Extra, Extra: .Gov Harvest!

Yep, UNT has joined the efforts to harvest the Bush Administration's "webstuffs." Not only can you read about it on the Washington Post (also on NextGov), but you can read a fun quote from my boss Suzanne:

"When Bush took over, the second that he was sworn in, the White House Web site went from being this massive collection of important links to a picture of Bush and his biography and a picture of [Vice President] Cheney and his biography," Sears said. "We don't want to see that happen again. . . . It's just very important for history's sake that this material is archived the way that the printed material has always been archived."

In other news, Murphy's Law states that any time the Washington Post calls about your Digital Collections, you will be out sick and your boss will be interviewed instead. Ah, well--such is life, eh?

Shamelessly Promoting New Library Merchanise

Get your own Cyber Cafe pen with the Albino Squirrel logo, now at the UNT Willis Library!

And can I just say, I am totally excited that they have a comfy rubbery grip in a lovely shade of UNT mean green? Okay then, consider it said.

My Boss, Depository Library Council Member

Now that it's official and the press release is out, let me finally burst out with the news I've been waiting to say: my boss, the incomparable Suzanne Sears, is on DLC this year! Yay!!

Of course, this means I'll be a bit busier for the next three years as well, helping to take on more departmental responsibilities when she's away. But it's exciting and huge news and I'll be interested to be so close to a council member.

(And yes, this would fall under the "docs nerd" category of posts to this blog.)

Dallas Library News

You've just got to love your local NPR affiliate, don't you? Well, I do--not only do they keep me up to date while entertaining me on my daily two-hour commute, but Dallas's KERA also provides a blog with updates for artsy, cultural happenings in the DFW area.

And this week they posted not one, but two library-related updates on that blog:

• Dallas Public Library opens a branch location in NorthPark Mall
• DPL also updated their website and OPAC (now with book cover images!)

What more can you ask from a group that endorses libraries, infuses news with perspective and humor, and provides personalities like Terry Gross and Garrison Keillor?

LE@D Video Shoot (aka Goofy Librarian Skilz)

I used to work for the Center for Distributed Learning at UNT, back before I thought it was a grand idea to both attend school full-time and work full-time. In any case, they were a grand crew of people who had the amusing pleasure of finding out lots of my previously-hidden geeky secrets. Thus, I soon gave up my pretense of being a dignified young professional and acted more like my goofy self in their company.

Thus, when their LE@D (Lifelong Education at Desktop) program needed to shoot a video starring a goofy librarian... I was the first person they thought of.



So yesterday, I spent the morning over-acting my goofy heart out, while being followed around the third floor of the library by a mass of professional-looking camera equipment. The video's scenario is that I'm a librarian trying to take an online LE@D course, but I can't find the time to take it--I'm being interrupted at the reference desk, circulation, public computers, the breakroom, and finally make my escape to a stall in the women's restroom to finish. (I'll post a link here when the video's done on April 1st--both because you all deserve a good laugh and because I'm making a habit of humiliating myself online as much as possible.)

I'll say one thing--I now understand why, in addition to needing a script and camera, it's so important to have a director. You can read, "Starr looks up at patron and seems mildly frustrated by the interruption," and it seems simple, but when it comes to actual expression, body language, etc.... it's surprisingly complex.

So, er, I won't be running off to La-La Land anytime soon to pursue an acting career. But it was certainly an enjoyable experience, and Dr. Arlita Harris, the visionary behind the whole project, not only made it fun but graciously sent me flowers afterward. A big thanks to the CDL folks for thinking of me!

"Students Commend Librarians"

It only slightly shocks me that in an op-ed piece in our university newspaper praising librarians, the writers mention Dewey... when we use LC.

Ah, well. The sentiment sure is nice!!!

I Am A Digital Librarian... I Am A Goof

Wow, I'm on LibraryStuff!

Of course, I'm making a goofy face... on my bedroom floor... without any makeup or grooming to speak of. But then, you were looking for the real me? Well, that's probably the ticket, then.

In real life, I don't have time to blog about how little time I have. Let's just say that thus far with Alex in Finland, I've spent two 14+ hour days at work and look like I'm in for more, if I'm to accomplish several major deadlines that are looming in front of me. I have six presentations (six!!) scheduled for October. And that's really in addition to what's been taking me 14+ hours.

Boundaries. I respect you people that have them.

My Beef with the Press

Ah, the great love/hate relationship of... any organization, I'll bet... with the press. They promote us, they're necessary--and yet often they misquote, misconstrue, or as in this example, completely twist the headline to not match the story, but purely for the shock value (and therefore snagging themselves more readers).

The title of this article, which I found on the front page of Yahoo News?
"Despite demand, libraries won't add PCs."

Yes, the article goes on to explain that many public libraries don't have the facilities (either the room, the outlets, or the power grid) or the budget to support additional computers. But is that what the headline connotes to you? Doesn't it rather sound like libraries are uncaring, irrelevant institutions? Wouldn't that make you, as a potential patron, mad?

Well, it made me mad just to read it, as a librarian. I'm really steamed that this is the instant message that the Associated Press is sending out to our patrons. Thanks, AP, thanks.

Gettin' the Word Out

Another plug for the UNT Digital Collections in ALA's e-newsletter, American Libraries Direct: this time, it's the Portal to Texas History! See the yellow-ish column on the right: the Portal is the Digital Library of the Week.



...And now, back to my regularly-scheduled Hectic Week from Hades. The comfort, as always this time of year, is that eventually it will be September, students will be settled in their classes, and my life will be my own again. Ah, the joy of academic libraries and life on the academic calendar. At some point in my life, I may begin to think of years as starting in January instead of late August--but I doubt it.

Digital Documents to the People (DttP)!

One of UNT's gorgeous digital govdocs is gracing this summer's DttP cover, just in time to brag about it at ALA (heh, heh).



You can also view the original document through UNT's Digital Collections, or browse its record, which I personally find just as gorgeous as the object itself. But then, we all know I'm a sucker for nice formatting of textual information.

As usual, I've got some additional library photos up on Flickr. That 365 Library Days Project sure gives me a great excuse for carrying a camera around. I think these photos will come in handy for outreach and marketing projects later on. I heartily encourage you to join--and surprise yourself!

Zombie Attack Thwarted by Library Staff!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUxp3E3YUdQ

This is why I love librarians. (And zombie movies.)

(Apologies for cross-posting. It was utterly relevant to both of my blogs.)

Portal to Texas History -- on YouTube!

Dreanna Belden's been up to some creative, interesting things lately; take a look at this promotional video she created! Aren't my colleagues in our Digital Projects Lab talented?

365 Library Days

Libraryman just invited me to join the 365 Library Days group on Flickr! It's a neat project:

Let's get as many libraries as we can to sign up for a customized, library friendly version of the 365 project. That would mean that if you decide to participate, you would commit to downloading at least 365 pictures from in, around or about the library you work in, for and/or with. Uploading a picture every day for 365 days in this case wouldn't be practical, but committing to 365 images in a year could be done fairly easily. It could also have HUGE value for your library.

This afternoon, I posted 24 photos--primarily that I had taken of our newly-renovated library mall... of course, it hits me now that I haven't paid $25 for the premium Flickr membership that allows you to add more than 200 photos, so that may be a problem in the future... I'd like to add some Denton Reads photos, as well.

Wading Through Wednesday

Thanks for all inquiries--I did arrive home safely last night.

I had a librarian nightmare last night (not metaphorically; it really was a dream). Patrons were rushing the desk, screaming at each other about who got there first and why everyone else's question was stupid. One patron in particular kept talking about how another patron was weird and didn't I think so too, and wasn't his information need ridiculous, and I had to keep patiently explaining to her that I was here to serve everyone, and that no one's need is weighted any differently than any others'.

I think I had this nightmare because during my service desk shift last night, patrons kept asking for pens. Asking in the way that I intuitively knew meant that these pens would not be coming back.

Completely off-topic from patrons... my task on Denton Reads is nearly done! I've got the Children's Festival photos yet to edit/upload, and probably 20-40 other photos to edit/upload, and I also have to archive the existing website. Then I get to update the website with the "events went successfully!" kind of copy and post/link photos. Then I'll be done.

I think.

Great news: we've got RSS for the UNT Library Digital Collections searches (check out the spiffy orange RSS icon at the right)!!! Now, you can save frequent searches and get updates when new items arrive... much like the RSS feeds now available for wishlists in BookMooch (free online book trading service).

Unrelated Banter

• I found a story about how UNT's new President Bataille read "Hoot" to some 6th graders as part of Denton Reads. I'm really hoping that someone photographed the event...
• My talented colleague Kristen pointed out this spiffy (beta) newsletter collection from the Library of Congress: Chronicling America. Thanks!
• FGI has a great page of resources for Spring DLC Denver.

Denton Reads Film Festival (photos)

Last night, the Denton Reads Film Festival double-feature at the Movie Tavern went beautifully. We've got a whole smattering of photos from the event on the Denton Reads Flickr page; click here to see more like the ones below.

Current Distractions From the Annual Review...

WHOOT! NPR’s CyberCemetery story made the ALA Direct newsletter!

Unrelated Banter

• One of the local public librarians honored me with the moniker "Rockstarr" today when I quickly re-did the Denton Reads bookmarks in a 2-color format (to lower printing costs).
• An ingenious way to display information: U.S. housing prices, adjusted for inflation, plotted as a roller coaster. (Thanks, Mark!)
• ALA Annual heads-up: D.C. offers a “National Treasure”-themed self-guided tour where you follow clues from the movie. Now there's something that will really tempt my husband to accompany me in June.
• Also from ALA Direct: some great April Fool's pranks.
• And on a personal note, one of my favorite graphic novelists, Ursula Vernon, was mentioned as a notable new novelist (of non-graphic note) in Library Journal!

Mark Your Place

This evening on short notice, I was able to design bookmarks for Denton Reads... and that likely signals the end of the Graphic Team's responsibilities on Denton Reads for 2007. This image is the front (you can view the back image on flickr).



Unrelated Banter
An item from one of our GovDocs digital collections (WWII poster: "Use it up, wear it out") will soon be a DttP cover image!

Congrats!!!

Our interim department head, the intrepid Melody Kelly (Associate Dean, UNT-L) has been selected as the President-Elect of the Texas Library Association!

Congrats, Mel!

...And now for a little of my own shameless promotion... I'm running for TLA GODORT Councilor-Alternate. Vote for Pedro--er, me!

And I just posted all the recent PR news about the CyberCemetery to LISNews, including my favorite part--where I get to mention that we're now a NARA-affiliated institution.

Unrelated Banter
Effective May 14, 2007, the first-class postage rate will raise from 39 cents to 41 cents.

Looks Like It's Working

John Pendolino's radio story must have gone out on Monday without a hitch (I was at breakfast with our interviewee at the time), because my bank guy just called on personal business, and also mentioned that he had heard the story and would like the URL for the CyberCemetery, as he's really interested in old government information.

It's always when you least expect it.

Wondering what we're up to at UNT?
Keep watch: Recently Added to the UNT-L Digital Collections...

Tags, You're It!

Tags, CMS, and HTML-email... what a glorious combination! We've been looking at options for the delivery of a weekly internal library publication (that I'm soon to take over). So far, the best candidate seems to be Plone, the CMS that we're moving our whole library website to this summer. The only nifty feature that Plone doesn't offer is email delivery, but it seems like we can pull together a HTML email template pretty quickly. Lilly Ramin and I spent a couple of hours yesterday in my office, nerd-i-ly brainstorming about content types and keywords. We looked at three of the most recent publications and basically assigned content types and keywords until we had a semblance of a system, vocabulary, rules, and even examples. We were both pretty excited about it by the time I had to work my service desk shift.

Now, I just need to migrate the HSU BYA Newsletter to a similarly simple model... ah, well. For now, I'm composing those HTML messages from my Gmail address and sending them to the Alumni Relations office, who then sends out an official copy to everyone. But I have yet to figure out why sometimes this sends images just fine, and sometimes it refuses to display them. I need a button in my Gmail that says "reveal HTML code," dangit.

After about seven unsuccessful tries, I am finally registered for the TLA Conference next month. Whew! I think my husband may be able to join me after all, which would be great--and my mom (who was my high school librarian) will be making the rounds at the exhibits while I'm in sessions. My parents live in San Antonio, so it's nice to have a cheap place to stay for once!

Which reminds me... anyone need a (female) roomie for DLC next month? I have a room reserved already, but I'm open to sharing. Looks like I'll be staying Monday night and possibly Tuesday.

Monday, we're interviewing a candidate for the Head of GovDocs position. It's going to be hard to remind myself to be in Denton for breakfast, but I'm looking forward to it. It's odd being on this side of the interview process, that's for sure. It gives a whole new perspective on the job-seeking process.

More publicity for the CyberCemetery! John Pendolino of WBAP interviewed Cathy Hartman and myself yesterday about the CC--they're airing the show on Monday morning (at some point between 5 and 9am). I'm not sure if they link to audio after airing or not (I'll link it here, if they do), but I've got a copy of the audio file for my own archives.