Librarian by Day » Chit Chat

Show Your Support, Donate

Bobbi Newman — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 17:01:24 +0000

UPDATE 5/1/2012 We have reached the goal! Thank you so much to everyone who donated! I will be at ALA 2012 thanks to your support and generosity!

Making the decision to write this post was hard for me, after all I love NPR but pledge drive time drives me a little crazy especially after I’ve donated and it keeps going. But I understand why they do it and I wouldn’t have it any other ways. So, I’m going to be a little self-indulgent.

A couple of weeks ago I realized I wouldn’t be able to make the trip to Anaheim for ALA. Some health issues, nothing life threatening, but expensive nevertheless have used up the money I had set aside. In a moment of wistful thinking I tweeted that if each of my twitter followers donated 50 cents I’d be able to go to ALA (and then some). John Jackson who writes the Ink & Vellum blog took the idea and ran with it. I was a little embarrassed but mostly humbled that he and others would think it worthwhile to donate to send me to ALA. Donations have been coming in, about $300 right now.

Then some more good news and support came my way. Yesterday an individual who supports my work and feels I should attend this years ALA approached me with a challenge. If I could raise $750 s/he would donate/loan me the rest with two stipulations first that s/he remain anonymous and second that one day, when I have plenty of money to spare, I either match it with a charity donation or a similar good deed. I’ve been donating smaller amounts for years for a number of causes, including donations last year towards sending two different people to Annual, so I will happily agree to those terms.

What will I be doing at Annual if I go?

I serve as a councilor-at-large you can reread my statements from when I was running if you like. I also serve as the LITA representative on the ALA OITP Digital Literacy Task Force, on the OITP Advisory Committee, on the Conference Committee and as the chair for the Transliteracy Interest Group.

Some other non-ALA noteworthy service and projects include:

serving on the Library Advisory Group for the Pew Internet & American Life research on Libraries in the Digital Age
founder and coordinator, semi-annual Library Day in the Life Project
co-founder and editor This Is What a Librarian Looks
contributing editor and advocate at Library Renewal
co-founder and writer for the Libraries and Transliteracy Project.
contributor to the Transliteracy Research Group
Library Journal Mover and Shaker, 2011

I’m setting a goal of $750. If I meet that my Anonymous Sponsor will loan me the difference. I’m setting a deadline of May 8^th to ensure that the plane ticket isn’t astronomical. If we don’t reach the goal by then the funds will be set aside for attending MidWinter 2013.

So if you find my blog posts or tweets or what I share on Facebook useful or feel that I represent you, please donate. Every little bit helps.

How do you donate?

Two options.

You can use the donate button at the right or below. If you subscribe via RSS you’ll need to visit the blog directly the button does not show up in the feed. I have discovered if you use this option, Paypal takes 30 cents plus a percentage on all donations, so if you donate a $1, I get 67 cents, $5, I get $4.55 etc.

The second one is to log into your Paypal account, click on the “send money” tab, type in my email address bobbi.newman AT gmail.com and select “personal” and “other” for the reason. There is no charge for this option. A dollar sent is a dollar received.

Thank you. And thank you to everyone who has already donated.Similar Posts:

Books: A Love Letter

Bobbi Newman — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 01:34:01 +0000

I don’t write about books here. Not really. I write about ebooks and technology and the future of libraries (which may or may not involve books depending who you ask) and sometimes I write about what I’m reading, but I don’t really write about books. This is about books.

I have a confession to make, like many people I got my library science degree because I love books. I love the idea of them, what they are capable of, the power within them (even if it is just a good index). I love what I do, I love where my career path has taken me and the focus of this blog and I still love books. I read. A lot.

I thought I’d try to share that with you.

I think it was after I finished my undergraduate degree that I realized that other people don’t really read as much as I do, I just assumed everyone did and they didn’t talk about it, it turns out I was wrong. It was a startling revelation. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think how much you read has a bearing on how much you love books. I’m just thinking out loud and rambling as love letters are wont to do.

Like many people my memories of books and libraries are intermingled. The public library in my hometown was small and I can remember spending hours scouring the shelves for something I hadn’t read that I was interested in reading. Most of my life the majority of books I read come from the public library, if it weren’t for libraries I wouldn’t have bought more books, I would have read less.

I have a very distinct memory of faking illness when I was in grade school so that I could stay home and read, unfortunately I can’t remember which book tempted me so. I remember books I read, and loved in grade school, books I still own and love. I remember books I read for reports and credit and extra credit. But most of all I remember books.

Books have transported me to new and different worlds, or just made me reexamine the one I live in. Books have helped me take a break when time were hard or escape when times were just down right awful. I’ve learned new lessons and re-learned old ones, some good, some bad: good doesn’t always triumph over evil, the good guy doesn’t always win, the bad guy doesn’t always lose, true love conquers all, there is no right or wrong path just the path we take and its up to us to make the best of it.

Books have been my comfort at the end of a long day, my reason for waking up in the morning, they have filled long weekends and late nights. They are my constant companions and oldest friends. They have introduced me to old friends and new loves and deep fears and brave hopes. I can’t imagine my life without the magic they bring with them. I am deeply grateful for the role they have played, and continue to play, in my life.

Well, that’s it, I did do my best, but like so many love stories, its complicated and complex and I think, in the end, you have to be there to truly understand it.

http://www.demotivation.us/books-1247061.htmlSimilar Posts:

Real Winning Isn’t About Torpedoes It’s About Giving

Bobbi Newman — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 17:44:17 +0000

Disclaimer: This post has NOTHING what-so-ever do with libraries.

I can’t express how disgusted I am with the whole Charlie Sheen thing and that instead of helping that man people are encouraging him. I’m even more disgusted that people are willing to pay up to $350 to see him.

Recently several of my friends retweeted this tweet by Wil Wheaton and I thought YES! This! ”I wish everyone going to the Charlie Sheen Pay Attention To Me Tour would skip it and donate the ticket price to a battered women’s shelter.” I wish this SO much.

Andy Woodworth has taken it one step further and set up a wiki encouraging people to donate to one of these charities.

Domestic Violence: National Coalition Against Domestic Violence
Drug Addiction: The Partnership At Drug-Free.org
Mental Illness: NARSAD

Now, I’m sure none of my readers have paid, or are considering paying to go see CS, but please consider donating to one of these, your local library or other charitable organizations.

The BBB has some great tips and suggestions for giving wisely.

PS if you do donate I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment with the org and why you chose it.Similar Posts:

I am Honored and Humbled to be Included in the 2011 Movers and Shakers.

Bobbi Newman — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 22:33:49 +0000

Three years ago I when I started putting together a list of the Movers & Shakers with links to their blogs and Twitter accounts, it never occurred to me that one day I would be on that list. I am honored (and humbled) to be included with people I know, people I call friends and colleagues including Ned Potter, Courtney Young, Buffy Hamilton, Sue Polanka, Aaron Tay, Cindi Trainor, Anthony Molaro, Sarah Steiner and Gwyneth Jones! Plus so many great people I haven’t had the opportunity to work with yet!

I have to say thank you to my peeps! I have some fabulous friends and colleagues, and some amazing coworkers over the years , (I hesitate to name names for fear of forgetting someone) who have been encouraging, supportive, and pushed me when needed. Thank you to everyone who nominated me I appreciate that you think I’m worthy! *cue the music*

My write and up picture

Twitter List of 2011 Movers & Shakers

Movers & Shakers 2011, The People Shaping the Future of Libraries, the article

Subscribe to all the blogs in one click! Thanks to the Google Reader bundle from Micah Vandegrift

Congratulations to everyone!

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Librarian by Day as an Android App

Bobbi Newman — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 17:33:28 +0000

Earlier this week someone asked me if I had ever created an app. My answer – nope, never had a reason to. But it got me thinking about it and serendipitously this morning on twitter I saw this:

Quickly Turn Your Blog Into an Android App with Feed.nu http://rww.to/dXuxtV

Sure its just a blog but and its a very simple app but it uses RSS so you could use it for anything that produces a feed. Event calendar anyone? So I went through the process to create my own app. You create an account a Feed.nu and it walks you through the process, basically enter your feed, upload some images and viola! You have a an Android app!

I made the logo and header by grabbing an image of my blog using the Lightshot Chrome extension, editing them in Paint.net saved them as .png because that’s the file type Feed.nu said it wanted.

Basically all together it took me maybe 15 or 20 minutes. Of course you could spend more time creating headers and logo images. The app can be downloaded from the website at http://librarianbyday.feed.nu/ (screenshots below) or I could spend the $25 to upload it to the Android Market to make it official.

How can libraries use this? Well most events calendars produce a feed. You an create an App for events or anything you’re producing an RSS feed for. Yes it only works on Android devices and it’s not as fancy as professionally developed apps such as the Boopsie one at San Jose Public Library or the DC library’s iPhone app.

But it was free and easy and I didn’t need to know any coding to create it and for many libraries without the funding or staff capable of creating one this is a great option.

There is the app logo! Second row left side.

First screen when you open the app. The header is a customizable.

Read items have the washed out RSS symbol next to them, unread have the LbD logo – these are customizable

It displays rather nicely I think.

You can’t leave a blog comment via the app but the links would and will take you to the sites by opening a web browser.

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Looking Forward – How Will You Use Your Gifts In the Coming Year?

Bobbi Newman — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 17:52:39 +0000

Thank you to Buffy for bringing this to my attention.

I’m not usually one for resolutions, but 2010 has been a long year and I am looking forward to the New Year with unusual anticipation, and this is so timely for me. As we look forward to 2011 it is important for some reflection, so ask yourself as librarians, teachers, leaders, individuals:

How will you use your gifts? What choices will you make?

Will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passions?

Will you follow dogma, or will you be original?

Will you choose a life of ease, or a life of service and adventure?

Will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions?

Will you bluff it out when you’re wrong, or will you apologize?

Will you guard your heart against rejection, or will you act when you fall in love?

Will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling?

When it’s tough, will you give up, or will you be relentless?

Will you be a cynic, or will you be a builder?

Will you be clever at the expense of others, or will you be kind?

Regardless of your feeling about Jeff Bezos or Amazon.com take the time to watch or read the commencement speech he gave at Princeton earlier this year.

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The Best of the Best: The 20 Most Important, Thought Provoking, Helpful Posts I Wrote in 2010

Bobbi Newman — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:54:40 +0000

That’s a pretty bold title if I do say so myself I know there are 7 days left but with the holidays I feel ok publishing this list now.

I didn’t base these on stats or comments but rather what I feel was the most import. Sometimes I put my heart and soul into something and it gets so little attention I want to cry, and other times I spent 15 minutes cranking out something I’ve barely thought out and people go mad for it. So I decided to hand select what I feel where the most significant posts.

Thoughtful and thought provoking (I hope)

1. Librarians Play a Vital Role in 21st Century Literacies

Many organizations are looking at the definition of literacy and expanding it to include the knowledge and skills it takes to be an active participant in today’s society. What baffles me as I read through reports and recommendations from so many organizations is the lack of mention of libraries and librarians

2. Employers You Don’t Have a Facebook Problem You Have an Employee Problem – My response to all the “how do we stop employees from wasting time online?” question

3. Defining Transliteracy – Any early attempt to clarify transliteracy, especially timely given the current discussions

4. Should Broadband Access be a Right? I Say Yes – and given the recent moves by the FCC this is still an important topic.

5. The Four Most Valuable Lessons I Learned in 2010 – these are deeply personal

6. How I Got Over My Issues and Learned to Love eBooks – I have a Kindle. I love it. I know it was the right choose for me.

7. Yes You Do Have The Time to Learn That New Fangled Internet, Just Put Down The Remote – I think the title says it all.

8. Want Innovation? Get Out of the Way

You know what I’m talking about, someone reads an article, attends a presentation, has a conversation over coffee and comes back to work and says – we’re going to be innovative! Maybe there are even a few committees put together. But then what? Nothing. The committees quit meeting and things go back to the way they were. Maybe one or two people are still trying, but no one is listening.

9. The Problem with Pseudonyms – yes I know there are some examples of anonymous posters doing good, but I think bad far out-weight them.

10. What’s at Stake With Facebook is Not Privacy or Publicity But Informed Consent and Choice – I think the title says it all, but go read it.

11. There Are No Magic Beans You Have To Do The Work – I got a lot of flack for this post but I still stand by it.

12. Thinking Outloud About The Echo Chamber – my post about the echo chamber that Ned Potter has worked hard to draw attention to this year.

13. Why Mobile Phone Are Not the Key to the Digital Divide They’re not. Really.

14. There is No Excuse for Bullies at Work (or Anywhere Else – Word. Read it for some good advice and links

Helpful

15. 10 Ways Twitter Will Make You a Better Employee, Better at Your Job and Benefit Your Library

16. Be the Master of Your Domain, How to Conquer Your Feed Reader

17. Is She Crazy to Want to Work in Libraries? Advice for a Potential Librarian.

18. So You Want to be a Librarian? A Guide For Those Considering an MLS, Current Students & Job Seekers

19. Nine Questions to Ask Before You Accept That Speaking Gig

20. Library Day in the Life Round 4, January 2010 – with decision to do a Round 5 fast approaching I’ve been looking back at how successful the last round was. It’s so big I’m not sure it really is my decision anymore Similar Posts:

The Donate Button Versus Google Ads- Your Tips Are Appreciated

Bobbi Newman — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 10:55:50 +0000

I’ve toyed with the idea of ads on the blog for a while now.But I’ve been hesitant for a couple of reasons including I know some people have a strong opinion about them or block them with browser ad-ons. I also have some concerns over lack of control and the appearance that I am endorsing the advertised item or service when I am not. When I considered other options the possibility of a tip jar occurred to me, heck they are everywhere now, it seems like I can’t get a sandwich or an oil change without seeing one. I thought I’d give tips a try before ads so I’ve added a donate button to the right side of the blog.

If you only read the feed you’ll never see the button. As much as I hate the ads that show up in my reader along with blog posts I do see why it happens and I think that most people like me have just accepted them as the way things are and ignore them. But for now, I’ll see how the tip jar works out and hold off on ads. So if you like what you read and find this blog useful feel free to tip as little or as much as you like.

Like what you read? Feel free to tip as little or as much as you like .
I’m trying this as an alternative to AdsSimilar Posts:

The Four Most Valuable Lessons I Learned in 2010

Bobbi Newman — Sun, 12 Dec 2010 16:16:47 +0000

Inspired by Justin Hoenke’s great post I decided to make my own list of libraryland/professional things I learned in 2010.

1. Not everyone is going to like you

This was probably the most important and the hardest lesson I learned. I was having a conversation with a friend in April when he said these words to me, and I’ll admit at first I was pissed. Easy for him to say I thought, then I cut the conversation short and went right back to feeling slighted.

But the words stuck with me and as I thought about it, I realized the truth of them. There are plenty of people I don’t care for, some for very good reasons, others just rub me the wrong way. I try to be professional and courteous to everyone but I’m sure at some point these people have felt slighted by me. Of course if I don’t like everyone I certainly can’t expect every to like me. And I don’t want them to. I’ve always believe that if I’m not rocking at least a few boats I’m doing something wrong. If I have done all I can to connect with someone and they don’t like me I need to stop wasting my energy whining about it and move on.

I felt even better when a few months ago I stumbled across an old post of Karen Schneider’s How to be “famous” (wink wink, nudge nudge) in which she writes:

Some people will resent you no matter what. I’ve had to get comfortable with the fact that some people really do not wish others well. Some will badmouth you publicly, and even worse, some will badmouth you sotto voce. I hesitated about even writing this post, which I’ve been thinking about for close to a year, because in my head I hear a voice making snide remarks about so-and-so thinking she’s hot stuff (hence also the cautiously qualified title). But hence the next piece of advice:

Own up to your own feelings. I spent years whining that “so-and-so doesn’t like me” before I got honest with myself and acknowledged that the feeling was mutual. Likewise, boycotting an activity because another famous so-and-so was invited is also not cricket (yup, seen it happen, thought about doing it myself). Be an adult, please. You may not think highly of this person, but someone does, so put on your best public face and do what needs to be done.

If someone I admire and respect as much as Ms. Scheinder has stuggled with these feelings I must not be so horrible after all. Which leads me to my lesson:

2. Admit you are human.

A year ago I wouldn’t have written a post like this, admitting my flaws so publicly. Fortunately I know some amazing people. Every time I see a post like the one by Justin that inspired this post or the one previously linked to one by Karen I am awed and slightly jealous of the comfort they feel being open and honest. I’m not sure what I expect to happen when I open up, but when I do I amazed at the reaction from others. People, for the most part, are kind, compassionate and want to connect to and help others, even me!

While I feel I have learned this lesson this year, this area will no doubt continue to be a work in progress for me.

3. Don’t take things so personally.

For years I have hated this advice, to the extent that person offering it was risking a swift kick in the shins. I mean really, it’s happening to ME how am I supposed to take it? This year I’ve come to realize that the problem with taking things personally is it negates your ability to calmly, coolly and affectively deal with the situation. Taking it personally activates your fight or flight response neither of which works today’s world. (Unless you actually are being chased by a lion, then in that case, by all means, FLIGHT!)

A lot has happened this last year: transliteracy has grown amazingly quickly with both the blog and the Interest Group which has made the word a big target and sometimes me along with it. People have quit group projects they started with me, abandoned articles, publicly called me rude and condescending after repeatedly being rude and condescending themselves, declared my work and effort a waste of time, a joke or a ploy for attention, these things have been said publicly and occasionally privately when they thought I wouldn’t find out about it, then I did anyway.

I’ll admit it, I ranted or swore or cried or all three, occasionally at the same time. But in the end I really only have two choices: I can either accept that I have no idea what is happening in the lives of these people an assume they didn’t intend to be mean or spiteful or petty or cruel. Or I can:

4. Ignore the assholes.

I know I don’t usually swear on this blog, but I love the book The No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn’t. I think a great deal of improvement would be seen in libraries if every manager from the director on down had this book sitting in their office, proudly on display and more importantly subscribed to the practices it talks about.

Some people are just assholes, they are unhappy, miserable and petty and find great joy in spreading this around. Ignore them. Find away to remove them from your space- don’t read their blog posts or their Twitter feed, filter their emails to the trash so you never have to see one again.

Don’t misunderstand I’m not advocating never acknowledging someone who disagrees with you. It is possible to disagree or to argue without being an asshole. But the assholes are out there with their drive-by-snark, their flip comments, name calling, juvenile attempts at humor. I know some people think there is value in engaging with these individuals I do not. I find every time I give into the temptation and engage these individuals I came away feel dirty and am reminded of the words of George Bernard Shaw:

I learned long ago, never to wrestle with a pig. You get dirty, and besides, the pig likes it.

4.5 Haters Gonna Hate - Edited to add about 30 minutes after hitting publish, this is what I get for not sleeping on it. But its so closely tied to four I’m ok with sneaking it in here.

Have I mentioned how awesome my friends are? They are. A different friend than I mentioned in number one said this to me earlier this year. He’s right. They will. The real power is in letting it go. It may sound cliche and maybe juvenile but the truth is those people, the Haters, they are gonna hate nothing you or I do will stop them.

Some visuals on haters from two of my favorite blogs. Above a very recent drawing from Indexed:

Below: An older drawing from The Gaping Void

What did you learn this year?Similar Posts:

Voting for the Edublog Awards is Open

Bobbi Newman — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 01:07:42 +0000

I’m thrilled to be on the list of librarians nominated in the Best Librarian/Library category, its an honor just to be included among such great company. Voting is open until December 14th.

For those of you visiting for the first time – Welcome! I write about a wide variety of topics related to 21st century literacies, learning and working.

I’m also excited to announce that Libraries and Transliteracy was nominated for Best New Blog and Best Group Blog! Thank you to everyone who nominated this blog and/or the L&T blog!

Please vote!

If you’re not familiar with the awards:

The Edublog Awards is a community based incentive started in 2005 in response to community concerns relating to how schools, districts and educational institutions were blocking access of learner and teacher blog sites for educational purposes.

The purpose of the Edublog awards is promote and demonstrate the educational values of these social media.

The best aspects include that it creates a fabulous resource for educators to use for ideas on how social media is used in different contexts, with a range of different learners.

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