Adventuring into the LIS world...

Figure 1 from Pixabay.

Guest Post by Lisa O'Leary, who recently accepted a place in DBS for the MSc Information & Library Management course.

We wish Lisa all the luck in the world. And welcome her to the world of Library and Information Studies.

"The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle." - Steve Jobs

Embarking on something new is typically a mixture of excitement and nervousness and my first steps into the Library and Information Services (LIS) world were no different. Prior to beginning this journey I had limited knowledge of what working in the LIS world was like or what was involved and had not considered it as a possible career.
By choosing to do a BA degree, majoring in the study of religions and minoring in psychology, (which covered a diverse range of topics each, in their own way, relevant to our world today) broadened my mind and gave me an alternative view of society and the way people interact with each other and the world. I went on to complete an MA in contemporary religions, being the study of the people of religions, which further developed those thought-provoking ideas connecting various different areas and topics including society, race, gender, and class.
During this time I began thinking about my future career – I had come to the decision that an academic career was not for me, but what else could I do?
And with reflection, began the idea of working in a library grew from abstract thought to a tangible idea.

"Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending." - Carl Bard

My first foray into the LIS world was my work experience in UCC Library which began on October 2017 and finished December 2017.

With fellow Libfocus team member Martin O’Connor as my coordinator I began a part-time ten-week work experience which was a crash course in the workings of UCC library. Throughout my time I was introduced to the library’s system, online presence and databases, the collection and stacking of books and helping students.

I also visited many of the different departments within the library to gain a better understanding of how each worked, these included the Main Desk, Collection Development and Management, Cataloguing, Instructional Design (this department is housed within the library and was interesting and informative in relation to developing and redeveloping library spaces), Electronic Resources, Acquisitions, Repository, and I visited two satellite libraries attached to UCC – Brookfield and CUH. I spent a large portion of my work experience in Special Collections where I was shelving a new collection, and I also spent a few days in Archiving.

There was so much to take in during my time at UCC library, and each new area I was introduced to gave me an appreciation of how all the different elements and departments within a library worked individually and concurrently with each other.

Prior to starting the work experience I was dubious about it being a requirement for my college application but having completed it I found it to be invaluable. As I was coming from a place of no prior understanding it not only allowed me to experience what it would be like working in the area but I developed a whole range of new perspectives and an awareness of the LIS area that I did not have before.

For example, I attended a handful of seminars, including ‘Next Generation Learning Spaces Seminar’ and ‘Beyond the text: aspects of the manuscript and the printed book in Ireland and Europe’ giving me a great foundation and introduction to the different types of cross-disciplinary conferences that exist within the LIS area. I found the ‘Next Generation Learning Spaces Seminar’ particularly interesting not only because of the specific content of the seminar but because of the general topic.

The idea of learning spaces was something new to me. As a student, I had spent many hours in the library reading and writing for all my various assignments during my BA and MA, however, in all that time I had never actually considered the space that I was in. This seminar was eye-opening not only because I was suddenly aware of and considering the space around me but also because my new understanding of how important that space is for learning was growing.

 “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” - Milton Berle

During my work experience, it was recommended that I take part in the Rudai 23 course, which I did and have since received all badges. I feel I should mention that I am not a particularly outgoing person and so completing Rudai 23, particularly setting up a blog and writing posts was quite daunting for me and challenged me to step outside my comfort zone. At times I felt like I was somewhat at a disadvantage (concerning my lack of knowledge and experience) while doing the different Things, however, the tasks were designed in such a way that I was able to overcome this difficulty and complete them.

Rudai 23 occurred at an opportune time for me - just as I was starting my library work experience; beginning them both at the same time (and continuing on with Rudai 23) has been the perfect combination of introduction to and experience in the LIS world. In completing both I have learned a great deal over the past several months. As someone who is an outsider to the LIS profession (not working or studying in the area) they have given me a grounding and foundation from which I can develop - the different communication tools I can use, networking with other professionals and building an online brand, thinking more critically about the information I consume and produce, and how to get more actively involved in the LIS profession. If the work experience was the practical side of my introduction to the LIS world than Rudai 23 was the theory side. Rudai 23 was very instructive and in a way, for me, it perfectly culminates this phase of my adventure into the LIS world as it introduced me to the mechanisms of working within the LIS profession.

 “Take pride in how far you've come. Have faith in how far you can go. But don't forget to enjoy the journey.” - Michael Josephson

So, what does the future hold? Well, the next phase of my adventure involves going to college and next September I will be starting my Masters. It has been quite a journey so far but I think the clearest example of how, through both my work experience and Rudai 23, I have developed and progressed on this journey into the LIS world is the fact that I have written this post. If someone had told me a year ago that I would be writing a professional blog post I would not have believed them. For anyone beginning or considering a career in the LIS world, I cannot recommend completing a work experience programme and Rudai 23 highly enough as they provide the perfect introduction to the area from both a theoretical and practical standpoint. My adventure into the LIS world has been one filled with growth, development, and learning; and I suspect I will have much more of all three in the future!

Figure 2 from Pixabay.

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CONUL Training & Development Library Assistant Blog Award 2018

Libfocus is delighted to host the winning entries of CONUL 2018!

The winner is ...

 The 2018 CONUL Training & Development Library Assistant Award required entrants to submit a blog post on any library related topic.  Entrants could opt to blog about any aspect of their current work for example training activities they undertook; a development in their own library or an item in their library’s collection.  The prize winning and highly commended entries will be published shortly on the Libfocus blog.

Award winners 2018:

Joint 1st Prize:
A Tale of Heartbreak:  The Day I Lost the Inter Library Loans by Victoria Archer, Queen’s University Belfast.

Pain and Pleasure: Lessons in Invention from a Medical Archive, by Ronan Kelly, RCSI [Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland].

2nd Prize:
Cleaning shellac records in the DIT Conservatory Library by Sharon Hoefig, Dublin Institute of Technology.

Joint 3rd Prize:
Library Anxiety by Maolsheachlann O Cellaigh, University College Dublin.
Preserving Irish Voices:  The Irish Poetry Reading Archive by Laura Ryan, University College Dublin.

Highly Commended Entries:
Poetic Outreach: Facilitating Poetry Workshops in DCU Library by Eilis Ní Raghallaigh, Dublin City University (DCU).

The Digital Butterfly:  Managing our Social Media Presence in a time of change by Emma Boyce, Maynooth University.

If you snooze, you don’t lose-introducing EnergyPods at Maynooth University library by Maureen Finn, Maynooth University.

Conservation of a Gaelic manuscript at Maynooth University Library by Sarah Graham, Maynooth University.

Developing Snapchat at Maynooth University Library: The Story So Far by Edel King, Maynooth University.

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About CONUL Training & Development
CONUL Training & Development seeks to provide co-operative training and staff development opportunities, which are in support of CONUL’s strategic objectives. These opportunities are identified by staff in member libraries, the CONUL Board and CONUL Sub-Committees & Groups.

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To seek change (Att söka förändring)

Just a couple of days back The National Library of Sweden released a new anthology with a focus on the role for the librarian as an observer and analyst. How can we as librarians work with change, development and strategy by observing ourselves, our organizations and the surrounding society and implementing a more reflective perspective. What can we learn, firstly by scrutinize ourselves but also together through sharing experiences. Finally, very importantly, how can we use that knowledge to improve our services and our organizations for the benefit of the library users. Unfortunately it is only published in Swedish but luckily it is available Open Access, through the link below, hopefully you can manage a translation.

The world outside (Världen där utanför) - http://www.kb.se/Dokument/Antologi_2018_PDF.pdf

I'm very pleased to be a part of this anthology. My chapter discusses change and development, individually as well as through an organizational perspective, explained through two different and self experienced cases observed and analyzed from my own perception as a librarian. Hope you find the text interesting.

To seek change (Att söka förändring) - http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-39404

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Library School - a Bavarian perspective

Guest Post by Lena Fischer, an undergraduate student of Library and Information Management from the University of Applied Sciences for Administration and Legal Affairs in Munich, Germany.

During my internship of three weeks at the Library of  University College Cork in March, I was often asked by my colleagues how my education to become a Librarian in Bavaria, Germany worked. With that question in mind Martin O'Connor asked me to write this article. And I’m glad for the opportunity to write it!

First, I must say that the hierarchy among the employees in German libraries is a little bit steeper than in Ireland. There are four main levels of qualification, with the (student) help workers in the first, the employees with a basic apprenticeship in the second, the (mainly diploma or now newly bachelor) undergraduate librarians in the third and the subject librarians in the fourth qualification level. This article mainly focuses on the third qualification level with the undergraduate studies I’m doing at the moment.

In other regions and cities of Germany, such as Cologne, Berlin or Leipzig, you can study Library and Information Management/ Science as an undergraduate or master student the “usual” way, just among hundreds of other students (often of different subjects) at a university of your choice. The studies are good and also well rated, but often there is little practical education and you have to work your way into the special field of your job on the go or during holiday breaks. In Bavaria, which is in the southeast of Germany, we have a different system: studies to become a librarian are not offered at “usual” universities, it all happens under the status of a civil servant within the University of Applied Sciences and Legal Affairs. If you want to get the education to become any kind of civil servant, e.g. also if you want to go to the Bavarian police, or into social welfare services, you must go through a long application process.

First, you have to register with your last grades from school for a standardised test, which is held once a year at different locations all over Bavaria. If you pass the test, and you are among the best people rated (there are around 5.000 people doing the test each year), you are lucky to get an invitation for a “structured interview” to pass on with your application for Library School. While the test is all about reading comprehension, logical thinking, education for democratic citizenship, history and geography, the interview afterwards tests you over all on your personality and abilities for the job and the studies. There is also a huge variety among the participants of this procedure: since this is an undergraduate programme, everybody with an A-level can apply for it - from students directly from school with their A-level in the year ahead (just like me) to students of any fields (often in Arts and Humanities, but also in Science). If you have higher education in any subject, such as a master’s degree or even doctorate, I would suggest to apply for a slightly different library school to become a subject librarian in the fourth qualification level, which is also with the status of a civil servant and lasts two years (the undergraduate study takes three years to finish). One will then be also higher rated and can even get to a library directors position. But back to my application process: If you also pass the “structured interview” successfully, you will be rated on a list with the results of the test and the interview. Each year there is a number of participants the state of Bavaria wants to educate. The number is evaluated from the state and university libraries all over Bavaria, so the education is in line with the demand of new librarians three years after. In my year we are eleven students, but the number is increasing (the classes afterwards have around 20 to 25 students) because of a wave of retirements in the next years. If you are lucky to fit with the list and the number of students of the year, you are officially a student of Library and Information Management at the University of Applied Sciences of Administration and Legal Affairs, section Libraries and Archives, in Munich. As already mentioned, it all takes place under the status of a civil servant of the State of Bavaria, which means you are paid a monthly salary and get a free accommodation during the theoretical studies in Munich.

In total, there are six semesters of which four are theoretical and two of practical education. Unlike “usual” students, there is no such thing as university vacations, but you do have a few days off around the public holidays and in the summer. Starting in October, you have one semester of theoretical education before you get into your first 6 months of internship. During the whole practical education, each student has their own “main educational library” all over Bavaria, where he or she spends most of the time in different sections. For me it is Bayreuth University Library, but there are also State Libraries participating in the education. For the first practical semester, there is only time at the sections of your main educational library and a few weeks at a public or city library of your choice. When you are done with the first year of study (with one theoretical and one practical semester), it is followed by a whole year of theory at the Library School in Munich. Afterwards, there is the second practical semester, which is much more flexible concerning the internships you can take. There are also stints at your main educational library, often used to get more experience and knowledge of different sections or more specialised parts such as library IT or special collections. But there are also around eight weeks for you to choose where you want to apply for an internship, with up to four weeks abroad. Furthermore, it is interesting that during these weeks you can also take some shorter internships at museums, archives or other institutions similar to libraries. With the last theoretical semester afterwards, you will end your studies with writing an undergraduate thesis and also specialising in either special collections or library IT services, a new module which was introduced with the switch from diploma to undergraduate studies recently.

As you see, it is a long and packed study, but it’s definitely worth it and the opportunities afterwards and also during the various internships are very good. I am very grateful for my enriching experiences at Boole Library and I would like to thank everyone in general and especially Martin O’Connor for the wonderful time and great support during my three weeks of internship in Cork!

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Elsevier Workshop for lecturers, doctoral students and researchers – collaborating with Publishers.

Authors: David Forde  Senior Library Assistant DIT Library Services  Dr Brendan Devlin DIT Library Services 

Introduction
Technical developments, market pressures and a genuine interest in enhancing the user experience has resulted in exponential progress in the value added services provided with a range of library databases.  These developments include enhanced personalisation options, bibliometric analysis, reference managements systems with linked communities of practice, visual abstracts and 3D visualisation options. These services offer new ways to chart the information universe and to contribute to the research conversations within and between disciplines. Given the time constraints on library staff and researchers it makes sense that the suppliers and developers of these systems become allies in the provision of Continual Professional Development (CPD) in this regard.  With this in mind a series of seminars and workshops have been organised by DIT Library Services on the Kevin Street campus. These events are designed with a number of purposes in mind including the:

• Updating of the skills of library staff and library patrons including undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers.
• The provision of an informed approach as to how enhanced value added services might be used
• The identification of future developments 
• The provision of recordings of the presentation
• The provision of additional training materials on request
• As a marketing tool to increase the use of valuable and expensive resources
• To connect with library patrons and to identify their concerns. 

In the next section we will describe the organisation of a seminar run by Elsevier.  We will also identify the lessons learned and how these will inform the organisation of future events.

Elsevier workshop – curriculum 
The Elsevier workshop featured interactive presentations covering Scopus (an abstract and citation database), Science Direct (Elsevier’s leading platform of peer-reviewed scholarly literature) and Mendeley (referencing manager software).

Organising the Workshop 
It is important to organise such workshops well in advance as the trainers have many scheduled workshops and seminars internationally. It is also important to communicate with the trainer relating to the topics to be covered, time needed to do so and the level of delivery.  These strategies ensure that the presentations respond to the needs of the workshop attendees.

Promoting the Workshop
To promote the event we created an event on Eventbrite where attendees could book tickets for the workshop in advance.  Heads of School, were contacted by email and requested to notify all researchers and students, who might benefit from the workshop. Additional promotion was conducted by the creation of PowerPoint slides for upload to campus-wide display screens, and the creation of hardcopy posters for display inside and outside of the library.  Posts on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram platforms were employed to ensure greater awareness of the event throughout DIT.  Each of these promotional tools outlined the name, location and content of the workshop, with a link provided to our Eventbrite link.  The event was broken into distinct time slots so attendees could choose to attend part or the complete workshop, which ran from 9.30am to 2.30pm with a break for lunch included.


Conduct of the Workshop 

The workshop took place in a training room with attendees able to practise various search methodologies using the training room’s personal computers.  Questions were encouraged from the audience and attendees readily engaged with the presenter on topics such as an interdisciplinary approach to database searches and advantages offered by Scopus versus Google Scholar.  The workshop also facilitated the demonstration of lesser known tools within the Science Direct database (e.g. 3D Molecular Viewer via an “Image” search):




Elsevier advocates responsible metrics within Scopus via Cite Score’s three year citation window (which incorporates a representative proportion of citations across all disciplines) and CiteScore’s ability to include all document types (letters, notes, editorials, conference papers), thus giving a more complete picture of citation impact and making manipulating of the calculation more difficult and of great benefit to our researchers.

Broadening the Workshop Impact 

While the workshop was well subscribed it was not possible for all those interested to attend all of the presentations on the day, therefore Slides from the seminar were circulated to all ticket purchasers.

Scopus

Science Direct

Mendeley


It is also intended to run Webinars with Publishers as a post workshop event to cater for those who were not able to attend the workshop. Online training resources to supplement the seminar are provided below:

Get started with Scopus



Get Started with Science Direct



Get Started with Mendeley



Post Seminar Reflections and assessment

Following the workshop a survey (created in Survey Monkey software) was forwarded to attendees requesting feedback on the event.  Respondents agreed that the workshop was very relevant to their research, that information presented was clear and the level of coverage was appropriate. Some suggestions were offered from attendees including the provision of further workshops in “searching techniques” and the provision of webinars/recordings of the workshops.
Testimonials of two attendees were digitally recorded, detailing attendee’s experiences of the event:

Dr. Marek Rebow - Head of Research for Engineering



Saad Ahmed - PhD Researcher



The purposes of the workshop described in the introduction have been, largely fulfilled. Library staff found the workshop enhanced their understanding of the value added services of the Elsevier suite of databases. It has proved to be a good marketing device with increased inquiries about future training. Elsevier has provided additional relevant online training materials. Library patrons have provided us with suggestions to modify our service provision.

Future plans 
The experience of running this workshop has confirmed that there is indeed value in establishing partnerships with database providers to organise bespoke workshops and training events in our libraries. It has provides an enhanced understanding of the value added services of the Elsevier portfolio of resources for library staff and library patrons. The organisation of this workshop has provided us with a template for the organisation of future events and engendered a list of support contacts within DIT.  Based on this experience we believe that future workshops will promote the value of our portfolio of databases and other services provided by DIT Library Services.

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A&SL 2018 Conference and Exhibition - Fail Better: Lessons Lived; Lessons Learnt

Guest post by Colleen Ballard. Colleen Ballard is studying MLIS at UCD. Special interests include books, manuscripts and ephemera. @cballard_biblio

A&SL Conference Brochure

I had the pleasure of attending the A&SL Conference 2018 on Friday 9th March at the National Gallery of Ireland. Borrowing from Beckett, the theme, Fail Better: Lessons Lived; Lessons Learnt, endeavoured to prompt a shift from failure as negative to failure as a valuable learning pivot in a progressive profession. This resonated personally. I knew I could benefit from a positive approach to failure, and I felt both reassured and buoyed up to tackle my faulty perceptions.

Speakers candidly revealed failures. It was reassuring to discover in various levels of library and information service, failure is experienced. Colleen Burgess (HUC) stated how in the US regular events to discuss failure had resulted in a supportive culture of experimentation. John McManus (TCD) noted it is easy for a cataloguer to make mistakes, and, no escaping it, they are visible to all as illustrated by exposure of his own mistakes. He observed some difficulties within cataloguing could be addressed if the desire for perfection is challenged. Áine Carey (MU) highlighted how the best attempts to improve teaching provision can disappoint and not develop as expected. The importance of continuing in the discovery process and implementing plans to find what works was emphasised.

I particularly anticipated the keynote from Duncan Chappell (Glasgow School of Art) on the loss and restoration of the art noveau library designed by Mackintosh, and he did not disappoint. Happy to extract himself from the “disaster circuit” and into the calm of the NGI and A&SL Conference, he guided the audience through devastation, aftermath, recovery, and the value of a disaster plan. Residue of grief was palpable but so was excitement at the new incarnation in progress, a testimony to lessons learnt that will better facilitate user friendly engagement with a beautiful new space. Gauging audience response, many hope to visit when the library reopens in September 2019.

From tweaking titles to boosting blogs; papers, panels, and three posters conveyed failure as a formative learning process. The final presentation by Jane Burns (IHF) and Niamh O’Sullivan (ITB) – a duo which delighted many according to Twitter responses – addressed workshop woes with WOW’s (workshop on workshops), sharing a tried and tested checklist for success. Overall, specific words stood out emphasising the value of acknowledging and using failure to advantage: experiment, change, improvement, trying, growth. Or, drawing from the eclectic quotes displayed at the conference, as Yoda puts it, “the greatest teacher, failure is”.

Tweets confirm that the pleasing space of the National Gallery of Ireland was an appreciated new venue. The facilities were comfortable and conducive to concentration, and the atrium used for breaks beautifully enhanced the generous hospitality of the NGI and facilitated perfectly the chance to form new acquaintances. Andrea Lydon informed us the NGI has plans of its own and it is hoped, lessons lived and learnt, all their library dreams come true.

A quick directive how to move slides on would have avoided hitches – apparently it was not the usual arrow. Taking notes in the dark was a challenge!

This conference opened the conversation on failure, and suggests there is much more to discuss, indeed continue discussing, now and in the future. #ASL2018.

My personal gratitude to Bibliotheca for the bursary I received to attend this enjoyable event and A&SL for this opportunity.


Note: There will be a second review of the A&SL Conference published in the October issue of An Leabharlann.

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