It is necessary to prepare responsibly for conferences and to involve all efforts in the explanations of various phenomena! Use essay experts and other professionals who will be diligent in giving you advice and guidance.
Tegan and Dustin are joined by a fabulous group of librarians to talk about their experiences at ALA Annual Conference 2014 in Las Vegas Nevada. We are joined by Peter Bromberg, Trish Hull, Emily Bullough, Jessica Liening, Amanda Clay Powers, and Creative Libraries Utah’s own Kristen Stehel. It is hot and sweaty and everyone seems to be having a good time.
Tegan and Dustin are joined by Jasmina Jusic, award-winning Park City Librarian. Jasmina’s research article, Entrepreneurial Leadership in Public Libraries, has won PLA’s 2014 award for best article. Jasmina is currently finishing her doctorate at Simmons College in Managerial Leadership in the Information Professions and has some great thoughts on the future of libraries.
Resources we discuss:
Entrepreneurial Leadership in Public Libraries
Dustin visits with Pamela Martin, Utah Library Association President and Reference and Instruction Librarian at Utah State University. They discuss Pam’s theme for ULA, At the Creative Crossroads, and some other theme ideas that she considered such as Let’s all get Uncomfortable Together. Pam’s enthusiasm and good nature bring excitement to the podcast, her library, and the Utah Library Association.
Resources we discuss:
There’s nothing like a good Iggy and the Stooges reference to get you pumped about geographic information systems (or GIS) in libraries. According to the clever folks at Wikipedia, GIS “is a computer system designed to capture, store, manipulate, analyze, manage, and present all types of geographical data.” Intimidating, right? Not so, says Anne Morrow, the Digital Initiatives Librarian at the Marriott Library; instead, she describes it as “easy.”
Anne partners with Justin Sorensen, a GIS Specialist, to develop projects like the Historical GIS of Salt Lake City, which takes diverse sources of data, such as base maps, photographs, census data, chemical data, and survey data about surface water in the Salt Lake Valley and inserts that information into Google Earth in order to allow users to explore and evaluate (among other things) the historical, environmental, and health impacts of, say, chemical exposure to specific locations around SLC.
Homeowners, according to the group’s Salt Lake City Geoportal site, “can also view demographics for their neighborhood to learn more about the history of the community they live in. For some homeowners, there will be much interest in examining EPA graphics for chemical contamination. Learning the nature and proximity of the chemical contamination, what it means to them and their community.” And that’s just one of the many potential uses for these data sets and primary source materials in a GIS environment.
Justin is also in the process of developing an interactive 3D reconstruction of Salt Lake City, referring to a collection of 1950s Sanborn Fire Insurance maps for information on building names, addresses, composition, and height.
The good news, you guys, is that this is only a tiny preview. You can expect to hear more about these and other GIS projects that are in the works at the Marriott Library in the very near future. Keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming interview with Anne for the Evil Librarians Podcast. Not only will she reassure you about the ease of use of GIS technologies, she’ll also tell you some great stories. Because, really, that’s what GIS is all about–taking data and turning it into narrative.
Don’t forget about the grown ups this summer; they need programming too. Public and academic libraries alike can build and strengthen their communities with programming that promotes science and literacy. We are surrounded by lifelong learners just waiting for opportunities. In addition, if children see their parents building rockets at the library, listening to local experts, or building new Apps, how much more likely are they to get involved and become lifelong learners themselves.
Dustin visits with Peter Bromberg today, Associate Director of Salt Lake County Library Services and all-around sage librarian. They discuss the transition from a small to large library, from New Jersey to Utah, and what Peter loved about New Jersey libraries and what has him so excited about Salt Lake County libraries.
We will be releasing a new podcast every Thursday.
Resources we discuss:
Tegan and Dustin discuss the USA Freedom Act, the response of the American Library Association, and what we all should know and considering doing about it.
We will be releasing a new podcast every Thursday.
Resources we discuss:
The Park City Library’s After School Club created a Summer Reading Teaser Trailer for 2014’s program using stop animation techniques and the Park City Library’s YouCreate Lab’s equipment.
