The revolution will be organized.

  • Hints for Job Searchers – The Interview

    Awhile back I wrote a post based on my recent experiences serving on many, many library search committees with the hope of providing guidance to those seeking work in libraryland (and hopefully making one small drop in the bucket to end some of the more frustrating mistakes I’ve noticed). I wanted to talk today about…

  • Shared Governance Means Delegated Decision Making

    Several of my colleagues sent me links to Scott Cowen’s recent article in the Chronicle of Higher Education, “Shared Governance Does Not Mean Shared Decision Making,” assuming that I would be appalled and enraged by what I read. I put off reading it because I didn’t want to be appalled and enraged, but eventually I heard…

  • Hints for Job Searchers

    I’ve been on many library search committees in my eight years as a librarian, and about half of them have been in the last two years. After looking at that many resumes (so. many. resumes.) and going through that many interviews (so. many. interviews.) there are a few things that happen again and again that never…

  • Welcoming myself back

    It’s been over two years since my last post here. I doubt that anyone really noticed, but I’ve been thinking constantly about how to find the time and motivation to start writing again. It’s not for lack of things to write about, that’s for sure. Two years ago, I was beginning work on the next…

  • Library Websites: Assessing the Problems

    When I first came to the SSU University Library, the number one thing I heard from people across the Library was that the website needed to be redesigned. It was hard to navigate, no one could find anything, it took too many clicks to get to what you wanted. I knew without a doubt that…

  • Creating a Web Project Plan

    Working on web projects in a library can be a lot different from traditional corporate, agency-led web projects. In libraries we’re usually working with a fraction of the technical staff: often only one or two people to play the roles of project manager, designer, user experience expert, programmer, information architect, content strategist, and more. As…

  • Planning a Website Re-Vamp, Part I

    Before I started working in the Sonoma State University Library, I knew re-designing the Library website was going to be a priority. Everyone made it clear to me during the interview process that they weren’t happy with the site and that it had historically been one of the bigger challenges in the Library. Fixing the…

  • Why I Changed My Mind About e-Books

    When I first got a Kindle in December of 2010, I was so excited. I couldn’t believe how easy it was to buy a book and be able to start reading it instantly. And e-books were cheaper! I can’t resist a good bargain. Not to mention that that Kindle made travel far less of a…

  • One Year In

    Hello, internet. I’ve missed you. Holy moly but it’s been a long time since I’ve had any kind of regular presence in blog-land. I’m not really sure how to account for that, other than to say that I’ve been busy. But aren’t we all? I’m a little over a year into my job as the…

  • A Week in the Life of a Web Services Librarian: Day Four

    I managed to drag myself out for another run this morning. I’ve been running at least twice a week for about six weeks now and I thought it would get easier over time. Instead, it seems like it’s getting harder. What’s up with that? 8:30: Arrived at work and managed to accomplish one task right…