ALIA WA
Symposium 2016
The
Unexpected
Curtin
University
Friday 15th July,
2016
9:30am – 4:30pm
One
word…wow! A big thank you for organising
such a fabulous event goes to Convenor, Andrew Kelly, and the Symposium
Committee members, Helen Balfour, Tamara Capper, Lisa Billingham, Camille
Peters, Jean Broomhall and Marlena Janisch.
The
Symposium was very well attended and attendees were treated to a line-up of interesting
and diverse speakers. Living up to the
Symposium name, there were two
keynote speakers, one at the beginning and one at the end! Thank you to our wonderful speakers who
shared their journeys, enlightened and entertained us throughout the day.
The
first keynote speaker was Megan Rosenbloom, beamed to our visual screens from
Los Angeles. Megan recounted her journey
to where she is at now. Megan discovered
that personal and professional lives can interact. Her work in rare books led to the Death Salon,
which has worldwide members, who are artists, academics and even a mortician! Megan found that having a public profile led
to obtaining grants for the library!
Many found Megan’s participation in the Anthropodermic Book Project
(bound books in human skin) gruesome, however interesting! Megan shared that it was doctors who, once
finished looking at a cadaver, used the flesh to bind their favourite
book! Megan shared her philosophy of, if
you are asking ‘why hasn’t anyone done this before?’, then it should be you who
does it!
Judy
Booker (ALIA), encouraged Symposium participants to regularly review their
professional development. Judy advised
on PD Scheme points, specialisations and helpful links to
look for on the ALIA website.
Paul
Neilsen from the Albany Public Library shared the story on hosting the very
first ever, Etsy Entrepreneurship for Women workshop. The two day workshop of 14 attendees,
entailed setting up an online shop to sell their art and craft as a business. The Library collaborated with the Albany
Business Centre to assist with business strategies. Paul reminded us that ‘being first is not as
important as what you do’. This
successful workshop demonstrates the importance of collaboration to best serve
the community. Well done Paul and his
team.
Frank
Flintoff presented an overview of her next paper which explored possibilities
of the increasingly popular Makerspace, and the library catalogue. Frank circulated a survey to Australian
Library based mailing lists, and received 44 anonymous responses. The results varied from items are not
catalogued, catalogued but not searchable and, items cannot be borrowed. Frank couldn’t reveal all, so for now, we
wait with baited breath for the published article in 2017; it will be an
interesting read.
To
continue on the Makespace subject, Marie Clarke shared her Curtin University
venture. The unexpected result of
planned sessions going in an unplanned manner, was, that it was okay! Marie discovered she didn’t need to be the
expert, but a facilitator. Marie realised
that most importantly, the participants, which included students and staff,
enjoyed sharing, being social and creative together, and expect the unexpected!
Lisa
Billingham and Poh Lin Teow shared their journey to implement the OCLC
WorldShare next-generation library management system (LMS) for Edith Cowan
Library (ECU). Lisa and Poh described
the many phases to discover, and implement, a new LMS which would best suit the
future visions of the ECU library. Implementation
is expected in late 2016. Perhaps Lisa
and Poh may like to share their final LMS journey at the 2017 Symposium?!
Andrew
Ward, from ECU, confessed to having reams of data about subscribed titles
usage, but did nothing with it! The
impending LMS implementation initiated a change in the collection. The removal of titles came through cost compared
to usage in the past two years. Andrew’s
colleague, Robbie Wykes, assessed physical items for de-selection. The Mostly Automated De-selection (MAD), and
Annual Review List (ARL) projects were implemented. The mention of a skip bin created a
simultaneous audible gasp from Symposium participants. Fortunately, participants were relieved to
hear the skip bin was not utilised, and the MAD items were distributed in a
more appropriate manner.
Megan
Sulllivan from City of South Perth, provided Symposium participants with public
library services ideas attained from attending the World Library and
Information Congress 81st IFLA Conference and Assembly in 2015, and
applying them to a WA context. The key
message from Megan was that whilst it takes time to assess the needs of a
community, public libraries have the power to develop groups and communities. Engagement leads to empowering ‘individuals
and groups to develop to their full potential’.
The
lights dimmed as Rowena Holland and Joanne Comerford’s presentation appeared on
the visual screens around the room.
Symposium participants may very well believe that Rowena and Joanne had
much fun developing, and presenting, virtual games to present Curtin
University’s library to high school students.
Rowena and Joanne showed videos of high school students enjoying
augmented reality Aurasma and What a Kahoot.
Rowena and Joanne discovered it is fun ‘learning through play’, and
shared that taking chances and making mistakes = success!
To
end the Symposium, Jack Sargent entertained participants by introducing us to
the escapades of the rather eccentric author and editor, HP Lovecraft
(1890-1937). It was noted Jack had a similar
interest in death as the first keynote speaker, Megan! Jack confessed to being a lover of libraries
as it was very much a part of his young life.
Jack’s encouraging words were ‘the power of the librarian is a real
thing’, and gave the example of ‘sshhh’!!
There
were a diverse range of speakers as well as participants from all
libraries. Questions, discussions and
networking took place amongst attendees throughout the day. A feeling of camaraderie filled the room by
the end of the fantastic day.
About Helena
