My libraries@cambridge conference experience 2019; From committee role to delegate.

The annual day libraries@cambridge is a highlight across the University of Cambridge libraries and colleges.  This year’s conference theme was “Collaboration and Exploration”.  For this year’s conference I was in the unusual position of being part of the conference organising time (speaker liaison) as well as my usual role of delegate and sometimes presenter.  As I already had 2 roles I decided taking on a presenting role in addition would be too much.

Initial conference preparations began in August 2018 with the formation of the committee.  No conference prep can fully begin until the conference theme was agreed, the decision of which was made within a week.  I had the role of speaker liaison, see below for more information

Role: Speaker Liaison

– Main Responsibilities:

• working with Committee Chairs and to decide which Speakers to approach
• contacting potential speakers and providing background information about the Conference and theme
• assisting in organising transport and accommodation for Speakers
• liaising with Venue and Timetabling committee members to ensure that Speaker’s presentation needs are met
• liaising with Ticketing and Social Media committee members to ensure relevant information about Speakers is available to promote prior to the Conference
• be an ‘on the day’ contact point for speakers at the conference

I helped to identify potential speakers and make initial contact, provide information to them of the conference day, help with accommodation and equipment needs, organise their presentations to be available when they presented, obtain permission to share their photo and presentation, obtain a short biography of them, be a recognised contact for the presenters on conference day, arrange taxis and time sessions.  Post conference thank the presenters and ensure they knew how to file any expenses.

On the day of the conference I had responsibilities in my committee role.  Therefore, the experience of conference delegate was very different to my usual one.  For most of the sessions I was involved with, I was either charged with timing the sessions; making sure each speaker had their allotted time and the session did not over run or introducing/thanking the speakers.  With this in mind I did not have my usual opportunity to tweet or take many notes from the presentations.  Standouts for me were;

Dr Philippa Sheail (Edinburgh University Library) keynote speaker – “What makes a library?”  From Dr Sheails talk it was perfectly clear that the library environment and staff are too jargon heavy.  “Loan”, “self-issue machine”, “inter-library-loan” for example, what does this actually mean to people who enter through our library doors and use the services provided?  One respondent in a survey opined the term Loan suggested a payment was due.  We also found out what libraries smell like to people, coffee, stress and dust.  Attendees discovered you can actually purchase library scented candles and download library sounds.  Who knew!  Research conducted in the library supported the misunderstanding of library terminology and jargon.  Additionally, there is a sense of “communal suffering” – sharing a space where everyone around you is working.

Jo Parker and Joanna Farmer (Open University) keynote speakers – “Just do it! Digital capabilities at the Open University.  The Open University is associated with utilising technology and pushing boundaries to enable everyone to engage with learning.  Courses are taken by people in full time work, people who have been out of education for a considerable amount of time, people living in remote areas and prisoners for example.  Many of the students will not be confident or fully equipped to utilise digital tools in their learning or indeed have access.  In order for the students to become more confident, tutors also needed to.  The Digital Skills and Capabilities (DISC) project was launched.

Lightning talks by library colleagues highlight work, developments and innovation across the Cambridge library environment, from a collaboration between the Medical Library, Papworth Hospital Library and Cambridge Central Library highlighting good, reliable information sources to the public, the use of cartoons to publicise services at the Marshall Library, the Scott Polar Institute making theses open access and St Johns College Special Collections Librarian on outreach activities with school children.

As always my mind was buzzing with information and ideas and the general feeling that the conference had gone very well.  I would encourage you to get involved with the next libraries@cambridge conference.  It was a great opportunity to work with colleagues I would not necessarily have the chance to work with and to see ‘behind the scenes’.

Breakthrough the Library – Libraries@Cambridge Day Conference 2018

The 2018 Libraries@ Cambridge Conference is over.  I am trying to assimilate all of the presentations, ideas and conversations.  My one take home message is – Reaching out further and also engaging our communities.  Break down barriers, include NOT exclude.

The theme of this year’s one day conference is – Breakthrough the Library. 

Dr Jessica Gardner (@CamUniLibrarian) Cambridge University Librarian and Director of Library Services opened the proceedings.

The keynote speaker is Dr Meredith Evans (@mre1920) – VP/President Elect of the Society of American Archivists and Director of the Jimmy Carter Library in Atlanta.  Meredith talked about a project she was involved with whilst working at library in Washington University in St Louis.

‘Documenting Ferguson’ – is a community project recording in real time events and reaction surrounding the police shooting of an unarmed Afro American teenager – Michael Brown.

Ferguson Public Library offered a vital space to share images/posts captured by the local community and provide a safe haven.  To represent all viewpoints, local authorities were contacted for the photos, recordings etc.  No response was received.

All received content was used and made accessible.  No censorship was applied.  The captured content was not available via ‘standard news sources’.

Increasingly we have seen footage and comments in national and international new reports that are not from mainstream resources.

This project highlights the role that libraries have. It also presents information professionals with some difficult questions.  Presenting information which maybe “unpalatable”, making content accessible, legality and ethics of using Tweets for example, the challenge of capturing content.  Issues that concern us all.  However of course the library community = everyone, library staff, users and non-users, teaching staff, reception, cleaners and maintenance staff for example.

The next session was “Game On: Enhancing Engagement, Interaction and Reflection in Library Workshops – Dr J. Adam Edwards & Dr Vanessa Hill. (Middlesex University).

Information professionals are helpful right?  Sometimes too helpful.  We often tell people 4/5 times more detail then they will take in.  Adam and Vanessa’s practical session provided Games to help instil information, helpful to library members without swamping them.

Think about what information is needed.  Use handouts for example to backup and provide additional information.  Students need a variety of styles and learning opportunities, books, presentations, activities etc.

Games can be used to explore decision making, leadership, management.

Adam & Vanessa tried out a couple of activities with the audience. In groups we had to rank different media types conveying Currency v Authority. Using cards with duplicate types, including books, eyewitness accounts and academic journals.  To demonstrate evaluation skills.

I liked this next exercise and saw the value.  Very simply – describe what you see in the photo above.  Depending on your audience you can expect to receive lots of differing responses.  Useful to convey the use of synonyms and key words.  This is an exercise that could be used with the teaching we do in the library I work in.

Finally to illustrate classification schemes and loan types/periods – members of the audience were asked to ‘be a book’ with related titles and various loan types.  ‘Librarians’ were then asked to ‘order’ the collection.  I can envisage using this method to help teach referencing, planning a project or obtaining feedback for example on the library that I work in.

For more information and useful ideas head to http://libguides.mdx.ac.uk/MDXGames

The afternoon session started with a series of Lightning Talks – from library staff.  These short talks are a great way to inform the library community of new developments, special projects and share ideas.  Topics ranged from creating an advent calendar to assist with systematic reviews – opening up space and collections at Christs College Library and my favourite – Jasper – ‘The Marshall Library’ Cat.  The very positive impact of bringing a three legged ginger puss to help stressed students during exam time.  At the hospital I regularly see therapy dogs and occasionally visitors walking dogs.  I can see a role for well-being for all by having a library pet!

The library commitment to Open Access and Data proved very very successful with Stephen Hawkings PhD thesis now digitised and freely available.  University of Cambridge computers crashed due to demand.

A journals data analysis project is underway to discover where researchers are publishing and how journal subs are being used.

So although the conference is over for another year.  The talks, themes, knowledge and ideas continue.  Over the next year we need to make libraries easier to use and navigate, be aware of the needs and pressures of the people that make use of our services and spaces and equally be there for the ones that don’t.