Instead of feedback, how about 'feedforward'?

Better to focus on doing things better in future than raking over past, coach says

VIRGINIA GALT WORKPLACE REPORTER
Friday, November 10, 2006
Receiving feedback rarely ranks as one of work's more pleasurable activities.

Now, management guru Marshall Goldsmith has devised a concept he calls "feedforward" -- the focus being on how to do things better in the future, rather than raking over the past.

The fundamental problem with feedback is that there is nothing the recipient can do to change what has already occurred, Mr. Goldsmith, a California-based executive coach, said in Toronto this week at a convention of the Canadian Society for Training and Development. Continue reading

Toxicity in the library workplace - a survey

This is all aobut emotional or sense related inter-relationship in library as a workplace.

Any librarian, who thinks in-line with Ranganathan to conenct library with biological connotations, will find that concern for wellness, well-being and care of the staff is an essential component of managing the human capital. And the survey ...

"Some researchers have identified hostile, unreasonable and emotionally distressing work behaviors as "toxic" in that they poison the whole workplace environment. We are investigating the question of how much this happens in libraries and how severe it is. Please answer a few short questions to help us learn about your experiences. complete the survey

Studies have been done in business on the effects of emotional toxicity in the workplace, but few studies have been done on emotional toxicity in library workplaces. We are attempting to learn more about the amount of emotional toxicity in libraries, and ask that you take our survey at . The survey is confidential and takes only about ten minutes to complete. The results will be reported in a panel at next spring's ACRL conference in Baltimore.

Thank you.
Terrence Bennett, Mollie Freier, Ann Riley

Mary P. (Mollie) Freier
Chair
Library Instructional Services
Brookens Library, Room 233
University of Illinois at Springfield
One University Plaza, MS BRK 140
Springfield, IL 62703-5407
(217) 206-7290

My 2 cents worth: I just received a comment from Prof. Neelameghan on the above subject. Based on this, I think the bigger issue is about human relations in libraries and librarianship. Are there any surveys, yes. Too generic a subject.

How about managing related issues
a) isolation in library, as a workplace? Any studies? No idea. [PS. I have compiled a bibliography on the subject of Isolation in Chaplaincy. Ask me please.]
b) grief in workplace? Any studies? No idea. [read the existing literature in the following citations to understand how caregivers care for themselves]
c) counseling the library staff in times of downsizing, layoff, etc.? No idea

see also related literature

Bibliography of Emotion Research, zum Buch Mediale Emotionen
Bibliographie zur Emotionsforschung
[Note posted in [DIG_REF] Art, Media & Emotion: To those interested in research on Media & Emotion - The bibliography on Art, Media & Emotion, compilated during a project of the Young Academy of Sciences, Berlin is now online]

Reinhold, Barbara Bailey. Toxic work : how to overcome stress, overload, and burnout and revitalize your career, New York : Dutton, c1996.

Time to Treat Toxic Emotions at Work
Real emotional pain festers in every work environment and, if left unchallenged, can cripple an organization. Call in the "toxin handlers," advises author Peter Frost in Toxic Emotions at Work, from Harvard Business School Press. Read our interview and excerpt.

Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives. Recommended Resource List: StressMaterials indicated by call numbers may be found on site using the State Library's Online Catalog.

Menz, Robert L. A pastoral counselor's model for wellness in the workplace : psychergonomics Haworth Pastoral Press, 2003

Levinson H.. Emotional toxicity of the work environment. Arch Environ Health. 1969 Aug;19(2):239-43. Emotional toxicity of the work environment.

Lisa Cox-Whalen; Juliet Nurse; Mary F. Steele. Job Loss & Pastoral Counseling.

Goleman, Daniel (2003) "Destructive Emotions, How Can We Overcome Them?" A scientific dialog with the Dalai Lama Narrated by Daniel Goleman, Bantam Books, ISBN
0-553-80171-6. Book Review

Fostering Sustainable Behavior

Peace of mind for a sustainable future

My related post:

Carl Jung's Conceptualization About Thinking, Feeling, Sensation, Intuition

Emotional Communication Interface - Revisited

A previous, related post in my blog (about living and bio-organic sources in libraries): Library is a Growing Organism - Dr. Ranganathan's Fifth Law Revisited

Example of automated mis-matching info about libraries and books

Don't be surprised. What a co-incidence. Read, Read, Read....

Reviews
Synopsis
Practical and informative, this book is designed to create awareness among people about commmon skin and hair problems and how to overcome them. She shares her secrets of 30 years in successfully solving problems related to beauty.

All the above info about a book on libraries @ Aamzon.co.uk.
Status of State Central Libraries in India (Hardcover) by R. Ramasamy

Then, no wonder, I found a quote at THNIKEXIST.com

“If truth is beauty, how come no one has their hair done in a library.”

'Digitized in ways we cannot imagine'

'What's really changed things is the art of motion design.' -- Bob Lord, Avenue A - Razorfish eastern president: FP QUESTIONS ANSWERS
Diane Francis, Financial Post Published: Friday, November 03, 2006 © National Post 2006

Q Tell me about your Enterprise Solutions Practice.

A We are not all B2C [business to consumer]. This practice focuses on B2E and B2B [business to employee and business to business]. This is for large companies with 20,000 employees or more and is the consumerization of the enterprise portal.

For instance, Amazon remembers me and what books I bought. Google helps me search. But in my own company I can't find the human resources documents or department or specialist in the area I'm interested in. This will give employees benefits information, biographies about colleagues inside their firewall. We can also provide them with more collaborative tools to improve productivity.

This is a big market. Read the full article

Information Literacy Tutorial - Kognito

This post is regularly updated, Dec 02, 2006

Report: Students Struggle with Information Literacy, By Justin Appel, Assistant Editor, eSchool News, November 28, 2006 [info courtesy: "David P. Dillard" jwne@TEMPLE.EDU @ DIG_REF@LISTSERV.SYR.EDU]

Welcome to "Beginner’s Guide to Business Research", an information literacy tutorial developed in conjunction with Baruch College of the City University of New York.

This interactive tutorial provides students with hands-on, self-paced instruction on where and how to find the best, most accurate information via the Web when conducting business research.

The tutorial includes interactive activities, library database simulations, and an interactive quiz with customized feedback.

Previous post:

Library Technicians: Education, Training, Practice, Career, Jobs, etc.: Podcast of information literacy information from Curtin University of Technology Library and Information Service

Information Literacy (for all) - A useful gateway

see also:

"information literacy blog"

What is Library Literacy and how do you best impart this to public library users? Suzanne Yule @ THE LATERAL LITERAL LIBRARIAN

Technocrati Tags:
Information Literacy Students Lack Information Literacy , ETS,
Information literacy, Academic Libraries

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