OLA is on the way.

Free Range Librarian: The Last Mile: A Chance to Get Started

Just a couple days before the OLA the Free Range Librarian discusses what she may include in her session.

Unfortunately, she doesn't mention what day she is presenting, and I've lost my Superconference booklet, so I'll have to go rummaging through their online schedule...oh wait, they've a google search for their pages. It seems her session will be one that I've already decided to go to. (friday afternoon for those interested.)

Over the weekend I was considering not going because of personal finances, but how could I miss the opportunity to see my friends and to see presenters like the Free Range Librarian and the Shifted Librarian?

CBC News: Windsor hockey team in N.Y. crash

CBC News: Windsor hockey team in N.Y. crash

I usually know that if I see my home-town in the news, it's not a good thing. Here's a story about an accident that happened yesterday. I don't think I know any of the women on the team, but it's still sad to see. The news hasn't said who the fatalities were, so i could be players or parents. Unfortunately the truck driver involved was killed. I'm having a particularly graphic imagination today and don't want to think about this.
The story can also be found in the local newspaper.

There's a reason for everything.

Sometimes I am amazed at how things in my life that were
at one time seperate and distinct interests, are actually
related.
For instance, I am a sorority woman. Anyone who knows me
in person knows this and I am proud of my affiliation. I
truly believe in the ideals of my organization and its
core values. I am actually quite amused that "Lifelong
Learning" is one of the core values of my sorority - what
better value for a librarian?
Today I was just browsing the net and was looking at the
philanthropies of different groups. Now Pi Beta Phi was not
on my campus but I have met some Pi Phis. They were
really nice. One of Pi Phi's philanthropies is
Arrow in the Arctic. With a philanthropy like that, I'm
sure if that sorority had been on my campus, I would have
been drawn to it. How could I resist a sorority that
supports Northern libraries? I know the
Arrow
in the Arctic may be a bit out of date (I don't think
it's been updated since 2003) but it's still really nice
to see those excerpts from the libraries thanking for
donations. I think this is a great thing that they've
done. Well, I think anything that gets young people to do
fundraisers for good causes is a good thing. I know the
local chapter here of my sorority is in the middle of
planning their big fundraiser for the year. I can't wait
to see how it turns out.

I'm so out of it!

So after that last post, I went and looked at Posters from Buster:
A Guide for english Language Learners that I got from a vendor
and also the Buster
website. I think I might try some of the activities with my
godkids...but then again, I don't think they are home in time to watch
Buster (it's on at 3pm here).
Anyway, what surprised me was
Buster's Blog! I
know blogging is "the" thing to do right now, but I hadn't realized
how it is becoming so integrated in so many different areas.
What's interesting, is I looked at his entry for Iqaluit (the one
place in Canada he visits) he answers a question I raised not too long
ago:
"Most people who live in Iqaluit are Inuit. "Inuit" means "person" in
Inuktitut. I called them Eskimos. But Eden, an Inuit girl I met here,
says they don't use that word anymore. "Inuit" is the better word to
use."

Ok, I know Buster isn't a real person, but I just really like watching
Arthur and Buster. I actually like to watch a lot of kids shows like
that.

CBC News: PBS pulls show over lesbian content

CBC News: PBS pulls show over lesbian content: "It's our decision to have the program available to anyone who wants to watch it. It's ultimately the parents' decision whether to have their child watch it,' she adds."

yeah, that's right. It's good to see that some affiliates are going to show the episode. I don't think t.v. shows that happen to incorporate lesbian or gay parents are really trying to cause controversy, but rather just show how things are. I don't understand why people have difficulty distinguishing between acceptance and tolerance. It's ok to not agree with someone or accept their lifestyle, but it's certainly still possible to be tolerant of people who hold different values and beliefs. I know sometimes this is hard.
Besides, I like Buster. He's fun.

There and back again

I wrote a nice long post last night about my trip up to to Kitchener and al of the day's events. Unfortuantely last night I received an attack from the Blue Screen and had to restart the computer.

The trip up was pretty uneventful. The bus ride was fine. It turns out the greyhound station and transit terminal are the same, so after collecting 3 bus route schedules and maps I decided to take the bus to the interview instead of a taxi. This plan was working out until the bus got delayed and so I missed my transfer. I watched as the other bus was leaving the transfer point and I could do nothing because the driver was already on the radio to another bus for a woman that had gotten on a wrong bus and was heading back for the right one.
So I ended up calling a taxi to take me the rest of the way since the little bus maps aren't to scale(or at least don't give their scale) so I had no way of knowing exactly how long it would have taken me to walk. I arrived early but that was fine. I could see already that the place is very casual and informal, just as I had been told. I met with the HR person first and chatted with her. Then I took the cataloguing test which consisted of cataloguing 2 monographs. I think I did okay. I went on Worldcat last night to compare their records with my results. For one of the titles I got the exact subject heading (women mushers) and call number. For the other I got the call number (I think - I was considering a few different ones, don't remember exactly which I picked) but none of the subject headings matched at all. And of course the ones in Worldcat make more sense than the ones I picked. The cataloguing supervisor said she'd try to get back to me Tuesday, if not than the following week.
After about 2 hours there, I headed back to the Greyhound station via transit. I like taking buses because I get to see a bit of the town. I took a different bus back so I saw different areas than on the way there. Interesting.
When I got to the terminal I was absolutely starving so I grabbed some fries and an orange juice and sat down with a stranger at a booth (there were no empties). The young woman is in her first year at Western and learned that she picked all the wrong courses for herself last semester so is trying different things this semester. She was on her way to her friend's for a 19th birthday. Oh to be young again.
When transfering in London, I ran into a former classmate who had just arrived from Toronto (she's on co-op) to visit her boyfriend. We chatted for a bit, mostly about me and the job hunt. It's nice to see people I know.

That is pretty much it. I'm sure I could have gone into greater detail, but if you have questions you can always ask! Now I need to prepare for the french test I am scheduled to have on Tuesday for a position in New Brunswick. I'm thinking I'm not overly into that position so I should email them and tell tehm I'm not really interested in it. But I want to take the test to see how I do. That is not fair to them though since it costs them money. I can't cut my options though, since I don't have a job, and moving to New Brunswick would be interesting (my grandfather lives there - you know the Acadian blood in us).

National Flag of Canada Day February 15, 2005

Jour du drapeau national du Canada 15 fevrier 2005 / National Flag of Canada Day February 15, 2005

Here's a site I found via LII.org. Ahh, flag day. So special. I love our flag.

Feedback please?

Hey folks,

As you may, or may not have, noticed, I added a little tagboard to the right of the screen. Now, on my computer it looks fine, but Mozilla does keep announcing that it's blocking a page (and IE too blocked a page). When I checked it out it looked like the tagboard contents. so, the question: how's it coming up on your browsers? everything look ok? Any weird pop-ups?
Because it was just a guess on where to insert the code in the template so maybe I have to fix something.

thanks

MSNBC: Asteroid named after ‘Hitchhiker’ humorist

MSNBC: Asteroid named after ‘Hitchhiker’ humorist

Ah, good ole Adams. I remember reading his books. I was in the copy-cat stage of my life, wanting to do everything my brother did, thus I joined Air Cadets and played in the band and read sci-fi. I also pretended I knew what my brother was saying when he talked about cold fusion.
So, yes Adams brought a brother and sister together and of course I emailed my brother as soon as I heard a new movie was being made on the Hitchhiker's series.
Now asteroid 2001 DA42 (look at all the symbolism) will be named for Douglas Adams. Now, if we could only find that asteroid in our telescopes!

So soon?

So the interviewer got back to me. She'd prefer me to go up this Friday for the tour and test. Other possible dates: Feb 9th or 11th. Now the 9th would be on my way to Toronto anyway, but I'm just thinking of the costs for train tickets - it'd be a bunch of one-ways and so then more expensive.
Am I ready to go on Friday? Do I remember how to catalogue? damn it, I think I threw my notes out. :p Am I pursuing this job because I want it, or because I want a job?

Wow, tough decision!

I just finished my interview for the cataloguing position. It lasted an hour. It was fun. Well, maybe not, but at least I told some funny stories such as when in catloguing class I'd get a little annoyed at the major debates over theoretical questions when cataloguing is a practical activity (well usually). The interviewer understood that and shared her own story about cataloguers debating over a period when really, does it matter to the patron?
So it's a not-for-profit which means the pay is very low. Good enough for me, but still very low. (I know none of my friends would settle for it.) It'd be the same I made on co-op. However, they do believe in flex time so that means I don't have to go into work for 8am unless I want to - I can keep sleeping in. She did point out that although the workplace is collegial and friendly, it is still a solitary type of job and a quiet atmosphere. I could be going up there as soon as this Friday to take a look around and take the cataloguing test. She said the test is basically cataloguing 2 books. I would have access to the Validator. And the test is really just to see if someone is trainable since she understands I'm right out of school.
Even if the pay is a bit low, I think this would give me the chance to see if I really do like cataloguing. At the moment though I feel like I'd get stuck in that job but if I like it I don't see why that's a bad thing. She said from my resume I looked like a very social person. I never really thought of me as that. I've never had a choice really; to survive in this world you have to maintain a social life in and out of work.
Well, I guess I'll see when I take a tour of the place!

eek! a test!

I received a phone call today from New Brunswick. I had applied for a position there and it requires a bilingual librarian. I am to expect a call sometime this week or next from them again but this call will determine my fluency in french. The man on the phone could not say if there was a specific conversation or not, so I am trying to learn my French equivalents for library vocab (thanks to my friend who has given me some handy links). I'm nervous about the French test, although I don't really care if I get the job - it's not a top priority. I just want to keep my options open. I just feel if I can't pass the NB test, how will I find a job in Ottawa?
Tomorrow is the first interview for a cataloguing job. I checked out their website (not really great) and looked at the tools they use to catalogue. I have no experience at all with RVM. I did look at some of the updates though online which gave me a glimpse of what it is like. I'm just hoping that there aren't too many others vying for this position. I haven't met too many that enjoy cataloguing, and even fewer who could do it in French; I'm hoping that gives me an edge (my written french is much better than oral).

Looking for Alaska: John Green

Looking for Alaska by John Green. 256 p. Dutton Books.

This Young Adult's novel can't help but create suspense since in place of chapter headings, it has a countdown (e.g. "eighty-nine days before"). This is the story of Miles Halter, a highschool junior who has asked his parents to go to boarding school in search of a "Great Perhaps". His roommate, "The Colonel" and new friends Alaska and Takumi love to break school's rules and play pranks. As tragedy strikes Miles' new home, he works through the great questions in life and how to deal with grief. "One hundred thirty-six days after" Miles finds a solution and an end to the year at Culver Creek.
While it did find it pretty slow to start the book (why would I want to read about some kid who is so bored he wants to go away to prep school?) but after the first 20 pages or so, the story became more amusing. Reading about the pranks they play makes me wish I was a little more rebellious when I was young. The story was good, but I still have a hard time thinking that kids think like this. I never had deep thoughts when I was young; maybe it's just me - I am an Aquarius after all.

That's Neat.

I've never used reverse look-up before for a number. Actually I did try once before but at that time it wasn't available for Canada. I just received a phone call from some store. I've won a pair of earrings from the wedding expo I went to a few weeks ago. Well I got the location okay (I asked her twice) but I didn't hear the name of the place. So I just looked it up on www.canada411.ca using the phone number look-up for businesses. Now I know the place, The Stamp Studio, and it's actually a store that should be interesting to visit! Their beginner beading classes look interesting. Maybe it's time for a new hobby? (as boxes of photographs and supplies sit in my dresser drawers waiting for me to do some scrapbooking.)

NexGen Librarian: Cover Letter Tips

NexGen Librarian: How to write a cover Letter

In this post, Christine has quoted the text from the NextGen Listserv (which I don't receive emails from anymore - I never read throgh them). While there isn't too much new here, it is good to hear from the other side of the job search process.

The Windsor Star: NAFTA challenged in Ontario courts

The Windsor Star: NAFTA challenged in Ontario courts :
"The UPS claim could damage Canada Post's ability to deliver cost-effective services across the country.

And the plaintiffs argue the stakes are even higher than that since the NAFTA provision in question could allow private companies to challenge most any public service -- even health care.

....

The NAFTA section at issue is one adopted in 1994.

It allows private corporations to seek redress for government policies deemed to harm their business interests through non-judicial tribunals."

I remember back in school we talked about how this could affect public libraries. Actually I think it may have been GATS we were discussing, but same issue. I don't think business should really have such a stronghold over what government does (yeah I'm a little naive). Sure i'm thankful for NAFTA since that's going to help me get a job in the U.S. (if I go), but really, getting rid of publicly funded services because it's unfair? How is that fair to the citizens? I personally don't like UPS anyway (if it's not Canada Post then it's Purolator for me).

CYBERTIP.CA LAUNCHED TO FIGHT ONLINE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

CYBERTIP.CA LAUNCHED TO FIGHT ONLINE CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

"A public awareness campaign was also unveiled today to encourage Canadians from coast to coast to use Cybertip.ca to report incidents of suspected child sexual exploitation on the Internet. Reports can be made through an online form at www.cybertip.ca or by calling a toll-free phone line (1-866-658-9022)."

Wired News: Users Confuse Search Results, Ads

Wired News: Users Confuse Search Results, Ads

Wow. I never even thought of this issue before. Personally, I've always scrolled past and overlooked anything that was a "sponsored site" (or whatever the terminology is). I didn't realize that others didn't know these were paid.

Just another reason why students need librarians and professors to teach them how to effectively search the internet.

Conference calls are fun

Well, it's a good thing it was a phone interview, because I ended up waking up late and so just stayed in my pyjamas.
There were 4 people interviewing me on the phone for the reference/instruction position. My voice was crackly. I think some of my answers were a lot better than usual, but there were still a couple I was iffy on. It only lasted 30 minutes. they said to book an hour. Is that a bad thing? I did ask a few questions - even ripped some from my brain that didn't exist, but still no great questions. I heard them laughing at one of the answers I gave (in a good way): I had told them how I prepared a BI on primary sources on the web for highschool kids and just before the presentation the teacher said they weren't allowed to use the web at all. In the end I changed the teacher's mind and he appreciated the sites I found for him.

So, the interview was ok. I was just the first though. They have 9 more they are interviewing. And then it's an on campus interview. The university is only about a 4 hour drive from here so that'd be nice. I told them I had been there once before and the main interviewer said, " let me guess, the ________" [don't want to give location away] and I laughed because yes, that's what I visited.
Well, I'm crossing my fingers!
Now it's time to prepare for the interview on Wednesday!

You never know what you can find.

I've spent the last couple hours looking at the university and library website of the institution that will be calling me tomorrow to interview. It's nice that I've actually been to the city where it's located. Well, only once, and I was a teenager, but at least I'm a little familiar with the area.
While looking at the library's last newsletter I discovered that the head of reference is fairly new. The newsletter gave a brief profile of her and also a picture. I must say, I really like it when I can "see" to whom I will be talking. I just find it more relaxing when I can imagine the person on the other side of the phone. So I'm glad I took the time to look at the website.
Last night I ended staying up til 3am reading. I almost had to force myself to continue reading this book because the first 20 pages or so weren't particularly interesting. Yet, I'm glad I continued because the story started flowing better and became more interesting. I even cried. Yeah, I'm silly. I think sometimes I just need to cry to get rid of tears because the part that made me cry wasn't particularly unexpected, well somewhat, but not completely. It'll take me a couple more days to finish it, but I will post on it when I'm done.

Globe & Mail: Library bomber jailed 2 years

Library bomber jailed two years, a story from the Globe and Mail today, describes the outcoem of the arson trial of the 19 year old man responsible for burning down the United Talmud Torah school's library in Montreal last April.

"The judge said Canadian courts have to treat terrorism harshly, especially as violent networks spread their reach around the globe. He raised Quebec's own past of homegrown terrorism, but noted that today, acts of hate are finding their wellspring in conflicts beyond its borders."

Dread Locks by Neal Shusterman

This is another advance copy that I got for free from the vendors at ALA. I'm horrible at writing reviews, but I want to be able to write them for some reason. Probably because that was actually an area I did not do well in at Library School.

Dread Locks is the first in a news series: Dark Fusion by Neal Shusterman. This series tries to bring out the "innate creepiness" of fairy tales by giving them an "original twist" and combining the stories with myths and legends and bringing them to present-day.

We follow Parker Baer as he tries to break the boredom he faces in his high-class neighbourhood and private school. That bordeom starts to fade away when a new eccentric neighbour moves in next door. What is it that makes Tara so irresistible to everyone? Why does she wear sunglasses all the time, even at night? Students start acting really strange but how is it related to Parker, and how can he stop it?
I found this story did maintain suspense despite that there weren't too many surprises (maybe because I'm an adult, or because I studied Classical civilization?). The ending does provide a little twist, something a bit unexpected.
Overall I think this short novel (176p) is a great start to a new and interesting series. I look forward to his other Dark Fusion novels.

What a gift!

I just received an email from the head of a reference department. The screening committee for a reference position at an university would like to do a phone interview next week with me. That's a nice thing to hear on my birthday! That will mean I'll have two phone interviews next week. I realize phone interviews are primarily a screening procedure, but it is nice to see that my resume must have had something interesting on it.
And this academic position wouldn't take me too far away from home. Not that I don't mind leaving the area, but my godkids are a bit attached to me (the elder one wants to be a librarian like me!). I think it's time to go back on their website and do some research!

Olivia Kidney and the Exit Academy by Ellen Potter

Olivia Kidney and the Exit Academy is one of the two books I have already read that I got at the ALA Vendor Exhibition (I've started a third too).

To be published in April, this book is a sequel to Olivia Kidney (June 2003). Having not read the first, I can say that it didn't really matter. Just when I was starting to wonder about Olivia's brother, the author gave a bit of information to fulfil my need.

In this story, Olivia and her father move to a new building in NYC. The owner is charming, yet strange, keeping a lagoon in the house. And what's with the strangers coming in the middle of the night? Olivia tries to figure out the weirdness going on in the house while trying to make new friends and learn to skateboard. With the support of her brother and other misfits, Olivia manages to accomplish what she is meant to do. I think this zany mystery is a fun choice for any pre-teen or young teenager.

what's new at Collections Canada?

Collections Canada has put out a couple new things. The first:
"To mark the anniversary of the birth of Sir John A. Macdonald (January 11, 1815), Library and Archives Canada offers a virtual tour about a man whose impact on the history of Canada was significant."

Unfortunately, the first thing I think of when reading John A.'s name is "drunk". Although, that isn't fair since alcoholism is a disease and it's not likely there was much help for that back in the 1800s.

Also new is the Kids' site to Canadian Settlement. This looks like a really cool tool for kids to learn about the different peoples that make up Canada.

Off topic:is it true that Eskimo is still a politcally correct word in the U.S.? I just have heard it often lately, even from a woman who lived in a village in Alaska and taught there. I'm not a huge PC person, well I believe in it, but I do agree on occasion it gets out of hand, but I just thought the word Eskimo was so, well, passé?

Thoughts?

My friend the C.O.L. blogger has posted some questions:

" What to do about the librarians in the field who seem to insist on a certain standard of blogging (as journalism) and refer to many librarians’ blogs as substandard, amateurish. What do these values mean or imply and should everyone feel an obligation to comply with them? What does it mean that I have librarian in my blog title and does it matter? Or will it matter later?"

Now, I never claimed I could write - I'd be the first to admit that. I'm a horrible writer and would never be interested in journalism. Also, this blog has always been a personal thing. Sure, I save a lot more of my personal life for my LiveJournal, but this blog is a personal project too, so if it seems amateurish, that's because it is. I do this just to keep in touch with myself and friends and to search out some interesting stories about librarianship or Canada. I also think writing a little every day is good practice; I may never want to be a journalist, but writing is important in many fields. And I'm also trying to be more critical of what I'm reading. When I was younger I was one of those types that just believed everything that I read, so I am trying to develop a critical mind and this blog helps me do that.

So E*, I certainly don't feel obligated to live up to anyone's standards except my own and I think "librarian" is how we define ourselves and that was our choice.

Back Home

Today is the 1st anniversary for Canuck Librarian! There's so much I could do with this blog, but it takes little steps. If I start thinking big things I get overwhelmed. Just like with the job search. It is overwhelming all that I have to do. I can handle it, but because I don't have a regular routine, it's hard to get motivated. So, now that I'm back I have a huge list of things to do - both work and volunteer related. First, I need to revise my resume and make different versions for public and academic positions. That means I also have to start seriously considering public library jobs and not just skip over those announcements.
I went online today to find a temp agency for librarians in Ottawa. The site didn't seem to work for me, but google had it cached so I got the info I needed. Also, through following links I found that the parent company of the temp agency already has a posting for librarians. I just need to persevere and keep applying to positions that interest me.
I will be taking it easy though for the next few days. I do have volunteer stuff to do, nothing I haven't done before for them. Tomorrow my best friend is taking me out to dinner for my birthday, so that'll be nice.

It's a tad chilly.

So, I guess I won't be doing too much more sight-seeing because it's just darn cold. Yesterday I went to the Museum of Fine Arts - free because of the holiday. Today I went to the Isabella Stewart GArdner Museum, again free because C* had her art gallery pass still. It was really beautiful. Really gorgeous. I wish I had a home like that.
I was thinking of going to the aquarium but it closes at 5pm and costs $15...so not sure if that's still something I want to do. Maybe I'll take a walk down to the Boston Public Library since I haven't gone in there yet.

Nancy Pearl

I met Nancy Pearl today. I bought bother her book and calendar and had them signed. I feel special now :p I picked a few other intersting looking books at the exhibition - not many though. Most of my friends are now gone home. Tomorrow I have an interview with Sacramento PL. We'll see how that oges. Then the rest of the trip is tourism.

Internet cafe

I'm sitting in the internet cafe here at the ALA conference. I had two more interviews today. They were ok, both were for children's librarian. All of the interviews here are just pre-screeing interviews - they aren't really "real" interviews. I'm also waiting to hear from another library that I just put my application in to today. so I might have another interview tomorrow.
last night i went to the NMRT social. It wasgood, I met some other students and recent grads. After that I and another student went to the ALA cadidate receptions (free alcohol). I liked the second candidate I saw, Leslie Burger. I'll probably vote for her for ALA president, and you should too. (I'll post both candidate's websites when I have time).
Well, one friend is already gone, and another leaves tonight. It was good to see them though if only for awhile. I think tomorrow and tuesday will be more sight-seeing days since I haven't done anything yet.
Well, I don't want to take too much time here, since others are in line.

Frustration

So the one interview is totally not happening. :( too bad. This conference has shown me that it is going to be a lot harder to find a job than I thought. (and I didn't think it easy to begin with). Interviewed with LA public to get put on their wait list. Also Georgetown College - intersting. Tomorrow Queens and DC Public. At least coming here has given me a better understanding of public library jobs.

I'm in Boston

My flight was delayed this morning, so I spent a good three hours at the airport. The plane was probably half librarians. I even saw the University Librarian from the library I did my co-op at.
I got here, and managed to get to the hostel - wearing my suede coat in the pouring rain with no umbrella.
So far I've met with my friends, and set interviews for 3 public libraries. I did not have my interview today because the Executive Director did not show up, but I did speak to the HR person. She seemed nice - but I guess that's her job. I'm starting to wonder if it was a good idea to come here. In other news, I also got an email today asking for a phone interview. It's for a cataloguing job and would eventually require a cataloguing test. Help! I don't know what to expect in a cataloguing test! Are books allowed? If anyone has examples or suggestions, please let me know.
OK, this is costing me, so I gotta go for now.

ENERGY-SAVING HOUSING PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN ONTARIO

From the Government of Canada: ENERGY-SAVING HOUSING PROGRAM LAUNCHED IN ONTARIO

"New homes that receive the ENERGY STAR label will be independently verified to be 40 percent more energy-efficient than those built to minimum Ontario building code standards. The increased efficiency of ENERGY STAR-qualified homes will translate into reduced energy costs for homeowners."

Well it's good energy costs are lower, because people are likely to be paying more for these houses!

I'm sure many Canadians have heard of the One Tonne Challenge, or at least have seen the commercial starring Rick Mercer. It's a good thing the government is stepping and standing up for the environment. I just wonder how many Canadians will step up to the plate as well.

Coincidences?

Today I went to the university library. I needed to get copies of the pathfinders I created since they seem to have been misplaced between the move (although I'm certain I put them somewhere special so I wouldn't lose them). So I said hello to my former supervisor and I chatted with some other librarians and library assistants.
I was chatting to my favourite library assistant and telling her about my job interview when she said "You should meet _____, she just came from (city of possible future employment)." So she took me up to the new offices that were created last summer, and was introduced to this librarian. She came back to Canada last year but spent about 7 years in the US and even met a canadian librarian who worked at the place I'm interviewing with. We talked for at least 1.5 hours, or more. She had so much to say about the area and advice about the city, the job, the interview. Everything. It was pretty cool getting to meet someone who lived where I might end up. She also did the ALA Placement Service thing back a few years so she told me how it was back then: there'd be folders with positions on them and job searchers would just put their resume into folders that interested them. Now the ALA has the message center online, so I wonder if we'd do things that way. well I still have things to do before heading off tomorrow.

PLA Blog

Just in case you haven't heard of the PLA blog yet, let me tell you about it. It is the offical blog of the Public Library Association and they have a group of bloggers who will be attending the ALA midwinter meeting. They'll be keeping everyone up-to-date on all the action happening in Boston.
Some of the PLA bloggers are pretty well known, like Steven Cohen from Library Stuff and Rochelle is a regular poster on LIS News but they seem to have a bit of variety. I would have volunteered if I had a laptop, but I don't have one. Well, whenever I get access to a computer I'll be filling all of you in on what I'm up to!

I got an interview!

I just received an email from the human resources director. I had emailed her asking about an interview since I hadn't heard anything since the phone interview last Thursday. She said they do want to meet me - I have an interview for 4:30 on Friday.

So now that you know what I'm packing, what should I wear? The purple skirt would really make me stand out I think. I wear this with burgundy stockings and black boots. I believe my blazer also matches the undertones in the skirt. But the black pants are pretty straightforward - can't go wrong with that.

And now I have to research even more about the company. Butterflies have now inhabited my stomach. I usually don't get very nervous, but this is an interview for a "real" job. I'm a grown up now. I mean I've had "real" type jobs but they were always contracts so it didn't feel "real". I am thinking positively. I am not a pessimist. And this weekend, I won't even be a realist - I'll be an optimist. I will be the fantastic enthusiastic librarian that everyone will want to hire. (how's that for positive thinking?)

Packing Decisions

I finally have the chance to blog a little. I was going to pass along some interesting stories this morning, but things have been a little busy. And this computer keeps locking up.
So today I did 3 loads of laundry and started packing my bag for the ALA Midwinter. So I have decided to pack:
My black dress pants
My blue blazer (matches the stripe in my pants)
purple wool skirt
2 sweaters (1 purple, 1 blue)
2 blouses (1 purple, 1 blue) - coincidence really, just bought them since my other shirts don't fit.
1 dressy top (burgundy)
and then the usual (PJs, socks, etc).
I'm planning on alternating between my skirt and my pants. I'll be wearing my jeans there, so I can wear those at night if I go out. My goal was to bring just a carry-on bag, so we'll see. I'll also be wearing my black boots with everything.
I just wonder if my purple skirt is a little too much. Too un-librarian? I mean I know we're always striving against the image, but really, how do people react when you dress outside the stereotype? I don't think my purple skirt is too wild; I wore to work in the library all the time.
It also turns out that 4 of us former MLIS folks will be staying at the same hostel. That'll be nice. I'm the last to arrive though. I don't know why I didn't think of leaving Thursday instead of Friday.
This will be my first professional conference, so if anyone has some handy tips on how to survive, please feel free to comment. I do plan on attending the New Member Round Table Orientation on Saturday, so that should be useful, or at least start me on my networking.

Toronto Star: National Web library do-able, affordable, visionary

I found this article by Michael Geist through Teleread.

"One opportunity is to greatly expand the National Library of Canada's digital efforts by becoming the first country in the world to create a comprehensive national digital library."

He describes the value of a National Digital Library and then discusses barriers, such as possible changes to internet copyright law.

"Supported by appropriate copyright policies, a national digital library comprised of every Canadian book ever published would provide an exceptional resource for Canadians at home as well as advantageously promote the export of Canadian culture abroad."

I think a digital library is a good move, but "every book ever published" and he generally estimated a 5 year timeline!?! I think that's a little underestimated. I do agree though we should watch what our Government is doing in terms of copyright. I'm not even well versed in copyright so I wasn't really aware of what the Government is up to.

Web Hosting?

I've been thinking about registering a domain name and getting some sort of a hosting package. I really have very little idea about where to go. I thought of going to a few places locally, but they're expensive. I've been looking around the internet and looked at at least 15 different places. I'm thinking of going with WebServe Canada since they have a decent starter package and I went through their website looking at company information, "famous clients", awards and all that jazz. So what do you think? I don't really need a website, but it would be nice to have one for my resume without all that geocities gobbley-gook and maybe I can integrate my blog into the site. If I do buy a domain name, it'd probably be my real name - I've pretty much given up on internet anonymity anyway.

Wired news: We're Creative Commonists, Bill

Here's a fun article out of Wired about Bill Gates recent comments on copyright reform.
We're Creative Commonists, Bill discusses some of the quick responses by those who support initiatives such as the Creative Commons. I really think Bill is out of the loop if he thinks any interested in copyright reform is a commie. Although, the other day I was talking to a friend saying I was so far left I could be a communist. That's just joke though. Well if I had money to throw away I'd buy one of their t-shirts!

Oops, all gone.

Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog.

And adding it has "erased" all the lovely comments I've been getting. But don't worry, at least I read them all before they went bye-bye. And since noone probably saw my last comment, I'll just say again, for D, that no worries. I will post a list of my books that I plan to deselect from my home. Most of it is French literature and books on ancient Greece and Rome, since most of them are from my undergrad days. I do plan on keeping the books written by my Classics profs, my Harry Potter collection, and books that have been signed. It is tough to let go of books, especially since they seem to hold memories. Like "The Rez Sisters" by Tomson Highway will not only bring back memories of 1st year English, but also of the really unique store off campus we had to go to buy the play, and also of the play itself we watched at the Sudbury Theatre. Or the play "Medea" reminds me again of 1st year - my Classics prof. He was young and good looking. He showed us a video of the play as it would have been performed, you know with the masks and all that. Oh, and Moliere will always remind me of Prof. Skakoon, and how just about all French literature ends up to be about sex! My Spanish textbook reminds me of Cecilia, my prof whose surname I forget. The last week of class she had us over to her apartment for sangria and a chance to speak Spanish to her elderly mother who knew no English. I'm sure I could come up with a story for every book, but alas, I need to cull the collection. Now, when it comes time to do something with all my photos, that'll be another, more difficult, task.

Get Used to It.

Another rejection. That's ok. Still it would have been nice to get an interview for the position (it was an academic library in Florida). I submitted another two applications today, one here in Ontario and one in Ohio.
Today I also started going through all my books with a view to cataloguing them. However, it's not for the usual librarian-type purposes. I'm getting rid of them all. So I am going to take a list of what I have to the used book store and see if they want the stuff. There's a few stores in town and they always seem to be packed with books. There's one that I won't even go into - it's hazardous - books everywhere on the floors and in the aisles, not to mention I don't care much for the owner. I have books all over the place, so I have to dig them out and see what's still good. I know some are in the basement and will have to be thrown out (mould).

A different way of evaluating E-books

Ok, I don't have an e-book reader, and I don't think I've read any e-books. oh, wait, I have used netLibrary a couple times - if that counts. Anyway, i still find e-book technology pretty interesting and can't wait until I have the dinero to test drive an e-book machine myself. (although I believe my local library does actually lend some).

Of course, there are many others out there who do. Here's an article via Teleread about The john test from Stephen Gambuti.

ok, so one's done.

The phone interview is over. It lasted just a half hour. I never can come up with good questions despite reviewing their website and looking at everything. I think we had a good convo and it's likely I'll meet with the office's executive director at the ALA. The job sounds pretty good and even though it isn't exactly in a library, I will still get to work with librarians. It was really nice talking to the woman who called, I'm glad I looked her up on the staff page and saw her picture, because she looks friendly and was smiling, so I could picture that throughout the call. She also did tell me that she would hire a person without the experience if she felt they could be brought up to snuff quickly and I told her I could.
In other news...I'm happy to get email. I know it's only been a few weeks, but some of us MLIS grads are missing the labs and all the socializing that goes with the intense schedule we all used to keep. So I've heard from 3 or 4 classmates. er, former classmates. One of them will be going to the ALA and we're staying at the same hostel, so that should be fun. I plan on emailing a few other friends, I just feel it takes time. It'd be easier if they all just read my blog and comment on occasion like D does ;) Of course, I don't think they all know my blog name, and I remember trying to explain RSS to one friend and she really didn't get it.
Well, I'm hungry...off to find food.

Finally!

I have a phone interview for Thursday! yay! It'll be my first interview for a professional job. I don't want to give all the details since I don't want to jinx myself all I'll say is it's not actually a library job.
I just hope I do ok. I've never had a phone interview before. Interview Tips are more than welcome.

Tsunami Blogs

I found this list on the CBC website that provides links to blogs and other related sites:

Blogs

I haven't looked at any yet since it is such a sad disaster. I guess my family is happy that my cousin wasn't harmed at all, too bad so many can't say the same about their families.

Sri Lankan Libraries Call for Help