I enjoyed watching everyone flex their bloggy muscles during June, but maybe we need another exercise to keep up the impetus. I’m being selfish here – I want to read more Australian library blog posts… And maybe some people who did not join in in June could test the waters?

Bobbi Newman from the Librarian by Day blog has been behind the “Day in the Life of A Librarian” project for the last couple of years. Every six months an ever-growing group of librarians is recording what happens during the same week. Here are the instructions from her blog post, Round 5 of Library Day in the Life!.

The only suggestion I would make is that as well as joining the wiki, we could tag all our posts “ozlibdayinthelife5” . UPDATE 26 JULY 2010. The generic tag is “libday5” , so let’s go for “ozlibday5” instead.

So, who’s in?

July 26th 2010 will start Round 5 of Library Day in the Life Project.

What is the Library Day in the Life Project? well it started with this post suggesting that we blog what we do all day at work.  Libraries are changing so rapidly and we all know no ones is reading books, despite what the public may think  The idea being that you’re sharing an average day, so many of us don’t have an average day though so a lot of people did a week, me included. I maybe just do a day this time though, we’ll see.

If you are wondering why you should participate Meredith Farkas offers an excellent explanation of why she did. The Project has turned into a great resource for students, instructors, staff and patrons.

So how you particpate?

• Go to the wiki
• Create a PB Wiki (pbworks?) account (it’s free)!
• Add your name, your job title (so we can see what you do at a glance) and a link to your blog.
• On the 27th start recording your day or week.  It doesn’t have to be a blog post it can be photos, podcasts or videos
• Tag your posts, pictures, videos, podcasts with librarydayinthelife.
• After you’ve finished your first day come go back to the wiki and edit your link to link directly to your tagged blog posts, videos or photos.

Of course read along!

OK so the Twitterverse has been a aflutter at the awesome campaign by @oldspice that has taken the internet by storm over the last few days.

If you were hiding under a rock, for some background reading – and watching – check out here, here, and here. And if you open up the Old Spice Channel on YouTube you may never leave!

While there’s a LOT of fun to be had by checking out the abs – *ahem* I mean brilliant marketing strategy – of the Old Spice Guy, there’s also some real opportunities.

@wawoodworth managed to get so many retweets of their original post that @oldspice gave libraries this shoutout:

I am pretty! How did he know?

And while, sadly, the Old Spice Guy phenomenon of over 200 video message replies to tweets is now over, (excuse me while I cry all over my iPhone), there are already examples of libraries jumping on the boat cart – and how!

So – how do we take advantage of this?

And how do we make sure that when we do, it’s not embarassing and does more damage to our brand than good?

I’m currently Chair of ALIA’s New Generation Advisory Committee (NGAC) and I have some ideas but am interested to hear your thoughts too. And while yes – we are a group to advise the board on issues relation to new generation/graduate involvement in the profession and the organisation -we are also a committee that welcomes ideas from experienced members of the profession.  So if you don’t identify as “new” anymore, but you have ideas on this topic, please don’t hold back!

NGAC is in planning stages for the next year or years of new generation involvement in our profession, so I ask you, interactive librarians: Where to, from here?

Personlly, I’d like to be on that cart.

@naomidoessel
Chair, ALIA New Generation Advisory Committee

Over on the Twittersphere we are discussing have a meeting of twitter library folk just prior to #ALIAAccess / @ALIAAccess.

@flexnib rightly tweets:

#aliaaccess will be one big tweet up

However as the conference dinner is Dine-Around, the conference is multi-streamed and we come from all walks of LibraryLand, we may not all get a chance to meet at the social events organised, so I’m organising a #tweetup.

#ALIAAccess #TweetUp

The Brisbane Twitter User Brigade #BTUB meets monthly at Greystone Bar which is conveniently located at South Bank very close to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

When: Tuesday 31 August

From:  6pm

Where: http://foursquare.com/venue/307181

RSVP: Tweet @naomidoessel to let me know if you’re coming so I can book us an area.

New Grads at the Pub

Additionally after the Welcome Reception 5-6pm on Wednesday 1 September, due to popular demand New Grads at the Pub is back!

Yes, the event made so popular as NLS4 in Melbourne is being revived, with a special after-drinks dinner & drinks (self-funded) at Brisbane’s historic Plough Inn, also at South Bank and only a short walk from the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Not a new grad? No worries! While this event is targeted at those attending the What Next! New Graduates Stream at ALIA Access and is a chance for those in the profession less than ten years to get together and have a relaxed dinner, if you’re laid back and friendly and want to chat to the up-and-comers in LibraryLand then come along!

When: Wednesday 1  September

From:  6.30pm

Where: http://foursquare.com/venue/279834

RSVP: Tweet @naomidoessel or email naomidoessel at gmail dot com so we can book.

Please use the hashtags #ALIAAccess and #tweetup.

Cheers

@naomidoessel

During our recent #blogeverydayofjune challenge, someone lamented on the lack of scholarly Library literature coming out of Australia. Well, here’s our opportunity to change that, by contributing to ALA anthologies on practicing librarians.

We all know that so many Australian libraries and librarians are doing great things in their communities. Every month I get fantastic submissions from new graduates for Energise>Enthuse>Inspire and I read so many more great stories in inCite, so I know that there are practicing librarians out there who are doing wonderful things and who can easily write 3000-5000 words on the great work they do!

This is an AMAZING OPPORTUNITY for publication, and you only have to put in an abstract by 25 July – not a whole chapter – so get your ideas pumping, your colleagues involved, and consider submitting!

Seeking Submissions for Proposed Anthologies from Practicing Librarians

1. Library Collaborations with Writers, Artists, Musicians and Other Creative Community Members

How local writers, artists, musicians and other creative people and libraries help each other and their community. These creative members (who are also voters) appreciate the resources and stimulus libraries provide the creative process and like making their work known. Librarians are asked to share successful activities and collaborations with these patrons.

2. Library Services for Multicultural Patrons to Encourage Library Use
How to make the multi-cultured community members regular library users. A how-to for librarians restricted by time, money, and staffing: creative librarians using various outreach methods to overcome language and cultural barriers to serve all those in their communities and turn them into regular patrons.

3. Publicity Methods to Keep Libraries in the News

An anthology by and for librarians striving to spread the word what their libraries offer, what they do, their service role. Changing economics and life styles presents challenges to librarians often restricted by cutbacks in staff, hours, and money: how creative librarians using many publicity methods to promote their libraries and make them recognized as an essential resource for all ages.

Publisher: Routledge Books

Articles: 3000-5000 words; 1 author or 2, 3 co-authors

Compensation: complimentary copy, discount on more

Librarians outside the U.S. encouraged to contribute

Editor: Carol Smallwood, MLS
Writing and Publishing: The Librarian’s Handbook, American Library Association 2010 http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=2646

Librarians as Community Partners: An Outreach Handbook, American Library Association, 2010 http://www.alastore.ala.org/detail.aspx?ID=2774

Thinking Outside the Book: Essays for Innovative Librarians, McFarland, 2008
http://www.mcfarlandpub.com/book-2.php?id=978-0-7864-3575-3

others by ALA, Peter Lang, Linworth, Scarecrow, Libraries Unlimited

Please e-mail in a Word .doc (older version) attachment

• 4 topics/titles each described in 2-3 sentences by July 25, 2010
• a 75-85 word 3rd person bio: your name, library of employment, city/state location, employment title, where you got your degree, awards, publications, and career highlights.
• Please include publisher/date for books.
• If co-authored, a separate 75-85 word bio on each contributor.
• Please: no long resumes or abstracts-your selected title/abstract/bio composes a tentative table of contents for Routledge.

You will be contacted which of your topics are not duplications, inviting you to e-mail your submission if Routledge decides to publish; your bio’s will appear in the anthology.

Please place COLLABORATION; MULTICULTURAL; or PUBLICITY/your name on the subject line: smallwood@tm.net

This post is just an account of day 30. It wasn’t intended to be a reflection on the whole June blogging challenge, but sometimes it does this anyway.

The idea for this final round up post is three-fold: being comprehensive while maintaining simplicity and laziness. I’m posting a snippet, a single sentence, from every single participating blog’s day 30 post. Sometimes the sentence is representative of the entire post, sometimes it definitely is not, but it just grabbed my attention.
If I’ve missed anyone’s day 30 post, please let me know and I’ll edit the post.

I wear my hair in a bun because it’s the only way I can beat it into submission.
Bun-toting Librarian

4. We have a very good number of readers, but very few commentators, esp. from within the NLA (are people afraid to comment? or are the posts not discussionable?)
New Technologies Interest Group’s Blog

Although I’m ready for new adventures in new libraries in new places, I will always have the fondest memories of working with the wonderful group of people at “Parl”
sallysetsforth

Today is the last day of the #blogeverydayofjune challenge, thank YOU for all sharing and of all the posts, I remember these – [Hoi then lists 25 memories from the blogging challenge. Very succinct and well done]
Librarian with different hats

like suelibrarian, i found that by forcing myself to write during this month of june, sometimes a decent blog entry would result, and other times i’d be struggling to write anything substantional at all.
sardonicsmile

I’ve been constantly thinking about blogs, blogging, libraries, librarians to the point that all my (non-librarian) friends know about #blogeverydayofjune and now ask me “how’s your blog?” with genuine interest!
Miss Sophie Mac

Ca Plane Pour Moi … is my song for today.
Jenelle.Net Blog

her grey / top / buoyant #haiku
season creep

23. Organised and ran a day long seminar on downloadables.
Connecting Librarian

the #blogeverydayinjune challenge – has been a real challenge for me, I have had to practice getting out of my comfort zone.
a Public Librarian

This challenge has given me a hunger for more and I want to:
… try to raise the profile of librarians especially for WA librarians after the funding issues we’ve had the past few months.
Rien d’important

9. Taught my daughter how to use Google Wonder Wheel
Opinions from an OPL

One Thing I Learned: How many passionate, intelligent, thoughtful and just-a-bit wacky people there are out there in Library Land.
LiberryDwarf

Then last night via Twitter came this inspiring TED talk by Ellen Dunham-Jones about retrofitting suburbia, especially repurposing car parks, shopping malls and “big box” suburban stores for a better future.
Bonito Club

However, it’s my birthday so I’m not going to stress about that anymore, at least until tomorrow.
SkinniBitch

The amount of hostility that arose from librarians about not having their own space, their own paperwork, their own ‘stuff’ was fascinating.
Creative Circ

We are all complete people and posting everyday can mean having to blur the professional and the personal lines and letting go of self imposed rules.
Suelibrarian

The month was a challenge, and i did not achieve the goal of ‘every day’, however i participated, cleaned up the blog and began writing/sharing again.
Feral Librarian Tales

All up, I have now been to 18 consecutive filmfests which still means I’m something of a young’un with the crowd I was with on Saturday night
snail

So I was a little surprised that despite the heart wrenching beginning that I actually found myself being drawn into the story. [discussing The graveyard book / Neil Gaiman ; illustrated by Dave McKean]
Walking Upside Down

The sky was a vivid blue and made a perfect background.
FromMelbin

I’ve been busier this month with blogging, but haven’t really had that reflective time, which I have missed.
Strawberries of Integrity

It may have been delayed panic from nearly missing the interview when Google Maps and my iPad conspired to send me to the wrong address for the ABC studio – about 10 minutes away.
Librarians Matter

Con’s challenge came at a perfect time, and I thought that trying to blog every day for a month was a pretty good way to test whether I actually have the energy and drive to continue blogging at all.
virtually a librarian

There is an authenticity and frankness in the posts that I for one appreciate and it is one of the main canons of blogging and participating in social networking: be authentic use your own voice.
Angels have the phone box II

Maybe we can do this again next June.
Ruminations

I’ve learned about the myriad of e-readers that people are using and their respective advantages and disadvantages; what people are reading and planning to read according to the piles of books beside their bed; people’s bookshelves; people’s cats, dogs, and chooks and people’s big and little people in their lives.
There she goes

You may have thought that our 30 bloggers had run dry by Day 29. Not so! Opinions from an OPL made some observations about the penultimate day, but there were also many more fascinating facts coming forth.

The big meme mover was 30 things – those things you have done this month, on top of keeping up with this challenge. It was exhausting reading through the posts by Buntoting Librarian, Miss Sophie Mac, Bonito Club, Strawberries of Integrity and Rien d’Important, but so worth it to do so.

New Technologies Interest Group explored the benefits of social networking, SkinniBitch discussed Mentoring in Libraryland and a Public Librarian found support from surprising directions. Fascinating insights, each and every one.

Suelibrarian defined special libraries, whilst in a surprising parallel (which has happened a lot in these 30 days), Sally Sets Forth defined public service. Check them out and see if you agree.

One more day to summarise. With this level of quality coming out of the penultimate day, I am really looking forward to catching up with the last day posts – from everyone!

Manic Monday was a mixed bag of treats, some tiring and waning with many memes and exclamations of ‘non posts’ or  reasons for skipping days. So today I will avail you with the five posts that inspired me most (and inspired me greatly at that!):

• Skinnibitch wrote a particularly thought provoking post on mentoring – managing to highlight way too much in such a short space  - the value of a mentor, how to practically and proactively find a mentor and career mapping.
• FromMelbin introduced a fascinating topic under in disguise (and one close to my own heart) of working with students to contribute design ideas for a future new library.  My first thought turns to services and infrastructure however in this case it is focusing on designing out crime.
• snail talks about the price gulf in books in Australia compared to alternatives online both in print and ebooks. I find this topic fascinating as I often lament the decline of the bookstore in my life, and even more so the decline of purchasing books from bookstores rather than searching for a cheaper (& usually a good 50% cheaper) copy online.
• I always love it when people get passionate about things…for a great inspiring dose of passion and some good photography tips take a read of Miss Sophic Mac and learn about her camera collection…and then read her story of why she became a librarian. If her passion hasn’t inspired you to do something…anything then I’m not sure what will.
• Another passionate post – this time from sallysetforth on the importance of accessibility with some staggering statistics on print disabilities and how little this issue is addressed. Read it, stop hyperventilating and then think about how you can start closing this gap in your library.

a Public Librarian reminded us again of the importance of gratitude and for me I am grateful for all those who have committed themselves to the task of #blogeverydayinjune and for the vast amounts of inspiration and ideas you have all added to the blogosphere, LibraryLand and the grand Interwebz universe

To all the 30 posts in 30 days bloggers – whether you have done every day or not, whether you have read every post or not, whether you have commented on many posts – thanks so much for your energy and sharing.

To all the Libraries Interact bloggers who have faithfully managed to summarise each day – thanks for pointing out those posts that I should not miss and letting me feel connected even when I couldn’t manage to get to my feed reader.

I’m expressing my utter admiration because it being after midnight and my turn to summarise Sunday 27 June, I’m sitting here with 24 tabs open in my browser with every post made on Sunday . I have no hope of summarising them before I fall asleep…

Bang! Uploaded to Flickr byToastyKen

I guess then, rather than admit defeat, I’ll ask a question… Now that we have the energy and connection from June…what now? Anyone have any ideas about a final theme for the last day of June? Some way we can mark the passing of an amazing group effort ( Let’s allow one day off per week, that’s 26 posts x 30 bloggers which makes …. 780 more posts in the Australian biblioblogosphere) … so…

How do we go out with a bang?

With day 26, the troops are becoming tired. This was reflected in an absence of posts from quite a few of the #blogeverydayofjune cohort. But of those of us who did post:

• Tony knitted a new vest
• Fiona contemplated the genesis of the phrase ‘bun-toting’ – or at least, how it came to be the title for her blog
• A blogging, twittering, librarian mum shared some sage advice
• Ruth wondered how we can bring fun into our workplaces, and took an evidence based approach to finding out!
• Mal did the obligatory iPhone home screen post
• Jenelle posted about a good deed done
• snail gave us a run down of what his job entails and reflected its upsides and downsides

As we hit the home stretch – the last three days of #blogeverydayofjune – inspire us with your suggestions for post topics. I’m fairly sure we could all do with some inspiration right about now!

Friday again featured a number of memes.  Morgan asked 20 questions on day 20 so I thought I would ask you a few more:

1. Who said don’t be afraid to change direction when she reflected on why she became a librarian?
2. Who described her life according to They Might Be Giants and The Cure?
3. Whose son passed a milestone getting his P-plates?
4. Who is an RSS evangelist?
5. Who is participating in the 10,000 steps challenge?
6. Which school librarian watched students dance for joy?
7. Which blogger answers her own question about why she became a librarian?
8. Who quotes Lord Byron?
9. Whose blog featured a couple of furry friends?
10. Who spend a lovely day on her own in Daylesford?

Only four days to go. Keep them coming people.