Here, there and virtually everywhere

Here, there and virtually everywhere
library services for distance learnersAnne Ferrier-Watsonabstract (pdf)[Argh, network cut out in this room.]History of Virtual Education Reference Desk (VERD)1997 - BTeaching started distance services2000 - need to streamline processes so VERD was created2008(?) - Moodle has taken VERD to a new levelPhilosophy to "give students the fishing line, not the fish"Over 3000 education students are enrolled in online papers1.75 EFTS supporting VERD. Busier at some times than others.Asynchronous service - answering Monday to Friday. Many questions asked have been answered before so they've got an ongoing work in progress of making previous answers easy to find5 sections:
Request items or information (can fill out a webmail form or ask for help on forums - 7500 views in the last 12 months)
Library FAQs (started as answers to easy common queries; now starting to use it for standard answers for more complex questions too)
Help with APA referencing ("our favourite section" - laughter - 2500 views in semester B - a few pdf guides and a link to the forums too)
Catalogue guides (not high use - many just use it for the link to the library catalogue; starting to think of putting in video tutorials)
Guide to finding journal articles (high use - includes videos for using ebsco, proquest, indexNZ; also pdf guides to various databases)Jing screen capture software - easy to use, free-as-in-beer but not open source.Feedback from students includes:"The video instruction is fantastic too as I find it easier to do something if I see it in action.""now if I forget a step I can use [the online tutorials] to find the right path again""you are like the referencing angel"Can look at individual activity reports so when someone asks a question you can see where they've already looked for help.Can look at overall activity reports to give an idea of where most activity is happening and most work is best spent.Q: What's providing the format?A: Working around the Moodle format. Not actually a fan about the format but it's the best they can do.Suggestion: Worked with McGovern to create ManyAnswers.co.nz which can be put on your own website. (Me: ? Not sure whether she meant the whole manyanswers service or the platform to support your own FAQ.)Q: Forums available to all students or just distance?A: Available to those enrolled in those papers.Q: Are guides available on public site or just private forums?A: Some static guides (not interactive) are available on the public website. Looking at redeveloping some of this too.Q: re answering repeat questionsA: Some refer back to previous answers, some move them into FAQs and refer there.

Message From Minister Responsible for Libraries

Starting with a message from Nicky Wagner MP, speaking on behalf of the Minister responsible for National Library and Archives NZ, Nathan Guy. (He's in a budget meeting today.) Library has signficant contribution to make socially, economically, etc, to country's wellbeing. Driving goal of this govt is to grow the economy. Recognise difficult financial times.Rollout of ultra-fast broadband network throughout NZ. Improving schools and frontline services to public. Need to lift educational standards. Focus on literacy and numeracy.Another key driver is innovation including research.Services we provide are important to society; the public expects more and more. Glad that our profession is addressing questions of services vs technology. National Library is a leading centre in preserving documentary heritage of New Zealand. Minister is keen to see more people engaging with collections housed there.So much depends on easy access to information. Libraries make quality NZ information accessible. National Library has done groundbreaking work. Demonstrates value of cross-govt, cross-sector collaboration. Collaboration within library profession makes a lot of sense in these difficult times. APNK and EPIC are great examples.[Pronounces LIANZA as L.I.A.N.Z.A.]Believes librarians are very much at the front line of research, engendering a love of reading, developing new innovation.Need more integration so NZ data is available to those who need it. Need more collaboration for efficiency and to be active at national level. Need to think carefully how sector as a whole can grow from here.---Warm up comedy act by "Pedro Haust" and "Pia Haust" collectively making up "The Hausts" (pronounced "The Hosts") with fake Spanish accents. Um. Well, Everyone Knows(TM) that foreign accents are inherently funny, right, because they're spoken by foreigners; but I'd at least have left out the jokes about Tourette's Syndrome and bulimics. -- And I would like to hope that the final joke aimed at Barbara Garriock was done with her foreknowledge and consent.

LIANZA AWARDS - Heather Lamond receiving her Associateship

Congratulations to Heather Lamond who received her LIANZA Associates at LIANZA 2009 Conference. Heather is customer driven, an effiective communicator, able to demonstrate strong leadership She is strongly committed to LIANZA being active on both the local committee and on National Council This is a well deserved award, and we are greatly honoured to have you as our Ikaroa Councillor.

Other Awards

Web 2.Oh MyGod to Web 2.Oh No - Chelsea Hughes and Douglas Campbell

Web 2.OhMyGod to Web 2.OhNo
Chelsea Hughes and Douglas Campbell
Nautical theme using the Web 2.0 Map. MySpace - went to tell musicians "Give us your CDs, it's the law." Message was clear but didn't actively engage; then left and had no exit strategy.Blogs - started up a couple. Also name "The Collections blog that never happened" - because would be too time consuming for staff to do necessary research. Other blogs (Library Tech and Create Readers have been successful and they're sticking around.Flickr - Rights was an issue to start with but now joined Flickr Commons. Staying but passively - adding stuff but not joining discussion and groups.Learned how to take risks, created relationships. But didn't have resources to really nurture their pressence - like blogs it's not really anyone's job.2008 Web Harvest Timeline: anger because of bandwidth. NatLib explained so people were happier. What went well - they were already in the social spaces so were alerted to anger quickly and could respond quickly.Twitter - worked well because could apply past lessons. Identified as opportunity to promote collections. Tea-break tweets only - no system outages, media releases. Try to be at desk for 30 minutes after tweets go out in case of replies so can stay engaged. Don't measure success by number of followers but by clicks on bit.ly links and conversations. Low effort so definitely staying. Much went well; so far nothing's gone badly!Have tested waters in wikipedia, slideshare, delicious, youtube, but so far haven't found a good fit at them. These places don't meet their criteria of having something to offer, someone to tell it too, and a way to sustain it.Lessons learnt:Engage, set goals, know your audience, know your limits, know yourself, be social, own it, choose your platform wisely, make it personal, take risks but be smart about it, be casual but not too casual.Handout folded in shape of boat with chocolate 'gold coin' folded inside. Contents will be on Library Tech.
Web 2.0 what has worked and what didn't. National Library staff members Douglas Campbell and Chelsea Hughes, shares experiences and learnings from the National Librarys' adventures in social networking,http://www.slideshare.net/NationalLibraryNZ/web-2ohmygod-to-web-2ohno

Social Dinner at SOL Square

SOL Square - Conference Dinner with a twist.

Social Dinner at SOL Square was a blast. What a fantastic night, it was great to move about the venues catching up with colleagues and meeting new colleagues.

From the "Yellow Cross" where I met some ITSIG committee members and shared a few drinks including a gold snaps cocktail. We nibbled on some breads while chatting about ITSIG Eventually I moved on to the "Fish & Chip" bar where I ran in Dorothy and "Scarecrow" alias Jo and Andy from NZMS.

What a blast they were and the free draw for food or alcohol was a blast.

I tried my luck and got some cheerios chips and bread. Very nice.

Lots of laughs and talking about conference too.

I met Craig who was one of teh Conference Committee members.
Some networking ensued. It was a great night. I then sat with Andy Jo, Craig and few others have my dinner and drinks while chatting away.

A great night out drinking relaxing and networking at the same time. I exchanged a few business card too.

Andy had lots of stories to tell or should say Scarecrow. Dorothy flitted about clicking her shoes moving here there and everywhere.

later on around 11.15pm I moved off to Fat Eddies upstairs, a very cool bar great live music playing and a chance to dance so of the food and drink off.

I also caught up with a few more colleagues I had met earlier on at Conference.

Finally at 1.30pm I headed off to my motel... at the pink I ran in Heather Lamond and one of her younger staff a first time conference goer, Kate.

I stopped and chatted and had a drink. I then met a CCC worker and we got chatting.

At 2.30 I finally made tracks again.

Powhiri at the Victoria Square

I went to Powhiri at the Victoria Square at 8.30 am and was amazed by a crowd awaiting the opening ceremony. The Powhiri made me shiver as the speeches were powerful and expressed with such dignity and respect for what was to happen at the LIANZA Conference 2009. Everyone was invited to hongi too. After the connection was made we all moved to the Convention Centre where the delegates started networking. Our MC Amira Reriti, advised us to “listen, learn and share” the knowledge gained from the Conference.

LIANZA Award Winners

LIANZA awards2009 LIANZA Award Recipients

Rua Mano Award Ariana Tikao
John Harris Award Mary Ronnie for Freedom to Read
Moira Fraser for Parliametary Library 150 Years
Crown Records Management Scholarship Anderina McLean Adrian Jenkins
YBP/Lindsay and Croft Award for Collection Services Margaret Ferguson
Nielsen Bookdata Research Award Paula Legel & Kris Wehipeihana
MLIS Annual Research Prize Highly Commended Award

3M Award
3rd - Auckland City Libraries for Active Movement
2nd - Nelson District Libraries for Top of the South
1st - National Library/Marlborough District Library for Aotearoa People's Network Kaharoa