I found this very interesting because I know just how much tme is spent making staff conform and stick to the rules, protocols, policies? The "party line" is now more valuable to most library services than any wild card sparks of genius and creativity? More time is spent ensuring common practices and approaches are followed and I would guess very little in nurturing creativity.
This article highlights the critical interrelationships that exist between intrinsic motivation, leadership skill, and the individual employee, job, team and organizational contexts on employee creativity in the library.
While I applaud the sentiments I think we are very wrong if we assume that in general most library managers understand and encourage employee creativity (EC) in their libraries, the leadership skills required to accomplish increased EC are far from clear-cut and have not been addressed, to any great degree, in library literature.
Am I wrong again?
http://www.cilip.org.uk/NR/rdonlyres/602F3BA8-EA54-4D77-A239-3A37DF5A3416/0/LibManagementvol29no32008Facilitatingemployees.pdf
Tuesday 8 April 2008
The Power of Information Task force
The Power of Information Task Force
Libraries look out! The UK government is to explore the ways that it can use social media to improve communication with its citizens. That’s great and I believe it is another opportunity for libraries to teach people the skills they need to be a part of this revolution.
A taskforce has been set up, the Power of Information Task Force, and will be chaired by political blogger Richard Allen. The team's members will be drawn from internet businesses, practitioners, the civil service, and public service bodies and I hope library and information professionals are in there. Its key goal is to "increase innovation and improve the way the Government shares information so ordinary people can develop online services that benefit their community."
Launching the taskforce cabinet officer Tom Watson said, "We need to listen and learn from the experts so we can satisfy people's desire for faster, better public services. I want to move quickly. With advice from the Task Force, we will get on with improving services for our citizens to match the pace of change."
The government will explore the use of online forums, the possibility of using mash-ups to encourage more user debate, and the possibility of advising civil servants on the use of social media sites and tools. We need to be involved!
http://www.iwr.co.uk/information-world-review/news/2213295/government-launches-social
Libraries look out! The UK government is to explore the ways that it can use social media to improve communication with its citizens. That’s great and I believe it is another opportunity for libraries to teach people the skills they need to be a part of this revolution.
A taskforce has been set up, the Power of Information Task Force, and will be chaired by political blogger Richard Allen. The team's members will be drawn from internet businesses, practitioners, the civil service, and public service bodies and I hope library and information professionals are in there. Its key goal is to "increase innovation and improve the way the Government shares information so ordinary people can develop online services that benefit their community."
Launching the taskforce cabinet officer Tom Watson said, "We need to listen and learn from the experts so we can satisfy people's desire for faster, better public services. I want to move quickly. With advice from the Task Force, we will get on with improving services for our citizens to match the pace of change."
The government will explore the use of online forums, the possibility of using mash-ups to encourage more user debate, and the possibility of advising civil servants on the use of social media sites and tools. We need to be involved!
http://www.iwr.co.uk/information-world-review/news/2213295/government-launches-social
Girl power in Japan
Every day there seems to be a new way to communicate.
A new gadget in Japan is the Ubi-Wa. This gadget has 2 meanings one is "finger -ring" the other is "speak by finger". Its a ring that's a phone. It converts vibrartions which travel down your hand and arm bones into your ear canal and into speech you can understand.
Too futuristic and bizarre? Given rise in girl power spen in Japan it's only amatter of time before it's the new must have accessory here.
A new gadget in Japan is the Ubi-Wa. This gadget has 2 meanings one is "finger -ring" the other is "speak by finger". Its a ring that's a phone. It converts vibrartions which travel down your hand and arm bones into your ear canal and into speech you can understand.
Too futuristic and bizarre? Given rise in girl power spen in Japan it's only amatter of time before it's the new must have accessory here.
Monday 7 April 2008
Red carpet in Gilmore St?
It’s great that the Scottish Library and Information Council have arranged a screening of The Hollywood Librarian: A Look at Librarians through Film and I have a ticket!
It is the first full-length documentary film to focus on the work and lives of librarians. Using the entertaining and appealing context of American movies, the film will surprise many people who may think they know what librarians do.
I am tempted to get an Oscar party dress and along with my colleagues turn up on the red carpet to surprise the West of Scotland!
American movies contain so many examples of librarians and libraries on screen -- few positive, some very negative, some very funny and some offensive. Films such as Sophie's Choice, Philadelphia and the fabulous It's a Wonderful Life show librarians as negative stereotypes.
The librarians in Lorenzo's Oil, Desk Set and The Shawshank Redemption, on the other hand, are very clever, competent and professional. However there are many, many more fabulous and brilliant librarians, remarkable stories in real life Scottish libraries that we librarians keep quiet about ssshhh? http://www.slainte.org.uk/events/EvntShow.cfm?uEventID=1146
It is the first full-length documentary film to focus on the work and lives of librarians. Using the entertaining and appealing context of American movies, the film will surprise many people who may think they know what librarians do.
I am tempted to get an Oscar party dress and along with my colleagues turn up on the red carpet to surprise the West of Scotland!
American movies contain so many examples of librarians and libraries on screen -- few positive, some very negative, some very funny and some offensive. Films such as Sophie's Choice, Philadelphia and the fabulous It's a Wonderful Life show librarians as negative stereotypes.
The librarians in Lorenzo's Oil, Desk Set and The Shawshank Redemption, on the other hand, are very clever, competent and professional. However there are many, many more fabulous and brilliant librarians, remarkable stories in real life Scottish libraries that we librarians keep quiet about ssshhh? http://www.slainte.org.uk/events/EvntShow.cfm?uEventID=1146
Kindling the future?
I read today that teeenagers in Japan are hooked on mobile phone novels, with books being written especially for the small screen and sent in 1,600 character instalments. You probably think /hope? as I do that we in the west can't possibly part with our lovely dog-eared paper versions?
Well guess what? In the US Amazon have just launched their electronic book -the Kindle and it sold out within 4 weeks of going online.
Do those of us who think it will never replace the real thing (including me) need to have bit of a rethink? What are the implications for the future of libraries? Have you thought about it?
Maybe not in my lifetime but.......?
Well guess what? In the US Amazon have just launched their electronic book -the Kindle and it sold out within 4 weeks of going online.
Do those of us who think it will never replace the real thing (including me) need to have bit of a rethink? What are the implications for the future of libraries? Have you thought about it?
Maybe not in my lifetime but.......?
Zurich, Amsterdam, Chicago, Copenhagen, SOUTHWARK?
I came across a fabulous picture of the multi-hued Peckham Library- a deliberately conspicuous symbol of the area's ongoing cultural regeneration.
It was part of a feature of BMI's Voyager magazine "Book and Learn - monuments to the written word"
Clearly sitting proudly alongside fabulous libraries in Zurich, Chicago, Copenhagen and Amsterdam and aimed at attracting visitors across the world I felt very proud as should the team and cmmunity of Southwark..
It was part of a feature of BMI's Voyager magazine "Book and Learn - monuments to the written word"
Clearly sitting proudly alongside fabulous libraries in Zurich, Chicago, Copenhagen and Amsterdam and aimed at attracting visitors across the world I felt very proud as should the team and cmmunity of Southwark..
How can a seesaw light up Africa
I was gobsmacked when I read of Daniel Sheridan's simple invention. How simple ? how cheap? how effective?
A grant of £5,500 means Daniel can turn children's playtime into something that can help. He came up with the idea of a seesaw which works by transferring the power created by the child moving on it to an electricity storage where it can be kept unitl needed. Five or ten minutesa day should generate enough electricity to light up a classroom for a whole evening. Next step is a whole playground to light up a whole village.
What a genius! Small amount of money for so much impact Well done Daniel.
A grant of £5,500 means Daniel can turn children's playtime into something that can help. He came up with the idea of a seesaw which works by transferring the power created by the child moving on it to an electricity storage where it can be kept unitl needed. Five or ten minutesa day should generate enough electricity to light up a classroom for a whole evening. Next step is a whole playground to light up a whole village.
What a genius! Small amount of money for so much impact Well done Daniel.
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