In this profession, cataloguing, creating meta-data, indexing and other types of organization are generally delivered with a great degree of precision. The near-comprehensive nature of such meta-data means that it is fairly easy to find a book quickly. That said, there is something to be said for the joys of unexpected discoveries. I’d like to highlight two particular discoveries of unknown, uncatalogued materials today; one case in the UK and one in Canada. These kind of discoveries really put me in a good mood, I must say. We should aspire to do the best cataloguing work we can, but occasional finds like these are great too.

Earlier this week,  Alan Houston, professor of political science at UC San Diego, discovered some long lost letters while researching at the British Library found forty seven letters by, to and about Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790), one of America’s greatest citizens who served as a diplomat, publisher, founded America’s first public library in Philadelphia and much more, in addition to his contributions as an author, scientist and politician. Most of the letters concern the 18th century conflict known in the US as the French and Indian War (known in Europe and elsewhere as the Seven Years War). The letters in question were copied by Thomas Birch who was, “… a contemporary of Franklin’s who was a prodigious – almost inveterate – compiler and transcriber of historical documents.” If you’re interested to know more, have a look at this article released about it at UC San Diego. I know somebody who has doing quite a lot of research at the British Library lately and I wonder if they will (or have made?) any similar serendipitous discoveries.

The Canadian case is rather different and interesting in different ways. In 2007, “Elaine Hoag, a rare book librarian with Library and Archives Canada while she was cataloguing items in the collection. The document had been tucked into a 150-year-old scrapbook that was donated to Library and Archives Canada by the Library of Parliament in 1973.” Later, it was found that there was a playbill dated 1796 that is know believed to be the oldest surviving example of anything being printed in Australia. LAC has an article providing more details on the find and the decision of the Canadian government to return it to Australia. I gather that the document has also raised new questions about the history of theatre in Australia. That is probably the best part of this discovery – that it opens new questions. Reading an article in the Australian media, I’m happy to report that the document was made available to the public in a special exhibition in Canberra.

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about stories lately. Stories (or “narratives” if you prefer academic language) play many different roles in society; entertainment, providing focus, motivation and building community. Stories can vary from the banalities of gossip to grand stories that we keep telling to each other. I think that our profession needs to make a better effort to collect and share our stories. Specifically, I think success stories need to be shared more. In the midst of a very substantial recession, negative news is unrelenting so reflecting on successes is well worth it. In that spirit, I want to look at five success stories that we can reflect on for inspiration. I should also link to a recent post on the ACRLog on stories. As I’ve been writing this, I’m trying to recall a quote by Neil Gaiman on how stories (possibly from a speech? Or a short story?). Here are three success stories:

1. Successful protection of freedom of expression: I learned last week from Monica Rettig’s blog that librarians played a big role in opposing a proposed Bill in 1980s that would have significantly increased censorship. 

2. Establishment of the Grace Buller Aboriginal Student Scholarship at the University of Toronto: this is an annual scholarship (established in 2002) with support from the Ontario Library Association, Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto and the University of Toronto to provide financial support and recognition for Aboriginal students. The profession in Canada still has a long way to go in reflecting the true diversity of this country.

3.  My Success: Libraries have been a big part of my life for many years. I spent many happy Saturdays at my local public Library learning about everything from politics to ancient history. Since then, I’ve been been in academic libraries (along with quite a bit of work in archives). Libraries have offered me a place to explore the world, a place to study and so much more.

Published in March 2009, Brian Matthew’s book Marketing Today’s Academic Library: a bold new approach to communicating with students has informed my thinking about marketing and how librarians think about their services and users of those services. As I was eager to read it, I had the order the book directly from the publisher which doesn’t make international orders easy (i.e. I had to send a fax using Skype – if Amazon can easily ship to Canada, I don’t see why the ALA can’t). With the main text of the book coming to 162 pages, the book is a fast read with an emphasis on the practical details of marketing the academic library to students. The focus of the book is very much on undergraduate students and grapples with that challenge well. If you are mainly looking for a work about marketing the library to faculty or administrators, then you should look elsewhere. That said, assisting students to excell in their studies can’t make you look bad no matter what. The “big picture” aspect of the book that struck me as particularly insightful was the idea that ‘marketing’ in this context is really about satisfying users and making the environment, products and services of the Library meet those needs. I also very much appreciated the research-driven bent to the book: no campaign should be launched without some research to support it. The book’s prologue and the biographical element of the first chapter also proved an engaging opening to the world of marketing and what it means for academic librarians – the publisher (or author? I’m unsure how the rights would work for this) would do well to offer the prologue and first chapter for free.

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In both courses and conversations, I’ve started to explore the digital humanities field and what it means for scholarship and education. Although there are examples of using digital technology to process texts for scholarship dating back several decades (the first known case was in 1949 – using an IBM machine to support religious research being undertaken by an Italian Jesuit, Father Busa), the Web offers more. For example, there is the Internet Shakespeare Editions project based at the University of Victoria. Among other things, it makes it easy to compare texts and seek out differences. The project combines powerful digital interfaces with access to The Illuminated Text. The tension between these two modes of accessing these texts are a useful tension. One can both see texts as they were made (or get close to that process) and manipulate them digitally. Offering multiple means of using such resources is part of the promise of digital humanities. If you’re interested in a general introduction to the field, I recommend (free!) Blackwell’s book, A Companion to the Digital Humanities.

When I first started to learn about digital humanities, it looked like it was largely dominated by English scholars and the occasional computer scientists. In fact, there are many more working in the field, including librarians who are exploring it such as the Chief Librarian of McMaster University and the Chief Librarian at the University of Toronto Mississauga. This is a good trend that needs more encouragement. In addition to connecting users with existing information resources, this is another kind of work I would like to work on – participating in the creation of new tools and supporting the development of new types of scholarship and learning. Just as humanities scholarship is moving beyond using books and print alone, libraries need to make that move as well. It looks like there is much potential to do innovative work in this field. I do wonder about the longevity of some projects which are often funded by short term grants. Libraries and archives may have a role to play here in providing institutional support (along with R&D) to keep these projects online and evolving.

I like reading and writing – working with text is one of my greatest strengths. This fundamental literacy – which underlies almost all the other types of literacy – is critical in leading a modern life. Whether it one is enjoying a novel (or graphic novel), writing a report (or writing a blog post) – reading and writing are vital skills. As critical as these skills are, I am increasingly thinking about the importance of other methods of learning and communicating. When trying to solve a problem, other approaches can be useful.

To get started on visual thinking, I would suggest browsing around the Periodic Table of Visualization Methods (PDF file). How might one apply these methods? There are plenty of research applications. The tree method or metaphor (where you have a trunk, roots, and branches) could be used to show a progression over time (think family tree) or the relationship between groups. Then there is the “knowledge map” idea where you plot ideas as if they were features of a landscape (e.g. here is an amusing interpretation showing a knowledge map of the Internet communities). These kinds of approaches certainly help me in thinking about problems and ideas in new ways. Based on my experience, the act of using visualization method with a group can be very productive and engaging – using these methods thoughtfully can make meetings stimulating and more worthwhile at the same time.

Here are three specific applications where visualization methods could have immediate application for information professionals:

1. Use a tree metaphor or diagram to plot the history of an organization (this would be useful for archivists seeking to chart how a corporate body changes over time and its relationships and context – this diagram could be used a step between working notes on a fonds and the final description).

2. Use a process event chain in knowledge management. The idea here is that using this approach forces one to see every single step and identify tacit knowledge (which is both highly valuable but generally difficult to articulate).

3. Use a Gantt chart to plan your project; these charts are part of the standard toolbox of any project manager, but others can use them too. The value in using these is that they help one see how steps of a project relate to each other (e.g. procurement of supplies, graphic design, marketing etc) and in what sequence.

Distance education has always struck me as promising idea, especially at the post-secondary or tertiary level. Part of that appeal lies in the fact that it is flexible in timing, allowing students to hold full time employment while they study (no doubt this is stressful, but worthwhile). While I did all my degrees at traditional universities – the University of Toronto and the University of Western Ontario, I still think there is merit and potential in distance programs. At the university level, there are a few places that I tend to think of as specializing in distance ed: Athabasca University (Alberta), the Open University in the UK or Thompson Rivers University in British Columbia. In addition to all of that, many professional associations offer courses on a distance basis to help professionals learn new skills and expand their competencies.

If the benefits in scheduling flexibility and geography are clear, what are the drawbacks? The affective aspect of learning – connecting with an instructor and fellow students – becomes more difficult. I would also surmise that making friends (and building networks) is likely more difficult. There’s something to be said for the experience of working on a campus newspaper or running the History Students’ Association (both of which I’ve done) that would appear to missing from distance education programs. That non-academic but fun and worthwhile aspect of education should not be discounted. For many, it will likely be one of the enduring merits of seeking a traditional university education. Arguments against distance education (e.g. a 2000 article against online MBAs or a blog post decrying the merits of online education generally) should prompt educators to think more deeply about their programs.

For librarians, the challenge is clear: how do you reach these students and offer them advice and support? These students are not going to walk in the door, after all. The first idea that comes to mind is very tight integration into online course systems such as Blackboard or Sakai would be valuable, as well as referrals from instructors. We need to ask questions like, “How can we make using the Library easier for distance students?” or “What keeps instructors up at night?”  On the latter count, it might be a combination of research skills and low engagement? Even if you are not in a distance education setting, these are questions that need to be grappled with. More and more users will be seeking service on a distance basis – the case of distance education may offer some ideas that others can use. Librarians serving distance education students may well be the canary in the mine for the rest of the profession.

This evening, I attended a SLA Toronto Chapter event by Ulla de Stricker called, “Where do you “fit”? Understanding your “career type” to find work that makes you proud and happy.” It prompted me to think further about what one seeks in a career and how workplaces vary. The part that interested me most from this session is the concept of organizational culture. This is something that I’ve studied in several classes and continue to be much interested in. One of Ulla’s best points on this is how a given organization’s culture can influenced and changed. Such change cannot happen quickly (I would disagree slightly; it can change for the worse very quickly if something catastrophic happens like huge lay-offs). If there is interest in changing, executives are best placed to foster such a change, though everybody plays their part. It is also useful to place one’s own position in the broader context of the organization.

Via the Visible Government blog:

I am very pleased to announce today at Mesh09 the development of http://toronto.ca/open, which will be a catalogue of city generated data. The data will be provided in standardized formats, will be machine readable, and will be updated regularly. This will be launched in the fall of 2009 with an initial series of data sets, including static data like schedules, and some feeds updated in real time.

The benefits to the city of Toronto are extremely significant. Individuals will find new ways to apply this data, improve city services, and expand their reach. By sharing our information, the public can help us to improve services and create a more liveable city. And as an open government, sharing data increases our transparency and accountability.

This was announced by Toronto Mayor Miller at the Mesh Conference (“Canada’s Web Conference”) a few weeks ago. the comments above are a transcription of a speech the Mayor gave; the video of the speech should also be online. I’m a bit disappointed that the URL announced in the speech simply has a bland “Under Construction” notice, but I look forward to seeing this. There is all kinds of interesting data that might be made available; comprehensive crime statistics, data on the municipal infrastructure (real time maps showing all public works across the city?) and so forth. I wonder if this will be a plain read-only catalogue or if it will have interactive elements? I wonder if anybody is looking at the US government stimulus spending website as a model?

Over the past year, there have been a few studies on Facebook that attempt, from various approaches, to determine whether or not “Facebook is good for you.” In some cases, the studies have looked at whether FB has effects on workplace productivity or university grades. Some commentary I’ve read on this topic seem like they could be true about any leisure activity. In Don Tapscott’s book Grown Up Digital (if memory serves), he makes the point that Boomers might deride the time their younger co-workers spend on social networking and Web, ignoring the fact that long lunches, going out for coffee break etc may well have come to the same.

As with others, I’m skeptical about these claims about the negative effects of Facebook (and also the positive effects). In terms of research, I wonder if there is something distinctive about Facebook that makes it different from other things. Is spending an hour on Facebook significantly different (in terms of possible effects on workplace productivity and university grades) from spending an hour talking on the phone with a friend or reading a novel? All these studies seem to consider Facebook in isolation, apart from other behaviours. That stikes me as likely to produce distortions in the data.

Let’s look at the recent workplace study first. Researchers at the University of Melbourne (April 2, 2009) found that “Workplace Internet Leisure Browsing (WLIB)” may lead to productivity gains. As the study’s author, Dr. Brent Coker puts it: ““People who do surf the Internet for fun at work – within a reasonable limit of less than 20% of their total time in the office – are more productive by about 9% than those who don’t.” However, this only holds true for “moderate” users: addicted users don’t show any productivity gains. Alas, this summary doesn’t define the difference its terms very well (perhaps I’m asking too much of a press release?). The explanation for the small productivity benefit seems to due to resting: “The attraction of WILB, according to Dr Coker, can be attributed to people’s imperfect concentration. “People need to zone out for a bit to get back their concentration. Think back to when you were in class listening to a lecture – after about 20 minutes your concentration probably went right down, yet after a break your concentration was restored.” This study, while far from conclusive, should serve to prompt debate about the wisdom of blocking access to such services. In 2008, AT&T also released a study on the benefits of social networking tools (which they define in an unusually broad way, including intranets and forums). I wonder if there are other companies that have researched this in their own organizations?

Now, let’s turn to the academic study.  The study was conducted using a sample of 219 students at Ohio State University, a mix of graduate and undergraduate students (here is a summary of the study recently presented at an education conference). Based on the summaries, it doesn’t look like this study used any controls so there is likely to be a fair bit of noise in the results. One odd claim made in the study relates to Facebook usage between various majors: “Science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) and business majors were more likely to use Facebook than were students majoring in the humanities and social sciences.” Let’s say this is true – what does that mean? I might conjecture that science and engineering students are more in need of release (it is not uncommon for engineers to have +30 hours of class/lab time while a humanities student might have half that) or maybe they’re more social? Or perhaps they only feel they can be social when it is mediated through digital technology? More questions for future researchers to consider.

Don Tapscott has blogged about this Facebook & education question, as has Stephen Abram; both their entries are worth reading. I think both are correct to be optimistic about the benefits of the Internet and social networking.

Where do I stand? I think that social tools should not be blocked. Students and staff need to be responsible for what they do. If staff use such Facebook or take a coffee break, that’s fine and should even be encouraged. As for studies like this, I don’t think they amount to much, except for raising questions.

I was browsing through the Newseum Front Page (which shows you the front page of newspapers around the world) function and I happened to stumble across an article in the Guelph Mercury: Book-borrowing is where it’s at.

The article’s main thrust is that libraries are good because they have “free” (“free” is a bad way to put it – everything provided still costs real money but the costs are covered through taxation) materials and resources. People appear to be most interested in free computers and Internet connections. All these are good things and I’m happy to see people enjoy them. However, the article gives no attention to the staff so far as I can tell. Aside from a few quotes, one gets the sense that this article could have been written about a warehouse with a computer lab in it. I wonder about the community stories involved there. Has the Library helped people learn new things? On the leisure side, has it helped people feel happier or more relaxed?

Book use, movie loans and children’s programs have all seen big increases in demand as people have less disposable income.

But the biggest difference from other trying economic times is that this is the first post-internet recession, and people are flocking to the library to use its electronic services and access.

“We are definitely experiencing an upsurge,” said Norman McLeod, the library’s chief executive officer. “When times are tough people turn to the public library. It’s a service they know will be there and they value it more than they normally do.”
[...]

Now it’s not just free books and magazines or cheap entertainment for the kids that people are looking for. It’s internet access.

“Our role has changed since the last recession in 1983 because of the internet. It’s not just demand for traditional services anymore, it’s a demand for access to information. That’s been quite a dramatic change,” McLeod said.

People want access to job searches, resumé writing, even printing services.

“They’re not just borrowing more,” McLeod said, adding that there were 600,000 visits to the library website last year.

“But books are still the biggest thing we offer. I don’t see that changing in the near future,” McLeod said.

That quote in the last line has me wondering. Does “biggest” here mean “most” (i.e. the largest percentage of the collection) or does it mean something more like “best” or “most distinctive”? In any case, I hope the Library is studying what their users are doing so that they can design new services and help people even more.