Categories
Categories
Gale vs Ebsco
I find it really interesting that this whole Gale vs Ebsco blew up literally days after the Top Tech Trends panel at ALA Midwinter 2010. Responding to David Walker talking about discovery layers, I made a comment that I was surprised that more content aggregation companies weren’t fighting over exclusive content. I had expected this sort of thing to happen immediately. Good to know that I wasn’t completely off my rocker.
Categories
Weekly Tweets from 2010-01-17
- I'm at Jacob Wirth Restaurant (31 Stuart St, Boston). http://4sq.com/4XVNnl #
- I'm at Bukowski Tavern (50 Dalton Street, Boston). http://4sq.com/18dxEv #
- Just ran into two good friends from Chapel Hill randomly on the street in Boston. #
- Inauspicious morning. Overslept. I never do that at conferences. Sorry to all I missed. Waiting on shuttle now. #alamw10 #
- Picked wrong time to wait on Gale shuttle. Sneaking up on 15 minutes waiting. Hoping my timing gets better today. #
- Still no shuttle, 20+ minutes. #shuttlefail #alamw10 #
- Taking a cab. #shuttlefail #alamw10 #
- I'm at Boston Convention and Exhibition Center w/ @infogdss29. http://4sq.com/5s6Zl7 #
- Ok. Think I've done all I can here. Still tons to do elsewhere. Wondering how fast I can get lunch in this place. #alamw10 #
- Wandering exhibit hall. #alamw10 #
- At LITA National Forum 2010 Planning Committee meeting #alamw10 with @htomren #
- Beginning to be selective about Foursquare tweets, so as to not completely annoy everyone. #
- Thinking about what Shirky's Rant Against Women says about librarianship, a profession dominated by women: http://bit.ly/5g5xrb #
Categories
Eliza play
It’s interesting to me the toys that Eliza plays with (and the ones she ignores). She’s not a builder. She doesn’t like blocks. She’s not into puzzles or “manipulatives” of any kind. She doesn’t care about push / pull toys or even her tricycle that much.
Here’s what Eliza does. She wakes up every morning and immediately says, “It’s tea time!” And we must play “tea” at least five times a day. We also must go grocery shopping and have picnics with her play food and dishes. We also put all of her action figures (Yo gabba gabba, mainly) and stuffed animals into interesting situations and make them talk to Eliza (and to each other). They get sick and we take care of them. They get into arguments about whose turn it is to do something and then apologize. They get time outs. They go on adventures, go hiking, and get into pirate ships. They go to school. They go to the potty. They visit Santa Claus and have birthday parties. They find magic wands and turn each other into strange things.
Lego’s? Nope. Play doh? Not much. Cars? Hardly ever. Toys that have buttons and make noise? No way.
We role play. A lot. And read books (to each other). And talk.
Oh, and sometimes we draw, paint, and write. But that’s usually only when she’s tired.
Categories
Off to Boston – ALA Midwinter 2010
I leave tomorrow for Boston and ALA Midwinter 2010. Got a pretty busy schedule, but I’m trying to make time for things like LITA Happy Hour and a few other social outings, but mostly I’ll be in meetings.
Fun, fun meetings.
Say hi if you see me!
Categories
Perpetual Beta
Since this seems to be the week of announcements, I’ll announce my new experiment with American Libraries:
From the introduction post:
This space will be a place where you will be able to find the very edge of new technologies, as well as tips and tricks about how you can do interesting things with existing technologies. I’m going to try and introduce technologies that libraries and librarians should be paying attention to, and at the same time give you tips and tricks to make better use of the technologies that you may already be playing with.
I”m very, very excited about being a part of a new part of American Libraries…this is the first official American Libraries blog that’s not written by staff members, and I’m thrilled that they are allowing me to be a part of it. Please check it out, and let me know over the next few months what you think!
Categories
Top Tech Trends @ ALA Midwinter 2010
Well, the cat is out of the bag at this point: I’m going to be a Trendster for LITA’s Top Tech Trends at ALA Midwinter 2010! And doubly cool, I’m with an amazing group of librarians, all of whom I admire. I’m honored to be included with them.
From litablog:
It’s that time again, folks; the semi-annual Top Technology Trends conversation is upon us. This year’s midwinter has us enjoying the history and chill of Boston, but like the last midwinter Top Tech discussion in Denver, you can participate from the warmth of your living room or from wherever you may be, a week from this Sunday.
WHERE: Boston Convention Center (BCEC-162A/B), here at litablog.org, from ustream.tv, or via Twitter (#alamwttt) links to follow soon!
WHEN: Sunday, January 17, 2010, 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. E.S.T.The start of the second decade of the century starts with five Trendsters who are new to the Top Tech Table:
Amanda Etches-Johnson, User Experience Librarian at McMaster University
Jason Griffey, Head of Library Information Technology at University of Tennessee, Chattanooga
Joe Murphy, Science Librarian, Yale University
Lauren Pressley, Instructional Design Librarian, Wake Forest University
David Walker, Web Services Librarian, California State University SystemJoin us for a fun and casual discussion, moderated by Gregg Silvis, LITA Top Tech Trends Committee chair.
Categories
Little Artist
If Eliza doesn’t turn out to be a chef, she might be a painter. Or some kind of funky performance artist. Either way, it’s cool with me. I think I had a kid just so I would have an excuse to play with craft supplies, paint, and construction paper. Luckily, she agrees with my love of these things.
Categories
Happy 2010
I didn’t want New Year’s Day to slip by without some looking back on the year that was 2009, and here I am with about 20 minutes left in the day. So what did 2009 bring me? Some awesome things: a daughter that is the best thing ever, professional successes beyond my wildest dreams, and a spouse that keeps me centered on both things in turn. It also brought some sadness: the death of my grandfather, and other extended family troubles.
But overall, I think 2009 treated me pretty well, and 2010 is shaping up to be even more exciting already. So many amazing things coming this year: new book coming in March/April, a new still-secret-but-almost-ready-to-launch project, some fun travel, and hopefully positive news on both mine and Betsy’s tenure decisions.
Thanks for everything, 2009, but 2010 is gonna kick your ass.
Categories
Waiting for Santa!
We weren’t sure how Eliza would react to seeing Santa. But as you can see from this photo, the encounter went extremely well. Not only was she willing to sit on Santa’s lap and smile for the camera, but she also clearly told him what she wanted (a “bicycle”) and said “Thank you, Santa” when he handed her a candy cane. I was somewhat stunned. Was this MY child? I was notorious for screaming and wailing at the first sight of the big man in the red suit. To be fair, this was one of the best, most authentic-looking and sounding Santas I’ve ever seen. It was at the Chattanooga Choo Choo, which was also a great place to spend a Saturday morning.
So we’re all anxiously waiting for Santa. Every day, Eliza asks me if he’s coming. And every day, she says she wants chocolate and toys in her stocking. Luckily, she won’t be disappointed. However, we think she believes she will see Santa come down the chimney. We’re not sure she’ll be thrilled that he came while she was sleeping and she missed him.