound logical, because, the Second Law is about the choice of information (including seeking behavior and end-user's priorities), and the Third Law is about the choice of medium (including skills) for outreach of the message.***

In short, in both these situations, whether you try to pull or push, you are aiming at establishing a network between the messenger, message, medium and end-user--albeit, with a balance (lest, the Guru, Marshall McLuhan said, message is lost in the medium)

And, here is an excellent piece on the pull strategies, in relation to library marketing situations:

In communications there are two primary models for reaching target audiences. One is called "pull" communications and the other is called "push" communications. We'll outline pull communications now, and in the next issue of Marketing Treasures, we'll talk about push communications.

In talking about the push and pull models, we are not referring to the underlying technology such as RSS, but instead, on the user experience. To embark upon a pull communications strategy is to allow members of your target audience to "pull" your communications at their discretion. In the brick and mortar world, pull communications are used by advertisers to draw customers into retail establishments to receive messages. People elect when and how they will act on the messages in the pull model of communications. In the virtual world, pull communications is exemplified by blogs, wikis, and web sites. Continue reading Marketing Treasures July 2006

Related approaches to understand Web, Marketing and the nexus:

The Five Laws of Web Marketing
1. The Law of Dead--End Street
2. The Law of Giving and Selling
3. The Law of trust
4. The Law of Pull and Push
5. The Law of the Niche [continue reading [pdf]]

The Five Mutable Laws of Web Marketing

[PDF] EDUCATION AND TRAINING FOR INFORMATION EMPOWERMENT SPECIALISTS IN THE NETWORKED SOCIETY: INDIAN EXPERIENCE, C.R. Karisiddappa
... should therefore be seen to some extent as reflecting the ‘Pull-Push Effect’ of ... Ranganathan who infused scientific method in the field and that marked ...

Digital libraries, digital containers, “library patrons”, and visions for the future, Wallace Koehler
I am going to suggest that Ranganathan's five laws are as valid today and ... of automated push and or pull services from libraries and from a distance. ...

Library Media & PRs' 10 Tips for Marketing Virtual Reference Services

See my other posts:

Visualizing the Emerging Nexus: Five Laws of Ranganathan and the WWW Era

Market Research Resources via Libraries
--------
*** Thus spake the Law Giver, Ranganathan:
Second Law: Every Reader His or Her Book
Clearly, it is the business of librarians to know the reader, to know the books, and to actively help in the finding by every person of his or her book.

Third Law: Every Book its Reader
This law addresses the fundamental issue of open access. Open access means that the collection can be examined with as much freedom as if it was the reader's private library.
Source

Prof. A. Neelamgehan was kind enough to add a few words to this post:
Dear Dr. Md. Taher:
As you are aware in most library’s only about 75% of the collection get used frequently. Dr.S R Ranganathan’s Third Law is more concerned with those documents that are not frequently used; what measures that the library / librarian should undertake to push and bring those items to the potential users’ attention – including special exhibitions, lectures by scholars about these resources, etc.
Best wishes
A. Neelameghan

Blog: Vanity Presses or Archives of Human Thought

Librarians, archivists and other information professionals are getting interested in the debate. Here is one more live discussion:

Blogs: Vanity Presses or Archives of Human Thought? Nancy McCormack & Paola Durando. COLAJ:
Canadian Online Library and Archives Journal, Volume 1, Number 1 (2005 ? - )

Blogs, or weblogs, are a highly popular and influential means of communication. Should librarians enter the blogosphere to better communicate with colleagues and users, or are blogs a waste of time? Nancy McCormack, Law Librarian at Queen's University at Kingston and her colleague Paola Durando, a Health Sciences Librarian at the same institution, argue both sides.

See my previous posts on an information professional's perpectives:

Visualizing Traffic At My Blog Via Mapping The Pathways

Visualizing Comments on Blogs

Blog-to Show

Google Trend - Another Way to Visualize the Blogosphere

Blog As A Teaching Tool

The Technique of Song and Sound Visualization -- see also: the Laughing Librarian's Blogga song

Blogging Spree: Trends in Information Visualization

What's a blog - WYSIWYG