23 Mobile Things - Join other Australians and New Zealanders in doing the 'things'!

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Have you heard of the 23 things?  How about the 23 Mobile things?  This updated course is a great way of learning new skills, and new things about old skills. 

So what is the NZ/Australian Cohort for 23 Mobile Things all about?  Read on.

What are the 23 Mobile Things?

1. Twitter
2. Taking a photo with a mobile device:  Instagram / Flickr app / Snapchat
3. eMail on the move
4. Maps and checking in: Foursquare
5. Photos + Maps + Apps: Historypin / What was there / Sepia Town
6. Video: YouTube and screencasts
7. Communicate: Skype / Google Hangout
8. Calendar
9. QR codes
10. Social reading: RSS / Flipboard / Feedly / Goodreads / Pocket
11. Augmented reality: Layar
12. Games: Angry Birds / Wordfeud
13. Online identity: FaceBook and LinkedIn
14. Curating: Pinterest / Scoop.it / Tumblr
15. Adobe ID
16. eBooks and eBook apps: Project Gutenberg / Kindle / Overdrive / Bluefire / Kobo, etc.
17. Evernote and Zotero
18. Productivity tools: Doodle / Remember the Milk / Hackpad / any.do /  30/30
19. File sharing: Dropbox
20. Music: last.fm / Spotify
21. Voice interaction and recording
22. eResources vendor apps
23. Digital storytelling

You can view the 23 Mobile Things on the official blog here - http://23mobilethings.net/wpress/the-things/

What is this NZ/Australian cohort all about?

Simple; it is just establishing a group of librarians in NZ and Australia who are keen to do the 23 Mobile Things at the same time. This cohort will give us mutual support and contact with each other so that we can learn together and keep each other motivated. Hopefully it will help you grow your own personal learning network (PLN) and have fun and great collaborations throughout the course!

Who can take part?

Anyone! This is not limited to New Professionals, but is open to anyone who would like to take part - whether newer or older to the profession. I have just put the contact form on the New Professionals blog as that is a place where I know many people will find it. We are creating another blog specifically for this NZ/Australian cohort that will be the hub of our conversations and connections. So please sign up and let's all learn from one another and have fun playing with mobile technologies! Over 60 people have signed up already; this is going to be such a fantastic group to be a part of :D  (It's mainly NZ'ers at the moment so come on Australians- sign up!)

What do I need to take part?

• Access to a mobile device (e.g. iPad, tablet, smart-phone, etc...) - if you don't have one yourself, you could borrow one or use the PC applications to understand the general principles.
• Time to dedicate to investigating the 23 things - it seems most people are keen to do 1 Thing a week so you can dedicate as much or as little time as you need to exploring that thing and engaging in chatting and collaborating with others on the course.
• Willingness to collaborate, experiment, and support each other - it's going to be fun!

How do I sign up?

So you're keen? Great! Here's what you have to do to get involved:

•  fill in the contact form on the blog
• vote in the poll for best time-frame for the course
• share the news with friends/colleagues

I'll be in touch as we create a blog as a hub for the group, a Facebook group (if you are keen) and organize some online real-time events such as Twitter chats and Google+ hangouts so that we can chat and collaborate. It will also give us an opportunity to put into practice what we have been learning!

We are hoping to start with Thing 1 the first week of May. If the course runs for six months (approximately 1 Thing a week), it will finish at the end of November. 

So what are you waiting for? Sign up today and we will be in touch again a bit closer to the date.

If you want more information please don't hesitate to email me (Kate) at mailto:skeetakate@gmail.com.nospam (take off the no spam) or on twitter at @katejf.

Abigail Willemse (NZ) and Kate Freedman (NGAC) and Hiba Kanji (NGG)(AUS)

ALIA 2013 Election results

Congratulations go out to Susan Coker who has been elected as ALIA Vice-President and also to Alyson Dalby and Damian Lodge who have been elected as board members.

Thank you to all of the candidates for your enthusiasm and passion for our industry. It has been an interesting election to witness.

Good luck to the new members as they begin their journey at the ALIA Annual General Meeting on 14 May and thank you to everyone who voted


-Amy Barker

Library Tours

ALIA Sydney is delighted to present two Library Tours this Saturday!

How are Academic Libraries responding to changing needs of students? How do you design a library to encompass quiet areas, noisy areas, group and individual study spaces as well as being the single location for over 1.2 million print items?
Macquarie University opened its new library in 2011. Come and join a special 'behind the scenes tour' exploring client areas, staff spaces and the first Automated Storage and Retrieval System in an Australian Library.

Public Libraries are an essential service for the local communities; the demands are diverse and space limited. In July 2010 Lane Cove Council breathed new life into the library, exceeding state benchmarks and community expectations by increasing the Library space from 1,203 sq m to 3,301 sq m. They have filled it to the brim with training rooms with state-of-the-art AV; study and lounge areas; display and exhibition spaces and many, many more facilities without detracting from their physical collection. 
Come along on our library tour and take a look at what all the fuss is about.

Date: 13 April 2013
Time: 10:30am at Macquarie University Library for an 11:00am start

Schedule:
10.30am - Arrival at Macquarie University Library
11.00am - Behind the Scenes tour of Macquarie University Library
12.30pm - Lunch and travel to Lane Cove Library (please advise us if you would like help arranging transport)
2.00pm - Tour of Lane Cove Library


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Cost: $7 members / $10 non-members

Please note this cost does not include lunch or transport. Macquarie Centre is nearby with a wide variety of options for lunch (http://www.macquariecentre.com.au/food.aspx).

Thank you to those who have already registered their interest in joining us for the Macquarie University Library and Lane Cove City Council Library Tours.

For everyone else there is still time- email us now at aliasydneygroup@gmail.com.

Please advise if you would like help arranging transport between venues when registering.

-Gabby

Save the Date! 13 April 2013

Ever wanted to have a sneak peak at what other Libraries look like behind the scenes?

Well ALIA Sydney has been working in conjunction with the Macquarie University Library and Lane Cove City Council Library to organise a behind the scenes tour on Saturday the 13 April with the aforementioned libraries.

Both Macquarie University Library and Lane Cove Library have recently undergone some major renovations. Lane Cove Library has recently implemented a new OPAC system as well as upgrading their library space and in 2011 Macquarie University Library became the first Australian library to implement an Automated Storage And Retrieval System (ASRS). The ASRS involves some pretty cool machinery that was adapted from the automotive industry that retrieves an item on request.

If you are interested in joining us on these library tours they will be held consecutively on Saturday 13 April. Please register your interest by emailing us at aliasydneygroup@gmail.com.

-Gabby

P.S. this is not an April Fools joke!

"Election of Board of Directors" Last-minute Drinks & Informal Networking

Election of Board of Directors for ALIA close at 5:00pm AEDST on 2 April, 2013.

Why not celebrate early with an informal networking opportunity?!?

Join ALIA Sydney for a (really) last-minute drink to talk about issues facing ALIA as an association and what direction the Board of Directors should go. We'll discuss the positions of the candidates and where we think they should go. A few candidates will be joining to discuss their candidacy and the future of ALIA.

When: Wednesday 27 March at 6pm
Where: Eve's Place Bar and Bistro (near Central Stateion - reservation under ALIA Sydney)
Address: 818-820 George Street, opposite Railway Square in the downstairs area. (Part of Mercure.)
http://www.mercuresydney.com.au/eve-place-bar-and-bistro.html

We'll also talk about our upcoming events:
Macquarie University Library and Lane Cover Library tour in April
and
Promote, Advocate, Brand in Parramatta in May

Just in case you need an extra reason, Happy Hour will be extended until 7! So come have a drink and a snack with ALIA Sydney.


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ALIA 2013 Candidate Profile: Jill Abel

To continue our coverage of the 2013 ALIA elections we have the responses from Jill Abel. 

How can ALIA appeal to students and people entering the industry/profession? 
National cross-sectoral collaborations are needed to assist workforce planning with young and older people entering the profession or learning more about this industry.  Do counsellors in schools and colleges need more guidance on the pathways to the library and information profession? Can young people describe the role, functions and optimistic futures for library staff in the different sectors?

What are some of the advocacy issues you would like to see ALIA address? 

The advocacy issues are addressed in ALIA's strategic imperatives, but we need to think differently about building capacity, sustainability, networking and collaboration in partnership with other peak national associations. 

How can ALIA reach out and engage with people working in special libraries or other areas where they feel better served by other associations? (eg law librarians with ALLA, teacher librarians with ASLA). 

 ALIA continues to reach out and cross sectoral boundaries, recognising the well-being of the profession, the workforce planning and futures-thinking requires collaboration in social enterprises.  It is a common issue for all the professions looking at their networking governance.

Is anything you would like to let our readers know about you and what you would like to accomplish as a board member? 
 It is about continuing the collective voice on information policy from and for members, in all library sectors, informing government, industry, business, education and local community.

For more information about the ALIA 2013 elections head over to the ALIA web site 

-Amy B 

Risk vs return on professional development

Saw a job ad recently for a position as Assistant to the Children’s Librarian and was struck by something that wasn’t listed as either desirable or essential – library qualifications or experience. 

Now, I understand that this role has some very specific aspects to it that mean the weight has been placed on a different skillset, but I can’t help wondering if it is reflecting something about library work in general - rapidly changing demands for skills making library employers look further afield.

People always seem to be talking about future-proofing their skill portfolio, and wondering what direction their development should take. I watched this video from NLS6/Info Online and considered what skills were being mentioned as desirable by those hiring library staff. Coding skills were mentioned, as were customer service skills. Project management skills got a mention in the Library Chat podcast in January with Jenica Rogers speaking about her future hiring needs, and again on Hack Library School. Social media, event planning, teaching skills, marketing skills.

So my question is: are these future desirable staff members librarians first, with these other skills as valuable strings to their bows, or is it the other way around? In some cases, it is obviously the former, but in others, well, to my mind it's not so clear.

I heard anecdotally about an Australian library service hiring those with hospitality background in a traditional Library Assistant/Tech role because of their customer service skills. Amy C passed on this job ad as well for Assistant Manager at a NY library. Library experience desirable, not essential.

 I am currently studying for my Diploma in LIS at TAFE, and have been taking a very keen interest in what sort of training I can undertake now, to make me more employable when I do start job hunting.  Being a busy student, I want such things to fit in to my schedule, and not cost anything, or much.  If your employer can’t or won’t supply much professional development, perhaps you are looking for this too. There are very many opportunities out there, from Web Junction and AL Live on You Tube, online conferences like Library 2.0, twitter and facebook and Codecademy. The library MOOC starting in September looks enticing. I really enjoy the PD Postings that ALIA sends out each month, and the e-books that are available for members. However, with this type of development there is always the difficulty of turning this learning into real skills you can become proficient in, and use to get or change jobs.

And, hey, I can be very pessimistic about such things. I have never worked in a library. I have worked in some pretty cutthroat industries (my background is the money market, and I currently work in a migration law firm), and few things surprise me anymore in business. Sometimes I worry that all the librarian peer to peer advice and support and mentoring about future proofing skills may be so much talking into the echo chamber of like minded souls. My dad told me that no knowledge is wasted, and it is always worth your time to learn something new. I have limited time and I want to invest it wisely but how to know which avenue will bear fruit? 

How do you choose, and what expectations do you have of your personal professional development?

Lauren Castan