Monday 23 January 2012

ALIA Sydney presents: Think Big, Act Small: Sustainability in the Library

 
Image source: http://www.theurbn.com/2011/07/sustainable-sustainability-the-fourth-r/ 
 
It’s a new year and it’s time to reign in the excesses of the holiday season and think green! Join us for the first ALIA Sydney event of 2012 to learn about some amazing projects our guest speakers are doing in their workplaces to improve sustainability.
Come along to learn, share and brainstorm practical ideas that you can implement now, to ensure we create a sustainable future.  Kick start the year with some green energy and get inspired to take action in your workplace and community!
Numbers are limited so please register your attendance by RSVPing to aliasydneygroup@gmail.com  

Monday 27th February 2012 6:00pm- 8:00pm (arrive from 6pm for a 6:30pm start)
Badham Library, Badham Building, Science Road
The University of Sydney 2006
Cost: $5 for ALIA members/$7 for Non-ALIA members (Pay at the Door)

Wednesday 11 January 2012

Virtual info desks for library & information professionals

I was reading the latest post from one of the library blogs that I follow, by Brian Herzog, aka the Swiss Army Librarian, and he mentioned a Q&A site specifically designed for library and information professionals. You can read his blog post about it here.

My first thought was- Cool! Where has this been my whole librarian life? After some investigation, I've discovered there is a little catch- the site currently needs people to commit to it, before it gets created.

(Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikeleeorg/482310954/ CC BY NC-2.0)

After a bit more digging, I discovered that there are several pages that already have enough users to have fully committed websites on various topics eg cooking, gaming, programming and photography.

I decided to commit, to see what all the fuss was about, and because I am an advocate of sharing knowledge, particularly in terms of my own learning, and helping others develop (especially new librarians, because it wasn't so long ago that I was a new librarian myself!). It seems that all I need to do is answer or ask ten questions as part of my commitment. There is also an 'uncommit' option as well, which is always a good sign. If you're interested in participating, click here.

This type of service got me thinking about all of the Q&A-type services out there. For example QUORA, which some of my academics are on, as well as several other librarians I know. Then there are all of the forums and groups on LinkedIn.

What other forums are there for Q&A that you find useful?  Are there other specific forums for library and information professionals? Would you be interested in one for the ALIA Sydney group? Let me know what your thoughts are in the comments below!

- Crystal

Wednesday 4 January 2012

Deadline extended! ALIA Sydney Committee- Call for Expressions of Interests

Happy new year! My name is Crystal Choi, and I am the incoming Convenor of the ALIA Sydney Committee. 

I hope you all had a lovely and refreshing holiday break. I'm looking forward to a busy, challenging and fruitful 2012, particularly regarding the provision of exciting professional development opportunities for you, as well as my own ongoing professional development. As it's a new year, why don't you consider furthering your own professional development by submitting an Expression of Interest to join the dynamic and fun ALIA Sydney committee? 

The deadline for submissions of Expressions of Interest has been extended to COB Wednesday 11th January, 2012. 

Please see below for details on how to submit. 

- Crystal



ALIA Sydney presents a selection of formal and information events to encourage discussion and critical engagement and create networking opportunities across the library and information section in Sydney and beyond. The ALIA Sydney committee is a group of vibrant and committed volunteers who make it all possible.

ALIA Sydney is currently looking for new committee members to join our team. Through these roles you will have the chance to develop skills in event and project management, and make vital professional connections through your contribution to our community of practice plus you can have a lot of fun along the way. 

Each of the below positions is voluntary in nature, and each role is for a 12-24 month period. These roles are to commence in the year 2012, which is a very exciting time with the development of the new expanded program for ALIA Sydney.

Expressions of Interest (EOIs) should be received by COB Wednesday 11th of January 2012. EOIs should briefly introduce yourself and cover the criteria outlined for the position of interest. All EOIs and any questions should be directed to the ALIA Sydney Convenor Crystal Choi at aliasydneygroup@gmail.com


Coordinators x 2

These roles share responsibility for coordinating the professional development events of ALIA Sydney in conjunction with our existing coordinators.

Each Coordinator is expected to:
  • Plan and Organise 2 events each year in conjunction with the rest of the committee.
  • Liaise with the ALIA Sydney Convener for event ideas and ongoing support.
  • Liaise with the ALIA Sydney Treasurer for event budget submissions.
  • Submit updates for the ALIA Sydney blog at least monthly, including upcoming events (http://aliasydney.blogspot.com/)
  • Post on/Update ALIA Sydney social networking pages regularly, featuring both ALIA Sydney event promotion and current awareness of library and information sector news and issues.
  • Ensure a consistent and professional format for all ALIA Sydney communications in line with our communication strategy and templates.
Average Time Demand per month:  8 hours (prep plus actual events)

The interested person should:
  • Be, or be willing to become, a current member of ALIA.
  • Have an active interest in professional development with the Library & Information Sector.
  • Maintain an active awareness of new issues and development within the L & I Sector.
  • Have strong interpersonal and communication skills so they can be good at kick starting conversations and making introductions to put attendees at ease.
  • Have a head full of ideas for ALIA Sydney events, promotions and online content (eg blog posts)
  • A strong interest or expertise in technology, career development, emerging or other topics related to the L & I sector

Event Officer x 1

This developmental role helps make events happen. On a rotating basis, the Event Officers will be teamed up with the Coordinators to help with event organisation and management.

Each Officer is expected to:
  • Assist with the organisation of at least 2-3 events each year in conjunction with the coordinator and convener.
  • Post on/Update ALIA Sydney social networking pages regularly, featuring both ALIA Sydney event promotion and current awareness of library and information sector news and issues.
  • Submit updates for the ALIA Sydney blog at least monthly, including reports on ALIA Sydney events (http://aliasydney.blogspot.com/)
  • Ensure a consistent and professional format for all ALIA Sydney communications in line with our communication strategy and templates.
Average Time Demand per month:  4 hours (2 hours prep plus actual events)

The interested person should:
  • Be, or be willing to become, a current member of ALIA.
  • Have an active interest in professional development with the Library & Information Sector.
  • Maintain an active awareness of new issues and development within the L & I Sector.
  • Have strong communication and collaboration skills.