Inspired, excited, exhausted.

I've just reviewed my notes from today's sessions - what a fantastic first day.

After the official opening ceremony Josephine Bryant, City Librarian from the Toronto Public Library, gave a thrilling talk on the amalgamation process that took seven seperate public library systems and created a super library system of 99 branches for the people of Toronto. An inspiring presentation with plenty of ideas we could apply here in our public libraries. I love the idea of the Booklovers Ball.

After a magnificent morning tea in the trade hall I attended stream two of the concurrent sessions which included:
Not the "R" word! presented by Kathryn Pearson and Meredith Martinelli - an interesting presentation on the organisational restructure at Macquarie University Library.
Then Robyn Benjamin talked about the restructure of the Technical Services Department at the University of Western Sydney (UWS).
Leanne Levinge and Karen Tang gave a great presentation about Quality Assurance QA and leadership to finish of this concurrent session.

Lunch was delicious! I sat with a Victorian visitor whilst I ate and discussed some of the "must see" sightseeing in Perth.
I also had a good chance to have a look around the trade exhibit. I have some great stash - my family were mightily impressed with the flashing dice from Thompson Gale.

Grant Stone gave a great wake up session on Laughter Yoga ("ho, ho ha, ha, ha!") and the image of librarians in movies and TV. Then Dr Dawn Casey gave a facinating insight into the world behind the scenes at the museum. I don't know why it never occured to me that have museums deal with controversy as libraries do. Her tips on dealing with contoversy were very well observed.
Before we stopped for Afternoon tea, Dr Casey launched the National and State Libraries Australian Indigenous Policy.

I then attended the first stream of the afternoon concurrent sessions which included: Librarians as learning advocates presented by Chris Kelly from Hume Global Learning Village; a fantastic partnership of learning providers, librarians and government to provide education services for the residents of the City of Hume.
Helen Partridge presented an interesting paper on the "digital divide", Understanding digital inequality in the smart city: a psychological model. Helen's challenge to the group, are we designing our digital services so that we are encouraging use, certainly gave me something to consider when I return to my regular job.
Unfortunately I have a bit of a cold and was unable to stay for the last session From stand alone to SWIFT, which I am sure would have been very interesting. And worst of all, leaving early meant I missed happy hour!
It was great to catch up with some old friends and collegues during the day's breaks. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.

Cathy Kelso
City of Nedlands Library Service, Western Australia.

My week in Perth … so far!

Coming from the other end of this wonderful country, I’ve been one of the early risers everyday this week! I arrived late on Sunday night, only to wake on Monday at 5 am!

My fellow Tasmanian colleague and I took an early morning stroll around the city on the way to our respective workshops.

I spent an interesting day at the ACOC workshop, where we looked at the future directions OPACs are taking, managing that change and learnt about some new expressions for me – RDA and FRBRisation!

Tuesday morning I had been nominated to attend the NCIP workshop. I thought a lot of it would go over my head, but John Bodfish did a good job of demystifying the jargon. The NISO Circulation Interchange Protocol will be a great tool for the automation of many routine tasks, although implementation still sounds challenging.

I am staying in Mounts Bay Road, so after lunch did the obligatory trip up Jacob’s Ladder and long walk around King’s Park and the Botanic Gardens. It certainly is a beautiful place!

I then visited the National Native Title Tribunal for a tour of their library and a talk by Rod Stroud from AIATSIS.

Tuesday night was enjoyable. First the Welcome reception – catching up with people I knew and meeting others. Then I went to the AGIA dinner with a bunch of BHP Billiton librarians and met the inimitable Dr Click (but I didn’t know that then!).

Another early morning on Wednesday! First I caught a bit of the Steve Irwin memorial before going to the Virgin’s breakfast, where I met lots more interesting people!

I loved the Welcome to Country from Mort Hanson, especially poignant given yesterday’s Federal Court decision to grant native title over Perth to the Nyoongar people.

I won’t go into detail of all the keynote and other papers presented today, but just comment it was a busy and stimulating day.

See you tomorrow!
Sandy

1001 Australian Nights

I am very excited to be attending the ALIA Library Click 06 Conference in Perth. I once worked in Perth as a Youth Services Librarian and in this role established a new career and enjoyed myself enormously. As part of the Wednesday program of the Conference I was fortunate enough to listen to Andy Wright's presentation "1001 Australian nights: the importance of librarians telling their own story".

The story began with his grandmother - a wrinkly who was a wrinkly and could read. I smiled immediately, the fondest memories I have of beginning reading are sitting on my grandmother's lap and listening intently to her stories, ones she would read and ones she would talk to me gently and slowly about. Just lovely.

Andy then lead the story gently towards libraries and his first visit to a new local library. Certainly a memorable visit. Any my own visits to Libraries are part of my memories growing up, growing in knowledge and loving life. As a Youth Services Librarian I realised as I was listening that sharing my love for children's literature, especially reading aloud to children as part of story telling was not only a favourite part of my work but also an act which fostered this love in others around me.

A random act of kindness, which sometimes I think is not significant, is really what I believe and hope makes a difference to the people I work and interact with in the context of Libraries and life. It is for me as a Librarian now working in a different state, with adults in an academic / government environment is very different but still provides an opportunity to influence the way in which people utilise the Library. Collecting that very large pile of books on the essay question due the very next day for a panic stricken student is always rewarding. Searching the database for that unique piece of information that will make research stand out, and even finding the right book on the shelf at the right time is rewarding. Knowing my collection, waltzing through the Library shelves sharing the collection hot spots with an eager reader are acts that delight me and hopefully make a difference to the poeple with whom I work. This for me is a small way in which I can influence the way in which people learn and enjoy libraries.

The walls of my Library do not contain me. In fact, when I first began in this very different workplace, I thought the Library to be far too quiet. So telling and listening outside the walls of my Library became part of my everyday. As Andy encouraged all Librarian to do, I began connecting with diverse people. I indulged in the art of conversation. I joined colleagues at morning tea and developed an understanding of what they do in the context of their individual work areas. I attended lectures from students who have researched their information in the Library and I listen avidly to guest presenters visiting from interstate and overseas. I take a risk and share my personality, I share my ideas and I listen to others. This I have found to be an instrinsic part of my role.

Interestingly, Andy mentioned the way in which people just don't do what you tell them. However it constantly surprises me after holding a Library Orienation, something I love to do, that people have listened. They have used the prompts provideed and spread their wings and utilised available resources they may not have noticed before. Often the Library is revisted and more questions asked and of course, the support in reaching information literacy independence is always available.

So as stories are a springboard, I am inspired to blog, to share my story. And feel heartfelt that stories help balance life. Andy concluded by saying Librarianship is a noble profession in which you can change lives. Be proud. Librarianship has certainly changed my life. I am content, I enjoy my work and realise the opportunity I have to make a difference to others, even if in a small way is significant.

A view from the Exhibition

This is probably my 25th library conference of one kind or another, but it's the first time I haven't attended as a delegate. This time I'm with the trade exhibitors, working on the ALIA stand. It's more different than I could have imagined. First of all - my feet hurt from standing, secondly - my face hurts from smiling!
The actual conference is happening somewhere off stage and we're aware of it only from the ebbs and flows of delegates. When the sessions finish, we're swamped and when they resume, we're abandoned.
Part of my job on the ALIA stand is to offer copyright advice, but so far no one has asked me - they are either all very copyright aware or they don't know I'm here - must try to market myself somehow. As I visit the other trade stands and introduce myself, I do get some interest, particularly from the publishers, so I don't think my time is wasted.
More later...

Moyra
ALIA Copyright Adviser

First-timer's breakfast

The First-timer's breakfast was held on the Wednesday morning at the conference venue and it was an excellent opportunity network and meet colleagues and make new friends.

The breakfast was sponsored by the State Library of New South Wales who gave away a number of fantastic door prizes including a print and some bottles of West Australian wines.

Photos of breakfast attendees below:

Day 1 from a new grad

Dear reader, allow me to introduce myself. I am Clare from Sydney - about to graduate BA (LIS) from CSU (well, next year sometime anyway), and information officer/research assistant/knowledge manager/general dogsbody for a small consulting firm (www.rareconsulting.com.au) specialising in greenhouse and alternative fuels strategy. Welcome to my view of Click06.

I have to confess it didn't start all that well - I missed the First Timers brekkie this morning - I was too busy having a public transport adventure in the surburbs coming back from the gym (it's a long story - some other time OK?). Having already slept through the opportunity to register the night before (the time difference got me) - I arrived at the Perth Centre with minutes to spare before the 9am start. The main result of this was that I didn't get a trendy orange Click06 bag - I got a plain black leftover one......

Anyway - onwards and upwards. The welcome to country was both sincere and entertaining - our kangaroo skin clad host sang and played the didgeridoo - clear crowd favourite.

We heard from Josephine Bryant in the keynote address about the Toronto library experience of bringing together 99 branches from 7 public library services into the one organisation. In case you think that was a misprint dear reader I'll point out again that it was 99 branches - mind blowing isn't it? Josephine's story was inspirational if you have ever contemplated a change in your organisation. The highlight of my afternoon was meeting her and continuing the conversation in a one on one at lunch time - I feel almost famous now....

The concurrent sessions present the usual challenge of people coming and going - leaving this room to sprint around this very large venue to get to the next room, all the while trying not to give the presenters the impression that you have other things on your mind than their paper.

In taking on this blog project dear reader, it is not my intention to give a blow by blow description of the papers, presenters etc - you can get that from the ALIA website - I'm more into describing the atmosphere, the impressions gained and of course the food (more on that later).

If you've stayed with me this far - thank you.

Clare

Thursday at the National Library Stand

click06 conference blog

10.30 am Explore Libraries Australia
1pm Find out about personalising your Libraries Australia Account
3.30pm Explore Music Australia

Wednesday at National Library Stand

10.30am Explore Libraries Australia
1pm Wireless Networking at the National Library
3.30pm Explore PictureAustralia