Contact Address Palavar

WIll There Be Libraries in the 21st Century?

This is a big concern for all LIPs all over the world.



Are you bothered about this? Yes! we should all be! In fact that was the theme of the Seminar put together by Salzburg Seminar in October, 2004. One of the outcomes of the seminar is this statement:

"The library is a place where knowledge and information freely dwell to define, empower, preserve, challenge, connect, entertain and transform individuals, cultures and communities...." Read further @ http://www.salzburgseminar.org/mediafiles/MEDIA14268.pdf.



The summary is that Libraries and LIPs will still be relevant in the 21st century.

Automation? Not That Again!

• Thinking About a Library Automation System? A Guide for Library Professionals About the Planning Process http://www.tlcdelivers.com/tlc/pdf/automatewp041404.pdf
• From automation to transformation: 40 years of libraries and information technology in Higher education http://www.educause.edu/pub/er/erm00/pp060068.pdf
• Opportunities and Challenges for the Academic Libraries of Carnegie Grantees in East and West Africa http://www.library.uiuc.edu/mortenson/Documents/Africa%20report.doc
• Standards in Libraries: What's Ahead http://www.tlcdelivers.com/tlc/pdf/standardswp.pdf
• The RFP Writer's Guide to Standards for Library Systems http://www.niso.org/standards/resources/RFP_Writers_Guide.pdf
• The Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in African Public Library Services (INASP infobrief 3: July 2004) http://www.inasp.info/pubs/infobrief/inasp_infobrief_ICT.pdf
• List of Automation software form Google directory http://directory.google.com/Top/Reference/Libraries/Library_and_Information_Science/Software/

GATEWAY 2005: How to Keep Your Contacts

One of the great things you remember about any conference is the people you networked with especially new contacts.

I made some contacts at this conference. One of the people I met was this young graduate librarian introduced to me by the M.C. of the conference. The contact did what many LIPs would not do - she called to follow-up on our discussion. Though I promised to assist my contact, but that phone call did the magic.

How many LIPs do follow-up on contacts they made during conferences.

It is important to keep contacts after you have met them. You might not really need their services now, but might be very helpful another time.

These are some of the ideas you may wish to try out the next two weeks:

1. Pick up a phone and call telling the contact how much you valued the time you spent together.
2. Follow-up on your previous conversations; needs, assistance ...
3. Think of areas that you can work together with the contact for now and/or in the future.
4. Read more about networking from LIS Career

Blogging

I feel this is the trend of things to come.

Gateway 2005 Matters Arising

Shouldn't we be talking about our role as mediators in
knowledge management rather than theoretical matters

Digital Reference Service Desired

I think it is time we set up a digital reference service for queries specific to Nigeria. Many of us are repositories of knowledge but do not have the means to share this knowledge when it is required. This might be one way to do it. Does anyone share my view on this?

Do you Want to Laugh?

Librarians do not laugh. Do they?  Well I stumbled on a web site with library cartoons and humor. It is called Unshelved - The Library Comic Strip @ http://www.overduemedia.com  Please check it out and let me know what you think.

The Pains of Preparing for a Conference

We are deeply involved in the planning of a Workshop. I must confess that it has not been an easy experience at all. When you consider all that go into planning a workshop, conference or seminar, you cannot but appreciate the sacrifices people have made in order to make participants enjoy the program.

By the time you are reading this, most probably we must have been neck-deep into the Nigerian Library Association (NLA) National Conference tagged Gateway 2005. I wish you a memorable time at the conference.

Let me help you a bit in your preparation for this conference:

1. You may wish to read this experience of a colleague though from a technical point of view.
2. You may also learn from this beautiful write-up on Maximizing your conference experience.
3. Lastly, this one from Special Libraries Association (SLA) titled Getting the Most Out of Your SLA Annual Conference Experience — And Living to Attend Another Year (The Collective Wisdom of Our Many Conference—Going Years)

I believe you will have a very nice time at Abeokuta.