Info Career Trends September 1, 2002 vol. 3, no. 5 ISSN 1532-0839 Published by Lisjobs.com - http://www.lisjobs.com E-mail: editor@lisjobs.com In This Issue: 1) Editor's Note 2) NEWLIB-L 3) Interview: Reference Reviews North American Regional Editor Sarah Nesbeitt 4) Showing What You've Got: Professional Presentations 5) Lights, Camera, Action! 6) Keeping In Touch To Keep Up 7) Then I Saw the Web -- Now I'm a Believer 8) What's Online? Recommended Resources 9) But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Print Resources 10) Administrivia, Copyright, Subscription and Removal Instructions ======== Editor's Note Welcome to ICT's 2nd anniversary issue! Thanks to all of you who have kept reading and kept contributing to make the newsletter a success. Contrary to our demure and quiet image, savvy librarians take advantage of every opportunity to communicate: from conferences, to the professional literature, to online resources and discussion lists. Communication in all its forms creates the backbone of our profession, comprising our literature, informing and inspiring practitioners, and allowing us to share research and results with our colleagues. Today's articles highlight a variety of ways to communicate, from e-mail lists to conference presentations. Show your commitment to professional communication by making your own contribution -- ICT is now accepting queries for January ("multitasking") and for March ("jobs, salaries, and raises"). If you have advice or experiences to share, e-mail editor@lisjobs.com. Contributor guidelines are available at http://www.lisjobs.com/newsletter/theme.htm#contrib . I'm also looking for additional survey respondents for a forthcoming book on writing for publication -- if you're willing to take a few minutes to share your experiences with publishing in the library literature, please fill out the online survey at http://www.lisjobs.com/pub4libsurvey.htm . - Rachel (editor@lisjobs.com) ======== *** ADD CONTENT TO YOUR WEB SITE WITH NO KNOWLEDGE OF HTML! *** Bookworm: The Readers Advisory Book Review Web Application BookWorm allows you to create a searchable book review database for your web site, with no knowledge of HTML or programming. Approve all book reviews before they are published, allowing staff and patrons to contribute without losing control of web content. BookWorm colors and headings are controlled by a simple web form to match the look of your existing site; cover images are automatically displayed. We host and maintain BookWorm, so you can concentrate on content! Visit http://www.ourbookreview.com to see how quick and easy BookWorm is to use. ======== NEWLIB-L by Susan Scheiberg (susanls@rand.org) "OK," I thought on my first day of work in the graduate research library at the University of Southern California. "This is it -- time to be a librarian!" After years of graduate school and a previous career as a folklorist, I'd decided on a career change, gone to library school, and here I was, a librarian. I survived that first day -- and the first weeks -- but a curious phenomenon occurred. Although I was, in theory at least, a "baby" librarian, I had worked in libraries for several years as a high-level paraprofessional, and had a good deal of academic experience as a graduate student and an instructor. As a new librarian, I was in the precarious position of being treated as an experienced colleague, with all the attendant expectations, even though I still had an enormous amount to learn about my job and librarianship. I had the good fortune to have excellent colleagues and mentors, but I felt the need to maintain the "professional aura" I seemed to convey. So, to whom could I address the "dumb" questions I had? To whom could I turn for support? And, more importantly, if I felt this way, might there be others who felt similarly? I was frustrated, but bit the bullet and buckled down to work. After eleven months in the Reference Center, I took a promotion as head of serials acquisitions. This was a drastic change, and I felt even more at sea. I began to look for avenues to discuss growing concerns about tenure requirements, the trends in librarianship that were affecting me, and my own fears and doubts. Surprisingly, I found no forums that seemed adequate. The Birth of NEWLIB-L This void seemed troublesome, and I thought that perhaps an electronic discussion list might be the way to bring new librarians together in a "support" group -- a safe harbor to ask questions, solicit advice, and share experiences. To make the list really interesting, I thought I'd invite experienced librarians as well, to act as online mentors. Thus NEWLIB-L was born. I advertised it on a number of other electronic mailing lists where I suspected other "newbies" might be, for bibliographic instruction, traditional and digital reference, acquisitions, serials, ALA's New Members' Round Table, etc. To my amazement, within less than 24 hours I had 88 subscribers; within a week there were over 1000. Today, NEWLIB-L has between 1000-1100 subscribers at any one time. Now I felt I had a "safe" place to ask my questions, share my (and hear others') tales of woe and intrigue, help others when I could, and form a lively community of colleagues. What I did not realize at the time was that NEWLIB-L would prove to be an invaluable tool in building my career. Professional Accomplishment The first surprise came as I readied myself to participate in my second annual review. USC librarians are faculty members and thus must attain "continuing appointment" (equivalent to tenure for teaching faculty) within the prescribed number of years or risk losing their jobs. Annual reviews are a critical part of the process -- not only are one's ratings considered in the continuing appointment decision; one must show progress towards the requirements for continuing appointment to assure a good rating in the annual review process. To aid the junior librarians in preparing review and tenure dossiers, the library had formed the Personnel Steering Committee (PSC), made up of senior librarians. During my semi-annual meeting with the PSC, we went over my work and external professional activities, and I was deemed ready to put forth my dossier. As an afterthought I told the committee about NEWLIB-L, although I hardly thought it was significant. The list took me all of three minutes to set up, and took very little daily work to maintain. The information within NEWLIB-L was important to me, and, I fervently hoped, to others. I honestly didn't see the list as an "accomplishment," however, but rather as a personal way to help me come into my own professionalism and provide opportunities for others do the same. This was decidedly not the way that the PSC viewed the list. One of the criteria in achieving continuing appointment is the extent to which one enhances the reputation of USC through excellence in one's academic and professional activities. Because USC's name (as the institutional host of the list) appeared in NEWLIB-L messages that were sent to over 1000 individuals worldwide, the PSC considered NEWLIB-L to be my most significant contribution that year. This was, of course, in addition to the professional service of hosting such a list, no matter how little actual work it took on a daily basis. Professional Recognition After this meeting, I began to search the web for references to NEWLIB-L to include as an appendix in my dossier. I was surprised to see the amount of press NEWLIB-L received -- mention of the new discussion list had appeared in American, Canadian, and English library newsletters, on other lists, in Internet alerts, and library web sites, all complete with references to USC. I included these in my dossier, and was reviewed very highly for this activity. While you can only use something like that once in a review, NEWLIB- L has continued to be an important tool for my own professional development. First, it has given me a surprising amount of recognizability. At conferences, in association work, meetings, and on other lists, I often hear, "You're the NEWLIB-L person!" This has led to many opportunities for networking; because I am assumed to be an expert in issues relating to new librarians, the development and increasing popularity of NEWLIB-L has resulted in articles, presentations, and mentoring opportunities. These opportunities, in turn, have led to an enhanced professional reputation, and, perhaps more importantly, to the chance to meet and collaborate with new colleagues and keep in touch with former colleagues and professors (indeed, when announcements for NEWLIB-L came out, I got a regretfully congratulatory note from a librarian whose library had turned me down for a job!), as well as the opportunity to share what I've learned along the way with the newest generations of librarians. This, I believe, is the most important duty we have as professionals; to ensure the health and growth of the profession through the mentoring of our more junior colleagues. NEWLIB-L, to my great pleasure, has given me the opportunity to engage in this activity -- to me, the most rewarding aspect of librarianship. Susan Scheiberg is Head of Acquisitions and Serials and is the Coordinator for Outreach Services at RAND in Santa Monica, California, and is the owner/manager of NEWLIB-L ( http://www.lahacal.org/newlib ). She can be reached at susanls@rand.org. ======== *** Post your resume online: http://www.lisjobs.com/resumes.htm ======== Interview: Reference Reviews North American Regional Editor Sarah Nesbeitt ICT: Please talk a little bit about Reference Reviews, and about the types of reviews it includes. SN: Reference Reviews (RR), as you can guess from the title, is a journal that reviews reference materials in both print and electronic formats. It is published eight times per year in print by Emerald (formerly MCB University Press), and it's also accessible electronically via the Emerald Library ( http://www.emerald- library.com ), a database that contains the full text of Emerald's suite of journals. Though the publisher is British, RR's audience is international. Several hundred reviews of approximately 500 words each are published in RR annually. The journal homepage is http://www.emeraldinsight.com/rr.htm . ICT: Could you explain how you became North American regional editor for Reference Reviews? SN: My involvement with Emerald began as a reviewer for an earlier journal, Electronic Resources Review (ERR). Back in 1998, I saw a call for reviewers posted on COLLIB-L. Norm Desmarais, ERR's editor, was looking for people to write reviews of electronic information products. I wrote a number of reviews for ERR between 1998 and 2000, and when Norm decided to step down as ERR editor, he asked me if I'd be interested in taking over. I served as ERR's editor between April and December 2000, at which point MCB decided to merge ERR with Reference Reviews. Since all of the librarians on my reviewing team happened to be from the US or Canada, when the two journals merged, I became the regional editor for North America. I also happen to handle only reviews of electronic products, but the Internet Editor reviews a few web sites (typically with a British emphasis) in each issue as well. ICT: How do you coordinate and collaborate with the journal's other overseas editors? SN: RR's primary editor coordinates the reviews of print materials; to them, he adds my contributions as well as the contributions and column of the Internet Editor, Rónán O'Beirne. Until recently, RR's editor was Stuart James of the University of Paisley, who also used to edit Library Review. Starting with next year's issues, Tony Chalcraft of York St. John College will take over this responsibility. I'm responsible for submitting at least 80 reviews of electronic products per year. This works out to about 10 per issue. To avoid duplication, I keep Stuart/Tony apprised of the products that are currently being reviewed on the North American side. All of our communication is done via e-mail, although I've spoken to Stuart on the phone several times, and we got to meet in person at IFLA last year. ICT: What do you look for in a good resource reviewer? Are they required to be subject specialists in the area(s) they review? SN: I look for librarians who have experience working with and evaluating electronic information products and who are familiar with the challenges they provide. Reviewers should have the ability to write clearly, concisely, and logically. Since I have deadlines to observe, reviewers should also be able to hand their reviews in on time. RR reviewers choose the products they'd like to review based on a list I provide to them, and although they aren't required to be subject experts, it's recommended that they be familiar with the topic of the site/product in question. ICT: How do you find potential reviewers for the journal, and are you currently looking for additional contributors? SN: So far I've been very successful in posting calls for reviewers on electronic discussion lists. I ask for people to send me an e- mail describing their experience with electronic resources as well as their subject interests. Although I'm not actively soliciting a large number of new reviewers, any librarian who's interested in being a contributor to RR is welcome to drop me an e-mail. Public and school librarians are particularly needed, although all types of librarians are welcome to inquire. ICT: What do newer reviewers find most difficult about the reviewing process? What tips would you have for writing a useful review? SN: What I've found is that new reviewers have quite a bit of experience describing and navigating web sites; knowledge in this area seems to be the norm. The challenge, though, is not to get caught up in evaluating the medium and forget to review the content as well. I like reviews that draw a balance between a site's navigability/design and its content, as well as between description and critique/analysis. It's not easy to do this in around 500 words, but it's certainly possible. Each review should follow a logical progression: an initial paragraph should introduce the site and its intended purpose, and the review should conclude with a recommendation. I have guidelines available for reviewers to consult. Another thing that new reviewers find difficult is writing a negative review, even if they feel that it's justified. ICT: What advice would you have for reviewers who find themselves having to write a negative review? SN: Although people get nervous at the thought of criticizing someone else's work in print, negative reviews do serve a useful purpose. It's helpful to keep your audience in mind when writing a review, and in the case of RR, the audience is your fellow professionals, typically reference and acquisitions librarians whose responsibility it is to decide what databases to select, or which web resources to make accessible. If there are aspects of a product that need improvement, reviewers have an obligation to mention them. However, all criticism should be constructive; reviewers should suggest ways in which the product could be improved. They should also mention alternative resources, in cases where a site/product cannot be recommended. Database publishers do take reviewers' comments seriously, and they take them into account when deciding how to develop their products further. ICT: What advantages accrue to those who contribute to the profession as reviewers? SN: Through reviewing, librarians can gain a greater understanding of the various ways there are to evaluate information resources, something that can be helpful on the job. Professional publications such as reviews can be very useful in promotion/tenure situations; they're also good to have on the resume when it comes to finding new employment. In addition, through reviewing, you can hone your writing skills. Short pieces are always more challenging to write than long ones, because they force you to make every word count. A number of RR reviewers have gone on to write lengthier pieces, such as WebWatch columns for Library Journal (which is how I got my start!) as well as full-length articles for other professional journals. Several also review regularly for CHOICE. Finally, you can get a good deal of personal satisfaction out of seeing your name in print! ICT: Is there anything else you'd like to share about the reviewing process at Reference Reviews? SN: For new reviewers, the first review or two can be a collaborative endeavor, as there may be some back-and-forth with questions and corrections as we turn an initial draft into a finished product. But I'm always willing to work with librarians interested in learning how the process works. Sarah Nesbeitt (cfsln@eiu.edu) is Assistant Professor of Library Services at Eastern Illinois University and the co-author of The Information Professional's Guide To Career Development Online (Information Today, 2002). She also serves as the American editor of the Historical Novels Review ( http://www.historicalnovelsociety.org ). ======== *** Find a library job! http://www.lisjobs.com ======== Showing What You've Got: Professional Presentations by Chrissie Anderson Peters (CAPETERS@NortheastState.edu) Presenting in front of a group of peers can be nerve-racking -- especially when your involvement is "volunteered" by your director, as was my first professional presentation. Two coworkers and I had just wrapped up an exhilarating/exhausting collection development project where we opened five new or expanded locations in less than one year. While managing our normal budget concerns, we added the delight and pressure of wisely spending $1 million for this ODC project. Our director thought presenting would be a wonderful way to showcase our experiences and share our tribulations and shortfalls with others who might be moving towards similar projects. Jumping In Even though I am an outgoing person, I admit feeling discomfort with this scenario. I had been Youth Services Librarian for a little over one year, and had never written anything scholarly in the library/ information science field. At that point, I had not even begun my Masters degree; I was in my professional-level position because I had a strong library/youth services background. Doing a presentation before peers with more experience and with degrees that I did not possess seemed daunting. We worked up the presentation and delivered it in October 1999. I didn't pass out or hyperventilate. In fact, I was invigorated by the experience! The following year, I co-presented on a panel about the importance of "Jumpstarting Your Library Career," informing the audience about the new online Distance Education component to the University of Tennessee MSIS program that I had begun in Fall 2000. (I had moved in May 2002 to a library system straddling the Virginia/Tennessee state lines, where I served as a Reference Assistant.) For VLA 2001, I organized a panel discussion focusing on three graduate programs available to Virginians. I signed on as the representative from UT, along with a representative from Florida State's online program, and a representative from Catholic University's program that was beginning to offer more online classes. Before the conference, however, I moved to my current position in a community college as a Reference Librarian -- while still working on my graduate degree. Due to budget restrictions in Tennessee, I recruited a very capable online peer (Thena Jones) from the UT program to stand in for me. In 2002, I co-presented at the Tennessee Library Association about being a Distance Education student, along with Keri-Lynn Paulson, an on-campus student whom I had met, first through online classes together, then through sharing living spaces in a condo for a few days for ALA Midwinter in New Orleans (January 2002). We compared what it is like on both sides of the coin for UT students involved in classes with an online presence. Doing so taught us a great deal and gave audience members a taste of student life from either angle of the online education scene. Overcoming Limits I plan to complete my MSIS in December 2002. I mention this only because so many people in our field limit themselves professionally in the same way I did before being coerced to participate in my first state-level presentation. If I did not hold that degree and did not have more "professional" experience, how could I possibly be worthy of presenting at a conference or workshop, or taken seriously by my peers? Some of the very best conferences/workshops I have attended were not the ones presented by masters in a particular area, but by people who are out there doing that work on a regular basis. Knowing how to do something -- and sharing that knowledge, as well as any shortcomings you may have experienced -- is one of the greatest professional gifts. To keep your knowledge to yourself is selfish indeed. It is through sharing (good and bad), that I believe we grow professionally. If we cannot learn from each other, where will we find our mentors and professional confidantes? Sharing Success Most of us are daily engaged in activities of interest to our colleagues. Think about things that have been successes. Identify whether or not other librarians outside of your immediate facility do the same things; think of ways to share your successes. So many times, so many of us struggle, unsure where to seek advice about starting new programs or offering existing programs more effectively. Sometimes, just hearing about what others have done gives us ideas of how we might alter their projects to create innovative programming in our own libraries. Maybe this piece has helped you to realize that you have a program to share. How do you get involved? Contact your state association or browse their web site to see their conference presentation details and guidelines. If you are too nervous to present alone, ask a coworker or colleague to help you. Most of us have operated on "the buddy system" since we were children, and this approach is soothing in many ways. What if you work in a library that cannot offer financial assistance to get to the conference? First of all, if you are willing to work up a program that will have your name and the name of your institution on it for the entire state to see, it is unlikely that your library will not try to help in some way. Secondly, most state associations will offer some sort of price break or incentive to 1-2 presenters. As this varies, it is wise to know the details up-front and to approach your supervisor/director as you begin your presentation proposal. If conference presentation is still impossible, join e-mail discussion lists, where you can exchange ideas less formally. Or, find places where you can publish your ideas (either through online sources such as this one or sources published through your state association, other national publications, or ALA). Regardless of how formal or informal you want to be, there is a place for communicative sharing in our profession. Showing what you've got -- and what you know -- is beneficial beyond your own experiences. Chrissie Anderson Peters (capeters@NortheastState.edu), is a Reference Librarian at Northeast State Technical Community College in Blountville, TN, and a December 2002 MSIS candidate of the University of Tennessee's online Masters program. She has worked in the library profession since 1993, in public and academic libraries in Tazewell, Roanoke, Bedford, and Bristol, VA; as well as Bristol and Blountville, TN. She is a wife of six months to Russell Peters, and mother to two lovable cats, Mel and Reid. ======== Love the newsletter? Make a PayPal donation to its upkeep: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=rachel%40lisjobs.com ======== Lights, Camera, Action! Melody Allison Everyone loves a good conference program, a chance to get out and learn about new things, network, and have fun. But what goes on "behind the scenes," as the conference planning committee plots to create a good program experience? Steps To a Successful Program 1. Create a working group. It is always nice to have people with experience on board. However, group members with no program planning experience -- but lots of enthusiasm and creativity -- can utilize their previous positive and negative audience experiences to enhance the program. The group coordinates group activities, making everyone's job easier while staying within the allotted budget. 2. Select a topic. A good topic will be of value to the audience and promote the organization. Consider the organization's mission, values, and scope and make sure that the topic matches. What is happening currently which would provide a meaningful experience for the audience? Pick a title that will stick in people's minds. 3. Line up your speaker(s). Determine who your speaker(s) will be. Will an honorarium and/or reimbursement of transportation, housing, or other items be required? What kind of arrangements does the speaker require or prefer? If the program plan includes audiotaping or videotaping, each participant must agree and read, understand, and sign the appropriate release/permission form(s). 4. Settle on the program location. A good program can leave a negative impression if the audience was uncomfortable, couldn't hear the speaker, or was distracted by noise, heat, interruptions, and so on. See what the conference provides for free and what it provides for a fee (e.g.: water, pencils/pens, paper, tables, equipment, signage, etc.). Get this in writing. Is the location accessible to people with disabilities? A number of logistical decisions need to be made, such as room and equipment setup. It is highly advisable to have microphones available. There is nothing more frustrating to audience members than to be really interested in a program topic that they can't hear. 5. Determine the program format. Having a clear agenda keeps everyone on track. A typical outline includes five segments: Welcome, Announcements, Introduction of Speaker(s), Questions & Answers (Q&A), and Closing Remarks. The working group will need to decide what announcements and closing remarks are appropriate. Each speaker needs to provide background information on his or her professional background and topic, which can also be used in advertising. Having both index cards and floor microphone for the Q&A session can make participation available to more people. 6. Provide helpful handouts. Agendas should include all pertinent program information, including complete program title, location, date, organization name and contact, and brief speaker and working group details, along with the agenda. Speaker handouts with bibliographies can provide information so that the attendee can focus more on the speaker and less on taking notes. Handouts are intellectual property and must be accorded the protections of any copyrighted material. A program evaluation will be very helpful to get a pulse on program attributes, to get new ideas for topics, and to disseminate recruitment contacts for your organization. A rule of thumb -- if you want the handouts to get to the program, have the person who prints them bring them. Just in case "something happens," be sure to have sample ones that can be printed or copied in an emergency. Keep copies of all handouts for archival purposes. 7. Advertise the program. Effective advertising can be done at little or no cost. Having an accessible web page is a must. Getting the web page done early in the process will allow the URL to be included with all your PR materials and communications. Keep in mind copyright and privacy issues; always get written permission using appropriate release forms before posting others' materials. Professional newspapers, newsletters, discussion lists, and activities are effective ways to get the word out. For some programs, free community service TV and radio advertisements might be useful. Be sure to include contact information for accommodations requests from audience members with disabilities in all PR. 8. Coordinate the big day. Moderator details: Before the program, the moderator makes plans for how the agenda will flow. There are some individuals who are never at a loss of words; all they may need is minor prompting. But there is no shame in creating a script, either to use or to have as a prompt. Environmental details: It is essential that the working group members get to the site at least an hour early to allow time for any unforeseen circumstances. Getting there early will give you a little time to correct adverse situations. The working group needs to make sure there is signage identifying the program, and organize the handout distribution, collection of evaluations, etc. Housekeeping details: After the program, there will be various activities to tie up the event. This may include tabulating evaluation forms and summarizing, reports, reimbursements, and PR to describe the event. It is always gracious to give everyone involved a personal thank you letter. Providing the program evaluation summary to the speaker(s) is a nice touch so they know how the audience responded. It is also gracious, in cases where no honorarium has been paid, to provide a gift as token of the experience. Successful program planning boils down to three things. Remember your own experiences as an audience member, do the things that made it a good experience for you, and avoid the things that made for bad past experiences. The goal is to do everything that can be done to put the speakers, and your organization, in the best possible light. The tips in this article can help you set the stage for a successful program. Now, go turn on the "Lights, Camera, Action!" Melody Allison graduated with a MS in Library and Information Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) in 1998. She has just taken a position as Assistant Librarian and Assistant Professor of Library Administration in the Biology Library at UIUC, after 3.10 years as Information Services Librarian at Indiana State University in Terre Haute, IN. She is active in the ALA New Members Round Table (NMRT) and is currently the Conference Coordinator/Chair of Conference Coordinating Taskforce for the Midwinter and Annual Meetings 2003. ======== *** Take a few moments to answer the library publishing survey: http://www.lisjobs.com/pub4libsurvey.htm ======== Keeping In Touch To Keep Up By Janet Clapp (clapp@charter.net) I used to pile up my library publications unread, speedily skim e- mail lists, and hurry in and out of conferences without speaking to a soul. For questions and discussions on library issues, I turned to staff members at my own library. Further professional communication took second place to answering reference questions, calculating statistics, and maintaining collections. Now that I am a stay-at-home mother living far away from my former colleagues, however, I have a greater appreciation for the importance of professional communication. As a librarian without a library, I keep in touch to keep up with the library world. There are numerous ways to communicate, which can be divided into informal and formal communication. Informal communication is what we do at work when we chat in the staff room. It includes e-mail discussion lists, personnel meetings, and notes to a former boss or colleague. Essentially, it is reaching out to other members of our profession. Talking and listening to people who share the same interests can inspire, help, and even reveal a previously hidden perspective. Using formal communication, we learn how things are done, or could be done, from a more objective standpoint. This includes journals, newsletters, workshops, and conference presentations. Informal Communication: Chit Chat And Things Like That Electronic communication such as e-mail discussion groups, online forums, or newsgroups has the advantage of widening our circle of colleagues beyond our geographic location. I have always subscribed to a variety of e-mail lists, depending on my job description. When I worked in a library, I'd skip the messages for days because I was busy doing the myriad daily tasks we all face. When my mailbox filled up I'd skim the batch for topics related to my job. But now that I'm a librarian without a library, I look forward to all my messages because they relate to my profession. I hear about new ideas, innovations, and technologies. Despite the ease of electronic communication, we should not overlook the centuries-old habit of written greetings. Have you ever sent or received a birthday card from a colleague? Personal notes or e-mails to someone you have worked for or worked with are a nice way to keep in touch with someone who has helped you in the past and may help you again in the future. It doesn't require meeting someone new, it just means remembering someone you know. Speaking of new people, let's talk about networking. I've been to many conferences, classes, meetings, and workshops over the years, and I never spoke to anyone. I admit it; I'm a shy librarian. After a full year at home with my children, I was desperate to talk to adults who shared my passion for libraries. All I wanted for my birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day, any gift-giving holiday, was to go to ALA for the first time. I expected to learn from the formal presentations, but didn't expect to talk much with the other attendees. (Talk to strangers? You're kidding!) I've learned my lesson. Talking with others who had been to the same presentations reinforced what I learned. Sharing tips with people who attended different workshops expanded my knowledge. Furthermore, the people I met became another route to follow on the job-hunting path. Best of all, I enjoyed meeting other librarians. State, regional, and national associations are excellent places to start networking. They may offer e-mail discussion lists, enabling librarians in similar situations, whether by geography or by library type, to communicate with each other. Volunteering for a committee connects a smaller group of librarians with a single aim. Formal Communication: What the Experts Say The main point of a conference, for me, has always been the presentations. Like newsletters, journals, web sites, and classes, presentations provide a more formal avenue of communication. Useful presentations or classes may include a written handout to carry home and refer to as needed. My professional journals may pile up until the stack topples, but finding one in my mailbox is also a tangible reminder that I belong to the library world. I usually find at least one article to tear out and file for later reference. Again, professional associations are among the best sources for journals, newsletters, and official web sites that keep you apprised of events and information. What's newer than web sites? The blog, or weblog, is an individual's journal of web sites and comments. It gives you professional news with a personal touch, neatly combining formal and informal methods of communication. Reach Out and Touch Someone A one-sided conversation is a monologue. Listen and read, but also speak and write. Each of us has a unique contribution to make to our field. De-lurk from the e-mail list if you have something to say. Publish a paper. Make a presentation. As my children learned how to tune me out, I yearned to speak to someone whose response would not be "NO!" More importantly, I discovered I have something to say. So do you. There's nothing like being alone to make you realize how much you value other people. My only tie to the profession —- other than as the annoying patron whose children throw tantrums in the library -— is professional communication. As a result, I value it more highly than I did before. By talking and listening to others, we expand our vision, share our thoughts, and understand ourselves better. By reading the literature, whether in a journal or on a web site, we learn the new or how to better accomplish the old. Communication inspires, educates, and connects us all. It prevents us from being too caught up in the daily dramas of our own library. For those of us temporarily without a library, communication may be our only way to keep up our knowledge of the library world. Keeping in touch helps us all remember why we do what we do. Janet Clapp is a stay-at-home mother and librarian who goes to the library almost daily and communicates to remain active in her chosen profession. She has worked as a reference librarian in public libraries. ======== *** Advice, articles, and salary information for librarians: http://www.lisjobs.com/advice.htm ======== Then I Saw the Web -- Now I'm a Believer Robert P. Holley (aa3805@wayne.edu) The Internet was the key to improving the results of my latest research. I was surprised at how much my paper benefited both from increased electronic access to traditional bibliographic resources and from the additional materials available only on the web, and came away from the experience as an enthusiastic supporter of the Internet as a research tool. I could not have written as good a paper with only traditional print access. The Project My topic was cooperative collection development. I had agreed in early April 2001 to prepare an article on this topic for the new edition of the Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science to be published by Marcel Dekker in 2002. I was expected to cover the topic comprehensively and to submit an article of 3,000-7,000 words with a full range of bibliographic references so that readers could check the original sources. The difficulty of this topic is its open-ended nature. While I would include sections on the philosophy of cooperative collection development, I also knew that I needed to identify various initiatives to trace the history of cooperative collection development and to provide specific examples for my general points. I knew that I faced a difficult task because I had written an article on cooperative cataloging outside North America in 1993 where I encountered the same research problem of identifying specific examples. While I discovered the existence of many cooperative cataloging networks in print literature, I suspected that I was missing important examples. This turned out to be true, because shortly after publication one of my international students told me about the SABINET network in South Africa that I had completely overlooked. In addition, I depended too much on one single source that listed bibliographic networks in Europe and their support for cooperative cataloging. General Internet Search I realized that I should search the Internet as part of the research process in parallel with my examination of print sources. I used the Google search engine to search the exact phrase, "cooperative collection development." I had over 2,700 hits. Over the next few days, after having bookmarked my search results, I started systematically searching these entries. I discovered much additional information that was not easily available in print resources. For example, I found several examples of cooperative collection development in school library media centers -- in contrast with a complete absence of specific cases in the print literature. The same was true for health science and law libraries. I also found many references to planned cooperative collection development activities or philosophical support for the concept. I bookmarked or printed these pages for further investigation, but confess that I quit reviewing the results at about 300. The target pages were becoming repetitious and I felt that I had reached my goal of learning what I could from a generalized search. In addition, I did not intend to include a comprehensive list of all cooperative collection agreements in my paper. Focused Internet Searches I used focused Internet searches to zero in on specific areas originally discovered in print or to investigate additional areas where I felt the general Internet search was not adequate. In the first case, I found the Internet particularly useful in updating facts on specific cooperative collection agreements. The most stunning example occurred with the Sondersammelgebiete Agreement, a German initiative. I found a description of the Sondersammelgebiete Agreement as a model for the Scandia Agreement, a Scandinavian cooperative plan that was the subject of a book based upon the author's dissertation. But the information in this source stopped in the 1950's. Much to my surprise, a focused Internet search revealed that the Sondersammelgebiete Agreement was still going strong and was an important factor in the current Association of Research Libraries project to increase access to German scholarly resources. I admit that I benefited from the fact that several German institutions included English translations of their web sites, but I could have asked for an automatic translation of the original sites in German. Thus, the most successful and oldest continuing cooperative collection development initiative in the world was almost invisible in the North American cooperative collection development print resources. I had similar success for other projects where I was able to find much more current information. On the other hand, some projects had disappeared, because the sponsoring bodies' Web sites made no mention of current activities in support of cooperative collection development. I also attempted to verify the subsequent history of proposed projects or strong statements of support. I often came away morally certain that the proposals had never materialized and that the philosophical support had not led to action. I also used focused searches to zero in on specific areas. My favorite search engine for this task was AltaVista, for its ability to formulate complex Boolean searches. For example, I wished to verify one of my surprising conclusions that public libraries had almost no interest in cooperative collection development. A focused search brought up a few minor examples in rural areas, but I confirmed to my satisfaction that cooperative collection development is not a high priority for public libraries. Even when I had a fair amount of information from my general search, I did the same for other types of libraries to test my conclusions. How We Did It Not So Good Many others have commented that the print literature emphasizes plans and successes while minimizing failure. Authors prefer recounting successes rather than failures, although the lessons from a failed project can often be a great value for those considering a similar solution. In my research, I did find one example in the print literature where the authors admitted that the cooperative collection development project did not achieve its objectives. The documents from the web, however, were much more candid. I discovered that the web includes many internal reports, draft documents, and archived e-mail messages where librarians describe in detail what went wrong, why it happened, and who was responsible. I worry that some of these authors will not be pleased that my references point to their documents, but I consider availability on the Internet as a form of publishing suitable for scholarly citing. I also wonder if organizations of all types will begin to take greater care in what they allow on the web, if this information is contrary to the official public relations stance. Surprising Resources and Increased Indexing Depth I often found key information about cooperative collection development initiatives in documents on completely different subjects. For example, the best history of the shared purchasing project in University of California System appeared in a report on collecting Women's Studies resources in the UC System. Though references to this initiative appeared in print resources, they were out of date and did not give the critical perspective that I found almost as an aside in this report. Similar information may have appeared in print buried somewhere in the texts where cooperative collection development was not the principal topic, but I do not know how I would have found it through the traditional indexing, abstracting, and cataloging sources. The web, as indexed through the search engines, may finally make available some of the information included in annual reports, committee documents, and similar reports, at least for search terms that provide a reasonable number of responses. Dynamic Information Finally, I hope that my article on cooperative collection development will become dated more slowly because of the dynamic links to the Web. For example, if the Center for Research Libraries updates its membership list under the same URL, the reader should be able to click on the reference to see if the membership has changed. I realize that the opposite may also be true and that some of my links may disappear as documents are removed from the web while the print documents that I cite will not disappear or change. I'm A Believer While I started with established print materials, web research helped me pry open the hidden world of non-traditional resources. Internal documents and other types of grey literature provided information about projects, often in small libraries, that have never appeared in print. I also learned about failed projects. Through focused searches, I was often able to update my knowledge about cooperative agreements whose last print references appeared 10-15 years ago. In many ways, I felt that I was doing archival research without having to visit the archives. I also did not worry about the authenticity or veracity of the web resources that I found because I was researching a neutral, factual topic where point of view and opinion did not play an important role. If I were writing an article on a controversial topic such as library outsourcing, I would have paid more attention to fact checking and to discovering the potential biases of the documents' authors. I will conclude by stating that I am not suggesting that researchers abandon print sources. I started with Library Literature and WorldCat. The web, however, deepened and updated what I found in published materials and answered questions that would have remained unresolved by what I found in print. Bob is currently a professor of Library & Information Science at Wayne State University where he has also been Associate Dean and Interim Dean of Libraries and Director of the Library and Information Science Program. He has a broad range of interests including bibliographic control, collection development, international librarianship, and the lessons from e-commerce for libraries. ======== *** Your ad here: http://www.lisjobs.com/ratecard.htm#newsletter ======== What's Online? Recommended Resources "Who's Going To Preserve E-Zine Content?" by Marylaine Block http://libraryjournal.reviewsnews.com/index.asp?layout=article&artic leid=CA237597 The argument for archiving and indexing electronic newsletters (such as this one!) alongside the print library literature. "Writing For the Web: A Primer For Librarians" by Eric H. Schnell http://bones.med.ohio-state.edu/eric/papers/primer/intro.html Creating and providing access to web documents, from the library perspective. "A Checklist of Considerations for Writing a Book Proposal: Meeting Tenure Criteria" by Paul G Haschak http://southernlibrarianship.icaap.org/content/v01n01/haschak_p01.ht ml Although particularly aimed at academic librarians, this list is useful for any librarian writing a book proposal. "Professional Communication Through Journal Articles" by Maxine K. Rochester http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla61/61-rocm.htm A 1995 review of the currently-available studies on journal articles in the library literature. ======== Develop your own career with The Information Professional's Guide To Career Development Online: http://www.lisjobs.com/careerdev/ ======== But I Want To Hold It In My Hand! Print Resources Henson, Kenneth T. Writing For Professional Publication: Keys To Academic and Business Success. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon, 1999. ISBN 0-205-28313-6. $24.95. Purchase from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0205283136/librarisjobsearc/ As the title is aimed specifically at college professors, its suggestions will be most applicable to academic librarians who are interested in expanding their professional writing careers. There is something here, however, for every librarian/author. Henson covers the writing process itself, from finding topics to getting started to effective organization, as well as specifics about writing for journals, negotiating book contracts, and creating grant proposals. Examples, exercises, and extensive appendixes help clarify his points, as do answers to frequently asked questions and explanations of common errors. This clear and accessible book helps boost the confidence of would-be professional writers, and its focus makes it more applicable to information professionals than more general books on the subject. Highly recommended. ======== Info Career Trends is copyright Lisjobs.com and Rachel Singer Gordon. Permission is granted to forward this newsletter in its entirety as long as the contents remain unchanged and this copyright message is included. For permission to reprint articles in this newsletter, contact the individual authors. If no author is listed, contact editor@lisjobs.com. If you find this newsletter useful, please consider becoming a voluntary subscriber for $10/year. Payment is accepted via PayPal: https://www.paypal.com/xclick/business=rachel%40lisjobs.com Or, send a check or money order made out to Rachel Gordon to: PO Box 6931, Villa Park, IL 60181. To subscribe to Info Career Trends, send an e-mail message to imailsrv@lisjobs.com. In the body of the message, type "subscribe infocareertrends [your name]" To unsubscribe from Info Career Trends, send an e-mail message to imailsrv@lisjobs.com. 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