Northern Lights Library Network Event

Media Center Staff…and other interested people:

Before you leave for the Christmas holidays, mark your calendars, register, and begin making arrangements to join us for a spectacular workshop in late January to learn about games and gadgets in an informal setting, and to spend some quality time with fellow Destiny users acquiring new skills and applying new applications to your Destiny system.

Sunday evening, Jan 25, 2009,
Games and Gadgets
(with hors d’oeuvres buffet)
4pm - 8pm…or whenever

Monday, Jan 26, 2009
Meet Your Destiny in the Sandbox
(with breakfast and lunch included)
8:30am-3:30pm

Who is invited: All members of the North Star Library Consortium
All Minnesota Destiny users
Anyone interested in networking with colleagues about enhancing media center services

Cost: Registration is required, but there is no cost to attend. Please use this online <http://nlln.org/Reg1-26-09.html> registration form to register.

Location: Arrowwood Resort and <http://www.arrowwoodresort.com/> Conference Center, Alexandria, MN
Lodging arrangements can be made directly with Arrowwood by calling 866-386-5263 and request the Northern Lights Conference rate of $79.00.

Laptop Computers: It is strongly recommended that you bring a wireless-enabled laptop computer. This is hands-on event and to be fully engaged you’ll find a computer is a great benefit.

Content: This is the fun part. This Conference will largely be built on the interests of the participants.

A planning wiki is available at: meetyourdestiny.pbwiki.com <http://meetyourdestiny.pbwiki.com/> . Check it out. Add your thoughts, ask your questions, make suggestions, share great ideas. Do you want to know about e-book devices, or see World of Warcraft in action, try a WII, or learn how to make your Destiny Homepage glitzier or how to add e-books to Destiny or how to set up a gaming event? What are your interests? Deepest questions? Things you’d like to know more about because it seems everyone else does?

This wiki is open for you to contribute. Add your areas of interest, gadgets you might bring, games to share, topics you’d like discussed, suggestions for the flow of the day.

This Conference will be participant created and produced. This will be the perfect setting and perfect combination of knowledgeable practitioners to learn with and from. We must have a minimum of 35 registered participants by Jan 16 to ensure we will have the Conference, so register early and start contributing to the planning wiki.

Weather issues: In the event that we are unable to have the conference due to bad weather, we will simply cancel. It will not be possible to re-schedule the Conference. Arrowwood will honor lodging cancellations made for weather-related reasons if you contact them prior to the date of your reservation. Please include a cell phone or home phone number on the registration form so that we can contact you on Saturday or Sunday if necessary. This is the only reason the registration form asks for a home number. Past experience has shown us this is important in the event of changes or cancellations.

More information: is available on the Northern Lights Library Network webpage at: nlln.org <http://nlln.org/> and on the online registration <http://nlln.org/Reg1-26-09.html> page. Also on the planning wiki at http://meetyourdestiny.pbwiki.com <http://meetyourdestiny.pbwiki.com/> . Anyone can contribute to the wiki, but you must be registered with pbwiki to log in.

Contacts: Feel free to contact the Conference organizers: Patricia Post at CMLE (papost@stcloudstate.edu) or Ruth Solie at NLLN (rsolie@nlln.org) if you have questions.

We’re very excited about this event and look forward to having an energetic group of fun and talented people, on a winter weekend in a lovely setting, to play some games, share some gadgets, and figure out our Destiny! We hope you will join us!

Library Clerk - Houston

Library Associates Companies (LAC) seeks a part time Library Clerk to work on a temporary reclassification project at a global energy company located in Houston, TX. This position will work part-time, approximately 3 days per week, for a period of 4-8 weeks, possibly longer. The primary responsibility of the position is to conduct a shelf inventory of approximately 25,000 items working off a printed shelf list, while taking notes in two teams of two.

Responsibilities:

* Conduct a shelf inventory of approximately 25,000 items working off a printed shelf list;
* Take extensive notes on inventory & other required items;
* Label books with appropriate tags;
* Reorganize & re-shelve corporate library using newly re-label materials;
* Additional duties as assigned and required

Qualifications:

* Previous experience working in a library setting required, corporate work experience is a plus;
* Knowledge of library shelving and classification standards is preferred (LC/Dewey);
* Excellent attention to detail required;
* Excellent communication skills including the ability to write is required;
* Demonstrated reliability & punctuality is required.

To Apply:

* For immediate consideration please email your cover letter and resume to Brad Rogers at, jobs@libraryassociates.com<mailto:jobs@libraryassociates.com>.
* Please use "Library Clerk - Houston" as the subject line of your email.
Library Associates Companies is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer that values diversity in the workforce.

LIBRARY ASSOCIATE - SIOUXLAND LIBRARIES

LIBRARY ASSOCIATE - SIOUXLAND LIBRARIES

Hiring Range DOQ: $18.39 - $19.94 per hour
Deadline for Filing: Friday, January 2, 2009 at 5:00 pm.

The Position

Perform complex paraprofessional library work with extensive public contact. Assist library customers of all ages to locate library materials, use the Internet, find specific information and do research. Coordinate interlibrary loan. Use library and office computer software as well as Internet resources in daily work. May be assigned to Main Library, Branches or Bookmobile. Current position is in Information Services at the Main Library.

Qualification Standards

Graduation from a college or university with course work in library science and a minimum of two years' library experience, or any such combination of education, experience, and training as may be acceptable to the hiring authority. Must be willing to work evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays as required. Ability to perform physical work, including lifting and/or moving up to 30 pounds of library materials frequently and up to 50 pounds occasionally; pushing a loaded book truck, and standing or sitting for long periods of time. Positions assigned to Extension, Circulation or Youth Services must possess or be able to obtain, prior to hire, a valid driver's license.

Application and Selection

Apply online at www.siouxfalls.org or at:
South Dakota Department of Labor
811 East Tenth Street
Department 41
Sioux Falls, SD 57103-1650.

Most qualified will be invited for testing. Special accommodations for application and/or testing or job information in alternative formats available upon request.

Donna Cranmer
Technical Services Librarian
Siouxland Libraries
200 N Dakota Ave.
PO Box 7403
Sioux Falls, SD 57117
605-367-8712
605-367-8754 fax
dcranmer@siouxfalls.org

WebJunction Minnesota

All Minnesota multicounty multitype library systems and five of the twelve regional public library systems (MELSA, Lake Agassiz, Traverse des Sioux, Great River, SELCO) have agreed to contribute time and effort to making WebJunction Minnesota a one-stop destination for library staff seeking news & information about Minnesota libraries, resources to improve library service, continuing education and more. Liaisons in these systems will help the WJMN Team get the word out, find content, and keep the site fresh and useful for you.

Internship - Hennepin County (MN)

This is a good opportunity for those considering a Spring 2009 internship that haven't finalized their plans.

Job Title: Literacy Specialist Internship - Northeast Library
Closing Date/Time: Fri. 01/02/09 5:00 PM Central Time
Salary: See Position Description
Job Type: Internship
Location: Northeast Library, Minnesota
Department: Library

Literacy Specialist Internship
Hennepin County Library

Hennepin County Library - Northeast Library is offering an internship opportunity to develop programs, services and resources to support literacy initiatives at the Library. This is an excellent opportunity for students in early elementary education, youth services librarianship, or youth development.

Commitment:
Winter semester 2009, 120 hours - part-time, flexible weekday/weekend/daytime/evening.

Wage:
This is an upaid position. The Intern will receive academic/internship credit through the college or university where enrolled.

Location:
Northeast Library, 2200 Central Avenue NE, Minneapolis and Northeast Middle School, 2955 Hayes Street NE, Minneapolis.

Job Duties:
At the school you will lead book clubs two Fridays a month over the lunch break.

At the library you will observe and lead storytimes, assist with storytime preparation, assist with collection management, observe and possibly lead other book clubs, offer informal literacy activities to children in the library, prepare for your book clubs, and observe and assist with reference services to all ages.

Requirements:
This is an excellent opportunity for a student completing a bachelor's or master's degree in elementary education, youth development, library science or a related area of study. Ideal candidates will be creative, reliable, patient, adaptable and possess the ability to approach and engage youth, and will possess a strong commitment to literacy and libraries.

To Apply and for Questions:
Send cover letter outlining qualifications for this position, resume and contact information for two references to:

Tom.Grund@co.hennepin.mn.us
- OR -
Tom Grund
Hennepin County Library - Ridgedale
12601 Ridgedale Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55305
(952) 847-8518

For more information contact Susan Woodwick at smwoodwick@hclib.org or (612) 630-6903.

Job posting - Washington State

King County Library System, Washington State
Lead Library Assistant II- Full Time
Job number: 2008-272
King County Library System, Auburn/Muckleshoot/Algona-Pacific Cluster

Application Deadline is December 15, 2008

Library Assistants are usually the first point of contact in KCLS libraries. As customer services representatives they provide basic information about KCLS materials, programs and services. This position directs the work of Library Assistants at multiple branch locations. Performs circulation services to patrons and resolves problems and answers questions of patrons.

REQ: A typical way of obtaining the knowledge, skills and abilities outlined above is with a high school diploma or GED, supplemented by some post-secondary training in a related field, plus 2-4 yrs experience in library operations, policies and procedures. Application deadline is December 15, 2008. $21.434 per hour plus excellent benefits. Send completed KCLS application and supplemental questionnaire (available on our website) to:

HR, King County Library System
960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah WA 98027
425-369-3224
Fax: 425-369-3214
www.kcls.org <http://www.kcls.org/>
EOE

Thank you,
Susan Hang
Human Resources Technician II
King County Library System
960 Newport Way NW
Issaquah, WA 98027
425-369-3224
FAX: 425-369-3214
Jobline: 425-369-3222
www.kcls.org <http://www.kcls.org>

More Blogging MLA... Introduction to RDA/FRBR

No, we're not talking about Recommended Dietary Allowances, nor are we talking about a particular child rearing method, although one says FRBR like "Ferber." We're talking serious insider cataloging baseball talk. And nothing says "cataloging" like a bunch o' acronyms.

RDA, or Resource Description and Access, is the "new" AACR2r (that's Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, 2nd Edition, Revised), bringing library cataloging standards right into the 1990s. Uh, I mean the 21st century. FRBR, or Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records, builds on an entity relationship model for cataloging resources. Until I went to this session, I confess, I did not really "get" FRBR. I've read quite a bit, I generally think I'm pretty quick to figure things out. But for whatever reason, I did not have a good understanding of what FRBR did. After 45 minutes with Chew Chiat Naun, Principal Cataloger at the University of Minnesota Libraries, I had a true "ah-ha!" moment, when it finally all clicked together. Here's my attempt to explain:

Basically, a catalog, or metadata, record for an item has some information that is unique to that particular item and some information that may be shared by other records. FRBR is an attempt to notice those differences in the information, and make distinctions between them by introducing different language to describe them. Let's consider the first book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Philosophers's Stone. The basic intellectual concept of the story is the work. Once that information is put into a tangible form, it becomes an expression of the work, with potentially different manifestations of the work: The book with the U.S. title, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the audio book (which might be on CD or as a digital download), the large print edition, and so on. Eventually, we get to the item, the specific manifestation that Library A gives the call number, Juv Fic Row and barcodes with 3030222169788.

Then we look at what information is shared between all manifestations. Name of the creator, title, date of copyright, and basic topical controlled vocabulary terms would be shared. What is unique to the manifestation? The carrier (print book or audio CD), descriptive information that goes along with the carrier (the book's dimensions and number of pages, for example), publisher. What is unique to the item? Call number, barcode, local notes. RDA uses the framework provided by FRBR to restructure the elements of describing the various manifestations of an expression of a work. All that perfectly clear? That's what I thought.

Anyway, back to the session. I had my ah-ha moment about midway through the session. In a perfect world, we would have library catalog systems that would allow us to take full advantage of this entity relationship model and we could link all this information together. For example, J. K. Rowling writes other books too and is involved with other works (the movies, etc.); rather than copy her name into every metadata record for something she's been involved with, there should be a name authority record for her (actually, there is), and we should just plug in the identification number for that authority record into the information for the manifestation we're cataloging (that part, we can't do yet). Same thing with publisher. Have the version published by Scholastic? Look up the publisher authority record and put the number for Scholastic into the record (nope, can't do that yet either).

So, I had the epiphany that we should work toward an "HDTV" moment for library cataloging, where we move from the flat-file model we have now with metadata records that literally contain all of this information over and over again, to a "virtual" bibliographic/metadata record that fully makes use of the relationships between these information pieces and uses linking data to bring the user a uniform display that looks like what we're used to seeing. No reason we can't do that. Just need the will and some reinvestment in time and energy.

Anyway, the session went over some more nitty-gritty details of RDA changes, like moving from "main entry," to "preferred access point," no longer using GMD (General Material Designation) to media/carrier/content, and no more "rule of three" regarding access points. And, at some point, there's gonna be a whole lotta trainin' goin' on.