July 31, 2008 By 1 Comment

Cultivating a Culture of Learning in the Library

Last month I gave my very first webinar, Cultivating a Culture of Learning in the Library, for WebJunction. There were over a hundred participants, and I have been asked to give an encore presentation. How cool is that! If you are free I’d love to have you join in and contribute your thoughts about learning in libraries.

Cultivating a Culture of Learning in the Library
August 5, 11:00 AM Pacific/2:00 PM Eastern

Lori Reed will show how to create a culture of learning in your library. This is an encore presentation. Join us for a free hour-long webinar focused on helping library managers, trainers and front-line staff succeed with online learning. Please register for the webinar and you will be sent instructions for joining and preparing your computer.

Filed under: Learning Opportunities, Training for Trainers
July 24, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Job Opening – Library Automation Systems Analyst

As announced on our employment opportunities site. This is a great opportunity for someone with library automation experience. Our IT department is great, and Charlotte is a wonderful place to live!

POSITION TITLE: Library Automation Systems Analyst

POSITION NUMBER: 20006075

LOCATION: Main Library

STARTING SALARY: $59,784-$74,730

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Open until filled

DESCRIPTION OF WORK: Serves as the lead administrator for the Library’s library automation systems (LAS), and is responsible for all aspects thereof, including development and maintenance of interfaces between the LAS and other systems, integration of locally developed and third party applications with the LAS, functional support for all LAS modules, and creation of custom SQL reports. The LAS includes modules for cataloging, acquisitions, serials, circulation, an online catalog, and interacts with telephony notification, Self-checkout, patron authentication, e-payment, and computer reservation and timing systems. Administers, configures and optimizes the LAS and its partner products (OPAC, Reporting, Telephony, etc.), manages user accounts and security, assures system and database security and integrity; and manages all database maintenance, including upgrades, indexing, and data clean-up and purges. Assures secure connectivity and data transmission between LAS and ancillary library applications and databases. Oversees the writing and programming of custom reports and scripts for undertaking routine and non-routine maintenance database tasks using SQL or a similar reporting and database modification language. Develops and configures user displays, search and index options in collaboration with Cataloging and Reference librarians for optimum access to library resources, primarily for the LAS staff client, the public online catalog, and ancillary products. Creates and maintains procedures and documentation, including software configurations, for LAS and related 3rd-party applications. Serves as “final” internal tier for support of LAS and ancillary products: analyze, resolve and respond to trouble tickets, service requests and information queries from library staff and public. Serves as the primary technical contact with LAS vendor and related user communities, and third-party technology vendors and internal technology staff.

JOB REQUIREMENTS: Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science or other related field from an accredited college or university required. Master’s degree in Library/Information Science from an ALA accredited program, or alternative analytical/research M..A. preferred. 5-7 years progressively responsible experience with library automation systems (LAS) or other major database systems (system administration, database maintenance, custom reports). Familiarity with professionally accepted library standards of classification, cataloging and data transmission (USMARC format, metadata standards, authority control, Dewey Decimal Classification System, Library of Congress Subject Headings, SIP, X12, etc.); and experience/understanding of their application and implications in library automated systems. Demonstrated solid understanding of typical library functions that are automated (circulation, reference, online catalogs, cataloging, acquisitions, serials, interlibrary loan, etc.) and the knowledge of data, management, and service interdependencies among these integrated components. Extensive scripting experience in a Windows or *NIX environment, or other programming or SQL/report languages experience, or with RDBMS (Sybase, MS SQL, Oracle) administration. Demonstrated understanding of client/server environment, and experience with software applications needed to administer Library Automation Systems.

WORK SCHEDULE: Monday-Friday, 8-5.

POSITION AVAILABLE: 08/11/2008

Filed under: Library Stuff
July 22, 2008 By 1 Comment

PC Reservation and Time Limits: How do you do it?

How do you handle computer reservations and time limits at your library?

A. We don’t. First come, first serve. No time limits.
B. We use paper sign-in sheets.
C. We use PC Reservation software.

If you answered A, B, C, or anything else please join the MaintainIT Project for their free online book club and discussion group. Every month we select a chapter from one of the MaintainIT Cookbooks to discuss during a free online book club. This month’s discussion will take place on Tuesday, July 29th, at 9 AM (Pacific)/Noon (Eastern). The chapter we are discussing this month is from Recipes for a 5-Star Library: Meal Plan 5: ‘We’re Booked Through January’ PC Reservation/Time Management Software. The chapter is available as a free download. Everyone is welcome to participate in this discussion! Register here.

Register for the free discussion.

Read the chapter.

Think about what it means for your and the library in which you work, now and in the future.

Attend the webinar on July 29th and learn and share with people working in libraries around the country.

Filed under: Library Stuff
July 22, 2008 By 1 Comment

North Carolina Master Trainer Program Accepting Applications

The State Library of North Carolina is pleased to announce that recruitment is underway for the 2008-2009 class of the award-winning Master Trainer Program. The program enables a member of your staff to improve their skills in training design and delivery and to join an expanding network of Master Trainers.

The Master Trainer Program is a statewide initiative of the State Library of North Carolina that equips public and academic libraries to respond to the ongoing need for training through an intensive “train the trainer” program. Few libraries have the resources to meet the full array of training needs for library staff and patrons. Staff from public and academic libraries of all sizes learn principles of training design, presentation skills, and content & materials selection so they can serve as trainers for library staff and patrons in their own libraries.

The 16 applicants selected to participate in the 2008-2009 class will attend and participate in Session #1 (four days in Chapel Hill), Session #2 (virtual coaching meetings), and the Showcase (three days in Chapel Hill). The State Library will pay the cost of the training and reimburse the participants for their travel expenses. Participating libraries will provide release time for staff to attend the training and to carry out their assignments between sessions.

For program information & guidelines and the application form, go to:
http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/mtrainer/index.

Please contact Raye Oldham if you have questions or need additional information. Email:raye.oldham@ncmail.net
Telephone:919.807.7423

Deadline: August 11, 2008

p.s. I cannot recommend this program enough! I was a member of the last class and unfortunately due to complications with my pregnancy was not able to complete the program. I learned a lot during the initial 5-days of training, and I think the network and community you share with the other graduates of the program is priceless.

Filed under: Library Stuff
July 18, 2008 By 3 Comments

Library Day in the Life Wrap Up

It’s interesting that I’ve received more comments this week than any week ever. As I wrote these long posts I wondered who could possibly be interested in my boring life, but then I realized how much I enjoyed reading all the other posts. So while our own lives may seem boring and uninteresting there is pleasure in being a virtual fly on the wall in someone else’s world.

I’ve received a few comments and emails asking me how I do it all. So I thought I’d share my secret with you. I don’t!

I’ve prioritized my life: family, career, education. I try to only be in the office 8-hours a day. When I’m not at work and my kids are awake I’m with them–physically and mentally. I maximize the precious time I have with them and do not multi-task. They get my undivided attention. Once they go to bed it’s time to focus on left over work from the day, career-related tasks, and school.

That sounds like a lot, but here’s what doesn’t get done. I don’t have as much time to hang out with my friends. We don’t watch TV. We don’t even have cable. I don’t cook or clean. My husband does the shopping and cooking (we eat a lot of take out). He does the yard work and some of the house cleaning. But seriously, the house is a mess, the yard is full of weeds, and even though Bree Van De Camp is my hero (I used to watch TV), I’ve accepted the fact that my house will not look like that for another 17 years.

I’ve found that the more I do the more energy I have and the more I am able to do. The law of inertia.

I’ve also found ways to maximize my time. I listen to audiobooks when I am in the car. During the school year when traffic gets bad I work 7-4 to avoid rush hour and wasted time in traffic. This also allows me to spend more time with my kids. I count my blessings that I work for a library that allows a flexible schedule like this. I have great child care which lets me to focus on work at work and home at home. I try to plan ahead so I can group tasks by time and proximity. For instance if I need to vacuum and do a load of laundry, I start the laundry first and vacuum while the laundry is going. It sounds simple but it really helps to save time when you plan all your tasks this way.

Speaking of tasks, I use Outlook to remember everything. Any random thought that has an action goes into Outlook Tasks, so I don’t have to keep thinking about it. Then tasks are categorized by how the action gets done (@work, @home, @computer, errand, someday maybe, waiting). I can then sort the tasks and get all the @computer ones done in one sitting, all the errands done together, and so on.

When I plan my day, I drag the highest priority tasks from the task list to the calendar so that time is allotted for each task. It sounds like a lot of work, but once you get accustomed to this way of doing things and see how much time you are saving you will wish you had been doing this for years.

I highly recommend the book Take Back Your Life. This book was life changing for me in managing my time. If you’ve been reading my posts this week, you already know that I am taking this to the next level with TROG (Total Relaxed Organization Guru). Kevin Crenshaw sent me a copy of the book and software to review so I’ll be blogging about that over the next month.

It has been a pleasure sharing my week with you. It’s 2am. Both kids now have fevers and have been waking up crying every 15 minutes. The saga never ends. But in the end that’s what the journey is all about!

Filed under: Library Day in the Life, Mommying
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