AALT Technician: the Journal of AALT

ISSN 0703-5276 Volume 37, Number 3 Fall 2010

“The Official Voice of Library Technicians in Alberta.”

AALT TECHNICIAN

The Journal of the Alberta Association of Library Technicians

IN THIS ISSUE:

AALT SPOTLIGHT

AALT Conference 2011: Get Connected 19

The Bookcase: Sharing Stories—Sharing Futures 8

Books Across My Desk 15

I’ve Got a Question to Ask… 17

AALT FEATURES

The Secret Lives of Library Technicians 10

CLA Update 20

Calendar of Events 27

AALT BUSINESS

Journal Advertising and Submission Policy 2

Editor’s Notes 3

AALT: Committees & Volunteers 4

AALT Contributors 5

President’s Comments 6

AALT: Mission & Purpose 5

AALT: Membership Form 23

Board Meeting Highlights & Group Reports 25

AALT: Board of Directors 26

ADVERTISING POLICY All copy for advertising is accepted at the discretion of the Communications Group Chair, who reserves the right to refuse any advertisement. Products are not tested and listings do not imply an endorsement. Payment, Rate Changes, and Cancellations All advertising must be paid in full before your advertising campaign begins. Payment can be made by credit card (VISA and MasterCard) through our online registration system or by cheque. All advertising purchases are non-refundable. AALT reserves the right to change our advertising rates at any time. Rates will not be retroactively applied to any prepaid advertising. AALT reserves the right to terminate any advertising for any reason. If such termination occurs, we will refund your account a prorated amount based on the time that already served. Cancellations before payment is received will be subject to a 15% cancellation fee. ADVERTISING RATES Advertisements must be received prepaid three weeks prior to the release date of the desired issue and must be camera ready. The cost for advertising in the AALT Technician per issue is as follows: ♦ Full Page $100.00 ♦ Quarter Page $30.00 ♦ Half Page $50.00 ♦ Business Card $25.00 The AALT Technician is published quarterly: Fall, Fall, Winter and Spring. AD PACKAGE OFFERS Get better value with your advertising dollar by purchasing one of the following package deals:

♦ Platinum Package – 4 months on the ORS page, AALT Members Only page, and the Library Associations Directory page plus a half page ad in 4 issues of the AALT Technician - $399.00

♦ Gold Package - 4 months on the ORS page and the AALT Members Only home page, and a quarter page in 4 issues of the AALT Technician - $295.00.

♦ Silver Package - 4 months on the ORS page and the Library Associations Directory Page, and a half page in 4 issues of the AALT Technician -$250.00.

♦ Bronze Package – 4 months on AALT Members Only home page and the Library Associations Directory Page, and a quarter page in 4 issues of the AALT Technician - $200.00.

TO PLACE AN AD To place an advertisement on our web site or in the AALT Technician, please contact the AALT President-Elect at [email protected]. The inclusion of an advertisement is up to the discretion of the AALT Communications Group and will fall under the AALT advertising policy guidelines.

2

SUBMISSIONS POLICY

All article submissions are accepted at the discretion of the Journal Editors’.

All articles must be submitted as a .rtf, .txt, or .doc file and may be subject to editing as the Journal Committee sees fit. Articles may be held for publication in a future issue, (in the same calendar year) of the AALT Technician.

Questions or concerns regarding this submission policy can be directed to the Journal editors’ @ [email protected].

CONTRIBUTE TODAY! Turn that great idea you had into an article and share it with everyone! Have an article you would like to see? Send us your request. Comments or questions about any content? Want to join the Journal Committee? Send your ideas, requests, questions and comments to:

[email protected]

DEADLINE FOR

SUBMISSIONS FOR THE WINTER ISSUE IS:

January 30, 2011

AALT Technician Fall 2010

DISCLAIMER

All views & opinions expressed by contributors are the sole opinion of the author & do not necessarily

SUBMISSIONS CONTEST

Winners cannot be current members of the Board of Directors or the Journal

Committee.

BEGINNING WITH THE SUMMER 2009 ISSUE, THE AALT TECHNICIAN IS PUBLISHED ELECTRONICALLY ONLY

EDITORS’ NOTES BY JOANNE SHUM & REA GOSINE

3 AALT Technician Fall 2010

EDITORS’ NOTES BY JOANNE SHUM & REA GOSINE Yes, I know… S-L-A-C-K-E-R!!! Here’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it… I was taking an eight week course on records management and a couple of cake decorating classes along the way. Now that they are both done and over with, time to get back to work!

I hope everyone managed to survive the cold blast of winter that hit in November. Shovelling snow while it’s –25 outside is not my idea of fun. It was also kind of hard to do too when having a case of bronchitis. It pretty much wiped out any energy I had. I’d much rather hibernate with a good book and hot chocolate.

With the holidays in full swing and Christmas just around the corner, it’s a busy time for everyone right now. Parties, shopping and the hustle and bustle of the season always reminds me to do one thing… STAY OUT OF THE MALLS! I like to find the unique gifts for my friends and family so I always wander the Christmas craft sales that come through town. The SAIT Library is fully decked out in Christmas gear and looking very festive. I added my own touch as well, decorating the windows of my supervisor’s office with foam snowflakes and bringing the abominable snow monster to sit by the mini Christmas tree guarding (or maybe stalking?) the Christmas presents sitting under the tree. Being that it’s also the end of the year, it’s also a reminder to renew your AALT memberships for 2011! It would make a wonderful present for someone.

Anyways, I personally want to wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays or as the Seinfield crew calls it… Happy Festivus!

Until next time ... ... Joanne

Well we’re rapidly moving into the holiday season – I can’t believe it’s here already – didn’t we *just* do this?

There are always so many things that need doing for the season and it’s easy to forget to take some time for you. So we invite you to take a break. Have a cup of tea, mulled cider or something a little stronger and kick back, put your feet up, and take advantage of the quiet to peruse this issue of the AALT Technician.

Hopefully you find something entertaining, informative and worthwhile of your free time.

As always we welcome your comments and suggestions at [email protected].

See you in the New Year! … Rea


Board Committees

Executive Committee Allison Stewart, President - Chair; Kirsten Livingstone, President-Elect; Lynda Shurko, Member-at-Large

Administration Group Allison Stewart, President - Chair; Sarah Stephens, Membership Director; Nicole D'Agnone, Treasurer; Dianne Guidera, Board Appointee

Communications Group Kirsten Livingstone, President-Elect; Melanie Belliveau, Marketing Director ; Rea Gosine, Journal Co- Editor; Joanne Shum, Journal Co-Editor; Any Liu; Web Team Director

Professional Development Group

Lynda Shurko, Member-at-Large – Chair; Erin Storey, Conference Co-Chair; Kristian McInnis, Conference Co-Chair

Director Chaired Committees

Conference Committee ([email protected]) Erin Storey - Co-Chair, Kristian McInnis - Co-Chair, Dianne Guidera

Journal Committee ([email protected]) Rea Gosine – Co-Chair, Joanne Shum – Co-Chair, Beth Vandenboogaard, Joel Nielsen, Lisa Bui, Herald Wong , SAIT student-rep

Marketing Committee ([email protected]) Melanie Belliveau– Chair, Chris Gartner, Jonathan Wainwright, Crystal Friars, Kim Martin, Janell Hurdman

Membership Committee

Sarah Stephens - Chair, Normita Coralejo, Christine Stacey

Web Site Committee ([email protected])

Any Liu – Chair, Marnie McFarland, Kim Martin, Charmaine Sipe, Colleen Rowe

Additional Committees

Alberta School Advisory Committee

Carol Fowler – AALT Representative

AALT: COMMITTEES & VOLUNTEERS 2010/2011


Rea Gosine: “Secret Lives of Library Technicians” [p.10]; - Rea is the current co-editor of the AALT Techni-cian and is the Database & Website Administrator for Consulting Engineers of Alberta (CEA).

Bev Rayner: “The Bookcase: Sharing Stories—Shaping Futures” [p.8]; Beverley Rayner is the Library Facili-tator at Dr. Gerald B. Probe School in Lethbridge, Alberta.

Kirsten Livingstone: “Books Across My Desk” [p.15]; - Kirsten is the President-Elect for AALT and is cur-rently employed at the University of Lethbridge.

Herald Wong: “I’ve Got a Question to Ask” [p.17] - Herald is currently enrolled in the LIT Program at SAIT and is the current co Student Representative for SAIT.

Karen Hildebrandt: “CLA Update.” [p.25] - Karen is the LTIG Convenor and is a Library Technician at Concordia University

CONTRIBUTORS TO THE FALL 2010 ISSUE:

The Alberta Association of Library Technicians (AALT) is an organization dedicated to fostering and enhancing the professional image of library technicians through information, education, promotion and support.

AALT is a non-profit organization with an energetic, dynamic and dedicated membership governed by an annually elected Board of Directors.

AALT strives to:

Address the ongoing professional development needs of the membership

Ensure that a high standard of progressive, timely and appropriate education continues to be offered in the library information programs

Promote accurate information on the qualifications and capabilities of library and information technicians

Interact with other associations within the library and information field

Provide networking opportunities within an educational framework

Maintain liaisons with various organizations to support Library Technicians

AALT provides an avenue for professional and personal development, interaction and communication through:

AALT: MISSION & PURPOSE

the annual Spring conference

regional professional development and social events

volunteer opportunities on committees

serving on the Board of Directors

online job board

the quarterly journal, AALT Technician

discussion forums and chatrooms

PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS BY ALLISON STEWART


Dude, can you hook me up?

Libraries (and the people that work in them) are all about making

connections. We connect people with items, with ideas and with

information. If you were able to get a bird’s eye view and trace a line

between the people coming in and the item/information/idea they

leave with, at some point virtually all the lines are going to connect

with a library staff member.

So why is it we don’t spend more time connecting with each other?

The big answer is of course, time. Very few of us are bored at work! We’re so busy helping other

people make the connections they need we put our needs on hold.

Unfortunately our profession almost demands we stay connected with each other. Without being

aware of the library world at large, the spectre of tunnel-vision raises its ugly head. We can become

so focussed on our daily tasks we forget there are others out there who can help us with new ideas

on how to perform those daily tasks, give us new ideas or who might want to hear about OUR new

ideas.

That’s where AALT comes in! One of the major advantages of belonging to AALT is the network of

professionals that you can connect to by being a member. The Member’s Only section of the

webpage has the chat-room and forums for AALT members to communicate with each other. We’re

also trying really hard to create opportunities where members can meet up and socialize with each

other, which is one of the best ways to make connections. That’s also why our conference this year

is all about Connections!

So if you’re feeling a little constrained or overwhelmed or just even a little blah, stretch yourself a

little and connect with someone else in the library world. Let us help, we’ll hook you up!


The AALT Journal Submissions contest is open again for an-

other year!

This year we’re running TWO contests:

1. Each article is entered to win

a to-be-determined prize for the issue submitted for.

2. All entries up to & including the Spring 2011 issue will be entered into a draw for a

chance to win a FREE registration to the AALT Conference

May 26 – May 29, 2011 at the Mayfield Inn & Suites in Edmonton.

Deadline for submissions to the next issue of the AALT Technician is

JANUARY 30, 2011!

We look forward to hearing from you! [email protected]

CONGRATULATIONS TO BEV RAYNOR!

WINNER OF THE DRAW FOR A

$25 GC!


Trying to find that just right book for your child or group can sometimes be a tedious process. In this

new column we aim to make that task a little easier for you by introducing you to some great read

aloud titles with each new issue. You can collect and share stories that are both thought provoking

and fun, creating a lifelong passion for reading.

Recently I read that we only retain 10% of a lecture, but if a story is added during a presentation we

have the potential to remember 50%. A study researching the effectiveness of pictures in what is

communicated found that when 2,560 different pictures were shown to a group over several days,

and later 280 pairs of pictures were shown (one picture seen before and one new) 90% of pictures

could be identified as having being seen before. Add pictures to story and we have potential for not

only learning but also remembering. Bring on the picture books, I say!

With thoughts of fall, another school year with new learning challenges, here are a few of my

favourite story books with an emphasis on Canadian Authors.

Bear on the Train by Julie Lawson and Brian Deines. 2001. 32p. Kids

Can Press (1553370686)

Jeffery is the only one who sees a bear climb onto the train; drawn by the

welcoming smell of grain and the promise of a good meal. The problem is

bear decides to hunker down for winter. Jeffery urges the bear to get off the

train before winter, to no avail. Sleeping and riding, the bear crosses the Canadian prairies to the

sea. Back and forth he travels during the long winter months. While Jeffery chants to the bear you

can almost imagine the train wheels chugging through the long winter months until finally bear

lumbers off in the spring. Gr1-3

Mr. George Baker. By Amy Hest. Illus. by Jon J. Muth. 2007. 32p. Candlewick. (978-0763633080)

Two unlikely friends wait on the step side by side for the school bus. Harry is

in grade one, while his neighbour friend George is at least a hundred years

old. Both share the common struggle of learning to read. George, a brilliant

drummer, studies with the grownups in a classroom down the hall from

Harry. Muth’s soft watercolour pictures render different images of the two

friends from different angles. They board the bus hand in hand. Harry is

proud that George always sits with him instead of the grownups. This story

speaks of friendships that supersede boundaries and the continuance of

learning at any age. K-3.

THE BOOKCASE: SHARING STORIES—SHAPING FUTURES BY BEV RAYNER


Jeffrey and Sloth. By Kari-lynn Winters. Illus. by Ben Hodson. 2007.

Orca. (978-1551439747)

Jeffrey is trying hard to think of something to write about but his mind is as

blank as the sheet of paper before him, so he doodles instead. A sloth takes

shape on the page. While Jeffrey continues to think of words to write the

sloth comes to life and insults him by saying “good writers have lots of ideas,

you don’t have any.” Jeffrey will prove him wrong, and what follows is a

cross Canada adventure with sloth demanding more doodles until Jeffrey

discover plenty of ideas to write his own story. Even our grade five students

enjoyed this story.

One by Kathryn Otoshi 2008. Ko Kids (978-0972394642)

When it comes to standing tall against bullies Kathryn Otoshi’s book is a

winner. Simple water colours and numbers work perfectly as the charac-

ters for this book. “One” presents kids with ideas of how to deal with others

who try to make them feel bad about themselves, and sends a strong mes-

sage; it only takes one to make a difference.

The Art Room by Susan Vande Griek and Pascal Milelli 2002.

Groundwood. (0888994494)

A first person account of a young student: climbing familiar steps anticipat-

ing another art lesson with Emily Carr. (1871-1945). Written in poetic verse

the story reveals an afternoon spent with Carr as she shares her talents

with her young protégé. Her studio abounds with sunlight and colours, ani-

mal friends and discovery. The afternoon slips by as the children giggle

and gab with Carr who imparts a love of colour, an eye for art, and an ap-

preciation for small creatures. Sometimes her lessons are taken outside

where with packed up colours and small camp stools they paint “en plein

air.” Milelli's illustrations of earthy shades, oranges, pinks, and blues reveal

the Northwest in 1900 while reflecting Carr’s own style. Children catch a glimpse of the wonder of art

& the person of Emily Carr.

Reference:

gse.gmu.edu/assets/docs/lmtip/vol3/M.Gaines.doc


THE SECRET LIVES OF LIBRARY TECHNICIANS BY REA GOSINE

T his issue’s installment of the Secret Lives of Library Technicians features Marilyn Doyle.

Marilyn is a fellow 2007 graduate of the Information Management & Library Technology

program at Grant MacEwan and a former AALT Conference Co-chair.

Hi Marilyn! Thank you for taking some time out of your busy schedule so we can get to know you

better!

Where are you from?

I grew up in South Alberta – Coaldale, a small town east of Lethbridge. But I have been living in Ed-

monton for all my adult life, so most of the time I consider myself to be from Edmonton.

That makes sense. So you went to school in Edmonton then – what did you take?

My first degree was a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science and I worked in medical research

labs for a time. Then I took an Associate Certification in Piano (Teacher) from the Western Board of

Music. I came to the IMLT program at MacEwan quite a bit later.

Wow! Medical Laboratory Science seems pretty far removed from being a Library Technician.

Why did you decide to enroll in the library tech program?

I was looking for a career change and have always loved libraries. I wasn’t prepared to take on the

academic rigors of a Master’s program (although sometimes I wonder why I was so lazy). I got the

impression the technician program would give me the practical skills to do the work, and this seems

to have been the case.

Marilyn and her husband Wes


I agree with you on the Master’s program. I went through the same thought process when de-

ciding to take the program. What turned out to be your favourite thing about the program?

I really enjoyed the group work that we did. This was new to me as I usually prefer to work alone.

But I found the whole process of working things out together quite engaging. Our class was an

interesting and varied group of people.

And now that you’ve learned the practical skills, where have you found yourself working?

I work at the Legal Resource Centre of Alberta, a non-profit organization devoted to public legal

education. That is, we help the public to understand their rights and responsibilities under the law,

and their role as citizens in shaping the law.

Sounds interesting! What kind of things do you do there?

I have a mixed bag of activities. Some of my duties are traditional library work: I maintain our small

print collection (ordering, cataloguing, tracking the periodicals and so forth) and answer reference

questions. Much of our information is delivered online so I also help with website maintenance and

updates. The LRC often creates legal information materials. We love the Q&A format – see our

Canadian Legal FAQs. For these projects I do a fair bit of plain language editing. I also do some

writing: Online Law columns for our LawNow magazine and articles for our blog.

(Check it out: http://www.legalresourcecentre.ca/blog/)

I’ve been on the team for our one-year project (which is close to completion) to revamp our flagship

website, a legal information portal currently known as ACJNet. It will have a new name, new

structure and vastly improved search functions. It’s been exciting to be involved in discussions about

design, and a bit mind-boggling as we have re-visited our keywords and updated all the records. But

it is coming together amazingly. Watch for it at www.acjnet.org , and send us your feedback. We’d

love to know what you think.

Is all of this where you thought you would be after graduating from the program?

Not really. I originally thought I was headed for a public or academic library. Then at school I

became really intrigued with legal materials and thought I would try a law library. I did my practicum

and a summer relief position at a law firm and quite enjoyed it. Right before I went back to school I

had been working in a not-for-profit organization. When the opportunity arose at the Legal Resource

Centre, it just seemed a good fit for me. There’s still some connection with the law but there’s also a

mission that appeals to my altruistic nature.


So when you’re not busy at work, what do you do with yourself otherwise?

Playing the cello (both alone and in a small string orchestra); hanging out with my husband; keeping

up with the adventures of our two grownup kids; doing yoga classes; reading a book; engaging in

nurturing spiritual practices; attending local theatre productions or the occasional local concert;

getting up to some kind of creative project (recently I took an “altered book” art class and went to a

poetry writing retreat); walking my dogs (two adorable Bichon/Shih-tzus: one old and arthritic, one

young and curious). That’s why I choose to work only four days a week; I’ve got a lot on the go!

Sounds busy and fulfilling! Can I ask what an “altered book” art class involves?

You take an old book – one that’s outdated for example but that has a physical structure that’s still in

good shape. Then you make it into a work of art by painting, drawing, collage-ing, and so forth, on

the cover and the pages. I guess one could say it’s a perfect activity for a library tech. All those

weeded books put to good use. Anyway, you can make it so that each page stands on it’s own

visually, or use the painting etc. to create a backdrop for journaling on top of. I suspect there’s more

than one style in which they’re done. I’ve seen a number of classes advertised. The teacher we

worked with does a lot of paint layering and different methods for creating transfers out of print

material like magazines.

Marilyn on a recent trip to Hawaii!


We introduced the AALT Board with a few “If” questions instead of doing their bios this

year. How would you answer the “If” questions?:

1. If you could possess one supernatural ability what would it be?

The ability to read any book in an hour or less with the same (or even more) comprehension and joy

that I have in reading now. Why? So many books, so little time!

2. If you could memorize one book from history in its entirety, which book would you want it to be?

I don’t know about “history” as I don’t consider myself a literature aficionado. What comes to mind is

a book I recently received called “Love Poems from God: Twelve Sacred Voices from the East and

West”, edited by Daniel Ladinsky. I think it would be lovely to be able to call up these poems to

reflect on at any time, and would give me words to comfort and encourage others as well.

3. If you had to sell your soul for one thing, what would it be?

Well, if I’m going to sell my soul, it had better be for something big and altruistic. How about a world

where all people know how to share joyfully with each other and love doing so (i.e. a world without

greed).

4. If you could have a year any place in the world, all expenses paid, where would you go?

I’ll pick Switzerland (although lots of countries in Europe have appeal). Once there you can so easily

travel all through Europe and even into the Middle East.

5. If you could have chosen your own first name, other than your current one, what would it be?

Curiously, I have never had a desire for a different name, so this question leaves me drawing a

blank. I guess if I had to go into a witness protection program I’d have to do some serious thinking!

2011 AALT MEMBERSHIPS NOW AVAILABLE!

RENEW TODAY!

www.aalt.org


BOOKS ACROSS MY DESK BY KIRSTEN LIVINGSTONE

Now, as the majority of my job is cataloguing materials for the University of Lethbridge

Curriculum Laboratory, an awful lot of books cross my desk. And I mean A LOT. Some of them are

kind of boring looking, some of them are Alberta Curriculum approved textbooks, some of them are

the current popular and best-selling books for children and young adults. Then there are THOSE

books. The books that have me hooked right from the start, with absolutely no help from the plot.

The books that make me say “I MUST read that” just from looking at the cover, or reading the title, or

even just fanning the pages like a flip book. That’s right, THOSE books.

The first book I catalogued that absolutely gripped me that way

was The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick. I was barely a

month out of school and into my first job in the library field, doing my best

to just keep my head above water, and this book finds its’ way into my pile

of books to start my training on. At first I didn’t give it much notice. I mean,

I thought it was odd that a book of that size would be a Caldecott Award

winner, but hey, maybe I had my awards mixed up. Then I opened the

book, and woah. Suddenly the Calde-

cott Award made perfect sense, and I

was done for. You see, The Invention

of Hugo Cabret is no ordinary novel, or

even an ordinary graphic novel. No, it is a silent movie in book

format. A novel where over half of the pages, and the majority of

the story is told through stunning black and white illustrations! I

didn’t care what it was about; I knew I had to read it. And let me

tell you, it didn’t disappoint!

Up next, the book with a subtitle so long and convoluted, that I can never actually

remember what it is. But that subtitle makes all the difference. It

made me want to not just read it, but add it to my own collection

as soon as I possibly could. (And yet I still haven’t because I can’t

find a bookstore that has it is stock!) The Island of Mad Scientists:

Being an Excursion to the Wilds of Scotland, Involving Many Mar-

vels of Experimental Invention, Pirates, a Heroic Cat, a Mechani-

cal Man and a Monkey by Howard Whitehouse. It turned out that this book was the

second book in The Mad Misadventures of Emmaline and Rubberbones series,

and it came after a book with an equalling intriguing title. The Strictest School in

the World: Being the Tale of a Clever Girl, a Rubber Boy and a Collection of Flying Machines, Mostly

Broken. To add to my levels of giddiness, I recently found out there was a third book! The Faceless


Fiend: Being the Tale of a Criminal Mastermind, His Masked Minions and a Prin-

cess with a Butter Knife, Involving Explosives and a Certain Amount of Pushing

and Shoving.

Honestly, I have no idea how I have managed to live my life to this point

and not have read these books! Well, besides the fact that our library copies

always seem to disappear right when I want them, and I can’t seem to buy them,

but that’s not the point. So if the titles have captured you a thoroughly as they

have me, and you actually get to read them, DON’T SPOIL THE ENDING!

The last book on my list for today is Emmy and the Incredible Shrinking Rat by Lynne Jonell. Let us

go back in time. I’m sitting in my office cataloguing books from our

fiction backlog, and I come to Emmy. At first it doesn’t strike me as

anything particularly spectacular. I check the ISBN, the title and the

author against the copy-catalogue record. I make a few minor

changes here and there to make it fit the specifications of the Cur-

riculum Lab. I flip through the pages looking for a donation plate to

see if I need to put in an extra note in the record. Wait a minute... I

flip through the pages again. Suddenly I find myself watching a

grumpy looking rat make its’ way to the edge of a branch, fall off and

get caught at the very last second! I haven’t seen a flip book since I

was in Junior High and I was making them with my friends when I

should have been paying attention in class! I swear I must have sat

there for a good five minutes flipping the pages, and laughing at the

wonderfully disgruntled expression the rat wore before I promptly

ran around showing everyone I could find. Once I finally sat myself

back at my computer, I wrote it down on my rather large (and grow-

ing by the second) list of books I simply have to read. And THEN I

read the summary.

Oh, the books that make their way across my desk. I may never read all of them, in fact I probably

won’t read all of them. Yet, there are THOSE books with that little something extra that will always

make their way to the top of the list by simply being just a step off and away from what we’re used

to. Now, I have only one last thing to say.... may these books continue to find me, so I don’t have to

find them!


I’VE GOT A QUESTION TO ASK...

BY HERALD WONG

S uppose you have a question to ask someone. How do you ask your question? Now that you have thought of an answer, ask yourself, “Is that the best way to ask?” When you are in the l

ibrary, your first thought might be to go and ask a library staff member. Yet what if the information or reference desk has a line-up and you do not want to wait or your question is really not that urgent? There are different ways or methods of asking questions such as asking a library staff member, us-ing the phone, sending an e-mail, using instant messaging, or sending a message via texting. When you are in the library, it makes natural sense to go up to the desk to ask the person at the desk your question. Or does it? While asking in person would be better, would you still be inclined to ask your question if there is a line-up or your question really can wait? When there is face-to-face contact, there is the opportunity for negotiating or clarifying your question to get at what you really want to find out. For this transaction to take place, you might have to wait in line, come back the next business day if the library has closed, or wait for an available staff member. Another method to ask a question is by phone. You could ask your question by using a telephone, cell phone, iPhone, or what have you. There is still the personal contact. That is, you are still talking to someone and getting the opportunity to negotiate what you want to know though you are not at the library in person. However, the limitations described for in person contact above apply here to over the phone contact as well with the note that waiting in line would be replaced with being placed on hold if the individual who answers your call is already helping someone in front of him or her. Moving from being in the library to being offsite, how can you ask your question besides using the phone? Email is another method that can be used. This method would be suitable for explaining or clarifying complex queries that might be challenging to do with face-to-face contact. An advantage to this method is that one may ask a question at any time of the day, even at 2 a.m. in the morning! The disadvantage to this method is that one may not expect an answer until business hours. Even then, one might not get the answer right away—the individual working on the question may ask for (more) details. While using email results in a delayed response, using instant messaging provides for an instant re-sponse. With this method, you have a choice of whether or not to send a transcript of the “conversation” or chat to your e-mail account. You can easily and quickly provide additional details when the reference staff member asks you questions to help you determine what you are really ask-ing. A drawback is that when there is a unusually long delay, you do not know if the staff member is still “with you” and is working on your query. In addition to using instant messaging, texting has emerged relatively recently. An advantage of texting is that a customer can make a query “on the fly” without having to wait for a response using e-mail. Disadvantages of texting are that responses are limited to a certain number of characters, 160, and the business hours of the library. The following table, though not an exhaustive table, summarizes the question-asking methods and their good and not so good points.


Table 1: Methods for asking questions along with good and not so good points For these methods described above, there are ways to get around the challenges such as having additional staff assist customers with queries, letting customers know that staff are “still there” work-ing on their queries, customers themselves choosing to ask other customers, and staying open longer hours. So keep in mind that you have different methods to use to ask questions. Whether asking in person, using the phone, sending an e-mail, using instant messaging, or sending a message via texting, you will get responses to your questions. Just remember there are good and not so good points to each method depending on what or how much information you need. How may I help you?

Method For Asking A Question Good Not So Good

In Person (Face‐To‐Face) Personal, instant answer, real‐time negotiation (reference interview), conducive to accuracy and complete‐ness in absence of line‐up at the information/reference desk, may be better if queries are simple com‐pared to complex

Availability of staff member to an‐swer query, may need to wait in line if there are one or more people ahead of you, restricted to business hours

Phone Personal, instant answer, real‐time negotiation (reference interview)

Availability of staff member to an‐swer query, may be placed on hold if there is a line‐up at the information/reference desk, restricted to busi‐ness hours

E‐mail (electronic) Not confined to business hours, not required to be at the information/reference desk, may be better for complex queries

Answer may be delayed, additional information may be required, clarifi‐cation may be required

Instant Message (IM) (Almost) instantaneous response, option to have a transcript e‐mailed to customer’s e‐mail address

Uncertainty sometimes of not know‐ing if the staff member is “still there” and working on the customer’s query, restricted to business hours

Texting Conducive for queries requiring quick or directional answer

Answer is limited to certain number (160) of characters, restricted to business hours

2010 CONFERENCE VENDOR

Susan Clark | Educational Sales Consultant - representing:

National Geographic School Publishing/Hampton-Brown, Curriculum Associates, School Specialty Intervention, Chestnut Publishing


This year’s theme is all about connecting with others profession-ally, socially, online and in-person. We hope you will join with us

to:

Meet with friends old and new

Learn about social tools and technologies

Improve connections with users and colleagues

And so much more!

Where: Mayfield Inn and Suites

Edmonton, AB

When: Thursday, May 26th – Sunday, May 29th

Sessions, pricing and more information to come from your Conference Committee as it

becomes available. Check the AALT Conference website at: http://aalt.org/Conference2011/pages/home.php.

If you have any questions about AALT 2011 please email [email protected].


CLA UPDATE BY KAREN HILDEBRANDT

The month of October was Canadian Library Month across the country with this year’s theme “Your

Library: Your World: Opening Doors to the Future” emphasizing the ability of libraries to introduce

new ideas, new stories, and new ways into the world around us through both traditional and emerg-

ing technologies. For more information, please click on the following link: http://www.cla.ca/AM/

Template.cfm?Section=Home&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&CONTENTID=10198

You may have heard the news of CLA reviewing their mandates and purpose and looking at restruc-

turing. If you want to keep up with the latest, please check out the following link http://

www.clatoolbox.ca/CLAFuture/ In the meantime, it’s business as usual.

The CLA Conference Program Planning Committee met early November to select sessions for the

2011 Conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia. We had to select 60 sessions out of 166 proposals which

was no easy task. It can be a daunting and challenging task to try and pick out the best that will ap-

peal to the most people. It is even more so when all the session proposals were very good.

October and November were busy times for the Nova Scotia Library Technicians Association

(NSALT) and the Newfoundland and Labrador Library Association Library Technician and Assistant

Interest Group (NLLA LTAIG).

The NSALT Conference occurred on October 22 and their theme was, “Library Technicians – How

far have we come? See how far we can go!”

It was my honour and privilege to be the conference keynote speaker and my presentation was, “I

Belong: The Importance of Association Membership and Involvement”. After all, if it were not for my

beginnings with the Alberta Association of Library Technicians (AALT) and later on CLA, I would

never have had the opportunities I’ve had in the past six years, so this is a topic very near and dear

to my heart.

Breakout sessions were held following the keynote address. The sessions included the following:

• Discovering and presenting your best self. Presented by Beth Campbell and Roisin Carew-

Arithi

• Trends and technologies in libraries. Presented by Seana Collins

• Mentoring: Win-Win for everyone or is it a Road Fraught with Peril.

Presented by Marie DeYoung

• Best new books for children and young adults. Presented by Darcy Johns and

Danielle Dungey

• Recruiting and retaining volunteers. Presented by Barbara Thompson

• Job satisfaction: Do you have it? How to get it? Presented by Joanne Hodder


I attended the mentoring session as well as the

best new books and enjoyed them both

immensely. The speakers were passionate

about what they spoke about and kept us

engaged.

It was a wonderful opportunity for me to connect

with Erica Smith and Carmelita Cousins, two

past CLA LTIG Award of Merit Winners, as well

as to meet many more library technicians and

assistants in Nova Scotia.

The NLLA LTAIG Conference took place on

November 16. The sessions for this conference

were:

• Reference: Know your limits. Presented

by Jennifer Mersereau

• Google Earth as a reference tool – or –

When did my neighbors get that swim-

ming pool. Presented by David Mercer

• Continuing Professional Development.

Presented by Donna Inkpen

• An Open Discussion on “Our Voice:

LTAIG, What does it mean to you?”

• Programming in the public library. Pre-

sented by Julia Mayo

• WorldCat Local. Presented by Lisa God-

dard

This was another great conference for NLLA

LTAIG!

A special kudos to everyone involved in confer-

ence or program planning. It takes a lot of com-

mitment and effort and, yes, passion, to plan

and deliver a well run conference and every one

that I’ve attended or heard people talk about

were good. Thank you to those volunteers that

make it happen.


The Provincial Associations are also busy planning their conference programs for next year. AALT

Conference is May 27-29, the BC Library Conference will be in early April, the Alberta Library Con-

ference takes place end of April, the Saskatchewan library Conference will take place early May, the

Manitoba Library Conference is mid May, the Ontario Library Super Conference takes place early

February and the Atlantic Provinces Library Association will have their conference in mid May the

week before the CLA conference. There is no lack of professional development opportunities just the

lack of funding to attend them all!

(Karen at Peggy’s Cove Nova Scotia)

Karen Hildebrandt; Access Services Coordinator, Concordia University College of Alberta; CLA LTIG

Convenor.

Alberta Association of Library TechniciansTechnicians and Technology : Partners in Information

P.O. Box 700, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2L4Toll Free: 1-866-350-AALT (2258)

Web Address: www.aalt.org

AALT Membership Form January 1 to December 31, 2010

Please fill in all information, but use the box provided in front of each item to indicate your agreement to have that item published in the AALT Membership Directory. Mark the box [X] if you are willing to have it published, leave the box blank if you are not. NEW MEMBERSHIP: _____________ RENEWAL: _____________ Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________ [ ] Street Address: ____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ City: _________________________ Province: ________ Postal Code: ________________________ [ ] Home Phone: ___________________________________ [ ]Email: ________________________________________________ (This address will be used for Journal delivery) Employer Name: ______________________________________________________________________________ [ ]Employer Address:__________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________________________ City: ________________________ Province: ______ Postal Code: ____________________________ [ ] Business Phone: ______________________________ [ ] Fax Number: ____________________________

*Note: All current members will be listed in the directory by name and (if no other address information has been agreed to) by business affiliation and/or city & province/country. If you do not wish even this minimal listing, please mark the box below.

[ ] I do not wish to have my name listed in the membership directory.

REGISTRATION & PAYMENT ALSO AVAILABLE ONLINE - PLEASE VISIT WWW.AALT.ORG TO REGISTER TODAY!

Membership type:

Personal $40.00 _______ Graduates of a recognized library and information technology program from an accredited post-secondary institution or Small Library Operation Certificate Holders (Rural Library Training Graduates). Personal members have the right to vote, hold office, and serve on committees.

Student $20.00 _______ Student of a recognized library and information technology program from an accredited post-secondary institution or Small Library Operation Certificate Holders (Rural Library Training Graduates). Student members have the right to vote, hold office, and serve on committees.

Associate $40.00 _______ Persons who do not qualify as personal members but who have an interest in library technology or information management and in the Alberta Association of Library Technicians (AALT). Associate members have the right to serve on committees. May not vote or hold office.

Institutional $55.00 _______ Libraries or persons who employ or who have an interest in library technicians. Institutional members have the right to serve on committees, and appoint an individual to have all other rights of an associate member. May not vote or hold office.

Affiliate $35.00 _______ Affiliate members are library or records management related organizations who have a professional interest in library technology or information management or the Alberta Association of Library Technicians (AALT). Where a reciprocal agreement exists a designated representative may vote but not hold office.

Type of Library:

School: Elementary: ______ Jr. High/Middle School: _______ Sr. High: _________

Elementary/Jr. High_______ Jr. High/Sr. High_______ K-12_________

Special: Law: ____ Corporate: _____ Government: _____ Medical: _____

Non-profit: _________ Other: _______________

Other Library Types: Academic: _____ Public: _____ Regional Library System:_________

Other: Records Management: _____ Archives: _____ Alternative Career: ______ Student: ______

Non-Library Environment: _____ Not Currently Employed: _______ Graduate of : _____________________________________________Year: _______________________

Currently a student of: _________________________________________________________________

Would you be interested in running for a Board position? _______________________________

Could you please tell us which union you belong to, if any? __________________________________ Please make your cheque payable to AALT and mail the payment with your completed membership form to:

Alberta Association of Library Technicians

PO Box 700 Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2L4

*AALT is an unregistered supplier under section 148 of the GST Act. Membership fees are GST exempt. +For complete explanations of membership rights please consult the Bylaws.

AALT respects and is committed to protecting the privacy of members. The information on this form will be input into the AALT Online Registration System. Some of the third party online services used by AALT store personal information in their databases. These third party services have their own privacy policies that may differ from AALT's Privacy Policy. The AALT Online Registration System (ORS) is covered under a specific agreement between AALT and Count Me In (CMI), the ORS service provider, which includes obligations by the service provider to protect the privacy of personal information entered into that system. Personal information collected will not be used for any purpose other than by AALT or otherwise required by law. The information is not to be accessed or used by CMI for any purpose other than to maintain the functionality of the ORS system. The Privacy Policy of CMI is located at https://www.cmiregistration.com/user/about/privacy.jxp?org=271.


Board Meeting Highlights & Group reports (Administration Group, Professional Development Group, Communications Group), will be available on the AALT website under the Members Only page http://www.aalt.org/members/index.html

BOARD MEETING HIGHLIGHTS & GROUP REPORTS AVAILABLE ONLINE

From your AALT Board of Directors!

Wishing you the best of the season

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

ALBERTA ASSOCIATION OF LIBRARY TECHNICIANS

P.O. Box 700, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2L4

www.aalt.org

Member-At-Large

Lynda Shurko

[email protected]

President

Allison Stewart

[email protected]

President-Elect

Kirsten Livingstone [email protected]

Conference

Erin Storey & Kristian McInnis

[email protected]

Journal Editors

Rea Gosine & Joanne Shum

[email protected]

Marketing

Melanie Belliveau [email protected]

Membership

Sarah Stephens [email protected]

Secretary

Becky Deobald

[email protected]

Treasurer

Nicole D’Agnone

[email protected]

Web Site

Any Liu

[email protected]

Grant MacEwan

Nadean Mercier

[email protected]

SAIT

Herald Wong & Naomi Angell

[email protected]

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

AALT Board of Directors

2010- 2011

DIRECTORS

BOARD APPOINTEE

Dianne Guidera

[email protected]


Future Dates To Make Note Of...

November February

November 1 AALT 2011 Memberships Available www.aalt.org

December 2 9th Annual Augustana Information Literacy in Academic Libraries Workshop Augustana Faculty, University of Alberta, Camrose, AB www.augustana.ualberta.ca/ services/library/infolit/workshop/

January 30 AALT Technician Winter Issue submission deadline. Enter now for your chance at great prizes!

February 20 - 26 Freedom to Read Week http://www.freedomtoread.ca/

December 11 AALT Board Meeting - online

The AALT Board of Directors is seeking any ideas, comments, and suggestions regarding methods for offering professional development opportunities. Please send your comments to the Professional Development Group Chair at [email protected].

February 24 - 27 Ontario Library Association Super Conference Metro Toronto Convention Centre Toronto, ON http://www.accessola.com/superconference2011/index.php

December 31 AALT 2010 Memberships Expire RENEW YOURS TODAY

AT www.aalt.org

January 27 Family Literacy Day http://abclifeliteracy.ca/en/family-literacy-day

December January

CALENDAR OF EVENTS...

May 26-29, 2011 - AALT Conference 2011 - Mayfield Inn, Edmonton AB. Get Connected!

AALT Technician: the Journal of AALT

Documents

Transcript of AALT Technician: the Journal of AALT