Blogging Librarian » librarians

Video and Some Quick Links - 17 July 2010

Isaak Kwok — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 01:42:49 +0000

A funny yet effective, IMHO, promotional video done for the Brigham Young University’s Harold B. Lee Library along the lines of the current viral video all over the web of the new Old Spice advertisements running on US televisions.

Libraries focus on convenience with mall locations
Singapore has had libraries in malls for quite a number of years already with the first one opened back in 1999. I personally worked in 2 mall libraries during my 8 years working in the public libraries in Singapore. And I do think mall libraries allow for mall shoppers to just stroll through the library after they are done with their shopping.
Libraries embrace new technology
What a wonderful way to make use of technology in the form of Skype to get an author to ‘sit in’ on your book club even though they might be in a different country. Besides Skype, the article also talks about other technologies that are used in libraries such as gaming such as the Microsoft XBox, Nintendo Wii and Sony Playstation 3 as well as e-readers such as the Kindle and iPad.
Kids find summertime haven in libraries, parents find day care
I guess this is a normal occurrence in all public libraries all over the world, particularly during school holidays. I guess it is only a summertime haven if the libraries not that busy and the librarians and library staff can help look out for the kids. However, in busier libraries, I think it will pose security problems as the library staff will not be able to keep tabs on all the children all the time. How do your libraries help in this area?
Using Library Experts Wisely
I wish all teachers work with library staff this way to enhance the learning of their students. Enuff said!
Library supporters question Pacers deal
Sad to read about a city’s decision to not support funding for libraries and yet spend nearly 5 times more to prop up a NBA team.

Video: Staffing the Library of the Future in Plain English

Isaak Kwok — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 12:39:22 +0000

The video is done by the library at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and it is follows the style developed by the Common Craft.

Video: Librarians Do Gaga

Isaak Kwok — Sat, 29 May 2010 23:28:40 +0000

Librarians Do Gaga

Managers and Complaints

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 02:44:41 +0000

(via Unshelved)

Today’s (yesterday’s if you are in Asia or Australia) Unshelved comic strips talks about the manager trying to avoid meeting a patron because the patron was trying to make a complaint to her.

I’ve got similar ‘adventures’ when I was a librarian. It was definitely not fun, particularly when the patron is fuming about something and just want someone to vent their anger at. But I guess I used something similar as in the comic strip to help defuse the situation. Of course, this doesn’t work all the time and things do get ugly when the patron just starts shouting in the library.

Have you encountered any ‘nasty’ customers in the course of your work in the library? If you have, please feel free to share them in the comments.

Quick Links - Video Promotion of New York Public Library and Others - 04 January 2009

Isaak Kwok — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 03:48:59 +0000

Some quick links:

A fantastic video promotion of the New York Public Library.

{via The ‘M’ World - Marketing Libraries}
Brilliantly Bookish: 15 Dazzling Library Designs
A wonderful list of 15 wonderful looking designs of library buildings around the world. Some are still in the design stage while others are already operating. Unfortunately, the NLB Building is not featured in the list. I particularly like the designs for Ballard Library, Philadelphia’s Parkway Central Library, and London’s Peckham Library. Go have a look and see which are your favourites.
{via LISNews}
Luckenwalde Public Library, Germany
The library is housed in a former train station and looks really beautiful. And the interior looks even nicer with the specially designed furniture.
{via walking paper}
Eat a scorpion? Anything to motivate teens to read
This is a really bizarre news article where the teen services librarian ate a scorpion pop as a challenge for the teens to post a certain number of comments about the books they have read. So, any other teen librarians interested?
{via LISNews}

Christmas Party Performance by the National Library of Australia

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 15:41:09 +0000

Merry Christmas to all the readers of Blogging Librarian!

Sorry that the blog hasn’t been updated for quite some time … nearly 2 whole months. Have been a little busy with moving the whole family to Adelaide, Australia. Have settled in a little and will definitely continue blogging about libraries, librarians and the wonderful stuff happening in libraries all around the world.

And before I resume my blogging, here’s a video of a wonderful performance by the staff at the National Library of Australia during their Christmas Party of Michael Jackson’s Thriller.

Enjoy!

(via librarian.net)

[UPDATE: Found on Librarians Matter that there are many more “Thriller” mashups by libraries and librarians.]

Electronic Arts’ Cellphone Librarian

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:15:18 +0000

Meet EA’s cellphone librarian, Jackie Lin. The librarian keeps track of up to 15,000 different cellphones that aids EA develop and test new mobile games. In addition, he has to take care of all the chargers for the different cellphones. And he gets to see the latest cellphones before they are even available in the market.It is definitely a job I wouldn’t mind applying for.

(via LISNews)

The Future of Librarianship

Isaak Kwok — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:00:54 +0000

A tongue-in-cheek picture of what the Future of Librarianship holds from the Speak Quietly blog by Scott Douglas.

(via LISNews)

Quick Links - Things Found in Books and Other Stories - 22 July 2008

Isaak Kwok — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 09:10:09 +0000

- Found in Books
I’ve found money, bank passbook, a cash cheque, wedding photo, and other sentimental stuff in the books that are returned to us. The people most likely used those items as a bookmark, but forgot about removing it before returning the books. But I guess the one that beat all that in the article was the strip of bacon that was used as a bookmark. Quite an interesting read to see what some people keep in their books or use as bookmarks.
(via LISNews)

- Portraits of Librarians
A Flickr set of portraits of people attending various library conferences by Cindi Trainor.

- Reading Circle Books
I sorta of stumbled onto this site. Reading Circle Books is “a place for people who like to read & learn together with fellow-readers of all ages. Readers may often read in solitude, but ideas and expressions, like books and people, are formed in relationship and live by interaction.” Definitely a blog to take note of.

Books, Libraries and Librarians

Isaak Kwok — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 23:19:32 +0000

Robert Darnton recently wrote in the New York Review of Books (12 June issue) about “The Library in the New Age”. It is definitely a very intriguing read. In the first chapter, he asked the question of “what will become of research libraries in the face of the technological marvels such as Google?”

Talking about libraries, for those who have yet to watch the Sex & The City - The Movie, the New York Public Library was featured quite prominently in the movie as Carrie Bradshaw borrowed a romantic poetry book as well as the wedding venue of Carrie and Mr Big. Unfortunately, the marriage didn’t happen because Mr Big got cold feet on the morning of the wedding. I’m sure it raised the profile of the New York Public Library a little. Hmmm … I didn’t remember seeing any librarians though.

And on the topic of librarians, an American writer and professor, Junot Diaz, wrote an opinion piece in the Syndey Morning Herald on 25 May about how a librarian may have played a part in keeping him on the straight and narrow by introducing books for him to read. I think I heard something similar at the recent Library Association of Singapore Conference at the keynote by Mr. Kishore Mahbubani. Junot Diaz won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction for his first novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Call No.: English DIA).

Books … the latest hip, new book is about James Bond, Devil May Care. Written by Sebastian Faulk as Ian Fleming, it is to commemorate the 100th birthday of Ian Fleming, who was born on 28 May 1908. Anyway, the book is not available at MPOW yet. If you are interested in getting the book, MPOW is currently running a “Devil May Care” promotion where you can win yourself a copy of the book. All you have to do is borrow 4 books at any of our public libraries, get a contest form from the counters, answer a very simple question and drop it into the contest box. The contest runs till the end of June. We’ll be awarding one book to a lucky winner at every one of our public libraries.