After a week in Hawaii, you would think that I would be refreshed and renewed. Whether it is winter’s gloom or rainy day blues, I’m not so enthused. Some of it may be attributed to the waiting. When I am the person doing the actual work, then it is my pace and no excuses on why something isn’t done. When I must wait for others to do their job, then I’m impatient. I have stopped giving dates on some projects so that the due date won’t come and go yet again.

Despite all the waiting on some projects, the planning for new is still needed. Last Tuesday I did another training on our subject guides for our Teen staff. They have an opportunity to make the Teen pages (and other) better. The pages need some love. Out of 10, maybe 3 will get active. It’s a little like the 80-20% rule which seems to play out in most projects. I’ll be doing another round of training for adult and the children’s staff as well.

Management staff had a workshop, which I missed. So, yesterday I took the “test” to see whether I am Direct, Spirited, Considerate or Systematic. I was pretty much divided into 3 the areas with Considerate getting the slight edge. Not too surprising. I think most of us don’t fit into rigid characterizations. The point was to figure out who is in what category in order to better communicate.

Computers in Libraries is in March. I have gone once to this conference and enjoyed it very much. I’m not sure yet if I get to go this year. Out-of-state travel is a tough sell and others are going to ALA mid-winter and PLA.

 

A new year. Again. So soon. Looking back on the past year, it is going to be hard to beat the number of tech changes that we have put in place at the library in 2011. Mobile library application, eBooks, eAudiobooks, online museum passes and new subject guides. There has hardly been any time to enjoy the process but I am proud of my part in pushing the library along, even if kicking and screaming.

For 2012, there will be a long-promised catalog update and maybe, just maybe, a start on the homepage redesign. The majority of our web presence is now on our LibGuides. It really is the homepage and logo that needs updating.

 

The Blog Action Day has the theme of FOOD.

I would like to talk about food on a personal level. How can we as individuals contribute to the reversal of the obesity crisis here in America? I would suggest that we can set an example to important people in our lives. Whether it is a husband, child, sister or brother, significant others or best friend or colleague, invite them to take a walk with you.

Yes, it is simplistic, but studies show that exercising with someone is a good way to improve the chance of continuing to walk. As little as 30 minutes a day will help combat encroaching weight gain and promote a healthy attitude. Taking a walk will get you off the couch and out of the house/office. Walking with a partner allows for conversation and may relieve stress. You may even find yourself laughing. I certainly feel better about myself and have a little less guilt to carry around.

Taking a walk will also have an impact on what you eat. I am less apt to pig-out after I walk. I don’t want to lose the good-girl feeling. A follow-up to feeling good about yourself may translate into thinking about what you eat. Learn just a little about superfoods such as blueberries, sweet potatoes or salmon. The benefits of including these easy-prep foods in your diet may win over yourself and the family.

Want to combine exercise with food? Grow your own super foods. Gardening is a great way to get out and work out and have two end products: great food and better health.

Happy Blog Action Day.

Leaving on Sunday for Monterey! I opted out of Saturday and Sunday pre-conference workshop as it is just too exhausting. Monday through Wednesday will be enough. I miss home too much even though Monterey is one of the most beautiful places on earth.

I am looking at some new software for content curation (a buzzword if I’ve ever heard one). Anyway, one works something like Google+ but has more options. You add blog posts, videos, images etc. and organize it on the fly. Then, drumroll, please. You can make it into a magazine/book. With pages that turn. Did I mention it was FREE? And it is being beta tested to work with WordPress. Way cool. Anyway, I may give it a whirl. The other program is similar but I haven’t signed up yet so I don’t know enough to explain.

I hope the learning curve won’t be too steep! Eventually I hope to post  about the process and do a little show and tell. And maybe some snapshots too!

Hope to see you there!

Just signed up for the Blog Action Day, which is October 16th. This year the discussion revolves around FOOD. There are so many issues and possibilities for posts. Hunger and famine, of course, are at the top of the list but you are not limited to just those. You can share recipes, tips on raising your own food, sustainability or food prices. If interested, go to the website and sign-up. http://blogactionday.org

And be sure to watch the “F” word video from one.org, which goes along with the topic.

Summer is over although hot weather will continue here through September. It has been a busy summer as witnessed by my lack of posts for four months. Four months!

What have I been doing you say? I’m glad you asked!

1. Virtual museum passes

2. Mobile library

3. Overdrive ebooks & audiobooks

4. OneClick audiobooks

5. EBSCOhost ebooks

6. Tech Help for 3-5

7. LibGuides

8. Catalog updating (in bits & pieces between the other tasks)

9. Tons of Ask Us! questions.

All are launched except our mobile app which is awaiting approval and the catalog which is so-o-o close but needs testing.

I hope it won’t be another four months until I post again but I make no promises.

I am thrilled to announce the launch of Universal Class (UC), online continuing education courses available through Recorded Books. Over 500 courses are available, some academic, others for hobbies, self-improvement or just for fun. See the full list and learn how to sign up. Webinars are available to learn how to use UC, although it is pretty user-friendly.

What do you want to learn?

Sigh. Perhaps I should just call it over. It is totally unacceptable to go so long between posts. In my last post I listed all the projects and sundry items that require my attention. What’s changed? Not much. I love my work but I am definitely running out of hours in the day. This means by the time I get home, I want to veg out and not look at a computer much less write a post that is coherent and read-worthy.

My son was teaching in Japan for 3 years so the news about the quake, tsunami and reactor breakdown has been hard. Even though he isn’t there, his friends are and lots of American teachers. I also have a niece who is in Okinawa with her soldier husband and young son. I put together subject pages today on Japan’s triple disasters and radiation. These are part of a news guide that has subject pages on the war in Afghanistan, the economy, diabetes, collective bargaining, and the Gulf oil spill. You can see these at http://guides.aclibrary.org/news . You can tell me what you think. Part of me feels like Google and many other big sites are doing a bang-up job on this type of news and we could just link to those and be done with it.

 

I wasn’t kidding when I said that blogging was taking a back seat to work.

What has kept me busy?

• working on 50+ subject guides
• start-up of our new virtual reference service
• training said new virtual reference
• beginning of the budget season planning process
• meeting/talking with vendors
• making decisions about what resources might be weeded
• talking endlessly about the need to plan for our digital collections and putting dollars into it
• purchasing an online mobile product and a new ebooks/eAudiobooks service, both which take lots of upfront decision-making
• more training for new staff and blog training for not-so-new, but soon to be regularly-scheduled-to-do-posts staff.
• training staff on how to do subject guides
• other regular duties including social media, tech troubleshooting and meetings responsibilities
• putting out fires as needed

Now I need documentation detailing the need for more staff for Web Services, currently a solo job, although I work closely with the webmaster. When I find the time that is. LOL More of library business is conducted online and staffing must reflect that as well. Departments that were formerly separate have started merging. The web touches all aspects of daily work be that Collection Development, IT, cataloging, processing, public service, acquisition and on and on. Our staff chart needs to reflect current workflow realities.

We have had another staff announce retirement. That makes 4 major positions and one new admin position starting soon. Lots of change and opportunity to re-think how we do what we do.

Great video from Central Rappahannock Regional Library!