Information Center Connections

Technical Standards and You

Standards are part of our daily lives. They can be found at home, in our car, at work and in cyberspace.  We wouldn’t have email without standards.  Standards not only formally document technical criteria, methods, practices and practices, they allow companies and individuals to save money, accelerate projects and make better solutions.

Technical standards are up for review every five years which makes the revision process long and slow. Different organizations focus on reviewing, enhancing and proposing standards on different topics. In the library world, NISO, W3C, and Library of Congress are the standards organizations helping to define epublication, metadata, linked data, and CSS standards (to just name a few).

SLA has a Technical Standards Committee whose focus is to share standards activities from various organizations and provide educational opportunities about the standards, as well.  In the past, this committee has also voted on NISO standards on behalf of SLA. 

If you are interested in technical standards or tasked with implementing them in your organization, join the open SLA Technical Standards discussion list.  Subscription instructions are at the bottom of the committee's page. 

Look for educational opportunities about technical standards in the upcoming months. If you have suggestions for a specific technical standard you would like to learn more about or standards topics you think are important to information professionals, let us know by contacting any committee member.

Catalog-a-blog...a survey to log

Do you catalog?  SLA's Committee on Cataloging wants to know!

An ad hoc group of committee members was formed at SLA 2009, and we worked to create a survey to determine the cataloging experience and activities of SLA members.  It's a short survey (promise!), and your feedback will help the committee serve members and plan conference activities.

Will you take a moment or two to complete the survey?  Even if you don't catalog, we'd like to know what you think!

Follow this link to the survey.  Thanks in advance for your participation.  If you have any questions, please contact Dorothy McGarry, who enthusiastically headed the survey development group, which also included Kimberley Edwards, Martha McPhail, and me.

**Survey closes on November 30th.

That Twitter thing

I've avoided it for long enough.  A post about Twitter.

Why have I been avoiding it? 

Well, in the beginning, it was lack of knowledge.  I had an account (@triviachick), had made a post or two, but just didn't get it.  What's retweeting, again?  How is this good for business? 

In the middle, it was realizing that, although I was tweeting (that's the verb form of Twitter), there was much more to learn.  Not only had an account been set up for the SLA 2009 conference (@sla2009, which is still active, by the way), but I created one for SLA HQ (@slahq) for more general posts.  (@sla was taken...I didn't move fast enough!)  Articles and e-mails about Twitter were everywhere (that seemed to happen overnight, and the activity only grew), but was I ready to talk intelligently about Twitter and tweeting and how to do this, that, and the other thing?  Nope...but I collected all those e-mails and articles and put them in a safe place (that is, I shoved them in an e-mail folder).

Today, 116 followers, 191 updates, one staff training, and 117 items in that e-mail folder later, I came to the conclusion that if I don't write this post NOW, it'll never get written.

So, here's the Twitter post.  Rather, *a* Twitter post, since I'll be writing about it periodically...way (way) too much information to share in one post at this point.  And, how could I not start today when I saw this stat, from Nielsen, on Mashable (@mashable):  Twitter has grown 1,928% in one year. 

Whoa.  Are you a part of that?

So, let's begin...

Question:  What is Twitter? (no sense in making assumptions and leaving people behind)

Answer:  Twitter is an easy-to-use online service through which you share short messages with those who "follow" you.  You, in turn, follow them (possibly) and others.  There is a 140-character limit on the messages...which is more than you think, but is sometimes not quite enough.

Question:  Why would I want to tweet (that is, use Twitter)?  What's in it for me, or my library, or my business?

Answer:  People use Twitter for many reasons, from personal to corporate.  You can share what you're doing in a moment, put out a call for assistance or opinions or information, promote a product or service, spread news (yours or someone else's).  It's (another) way to connect with clients/patrons/enter-audience-type-here.  From the other side, it's a way to receive information (news, questions, tips) from those you want to receive it from.

Question:  No, really, why would I use it?  How do I use it?

Answer: Take a look:

LISNews Company introduces new DVD to protect data 1,000+ yrs http://bit.ly/19c26k  [and here it is on Twitter]

resourceshelf Springer Launches Innovative Publisher-Based Image Collection http://tr.im/sGD6  [Twitter version]

SLAAcad Call for editorial board members! http://bit.ly/11nIgo  [Twitter version]

tywebb75 Adding Shirky's "Here comes everybody" to the lo-o-ng list of books I want to read. Think his ideas may backup own thoughts re ass'n future  [Twitter version]

Jill_HW Been reorganizing my RSS feeds in Bloglines. Hope this helps me archieve "reader zero" on a more regular basis.  [Twitter version]

triviachick Just got an extension for my Information Outlook column. The blog post is taking longer than I want it to...but it must be done.  [Twitter version]

What else you'll find:  job postings, links to photographs and research reports, local traffic updates, and a heck of a lot of U.S. government information.

Does it make more sense now?  Is that enough to get you started?  If so, visit Twitter to look around, sign up.  Updates are public (unless they are made private by account holders), so exploring doesn't involve setting an account up.  Not sure where to start?  Take a look at the list of tweets above, my followers and following lists (at @triviachick) and those of your tweeting colleagues.  There's also a directory of SLA Twitterers, both individuals and units, in SLA's wiki space.  Search for topics and read some posts.  Some of it is serendipity.

My next Twitter post will have some information on the mechanics of posting, including some helpful commands and other tips.  Plus, tools (including search) and even more tips.  In the meantime, a fairly comprehensive Twitter resource you may want to look at is Mashable's Twitter Guide Book...lots of answers there.

Catching up with SLA 2009

SLA 2009 may be over, but the information exchange lives on!

First, check out the tweets.  Daniel Lee (@yankeeincanada), who spearheaded the @sla2009 effort, has captured all the SLA 2009-related tweets in one place...all 3,600+ of them!  Even if you know nothing about Twitter, you'll be able to read about the sessions and link to presentations and other news.

More and more conference handouts are being posted to the conference site.  If you were a speaker, please share your slides here!  Contact events@sla.org to get your presentations posted.

And don't forget SLA Blog, where members contributed their videos, photos, and comments about the conference.  Lots to read there, too!

2009 SLA Salary Survey

In an ongoing effort to help information professionals navigate a challenging and uncertain economy, SLA will be publishing a salary survey of its U.S., Canadian, and European members later this year.  Although a salary survey was not originally planned for 2009 due to budget constraints, we are offering this essential information to our members to demonstrate the exceptional value of SLA membership.

In a departure from previous years, salary data will primarily be presented in an online salary calculator.  This tool allows multiple data categories to be combined to help you determine salaries in different scenarios.  The calculator will be available at under $10 for survey participants and at a reduced price for other members.  Sets of tables for specific functions will also be made available in PDF when the full results are available.

Please look for the survey questionnaire in your e-mail inbox during the week of 22 June.  Results of the survey will be available in September. 

Worth a click: conference edition

Here are a few resources that will help you make the most of your conference experience.  Even if you can't make it to D.C., you can still feel a part of the action.

Conference wiki
Created by the D.C. Chapter, this site is where you'll find the inside scoop on restaurants, local attractions, and wi-fi hotspots. And, take virtual tours of area libraries, including those of the Smithsonian Institution and the National Library of Medicine.  It's searchable!

Conference handouts
Handouts will be posted here before and after the conference. 

Unconference wiki
There will be seven unconference sessions during SLA 2009, on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at various points throughout those days.  Some have assigned topics, and some are "free for all." Check the wiki before, during, and after the conference for materials.

SLA Blog
Shamless plug for our own SLA Blog, where staff and members will be posting about their favorite sessions, conversations, and social activities. Contact me at csosnowski (at) sla (dot) org to blog on SLA Blog!

Twitter
If you haven't heard, @sla2009 is the Twitter account for the conference. If you tweet, don't forget to include the hashtag #sla2009 so that followers of @sla2009 will see your updates.

See you there!

Worth a click

Did you know there's now an Industry Vendor Search tool on SLA's site?

Have you seen the SLA Alignment Project presentation that was made by the Fleishman-Hillard team at Leadership Summit? It includes research results and recommendations.

We all need stamps. Why not buy some SLA 2009 Centennial stamps?

Ready for SLA 2009 and the Centennial Celebration?  Members can register for the event by January 31st and get a $45 discount!

And the Top 100 are...

Even our centennial site is social.

Here's the link to the Centennial Celebration site, which has all sorts of information about the history of SLA, plus thoughts about the future of the profession...and a video contest.

What I wanted to point out is the two "100" lists for which we need contributions.  The 100 Innovations That Have Changed Librarianship list is only about half-populated as of now.  And we also need to fill in the list for the 100 Librarians That Have Shaped the Profession.

What do *you* think?  Visit the site, log in, and send us your suggestions.

Value revisited

Usually, when I see the words "research librarian," I think of SLA members.  Our community and the important, valuable work we do.  But today, I was taken aback when I saw those same words in a blog post on All Things Digital.

I've noticed, as I'm sure you have, the rash of publishing industry layoffs and publication model changes in the last couple of weeks.  Just a few examples:  The Christian Science Monitor is ceasing to produce a printed paper on weekdays.  U.S. News & World report is going digital-only except for special issues.  I read about impending layoffs at Time, Inc., from numerous sources, including Time's own Lisa Takeuchi Cullen on her Work in Progress blog.  Which brings me to the All Things Digital post.

In a post dated Monday the 10th, Peter Kafka on MediaMemo reprinted some memos circulating around Time, Inc., about severance packages for volunteers, involuntary layoffs, and the general state of affairs at the company, including reorganization.  Categories of staff intended for downsizing were listed, and as I perused the list of writers and editors with slight variations in titles, I did a doubletake when I read that "1 research librarian" would be targeted at People (one of 18 planned removals) and that the category of "research librarian" was included in a list of several from which a total of "approximately 20 staffers" at Time would be let go.

Now, as we know, we are more than "research librarians."  We are also, among other things, catalogers and researchers, two words that were used repeatedly in the lists of those who would *also* soon have no jobs at the above listed Time properties, plus Fortune and Sports Illustrated.

I was a bit shocked, although I know I shouldn't be.  I've been reading the news, contemplating the impact of the failing economy.  Maybe it was the tone, the black-and-whiteness of it. 

Update:  Here's more information from All Things Digital about the layoffs at Time, Inc.

But, let's try to stay positive.  If we have been demonstrating our value and reaching our clients, that is to our advantage.  Computerworld is talking about value, too, and not just for IT.  An article from November 4th, "The New Commodity:  Long Hours and Hard Work," has some suggestions for being "the last person your employer would want to let go."  Education is number one.  Know about the business of your business...the strategy, the bottom line.  Connect yourself.  Get out there.  Do good great work.

What can SLA do to help?  Have you looked at 23 Things lately?  It's a free (that is, no-budget-impact!) way to learn about Web 2.0 tools, which can be used to reach clients, improve services, and work more efficiently.  What about a Click U Live! course that can bring you up to speed with what you need to know to impress your employer?  The first half of the 2009 schedule is now available.  And, don't forget about the free Course of the Month.

A very recent offering from SLA is a new dues category for those who are making less than $18,000 a year.  If you find yourself in that situation due to a layoff (or any other reason), the dues rate is just $35.  Your membership can open doors and keep you in the know.

Good luck.

A morning in the Information Center

What happens in SLA's Information Center?  I thought today would be a good day to share some of my daily processes and describe the services we provide.

As much as we talk about information overload, there is actually a lot of action-related information in my e-mail inbox, and I use those messages to start the work of my day.  After deleting the spam and junk, I was able to get down to business with the real content.  The newsletters I receive from sources like the Chronicle of Higher Education and Library Journal usually have a few interesting articles.  I also received an article on Second Life and one on a traveling library in Colombia from SLA's strategic communications director, Maura Kennedy.  Library Link of the Day (also available via RSS) is a favorite source of news.  I "collect" the best articles from these sources and others in tabs in Firefox so they are in one place and ready for me when I create the day's issue of Nexcerpt News Connections. Together with Factiva News Connections, NNC brings members articles on topics across the information and technology industries.

Also in my inbox:  messages from various SLA discussion lists.  I forwarded a few of these to staff members who may want to read and possibly respond.  I received two comments to the SLA Blog post on blog training for SLA staff, so I followed up with a comment of my own. 

Next:  two inquiries about value and the information professional.  I responded to those with some published survey data...and updated the Value portal, which has a long list of resources, at the same time.

Planners for the SLA 2009 Annual Conference and INFO-EXPO are busy entering information on sessions and events in the online planner, and I've received a few deadline reminders for this.  (The registration for the conference opens in January.)  The conference wiki, created by the DC chapter, is a great place to read, and share, conference tips.

One way I keep up to date is by using TrackEngine to alert me to changes in Web pages (sometimes, an RSS feed just isn't available).  For example, when ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership updates the "new and upcoming" publications page, an e-mail is sent to me.  This makes it easy for me to notify staff members of new titles they might be interested in reviewing.

While preparing today's Nexcerpt News Connections, I consulted my Bloglines account (although a move to Google Reader might be in order).  I keep track of about 150 blogs, and usually pull several items from there to add to Nexcerpt, and I forward many more news bits to staff members.  I also file some posts away for consideration for my Info Sites column in Information Outlook or for a briefer Worth a Click post on this blog.

As you can see, and I'm sure you know from your own experiences, one thing leads to another and it's lunchtime.  Staying organized can be a challenge, but it's necessary for the work we do.  Share your own tips and tricks and your favorite sources of information....