Interview with Ebonye Bennett, Library Associate, Georgia Military College

1. What web 2.0 tools are you working with at GMC library?

We do not use very many Web 2.0 tools w at GMC library at this time.  The College itself has Facebook and Twiter pages.  Elizabeth has created a mobile site for our library, however, it has not been implemented yet.


2.   a) Can you describe the adaption process for any one of the systems you work with?

Elizabeth was working with Second Life virtual world in her eLearning graduate assistant job and told me about it and showed it to me. She uses it as a tool to help create curricula for Spanish classes at GMC.  She is also a reference librarian (or Cybrarian) in Second Life too.  Because she was already doing this independently in the Community Virtual Library, we just began spreading the word about it to our faculty and students at GMC.  She weekly serves as a reference librarian and holds office hours there too.

b) What were some of the motivations for adapting that system?
Really, because Second Life was already being used, it wasn’t a matter of adapting the system, but just promoting what was already being done.   Most of the faculty and students were unaware of Second Life, so it was new to them.  And because we work in an eLibrary it is nice to be able to identify a Web 2.0 tool that had pedagogical applications that we could help support.   

c) Can you describe the decision-making criteria in using that particular system?
See b

d) What were the staff’s responses to using this system in the library?
There are many differences of opinions.  Most find to be similar to a video game which has positive and negative connotations to it.  Some see it lacking educational value.  Many see it as too resource-intensive to use on a large scale.  Some have created avatars and explored it.

3.   a) What departments in the library actively use these systems?

In our library branch at Valdosta, we have two employees.  I work full-time during the day and Elizabeth works part-time in the evenings.  We have two student employees.  Elizabeth is the one who primarily uses Second Life.

b) What function do they serve for these departments?

Some of our students are very technically savvy, other are picking up a mouse for the first time.  We use Second Life to facilitate reference, but probably more so we use it to stimulate interest in digital literacy.

4. If they are using technologies such as blogs, how are their usage statistics?

At this point we are not keeping statistics for Second Life.

5. How do they justify allocation of resources for virtual presence (a second life or facebook presence, virtual reference services etc ) if they have?

As there really are no additional monetary resources being expended on Second Life, no justification has been necessary to use it.

Rejection

Received a grand letter from University of Louisiana saying that they were not pursuing me as a candidate.  Not even that they picked someone else, they just didn't want me.  I have to admit, in instances like this, I can't help but think what is meant to be will and this was not meant to be.  The search committee seemed like a bunch of older white females interviewing me for membership into the country club. They answered my professional development questions with disinterest and seemed to invisibility shudder when I asked about tenure.

The thing that was a little hard to swallow, though, was how perfect every single person said the job would be for me (including my advisor) and how ardently the school initially pursued me.  I sent my resume in one day, the next went out five (not three) requests for written references. 

Also, I hate to admit it, but the job was 30 minutes from New Orleans, which would have certainly had its advantages, particularly after being confined to Valdosta for the last year and a half.  And  now, since it's starting to really seem that my only hope for a decent job is in Nowheresville, OK. it's all the more disappointing.

 Since today is Memorial Day, no mail. Maybe they'll be two rejection letters in the mail awaiting me tomorrow.  I wonder from whom...

Dumb People Hiring

Do you what is extremely annoying to me?  Jobs that require POST MLIS professional experience. WTH?  Sorry, I have paid, professional librarian experience, but because I was attending graduate school at the time, that doesn't count as experience in your eyes?

Today, I received a rejection letter (I get at least several a week) from a COMMUNITY COLLEGE of all places.  It was not the standard, "we've chosen someone else..." or "your credentials were impressive, but..." They actually had the nerve to say I was not qualified.

Dear Elizabeth Dill:

Thank you for your interest for the position of Librarian at XXX. Unfortunately you do not meet the established minimum qualifications to be considered for this position.

Seriously?!?!  At least 20 minutes of a customized cover letter; add another 20 for your dumb ass online application  and you won't count my professional experience that you would have counted had I not been in grad school? Does any other graduate degree do this? *&($^#&#$#

Q&A with Michael Holt Creator of VSU's Institutional Repository

Interview with Michael Holt, Librarian, Valdosta State University and links to his institutional repository (permission granted):

How and where did you hear about CMS?

The first I heard about the CMS was from an MLIS professor at our library who had started a pilot project to create an institutional repository at Valdosta State University using the software around 2007. Soon, our project to start an IR at our institution was rolled into a statewide initiative that used the same CMS and it has taken off from there.

What were your motivations to adopt CMS for its current use?

We use our CMS as an institutional repository. This means that we use it to house and preserve our institution’s research and other output in a manner that assures its preservation and accessibility. We also implemented the system as part of a statewide institutional repository program, the GALILEO Knowledge Repository (GKR). The system is linked off of our library’s website and is administered by library staff, but it is not technically part of the library’s website.

What was your decision making criteria? What is the name of CMS you are using now?

The system was chosen primarily because it was the one used by the GKR initiative. The name of the CMS we currently use is called Dspace. We had chosen DSpace before the GKR initiative began, primarily because it was a stable open source solution. However,  we have stuck with Dspace because it is the choice of the GKR and makes communication between institutional repositories much easier.

What are the important benefits or advantages of CMS you are using now over the old system or another CMS system you've used in the past?

Well, we had no real CMS before Dspace, so the advantages of any CMS vs. no CMS are pretty clear in my mind. Having a CMS has exponentially increased our ability to provide access to institutional research output that would otherwise never have been discovered. Because it is indexed by google, our research is getting used in ways I never would have thought possible before we implemented it.

How was the learning curve?

The learning curve for me was extremely steep. I more or less had to become a systems administrator for our Dspace installation before it was all over. However, this clearly would not be the case at other institutions where there is more IT staff to dedicate to library CMS software.  I can’t imagine the learning curve would be that steep for a knowledgeable IT person. But if you don’t have IT experience, get ready for a crash course in UNIX shell operations, java script, postgresql, and other administrative tasks.

To take a look at the CMS in action one can check out the following links:

Vtext (Local Dspace install) – http://vtext.valdosta.edu

GKR site:  www.gaknowledge.org

Dspace website:  www.dspace.org/

_______________________________

I was very impressed by Michael Holt as he shows, yet again, the librarian who has to wear many, many hats to fulfill patrons' needs.  In another academic institution, he would have no need to be the creator and maintainer of such an involved project of this magnitude and technical difficulty.  If it were not for him, VSU would not have an institutional repository and what an embarrassment that would be for VSU, Odum and, in particular, the MLIS Department.  

Did a Joomla site. Just accomplished the bare minimum for the requirements. It's a lot of work for such a plain looking site.  Wanna see my cool ass site? www.elizabethdill.com.

Laughing in the face...

of rejection! Every day it seems (but usually at least three days a week) I receive a rejection letter from some library job to which I applied. Today, it was the University of Alaska. Why, you might ask would I apply to the University of Alaska?  No, I don't want to move there.  It's for the campus interview! I'll take a free trip to Alaska.  Anyway, I kind of look forward to getting my mail to see which school has DENIED me, but the University of Alaska seems particularly insulting. Seriously?

Wiki update

I think it's funny that as I continued reading material from the class, I located the library success wiki I posted in the reading.  Module one specifies good practices for a wiki including ease of use, small learning curve, easily operational and easily monitor-able.  I think the LSU wiki I liked adheres to these criteria.  I think it's important to point out and remember that  wiki is just a website, however, it does provide access for many (or any depending how its set up) to contribute to its content. Wiki is just a fancy word for a kind of open access website. Done with wikis. No new job news today...bummer.

Wikis

UGA's library wiki is here: http://wiki.libs.uga.edu/wiki/Main_Page. I was surprised by the information it contained and didn't contain.  It does not appear to be up-to-date.  It has a section on cataloging.  It also has  sections with a community portal and upcoming events which are blank. It makes me wonder if this wiki has been abandoned.

FSU has a wiki on library success it can be located here: http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Main_Page.  While not a library wiki as assigned, it contains a lot of helpful information on libraries in general including information on assessment. I bookmarked this wiki for future use.

I think the criteria one would use to determine what would be used for a wiki would depend on the audience.  As we know, a wiki is just a website, so who is its target audience?  Is internal or external? What is its purpose? Is it for marketing?  Is it for education?  Is it intended for library operations?

I think it must appear to be professional.  I think the content within it must be well conceived and executed.  Personally, I find http://lsurefdeskinfo.pbworks.com/w/page/19412889/FrontPage (LSU's reference desk wiki) too be really cool. because it seems to have essential components that would make a wiki successful.  It looks great, is filled with very important information one might ask of a reference desk and contains some vital elements such as an academic calendar, boolean search, electronic reserves, the library intranet, etc.  It even contains a link to a circulation wiki. I think if/when I finally create a job, I might create a wiki similar to this for my library.  That is, if the people who work there actually know what one is...Later...

Day two of blogging adventure. I thought I'd discuss my career goals. My ideal position would be an emerging technologies librarian at an academic library. Second (and more likely) is an eLearning or Distance Librarian. I have had four interviews at the following institutions for the position in parethensis.

University of Louisiana (Distance Education Librarian)
Cameron University (Assistant Professor of eLearning, Assement and Evaluation)
Johns Hopkins (Librian III)
Spring Arbor University (eLearning Librarian)

I had a skype search comittee meeting with Uof LA. Have not heard back from them. I had a campus visit with Cameron University last week. They have two more interviews and will let me know in June.  I think this is most likely job I will get.

I had phone interview with Johns Hopkins. This would be the position I'd love to get. I was chosen with a group of eight for a phone interview.  I am to hear next week if I will be called on campus.

I withdrew my application from Spring Arbor University.  It turns out they were entirely too religious for me and wanted me to take oath in which I did not believe.

The job hunt continues...

I would say my knowledge of Web 2.0 is certainly above average.  In the 2000s, I owned a small marketing business.  I worked on many marketing communications materials, including online materials.  During this time, I became proficient in SEO and SEM, search engine optimization and search engine marketing.  Back in the day, one would try to determine key words by which people would search.  Then, you would "optimize" the content by using the key words in the content and in the coding.  The idea was that a search engine spider would recognize the content as being relevant to a search and list it higher in the search results. Being listed at the top of search results helped ensure that content would received by a searcher.