tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77710567720072308912024-03-10T02:46:34.866+00:00libfocus - Irish library blogLibfocus is a communal blog with a broad and open-minded take on all subjects relating to library and information science.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger709125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-27951691919994671882024-02-20T11:30:00.002+00:002024-02-20T12:58:31.013+00:00Libfocus Link-out for February 2024<p>Welcome to the February edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage
of library-related things we have found informative, educational,
thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yaKJpnA6Zxy3cwSQXAdcqTNQVaFSGn8uWWwXcNBVbFhCTt3mPeDnyNWh3ca5X4liXyFd6XWW2UG65IcGIG_FYjdJuLPtN_dnUIqyr-b0ExMlylsPGDopq_0hOZa0vLBbqdtI1S53dhcbfJbck28d2r7oUiRHqf1zqGJ8TooTSvZaK_uAnufWiGat4AUa/s1080/Libfocus%20post.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Various images show: book cover with the title gender queer, man taking selfie in the library, petrie dish, illustration of hand controlling puppet strings beside people sitting and talking by a table, woman reading outside with a dog on her lap, a redacted document headed government of Ontario and Sunlight project, a graphic with a megaphone that reads library marketing for library marketers" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3yaKJpnA6Zxy3cwSQXAdcqTNQVaFSGn8uWWwXcNBVbFhCTt3mPeDnyNWh3ca5X4liXyFd6XWW2UG65IcGIG_FYjdJuLPtN_dnUIqyr-b0ExMlylsPGDopq_0hOZa0vLBbqdtI1S53dhcbfJbck28d2r7oUiRHqf1zqGJ8TooTSvZaK_uAnufWiGat4AUa/w320-h320/Libfocus%20post.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Images featured in this month's link out articles</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/jan/26/books-and-looks-gen-z-is-rediscovering-the-public-library"><b>Books and looks: gen Z is ‘rediscovering’ the public library.</b></a><br />This Guardian article by Alaina Demopoulos investigates why Gen Z and millennials are using public libraries at higher rates than older generations. Libraries have become community hubs for these groups, but will they help libraries with the challenges they face?</p><p><b><a href="https://ijb.utoronto.ca/news/investigative-journalism-bureau-and-university-of-toronto-libraries-release-new-public-repository-of-ontario-freedom-of-information-requests/">Investigative Journalism Bureau and University of Toronto Libraries release new public repository of Ontario freedom-of-information requests.</a></b><br />The Sunlight Project is a database of the freedom-of-information requests made to Ontario's provincial government since 2014. The project allows anyone to discover the existence of the revelatory data and documents contained in records that have already been released and file their own requests to obtain them.</p><p><b><a href="https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2024/01/26/reading-it-cant-be-about-the-numbers/">Reading: It Can’t Be About the Numbers.</a></b><br />How many books do we read per year? And does that matter? The author asks how we should understand “reading.”</p><p><b><a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/paper-mills-bribing-editors-scholarly-journals-science-investigation-finds">Paper Trail.</a></b><br />This article explains how tens of millions of dollars flow to the paper mill industry each year, damaging research integrity in the process.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2024/feb/03/the-situation-has-become-appalling-fake-scientific-papers-push-research-credibility-to-crisis-point">‘The situation has become appalling’: fake scientific papers push research credibility to crisis point.</a></b><br />Robin McKie looks at the influx of fake research papers entering online journal databases, with 10,000 papers retracted by academic journals in 2023.</p><p><b><a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2024/01/31/do-disappearing-data-repositories-pose-a-threat-to-open-science-and-the-scholarly-record/">Do disappearing data repositories pose a threat to open science and the scholarly record?</a></b><br />Research data repositories play a vital role in ensuring research is reproducible, replicable and reusable. Yet, the infrastructure supporting them can be impermanent. Drawing on a new dataset Strecker, Pampel, Schabinger and Weisweiler, explore how common data repository shutdowns are and suggest what can be done to ensure data preservation in the long-term.</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/03/us/book-bans-librarians.html"><b>Cast as Criminals, America’s Librarians Rally to Their Own Defense.</b></a><br />As libraries become battlegrounds in the nation’s culture wars, their allies are fighting to preserve access to their collections and keep themselves out of jail, or worse.</p><p><b><a href="https://nzpod.co.nz/podcast/library-marketing-for-library-marketers">Library Marketing for Library Marketers.</a></b><br />This is an informal library marketing podcast for library staff who do all things marketing, communications, public relations, outreach, and more. Join your host, Katie Rothley, as she chats with various experts, library staff, marketing professionals, and other library marketers who share tips, tricks, tools, insights, and more.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2024/01/17/university-librarians-see-urgent-need-ai-ethics">Libraries and the need for AI ethics.</a></b><br />Research has shown that most university librarians have a moderate understanding of AI concepts and principles and formal ethics training is required.</p><p><b><u><a href="https://diamasproject.eu/diamas-results-institutional-landscape-survey/">Report on the European landscape of institutional publishing.</a></u></b><br />The EU funded DIMAS (Developing Institutional Open Access Publishing Models to Advance Scholarly Communication) provides a clear picture of the European landscape of institutional publishing and ways to further strengthen such initiatives.</p><p><b><a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2023.2287470">Decolonising and diversifying the Library through student partnerships.</a></b><br />This case study looks at the work to develop initiatives to diversify Warwick University Library’s collections, spaces and services, carried out in conjunction with our key student partners, Warwick’s Library Associates. It explores the origins of the voluntary Library Associates scheme, with an emphasis on working in true partnership with students, to deliver library improvements in line with their priorities and those of their peers. It examines the process of co-creating interventions to aid diversifying and demonstrates the role of the students as drivers for the initiatives. It discusses the ongoing work to be done to meaningfully diversify the Library and involves the student voice in the reporting of the project.</p><p><b><a href="https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/view/26168/34104">Building Community: Supporting Minoritized Scholars through Library Publishing and Open and Equitable Revenue Models.</a></b><br />With the growth of open access (OA) journal publishing, a myriad of funding models has emerged to serve as an alternative to the traditional subscription model. Models that impose author facing charges are inequitable, favouring well-resourced authors and institutions, and continue the dominance of publications from the Global North. This exploratory study critically examines the current state of funding OA journal publishing and the disruptive role of library publishing programs. We conclude with a discussion of the potential of the LYRASIS Open Access Community Investment Program as a tool to support library publishing programs to sustainably fund inclusive OA journal publishing.<br /></p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-15882350850067089242024-02-14T20:30:00.002+00:002024-02-15T10:35:59.788+00:00UCD Library's experience with the Celus usage statistics tool This article is co-authored by John Paul Kiernan (Acquisitions Librarian) and Catherine Ryan (Collections Support Librarian) in UCD Library.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5gL3nN_62vN1UwEC3b5efhdf2Hqdjv2mJ1kL5onuW-bnPCL0kUVf7KoLIDBYKGhyphenhyphenLknVqiUI1wbDjwGCcuI-_OkAdDmY0ugzLwOz7X3fgixfE3Wa0XA_Jn6upXnhShT_GafvyGi6eC8JyQIAtmV1b07VfABm7rnC3byp9Qs2ET7_6x_wVUhqQ-5GtRDk/s841/Celus%20blog%20image.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Illustration of a computer screen showing graphs and statistics" border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="841" height="244" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw5gL3nN_62vN1UwEC3b5efhdf2Hqdjv2mJ1kL5onuW-bnPCL0kUVf7KoLIDBYKGhyphenhyphenLknVqiUI1wbDjwGCcuI-_OkAdDmY0ugzLwOz7X3fgixfE3Wa0XA_Jn6upXnhShT_GafvyGi6eC8JyQIAtmV1b07VfABm7rnC3byp9Qs2ET7_6x_wVUhqQ-5GtRDk/w320-h244/Celus%20blog%20image.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by 200 Degrees from Pixabay</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">UCD Library has looked into several usage statistics tools
over the years including products like </span><a href="https://jusp.jisc.ac.uk/" style="font-family: inherit;">JUSP</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span><a href="https://www.ebsco.com/products/ebsco-usage-consolidation" style="font-family: inherit;">EBSCO Usage Consolidation</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">. We
were impressed with their functionality and reporting features. One drawback at
the time, and this has likely improved since, was that the tools did not work
with a majority of the publishers we had subscriptions with, and this would
have resulted in us undertaking a substantial amount of data harvesting and
analysis ourselves. Funding issues also prevented us from trying one out.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br />Not having a tool to undertake even some of the work related
to usage gathering and analysis created many challenges:<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Collecting usage reports across a multitude of publisher platforms, either manually or through local configuration of <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1087/095315107779490580">automated harvesting protocol (SUSHI)</a> was very time-consuming.</li><li>Providing usage statistics for the <a href="https://www.sconul.ac.uk/tags/sconul-annual-statistical-return">annual Sconul Return</a> in particular, was a significant burden on e-resources staff.</li><li>Our management team did not have all the data they needed for evidence-based decisions about our collections.</li><li>An in-house solution for gathering and tallying data had limited reporting capabilities and required ongoing maintenance and recurrent investment of time.</li><li>Tracking and understanding usage across a broad range of resource types and formats, and of non-<a href="https://www.projectcounter.org/">COUNTER compliant resources</a> was difficult.</li></ul><div><p class="MsoNormal"><br />Our interest in usage statistics tools was again piqued in
May 2023, when <a href="https://irel.ie/">the IReL consortium</a> invited members to an introductory webinar on Celus. The consortium is using Celus
to manage and report on IReL usage statistics, and to facilitate IReL member
access to this data.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Celus (</span><a href="https://www.celus.net/" style="font-family: inherit;">https://www.celus.net/</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">) is a tool for automated harvesting and analysis of COUNTER and non-COUNTER statistics. It was created by</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><a href="(https://www.bigdigdata.com/)" style="font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Big Dig Data</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">, a private company registered in the Czech Republic, in cooperation with the Czech National Library of Technology. Big Dig Data is also an active member in Project COUNTER's Technical Advisory Group.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />Following the webinar and some engagement with the Celus team,
we could see the potential benefits of using the tool.<br /></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>One platform for all our usage statistics, current and historical – COUNTER, non-COUNTER, local subscriptions and IReL – would provide an overview that has eluded us thus far.</li><li>The tool’s integration with the COUNTER Registry would reduce workload associated with SUSHI configuration.</li><li>Availability of deeper analytical tools would help inform collection management and development decisions, publisher negotiations, and help to monitor trends over time.</li><li>The tool’s intuitive dashboard for running reports would facilitate wider access to data by library staff and help improve our communications about usage to the University.</li></ul><p class="MsoNormal"><br />A business case was made, and funding approved, enabling UCD
Library to become the first IReL member to adopt Celus to manage and report on
its own institutional data in June 2023.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />Implementation was relatively straightforward and completed by
the end of Summer 2023. As a first step, Celus provided a spreadsheet template
for us to complete with our SUSHI credentials. They had pre-populated this
template with credentials for publisher platforms already set up for IReL, so
we had to add our credentials for UCD’s subscribed/purchased platforms only. We
had these to hand as we had spent some time collating our credentials during
Autumn 2022 and many of these were still working. In all, over 100 publisher
platforms were set up on our Celus instance, representing most of our
subscriptions and purchased content. Celus then created accounts for colleagues
who would require access. Once our instance and was set up, we decided to
harvest our data back to 2021.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />To evaluate the tool and to become more familiar with it, we
set ourselves the goal of using it for our Sconul Return usage statistics
submission. We had some further training with Celus to specifically address how
best to approach the Return, given it requires us to report on the ebooks and
journals that UCD Library pays for only (i.e. excluding IReL). <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />We experimented with the tool’s tagging feature, tagging
individual titles and collections to see if we could identify and report on UCD
usage only. However, we quickly realised it would require a lot more time to
set up fully and would require ongoing maintenance of title lists that we
weren’t willing to commit to at this time. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />In the end, we used the tool to run separate journal and ebook
reports to capture all <a href="https://www.projectcounter.org/release-5-understanding-investigations-and-requests/">Total Item Request data and Unique Title Requests</a> by
platform. We exported these reports to Excel and then did the rest of the work
outside of Celus. Within Excel, we were able to annotate each publisher platform
as being either IReL or UCD. For those platforms that had both IReL and UCD
resources, we had to do a deeper dive on the COUNTER Reports to isolate usage
for UCD's resources only. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />The tool did most of the heavy lifting for us in terms of
gathering and tallying the data required for the Return, and the manual work in
Excel was not too onerous compared to what we had been doing in previous years.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />The tool is now gathering our data monthly, and the
dashboard alerts us to any data retrieval issues for specific publishers,
allowing us to respond to and resolve these issues promptly. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><br />Our next objective is to obtain a more complete picture of our
ebook access denials/turnaways. We’ll also revisit the tagging feature as we’d
like to obtain data on our individual journal subscriptions. The tool also has
the ability to process a number of unmodified non-COUNTER reports from publishers,
so we’ll be looking into that too.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal">
</p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-77788813567591683172024-01-20T17:57:00.005+00:002024-02-14T17:51:25.020+00:00Libfocus Link-out for January 2024<p>Welcome to the January edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage of library-related things we have found informative, educational, thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQGSvNWKx1nUKQq97gyOJS_gUMds-BZcd70yt4HfWpI9fMBC_rz3pNdCaxHyz91Ev_CeiswJlBTayFj7mDw8wvell4FfFxgo68bJWS_aTsX6yKDNgT5IFDdesWgpWJBWhAsDCudcxtjJTf0rn63IRFqsikGOL9EH1yluDEebDBAzD9O8juWgzkAUluYtV/s1080/Libfocus%20(square)%20(1).png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="7 images show: A young girl holding a book over her head; book pages folded into airplanes; a spiral staircase leading down to a person standing at the bottom; a man sitting in a chair smiling; the numbers 2023; A graphic of a spiral wheel beside the text IreL executive report 2022; a colourful graphic showing lit up pins over a geographical graph" border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEQGSvNWKx1nUKQq97gyOJS_gUMds-BZcd70yt4HfWpI9fMBC_rz3pNdCaxHyz91Ev_CeiswJlBTayFj7mDw8wvell4FfFxgo68bJWS_aTsX6yKDNgT5IFDdesWgpWJBWhAsDCudcxtjJTf0rn63IRFqsikGOL9EH1yluDEebDBAzD9O8juWgzkAUluYtV/w320-h320/Libfocus%20(square)%20(1).png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Images featured in this month's link-out articles</td></tr></tbody></table><p><b><a href="https://insights.uksg.org/articles/10.1629/uksg.632">You say you want a revolution! Could it finally be time to rethink scholarly communications?</a></b><br />An opinion piece by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elaine-sykes-687a57119/">Elaine Sykes</a> advocating for a collective approach to changing scholarly communications and collectively issuing a declaration to fair publishing.</p><p><b><a href="https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2024/01/02/2023-year-in-review/">American Library Association's Year in Review 2023</a></b><br />This piece takes a curated look back at news in 2023 that affected libraries and library workers and dominated discourse in the US.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hidden-victims-of-the-british-library-hack-20000-authors-jfd55lhcq">Hidden victims of the British Library hack: 20,000 authors</a></b><br />The cyber attack on the British Library affects the payments authors receive from public library lending.</p><p><b><a href="https://doi.org/10.54900/zg929-e9595">Large Language Publishing</a></b><br />Thought piece on the many effects that AI might have on the scholarly communications landscape.</p><p><a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/tiktok-librarian-mychal-threets-18564358.php" style="font-weight: bold;">How a Bay Area librarian became an Instagram star</a><b><br /></b>In this article from the San Francisco Chronicle, Julie Johnson looks at how Solano County librarian Mychal Threets has become one of Instagram’s shining stars. </p><p><b><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/jan/08/libraries-for-the-future-europes-new-wave-of-meeting-places-for-the-mind">Libraries for the future: Europe’s new wave of ‘meeting places for the mind’</a></b><br />From Ghent’s De Krook to Helsinki’s Oodi, recent civic constructions have shared a vision of the library as a living room for the modern city.</p><p><b><a href="https://irel.ie/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/IReL-Executive-Report-2022_final.pdf">A report on the adoption of Irish open research practices</a></b><br />The latest analysis of publication data from IReL 2022 open access agreements.</p><p><b><a href="https://acrlog.org/2023/12/15/generative-ai-the-evolution-of-academic-librarianship/">Generative AI and the evolution of academic librarianship</a></b><br />A short reflection from an academic librarian on ways we can embrace and utilise AI in teaching.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001sd79">Can reading really improve your life?</a></b><br />Research suggests that reading for pleasure is a key indicator in a child's future outcomes. In this BBC Radio 4 podcast author Julia Donaldson investigates how we can foster a love of reading in children.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/jan/09/the-incentive-to-steal-isnt-there-the-lost-cause-of-tracking-library-theft">‘The incentive to steal isn’t there’: the lost cause of tracking library theft</a></b><br />In this Guardian article, Daisy Dumas looks at the most popular and pilfered books in Australia's libraries. The article also looks at how libraries are adapting their spaces in response to changing user demographics, seasons and socioeconomic trends.</p><p><b><a href="https://digitalscience.figshare.com/articles/report/The_State_of_Open_Data_2023/24428194">The State of Open Data Report Released</a></b><br />The eighth annual The State of Open Data report, developed by Digital Science, Figshare, and Springer Nature, has been released. The report shows that almost three quarters of surveyed researchers overwhelmingly said they are still not getting the support they need to share their data openly.</p><p><b><a href="https://acrl.ala.org/acrlinsider/rethinking-institutional-repositories-innovations-in-management-collections-and-inclusion/">Rethinking Institutional Repositories: Innovations in Management, Collections, and Inclusion</a></b><br />ACRL announces the publication of Rethinking Institutional Repositories: Innovations in Management, Collections, and Inclusion, edited by Josh C. Cromwell (access the <a href="https://bit.ly/IRs">OA edition her</a>e). The book features a collection of ideas, scholarship, and examples that can inspire and reinvigorate how you engage with the repositories at your institution.</p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-51257935651567278012024-01-05T09:28:00.000+00:002024-01-05T09:28:03.385+00:00The IOAP Diamond Open Access Awards<p><b><a href="https://iadt.ie/about/staff/jane-buggle/">Jane Buggle</a> (Institute Librarian at IADT, Co-Manager of the IOAP)</b></p><p>The <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/irish-open-access-publishers/home">IOAP</a> (Irish Open Access Publishers) is a community of practice established by librarians and academics to support and promote Diamond Open Access Publishing. The aim of this dynamic community of practice is to promote publishing activity that is free of article processing charges (APCs), paywalls and publication embargoes, to further the dissemination of high-quality scholarly output to all in society. The IOAP’s international <a href="https://www.ioap.ie/about/advisory-board">Advisory Board</a> is comprised of key players in the area. The IOAP is a signatory of <a href="https://www.scienceeurope.org/our-resources/action-plan-for-diamond-open-access/">Science Europe’s Diamond OA Action Plan</a> and it is a partner in a number of <a href="https://dri.ie/norf/">NORF</a>-funded projects.</p><p>The IOAP held its inaugural webinar on 6th December at which Dr Graham Stone (Jisc/DIAMAS), Dr Bregt Saenen (Science Europe), and Katrine Sundsbø (DOAJ) spoke about the Challenges and Opportunities of Diamond OA Publishing. The recording and slides are <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/irish-open-access-publishers/events?authuser=0">here</a>. <a href="https://publishoa-ie.moodlecloud.com/">Publish OA Ireland</a> and the IOAP will co-host a DOAJ Sprint event, Demystifying the DOAJ Application with Judith Barnsby, on Thursday 29th February at 2pm.</p><p>Nominations are now open for the inaugural <a href="https://www.ioap.ie/ioap-awards">IOAP Diamond Open Access Awards</a>. Diamond OA Publishers from across Ireland (including Northern Ireland) are invited to nominate/self-nominate in any of the following four categories:</p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Best Peer-Reviewed Open Access Journal</li><li>Best Peer-Reviewed Open Access Monograph</li><li>Best Open Educational Resource</li><li>Outstanding Contribution to Diamond Open Access Publishing in Ireland</li></ul><p>The closing date for the submission of nominations is 1st February 2024. Winners will be announced at the <a href="https://www.ioap.ie/annual-conference">IOAP Annual Conference</a> on 12th March. Each winner will receive an IOAP Medal and an accompanying electronic signature. The Awards will be adjudicated by a prestigious international panel of judges. Full details of judges, judging criteria, nomination procedures, and the nomination forms are <a href="https://www.ioap.ie/ioap-awards">here</a>.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.ioap.ie/home" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="890" data-original-width="1280" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFqC_29tDGNg0eeL455iWIvrH1C5KlhYx2juSRiP4b0xktNzqJSyjeIfHlkcLlkGGqYNscxFxV1mahXHTWKNqFEex8GU2kcgr8sUvonv9oqQyN1AfbW72b0qZ69DVXNTCM3VA2Bzf8roTLg_kXqegWOO8qWTEZE3ejG_PrarQjKFUbJTgrisao3KhtWA/s320/IOAP%20logo.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.ioap.ie/ioap-awards" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibZlQ51v9A5Q5oRP8G32FJDd8nNpQmsapHjjauV4dYQ7suLwyT9eLHkz4SusTwWrzwlAW0eP-EgizmVqg8hv-yV6Q-1pAIieVYkwEFTlK8LAKPj7O3Oq69acxB_-pgxyNIkbWZ8BR8fCgGFBNwIT_WRhE-xY1zSCDLcpgXSlWr7xZ_pMW1OxA9En3gFw/w640-h640/IOAP%20info%20with%20categories%20orange.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-23761126216741708272023-12-14T12:51:00.013+00:002023-12-14T12:56:55.892+00:00The Lower Decks: A Symposium on Janeway and Open Access Publishing<p>This post includes the <a href="https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/17LVtmeMuiu9J6nRtuyOKd8ktgNuhv6cS?usp=sharing">abstracts</a> and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfN2Ty0YJjQ&list=PL-LgPnE1VH5ra4qmK2t0tpO_al3xpt8Db">streamed recordings</a> of most talks delivered at the inaugural <a href="https://www.openlibhums.org/news/618/">Janeway Symposium</a>, which took place at <a href="https://www.bbk.ac.uk/">Birkbeck, University of London</a> on 7th and 8th September 2023.<br /> <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cfN2Ty0YJjQ" width="567" youtube-src-id="cfN2Ty0YJjQ"></iframe></div><p></p><p>The <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1254clD0qyjYWKouiyJ77C9dKVyUVIRCP/view?usp=sharing">itinerary</a> consisted of five panels: (1) Janeway/Open Library of Humanities Report (links <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5qYq5o5S94&list=PL-LgPnE1VH5ra4qmK2t0tpO_al3xpt8Db&index=2">one</a> & <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djXu3Gw0whY&list=PL-LgPnE1VH5ra4qmK2t0tpO_al3xpt8Db&index=3">two</a>), (2) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3sxNjQiPDU&list=PL-LgPnE1VH5ra4qmK2t0tpO_al3xpt8Db&index=4">Innovative Uses of Janeway</a>, (3) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R77-7BsNkWk&list=PL-LgPnE1VH5ra4qmK2t0tpO_al3xpt8Db&index=8">Content and Creativity</a>, (4) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vo-U03CSFLY&list=PL-LgPnE1VH5ra4qmK2t0tpO_al3xpt8Db&index=10">Editorial Innovation</a> and, (5) <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB8T-UHfqnk&list=PL-LgPnE1VH5ra4qmK2t0tpO_al3xpt8Db&index=11">Open Access, Communities and Activism</a>.<br /></p><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ronancox/">Ronan Cox</a>, <a href="https://www.dcu.ie/communications/people/jim-rogers">Jim Rogers</a> and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexanderkouker/">I</a> had the opportunity to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB8T-UHfqnk&list=PL-LgPnE1VH5ra4qmK2t0tpO_al3xpt8Db&index=11">speak</a> about the <a href="https://cujournal.ie/">School of Communications Undergraduate Journal</a> (panel 5: Open Access, Communities and Activism), published by <a href="https://www.dcu.ie/library">DCU Library</a> in partnership with the <a href="https://www.dcu.ie/communications">School of Communications</a>.</p><p>Learn more about Janeway <a href="https://janeway.systems/">here</a>.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://janeway.systems/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih0Egu36CtsNcH9xWP5EpN7m6XWW2kcfdQqQWaJt0OI01eqNFfCgx1pV3pqy6JX5vuBOXZ_E11Y2rm5LYj3dTmR-fjDSRFmjBhtEbZXYxn9wmP2J5xwUG-WlgcSNxKaG7umeBGbWWAjMc4tElZ-wpWA-r5sTe5i4m3qsTnsaahDq_UOXaltjtU1CD8BQ/s1600/janeway.png" width="225" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-20243829455739779682023-12-12T14:35:00.000+00:002023-12-12T14:35:16.798+00:00Libfocus Link-out for December, 2023<div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">Welcome to the December edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage
of library-related things we have found informative, educational,
thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFctaND_qLjK_Qa9Q9RhrUCMb9mfHP4fw6RhUmRQ5qAWV9vbdn7XGHMJYqbvhUhWFB9cQzNSfi-OPNayxVWsykvNvKrJr9qCpqT6yUA8XmhnxRmk9ZIhJolbw959KkKKlPIpJZr6UYRx49N0w1HRXjLpI8mKfGewJFP_-cUkdrNM0kMI5jRlLvnMgj_WC/s1600/Libfocus%20blog.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Shows a man wearing white gloves, the interior of a large library building, a woman sitting between library book shelves, a black and white photo of library staff with the text tiktok on it, a word cloud graphic with the prompt: share one word that describes your feelings about the challenges/tensions of working with RDM, a picture of a woman" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTFctaND_qLjK_Qa9Q9RhrUCMb9mfHP4fw6RhUmRQ5qAWV9vbdn7XGHMJYqbvhUhWFB9cQzNSfi-OPNayxVWsykvNvKrJr9qCpqT6yUA8XmhnxRmk9ZIhJolbw959KkKKlPIpJZr6UYRx49N0w1HRXjLpI8mKfGewJFP_-cUkdrNM0kMI5jRlLvnMgj_WC/w400-h225/Libfocus%20blog.png" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><b><a href="https://www.whrb.org/archive/our-job-fight-against-entropy-narayan-khandekar-straus-cente/">“Our job is to fight against entropy”: Narayan Khandekar on the Straus Center and the Forbes Pigment Collection</a></b><br />Read or listen to this interview with the director of the Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies. Learn how the center's research reveals the artistic processes used to create the works of art in the Harvard Art Museum collection as well as the best ways to preserve them.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.ria.ie/news/members-research-series/margaret-kelleher-mria-professor-literature"><b>Margaret Kellerman, MRIA, Professor of Literature</b></a><br />Margaret Kellerman looks back at the year-long fellowship she completed at the Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers at the New York Public Library (NYPL). She describes her research and often moving discoveries among the papers of Irish literary figures Mary and Padraic Colum.<br /><br /><a href="https://hangingtogether.org/exploring-the-challenges-and-opportunities-of-research-data-management-rdm/"><b>Exploring the challenges and opportunities of research data management (RDM)</b></a><br />Sobering summary of challenges that RDM practitioners face when they run data management services. Hope comes via imagining how a better RDM ecosystem could work.<br /><br /><a href="https://insights.uksg.org/articles/10.1629/uksg.613"><b>Open access at a crossroads: library publishing and bibliodiversity</b></a><br />This opinion piece argues that the gold open access model is destructive to the knowledge production ecosystem by addressing the importance of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibliodiversity">bibliodiversity</a> and the ways in which library publishing can contribute to sustainable and equitable knowledge production.<br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.ifla.org/developing-a-library-strategic-response-to-artificial-intelligence/">Developing a library strategic response to Artificial Intelligence.</a></b><br />As libraries move to adopt AI, it will impact services in different ways - a working document from <a href="https://www.ifla.org/">IFLA</a> provides considerations when developing a strategic response.<br /><br /><a href="https://superlibrarymarketing.com/2023/11/27/tiktoklibrary2024/"><b>2024 guide to Instagram for Libraries</b></a><br />Social media platforms can provide a valuable form of outreach for libraries - here are some tips to maximise the audience.<br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/city-public-libraries-changing-services-education/700069/">Not your mother's Library: how libraries are evolving</a></b><br />With resources that range from teaching kitchens to 3D printers, libraries across the U.S. are innovating to meet the changing needs of urban communities.<br /><br /><b><a href="https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2023/11/29/2023-holiday-gift-guide-for-librarians-and-book-lovers/">2023 Holiday Gift Guide for Librarians and Book Lovers.</a></b><br />It's that time of the year... Holiday gift guide for librarians and book lovers.<br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/ireland/2023/11/18/low-level-of-expenditure-on-irish-language-books-in-libraries-disgraceful-says-oireachtas-report-on-sector/">Low level of expenditure on Irish language books in libraries ‘disgraceful.</a></b><br />Éanna Ó Caollaí looks at a report from an Oireachtas sub-committee looking into Irish language written media. It includes criticisms on library spending on Irish language materials and the absence of a dedicated Irish language policy in the National Strategy for Public Libraries 2023-2027.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/campus/how-teach-primary-source-literacy-skills-universities"><b>How to teach primary source literacy skills in universities.</b></a><br />Read about primary source literacy instruction using Special Collections and how it is instrumental in teaching transferable critical thinking and research skills that help prepare students for their academic careers and real-life scenarios.<br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/everyday-evidence-based-practice-academic-libraries-case-studies-and-reflections">Everyday Evidence-Based Practice in Academic Libraries: Case Studies and Reflections.<br /></a></b>Wherein Claire Walker Wiley, Amanda B. Click, and Meggan Houlihan collect solid, thorough examples of evidence-based practice across functional areas of academic libraries, including many evidence types in a variety of contexts. Five sections are under scrutiny: Understanding Users, Leadership and Management, Instruction and Outreach, Collections, Open Initiatives.<br /><br /><b><a href="https://daily.jstor.org/how-american-librarians-helped-defeat-the-nazis/">How American Librarians Helped Defeat the Nazis.</a></b><br />In war, as in everything, information is power. And for the United States and its allies in World War II, an epic battle from an analogue age that meant obtaining and transmitting by hand useful intel. This included information about the development of destructive new weapons - before the Nazis could prevent their enemies from getting it. Enter the librarians, tapped by US government officials to help in this effort. These librarians adopted technology from other fields to photograph an array of documents, including those that were rare and/or archival, and found means of sending them across continents. They used both microfilm and microphotography - technologies that came to play a key role in the wars of the twentieth century.<br /></div>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-92181397456718515672023-11-27T16:09:00.002+00:002023-11-27T16:10:14.839+00:00Creating Engaging Fire Safety Resources - Reflections from a new Library Assistant<div style="text-align: justify;">This blog post by Declan Synnott from <a href="https://libguides.ucc.ie/library" target="_blank">UCC Library</a> was highly commended in the <a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/" target="_blank">CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Award 2023.</a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDgDS3fYtlujTahVUfSsJu391LccGW0OHamENM_gB0jg7mg3Y_6s0BSxiprxkryxhmEUgzVkiFoV0kheky-WgPXXjR1oEYh4tzfSTLxU-rWB9sLri5th8wZ2hKm3Yxfbqq_zhrxBlpTbzHFkk3Zd_GoPpxpj7YVYOexHX0zJwY866goT-npucH5z11WIf/s386/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="260" data-original-width="386" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHDgDS3fYtlujTahVUfSsJu391LccGW0OHamENM_gB0jg7mg3Y_6s0BSxiprxkryxhmEUgzVkiFoV0kheky-WgPXXjR1oEYh4tzfSTLxU-rWB9sLri5th8wZ2hKm3Yxfbqq_zhrxBlpTbzHFkk3Zd_GoPpxpj7YVYOexHX0zJwY866goT-npucH5z11WIf/w363-h245/Picture1.jpg" width="363" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>An early project</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I began working as a library assistant in UCC Library in April, and like anybody would, I immediately</div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">felt I had a huge amount to learn.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I was recently part of an ongoing Library initiative to improve our messaging and resources around </div><div style="text-align: justify;">health and safety in our buildings. I was tasked with creating engaging fire safety resources. This was </div><div style="text-align: justify;">a perfect chance for me to get to grips with my new role, and to get to know my new place of work.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">It felt like an interesting and relevant project, and I was keen to get involved.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is also a universal relevance to this project: all of us working in libraries must take health and </div><div style="text-align: justify;">safety into account. We must also consider the capacity of users to safely evacuate in emergency </div><div style="text-align: justify;">situations.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>The planning stage</b></div></b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">For this project, I had several things to consider.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><ul style="text-align: left;"><li style="text-align: justify;">for these resources to be engaging, I needed to make novel and accessible something which is probably not the most exciting or engaging.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">These resources were to be used for self-training. Potentially a daunting prospect, but there was a useful freedom in devising training that would be engaging and approachable, to boil down the necessary information into a user-friendly format.</li></ul><div style="text-align: justify;">With these considerations in mind, I decided to make video tutorials. These would have value added</div><div style="text-align: justify;">through an interactive quiz, via H5P software (short for HTML5 Package, a tool for easily creating </div><div style="text-align: justify;">interactive content). My next consideration, then, was how to structure the video to ensure it was</div><div style="text-align: justify;">informative, engaging, and accessible.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I began storyboarding using existing resources on fire safety procedures, took several walks around </div><div style="text-align: justify;">the building to tour its fire exits, and examined floorplans, attempting to view the relevant </div><div style="text-align: justify;">information through the eyes of the least informed library user, i.e., the user with the greatest </div><div style="text-align: justify;">learning need.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOWFlAcZqGj8nlc2aiI47McrzCFzdQk1jb0wTr73rnZvS39jXR3ISdz83SDgwOx6lt9guauVaXGzMKfVJkKgs9dkkenZ_vcCvsmO-t_X0Xjdtn_ubPkfeu1OZAW-Ss9n1PzoicoAaCVjuGLx7KLxXLYMbQVG4dXcB_Okfl0HtSB-jpV0YmgJvayd4ZmaE/s685/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="685" data-original-width="600" height="457" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKOWFlAcZqGj8nlc2aiI47McrzCFzdQk1jb0wTr73rnZvS39jXR3ISdz83SDgwOx6lt9guauVaXGzMKfVJkKgs9dkkenZ_vcCvsmO-t_X0Xjdtn_ubPkfeu1OZAW-Ss9n1PzoicoAaCVjuGLx7KLxXLYMbQVG4dXcB_Okfl0HtSB-jpV0YmgJvayd4ZmaE/w400-h457/Picture2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A screenshot from one of the fire safety videos highlighting the emergency exits on one library floor.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Building the video: keeping faith in trial and error</b></div></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">With a script written and approved by the University Fire Marshall, I had a view of the core learning</div><div style="text-align: justify;">objective ‘what do you do in the event of a fire, or a fire drill, when in the library?’ I could then build </div><div style="text-align: justify;">from this, (though I was working on the basis that trial and error might guide the project still.)</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I had chosen a video format, the logical progression for me was to show a video of each fire exit </div><div style="text-align: justify;">being entered and followed to its route out of the building. I eagerly set to filming, capturing a </div><div style="text-align: justify;">panorama of the space surrounding each exit, and capturing the routes to safety. I gathered my </div><div style="text-align: justify;">video files and set them into a structure: the floorplan zooms to each exit in sequence, then cuts to a </div><div style="text-align: justify;">video of this exit being utilised. This sounds logical and useful; however, after reviewing a draft video </div><div style="text-align: justify;">in this format, I found it was not very engaging. I found that as the video moves through the footage </div><div style="text-align: justify;">of exits being followed, the pace lags and I imagined the audience’s attention dwindling.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I am a firm believer in trial and error in creative endeavours, and I now had my first problem to set </div><div style="text-align: justify;">about solving. I returned to the library website to study the existing floorplans, observing how they </div><div style="text-align: justify;">are set up with interactive hotspots showing relevant areas (Library Floorplans: Q+3). I decided to </div><div style="text-align: justify;">use a static image of the exits in their locations, and of anything relevant such as an emergency </div><div style="text-align: justify;">phone. I set to constructing another test video, this time, the pace was more engaging, and it felt </div><div style="text-align: justify;">easier to parse the location of each exit. The video was now three minutes long, which, crucially, felt </div><div style="text-align: justify;">like a digestible length, without needing to rush essential information.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7U88jqFlWES9bfxDIX-I4XbLgGFFhg1hZ8WhmBrWMCXZmmyRYUbTLAbXGGns5R-nq3tSITsN67nK1HGRvnWN4gC51W7ZZIUdBDfSFWoV_dioBo9X3KM-uroMV_qvMabq17_5pBuDi2Djty5rI4dWHTQtGx0sP84xnrR-TxxJYKGB9d0CoQeO99qQg6oI/s608/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="321" data-original-width="608" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7U88jqFlWES9bfxDIX-I4XbLgGFFhg1hZ8WhmBrWMCXZmmyRYUbTLAbXGGns5R-nq3tSITsN67nK1HGRvnWN4gC51W7ZZIUdBDfSFWoV_dioBo9X3KM-uroMV_qvMabq17_5pBuDi2Djty5rI4dWHTQtGx0sP84xnrR-TxxJYKGB9d0CoQeO99qQg6oI/w495-h262/Picture3.jpg" width="495" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A look at the video project in construction</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b style="text-align: justify;"><br /></b></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">The voiceover brought its own considerations, I was certain it wasn’t as simple as reading a script. </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Once I began recording, it quickly became apparent that there was a certain tone of voice needed, </div><div style="text-align: justify;">certain inflections and stresses in relevant areas, and an awareness that I needed to sound </div><div style="text-align: justify;">approachable, engaged and calm.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I found the process of recording the voiceover interesting; aspects of the script needed to be </div><div style="text-align: justify;">tweaked, as things needed re-wording to be clearer when spoken aloud, and syllables became </div><div style="text-align: justify;">important. Some language was simplified, and instructions were adjusted to be clear and linear.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><b><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>Conclusion: reflecting on the finished product</b></div></b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;">With a successful first video, the next challenge was replication, as I decided to make a video for </div><div style="text-align: justify;">each floor of the library, allowing time and space to give a comprehensive overview and allow for </div><div style="text-align: justify;">discussion of the intricacies of each floor.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In all, I enjoyed making these resources.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a new library staff member, it was a useful means of getting to know the physical space, and to </div><div style="text-align: justify;">begin to gain in-depth knowledge into the various procedures in place. As I have a background in </div><div style="text-align: justify;">video editing, I enjoyed working on something functional, to use my existing skills to build a learning </div><div style="text-align: justify;">tool. At the time of writing, these videos are set to be integrated into the library website, and they </div><div style="text-align: justify;">will become part of the orientation material for students in September. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I’m really looking forward to seeing my work on the library website. And hopefully seeing them used by others The format of these videos is clear and linear, it could be applied to any library building or a similar approach could be adopted, using an instructional video with a built-in quiz to test users' knowledge of fire safety procedures.</div></div>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-89256857381474148412023-11-21T10:08:00.000+00:002023-11-21T10:08:42.084+00:00Bringing Collections to a Wider Audience - Digitisation @MU Library<div style="margin-top: 8.25pt; text-align: left;"><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">This blog post by Bridie O'Neill, Edel King and Laura Gallagher from <a href="https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library" target="_blank">Maynooth University</a> was highly commended in the <a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/" target="_blank">CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Award 2023.</a></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">The Digital Publishing and Data Services (DPDS) department in Maynooth University (MU) Library purchased a new Zeutschel scanner last year. After training on the scanner and its accompanying software, Omniscan, we paid a visit to the National Library of Ireland to view their scanning suite. We have since received some reprographic requests from universities. In this blog, we will detail how we fulfilled these requests using the scanner as well as our DSLR camera.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><b>Digitising using the DSLR camera</b></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">We received a request to digitise the Bloomfield maps of the Loughton & Redwood Estate by MU's Arts and Humanities Institute. The maps consisted of 34 maps and ledgers dating 1836-1840. The maps were oversized so we chose the digital camera as the best medium to digitise the maps.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HQ_9cHxBgOKfkum2u8gR8RpzGqZ9jcHM6cx4kYWgeskNLJOjlb2o4eawBc6YaamqzFgt3xfNnses0UrYxQ9b4rgZsej4acehQhM75TK9j_-UQfwxWEiwNGg5jvaAeham7M9iQM8iq3QLq66u8SJpSP7AVRHM8cusqSC5fnu9vJjNJ_N-C51M9llY_p0R/s252/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="252" data-original-width="220" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HQ_9cHxBgOKfkum2u8gR8RpzGqZ9jcHM6cx4kYWgeskNLJOjlb2o4eawBc6YaamqzFgt3xfNnses0UrYxQ9b4rgZsej4acehQhM75TK9j_-UQfwxWEiwNGg5jvaAeham7M9iQM8iq3QLq66u8SJpSP7AVRHM8cusqSC5fnu9vJjNJ_N-C51M9llY_p0R/s1600/Picture1.jpg" width="220" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image from the Bloomfield collection</span></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">We ran tests using different exposure settings to gain the depth of field required for the maps. We placed the maps on the floor supported by backboards and the copy stand was adjusted to allow the maps to be photographed.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">The best exposure for the maps could be gained from turning off the overhead fluorescent lights and engaging the flash function on the camera with even tungsten lighting. We documented all our findings for future use. </div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">The photographs were captured and saved as TIFF format. The files were then converted into JPEG format to assist data transferring and ease of editing.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBE2RRG0Z1Dd02n1yznIpyStQwgJSYUVgy7mcyqC8N0wj5mRAOAyfQkCPCpiv6QJGFZyyXNeR5NWyq6czt3VZJY0dV1fPKY1RG1j6GRzVY2cTC6UC7Cwt2Z7GriW51jFtSe5JkgFQEHLV3mt33uBsE33U4QtVpEsYVQ7Kr7Gqb_M3O_cjPH6xBkCRA1qb/s218/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="218" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgBE2RRG0Z1Dd02n1yznIpyStQwgJSYUVgy7mcyqC8N0wj5mRAOAyfQkCPCpiv6QJGFZyyXNeR5NWyq6czt3VZJY0dV1fPKY1RG1j6GRzVY2cTC6UC7Cwt2Z7GriW51jFtSe5JkgFQEHLV3mt33uBsE33U4QtVpEsYVQ7Kr7Gqb_M3O_cjPH6xBkCRA1qb/s1600/Picture2.jpg" width="218" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Using the camera and copy stand</span></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><b>Digitising using the scanner</b></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">We received a reprographic request from an academic in Durham University for the digitisation of a 1595 book called Essais de Michel de Montaigne. This was the first request we received where we could properly utilise the scanner.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeT3O8PBCd3pfrlm0p-W1t4FgFqO-gpKQBjjwtELM8WYerg5QFmBLbmu5ZFsHBovj7uFlcaNsJLydi5UjLV4ujgfbpESdRb9CIIAMm0ilSua-2HRWe3Cv7zJnd5DYXeB_9RoK9sjDKA8n2kct1zWkhiIGB5QLl0nyhqCqqpAVBSNXriCZLuiKIVm4Y9IJy/s254/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="221" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeT3O8PBCd3pfrlm0p-W1t4FgFqO-gpKQBjjwtELM8WYerg5QFmBLbmu5ZFsHBovj7uFlcaNsJLydi5UjLV4ujgfbpESdRb9CIIAMm0ilSua-2HRWe3Cv7zJnd5DYXeB_9RoK9sjDKA8n2kct1zWkhiIGB5QLl0nyhqCqqpAVBSNXriCZLuiKIVm4Y9IJy/w230-h264/Picture3.jpg" width="230" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image from <i>Essais de Michel de Montaigne</i></span></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">The scanner has some excellent features. One of these is Interleaving. Interleaving allows you to scan one half of the book entirely, for example solely the right-hand pages. After that, with Interleaving mode on, you can scan the left-hand pages. Interleaving puts each scan in its correct place automatically so that page 3 is followed by page 4 etc.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">We found this feature useful when scanning the Montaigne book. It allowed us to set the book on the scanner with the relevant supports, scan one half of it and then set up the other half.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslvwLtFB1bdOhlsopQgdQSlvnaucRsJL8n6ymz0BHhRL2_cqi6MLwnzn-G1T7qpdVF-cHrDlKZC88z6Xzq1qLUoRcEgs__3zLZP4aNzFA0gzzaIetRiU9rLR6Vdtgz2M46KPRl47wMVxqegiMw1OKK_rxCIjHOrBAJuV_PBoGmeUTkIC6Ts9lY0_Ps9Jt/s229/Picture4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="229" data-original-width="220" height="252" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjslvwLtFB1bdOhlsopQgdQSlvnaucRsJL8n6ymz0BHhRL2_cqi6MLwnzn-G1T7qpdVF-cHrDlKZC88z6Xzq1qLUoRcEgs__3zLZP4aNzFA0gzzaIetRiU9rLR6Vdtgz2M46KPRl47wMVxqegiMw1OKK_rxCIjHOrBAJuV_PBoGmeUTkIC6Ts9lY0_Ps9Jt/w242-h252/Picture4.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Interleaving equipment</span></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">The requestor wanted a full view of the book including the spine and leaves. These areas were not possible to capture using the scanner, so we took the images using our camera and then worked on them using Photoshop.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizu-zyFwlj0Llf-cpQj2rM43ZXee-FTxquMkM3YZORdQSo24tcCb50emPcg7xuMOGJuUmUzeYEeWhIAFVAEeMvwfqInxqzgDQKL-pn3fsjuK5hxpL9L1LEU-trW-eXTGzLEBuSY71vauIAU7O6ZrhIhcjqtu5OmfvhOZBx3YqKYpf1TVOVQ7A82bIOTt9j/s454/Picture5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="98" data-original-width="454" height="72" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizu-zyFwlj0Llf-cpQj2rM43ZXee-FTxquMkM3YZORdQSo24tcCb50emPcg7xuMOGJuUmUzeYEeWhIAFVAEeMvwfqInxqzgDQKL-pn3fsjuK5hxpL9L1LEU-trW-eXTGzLEBuSY71vauIAU7O6ZrhIhcjqtu5OmfvhOZBx3YqKYpf1TVOVQ7A82bIOTt9j/w334-h72/Picture5.jpg" width="334" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Spine of Montaigne</span></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">We created a proper file structure. Images are scanned as TIFFs, then copied into another chosen format. For testing purposes, we used one folder for all formats. As we would only be sending one version to the requestor, we separated formats for each project so that everything was more easily accessible.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hEGK1mKq_Nq7gIE7m_qxkplLYbp_LSCqXZz5zvRtT258udwWC2tJXTUEo1Im_ZBFSD0avylzUigeFa1AEPCbgdpfR233QY3uPGvHjdubmOgHgzmOmIVItJv2sKtL1UyG8rc_Rsuj_aauM1kjVnEwk427DiQf6YiqeSVL7om-9fzZ-Ss6zeGFiNbPJn_y/s257/Picture6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="223" data-original-width="257" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4hEGK1mKq_Nq7gIE7m_qxkplLYbp_LSCqXZz5zvRtT258udwWC2tJXTUEo1Im_ZBFSD0avylzUigeFa1AEPCbgdpfR233QY3uPGvHjdubmOgHgzmOmIVItJv2sKtL1UyG8rc_Rsuj_aauM1kjVnEwk427DiQf6YiqeSVL7om-9fzZ-Ss6zeGFiNbPJn_y/w282-h245/Picture6.jpg" width="282" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Using the scanning software</span></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">Teams has proven to be a useful collaborative tool. Creating a channel or folder and either uploading or copying the files to that location means that the files are available for the team to work on no matter where they are. It also provided us with a useful location to store backups.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">We purchased some book supports for digitising which are useful to us with regard to handling of the sometimes fragile material.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArRAwa2AJH0NcYEAqR8X9wyNvCGymjnTHf5XCkVcsrYatN_OEvzJ8c9KdE2XO4IMWYW-hiIouiwxBp3rKzrdYBzwAyis2DqyTnDSaWDUbqpR28fdzIaIlcJ8bhXWOOLj5bs54Hi8Vw6G8yyEcc2JJuWcOS-rHpeYbV9soNZpIAw5cesHSuH-nDBUEkplP/s237/Picture7.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="222" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhArRAwa2AJH0NcYEAqR8X9wyNvCGymjnTHf5XCkVcsrYatN_OEvzJ8c9KdE2XO4IMWYW-hiIouiwxBp3rKzrdYBzwAyis2DqyTnDSaWDUbqpR28fdzIaIlcJ8bhXWOOLj5bs54Hi8Vw6G8yyEcc2JJuWcOS-rHpeYbV9soNZpIAw5cesHSuH-nDBUEkplP/w252-h269/Picture7.jpg" width="252" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Book supports that we purchased</span></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><b>Wardell</b></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">We are currently working on a curatorial request to digitise the Wardell Archive, housed in our Special Collections and Archives department. This collection comprises the personal papers of the Wardell family, which are mainly letters and are handwritten front and back. This project has over 600 items.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9-UfkYmH3aPK7Bzo3AURewhsP7C67tmrYMXaZwi38fdNE4H5y3fuVV4BTLBN0tF7_-CBOq8wf6M7hLescKLIjTX7Dwm05oFePwv7o_xCQK1MI1ofFPshPMU7gRnuD3kwvir3LumECmVuctxXXIWcJnE3V-yJiNfr4U_C7gW5oHlR0a7xfHmMiSOagXTS/s288/Picture8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="244" data-original-width="288" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9-UfkYmH3aPK7Bzo3AURewhsP7C67tmrYMXaZwi38fdNE4H5y3fuVV4BTLBN0tF7_-CBOq8wf6M7hLescKLIjTX7Dwm05oFePwv7o_xCQK1MI1ofFPshPMU7gRnuD3kwvir3LumECmVuctxXXIWcJnE3V-yJiNfr4U_C7gW5oHlR0a7xfHmMiSOagXTS/w315-h267/Picture8.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Image from the Wardell collection</span></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">As the collection is so vast, a good naming convention is vitally important so that once all the letters are digitised and converted from TIFFs to JPEG, they are easily identifiable and easy to ingest into our Digital Library. For example, Item 1 in Wardell, a handwritten letter with writing front and back was named PP2- 1-001 (front) and PP2-1-002 (back) to clearly identity that the item generated 2 scans. We used a naming feature set up with the OmniScan software which allows the user to name each scan they digitise on a project.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">We use colour cards beside each item and a grey back board underneath. This allows for the requestor to see the full depth of the paper and the ink used in writing.</div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;"><b>Conclusion</b></div><div style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">The feedback we received on the digitisation of our projects to date has been extremely positive. Digitising allows academics and researchers to see items without having to access the original item. We are looking forward to working with both the camera and scanner on future reprographic projects.</div></div></div><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top: 8.25pt;">
<span style="text-align: justify;"></span></p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-6502556078951185332023-11-16T09:11:00.001+00:002023-11-16T09:11:48.283+00:00Libfocus Link-out for November 2023<p>Welcome to the November edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage
of library-related things we have found informative, educational,
thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zUl6LIAcuE7psvU60iu6bU6byABD0WXDbs-LUQORsObJn-HPzwiZvtGKlOCE_b7MR0fJPXNmaCNDMgglSbW1vsPtQSU0EHEEQbgPnrIBrS6PKhBqT4t7vPhFeQIbbDFmGRxAm9VmtGlz15j8Yr1-FwiCSb8MskM8Xrov5v5xcTGvj-l2IjJP5nx6hb4v/s1600/Untitled%20design%20(22).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows 6 images: A line of people standing in a room; a warmly dressed woman and child reading at a table; a black bird sitting on a white triangle; the inside of a library building; the text cc in a circle surrounded by black cartoon figures and a woman sitting at a desk looking at the camera" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-zUl6LIAcuE7psvU60iu6bU6byABD0WXDbs-LUQORsObJn-HPzwiZvtGKlOCE_b7MR0fJPXNmaCNDMgglSbW1vsPtQSU0EHEEQbgPnrIBrS6PKhBqT4t7vPhFeQIbbDFmGRxAm9VmtGlz15j8Yr1-FwiCSb8MskM8Xrov5v5xcTGvj-l2IjJP5nx6hb4v/w400-h225/Untitled%20design%20(22).png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Images featured in this month's libfocus link-out articles</td></tr></tbody></table><p><a href="https://www.booknetcanada.ca/blog/research/2022/10/7/the-real-impact-of-booktok-on-library-circulation" style="font-weight: bold;">The real impact of #BookTok on library circulation</a><b><br /></b>Aline Zara crunches the numbers on how BookTok affects the circulation of backlist titles (titles that have been on the market for 1 year+) in Canadian public libraries.</p><p><a href="https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2023/let-no-be-no/"><b>Let ‘No’ be ‘No’: When Librarians say ‘No’ to Instruction Opportunities</b></a><br />Anna White looks at when, why, and how librarians say no to additional instruction opportunities, and whether we even feel comfortable saying no in a professional capacity.</p><p><a href="https://creativecommons.org/2023/08/18/understanding-cc-licenses-and-generative-ai/"><b>Understanding CC Licenses and Generative AI</b></a><br />Creative Commons address some common questions, around CC Licenses and Generative AI, while acknowledging that the answers may be complex or still unknown.</p><p><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/oct/17/most-libraries-to-provide-warm-banks-again-this-winter"><b>Most libraries in UK to provide ‘warm banks’ again this winter</b></a><br />Library service schemes offering free, heated spaces last year in response to the cost of living crisis will resume at the end of October.</p><p><a href="https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2023/10/25/sci-hub-presents-a-paradox-for-open-access-publishing/"><b>Sci-Hub presents a paradox for open access publishing</b></a><br />Sci-Hub has provided a popular, if illicit, access route to much of the scientific record. However, as unintended consequence being included in Sci-Hub decreases the Open Access citation advantage of publications.</p><p><a href="https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2023/10/30/quantifying-consolidation-in-the-scholarly-journals-market/"><b>Quantifying Consolidation in the Scholarly Journals Market</b></a><br />The market of scholarly journals has significantly consolidated since 2000 — when the top 5 publishers held 39% of the market of articles to 2022 where they control 61% of it. The data shows that the biggest companies get bigger, and smaller publishers seek the shelter of a larger partner.</p><p><a href="https://tascha.uw.edu/lis-forward-prereleases-position-paper-at-asist/"><b>Ensuring a vibrant future for LIS in iSchools</b></a><br />A recent paper examining how we can best position our research and education programs to lead the information field and future of libraries.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/work-decimated-office-socializing-the-solution-could-be-libraries-2023-9?r=US&IR=T"><b>Feeling lonely? Go to the library</b></a><br />There is a higher demand for third spaces outside of the home and office where people can gather and libraries might be the answer.</p><p><a href="https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-paying-more-attention-to-the-health-and-social-benefits-of-libraries/"><b>Paying more attention to the health and social benefits of libraries is overdue</b></a><br />In this article Canada's Globe and Mail health columnist, André Picard talks about how public libraries have become essential community hubs. How can we help them flourish when their funding doesn't reflect the vital services they provide and they're struggling to meet demands?</p><p><a href="https://alumni.cornell.edu/cornellians/university-librarian/"><b>Meet the University Librarian: Elaine Westbrooks on what her job entails, her vision for the Library—and what she’s reading for pleasure these days</b></a><br />In this article, inspiring University Librarian Elaine Westbrooks talks about her role, what makes Cornell University Library special and her vision for its future in the face of considerable challenges. </p><p><a href="https://crl.acrl.org/index.php/crl/article/view/26094/34016"><b>The Evolution of Library Workplaces and Workflows via Generative AI</b></a><br />Wherein Mohammad Hosseini and Kristi Holmes reflect on how libraries and their existing workflows are evolving alongside the rise of generative AI.</p><p><a href="https://doi-org.dcu.idm.oclc.org/10.1177/01655515231205496"><b>Identifying key factors and actions: Initial steps in the Open Science Policy Design and Implementation Process</b></a><br />Wherein Hanna Shmagun and colleagues endeavour to understand and classify the factors influencing the adoption of Open Science. They propose possible actions for decision-makers to develop relevant policies.</p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-15410053980557519842023-11-14T10:04:00.001+00:002023-11-14T10:04:45.609+00:00 “Brewing up a storm” – Outreach to develop your professional profile<p><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13px;">This blog post by Catherine Ahearne</span><span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13px;"> from Maynooth University was highly commended in the </span><a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2023</a><span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13px;">.</span></span></b></p><span id="docs-internal-guid-5fcacf63-7fff-9c8e-02d3-44acb4bf0f72"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2230761528015137; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-right: 0.73419189453125pt; margin-top: 0.6624755859375pt; text-indent: 0.275482177734375pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What professional growth means to me is, it is an active process and that involves more self reflection that I had realised. As someone who had lived by the phrase “self-praise is no praise,” looking back at my career and truly examining it, is difficult. Aware of the library experience gap in my C.V., my career path has not been a linear nor smooth one. I have worked in Law, Public, Tax and Academic libraries, but have also done several years in an administrative role for one the big 4 four accountancy firms. I worried that this would put me at a disadvantage when compared with my library peers. But when I looked closely, I could see the transferable skills that I bring to my library role. This also allowed for me to notice and focus on my weaker areas, treating the process as a needs assessment if you will. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2218260288238525; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.10779571533203125pt; margin-top: 15.0721435546875pt; text-indent: 0.814453125pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I have spent the most recent part of my career looking at my professional development so that I can progress and succeed in my position to the best of my ability. I have obtained the Associate of the Library Association (</span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.libraryassociation.ie/award-of-associateship-candidate-guidelines/" target="_blank">ALAI</a></span><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">), participated in conferences as a poster presenter even speaker. But what I have had to acknowledge is that I qualified more than a decade ago and through my various roles I have seen how much the profession has changed in that time. A professional profile for librarians is now a crucial element of professional development. But how do we create this? Networking is one way of building relationships with others in our field allow us to share ideas and experiences. Outreach is a tool that not only benefits your institution but also you on a professional level. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2218260288238525; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.10779571533203125pt; margin-top: 15.0721435546875pt; text-indent: 0.814453125pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 65.19615936279297pt; margin-top: 0.901947021484375pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 333px; overflow: hidden; width: 446px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img height="333" src="https://lh7-eu.googleusercontent.com/B8yrn49uXWmfR8Sq1VM0hydVSrw4mvgajIdJjeUrLIo4GxBCrrBreUsolSc11vLRWzAWMxpNdXlQJxGzN9zwofECQ-kBKS1vhvtatjlrYixs-GPZm_z-6e6tScWhlPsQHF7xW-isACo8odbZ7eMNXaE" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="446" /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.0191pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Picture of the Russell Library taken by Catherine Ahearne </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2243295669555663; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-right: 2.2669677734375pt; margin-top: 15.222457885742188pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.227569580078125pt; text-indent: -0.227569580078125pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">The outreach experience that I am going to share is writing for RTÉ Brainstorm. An email was sent to the Special Collections & Archive team based on our </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://mulibrarytreasures.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">MU Library Treasures</a> </span><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">blog exposure,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">that the editor of </span><span style="background-color: white; color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/" target="_blank">RTÉ Brainstorm</a> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #424242; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Jim Carroll </span><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">was available to talk to any of the team who might interested in writing for RTE Brainstorm and can help define a story with them. 10- minute one-to-one feedback sessions were organised. The feedback sessions enabled staff to </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 11.9773pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;">share an area of work with the editor. And receive suggestions on generating an angle for the story. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 107.19615936279297pt; margin-top: 15.4219970703125pt;"><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 409px; overflow: hidden; width: 334px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img height="409" src="https://lh7-eu.googleusercontent.com/SI8uL4xpfKlAjZzmdFug2M9FrKir7ABQXfec9gr-PVKL7J_pu6PM4eca3IYJ87czu9JCjatxcO5cg5cE1GPf6L2LAzcH1qjEnSA9ODcgHkBeK6cKNkIRIU1EvJCzXwCkCzANDtLqFHrsBKhxpewNSFY" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="334" /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.219218349456787; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 3.3617706298828125pt; margin-right: 2.54241943359375pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11.0191pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Map taken from John Hall’s, Tour through Ireland: particularly the interior & least known parts (London, 1813) </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2218261718749999; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 0.10779571533203125pt; margin-right: 1.63665771484375pt; margin-top: 15.0460205078125pt; text-indent: 0.814453125pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">I went to the pitch a little unsure if I would be able to provide something that would be of interest to Brainstorm. My pitch was about the opinion and attitudes of the Irish as expressed through the travel guides of the 18th and 19</span><span style="font-size: 9.98106pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-size: 5.98864pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">century. The Pitch was successful, and I was given a word count and deadline. I began to write; I had some trusted colleagues review some of my early drafts. Up to this point anything that I had written had been for a specific audience, “the library world,” so before submission I asked the communications officer to review, and she made some extremely helpful suggestions that would allow the blog to have an appeal to a wider audience than just those interested in Special Collections. The 15</span><span style="font-size: 9.98106pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-size: 0.6em; vertical-align: super;">th</span></span><span style="font-size: 5.98864pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">of March saw my blog go live, </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">“<a href="https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/0315/1362293-ireland-19th-century-travel-guides-reports-reviews/" target="_blank">People drinking whiskey, porter and punch” Travellers to Ireland and their thoughts on </a></span><a href="https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/0315/1362293-ireland-19th-century-travel-guides-reports-reviews/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">the Irish</span></a><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">”. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: 8.98298pt; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 8.98298pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 4.076927185058594pt; margin-right: 3.7952880859375pt; margin-top: 0.9197998046875pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 8.98298pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 254px; overflow: hidden; width: 359px;"><img height="254" src="https://lh7-eu.googleusercontent.com/rRtCRsPQKMD-zktARxpO4AIe8U37j-6F3QKP93tQH0pdT_JR9fWb-7v2hUw8qZ2YimMtrkHHlBPaHC-vxkpd4jLY27AW-AOaYq9nohu6u7-C48pvrB_Y4ZgSzvtaEG19lJ18vnTzk3-ICvIMA6ES0sI" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="359" /></span></span><span style="font-size: 8.98298pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"> </span><span style="font-size: 8.98298pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 355px; overflow: hidden; width: 215px;"><img height="355" src="https://lh7-eu.googleusercontent.com/Aks1hmMrWtZcidTIUZJByeC8xiOUQ_7KH1yaBRoCGdOQ6erGs32RF1uGBq-y5QskiofYNuaIBS3-Tya6SOYNeLELa0_4Jlt8iDdNZpkw4ZHFZiNHE5UsLWg24Mh68SGJl9GJdibGKk9qwZunlGpD1xk" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="215" /></span></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: 4.076927185058594pt; margin-right: 3.7952880859375pt; margin-top: 0.9197998046875pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11.0191pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Illustration “An outside jaunting car in storm” by Daniel Maclise is from John Barrow, A Tour round Ireland through the sea-coast counties in the autumn of 1835 (London, 1836). The title page is from the same publication. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2230791568756103; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-left: -0.10779571533203125pt; margin-right: 1.326171875pt; margin-top: 29.68603515625pt; padding: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.10779571533203125pt; text-indent: -0.10779571533203125pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">This exercise in outreach not only highlighted my profile within my own institution, but also gave me positive feedback, and an opportunity to engage with academics about the blogs success. Another benefit of completing the blog was that it allowed me an opportunity to promote my colleagues that also write for our own blog “<a href="https://mulibrarytreasures.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">T</a></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://mulibrarytreasures.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">he Maynooth Library Treasures</a></span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://mulibrarytreasures.wordpress.com/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">”</a> </span><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">and the celebrate the rich collections of the </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/library/collections/russell-library" target="_blank">Russell Library</a></span><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">. In recent weeks, the article has been promoted again by </span><span style="color: blue; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/research/spotlight-research" target="_blank">MU Spotlight on research</a></span><span style="font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><a href="https://www.maynoothuniversity.ie/research/spotlight-research" target="_blank">.</a> My advice for anyone interested in developing their professional profile is to take the opportunities you are offered; you need to be seen to be heard. You can use these to gain experience, increase your confidence and as a form of continuing professional development. </span></span></p><div><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.9773pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;"><br /></span></div></span>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-92224393560390226162023-11-07T08:47:00.002+00:002023-11-07T08:47:35.410+00:00Unlocking Voices: DCU Library Creative Writing Competition and the Mountjoy Education Centre<div class="WordSection1">
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13px;">This blog post by Grace O'Connor</span><span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13px;"> from Dublin City University was highly commended in the </span><a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/" style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #21759b; font-family: "Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2023</a><span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-size: 13px;">.</span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Since 1999, DCU Library has hosted an annual
</span><a href="https://www.dcu.ie/library/dcu-library-creative-writing-competition-awards-2023" style="font-family: inherit;">Creative
Writing Competition</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> for participants of adult reading and writing schemes
in North Dublin. It aims to reward those who have returned to education to
improve their reading and writing skills. Each year we receive entries from
more than 12 literacy groups in North Dublin.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Library staff volunteer to participate in the
judging and organisation of the competition, and an awards night for all
writers and their friends and family is held each year. There is one overall
winner announced by a guest judge, and 10 commendations given.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The <a href="https://www.dcu.ie/library/dcu-library-creative-writing-competition">competition</a>
has a real impact on winners, some of whom decided to pursue writing as a
full-time career, or complete their Junior Certificate English exam.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEz1Ww1z8kziucYTBogo43s4rwXD6mIjvrSiq_xQguyFDcris8WpXfRlOT6EEpdsgXjz5wuOOccVwaq41qps0REccQhbAVNL-F65guvt_c6aEqY5LGrYvfpJewrRvhpR7f6RsSWmp-Blge98p1god__JYJEpZ4bFdIRn9GETdSkIIUpwcW97iF44MFccJ7/s453/Picture1.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="453" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEz1Ww1z8kziucYTBogo43s4rwXD6mIjvrSiq_xQguyFDcris8WpXfRlOT6EEpdsgXjz5wuOOccVwaq41qps0REccQhbAVNL-F65guvt_c6aEqY5LGrYvfpJewrRvhpR7f6RsSWmp-Blge98p1god__JYJEpZ4bFdIRn9GETdSkIIUpwcW97iF44MFccJ7/s320/Picture1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Guest Judge Sophie White addresses attendees at the 2023 DCU Library Creative Writing Competition Awards Night in O’ Reilly Library Pic: Eilís O’ Neill</span></td></tr></tbody></table><b><br /></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b>Involving Mountjoy Education Centre</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In 2023, we once again emailed all eligible
writing groups seeking submissions for this year’s competition. For the first
time in the competition’s 24 year history, tutors from Mountjoy Prison Service
got in touch to submit entries from members of the <a href="https://www.cdetb.ie/further-education-and-training-fet/our-fet-centres/education-service-to-prisons/">City
of Dublin ETB</a> <a href="https://www.cdetb.ie/further-education-and-training-fet/our-fet-centres/education-service-to-prisons/">Mountjoy
group</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The aim of the CDETB service [in Mountjoy]
is to help prisoners cope with their sentences and prepare them for release, and
particularly to offer them the opportunity to discover and develop new
potential within themselves.</span></p>
</div><p>“Everyone has a story to tell, and it’s
[on] that basis that I run the creative writing classes” says Margaret Hannigan,
an English teacher in the<a href="https://www.irishprisons.ie/prisoner-services/prison-education-service/">
Mountjoy education centre</a>. Margaret has taught here for 24 years and is
always looking for different competitions and writing festivals for her
students to enter. It was through a new colleague, Christine Smith, that she
heard about the DCU Library Creative Writing Competition.</p><div class="WordSection2">
<p class="MsoNormal">Christine Smith has only worked with the Mountjoy
Education Centre since October 2022, but prior to this had been a tutor Cabra Adult
Education Service, where she tutored many previous entrants and winners of the competition.
She was aware of the positive impact it had on her students and their
confidence as writers, so she was keen to have her new students in Mountjoy
participate.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Anonymous Judging for Fair Evaluation</b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Judges receive the stories anonymously,
with all author and writing group details removed, so they can judge the entries
on their own merits. However, entrants' names and details are recorded on entry
forms, and any shortlisted writers are asked to attend the awards night to read
their story. All stories along with the entrant’s full name are included in a
booklet for attendees to take home.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Navigating GDPR and Confidentialit</b>y<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">In a phone discussion about the entries,
Christine let us know that because of GDPR/confidentiality reasons, only the
first names of the finalists should appear on the booklet, website and on social
media. It wasn't difficult to accommodate that, but we had to be careful with
aspects like the certificates all shortlisted entrants receive, which were
photographed showing the surnames of the finalists. These were removed from the
images before posting them on the website and on social media.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zHqmAExIXosOqDcbjK1Zt99xfBx_LGODzv7WXDLWtcnLuDNtlEUcmHjKkmX0pPK4bThBVezocq6FINSb5TvIVtrlyMfB1fJhFW8eYFxhdOhV881K56rQM9b6rMVrZFjGTmf9suH93zVcruSjQrXdB7iftF9Dpk242zNPVFh-KaawjtnwbdkKogx_v93X/s507/Picture2.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="507" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6zHqmAExIXosOqDcbjK1Zt99xfBx_LGODzv7WXDLWtcnLuDNtlEUcmHjKkmX0pPK4bThBVezocq6FINSb5TvIVtrlyMfB1fJhFW8eYFxhdOhV881K56rQM9b6rMVrZFjGTmf9suH93zVcruSjQrXdB7iftF9Dpk242zNPVFh-KaawjtnwbdkKogx_v93X/s320/Picture2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">Mountjoy Education Centre tutor Clare O’ Connell accepting the Creative Writing Award from author Sophie White, on behalf of her student Dermot Pic: Kyran O’ Brien/DCU</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p>
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td height="0" width="159"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td><br /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table></div><div class="WordSection2"><br /></div><div class="WordSection2">We understood from the start that the finalists
from Mountjoy Education Centre wouldn't be able to attend so Outreach librarian
Eilís O’ Neill encouraged the tutors to invite their family and friends to register
to attend, to represent them on the night. While Christine suggested playing
pre-recorded readings, it was decided that live readings would create a more
engaging experience for the audience. Thus, the CDETB Mountjoy tutors presented
the finalists' entries on the awards night, and recordings of the writers reading
their own pieces were made available on the <a href="https://www.dcu.ie/library/dcu-library-creative-writing-competition-awards-2023">library's
website</a>.</div><div class="WordSection2"><p class="MsoNormal"><!--[if gte vml 1]><o:wrapblock><v:shape id="Image_x0020_3"
o:spid="_x0000_s1027" type="#_x0000_t75" style='position:absolute;
margin-left:1in;margin-top:14.55pt;width:380.45pt;height:254.9pt;z-index:-15727616;
visibility:visible;mso-wrap-style:square;mso-wrap-distance-left:0;
mso-wrap-distance-top:0;mso-wrap-distance-right:0;mso-wrap-distance-bottom:0;
mso-position-horizontal:absolute;mso-position-horizontal-relative:page;
mso-position-vertical:absolute;mso-position-vertical-relative:text'>
<v:imagedata src="file:///C:/Users/MARTIN~1/AppData/Local/Temp/msohtmlclip1/01/clip_image004.jpg"
o:title=""/>
<o:lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="f"/>
<w:wrap type="topAndBottom" anchorx="page"/>
</v:shape><![endif]--></p></div><div class="WordSection3">
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span><b>Standout Entries and Performances</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Julie, a library assistant who has been
judging the competition since its inception, finds that the personal stories
resonate deeply with her. She noted that the 2023 entries exhibited a raw
quality, providing profound insights into the authors' experiences. Among the exceptional
submissions, "Surprise" by Dermot emerged as the clear winner,
captivating the judges with its compelling narrative. Library assistant and judge,
Alana, praised this story for its ambition and execution. Alana also
particularly enjoyed hearing the audio recordings of the authors from Mountjoy
Education Centre reading their stories. She said of one (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7cC9Jnv42o">Hardcore</a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f7cC9Jnv42o">by Eric</a>) “...while I
read this poem initially as a stand-alone piece of writing, I think this post-
competition performance emphasises the art of language and how some stories
sing once performed orally.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<table align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<tbody><tr>
<td height="0" width="159"></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td></td>
<td><br /></td>
</tr>
</tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-dRZpQFXBq-L48JNY3WSRAJLGMIiwzYqoIqpUOx0kB4cTWeoELTy1kT-bct7ekzPIO3xkHMlwAFDTreZMO_mjDJH4IP-z7hwCxcwFKS0ssAoHV6vl8SKZs9wfmC10TJMQ8u6NWYf4_laiBhVz6mFNKr9HfX7Jz5PJR41L53OKwhgBJc39n-j3Q6JPt9q/s507/Picture3.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="339" data-original-width="507" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw-dRZpQFXBq-L48JNY3WSRAJLGMIiwzYqoIqpUOx0kB4cTWeoELTy1kT-bct7ekzPIO3xkHMlwAFDTreZMO_mjDJH4IP-z7hwCxcwFKS0ssAoHV6vl8SKZs9wfmC10TJMQ8u6NWYf4_laiBhVz6mFNKr9HfX7Jz5PJR41L53OKwhgBJc39n-j3Q6JPt9q/s320/Picture3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">The 10 runners up and winner of the Creative Writing Competition 2023. Runners-up from Mountjoy were represented on the night by their tutors. Pic: Kyran O’ Brien/DCU</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>Fostering Connections</b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">The competition held special significance
for Margaret, as one of her learners became a runner-up, receiving a
certificate, book voucher and a DCU Library tote bag. Margaret expressed her
delight at this achievement and eagerly looks forward to entering the
competition again next year. Recognising the value of the creative writing
classes at Mountjoy Education Centre, DCU Library seeks to foster a meaningful relationship
with the </span>institution. As a gesture of support and appreciation,
the library has been invited to attend one of Margaret's creative writing
classes in the near future.</p></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><b>Listen to the winning 2023 story via the Youtube
link here: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BC6MwEYBTMY">Surprise by
Dermot</a></b><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="margin-top: 2pt;"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><p class="MsoBodyText" style="line-height: 115%; margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: 5.0pt; margin-right: 8.25pt; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 8.25pt 0cm 5pt;"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-74745598180218508622023-10-25T22:57:00.001+01:002023-10-26T09:01:43.806+01:00Cataloguing an Archival Collection of Private Papers<div>This blog post by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/selina-collard-278234143/">Selina Collard</a> from University College Dublin was highly commended in the <a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/">CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2023</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>As a trainee archivist undertaking the MA in Archives and Records Management in UCD, and working in UCD Archives, I have been learning how to catalogue archival collections. My colleagues worked on collections from the Royal Irish Academy for their cataloguing practice. As I work in a busy archive, I worked on two unprocessed collections in UCD Archives.<div><br /></div><div> <br />Archival collections consist of original and unique material which require careful handling to ensure their survival far into the future. There are professional standards and best practice procedures for processing archival collections that archivists carry out daily, in collection management (preservation and access), and archival cataloguing (arrangement and description). The aim of archival cataloguing is to establish physical and intellectual control of a collection to make it accessible for research. <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEg_msvHYVZP-LpvlKKEPNUzh_jm_tnd1zERAzUHX6SJQZg5my5LVG5pCaonJeGeyxgRt56YCtPlGftwUi6sO8NHHSoKqbGyPuxA3smokYLPaDQi8Cv1J3FhyphenhyphenI5NzgOi6wC211SxTqgrCxfRk89rS-6pJubQm8W_EWt0kH8mKKbXTR1oy8T6O7WsbzvzV/s543/Blog%201%20Archivist's%20tools.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a sponge, a plastic tub full of paper clips, a roll of ribbon and a brush" border="0" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="543" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCEg_msvHYVZP-LpvlKKEPNUzh_jm_tnd1zERAzUHX6SJQZg5my5LVG5pCaonJeGeyxgRt56YCtPlGftwUi6sO8NHHSoKqbGyPuxA3smokYLPaDQi8Cv1J3FhyphenhyphenI5NzgOi6wC211SxTqgrCxfRk89rS-6pJubQm8W_EWt0kH8mKKbXTR1oy8T6O7WsbzvzV/w400-h275/Blog%201%20Archivist's%20tools.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Archivist's tools: Smoke sponge, plastic paperclips, cotton ribbon and a cleaning brush</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>The collections I have worked on consist mostly of paper records from c.1900 – 1960s. When beginning a cataloguing project some basic preservation work is carried out to prevent the papers from deteriorating. Metal fastenings are removed, as these rust, and are replaced with plastic alternatives if necessary, or cotton ribbon to keep bundles of papers together. Cleaning may be required, using a smoke sponge to remove dirt, and a soft brush to remove surface dust or rust. Folded items are usually flattened using weights, as paper often tears along creases.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Archival arrangement involves
identifying which materials belong together, putting them into a logical order
(although we try to maintain the original order where possible) and assigning a
hierarchy. Broad subjects are arranged
as a series high up the hierarchy, with more specific topics arranged as
sub-series or files beneath, and single items at the bottom. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-umpU6wd8LRdsGsXvTp-SK5eypnjhidwpCLckRSXacFCmSQmFfL2y0vjxA7D_0SiUaIrvNASDfhedB8N-x7uOHa0Ibj9daLtWD4-TUtHyHLBeseeFuCvpPKqcNR_fS6zNmyST5GiN6X9rCxIxeMLgm6Kn41hSO4F0azIO7aiS4gnVgeuDWBKHs3c65uf/s1834/blog%20michael%20collins%20doc.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows seven paper documents that have a mix of handwritten and typewritten text on them." border="0" data-original-height="1274" data-original-width="1834" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-umpU6wd8LRdsGsXvTp-SK5eypnjhidwpCLckRSXacFCmSQmFfL2y0vjxA7D_0SiUaIrvNASDfhedB8N-x7uOHa0Ibj9daLtWD4-TUtHyHLBeseeFuCvpPKqcNR_fS6zNmyST5GiN6X9rCxIxeMLgm6Kn41hSO4F0azIO7aiS4gnVgeuDWBKHs3c65uf/w320-h222/blog%20michael%20collins%20doc.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A file of documents written by Michael Collins (UCDA P342/4)</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Detailed descriptions of the
materials are written to create finding aids so that researchers can discover
what is in the collection, and reference numbers are given to each file and
item so that the archivist can retrieve the material and researchers can give
accurate citations<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">. </span> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-NdWNHJct87xQLrubEpB2aNsGcvNkGyac9VGXuUDZczGGxSrTNOZ7hliywOfJCP2MBqx3PSRIZQmie9JnVnABcuo8NWugWL8q5IUggd_iWqFcp608M-58kDaWI8D56Mco2Vb8lvQjtCSr7TRDarT3fmJb1lhGJEAMHsqhzJ8UmV4yIzMP77sS0ZxO4-S/s1827/Blog%20michael%20collins%20finding%20aid.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a page with typed text on it beginning with: P342/4, 1919-1921, 7 items, items from Michael Collins" border="0" data-original-height="1473" data-original-width="1827" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-NdWNHJct87xQLrubEpB2aNsGcvNkGyac9VGXuUDZczGGxSrTNOZ7hliywOfJCP2MBqx3PSRIZQmie9JnVnABcuo8NWugWL8q5IUggd_iWqFcp608M-58kDaWI8D56Mco2Vb8lvQjtCSr7TRDarT3fmJb1lhGJEAMHsqhzJ8UmV4yIzMP77sS0ZxO4-S/w320-h258/Blog%20michael%20collins%20finding%20aid.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The catalogue entry for the items from Michael Collins</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Papers are stored in acid free archival folders to keep
them secure and to help preserve them.
The reference numbers are written at the top of the page in pencil, and
on the front of the folder, so that the items can easily be identified and
matched to the finding aid. The folders
are then housed in an archival box, which is labelled, and stored in a strong
room. </div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaR4sh9NOeBNcNdh70DyezoCK2Xa6CpYD10qKJaIOgqQ8NBDMyrRFpcIYeHXv04MJSLVwjMfyexuvNfFFU5E_-eT7cp6S1IgRJMUxPhqg1ozggrPkO_ye1iDjf8MI8TSWAsThVoQL1SROQ5ZhMJ6I_B5bfzuvuchUnUhkNJ-lNafufzOi4F55wjwiH6MH/s705/Untitled%20design%20(3).png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="An open grey folder containing handwritten documents clipped together and four brown labelled folders" border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="705" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNaR4sh9NOeBNcNdh70DyezoCK2Xa6CpYD10qKJaIOgqQ8NBDMyrRFpcIYeHXv04MJSLVwjMfyexuvNfFFU5E_-eT7cp6S1IgRJMUxPhqg1ozggrPkO_ye1iDjf8MI8TSWAsThVoQL1SROQ5ZhMJ6I_B5bfzuvuchUnUhkNJ-lNafufzOi4F55wjwiH6MH/w640-h195/Untitled%20design%20(3).png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An acid-free archival folder with four flaps and folders labelled with the collection name and reference numbers</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>Research forms a large part of a cataloguing project, as understanding the context of the papers is crucial for arranging and describing them. A biographical history of the person whose papers are being catalogued helps to make sense of the papers, for both the archivists and the researcher and is therefore included in the finding aid.<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -0.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;">The provenance of the papers is very important. As much information as possible is provided
about how the papers came to be in the archive, this includes when they were
deposited, who deposited them and their relationship to the person. A record is made of any changes to the
original order and the reason, and any conservation work carried out. This helps to maintain the integrity and authenticity
of the material. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMez5YQVmu0uz7Wq5qFUFarUUIdYT15XyBvt0qavm3n8JGSI_GwLnqTR0rlOZZPuvVSMwsgPZJ-E3atahigEDwZiHZUEWve-YleQ9Ak7qHzrYF60ClsFtSsIQaf4IypKVgswEpEg-Jlz5reT7PFG_liISaC6jCSp9cY8Q4CYPDhKNguyhRCpc6DBSxU0J3/s1945/55d18b5d-0baf-4912-831a-b14c57416eee.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="1945" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMez5YQVmu0uz7Wq5qFUFarUUIdYT15XyBvt0qavm3n8JGSI_GwLnqTR0rlOZZPuvVSMwsgPZJ-E3atahigEDwZiHZUEWve-YleQ9Ak7qHzrYF60ClsFtSsIQaf4IypKVgswEpEg-Jlz5reT7PFG_liISaC6jCSp9cY8Q4CYPDhKNguyhRCpc6DBSxU0J3/w400-h206/55d18b5d-0baf-4912-831a-b14c57416eee.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Papers housed inside a labelled box and rolling shelving storage inside the strong room</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Collections can contain some unexpected items. I recently finished cataloguing the papers of Dr Robert Farnan (UCDA P342), which is a small collection with items relating to the 1916 Easter Rising, the War of Independence, and the Civil War period. I found an archival gem amongst these papers! I came across a sealed envelope with a handwritten note on the front:<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><b>Bullet removed from Right Radius of Tom Clarke first President Irish Republic. Feb 1916 by Dr F.</b><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCqBJolLOpYx97p3ed8hp8Kv6G0N_slDKjMq5ANm0xGqz7s5yGdzydyluDVFEqB5cXUrm4I_hikM7rHQrfh3SS_4QhGTPSukZ-3-aT4NPECv404RnR86CiQvxbjnPNa1DZHEA_6ZSPMQ_9d-Yjmv5bCEDJ0IgMCn9aUiyKP5NiItU15uBnEyNzr0fFV_h/s1194/fba15703-d6ba-427a-b7ff-021f2e5260c2.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Writing on a brown piece of paper stating “Bullet removed from Right Radius of Tom Clarke first President Irish Republic. Feb 1916 by Dr F.”" border="0" data-original-height="952" data-original-width="1194" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSCqBJolLOpYx97p3ed8hp8Kv6G0N_slDKjMq5ANm0xGqz7s5yGdzydyluDVFEqB5cXUrm4I_hikM7rHQrfh3SS_4QhGTPSukZ-3-aT4NPECv404RnR86CiQvxbjnPNa1DZHEA_6ZSPMQ_9d-Yjmv5bCEDJ0IgMCn9aUiyKP5NiItU15uBnEyNzr0fFV_h/w320-h255/fba15703-d6ba-427a-b7ff-021f2e5260c2.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UCDA P432/1</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;">I was eager to open the envelope, but I didn’t want to
cause any damage to either the envelope or anything else that might be
inside. Glue dries and turns brittle
overtime, so most of the glue used to seal the envelope was unstuck, I
carefully used a sharp scalpel to slice through the remaining glue. This was a success, and I was able to
retrieve the bullet which was wrapped inside a note confirming the information
on the envelope. </p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xGwc4CtqwolTRR7kRGno0pp3ATG6rqsROAebb1Ia-qGT1TelglTb-aO_BtO7OdC8E019xXC7mtqHacO0XDufo70ezKI15IC26K-bfTfOSxp7pwXHf3uFRqYHfp6WXfX79XHA2cxj6ScwNULA1anTMb0_5hWiwkB42K5cfgUEgnAj0PYPEvEJ4-mDRR3v/s2000/b7ce622a-f582-41b8-b552-9328669880ba.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A metal bullet" border="0" data-original-height="806" data-original-width="2000" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8xGwc4CtqwolTRR7kRGno0pp3ATG6rqsROAebb1Ia-qGT1TelglTb-aO_BtO7OdC8E019xXC7mtqHacO0XDufo70ezKI15IC26K-bfTfOSxp7pwXHf3uFRqYHfp6WXfX79XHA2cxj6ScwNULA1anTMb0_5hWiwkB42K5cfgUEgnAj0PYPEvEJ4-mDRR3v/w400-h161/b7ce622a-f582-41b8-b552-9328669880ba.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Metal bullet (11mm x 6mm) UCDA P342/1</td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;">I used a very small archival box
filled with cotton wool to store the bullet (see image below).</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -0.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -0.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;">Discovering these kinds of items
make being an archivist so interesting, it was very satisfying knowing that I
was the first person to see the contents since the envelope was sealed.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9y-r8ZR2D3oZGSYm0LnD4q75fTuOXk1Z9ULStj11meWIDJI2dxzaTGUoEfwMJW9Ww-xB5LOkYGtEvkVTpvrnWduBtCPIxAwNebT7-CuUbf5QQXxjeaeCeEMyx5SRC5veALpXe75_HrQcVu3E19IyqtEn2oq_VJNCwlnV2eAfU8u4j5vo1ewvbwUJ-2n2_/s2320/c48e80e6-993f-4cb7-9fae-8a57825924f3.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="An open box containing a metal bullet" border="0" data-original-height="1219" data-original-width="2320" height="210" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9y-r8ZR2D3oZGSYm0LnD4q75fTuOXk1Z9ULStj11meWIDJI2dxzaTGUoEfwMJW9Ww-xB5LOkYGtEvkVTpvrnWduBtCPIxAwNebT7-CuUbf5QQXxjeaeCeEMyx5SRC5veALpXe75_HrQcVu3E19IyqtEn2oq_VJNCwlnV2eAfU8u4j5vo1ewvbwUJ-2n2_/w400-h210/c48e80e6-993f-4cb7-9fae-8a57825924f3.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bullet is stored in archival box P342/1</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; margin-left: -.25pt; margin-right: 0cm; margin-top: 0cm; margin: 0cm 0cm 0cm -0.25pt;"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: -0.25pt;"><o:p></o:p></p></div><div> <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-62909246422755456552023-10-23T12:40:00.011+01:002023-10-23T14:12:06.993+01:00My work on the Crawford Art Gallery’s Library Catalogue Project<p><b style="font-family: inherit;">Libfocus presents another post for
the <a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/">CONUL Training and
Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2023</a>. The author of this post is Mona Power, Library assistant at <a href="https://libguides.ucc.ie/aboutus/welcome" target="_blank">University College Cork</a>.</b></p><p><span class="fontstyle0" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Introduction</b></span></p><p></p><span class="fontstyle2">In August 2021, I had the chance to work on a deeply intriguing project at the <a href="https://crawfordartgallery.ie/" target="_blank">Crawford Art Gallery</a></span><span class="fontstyle2" style="color: #0563c1;"> </span><span class="fontstyle2">in Cork - cataloguing the contents of the gallery's library.<p></p>Yes, the gallery has a library. It is located in a part of the gallery which is not usually open to the public, in a beautiful wood-panelled room filled with cabinets and curios. The collection housed within these walls is a unique mix of modern and historic books, journals, and exhibition catalogues, accumulated over the course of the Crawford’s rich and storied past.<p></p>The Library Catalogue Project’s main objective was to create a complete index of this collection. This undertaking was driven by the gallery’s desire to make our cultural heritage more accessible, but also motivated by needing to prepare the gallery’s holdings for potential storage off-site during <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/art/2022/11/28/crossing-the-centuries-at-the-crawford-gallery-the-harmonious-home-of-an-extraordinary-collection/" target="_blank">major upcoming architectural works</a>.</span><span class="fontstyle2"><p></p>This blog post shares my own journey as the cataloguer on the project, highlighting the project’s key objectives, our methodology, and some of the fascinating discoveries I made along the way.</span><p></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLwdVMNAfsRRT98z2aPyc7lSGqF0kXbJVgiqQbck3f8FJv48H7T_-3184PDh2ms-uf4xtCr2C_X4hepMwwugEJ6vrEWocfYNCKF30GAEp1sgjZSlnaFIowAQXl1Q9mXsr3Wy6KQ8TeNgrG_TbiE1R2LdOrr0-ZuukpGkLYXw6Dsq7F9cG8tJcHpbYZxlt/s1028/pic%201.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image showing "Pleiades" design by J. Flaxman, engraved by William Blake" border="0" data-original-height="771" data-original-width="1028" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLwdVMNAfsRRT98z2aPyc7lSGqF0kXbJVgiqQbck3f8FJv48H7T_-3184PDh2ms-uf4xtCr2C_X4hepMwwugEJ6vrEWocfYNCKF30GAEp1sgjZSlnaFIowAQXl1Q9mXsr3Wy6KQ8TeNgrG_TbiE1R2LdOrr0-ZuukpGkLYXw6Dsq7F9cG8tJcHpbYZxlt/w640-h480/pic%201.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">"Pleiades" design by J. Flaxman, engraved by William Blake. From "Compositions from the Works, Days, and Theogony of Hesiod" (1817)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span class="fontstyle0" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b></b></span><p></p><p><b><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Objectives</b></b></p><p></p><p></p><span class="fontstyle2">Working under production manager <a href="https://crawfordartgallery.ie/crawford-profiles-kathryn-coughlan/" target="_blank">Kathryn Coughlan</a> </span><span class="fontstyle2">and with guidance from consultant librarian <a href="https://libraryconsultingmj.com/contact/" target="_blank">Marie Jennings</a></span><span class="fontstyle2">, my role on this project was to catalogue the entirety of the library’s holdings - in excess of 3,000 items.<p></p>Our goal was to create a catalogue that catered to the specific needs of the Crawford Art Gallery's curatorial staff and researchers. To achieve this, I focused on creating information-rich records with particular emphasis on provenance such as inscriptions by artists, authors, and members of the <a href="https://crawfordartgallery.ie/history/#The-Gibson-Bequest" target="_blank">Gibson</a> </span><span class="fontstyle2">and <a href="https://crawfordartgallery.ie/work-of-the-week-24-august-2020/" target="_blank">Penrose</a> </span><span class="fontstyle2">families. I also cross-referenced certain exhibition catalogues with the Crawford Art Gallery’s permanent collection, to highlight any mention of works or artists represented in it.<p></p>The project’s remaining key objectives were to identify duplicate copies of library materials, identify rare and historic volumes, and categorise and re-shelve materials by subject.<p></p>Also, the possibility that some or all library materials would be moved off-site required fragile materials be carefully preserved in acid-free tissue paper and archival grade boxes.</span><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAjferNLgmfD7F6vs-u_wMYr_UzT0TNVYOH2kdDdljbrBUYWYxrskoP14uLdgwchluEj8pKHUnm7AdkzYwaXKZoBKEPZUwVupMJrpC418bMT4yiUskjx__xDU8HZ4amjzCun29M9AZ71eZkDNpK8X6lubt2Z06EVWha_dRYGh4WhbqodNEj5xI_bdepA-/s1006/flower.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image showing Hand painted colour plate from "The Botanical magazine, or, Flower-garden displayed." (1790-1800) by William Curtis" border="0" data-original-height="754" data-original-width="1006" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAjferNLgmfD7F6vs-u_wMYr_UzT0TNVYOH2kdDdljbrBUYWYxrskoP14uLdgwchluEj8pKHUnm7AdkzYwaXKZoBKEPZUwVupMJrpC418bMT4yiUskjx__xDU8HZ4amjzCun29M9AZ71eZkDNpK8X6lubt2Z06EVWha_dRYGh4WhbqodNEj5xI_bdepA-/w640-h480/flower.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="fontstyle0">Hand painted colour plate from "The Botanical magazine, or, Flower-garden displayed ..." (1790-1800) by William Curtis</span>
<br style="font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-size-adjust: auto;" /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><span class="fontstyle0" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Methodology</b><p></p></span><span class="fontstyle2">Marie developed the methodology for this project. She determined how many collections and sub-collections were required. She designed the library catalogue in Excel, using MARC 21 Format for Bibliographic Data, so that the completed spreadsheet could be later assimilated into a library management system.<p></p></span><span class="fontstyle2">We employed the Dewey Decimal Classification (DDC) system and several free cataloguing resources such as Library of Congress Authorities. Each volume received a specific call number derived from its collection, size, DDC number, and author's initials, and was shelved accordingly.<p></p></span><span class="fontstyle0" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Discoveries</b><p></p></span>One thrill of the project was regularly discovering hidden gems in the collection. Many books in the Crawford Art Gallery’s library had been waiting in their cabinets, untouched and undocumented, for decades. Among them: books published by the <a href="https://www.royalacademy.org.uk/art-artists/organisation/the-golden-cockerel-press" target="_blank">Golden Cockerel Press</a>, illustrated with exquisite wood engravings by the renowned Robert Gibbings; a first (and only) edition of Cork and County Cork in the twentieth century by Rev. Richard Hodges; an early publication of philosopher Edmund Burke's seminal work <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/books/why-edmund-burke-s-sublime-and-beautiful-ideas-still-resonate-1.2161266" target="_blank">A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of Our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful</a>.<br /><span class="fontstyle2"><p></p>Many books in the collection were ex-library books from the <a href="https://crawfordartgallery.ie/history/#Art-School" target="_blank">Cork School of Art</a></span><span class="fontstyle2" style="color: #0563c1;"> </span><span class="fontstyle2">(now the <a href="https://crawford.mtu.ie/" target="_blank">Crawford College of Art and Design</a></span><span class="fontstyle2">), which at one time resided in the gallery’s building at Emmett Place. These books came with all manner of library stamps and donation labels, as well as marginalia, personal notes, and letters left behind by 20</span><span class="fontstyle2" style="font-size: 7pt;">th </span><span class="fontstyle2">Century art students.<p></p>Another unforgettable find was discovering a collection of prints by the artist <a href="https://crawfordartgallery.ie/work-of-the-week-19-september-2022/" target="_blank">Estella Solomons</a></span><span class="fontstyle2">, hidden at the back of a locked cabinet. These prints were considered missing from the gallery’s collection for some time. The joy of reuniting these works with the registrar was an unrivalled highlight, and a testament to the significance of our project.</span></div><div><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfZqK5QnpGMvYx1x9iU4R71QggDjsK4Ih1gimv2ZRNi3kSVjSyHK-EmGrirdp9H-pT_SpSEy0T5h0-_t4lCHDST2HzCEhJqY0tCcYcPGlJVmnfeebvs36FofE-m4lnXeEpdYcMnp3uOHTCeUAY1HahaYOacc8-fUZv9neYFt8y0DSQGbNPtTXolhGM-ix/s1068/pic%203.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image showing A first edition of "The Year's at the Spring", an anthology of poetry illustrated by Harry Clarke (1920)" border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="1068" height="406" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOfZqK5QnpGMvYx1x9iU4R71QggDjsK4Ih1gimv2ZRNi3kSVjSyHK-EmGrirdp9H-pT_SpSEy0T5h0-_t4lCHDST2HzCEhJqY0tCcYcPGlJVmnfeebvs36FofE-m4lnXeEpdYcMnp3uOHTCeUAY1HahaYOacc8-fUZv9neYFt8y0DSQGbNPtTXolhGM-ix/w640-h406/pic%203.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">A first edition of "The Year's at the Spring", an anthology of poetry illustrated by Harry Clarke (1920)</span></td></tr></tbody></table><p><b style="font-size: 12pt;">Conclusion</b></p><span class="fontstyle0" style="font-size: 12pt;"><p></p></span><span class="fontstyle2">Cataloguing the Crawford Art Gallery's collection of library materials was an enriching experience, made possible by a tailored approach and close collaboration with gallery staff. Recording provenance details, cross-referencing exhibition catalogues, and preserving fragile volumes contributed to the preservation and accessibility of the gallery's collection. The resulting catalogue will undoubtedly prove an invaluable resource for future generations of art enthusiasts, researchers, and curators. With the architectural works on the horizon, I am confident this project contributed to the safeguarding of the collection for the gallery's exciting future.</span></div><div><span class="fontstyle2"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrt3QtAEMlJD2Mgb1DLoaF3isULT4j1DZ7VhYrj5ie5nfUDdqT4rHp2hEOU0m64SoAEsBL9BrSs2D-VxyokorX6cj4pqeMUxsh3YMqu2TN-3fscQRuMRL3flDl1FgQztiQ5uYOOA17T1hyphenhyphenSYBnZKSuLHIxduYBcJNDJPkBiyPaXrjnBSYt_OqQyXio6tNJ/s1069/pic%202.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Image showing photo of book "A Mirror for Witches" by Esther Forbes (1928), with woodcuts by Robert Gibbings" border="0" data-original-height="601" data-original-width="1069" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrt3QtAEMlJD2Mgb1DLoaF3isULT4j1DZ7VhYrj5ie5nfUDdqT4rHp2hEOU0m64SoAEsBL9BrSs2D-VxyokorX6cj4pqeMUxsh3YMqu2TN-3fscQRuMRL3flDl1FgQztiQ5uYOOA17T1hyphenhyphenSYBnZKSuLHIxduYBcJNDJPkBiyPaXrjnBSYt_OqQyXio6tNJ/w640-h360/pic%202.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">"A Mirror for Witches" by Esther Forbes (1928), with woodcuts by Robert Gibbings.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><span class="fontstyle0" style="font-size: 12pt;"><b>Acknowledgements</b><p></p></span><span class="fontstyle2">Throughout the project, I had the privilege of working closely with Kathryn Coughlan and Marie Jennings. Kathryn's expertise and Marie’s guidance were invaluable in ensuring that the cataloguing process aligned with the gallery's vision and requirements.</span><br /><p></p><br /></div></div>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-21469501324498617392023-10-14T12:48:00.000+01:002023-10-14T12:48:33.477+01:00Libfocus Link-out for October, 2023<p>Welcome to the October edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage of library-related things we have found informative, educational, thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.</p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBQPQdwe0k53AJHVGzLWnVRo0p-fkXq_5VrJDGu2GkKXyRUJKVoE_OkhWqfGn_zwexgEqP6ttsLWym2FjP7ITExINVpzZBSunf-Pyk1fiFpAYeJTBM-gp2JgroiZE-_Pyg8cye5hBxK-fAWVVTb5c-xGybKJqn8HSvPgL4920-AwU6c9VcFPh5yI3c2Ql/s1600/Untitled%20design%20(2).png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A woman looking at a phone with x on the screen, shelves of books, computer code in circles, a robot, a book cover, a stack of papers with a lock around them, a speech bubble" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSBQPQdwe0k53AJHVGzLWnVRo0p-fkXq_5VrJDGu2GkKXyRUJKVoE_OkhWqfGn_zwexgEqP6ttsLWym2FjP7ITExINVpzZBSunf-Pyk1fiFpAYeJTBM-gp2JgroiZE-_Pyg8cye5hBxK-fAWVVTb5c-xGybKJqn8HSvPgL4920-AwU6c9VcFPh5yI3c2Ql/w400-h225/Untitled%20design%20(2).png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Images featured in this month's libfocus link-out articles</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p><a href="https://building.hcommons.org/2023/09/26/what-is-a-repository-for/"><b>What Is A Repository For?</b></a><br />A lot of librarians feed repositories and keep them working. But what should the function of a repository be? Here, Ian Scott from the <a href="https://building.hcommons.org/about/">Building the Commons blog</a> is “re-imagining” <a href="https://hcommons.org/">Humanities Commons</a>, a popular discipline repository. He introduces interesting concepts of the repository as a “broadcast tower”, a “filter” or a “workroom”.</p><p><b><a href="https://library.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/240/looking-towards-a-brighter-future">Looking towards a brighter future. the potentiality of AI and digital transformations to library spaces</a><br /></b>A new research report by University of Leeds Libraries examines the potential and the practicalities of using AI in library spaces.</p><p><b><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/books/2023/sep/21/new-guidelines-urge-uk-libraries-not-to-avoid-controversial-books-and-ideas?CMP=twt_books_b-gdnbooks">New guidelines urge UK libraries not to avoid controversial books and ideas</a></b><br />In this Guardian books article Ella Creamer presents the <a href="https://www.cilip.org.uk/">CILIP</a> report which responds to calls for librarians to remove books from library shelves. ‘In [a] polarised world, it is important our sector is clear in its opposition to censorship.'</p><p><a href="https://mindfulpresenter.com/present-complex-information/"><b>10 Simple Tips On Presenting Complex Information</b></a><br />"Regardless of the topic, all presenters share the common goal of ensuring that they keep their audience stimulated." Author Maurice deCastro explains that "exceptional presenters aim for much more; they want their audience to feel connected to them and their message. They want their listeners to remember their key message and then act on it."</p><p><a href="https://mashable.com/article/x-twitter-privacy-policy-update"><b>We read X's new privacy policy so you don't have to</b></a><br />This Mashable article by Caitlin Welsh and Stan Schroeder examines Twitter/X's new privacy policy and how it will affect the way your personal data is used. The platform will now collect users' employment and educational history and biometric data and has plans to use that data to train AI.</p><p><a href="https://www.statnews.com/2023/09/28/nelson-memo-holdren-government-funded-research-access/"><b>Congress could stop free public access to government-funded research</b></a><br />In this Statnews article by Mayank Chugh and Jessica Polka the authors look at how the US Congress may block the public from having immediate and free access to U.S. federal government research.</p><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/4AROfw24LjyTcawiNWtIAF?si=2i8oHRNYQvemKeOlCXU6qQ&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=copy-link&nd=1&_branch_match_id=1240573063800900297&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXLy7IL8lMq9TLyczL1i9PC3Z3NQuOrHRJAgBkyLiXIAAAAA%3D%3D"><b>Podcast: America's Top Librarian on the Rise of Books Bans</b></a><br />ALA President Emily Drabinski speaks to Tressie McMillan Cottom on public libraries becoming a battleground for today's culture wars.</p><p><a href="https://www.essex.ac.uk/blog/posts/2023/09/21/the-future-of-ai-in-information-services"><b>The Future of AI in Information Services</b></a><br />In an ever evolving A.I. landscape, how do Higher Education Information Services step up? Beth Burnet and Jon Phipps from the University of Essex Library Services take a dive into the world of AI and explore how HE libraries and information services can respond and support their users.</p><p><a href="https://disinfocode.eu/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/code-of-practice-on-disinformation-september-22-2023.pdf"><b>Testing the EU 2022 Code of Practice on Disinformation, a pilot empirical study</b></a><br />Online disinformation is a fast-changing phenomenon and in this study, X is flagged as the worst offender among big tech. </p><p><a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2023/librarians-roles-in-supporting-students-mental-health/&sa=D&source=calendar&ust=1697363478050399&usg=AOvVaw1anzJUWdQA-OGcvO5nifwq"><b>Supporting student mental health through teaching practices</b></a><br />Liz Cheveney's study, presented in the <a href="https://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/">In the Library with the lead pipe</a> blog looks at the ways librarians introduce pedagogies of care into teaching as a method of being more aware and supportive to mental health in the classroom.</p><p><a href="https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2023/09/22/ask-the-chefs-what-is-the-single-most-pressing-issue-for-the-future-of-peer-review/"><b>Ask the Chefs: What is the Single Most Pressing Issue for the Future of Peer Review?</b></a><br />Several chefs from The Scholarly Kitchen identified obstacles peer review is currently facing. In particular, they talk about the increasing difficulty in finding reviewers, the impact of AI and bias, as well as the lack of recognition and financial incentives for peer reviewers.</p><p><a href="https://www.alastore.ala.org/content/scholarly-communication-librarianship-and-open-knowledge"><b>Scholarly Communication Librarianship and Open Knowledge</b></a><br />Scholarly Communication Librarianship and Open Knowledge is an open textbook and practitioner’s guide that collects theory, practice, and case studies from nearly 80 experts in scholarly communication and open education. Divided into three parts: (1) What is Scholarly Communication?, (2) Scholarly Communication and Open Culture, (3) Voices from the Field: Perspectives, Intersections, and Case Studies.</p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-1296170872268879382023-10-10T13:14:00.003+01:002023-10-14T16:34:08.534+01:00“It will be the Making of You”: Reflecting on my first 18 months working in Maynooth University Library’s Makerspace<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b><span>Libfocus is delighted to present the third prize post for
the <a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/">CONUL Training and
Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2023</a>. The author is Dr. Heidi Campbell, </span><span>Digital Engagement Curator, <a href="https://twitter.com/library_MU">Maynooth University Library</a></span></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">They say it takes roughly 6
months to settle into a new job, a year to feel competent in it and then enough
space, time and support to make an impact. My name is Heidi Campbell, and I am
the Digital Engagement Curator at Maynooth University Library (MU). I manage
the <a href="https://nuim.libguides.com/c.php?g=218167&p=5056988">MU Library Makerspace</a> and this blog is a reflection on my first 18 months
in the role. The initial areas of focus for me have included the following;
developing a makerspace brand for MU Library, reinstating the makerspace after
the Covid hiatus, the development of meaningful social media engagement for the
makerspace, the initiation of virtual tours and experiences and the resumption
of the main stay of any makerspace - our very successful 3D printing service. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;">3D Printing 3D printing lends itself well to the adage ’practice makes
perfect’. There is a reason why makerspaces highlight the importance of failing
because it is only when the prints are failing, and the filament is jamming,
that you start to develop a feel for each printer and develop that
"maker’s brain”. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11ROwky6ZIilDiQ9DAf1XQhKiX19AaqSoX9d-qO-rbcy07HObxHv0zW26xZEOLHC94VVeHhCxL38G-sTbcvn6Q94dbG-zl0lEkEfOhja9fw3jX9ZugeSvUfbGGTEjtVVyqNrjv7bPTbAAiC7C3Be-ChNUPcew9fafdU-WlQ-G-60bX4Q6h_O_NVL66wlq/s217/Lib%20Image%201.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="217" data-original-width="180" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11ROwky6ZIilDiQ9DAf1XQhKiX19AaqSoX9d-qO-rbcy07HObxHv0zW26xZEOLHC94VVeHhCxL38G-sTbcvn6Q94dbG-zl0lEkEfOhja9fw3jX9ZugeSvUfbGGTEjtVVyqNrjv7bPTbAAiC7C3Be-ChNUPcew9fafdU-WlQ-G-60bX4Q6h_O_NVL66wlq/s1600/Lib%20Image%201.PNG" width="180" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />3D printed Pikachu </td></tr></tbody></table><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 107%;">As Digital Engagement Curator I strive
to promote the makerspace online and throughout the university. I especially
want to encourage MU Library staff to engage with us. I approached this by
offering seasonal gifts for library staff. One of my favourite giveaways was to
celebrate Lunar New Year where anyone born in the year of the rabbit received a
beautiful red rabbit lantern. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjf_53N5hOh-VQ6w9ZOo4QU5IaP5VDG360Jp8MMkRvU_c8EoabqEb_qKUVsW5bCRPpFN_3Q1L9DNYalGCpQ3EnbzxmTZLIGePPQBEk32eCiyB_HTUXFwrCvXH0BwZDT5mWgDY5i5aSckOM8NGcHL9NDfbfpfRWXYusHFK1lf3hVBxBzdCiPcLd5lfRcdf/s213/Lib%20image%202.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="209" data-original-width="213" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJjf_53N5hOh-VQ6w9ZOo4QU5IaP5VDG360Jp8MMkRvU_c8EoabqEb_qKUVsW5bCRPpFN_3Q1L9DNYalGCpQ3EnbzxmTZLIGePPQBEk32eCiyB_HTUXFwrCvXH0BwZDT5mWgDY5i5aSckOM8NGcHL9NDfbfpfRWXYusHFK1lf3hVBxBzdCiPcLd5lfRcdf/s1600/Lib%20image%202.PNG" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />3D printed lantern with the Chinese rabbit character, with perforations to allow light to shine though</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><span style="line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">I hope to make
this an annual tradition for staff. Next year I will be looking for all the
dragons in the library. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">🐉</span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">If you would like to
know more about our 3D printing service and its role in supporting research,
please read <a href="https://sway.office.com/g4p3TPpzaCGb2RaV">MU Library Makerspace – 3D Printing Supporting Research</a>. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Virtual
Tours and Experiences </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucBe4i8pSfTgUUVhLjPGXVoWZitFjL1YyYz_u0In-xcu6QVIebZ41SyAUS_qpNIS8bfctLbMidHMoT2_cgFiHJ_mqwKCNuq8veNkPGVYoq7FxRI3SgwgQGUGViuNbVECgHZoAKnQiFFEu-DzWpVeUTU0PFoN6ghb7A70dNZFhAUwaqJH7blSJ4waxTpxm/s327/Lib%20image%203.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="223" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhucBe4i8pSfTgUUVhLjPGXVoWZitFjL1YyYz_u0In-xcu6QVIebZ41SyAUS_qpNIS8bfctLbMidHMoT2_cgFiHJ_mqwKCNuq8veNkPGVYoq7FxRI3SgwgQGUGViuNbVECgHZoAKnQiFFEu-DzWpVeUTU0PFoN6ghb7A70dNZFhAUwaqJH7blSJ4waxTpxm/s320/Lib%20image%203.PNG" width="218" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large; text-align: left;">Photo of the Ricoh Theta V 360 camera</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">When I joined MU
Library, we had a 360 camera, however virtual tours had not yet been created
with it. This was a great way for me to make a mark and develop a new
initiative within the library. To read all about my time creating virtual tours
and experiences see my addition to the<a href="https://mulibrarytreasures.wordpress.com/2023/02/01/exploring-special-collections-through-virtual-reality/"> Library Treasures Blog. </a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Connecting with
Makers </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;">One of the best parts of this job is the camaraderie I have found in the
makerspace community and the knowledge sharing, encouragement and advice that
is always on hand among other makers. These essential connections were evident
during this year's CONUL Conference 2023 held in Cork when for the first time
we presented a joint “CONUL Makerspace”. The event showcased services from
University of Limerick, University of Galway and University College Cork. For
my part I brought our 360 camera and demonstrated how to create virtual tours
and displayed some of our virtual experiences. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b>Social Media</b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 107%;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkgccOBP6HxxhyphenhyphencLLQ0V9ImcTSXnCwxjZ7YqMUqmS4QS74oyOxTVu_gIDqUqEPT7dij7g5AQ8w-Y8IUmn7T8yTLqekLU7pZ3XAFducgID25yflFHAvNLHa5nKAp8n4RLoWBJMO9MBpml-hSXhSnqb19XPo6acqnVr_Qw5ZZsHSaWWJakF3XlNzUf9hyphenhyphenlk/s269/Lib%20image%204.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="226" height="269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXkgccOBP6HxxhyphenhyphencLLQ0V9ImcTSXnCwxjZ7YqMUqmS4QS74oyOxTVu_gIDqUqEPT7dij7g5AQ8w-Y8IUmn7T8yTLqekLU7pZ3XAFducgID25yflFHAvNLHa5nKAp8n4RLoWBJMO9MBpml-hSXhSnqb19XPo6acqnVr_Qw5ZZsHSaWWJakF3XlNzUf9hyphenhyphenlk/s1600/Lib%20image%204.PNG" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 14.98px; text-align: left;">Multiple </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large; text-align: left;">3D printed cats used as giveaways with new orders and for visitors </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">One of the best ways to
promote and to connect with other makerspaces is through social media. The MU
Library Makerspace did not have its own account, and so I launched our own
Twitter and TikTok handles @MULibraryMaker. As the numbers grew, I created a
consistent timetable of posts to allow our growing audience to follow the
stories and developments from the makerspace. Mondays mark #makermonday which
showcases various types of making I have been working on throughout the week.
This includes anything from intricate 3D print projects to equipment testing. I
also like to use this hashtag to give praise to the many makers who design and
create 3D prints or develop makerspace initiative that we use. Every Friday I
post about specific 3D printing issues, fails, and developments using the
hashtag #filamentfriday. I also use these days to ask for help, suggestions and
input from other makers out there. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>#ClayCat </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFcUSOAJHFrN3oSavWTXNFlwZxBJC4nqZ5EcPb_vY5XS9_dt6-mUcD4ZR2SRYR6Gv9z2jfrSjSawfdeAZ2tCKmjGgx_ofQIK6JpbBPVboxjyiwIUTuQhju7D_XlTG4PC1hK27IHl3bW2CCh55neJY1y0Y2R6YcXtjtLOkv35MLl6MPyx38igrosxK-rIs/s319/Lib%20Image%205.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="319" data-original-width="251" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOFcUSOAJHFrN3oSavWTXNFlwZxBJC4nqZ5EcPb_vY5XS9_dt6-mUcD4ZR2SRYR6Gv9z2jfrSjSawfdeAZ2tCKmjGgx_ofQIK6JpbBPVboxjyiwIUTuQhju7D_XlTG4PC1hK27IHl3bW2CCh55neJY1y0Y2R6YcXtjtLOkv35MLl6MPyx38igrosxK-rIs/s1600/Lib%20Image%205.PNG" width="251" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Image of ClayCat wearing a bandana during workout session to promote health and wellbeing</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> </span></div></td></tr></tbody></table></span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Inspired by other
libraries and makerspaces using animation, Lego and stop-motion as fun tools
for digital engagement, I decided to test out claymation. I built a character
based on MU Library’s famous resident, library cat. My hope is that I can
develop a character that audiences can connect and build a relationship with. </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Every Wednesday I create a short stop-motion claymation video of #claycat
engaging in some way with our collections or spaces. My poster presented at the CONUL Conference
2023 included this simple sway exhibition of Clay Cats development – <a href="https://sway.office.com/jTNFZVm20otTEra3">view here. </a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b>18 Months and Beyond </b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrbCPDAW-3_l3ykix318BPiNRQtCKM6W2YMHq0-T6UrhTFEuCSb7uSGJ_8hb2OafN5_PC-wPBshSWCDz0CPdlxHqbXV3i-dnh7MAywzB8FFJM5A_H1SQ4J_R_qVtwBlJZPgXHaTuzLphl3o1m1uuGFitrA-xYmEuVUQsvyxnhh5Z8HhYPY7Z5CxgWHrhh/s327/Lib%20image%206.PNG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="327" data-original-width="231" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGrbCPDAW-3_l3ykix318BPiNRQtCKM6W2YMHq0-T6UrhTFEuCSb7uSGJ_8hb2OafN5_PC-wPBshSWCDz0CPdlxHqbXV3i-dnh7MAywzB8FFJM5A_H1SQ4J_R_qVtwBlJZPgXHaTuzLphl3o1m1uuGFitrA-xYmEuVUQsvyxnhh5Z8HhYPY7Z5CxgWHrhh/s320/Lib%20image%206.PNG" width="226" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /><a href="https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/17236/">Image of the poster presented as part<br /> of CONUL Conference 2023</a></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">A lot has been achieved in a short space of time. None of it would have been possible without the
guidance and support I have encountered in this role. There is much more to come from the MU
Library Makerspace including expanding our virtual experiences, exploring the world of 3D scanning
and creating handling objects as teaching aides. And of course, #claycat will continue to comment
throughout!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">All images by Heidi Campbell</span></div><p></p><p></p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-12832226887697962522023-10-03T11:53:00.001+01:002023-10-03T11:53:14.173+01:00Camera, Action: Finding Photography in UCD Special Collections<p><b>Libfocus is delighted to present the second prize post for the <a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/">CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2023</a>. The author is <a href="https://ie.linkedin.com/in/milligankathryn">Kathryn Milligan</a>, Library Assistant at University College Dublin (Special Collections).</b> <br /></p><p>From time to time, an opportunity comes to delve into a library’s holdings and reconsider how a selection of materials might be gathered and presented to readers and researchers. Recently, I have been looking anew at material related to photography and its history in <a href="https://www.ucd.ie/specialcollections/">UCD Special Collections</a>. From the very beginning of this project, it was clear that our holdings included a range of interesting materials, from nineteenth century book, journals, and manuals to large photographic prints. An early stand out item was<i> Sun Pictures of Rocky Mountain Scenery</i> which I later wrote about for the <a href="https://ucdculturalheritagecollections.com/2022/09/29/sun-pictures-geology-photography-and-the-rocky-mountains/">UCD Cultural Heritage Collections blog</a>.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJ76ouTiydN563DP7fu6LL7tA44-WKB94JJAQtv9_ybML5ev3AP2fpuRga0laPJFiwY396EFfUGkRq8WonV7qf98ySLaAO4Y7ymt2GyDdUsI9AQhBytdRC1aQOqL1XcD342AvXjuIrWFJe6KatrLTH_JKiClQIfsc8Crot3GAMv7tEjm2uYm_O0-Xhg/s626/image01.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Albumen print frontispiece and title page of F. V. Hayden, Sun Pictures of Rocky Mountain Scenery (UCD SC 11.Q.17)" border="0" data-original-height="438" data-original-width="626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUJ76ouTiydN563DP7fu6LL7tA44-WKB94JJAQtv9_ybML5ev3AP2fpuRga0laPJFiwY396EFfUGkRq8WonV7qf98ySLaAO4Y7ymt2GyDdUsI9AQhBytdRC1aQOqL1XcD342AvXjuIrWFJe6KatrLTH_JKiClQIfsc8Crot3GAMv7tEjm2uYm_O0-Xhg/s16000/image01.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. Albumen print frontispiece and title page of F. V. Hayden, Sun Pictures of Rocky Mountain Scenery (UCD SC 11.Q.17). <br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Further opportunity to explore these collections came in December 2022 when we welcomed two historians of photography to the reading room. In putting together a display for this, I browsed the shelves to identify further notable items, coming across (for example) the imposing Notes on Irish Architecture, published in 1875, several photographic prints of John Henry Newman, and a photogravure by <a href="https://www.moma.org/artists/1164">Alvin Langdon Coburn</a>.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfN50Mip67nrYUHVgveHN1CCqdfIspIBOF7x8oE-DuS2wAwRiTXE1fvdOTn-QJfoRrOsSeUzy9mzu0IRc0-AINb91V7BZYzP9TqZW4FDHDAltVnGZ5Qepmsv0HUZvGVgCFMdcBLtN023k6tVQOWAePzoY66tw43m0zOSq5cD1_7vdJeMuN-FkU7hy4g/s346/image02.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Display of photographic prints and photographically illustrated books, UCD Special Collections Reading Room" border="0" data-original-height="346" data-original-width="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLfN50Mip67nrYUHVgveHN1CCqdfIspIBOF7x8oE-DuS2wAwRiTXE1fvdOTn-QJfoRrOsSeUzy9mzu0IRc0-AINb91V7BZYzP9TqZW4FDHDAltVnGZ5Qepmsv0HUZvGVgCFMdcBLtN023k6tVQOWAePzoY66tw43m0zOSq5cD1_7vdJeMuN-FkU7hy4g/s16000/image02.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2. Display of photographic prints and photographically illustrated books, UCD Special Collections Reading Room</td></tr></tbody></table>These searches suggested the need for a more systematic review to identify photography related holdings within our collections, and a method of making them more findable and accessible to our readers. Building on the knowledge I had gained when writing about Sun Pictures, I decided that identifying and improving the records of photographically illustrated books would be of significant benefit and be of interest to a wide range of disciplines within the university.</p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIKXSfkOnVwHG1N0WC1QxxPEpfbEOr5eb1qr1QqxReiB44wmyDTTLFruFTjzcstF8QC-mRivgnLRRJbUBme7pW60az1JfNV1IMvMUtIPtym6tauHiXypalIMkTrLjq6qwRTg16M1o8Sn6Cuilwji-PVw8Tavv56D_6jRzjptbmr1RohhWK18uh1Eteg/s360/image03.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Albumen print frontispiece and title page of Richard A. Procter, ‘The Moon’ (UCD SC RCSCI 525.3 PRO)." border="0" data-original-height="312" data-original-width="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigIKXSfkOnVwHG1N0WC1QxxPEpfbEOr5eb1qr1QqxReiB44wmyDTTLFruFTjzcstF8QC-mRivgnLRRJbUBme7pW60az1JfNV1IMvMUtIPtym6tauHiXypalIMkTrLjq6qwRTg16M1o8Sn6Cuilwji-PVw8Tavv56D_6jRzjptbmr1RohhWK18uh1Eteg/s16000/image03.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3. Albumen print frontispiece and title page of Richard A. Procter, ‘The Moon’ (UCD SC RCSCI 525.3 PRO).<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><a href="https://www.loc.gov/rr/print/coll/photographically-illustrated-books-and-photobooks.html">Photographically illustrated books</a> contain an actual photographic print, such as an albumen or carbon print. They emerged in the mid-nineteenth century as <a href="https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/photographpreservationprogram/harvards-history-photography-timeline-text-only">photographic processes</a> developed more generally. These were not books that a former owner or collector had personalised through <a href="https://researchguides.huntington.org/extra-illustrated">extra-illustration</a>, but rather fully conceived works that brought together letterpress and photography, with images either tipped in or bound with the text block.</p><p>Photographically illustrated books can be found across a range of scholarly and general interest publications, from travel and spectroscopy to biography and medical research. Given the nature of the holdings in UCD Special Collections, which includes books from the libraries of UCD’s antecedent institutions like the <a href="https://www.ucd.ie/specialcollections/print/cui/">Catholic University of Ireland</a> and the <a href="https://www.ucd.ie/specialcollections/print/rcsci/">Royal College of Science for Ireland</a>, our print collections cover many disciplinary fields. <br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7PGeusxLKgFdBzk0C_FLLfL3NIfSzS43fykCNjeYYMgmvBsF6JbMnNQg6fIpvyTIpy6ovESpWrdgh4xRMLJ2BZ1BhIQYeVWuoQjNqbzPDQmlQCdDEhLmB7WhuAbiryBNYGteJ8e3UUmvL-9RMX-CdZJe6AI59Kw1yCqGZpjSzXT57G9LED70n8TVDg/s620/image04.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A shelf in UCD Special Collections: are there any photographically illustrated books here?!" border="0" data-original-height="404" data-original-width="620" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu7PGeusxLKgFdBzk0C_FLLfL3NIfSzS43fykCNjeYYMgmvBsF6JbMnNQg6fIpvyTIpy6ovESpWrdgh4xRMLJ2BZ1BhIQYeVWuoQjNqbzPDQmlQCdDEhLmB7WhuAbiryBNYGteJ8e3UUmvL-9RMX-CdZJe6AI59Kw1yCqGZpjSzXT57G9LED70n8TVDg/s16000/image04.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4. A shelf in UCD Special Collections: are there any photographically illustrated books here?!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>To assist with identifying these books, I turned to three main resources: Julia van Haaften’s ''Original Sun Pictures': A Checklist from New York Public Library's Holdings of Early Works Illustrated with Photographs, 1844 – 1900’; Helmut Gernsheim’s Incunabula of British Photographic Literature, 1839 – 1875; and the British Library’s online <a href="https://www.bl.uk/catalogues/photographyinbooks/welcome.htm">Catalogue of Photographically Illustrated Books</a>. I also consulted more specialised publications on Irish photographic history to identify additional material. As well as basic catalogue searches, I also did systematic shelf searches, replicating van Haaften’s own process in <br />NYPL.</p><p>After consulting the published bibliographies, catalogues, and creating a basic listing of items, I consulted with my Special Collections colleagues to see how this new information could be best captured within our existing catalogue records. We settled on adding relevant MARC fields, capturing information such as the photographer or photographic company’s name, and whether the book appears in van Haaften and Gernsheim. The genre heading ‘Photographically Illustrated Books’ from the <a href="https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/tgm/">LOC’s Thesaurus of Graphical Material</a> was also added to each record.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E8ehauK9VL7kUnfuCi-prKh-WXBJa8vL9139k9XYj_zIWs5S2I2LvxnPLF-CaJ9LsLfx9vJf9SLLnsRx7OzQapAaSTeDL6mJXZ-Bgh1B-3aC4PbgtvLol89oyF1HGCl5WqzaryCZgUR45PH_bkmFNkmb0JWp70dwyh2tOEeqgWnfWdSIKi9YNRQiyQ/s640/image05.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Example of an updated catalogue record for a photographically illustrated book" border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="587" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E8ehauK9VL7kUnfuCi-prKh-WXBJa8vL9139k9XYj_zIWs5S2I2LvxnPLF-CaJ9LsLfx9vJf9SLLnsRx7OzQapAaSTeDL6mJXZ-Bgh1B-3aC4PbgtvLol89oyF1HGCl5WqzaryCZgUR45PH_bkmFNkmb0JWp70dwyh2tOEeqgWnfWdSIKi9YNRQiyQ/w587-h640/image05.png" width="587" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5. Example of an updated catalogue record for a photographically illustrated book
</td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p>To date, I have identified close to thirty photographically illustrated books containing a range of photographic and early photomechanical processes. There are also examples of early colour reproductions and photographic literature. For many of these publications, further research is needed to fully identify the photographic processes employed, as well as details of the photographer or publisher. Our readers can now find these books by searching for ‘photographically illustrated books’ and filtering the search results to ‘Special Collections’ on the <a href="https://libraryencore.ucd.ie/iii/encore/search/C__SPhotographically%20illustrated%20books__Ff%3Afacetlocations%3Asc%3Asc%3ASpecial%20Collections%3A%3A__Orightresult__U__X0?lang=eng&suite=cobalt">UCD Library Catalogue</a>. This basic listing also enables us to easily promote these holdings across the university and seek opportunities to incorporate them into teaching, learning and public engagement programmes, aligning with Pillar 2 of the <a href="https://www.ucd.ie/library/contact/strategy/">Library’s Strategic Plan</a>.</p><p>I hope that research on, and analysis of, these books will continue and that a standardised cataloguing guideline can be used for similar holdings across UCD Library’s Cultural Heritage collections. For now however, we can look to these books to learn about (and enjoy) the story they tell us about the development of photography and the illustrated book.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkfJxKp7HPOfKwgeTVUpdBGe9GaeFK0S8L72ncsfgLkK6ZX3DHGB6uLP16JaczE5d23z6bRIGqjD3gSpIwuePjX5wP8UblJnhXuwSEDxWqMe_qvRxL0j9dpJxILAvIcqWAF0Q_9P6kouOBtVS7BGt2W8KkJzwbvyAi8QYdHjY9lVgiS74Z4WpLANKrA/s578/image06.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hand-coloured albumen print frontispiece and title page of Alexander W. M. Clark Kennedy, ‘The Birds of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire’ (UCD SC Store 598.094229 KEN)" border="0" data-original-height="446" data-original-width="578" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBkfJxKp7HPOfKwgeTVUpdBGe9GaeFK0S8L72ncsfgLkK6ZX3DHGB6uLP16JaczE5d23z6bRIGqjD3gSpIwuePjX5wP8UblJnhXuwSEDxWqMe_qvRxL0j9dpJxILAvIcqWAF0Q_9P6kouOBtVS7BGt2W8KkJzwbvyAi8QYdHjY9lVgiS74Z4WpLANKrA/s16000/image06.png" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6. Hand-coloured albumen print frontispiece and title page of Alexander W. M. Clark Kennedy, ‘The Birds of Berkshire and Buckinghamshire’ (UCD SC Store 598.094229 KEN)<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><u>References</u><br /><p>Chandler, Edward. Photography in Ireland: The Nineteenth Century (Dublin: Edmund <br />Burke, 2001).<br /><br />Gernsheim, Helmut. Incunabula of British Photographic Literature, 1839 – 1875 (London <br />and Berkeley: Scolar in association with Derbyshire College of Higher Education, 1984).<br /><br />van Haaften, Julia. ''Original Sun Pictures': A Checklist from New York Public Library's <br />Holdings of Early Works Illustrated with Photographs, 1844 – 1900’, Bulletin of The New <br />York Public Library (80:3 Spring 1977).<br /><br /><i>All photographs are by the author, and show items from UCD Special Collections.</i></p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-8906368691630678632023-09-26T13:13:00.002+01:002023-09-29T09:19:13.091+01:00Evolving with Energy: Enhancing Spaces for Students at the Glucksman Library at the University of Limerick<p><b>Libfocus is delighted to present the winning post for the <a href="https://conul.ie/library-assistant-award/">CONUL Training and Development Library Assistant Blog Awards 2023</a>. The author is <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/maeve-shanahan" target="_blank">Maeve Shanahan</a>, Library Assistant at <a href="https://www.ul.ie/library" target="_blank">University of Limerick</a>.</b></p><div style="text-align: justify;">We tend to think of libraries as unchangeable brick-and-mortar places. This idea gives us comfort in a rapidly changing world, and libraries remain a steadfast academic refuge for many. I think back on my student days at the University of Limerick (UL), writing and researching for my master’s dissertation in the library. Those caffeine-fuelled late nights, spent in commiseration with my fellow students, are now fond memories. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As I’ve become a staff member at the Glucksman Library, my perspective has changed, and so has the UL Library. With expanded digital resources and a physical extension to the building, the Glucksman Library of 2023 is almost unrecognizable to my past student self. If I didn’t work here as a Library Assistant, I’d be jealous of all the new spaces students get to experience.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Since 2018, in addition to doubling the amount of available study space, introducing smart systems like the <a href="https://libguides.ul.ie/c.php?g=223868&p=4759913" target="_blank">Automated Storage and Retrieval System</a> (ASRS) to store books, and creating novel learning spaces for collaborative work, the Library has kept a close eye on student’s evolving needs.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qy3FWi3YaAk6OLLxRGYoNpZGE5HF1N8lV_VSnJ9Tb_09mW-iDyxggK_oIVc8KjzCSdLhmJ_ExPtKjQYoNyyxQfvGd2OXKHmynydRWbXCk3Zv1nEjR18jLuFWFPAoJLysVYjif79VNWxH0Evw-Irs248o266ZTzYU9tQW6Jyjp7_Dpj5Thkq6gWqcGH6e/s980/Conul1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Students gathered around a table in the Glucksman Library" border="0" data-original-height="676" data-original-width="980" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0qy3FWi3YaAk6OLLxRGYoNpZGE5HF1N8lV_VSnJ9Tb_09mW-iDyxggK_oIVc8KjzCSdLhmJ_ExPtKjQYoNyyxQfvGd2OXKHmynydRWbXCk3Zv1nEjR18jLuFWFPAoJLysVYjif79VNWxH0Evw-Irs248o266ZTzYU9tQW6Jyjp7_Dpj5Thkq6gWqcGH6e/w407-h281/Conul1.jpg" width="407" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">05.06.2019 University of Limerick, Glucksman Library Digital Scholarship. Photo by Alan Place.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><b>More Than Books</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As we prepare for the new semester and a new cohort of students, we acknowledge that for many, the UL Library has become more than a study space. Students are seeking out alternative spaces to just be—the cost of living is increasing, so students are commuting in, or sharing crowded rental homes (Cathal, 2022). The Glucksman Library provides students with reliable WiFi, group study rooms, temperature-controlled air, soft seating options, late opening hours, and a café right outside our access gates. We have become the place where students can work, attend online lectures, relax, and re-energize. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">As COVID restrictions disappear in the country’s rear-view, the University of Limerick has turned its focus onto directly impacting student’s mental health and wellbeing. UL officially signed the charter for <a href="https://www.ul.ie/news/university-of-limerick-signs-healthy-campus-charter-with-higher-education-authority" target="_blank">Healthy Ireland</a> earlier this year with the Higher Education Authority. As the campus continues its commitments to better the health of students and staff through Healthy UL promotional initiatives, the Glucksman Library, with guidance from the Library Spaces Manager, a librarian in the Collections & Spaces team, has turned its attention to promoting student’s wellbeing within the Library itself. With the goal of improving mental and physical health, the UL Library has recently acquired ten standing desks, three desk bikes, and two MetroNaps EnergyPods for students to use. It is well documented in decades of research that students need rest to help improve academic performance and maintain positive mental health (Zhou<i> et al., </i>2022).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><b>EnergyPods & Their Benefits</b></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Imagine how nice it would be to be able to safely take a twenty-minute break during a hectic workday if you were feeling overwhelmed, or not awake enough to drive home. It sounds too good to be true! I once suffered from a migraine in between college lectures and had to nap on a mud trodden carpeted floor in a high-traffic hallway. I certainly could have used an EnergyPod during my time as a student.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://metronaps.com/" target="_blank">MetroNaps</a> EnergyPods are described by their creators as “the world’s first office nap chair.” Although they look like something out of a sci-fi film, EnergyPods are modern chairs designed for relaxation, with a privacy visor, reclining leg rest, and a speaker/headset for calming music and meditations. Users can rest for up to twenty minutes at a time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KPbguoxS6XJmgoqNmurYsCtIR-g67gTRqcasuHoVZmW_Do77mLnYD3IQCCDHsMA7Xhip3ANXZqXvTHXXdsY0CU7sAsB4mR6vXOvangng0-F79hw4T9GvRcIgwy0QkPe-lLw6RyVmJ0-St4-aQd5VYYc9bLMOfhx0HwfRRACXkxcl9Ag3gYXTH2KVFFhm/s1137/Conul2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A MetroNap EnergyPod in the Glucksman Library." border="0" data-original-height="576" data-original-width="1137" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-KPbguoxS6XJmgoqNmurYsCtIR-g67gTRqcasuHoVZmW_Do77mLnYD3IQCCDHsMA7Xhip3ANXZqXvTHXXdsY0CU7sAsB4mR6vXOvangng0-F79hw4T9GvRcIgwy0QkPe-lLw6RyVmJ0-St4-aQd5VYYc9bLMOfhx0HwfRRACXkxcl9Ag3gYXTH2KVFFhm/w538-h273/Conul2.jpg" width="538" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">21.07.2023. MetroNaps EnergyPod in Glucksman Library. Photos by Maeve Shanahan.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The Library in the University Hospital Limerick installed an EnergyPod in 2020 and found it successful in battling fatigue and stress in student doctors (Mindo, 2020). In a recent study of 93 NHS staff members using the EnergyPods during night shifts, researchers surveyed the staff before and after using the EnergyPod for three months. The results concluded with 81% of NHS staff feeling more alert and 83% were more energized after their twenty-minute rest (Dore <i>et al.,</i> 2021). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>Conclusion </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Starting in university is a time of intense change and stress. Academic pressure, social pressures, and personal issues can affect student’s mental health. As students spend more time in the Library, we want to help them maintain good physical and mental health. We hope that by introducing EnergyPods to the Library, we will help students relax during high stress times, and allow our users to embrace the Glucksman as more than a book-filled brick building.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><b>Bibliography</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Cathal (2022). “UL Student Life release stark findings from their Accommodation Survey.” <i>UL Student Life.</i> 21 August. Available at: https://www.ulstudentlife.ie/ulstudentlife_accommodationsurvey/ (Accessed: 26 July 2023).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Dore, Eoin <i>et al.</i> (2021). “Sleep is the best medicine: How rest facilities and EnergyPods can improve staff wellbeing.” <i>Future Healthcare Journal,</i> 8(3) pp. 625–628 [Online]. Available at: https://doi:10.7861/fhj.2020-0261 (Accessed: 26 July 2023).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Mindo (2020). “‘Energy pod’ launched in Limerick to fight fatigue in hospital staff.” <i>The Medical Independent</i>, 31 July. Available at: https://www.medicalindependent.ie/in-thenews/breaking-news/energy-pod-launched-in-limerick-to-fight-fatigue-in-hospital-staff/ (Accessed: 26 July 2023).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Zhou, Jingxin et al. (2022) “Research trends in college students' sleep from 2012 to 2021: A bibliometric analysis.” <i>Frontiers in Psychiatry</i>, 13, 20 Sep. Available at: https://doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1005459 (Accessed: 26 July 2023).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-6217179731961402862023-09-11T18:40:00.013+01:002023-09-11T18:44:23.053+01:00Open Access in Sweden - moving beyond transformative agreements<p><span style="font-size: small;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-ee9e2488-7fff-f835-1278-85efa7e1c119"><span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white;">Post by Hardy Schwamm, Open Scholarship Librarian at the University of Galway and member of the libfocus team. This interview below was originally posted on the <a href="https://hardimanlibrary.blogspot.com">Hardiblog </a>on 11 September 2023.<br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;">In this interview of the Open Voices series Hardy talks to <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilhelm-widmark-8bb2959/" target="_blank">Wilhelm Widmark</a>, Library Director at Stockholm University Library, about the Open Access strategy of Swedish universities and research institutes who are organised in the Bibsam Consortium.<br /></span></p><p><i></i></p><i></i><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: Hello
Wilhelm. Thanks for talking to me. To start our conversation can you introduce
yourself, please?</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: Sure, I'm Wilhelm Widmark and I'm
working as the Library Director at </span><a href="https://www.su.se/stockholm-university-library/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Stockholm University</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> and have done that for the last 12
years. I'm also the Senior Advisor to the President of Stockholm University in
questions regarding Open Science. I work as the Vice Chair of the Swedish </span><a href="https://www.kb.se/samverkan-och-utveckling/oppen-tillgang-och-bibsamkonsortiet/open-access-and-bibsam-consortium/bibsam-consortium.html"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Bibsam Consortium</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> where our University President, </span><a href="https://www.su.se/english/about-the-university/organisation/senior-management-team/about-president-astrid-s%C3%B6derbergh-widding-1.518295"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Astrid Söderbergh Widding</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">, is the Chair and we work closely together
in the Consortium. I'm also </span><a href="https://eosc.eu/board-directors/wilhelm-widmark"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Director of EOSC</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">, the </span><a href="https://eosc.eu/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">European Open Science Cloud</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">. In Sweden, we have the Rectors Conference
of </span><a href="https://suhf.se/in-english"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">The Association of Swedish Higher Education
Institutions</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> which
has different subgroups, and one of the groups is the Coordination Group of Open
Science. We work together among universities on how we should pave the way
forward for Open Science, and that is what the Coordination Group does.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: Can
you summarise where you are with regards to Open Access in Sweden?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: We have a mandate from the Swedish
Government that we should have reached 100% Open Access in 2021. It was in the
latest Research Bill. But we didn't reach the target in 2021. Currently, we
have around 80% Open Access to Swedish research articles. You mentioned the </span><a href="https://esac-initiative.org/market-watch/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">ESAC Registry of Transformative Agreements</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> where Ireland is among the top 10. Sweden
is sometimes on the top spot, sometimes it is Norway, sometimes Finland. [<i>As
of 1 September 2023, Finland is number one, Sweden number two, see below or
check </i></span><a href="https://esac-initiative.org/market-watch/"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">ESAC</span></i></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">].</span></span></p>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlLUXhL_wRS3NHb09PqQbzTu-8QR6y0NHlc904YOwe6B7DV9jqZQmVo0Va_6csEh9-Fs9yXCNtc0ubaaTgvOj3z8Q8R_lOl3VAS2dsE71Na8ToBqR22gjvGVnGrA-20Gu04JhFSqqn5qx8qQOOX56H5OrXzb8jtfYKgNDZ2Uljmf7DNIoVngDfRNlFcDu/s602/ESAC%20screenshot.png" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="187" data-original-width="602" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIlLUXhL_wRS3NHb09PqQbzTu-8QR6y0NHlc904YOwe6B7DV9jqZQmVo0Va_6csEh9-Fs9yXCNtc0ubaaTgvOj3z8Q8R_lOl3VAS2dsE71Na8ToBqR22gjvGVnGrA-20Gu04JhFSqqn5qx8qQOOX56H5OrXzb8jtfYKgNDZ2Uljmf7DNIoVngDfRNlFcDu/w640-h198/ESAC%20screenshot.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Screenshot from <a href="https://esac-initiative.org/market-watch/" target="_blank">ESAC Market Watch</a><br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, we are
currently at around 80% Open Access but we strive to get to 100%!</span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">For Swedish
researchers Open Access is not a question anymore. For them it is obvious that all
publications should be Open Access. They don't think that Open Access is
anything strange or undesirable, it is part of their academic life.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: How
does the Swedish approach differ from other countries in Europe?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: I think the most important thing
we have done is to delegate the decisions to a higher level than library
directors. At all annual meetings of the Rectors Conference, we have
discussions about the different publisher agreements and strategies. The Steering
Committee of the Bibsam Consortium is elected by the Rectors Conference. So,
both rectors and library directors sit on the Steering Committee of the
consortium. We discuss everything with the rectors. Open Access is not a
library question, it is an issue that has a place in the income trays of the presidents
of universities!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: What
has your experience been with transformative agreements?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: Well, we have worked very hard to
get a lot of transformative agreements. We have made a lot of mistakes on the
way, and it has cost a lot to have them. But if you see the rates of how much Open
Access we have now, that has been a success. How the transformative agreements
are driving the transformation towards Open Access that is a bigger problem.
Because I think today, many of the publishers want to stay within transformative
agreements as the basis of their new business model and that won't work for us.
So, we will keep on having both systems for a while, both open and closed, and
I don't think that the transformative agreements will change that.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: What
are your next steps forwards? You mentioned the subscription elements of these
agreements. What is the Swedish approach to that?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: We started a strategy group in
Sweden two years ago which is called </span><a href="https://www.eua.eu/resources/expert-voices/157-beyond-transformative-agreements.html"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Beyond Transformative agreements</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">, where we had a lot of discussions
during two years on what will happen in the future. What kind of strategy
should the Consortium have to go beyond transformative agreements? The group
was composed of university management, negotiators from the Bibsam Consortium,
researchers from different disciplines and the funders as well. I think it is
important that we have all stakeholders within the research system in this
group. The strategy group has finished a report that will be published soon, both
in Swedish and in English, because many colleagues in Sweden and
internationally are interested in what we are doing. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB">This group
made some suggestions on what we should do concerning the negotiations with the
publishers. One of the main strategies is that during a certain period we should
not pay for anything but publishing as a service. Right now we are trying this
out in some negotiations: with </span><a href="https://beta.elsevier.com/open-access/agreements/sweden-bibsam"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Elsevier</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">, </span><a href="https://esac-initiative.org/about/transformative-agreements/agreement-registry/sage2020bibsam/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Sage</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> and </span><a href="https://www.acs.org/pressroom/newsreleases/2020/february/acs-signs-read-and-publish-agreement-with-bibsam-consortium-in-sweden.html"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">ACS</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> (American Chemical Society). We are testing
our ideas on these three publishers.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy:
That also means if you don't agree a publish agreement you would “walk away”.
Is that an option?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: That will always be an option if
we don't reach our goals. We can walk away from the negotiations and leave the agreement.
We have done that once before with </span><a href="https://www.mynewsdesk.com/se/kungliga_biblioteket/pressreleases/sweden-stands-up-for-open-access-cancels-agreement-with-elsevier-2508242"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Elsevier in 2018</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">. The Bibsam Consortium was without
an agreement with Elsevier for one and a half year, and that is definitely a
possibility for the future as well.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: If
you walk away from a Publish & Read agreement, you will not fall back to a
read-only agreement? There is a consensus in the Bibsam Consortium that this is
how you will act?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: You need to have a lot of
communication before you walk away from an agreement. When we did that with Elsevier
that was a decision by the Rectors Conference. All the universities were behind
it. The decision did not come from the Consortium, it was made by the Directors
Conference. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">If you walk
away, you really need to explain why you are doing it and then also have
strategies in place at the affected universities of how to handle questions,
and we have experience with such a situation. When we didn’t have access to
Elsevier journals for one and a half year, most researchers understood why we
did it, and they backed us up. All rectors stood behind it, and no university arranged
any subscriptions with Elsevier during that period. You really need to do this
strategic work before the negotiations, and you have to stand by your decision!
After that, help your students and researchers in the best way you can do.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJSiPLDdZyYOk343LS-GLRFj1T_zdWPHO2qISaZZpvNAEMILhkES0Z6r4udBuDjV1qKuL7BkV36up6I9tj2sL1KUXAlg2DNxbI8CY0c0hgnqi070NgwJLoTNSIlWLKkEclzAf1y2QOqMdw4tTEMbN0kUjxtLLe-45Iu5Oe5BIVLvIp2TVCMxAThTDvMhL/s1346/Wilhelm%20Widmark%201%204MG.jpg" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1001" data-original-width="1346" height="475" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAJSiPLDdZyYOk343LS-GLRFj1T_zdWPHO2qISaZZpvNAEMILhkES0Z6r4udBuDjV1qKuL7BkV36up6I9tj2sL1KUXAlg2DNxbI8CY0c0hgnqi070NgwJLoTNSIlWLKkEclzAf1y2QOqMdw4tTEMbN0kUjxtLLe-45Iu5Oe5BIVLvIp2TVCMxAThTDvMhL/w640-h475/Wilhelm%20Widmark%201%204MG.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wilhelm Widmark<br /></span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: You
mentioned that a lot of senior academics were involved in your discussions.
What about the grassroots of the academic community? </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: We can't work with everybody, but
we have to have communication aimed at everyone and explain what we are doing. I
think many researchers see it as a shame that the profit margins of the big
commercial publishers are so high. It is money that should stay within the
research system and not go to for-profit publishers. But at the same time, they
are forced to publish with them. It is really hard not to!</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">We had many
researchers who when we cancelled the Elsevier agreement wrote to us and said
that they accept this decision and stand by us. Regarding the Read-access libraries
will manage to get access to publications in some way.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: You
mentioned that you are doing these negotiations with these three publishers as
a trial or pilot. How long is your pilot period? </span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: We are negotiating the new
agreements during this year, and the pilot will start in 2024 if we reach
agreements.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: What
do you think other countries like Ireland can learn from what you've done so
far?</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: One important thing is to have all
universities engaged. The university management must be involved in those discussions
because it's a question about money, and it's a question about institutional strategy.
We are also working with the big Swedish research funders on how we should
finance the different agreements. We have discussions with all stakeholders, that
is really important.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB">You
shouldn't rely only on transformative agreements. You need to have discussions
about other paths towards Open Access. How can researchers take back the
control of the publishing system? We are talking about a national or European
publishing platform like </span><a href="https://open-research-europe.ec.europa.eu/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">ORE</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> (Open Research Europe). We need to have
alternative publishing routes, for example we need to look at </span><a href="https://www.scienceeurope.org/our-priorities/open-access/diamond-open-access/"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Diamond Open Access</span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">. You also need to look at the
copyright issues and you need to have strategies for that as well. You can't
work just with transformative agreements. You need to have different routes to
make Open Access work. </span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: You
are referring to the </span></b><a href="https://libguides.tcd.ie/planS/rights-retention"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Rights Retention Strategy</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">?</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: Yes, definitely. No university in
Sweden has implemented it yet, but we are talking about it. For instance, </span>The
<a href="https://www.ntnu.edu/">Norwegian University of Science and Technology</a>
(NTNU) has introduced its <a href="https://innsida.ntnu.no/start#/feed/5de0a0da-8d3a-3eb5-9ace-4cc904cca70b/21229a7c-f850-3fec-8535-750ee392dd47">Rights
Retention Strategy</a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> last
year</span>, and <span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">we are
looking at how that works. I don't know how it is like in Ireland, have you
looked at Rights Retention Strategy?</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: We
are expecting a national project funded by the </span></b><a href="https://norf.ie/2023-open-research-fund/"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">National Open Research Forum</span></b></a><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> that will look at Rights Retention
in the Irish context. We are also talking to colleagues in the UK who have
implemented a Rights Retention Strategy in their institution</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"> [<i>see for example this </i></span><a href="https://hardimanlibrary.blogspot.com/2023/02/rights-retention-interview.html"><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Open Voices interview with Emma
Francis from Aberdeen University</span></i></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">]. <b>I think we have learned in the last few
years that maybe we were too keen on transformative agreements as a single
solution for Open Access?</b></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: Yes, and that is also the advice from
the transformative agreement group that you need to work on different routes to
have a complete and diverse picture for the future. Also, we should not accept
to pay for hybrid journals and subscriptions in the future. We really have to
discuss with the publishers how that can work.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;">I think
what others campus can learn from Sweden is that we have made a lot of mistakes
initially with transformative agreements. Now we have got good transformative
agreements in terms of Open Access coverage, but they are too expensive, and we
don't want to keep on paying into that system. We would like to change the
system, to drive the publishers to more Open Access beyond transformative
agreements. Sweden is a small country, and we need more countries to tell
publishers that they will not accept to pay both subscription and Open Access fees
in the future. But we need to do it all together across the world!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: My
final question: You said you have an Open Access rate of around 80% in Sweden at
the moment, which is brilliant and a lot better than for example Ireland. Will
you succeed to reach the final 20% with your current strategy?</span></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Wilhelm</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">: Initially, our Open Access rate
might even drop because if we walk away from certain agreements that will have
a negative impact on the rate. But that is important, as we can't accept that the
old transformative agreements will be the ongoing business model. At the same
time our goal is to reach 100% Open Access, but not at any price.</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-GB" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;">Hardy: Wilhelm,
thanks a lot for our chat.</span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/wilhelm-widmark-8bb2959/">Wilhelm Widmark </a>is
the Library Director of Stockholm University since 2012. Since 2020 he is also Senior
Adviser for Open Science to the President of Stockholm University. He has a
Master of Arts in Literature and a Master of Arts in Library and information
science from Uppsala University. Wilhelm is active in the Open Science movement
in Sweden and Europe. He is the Vice-Chairman of the
Swedish Bibsam consortium and a member of the Swedish Rectors Conference Open
Science group. He is also a member of <a href="https://eua.eu/about/working-groups.html">EUA’s Expert Group</a> on Open
Science and one of the <a href="https://eosc.eu/board-directors/wilhelm-widmark">Directors
of EOSC</a> Association. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i style="font-family: inherit;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-ansi-language: EN-US;">The interview was conducted by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hardy-schwamm-6a327616a/">Hardy Schwamm</a>,
Open Scholarship Librarian at the University of Galway.</span></i></p>
Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-17963511586738198222023-09-10T19:02:00.000+01:002023-09-10T19:02:06.956+01:00Libfocus Link-out for September 2023<p><b style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome to the September edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage of library-related things we have found informative, educational, thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.</b></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwipUmENsMVYNdjjjnoblwQnAW20YokS9KYYzEgJRtr870typ9n24w9ucssPS0jCnSj0OPeggp9rCMq6Y_2WZGhMfGATF9hEK1pKStE5YN_kFB3eg-5ufy0J3X4BjI1cJWKRv3C7UdJcZHLzAfXWlJYqV9KFbxXXOaiOJ2JyhL3lYiohcjOPh-T05ytVcc/s1600/Untitled%20design%20(2).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows: a lifebuoy floating in water; a blurred image of a person writing in a book; two people; an illustration of a girl holding a skull; an infographic; a printer's mark; a woman in a hat, a hand browsing bookshelves and the author Stephen Fry" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwipUmENsMVYNdjjjnoblwQnAW20YokS9KYYzEgJRtr870typ9n24w9ucssPS0jCnSj0OPeggp9rCMq6Y_2WZGhMfGATF9hEK1pKStE5YN_kFB3eg-5ufy0J3X4BjI1cJWKRv3C7UdJcZHLzAfXWlJYqV9KFbxXXOaiOJ2JyhL3lYiohcjOPh-T05ytVcc/w400-h225/Untitled%20design%20(2).png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Images featured in this month's libfocus link-out articles</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p><br /><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com/2023/08/23/widow-printers-of-the-16th-century-charlotte-guillard-and-edmonde-toussain/&source=gmail&ust=1694450094026000&usg=AOvVaw2lDQzuFfGRy0wd3xGTRpm7" href="https://trinitycollegelibrarycambridge.wordpress.com/2023/08/23/widow-printers-of-the-16th-century-charlotte-guillard-and-edmonde-toussain/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: inherit;" target="_blank">Widow Printers of the 16th Century: Charlotte Guillard and Édmonde Toussain</a></p><p><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">This blog post by Madeline Birnbaum, Trinity College Library (Cambridge) Graduate Trainee 2022-3, about the lives of two widowed women who inherited their husbands' print workshops, delving into the often unseen work of women in printing and publishing at the time, and the ultimate intersection of Guillard and Toussain's lives.<br /><br /></span></p><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white;"><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://lithub.com/let-the-kids-get-weird-the-adult-problem-with-childrens-books/&source=gmail&ust=1694450094027000&usg=AOvVaw1r9PzF8z-PvkXmB9gRnf_d" href="https://lithub.com/let-the-kids-get-weird-the-adult-problem-with-childrens-books/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Let the Kids Get Weird: the Adult Problem with Children's Books</a><br /></span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">An article by Janet Manley for LitHub on how children's literature gets chosen for and prescribed to children by adults, and the weight of that influence, as well as nostalgia, which then drives publishing trends.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://oaspa.org/report-from-equity-in-open-access-workshop-3/&source=gmail&ust=1694450094027000&usg=AOvVaw3EE1HTDK1-xhCnw8fkkYga" href="https://oaspa.org/report-from-equity-in-open-access-workshop-3/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Report from Equity in Open Access workshop #3: Making waves in APC & waiver practice</a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">More and more evidence is emerging that Article Processing Charges (APCs) in Open Access publishing have unintended consequences, mainly putting up a barrier to publishing for authors in lower income regions. This OASPA workshop report by </span><span style="color: #222222;">Malavika Legge</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"> discusses seven proposed principles of practice to increase equity in Open Access publishing.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.researchinformation.info/analysis-opinion/all-things-must-pass&source=gmail&ust=1694450094027000&usg=AOvVaw3uwvtCnmvJTBcvNi3Ihl50" href="https://www.researchinformation.info/analysis-opinion/all-things-must-pass" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">All Things Must Pass</a><u></u><u></u></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This opinion piece from Andrew Barker and Elaine Sykes (Lancaster University) reflects on the role of libraries in changing the institutional research culture that puts openness and equity at its centre.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="color: #222222; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/22/cant-decide-which-books-to-ban-leave-it-to-chatgpt?CMP%3DShare_iOSApp_Other&source=gmail&ust=1694450094027000&usg=AOvVaw2LvcRYCCFVGQiTvDtTKENQ" href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/22/cant-decide-which-books-to-ban-leave-it-to-chatgpt?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other" id="m_5510380423155983512m_-7202904073141703470LPlnk825082" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/aug/22/cant-decide-which-books-to-ban-leave-it-to-chatgpt?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Can't decide which books to ban? Leave it to ChatGPT</span></a></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">What do you get when you combine artificial intelligence with human stupidity? There are, unfortunately, numerous responses to that question. But in this particular case, as detailed by </span>Arwa Mahdawi in The Guardian,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> the answer can be found in Iowa’s Mason City Community School District, where school administrators are using ChatGPT to help them ban books.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://mindfulpresenter.com/presentation-tip-attitude/&source=gmail&ust=1694450094027000&usg=AOvVaw0hhQ2BCRt_BGDK9tNa6DoI" href="https://mindfulpresenter.com/presentation-tip-attitude/" id="m_5510380423155983512m_-7202904073141703470LPNoLPOWALinkPreview_1" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank" title="https://mindfulpresenter.com/presentation-tip-attitude/">Attributes of a mindful presenter</a></span><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;">I don’t think many people would argue with the idea that it’s your attitude that makes all the difference in life. Your attitude also makes a huge difference when it comes to public speaking and presenting too, which is often something many people overlook. Learn more in this post by presenting coach Maurice DeCastro.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span style="color: #222222;"><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://www.thebookseller.com/news/fry-and-waal-support-prison-reading-research-project">Fry and de Waal support prison reading research project</a></div></span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222;">Melina Spanoudi writes </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">about The University of Wolverhampton's Big Bookshare project in The Bookseller. This project aims to boost the literacy and wellbeing of over 1,000 prisoners in four Kent prisons. Stephen Fry and Kit de Waal will take part in the pilot project, which also seeks to increase the volume and diversity of reading in prisons. </span></div><div style="color: #222222;"><br /></div><div style="color: #222222;"><br /></div><div><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/articles/why-are-libraries-important">Why libraries are important: The social impact of funding cuts</a></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">This article by </span><span style="color: #222222;">Éadaoín Lynch of The Scottish Book Trust </span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: inherit;">looks at the many ways public libraries in Scotland positively impact society. Though visitor numbers have increased since 2010, government funding for libraries has decreased, despite research that suggests that every £1 invested in libraries returns between £5 and £7 a year for the UK economy.</span></div><div><div class="gmail_default"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default"><a href="https://www.oclc.org/content/dam/oclc/publications/global-council-survey/2023/Redefiningthelibraryexperience-EN-LTR.pdf">Redefining the library experience</a></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This new report from the OCLC Global Council focuses on libraries of the future and how they will drive change to meet the evolving needs of users.</span></div><div class="gmail_default"></div><div class="gmail_default"><br /></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.oclc.org/content/dam/oclc/publications/global-council-survey/2023/Redefiningthelibraryexperience-EN-LTR.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1694450094027000&usg=AOvVaw00EkWq97PAPyffplFvD-lp" href="https://www.oclc.org/content/dam/oclc/publications/global-council-survey/2023/Redefiningthelibraryexperience-EN-LTR.pdf" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"></a></span><div class="gmail_default"><br /></div></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.wired.com/story/use-of-ai-is-seeping-into-academic-journals-and-its-proving-difficult-to-detect/">Use of AI is seeping into academic journals - and it's proving difficult to detect</a></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Wired writer Amanda Hoover presents a recent example of a published academic paper with a curious sentence included within has shed light on the relationship between AI and the research process.</span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #3c4043; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><a href="https://themarkup.org/hello-world/2023/04/29/in-ai-we-dont-trust">In AI We (Don’t) Trust</a></span><span style="color: #3c4043; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"> </span></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.2px;">Lam Thuy Vo contemplates the troubles of a world, perceived through an algorithmically curated lens, and the effects this has on us as people and as a society.</span><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><span style="color: #3c4043; letter-spacing: 0.2px;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default"><h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></h3><h3 style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><a href="https://doi.org/10.5860/crl.84.4.605" style="font-weight: normal;">Open Access Author Contracts and Alignment with the Open Ethos: A Global Study </a></span></h3><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><em style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><br /></em></span></div><div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Melissa H. Cantrell and Sarah Wipperman report on the findings of their DOAJ survey, which explores the implementation of </span>rights and licensing expectations (“open access ethos”) in contracts between authors and publishers.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-76785997476790749092023-08-24T14:51:00.003+01:002023-08-24T15:17:11.456+01:0011 tips on how to make strategic thinking a habit<div style="text-align: left;">Guest post by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/mynetwork/discovery-see-all/?usecase=PEOPLE_FOLLOWS&followMember=maireadmckeown" target="_blank">Mairéad Mc Keown</a> (BAHDipLIS), Capability & Knowledge Manager at Bord Bia - The Irish Food Board.</div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHCIn47I3XYST2CfwJHtjsYovCu5QvcsqrQ0053g0rqbyVcoqAVX2ONAUuQ4bpqMhGMkdW3d0u015--IIE2HcNqHGFvUNnZ2nSxu5UiXaHJ8TI_Mfo3uhUmvZlxppoFsBN9RKKlSBq4LiRnKEjtt1X_iZ45L2tcxY_S1yIE6l-ZP7Uwov4WeGNgPpVTwT/s686/libfocus%20blog%20pic.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a chess Board with two chess pieces" border="0" data-original-height="412" data-original-width="686" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHCIn47I3XYST2CfwJHtjsYovCu5QvcsqrQ0053g0rqbyVcoqAVX2ONAUuQ4bpqMhGMkdW3d0u015--IIE2HcNqHGFvUNnZ2nSxu5UiXaHJ8TI_Mfo3uhUmvZlxppoFsBN9RKKlSBq4LiRnKEjtt1X_iZ45L2tcxY_S1yIE6l-ZP7Uwov4WeGNgPpVTwT/w320-h192/libfocus%20blog%20pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image by Arek Socha from <a href="https://pixabay.com/illustrations/chess-war-fight-strategy-game-1709621/">Pixabay</a></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>Recently I dialled into LinkedIn Learning's Live Office Hours session on How to Make Strategic Thinking a Habit and it was a fantastic time investment. Why? Because at this session Columbia Business Professor <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/doriec/">Dorie Clark</a> shared her tips and strategies to help make strategic thinking a daily habit, so that you can make the best use of your time, energy and effort at work.<br /><br /></div><div>In this libfocus blogpost I will summarise 11 tips shared by Dorie, so that Library and Information professionals can build their knowledge of how to make strategic thinking a sustainable habit, in the most time efficient way possible.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><b>1. Time:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Strategic thinking is not just something that senior library leaders do, it is in fact something everybody should be doing no matter what level you are at in your career. So what exactly is strategic thinking? According to Dorie, the quick back of the envelope definition for strategic thinking is asking the question "what is it I can do today that makes tomorrow easier and better?" So, if you can slow down and answer that, that’s being strategic. The good news is it doesn’t require a huge amount of time per se, it’s about reframing the way you see the world.<div><b style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #595959; font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></b></div><b>Now what?</b> To kick start this habit it’s important to assess where you are right now. Complete Dorie’s <a href="https://dorieclark.com/thelonggame/">Free Long Game Strategic Thinking Self-Assessment</a> so you can benchmark where you are starting from. Then begin to include short buffers between meetings/library instructions so you can remain focused, get tasks completed and reflect. Also set aside 30 minutes on a Friday afternoon to further develop your strategic thinking habit. The bottom line is this, to develop the habit you need to be strategic with your time.</div><div><br /> <br /><b>2. Alignment:</b></div><div><br />The things you’re doing today represent what you’re focusing on and what you’re focusing on cycles up to who you are as a person.<br /><br /></div><div>Dorie recommends creating three lists:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To Focus list = a big picture reminder of why you’re doing the things you’re doing</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To Be list = a reminder of what you’re striving for in the world and who you want to be as a person</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>To Do list = the things you’re doing today</li></ul></div><div><b>Now what?</b> Once you create these lists it’s important to take the time to reflect and ensure they align.</div><div><br /><br /><b>3. Execution:</b></div><div><br />There are two things that get in the way of strategic thinking execution:</div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Tip of the iceberg – things you can see, too many emails, too many meetings</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>What’s underneath the iceberg - Busyness which has become a form of status and is often used for emotional avoidance. For instance, when we don’t know how to do a thing or when we are in emotional pain.</li></ul></div><div><b>Now what?</b> Watch Dorie’s TED talk, <a href="https://www.ted.com/talks/dorie_clark_the_real_reason_you_feel_so_busy_and_what_to_do_about_it">The real reason you’re so busy and what to do about it to delve a bit deeper on execution</a>. Then try working with an accountability partner/LAI (Library Association of Ireland) group peer or indeed your manager to help keep your strategic thinking goals accountable.</div><div><br /> <br /><b>4. Decision diary:</b><br /><br /></div><div>In most of life you can control the process of strategic thinking and not the outcome. Therefore, you should analyse past mistakes and importantly past successful decisions because it’s useful to analyse the process and ultimately this helps make your strategic thinking sharper over time.<br /><br /></div><div><b>Now what?</b> Treat your decisions as learning opportunities. Keep a decision diary, record the rationale behind successful decisions and mistakes and take the time to learn from past decisions that you’ve made.<br /><br /></div><div><b><br /></b></div><div><b>5. CAN framework:</b><br /><br /></div><div>Using the CAN framework to think about strategic decisions, can help eliminate a lot of wrong strategy. CAN is an acronym which stands for: </div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Clear – am I clear about what I should spend my time and energy on today? </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Align - is the thing I’m doing today aligning with the long term goals that me, my team and my university/institution/agency/company has identified? </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>New information – have circumstances changed since I put the plan that I’m following into place – is there new information that needs to be considered?</li></ul></div><div><b>Now what?</b> Use the CAN framework to get Clarity on goals, Alignment on your previously mentioned lists, New information on macro forces. Then re-orientate yourself to shift from short term to long term thinking.</div><div><br /><br /><b>6. Inspiration files:</b><br /><br /></div><div>Re-orientate yourself in that way, so that instead of just reacting and responding to things, you are proactively making choices to try to see things on the horizon. Planning in advance, and asking what is it that I can do now that can make it easier to get to that place tomorrow, helps switch the paradigm from short term to long term thinking.<br /><br /></div><div><b>Now what?</b> Leverage your libraries’ collections/other library collections and quality sources to create an inspiration file on topics to inspire and help you reach future goals.</div><div><br /><br /><b>7. Multiple strategies:</b><br /><br /></div><div>When evaluating multiple strategies, the more upfront research you can do the better. It’s really useful to ask questions like – has anyone else been in this situation before and if so what did they do, and how did it work? And use that research to reverse engineer and to begin to see patterns that can help you make smarter choices about which approaches are more or less practical for you. Also figuring out what’s the smallest bet you can place, can allow you to test multiple strategies. This prevents you from wasting time and money on something half baked.<br /><br /></div><div>Now what? Lean into <a href="https://www.libraryassociation.ie/">the LAI</a> and its specific groups, <a href="https://www.libfocus.com/">libfocus</a>, <a href="https://www.libraryassociation.ie/an-leabharlann/">An Leabharlann</a> and other good sources of insight and information in the Library and Information field. Use them to learn from the practice of others who have been in similar situations and carry out upfront research that can help answer relevant strategic questions. Also consider documenting and sharing your strategic activities with other Library and Information professionals so you can reciprocally share your practice for the benefit of the wider community. In addition, you could consider placing small bets to test multiple strategies to test and learn fast.</div><div><br /><br /><b>8. Goals:</b><br /><br /></div><div>The one most important thing a strategist should consider when making a strategy is the progression from the tactics and the techniques to the strategy, to the goal. What’s always important is to make sure that your strategy is in service of particular goals and to know what the goal is. Then it’s going to depend on the external circumstances and your analysis of that and there’s not probably one strategy that’s always the right one. It’s about putting out your feelers and understanding in a given moment what is right for that moment.<br /><br /></div><div><b>Now what?</b> Make sure your strategy is in service of particular goals and understand what’s right in the moment. How it was before is not going to be how it is forever, the world is constantly changing, so developing current awareness is critically important.</div><div><br /><br /><b>9. Roadblocks:</b><br /><br /></div><div>The longer the goal the more room there is for unexpected annoying things to happen, like roadblocks. So make sure with the scoping upfront you devote enough time to research and conversations that ensure you’re less likely to be rattled when something unexpected happens. There are many ways to achieve a goal, it’s also important not to get wedded to just one idea.<br /><br /></div><div><b>Now what?</b> Use this set of checklist questions to guide your strategic thinking upfront and leverage a reference librarian to help you find answers: What did it take for other people to achieve this goal? How long did it take them? What path did they follow? What did that look like?</div><div><br /></div><div> <br /><b>10. Questions:</b><br /><br /></div><div>Library and Information professionals can encourage their directors/leaders/managers to be more strategic by periodically asking the right questions that foster a strategic thinking culture.<br /><br /></div><div><b>Now what?</b> Practice asking your leaders the following strategic thinking questions:<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Great I understand you want me to do x, y, z can you tell me more about the higher level objectives these tasks will help us achieve? </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Can you paint a picture for me of a year from now, where do you want to see our department and what does success look like? </li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>If we were able to win at one/two/three big things, what are the most important things for us to win at so that we can accomplish the goals that we want? Where’s the biggest leverage?</li></ul></div><div> <br /><b>11. Shiny object syndrome:</b><br /><br /></div><div>Shiny object syndrome is essentially looking around and having FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) about what others are doing. But necessary strategic intervention is not about what others are doing it’s about whether market conditions have changed and weighing up do we need to change as a result of that. That’s the real question.<br /><br /></div><div>There wasn’t a market condition that necessitated Google plus and it’s now defunct. In contrast, taxi apps answered a need for better connections between consumers and taxi drivers and they digitally transformed that industry.<br /><br /></div><div><b>Now what? </b>Start asking, am I looking at a change in technology, laws or government regulations or socio political morays that make something different? If yes then it’s probably worth a change in strategy, not just they’re doing that, so I should too.<br /> <br /><br /></div><div><b>Implications for Library & Information Professionals who want to build a sustainable strategic thinking habit:</b><br /><br /></div><div>After reading this article, complete Dorie’s <a href="https://dorieclark.com/thelonggame/">Free Long Game Strategic Thinking Self-Assessment</a> to assess where you are at.<br /><br /></div><div>Then leverage your new knowledge from the assessment and begin putting the 11 tips shared in this blogpost into practice.<br /><br /></div><div>Repeat the free strategic thinking assessment annually to track your progress and reflect on your journey to becoming a strategic thinker.<br /><br /><br /><b>References and further reading on Dorie’s Strategic Thinking content:<br /></b><br /></div><div>Clark, D. (n.d.). The Long Game Self-Assessment. Dorieclark.com. Retrieved August 21, 2023, from <a href="https://dorieclark.com/reinvent/">https://dorieclark.com/reinvent/</a><br /><br /></div><div>Clark, D. (2021, October 26). The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World. Next Big Idea Club. https://nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/long-game-long-term-thinker-short-term-world-bookbite/30275/amp/<br /><br /></div><div>Clark, D. (2021). Dorie Clark: The real reason you feel so busy (and what to do about it) | TED Talk. Www.ted.com. https://www.ted.com/talks/dorie_clark_the_real_reason_you_feel_so_busy_and_what_to_do_about_it<br /><br /></div><div>Clark, D. (2023, July 19). How To Make Strategic Thinking a Habit - With Dorie Clark | LinkedIn. Www.linkedin.com. https://www.linkedin.com/events/7084213438507311104<br /><br /></div><div>Clark, D. (2023b, November 7). How to make strategic thinking a habit. LinkedIn Learning | Login. Www.linkedin.com.<br /><br /></div><div>Clark, D. (2023c, November 7). Strategic Thinking. LinkedIn Learning | Login. Www.linkedin.com.<br /><br /></div><div><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><br /></div>Eilís O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631537099797957329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-90001901049194520262023-08-21T14:22:00.002+01:002023-08-21T14:22:24.240+01:00Reflections from winners of LIR's 2022 Show and Tell competition<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b></b></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsA95ddXD2lLu4ZUsh4XfoJj-PwOWtKfUOBieP4wwJtHVKeuHrzJm3H1l_ccjRnyq1XbH2r-_2h1To5qeNeI7T5IBFyyv9EmHpcTqh9Ti9vkbWV96E7FVQSayBUR-6X4iZVIK3vVcbShSBYNXuG2Wif-Pw2n-aRrVjovYZHYlY1OMfPioFWomBwW7cPniY/s1600/Lir%202023.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsA95ddXD2lLu4ZUsh4XfoJj-PwOWtKfUOBieP4wwJtHVKeuHrzJm3H1l_ccjRnyq1XbH2r-_2h1To5qeNeI7T5IBFyyv9EmHpcTqh9Ti9vkbWV96E7FVQSayBUR-6X4iZVIK3vVcbShSBYNXuG2Wif-Pw2n-aRrVjovYZHYlY1OMfPioFWomBwW7cPniY/s320/Lir%202023.png" width="320" /></a></b></div><b><br /><o:p><br /></o:p></b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><o:p>Guest post by<a href="https://twitter.com/LIRHEAnet"> LIR HEAnet</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/niamhburo">Niamh O'Brien</a> & </o:p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewart-killeen-760875104/">Stewart Killeen</a></b></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqLTiZTh57umreh74KRwm6a_OKnBbc4Gnz9B__ma64P1_I8Dis5ZakCEv_bjyQEK9BIqPEEjQhwplBmx6Czz8IRnlQAA4sf5UJsVmyTwDhcosKWYF9D93Eqa9l3fLR28U52zG_ESnAyx5nzOHSVthmiUftKpJMSVuDRIpmcFcUOUmB7LXuKEsWoeKEi6Z/s935/Niamh.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="481" data-original-width="935" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyqLTiZTh57umreh74KRwm6a_OKnBbc4Gnz9B__ma64P1_I8Dis5ZakCEv_bjyQEK9BIqPEEjQhwplBmx6Czz8IRnlQAA4sf5UJsVmyTwDhcosKWYF9D93Eqa9l3fLR28U52zG_ESnAyx5nzOHSVthmiUftKpJMSVuDRIpmcFcUOUmB7LXuKEsWoeKEi6Z/s320/Niamh.PNG" width="320" /></a></div><b><p class="MsoNormal"><b><br /></b></p>My experience entering and winning the LIR Show and Tell
Competition 2022 by Niamh O’Brien </b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I was having lunch with the Systems Librarian at my library
when she told me about the LIR Show and Tell Competition. Having graduated from
UCD with my MLIS in 2020, she suggested I enter. While I completed numerous
projects throughout my MLIS, my work on the OER project stood out as an obvious
choice for me. I had undertaken this project as part of my Service Learning
module in college, and a year later, I returned to the same library to work
full-time. This provided me with an opportunity to discuss my project and share
insights into its benefits in transitioning from my MLIS into the field of
library work. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlIEevJcDpg" target="_blank">OER PechaKucha from Niamh O'Brien</a> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">As I created my presentation, I carefully sourced images and
designed my slides to adhere to creative commons licenses. Recording the
narration, however, made me realize that my initial script required extensive
revisions to fit the format better. While I am content with the presentation I
submitted, I acknowledge that there is room for improvement, particularly in
the flow between slides to avoid stiff and awkward pauses. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When I received the email informing me that I had won first
place in the competition, I was absolutely thrilled! I eagerly looked forward
to watching the other presentations that were uploaded to LIR's YouTube
channel. As someone who has attended both online and in-person conferences
before, I always enjoy watching presentations from other librarians who are new
to the field. The LIR Show and Tell Competition proved to be an excellent
platform for new librarians, and I'm excited to see the submissions for this
year's competition. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Reflecting on this experience, participating in and winning
the LIR Show and Tell Competition was a significant challenge that ultimately
bolstered my confidence as a presenter and strengthened my ability to concisely
deliver a compelling presentation on a broad subject. Additionally, it led me
to attend the LIR Seminar in DCU, where I had the chance to expand my network
and connect with other librarians while learning about web security. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i>Niamh O’Brien currently lives and works in Athlone, Ireland.
She is a library assistant and provides ICT support to run the Laptop on Loan
initiative at the Technological University of the Shannon. </i><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamho-brien/">LinkedIn:</a> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://nobrienlib.wordpress.com/">ePortfolio: </a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjizFa6elSbcNDhsGnTYuh2RpqKUATwETjMjFucTul-wy3OC5uH8HVxcyR9RF4Cj_O4M2HlGPJ1JFI1z6ZaN9yObDNtSOlnRwMC77Nll_1K2zIkoUQKWT7pejn6UIei71201QbTKAAQoU8g7SoDgnpVrhjSq2YuJFNomLECPZrJDUtSdwIJgk-Oo1WtJgqa" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="497" data-original-width="890" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjizFa6elSbcNDhsGnTYuh2RpqKUATwETjMjFucTul-wy3OC5uH8HVxcyR9RF4Cj_O4M2HlGPJ1JFI1z6ZaN9yObDNtSOlnRwMC77Nll_1K2zIkoUQKWT7pejn6UIei71201QbTKAAQoU8g7SoDgnpVrhjSq2YuJFNomLECPZrJDUtSdwIJgk-Oo1WtJgqa" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <b>LIR Show and Tell Competition Blog Post by Stewart
Killeen </b><p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Librarianship, and academic librarianship in particular, is
in a constant state of flux, brought on by the rapid pace of change in digital
technologies. Today’s professional librarian needs to be both proactive and
dynamic to respond to and reap the full benefits of these changes. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">When in September 2022 I saw the advertisement for the <a href="https://lirgroup.heanet.ie/index.php/lir-show-and-tell-competition/" target="_blank">LIR Show and Tell Competition</a>
(https://lirgroup.heanet.ie/index.php/lir-show-and-tell-competition/), I knew
that this was an excellent opportunity to put my presentation and digital
skills to the test. Not only that, but I would also have the chance to showcase
my research into digital preservation and Irish institutional repositories to
the wider library community. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> After familiarizing myself with the requirements and
instructions for entry to the competition, I set about researching the
presentation format. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> I take great pleasure in the art of storytelling, and the presentation
format relies on the power of pictures or images to tell one’s story. As they
say, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” However, choosing the right
pictures to narrate the story of my research required me to carefully consider
several important factors: </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>the aims, methodologies and rationale behind my research
question </li><li>the salient points to convey in the presentation </li><li>the content and quality of the images chosen and </li><li>The expectations of my audience. </li></ul><o:p></o:p><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It was also essential to ensure that I used images that had
an open license. <a href="https://www.google.com/" target="_blank">Google</a> images
provides a handy tool to search for images in the <a href="https://creativecommons.org/" target="_blank">creative commons</a> (https://creativecommons.org/)
using their advanced filter fields while there are many websites on the world
wide web that provide images with open licenses. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Once I had chosen the images, I then had to write
corresponding text to bring out their full meaning. Before finally recording my
presentation, I added alternative text to each of the images and turned on the
text-to-speech feature in PowerPoint. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt12lRFmuQ8">Institutional repositories and long-term digital preservationPechaKucha from Stewart Killeen</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Recording the presentation was, I admit, the trickiest part
of this journey. It demanded of me a little learning and sometimes a lot of
frustration. However, with a little trial and error and several minutes of
how-to videos on YouTube, my entry to the LIR Show and Tell competition was
ready: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qt12lRFmuQ8" target="_blank">Institutional
repositories and long-term digital preservation</a>
(https://youtu.be/qt12lRFmuQ8). </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> Participating in the LIR Show and Tell Competition was both
exciting and challenging, and it ignited many creative sparks. There are so
many free resources available on the internet to choose from which will
undoubtedly help you. Practice a few times before finally submitting your entry,
but most important of all, have fun. </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <i>Stewart Killeen is a recent graduate of the <a href="https://www.dbs.ie/course/postgraduate/msc-information-library-management" target="_blank">MSc in Library and Information Management</a> with Dublin
Business School (DBS). He took up a position as a Library Assistant with <a href="https://www.tudublin.ie/" target="_blank">Technological University (TU)
Dublin</a> during his studies and is currently the Senior Library Assistant on
the Blanchardstown campus. He thoroughly enjoys working in an academic library,
especially as it allows him to engage with a diversity of information
needs. </i></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stewart-killeen-760875104/">LinkedIn</a>:</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://stewartkilleen.wordpress.com/ ">ePortfolio</a>: <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> </p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>The LIR HEAnet User Group for Libraries is running its very
successful Show & Tell competition once again. </b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This time we have opened the competition up to all early
career library staff with five years or less experience of working in library
environments on the island of Ireland, as well current LIS students and/or
recently qualified library professionals from LAI or CILIP accredited
institutions. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">This competition provides you an opportunity to showcase
your work to the wider library community. We are interested in hearing about
any research or collaborative projects/ initiatives you have contributed to, or
are currently engaged in. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">If you would like to improve both your
presentation and communication skills this competition is an ideal platform to
make an impact. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">We would like you to record a PowerPoint presentation
(maximum of 5 minutes), following a template. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Prizes will be given to the top 3 submissions
(vouchers) and participants can win a LIR branded hoodie. A selection of videos
will be showcased on the LIR Group website. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">For more information, visit <a href="https://lirgroup.heanet.ie/index.php/lir-show-and-tell-competition/" target="_blank">LIR Show and Tell Competition</a> </p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><p></p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-85581395942978369692023-08-16T15:57:00.005+01:002023-08-16T16:23:06.872+01:00Conul Conference 2023 Report: Brian Bredin<p><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span face="Open Sans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Post by Brian Bredin from the University of Galway Library </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space-collapse: preserve;">who was <a href="https://conul.ie/conul-conference-bursary-opportunities/" style="border: 0px; color: #21759b; margin: 0px; outline: none; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">awarded a bursary to attend the 2023 CONUL Conference</a>. All the images featured in this blog post were captured by the author.</span></span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_b5LxD8Fhj1AOAbk-BeQrNI04m4b43H1qbjHJ2IJwHQsYquNPUkjbm1XKApwxDyCbG-HB-1WaKWMQ7fBO4_2GjPutxbzRF-G-h80Ua2kUrCYMxy5TcTKpdilKyid8wNaDMqs6q6cLN2JSljLIJtWr9M2Kat3HZXITgMo6kGb-JXxxQBwq1ab789n3IymX/s4080/Brian%20Bredin%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a conference poster with the title UCD Library Outreach" border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_b5LxD8Fhj1AOAbk-BeQrNI04m4b43H1qbjHJ2IJwHQsYquNPUkjbm1XKApwxDyCbG-HB-1WaKWMQ7fBO4_2GjPutxbzRF-G-h80Ua2kUrCYMxy5TcTKpdilKyid8wNaDMqs6q6cLN2JSljLIJtWr9M2Kat3HZXITgMo6kGb-JXxxQBwq1ab789n3IymX/w301-h400/Brian%20Bredin%201.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UCD Library Outreach: Signs of Sustainability conference poster<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have just completed my second year of the
LIM course at Ulster University, and it’s been bit of a whirlwind experience. I
was about three weeks out from my final deadline when a colleague on the course
mentioned the CONUL student bursary. Already in writing mode I applied, not
thinking I’d hear anything about it again. So, I was really delighted to
receive the fantastic news that I was lucky enough to be one of the recipients.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This year's conference was held in the
Clayton Silver Springs in Cork, and what a fantastic first day it was to have a
conference. Beautiful sunshine greeted the attendees, and a warm atmosphere surrounded
the event. Lovely garden furniture on the lawn allowed old friends to catch up
in the sun and the bright and airy event halls were lovely and cool settings
for the talks and exhibitions.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This year's conference title was Sense and
Sustainability: Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability and what
academic libraries are doing in these areas with some fantastic speakers and
leaders in the field presenting their findings and information.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were some excellent and very
professionally produced posters in the entrance foyer for the poster
competition, </span><a name="_Int_r1SJH9DN" style="font-family: inherit;">really excellent</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> examples of some of
the work being created by academic libraries around the country.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlgmc0qOZKgtS3uh60_dcvhzvrFKe_bJPQg0Dk-VUUau7YUl1D6l29wALCDQsZskr6y_83-KNxqGHfj5PUwnwX0CfwGAsu1YDRJbp-_liwAYX_MNFBlq_uNO_Lp-rqSBKITccEec2Y3rtFVuGTLEJTwwgcllnmp5yuF90vQk46YIbRFUVpz6y9Kim-ZwL/s4080/Brian%20Bredin%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a conference from Glucksman library with the title Inter-library loans and sustainability: not just good on paper" border="0" data-original-height="4080" data-original-width="3072" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrlgmc0qOZKgtS3uh60_dcvhzvrFKe_bJPQg0Dk-VUUau7YUl1D6l29wALCDQsZskr6y_83-KNxqGHfj5PUwnwX0CfwGAsu1YDRJbp-_liwAYX_MNFBlq_uNO_Lp-rqSBKITccEec2Y3rtFVuGTLEJTwwgcllnmp5yuF90vQk46YIbRFUVpz6y9Kim-ZwL/w301-h400/Brian%20Bredin%202.jpg" width="301" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inter-library loans and sustainability: Not just good on paper<br />Conference poster from Glucksman Library, University of Limerick</td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: inherit;">Fiona Morley and Sandra Collins gave their
welcome speeches and introduced the event to those gathered, then introduced
the first key speaker, Rebekkah Smith Aldrich. Rebekkah gave an incredibly
engaging speech about the greatest challenge facing the world today, climate
change, and what we all, especially librarians, can do to shift the balance.
Rebekkah is obviously very passionate about sustainability, and she had the
audience riveted with her laid-back style and the important message she
delivered. She certainly got the conference off to a buzzing start and her
thought-provoking presentation really got people talking.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There were several super presentations from
academic libraries from around the country, the standout for me being from
UCC’s Martin O’ Driscoll who spoke about some of the measures UCC library has
taken in reducing its carbon footprint. It was a glimpse of what can be
achieved with proper strategic planning and well-thought-out communication
methods.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Day 2 started with another engrossing
presentation, this time from Steven Gonzalez Monserrate, CONUL’s second keynote
speaker. He detailed the impact data centres are having on the environment and
communities. It was a subject I knew very little about and found some of the
information both disturbing and enlightening.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Workshops and show and tells were ongoing
throughout the second day as per day 1, but I decided to stick with the
“Lightning Talks” in the main Tivoli suite. These consisted of 4 speakers
giving 10-minute presentations each, and the quick turnover meant it was easier
to stay engaged and focused on the content. Questions were always encouraged at
the end of each session, and this led to some good discussions.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">All in all, it was a great first conference
experience for me. A well-run event that had the advantage of beautiful weather
on its side, combined with the relaxed atmosphere, it felt more like a social
event than a work outing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I would like to take this opportunity to
thank CONUL for allowing me to attend the conference through their student
bursary, it was a fantastic experience. I would also advise any students of LIM
to get applying for bursaries as </span><a name="_Int_V6BLhiYt" style="font-family: inherit;">they</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> are great
opportunities to get out there and see how the industry works.</span></div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></o:p></span></p>Eilís O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631537099797957329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-28710221047087776502023-08-16T12:27:00.003+01:002023-08-16T16:24:49.499+01:00Conul Conference 2023 Report: Maeve Kerins<p><span style="font-family: inherit;">Post by <a href="https://ie.linkedin.com/in/maeve-kerins-413100197">Maeve Kerins</a> who is a Library Assistant in TU Dublin Library - City Campus. Maeve was awarded the <a href="https://conul.ie/conul-conference-bursary-opportunities/">LIS graduate bursary to attend the 2023 CONUL Conference</a>. All the images featured in this blog post were captured by the author. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqwDEaDk0ewAlytYk_lqmK06O-9WU9zwKkPTK__2nZyhrbV1yg7YuPBYTpXsPbXjMYqVRWP28_SpJTkIVLJaW8JSWgGPRpm8fKuzNqeOzCi1ncpApctEGwSpugZwdAfOLKVhTiGCQdM5VrKhIfg0YtOs6Sk_br27OxUQnw3VzENpvrockEL3dGKtQmX-T/s1600/Maeve%20Kerins%20Photo%202.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a page with Don't let numbers dictate our libraries written on the left and numbers and symbols cut out from magazines on the right" border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwqwDEaDk0ewAlytYk_lqmK06O-9WU9zwKkPTK__2nZyhrbV1yg7YuPBYTpXsPbXjMYqVRWP28_SpJTkIVLJaW8JSWgGPRpm8fKuzNqeOzCi1ncpApctEGwSpugZwdAfOLKVhTiGCQdM5VrKhIfg0YtOs6Sk_br27OxUQnw3VzENpvrockEL3dGKtQmX-T/w320-h180/Maeve%20Kerins%20Photo%202.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exploring new ways of teaching and learning through UCC's workshop <br />'Facilitating knowledge creation: running a sustainable zine-making event'</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p>As the summer term began, and our major cohort of library users left for three months, I thoroughly looked forward to a change of scenery. This year marks my first experience (hopefully, of many,) at a CONUL conference. I was delighted to have received the news that I had been granted the LIS graduate bursary to travel down to Cork. Prior to my current role at TU Dublin, I completed the Master of Library and Information Studies program at UCD in 2021. The course was full-time and fully remote during the pandemic. Therefore, I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to meet fellow library and information professionals from around Ireland, and abroad.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I met a lot of new people, but it was fun to run into familiar faces, including some of my former classmates from my master's degree. I also caught up with staff from the Glucksman Library at University of Limerick, where I did my undergraduate degree. I was able to have a chat with them about their poster on inter-library loan sustainability, which I was keen to learn about, as that is one of the areas that I am involved with, in my own library.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The days that followed were busy, and consisted of two thought provoking keynote speeches, that discussed key issues within the industry such as climate change, EDI (Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion) and the harmful impact of data centers. Then we had thirteen individual research presentations, three workshops, a sponsor and poster exhibition to engage with. It was great to see our own Israel Chidavaenzi and Silvia Onder win second prize for the poster competition.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The first breakout session that I attended revolved around effective and impactful use of library space, accessible design plans and sustainable teaching and learning tools. Given my role within Client and Faculty services at TU Dublin, I was particularly interested in how libraries respond to the ever-evolving library landscape while supporting social sustainability. In order to meet the growing needs of its library users, libraries must have open discussions both externally with their users and internally amongst one another. It is important to build relationships and to attend conferences to help deepen your own knowledge base and keep in touch with what other libraries have found successful.<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>UCC’s green imitative and energy management presentations highlighted the importance of making economic and environmentally intelligent decisions in their own Boole library, but not allowing their green initiatives to negatively impact their ability to supply an accessible and high-quality library service.<div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;">The most fascinating aspect of the conference, from my perspective, were the diverse styles and approaches to presentations that each library displayed. Upon receiving notification that the conference programme was published, I looked for the practical activities and workshops that were offered. These activities workshops integrated critical thinking, analysis and teaching/learning in an informal manner. Maynooth University and King’s College London staff discussed sustainable tools and methods for teaching and learning that help serve a wider population of library users. This is a critical aspect of our role as university librarians in assisting the promotion of EDI.</span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMe2J94oIBtsWCfKbDRmZD5YGrUuozQUJYnX2nPbMoxw_VeL1YO4vkPNzV0S598ph3k9izIAtMKqaCU0vFN40z6rHSXjhvZ1iR2S0tf5Q3sO_aK9_2XZYZ6C9oLAFW675C-np_3yH0RuRm7i8jn3Nq2uxI4XPkZf_s_TyHk2EZfBWvxEbyPDilh-28rug9/s3084/Meave%20Kerins%20photo%201.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a giraffe built out of lego bricks" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMe2J94oIBtsWCfKbDRmZD5YGrUuozQUJYnX2nPbMoxw_VeL1YO4vkPNzV0S598ph3k9izIAtMKqaCU0vFN40z6rHSXjhvZ1iR2S0tf5Q3sO_aK9_2XZYZ6C9oLAFW675C-np_3yH0RuRm7i8jn3Nq2uxI4XPkZf_s_TyHk2EZfBWvxEbyPDilh-28rug9/w187-h320/Meave%20Kerins%20photo%201.jpg" width="187" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A model giraffe that was constructed during <br />the Lego Serious Play and Open Scholarship workshop</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I took part in zine making (UCC), object learning (University of Arts London) and lego building – I never would have guessed that one day I would be playing with lego as part of my job but credit to the Open Scholarship Committee of All Ireland Librarians, they made it happen.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>One of the building prompts that enabled much discussion was building an animal that is representative of your role. I chose a giraffe because my job focuses primarily on frontline services, and to ensure a user's needs are met, I must communicate with all teams in TU Dublin. Thus, the giraffe has its legs on the ground, its body is middle level and then its head is the highest point. However, I might prefer the suggestion from a colleague that it represents the struggle of reaching for books on the top shelves in Park House.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The train journey home to Dublin on Thursday evening provided me with the perfect opportunity to pause and reflect. The volume of notes that I took during the presentations on this area really hit home to me, that I care a lot about understanding how library users interact with the physical and digital library environments that we have in place.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>As someone who is at the beginning of their career as a library professional, the conference was an enlightening and inspiring experience. It is a fantastic way to meet fellow library professionals and get clued into what is happening in other libraries. I highly recommend LIS students and all other eligible candidates to apply for the bursary. If you’re not in, you can’t win.</div></div></div></div></div>Eilís O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631537099797957329noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-14184413649933698532023-08-09T11:40:00.004+01:002023-10-10T17:07:44.661+01:00Libfocus Link-out for August, 2023<p><b style="font-family: inherit;">Welcome
to the August edition of the Libfocus link-out, an assemblage of
library-related things we have found informative, educational,
thought-provoking and insightful on the Web over the past while.</b></p><p><b style="font-family: inherit;"></b></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6P1PFDnDOHF-79ZefZQ2Wh2iVfWmd-objHfSekNh6yUYzs_9WWIt7MtuG6N2ryL0wRZffXlXwKePct8j8Gyx28HRx738frwhVHomABwI0ug2psqKjseGqNgSO1gOOFKyiAQwIJ8BeFyiYcciWbSMwE6qoHp7rLZFD-DwcAWedPRh8uppUZCbwRIu-fxN/s2000/Libfocus%20Linkout.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="2000" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEha6P1PFDnDOHF-79ZefZQ2Wh2iVfWmd-objHfSekNh6yUYzs_9WWIt7MtuG6N2ryL0wRZffXlXwKePct8j8Gyx28HRx738frwhVHomABwI0ug2psqKjseGqNgSO1gOOFKyiAQwIJ8BeFyiYcciWbSMwE6qoHp7rLZFD-DwcAWedPRh8uppUZCbwRIu-fxN/s320/Libfocus%20Linkout.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""Open Sans", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #777777; font-size: 7.2px;">Images featured in this month's libfocus linkout articles</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/2023/07/17/guest-post-peer-review-week-2023-to-focus-on-peer-review-and-the-future-of-publishing/"><b>Peer Review Week 2023 to Focus on Peer Review and the Future of Publishing</b></a><br />This blog post by <a href="https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/author/roohi-ghosh/">Roohi Ghosh</a> and <a href="https://scholarlykitchen.sspnet.org/author/lindsay-morton/">Lindsay Morton</a> announces Peer Review Week (September 25-29, 2023) and summarises high-level changes in the academic publishing sector in recent years such as increasing collaborations, open science and big data. What are implications of these changes on peer review, for example how can two reviewers comment with specialist knowledge comment on complex, inter-disciplinary publications?</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.ifla.org/news/record-year-for-library-references-in-voluntary-national-reviews-of-sdg-implementation/#:~:text=Record%20year%20for%20library%20references%20in%20Voluntary%20National%20Reviews%20of%20SDG%20implementation,-18%20July%202023&text=For%20the%20first%20time%2C%20over,to%20the%20contributions%20of%20libraries."><b>Record year for library references in Voluntary National Reviews of SDG implementation by IFLA</b></a><br />Read about how libraries around the world are working to achieve the UN's 2023 sustainable development goals (SDGs). The examples shared in this IFLA report show how libraries are making a positive impact on society.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.dublincity.ie/library/blog/explore-our-libraries-virtual-tour"><b>Explore our libraries with a virtual tour by Dublin City Council</b></a><br />Dublin City Council have shared 3D videos showcasing select libraries with sensory services and facilities in Ballyfermot, Cabra Library, Coolock, Pearse Street and Walkinstown. The video tours aim to make the spaces more inclusive and accessible, especially for neurodivergent and autistic visitors and visitors with mobility issues.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.lorcandempsey.net/websitings-from-signposting-to-narrative/"><b>The narrative website: from signposting to storytelling</b></a><br />As we move from a collections-based to a relational library, storytelling becomes very important. One trend is the emergence of a stronger narrative or storytelling emphasis on websites, which helps position the library, promote its services, and address specific interests.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.gov.ie/pdf/?file=https://assets.gov.ie/263780/847de39a-85fa-4b55-a3e9-c71fefc27e86.pdf#page=null"><b>The Library is the place: Information, Recreation, Inspiration (Irish Public Library Strategy 2023 - 2027)</b></a><br />The Irish government recently released it's new National Public Library Strategy 2023-2027 - The Library Is the Place: Information, Recreation, Inspiration.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://softoption.us/AIandLibrarianship">Artificial Intelligence and Librarianship: Notes for Teaching</a></b><br />A recently published Open Access book authored by Prof. Martin Frické, School of Information at the University of Arizona. Focuses on the basics of machine learning and how librarians can integrate AI into teaching practices.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://bigtenopenbooks.org/"><b>Big Ten Open Books project</b></a><br />A joint collaboration between university presses and libraries in the United States to establish a model for unified, open-access publishing of scholarly monographs. Launched in August 2023, the first collection looks at Gender and Sexuality Studies.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><a href="https://www.scienceopen.com/document_file/e888acc1-1c76-4ce7-b847-1e64e5590780/PubMedCentral/e888acc1-1c76-4ce7-b847-1e64e5590780.pdf">The Future of the Monograph in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences: Publisher Perspectives<br />on a Transitioning Format</a></b><br />A web-based survey of academic publishers undertaken in 2021 at Oxford International Centre for Publishing into the state of monograph publication in the arts, humanities, and social sciences found that respondents expect to be publishing monographs in ten years’ time, but that they anticipate the format and/or the model will be different, with open access expected to play a key part in the future, perhaps in the context of a mixed economy of OA and ‘toll access’ publication.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://deltathink.com/news-views-transformative-journals-an-experiment-in-oa-acceleration/"><b>News & Views: Transformative Journals – An Experiment in OA Acceleration</b></a><br />In its recent annual update about <a href="https://www.coalition-s.org/addendum-to-the-coalition-s-guidance-on-the-implementation-of-plan-s/">Transformative Journals</a> (TJs), cOAlition S noted that many journals had not met their targets, for the second year in a row, and were being removed from the list of approved TJs. Since most journals consistently missed the annual targets, we wondered if the originally included journals, at their demonstrated rates of growing OA content, could have eventually met the goal of 75% open access. Was this a timely move by cOAlition S to cut journals or was it premature?</span></p>Libfocus Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15088103785579333507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7771056772007230891.post-4845914979327819122023-07-21T09:02:00.002+01:002023-07-21T09:04:17.188+01:00CONUL Conference 2023: Sense and Sustainability: Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability in Libraries <span style="background-color: white;"><span face="Open Sans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 13px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">Post by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebecca-fitzgerald-290585119/?originalSubdomain=ie">Rebecca Fitzgerald</a> from UCC Library </span></span></span><span face="Open Sans, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif" style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-size: 13px; white-space-collapse: preserve;">who was <a href="https://conul.ie/conul-conference-bursary-opportunities/">awarded a bursary to attend the 2023 CONUL Conference</a>. All the images featured in this blog post were captured by the author.</span></span><br /><br /><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpACWZbBZdyKanq7EMCv9cOmGfU4oSL_JbdwLlpSTEohB2wYAYWcTdSs8dqBTnAlOIZe2WjAVyjGvBMt3R7OpdSmR6BIersSZZx_yVcNuX5kA-20jRB1C2RIWGRGtarPWTf3n0yEaVbP0q8nhwk2cXlMtRMvw5k3a_MDevuVnXPd9zVXeaQt28PRAlAYzd/s1920/Sconul%20Photos1.jpg" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows two Conul posters" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpACWZbBZdyKanq7EMCv9cOmGfU4oSL_JbdwLlpSTEohB2wYAYWcTdSs8dqBTnAlOIZe2WjAVyjGvBMt3R7OpdSmR6BIersSZZx_yVcNuX5kA-20jRB1C2RIWGRGtarPWTf3n0yEaVbP0q8nhwk2cXlMtRMvw5k3a_MDevuVnXPd9zVXeaQt28PRAlAYzd/w300-h400/Sconul%20Photos1.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Conul 2023 posters</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>My name is Rebecca Fitzgerald, and I am currently in my second year of employment as a library assistant with University College Cork Library. It is my first full-time role.</div><div><br /><br />The services desk, as the library’s first point of contact, is a bustling environment requiring engagement and attention to detail. The theme of this year’s CONUL Conference was “Sense and Sustainability: Environmental, Economic and Social Sustainability in Libraries”. Considering the many advancements in our own library’s sustainability plans I was interested to see what projects other libraries were expanding on, particularly within the Library Services Desk section.<br /><br /><br />I applied for the bursary for workers without an LIS qualification and was delighted to receive an acceptance of my application in early March. Several colleagues’ papers had also been accepted for presentation at the conference. The coming weeks would see a great deal of preparation for May, with a UCC Library CPPD-organized presentation arranged which provided the opportunity for valuable practice before the event itself. It was highly informative for me to see the preparation and commitment involved in putting these papers and workshops together.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeumUiocwZ0qi-4l-3XnoOXn3LIK4lhxyU7WVhnDPvP1jSb6F2sNkM3pxkeOFwAqKHTNb27n5NBWunuQPBQW7lg-Mmt6IVYNOJa9GekYO7CuLmyddxeuo3m0BSSXc3ISnL1c1maEYBHQsTxQaagPCKdS7qIQMKjjDNGs47ebTuw2MvlUz4GhDvXDyYE3Lb/s600/Conul%202%20and%203.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows people looking at academic posters and a speaker addressing an audience" border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="600" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeumUiocwZ0qi-4l-3XnoOXn3LIK4lhxyU7WVhnDPvP1jSb6F2sNkM3pxkeOFwAqKHTNb27n5NBWunuQPBQW7lg-Mmt6IVYNOJa9GekYO7CuLmyddxeuo3m0BSSXc3ISnL1c1maEYBHQsTxQaagPCKdS7qIQMKjjDNGs47ebTuw2MvlUz4GhDvXDyYE3Lb/w640-h234/Conul%202%20and%203.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Attendees admire this year's poster display and Rebekkah Smith Aldrich delivers the keynote speech on Wednesday</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>On the morning of the 24th of May, I made the journey from Kerry to Cork for the conference. After a coffee, I met my colleague Stephanie in the city centre, and we grabbed a bus to Clayton Hotel Silver Springs where the conference was to be held. Upon entering the conference hall, we were immediately greeted by the brilliant posters submitted by delegates from several different libraries; our colleague John’s poster was amongst them and went on to win third prize in the poster competition!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>The conference began at 11.15am, opened by keynote Speaker Rebekkah Smith Aldrich’s exceptional call to action to combat a climate crisis that is gaining pace at an alarming rate. It was an uplifting reminder of what libraries are capable of when we collaborate with like-minded people. I found the emphasis on identifying what needs to be done where you are particularly empowering; the climate resistance hubs were a fantastic example of initiatives formed to devise means of combatting hazards particular to the area.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9RVrGwxguLC45OQRhlrxvyo3ikBXE5-5K8G0sbc17Ee6Ra-tQtBNxEobLhQd4mXvROKhOscO6HP6Gv1qVjt4dnq6jts8vP2yb-xlEadxFm0b2jLzwmLNVFDO0Tq35t4Ckqj5CH6XTXQnjEo66kZeS4xOJ5lIPT3OpUHTKpLmWz04dABAVYVah2F1mxFf/s600/Conul%204%20and%205.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a speaker addressing an audience and two people standing in front of a poster" border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="600" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw9RVrGwxguLC45OQRhlrxvyo3ikBXE5-5K8G0sbc17Ee6Ra-tQtBNxEobLhQd4mXvROKhOscO6HP6Gv1qVjt4dnq6jts8vP2yb-xlEadxFm0b2jLzwmLNVFDO0Tq35t4Ckqj5CH6XTXQnjEo66kZeS4xOJ5lIPT3OpUHTKpLmWz04dABAVYVah2F1mxFf/w640-h234/Conul%204%20and%205.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">UCC University Librarian Coral Black delivers a speech and Paul Davidson from UCC Library discusses his poster display</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />The theme “what we can do” seemed to set the tone for the papers and workshops scheduled throughout the two days of the conference. On the first day, I was particularly interested to see how libraries implement sustainability plans and outline what they hope to expand on, which was the theme of the first parallel paper session. <br /><br /><br />Martin O Driscoll, speaker for UCC Library, gave a detailed paper about how the library’s sustainability plan has evolved since its beginnings in 2016. The goals the library started with in collaboration with UCC Buildings and Estates, such as energy saving measures, have now expanded into more concentrated projects; for example, our “Ditch the Disposable” project. This implemented a ban on disposable coffee mugs and has successfully reduced one of the building’s biggest sources of waste contamination - liquid from unfinished coffee cups.<br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>TCD speakers Siobhan Dunne and Peter Dudley elaborated on their library’s commitment to tackle social sustainability through the Trinity Sensory Processing Project. This project aims at improving new and existing spaces within the library to create a more inclusive space, particularly for students who may find difficulty in navigating the sensory environment of the library. <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>James Molloy and Ursula Byrne from UCD then spoke about UCD Green Group. Established in 2019, it has harnessed staff and student involvement in a cross-campus initiative to consider what has been done, raise consciousness and work towards sustainability project goals, i.e. sustainable design. The combination of parallel papers, lightning talks and workshops made for an enlightening, varied and informative first day.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSyJjNPwSkYTFY2ukNKUJviJKN7AKeth0LHjYZZ9E5AEP6ocZ4OnNeOqBQzrSL6xSDcohHP79dcMgWzcfrRPQe7k87SBQ7Wx9VDmiuF4AeTn7YUwPYcadV6VquPNLds78IIHsaob5Z-fH8zpa8mqEpnTvYGdxr-Kpm4pkwCnyUPlXeukPDqeEjIss0Rb9/s600/6%20and%207.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Shows a speaker addressing an audience and a laptop and camera on a table" border="0" data-original-height="220" data-original-width="600" height="234" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSyJjNPwSkYTFY2ukNKUJviJKN7AKeth0LHjYZZ9E5AEP6ocZ4OnNeOqBQzrSL6xSDcohHP79dcMgWzcfrRPQe7k87SBQ7Wx9VDmiuF4AeTn7YUwPYcadV6VquPNLds78IIHsaob5Z-fH8zpa8mqEpnTvYGdxr-Kpm4pkwCnyUPlXeukPDqeEjIss0Rb9/w640-h234/6%20and%207.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Steven Gonzalez Monserrate delivers the keynote speech on Thursday and the 360 degree camera used in the "Make, Do and Mend" Show and Tell Demonstration</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>The second day began with another fascinating keynote speech from Steven Gonzalez Monserrate regarding the cloud as a storage device. He spoke about the unnerving rate of electrical consumption, noise pollution and electronic waste generated by the data centres necessary to run the cloud. The amount of water used in the cooling of data centres was startling; an estimated 5 million gallons according to his research. Steven pointed out how libraries could play a part in new ways of thinking differently about cloud storage; that the library itself carries the aesthetic of a cloud with the information it holds and can therefore be a valuable contributor to the creation of new cloud concepts. <br />This again echoed Rebekkah Smith Aldrich’s point about considering what is at our disposal to make improvements. <br /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>I made it a priority to attend a workshop on the second day of the conference; the “Make, Do and Mend” Show and Tell examined the sustainability initiatives made possible by makerspaces in terms of recycling, repair and social sustainability aims. One notable demonstration was Heidi Campbell from Maynooth who demonstrated the many uses of a 360 degree camera. This was used not just for a standard virtual library tour, but to create tailor-made guides providing students with a means of navigating the library space with ease. This appealed to me a great deal as a social sustainability tool for students who can find the library space daunting.<br /><br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEvuRilKTgAmFG5vKbT2fqr3Zj1mBdopQbYY4eu_B0S5nxhZQaRWBC0aEwEK4RLz0922lYGGS3K_BFnLnY2n2_j3fNr9n8NXLPuj2YaS1FnwlTkm_tju7dTdF3AlY4UdpdK7VwldOY6yluFihxqKHRYmakhZWVr8-NOz7mTpqcEe85tGxuVkyYziyvbVp/s1920/Sconul%20Photo%208.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEvuRilKTgAmFG5vKbT2fqr3Zj1mBdopQbYY4eu_B0S5nxhZQaRWBC0aEwEK4RLz0922lYGGS3K_BFnLnY2n2_j3fNr9n8NXLPuj2YaS1FnwlTkm_tju7dTdF3AlY4UdpdK7VwldOY6yluFihxqKHRYmakhZWVr8-NOz7mTpqcEe85tGxuVkyYziyvbVp/w320-h240/Sconul%20Photo%208.jpg" title="Shows people taking part in a workshop" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stephanie
Chen from UCC Library creates a 3-D printing mold <br />at the
“Make, Do and Mend” Show and Tell demonstration</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><br /></div><div>At the close of the conference, I felt all attendees were leaving inspired by all they had seen and heard. The gathering of so many library staff in one space to share their ideas reinforced the necessity for libraries to work together to make the impact needed. My first CONUL conference was an engaging and informative experience; I would heartily recommend fellow library workers to apply for the bursary and take advantage of attending this highly educational event!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TB9269VHyKWQzCUeCAkM7UqUDBb7LaDR79b48Sb-RcSmXB3gr4t4gqDxWeiQ9VORwwG3lFADLLvnSp5rWWZPFb7poy8URd84DdVwyuBATfWaDK8lH57tT-QOYB86uNMdAKOPSBz9_3WW5FaQtJq1eu6Tf8oMq_7CRSmyic-w1Zqhw4PbM7ukcCBREPiO/s600/Conul%209%20and%2010.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Shows a speaker talking to several people and a person standing beside a poster" border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="600" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TB9269VHyKWQzCUeCAkM7UqUDBb7LaDR79b48Sb-RcSmXB3gr4t4gqDxWeiQ9VORwwG3lFADLLvnSp5rWWZPFb7poy8URd84DdVwyuBATfWaDK8lH57tT-QOYB86uNMdAKOPSBz9_3WW5FaQtJq1eu6Tf8oMq_7CRSmyic-w1Zqhw4PbM7ukcCBREPiO/w400-h266/Conul%209%20and%2010.png" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Doreen Lundon speaks about the introduction of aeroponic towers to UCC Library <br />and John Rooney from UCC Library is pictured with his prize-winning poster </span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />Eilís O'Neillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631537099797957329noreply@blogger.com0