HLABC Forum: Spring 2004

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 3

SPRING 2004

HERE COMES

CHANGE

Inside...

Web Survey:Change

Laptops atWoodward

Members intransition

Lots of greatquotes!

HLABC FORUM

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 3

2003/2004 HLABCExecutive

President Shannon Long

Past President Rebecca Raworth

Secretary Mimi Doyle-Waters

Treasurer Marcia Bilinsky

FORUM Krista Clement / PatBoileau

Website Robert Melrose /Mary-Doug Wright /Robyn Invallsen

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

President’s Letter(s) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Treasurer’s Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Website Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Web Survey Report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Member’s Forum on Change

. Borrowed Technology - Patricia Foster . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

. Teresa on the Move - T. Prior / K. Clement . . . . . . . . 8

. Any Changes? - Karen MacDonell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

. Libraries+Change=? - Robyn Ingvallsen . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Librarians After 5 - Francine Renaud . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Blast from the Past - B.Morrison / C.Rayment . . . . . . . . 13

Afterlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

The Forum is published quarterly by the Health Libraries Association of BC ISSN: 0826-0125For membership information, visit our website at www.hlabc.bc.ca or write to:Marcia Bilinsky, HLABC TreasurerMedical Library ServiceCollege of Physic ians & Surgeons of BC400 - 858 Beatty St.Vancouver BC V6B 1C1Tel 604 733-6671, ext. 2296Fax 604 737-8582email [email protected]

Fees are $25.00 (regular) or $15.00 (student, maximum 2 years) and include the Forum.

Submissions and story ideas are welcomed. Publication is not guaranteed and manuscripts may be edited.Contact the editors:Pat Boileau Email: [email protected]: 604-734-1313 ext. 2339Krista ClementEmail: [email protected]: 250-762-3700

HLABC FORUM SPRING 2004

Change is constant ... the only constant.

Everything will pass.

A sense of humour and theability to put things in

perspective go a long wayin helping you cope!

EDITORIAL

PRESIDENT’S LETTER

This may be the longest issue of the Forum ever, so I will keep my own commentsexceedingly brief. Instead of the “Seen on the Net” feature, I have put in our sidebars someof your own tips and advice on deal ing with change, contributed to the survey.

I have included two odd email “articles.” Blast from the Past reminisces about changes inthe Forum itself. And now, the BC Cancer Agency has three Forum Editors working together!Teresa on the Move is a “report” on quickly changing your job and moving to another part ofthe province. Teresa Prior is exceedingly capable and organized, but I think our exchangeshows that even the best of us are forced to set priorities and make difficult choices in timesof change. Right, Teresa? Librarians after 5 tells you about a get-together of Okanaganlibrarians: public, academic, and medical. We hope to continue and expand this event.

Krista Clement, HLABC Forum Editor

Well, spring is approaching and you all know what that means..... time to start planningwhich conferences to attend (its also time for budget planning but that is not quite asexciting). This year there are quite a few to choose from. The Canadian Health LibrariesAssociation's annual conference will be in St. John's Newfoundland on May 15-18, and thereis a joint BCLA/CLA conference in Victoria on June 16-19. For those who really like to travel,the Medical Library Association's conference will be in Washington, DC this year from May21-26. It that isn't enough for you, the Special Library Association will be holdingconferences in Nashville and Toronto. Wow. So much to choose from! If I had a ton ofmoney and didn't have to work I would surely go to all of them!

Closer to home, the HLABC executive is busy planning our own CE sessions and AnnualGeneral Meeting for June 11, 2004. I like to think of this as our own mini conference. Thisyear we will be breaking tradition by offering multiple and/or simultaneous workshops. Several of our members suggested holding hal f-day classes so we thought we'd give it a try.Stay tuned to the listserv for more details. HLABC plans to purchase a videotape of the MLAtelecast "Roles and Essential Skills for the Expert Search" once it becomes available (theteleconference will take place on March 10). As in previous years we will be circulating thevideo to our members across the province or planning a group viewing session. On adifferent note, Anne Allgaier has graciously volunteered to compile and edit a new "BESTSITE" list. Anne is seeking input and suggestions of excellent website to include, so don'thesitate to send her a quick email with a list of your favourites. HLABC's new website is inits final stages of preparation. Much thanks to Robert Melrose, Robyn Ingvallsen and Mary-Doug Wright for their excellent work!

Our next general meeting will be on Wednesday March 24 at Hamber Library (BC Children'sHospital). Dr. Martin Pusic, our guest speaker, promises to lead us in an interactive andthought provoking discussion on the roles of Librarians in the clinical setting. "The BraveNew World of Health Librarians: Just-in-time Clinical Decision Support" is the title Dr. Pusichas given his talk. It sounds fantastic. I hope to see you all there!

Shannon LongPresident, Health Libraries Association of British Columbiaand Librarian, Richmond Health Services email [email protected]

Health Librar ies Association o f B.C.

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 3

Constantly changing plansat work and personallyleads to losing what Ithink is important. Ratherthan having externalforces immediatelyaltering what I think isimportant I look at itfrom an internal point ofview - "Will this impacthow I make mydecisions?" If the answeris no I do not change myperspective.

.

TREASURER’S REPORT

WEBSITE UPDATE

FinancesMutual Fund $1,569.65Checking Account $5,967.19Total $7,536.84

Membership89 regular (10 new)1 student6 life time1 unpaidTotal of 97

New members since December 2003:Ana Rosa Blue, VGH-UBC Hospital FoundationLiza Morris, AIDS VancouverKristina McDavid, Woodward Library, UBCRita Dahlie, Woodward Library, UBC

The Website Committee has been exploring the new contents managementsoftware, Typo3. Some of the executive and website committee membersattended a training session January 17th that was graciously hosted byRobyn at her house in Burnaby. Chris, our web designer from Bedlam Hotel,provided those in attendance with an overview of the tools andcapabilities of the software.

We were impressed with the new software as it has many options for us toupdate and change information at the motion of a key stroke. The systemis a WYSIWYG format (what you see is what you get), meaning that we simplymake the site look how we want, and the program encodes the HTML itself. This means that we can copy and paste information from the current siteinto the new format, reducing significantly the time spent on the newsite, enabling us to launch it that much sooner.

The process now is to compare the old and new sites and to move theinformation over to the new site. Robert and Robyn have begun theprocess and will continue their work through March. We will be asking webcommittee and executive members for their feedback before the finalversion is unveiled.

Submitted by: Robert Melrose, Robyn Ingvallsen on behalf of the Website committee.

HLABC FORUM

WEB SURVEY: CHANGE

We can learn to embracechange as it can be fulfillingand exciting, and make thebest of the changes weencounter which may notbe suitable to our goals,views and our vision. Wecan always find a way toimprove the situation athand, hopefully.

Participation in the online surveys continues to increase with each issue - thanks to you! Although I invited respondents to describe their changes, I will only summarize the lengthycomments here. We health librarians appear to be riding considerable changes, but notfinding them completely overwhelming. It strikes me that in the midst of everything, over80% of us st ill continue to be “total ly” or “usually” able to adapt comfortab ly to changes,even those imposed from beyond our control. Way to go, librarians!

2.Would you like to describe changes in your library in 2003?Facility change and change in management or reporting structure were mentioned a coupleof times. The biggest changes were in library staff: some increases, some decreases. Onlineservices and the UBC medical school expansion were also significant.

4.Feel free to share any of the changes experienced in your job over 2003?New roles and responsibilities, for example, serving more or different populations, or addingand changing actual hours and services. Most people report having a higher workload andhaving trouble keeping up. Perhaps there hasn’t been “total, major” change, but thatcataloguing pile is taking on a life of it’s own!

6.If you wish, please describe what changes are taking place in your workplace.Everything shift ing, and continu ing to “reorganize,” even though we thought that was lastyear’s project. The business practices of the organization continue to evolve. Many of us12`have to re-educate, re-promote, and adjust to changing relationships within theorganization. Consider yourself fortunate if some of those changes seem to be for the better!Those who are still losing staff write with an air of resignation.

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 3

The Serenity Prayer :)

Don't scratch. Do yoga.(I could put in the usualthings about takingcontrol of what you aregiven, but really....)

BORROWED TECHNOLOGY: LAPTOPS FOR LOAN INTRODUCED T O THE WOODWARD LIBRARY

8.Are there any events you would like to share ?

my dog eating a pound of bacon fat and getting sick, preventing me from attending theHLABC AGM / Death of Mother, longer commute to work / Finishing off another graduatedegree /new to the community and having experienced a move, a new job, and theunfortuate incident involving the many fires out here /graduated from SLAIS in April 2003and immediately started working at AIDS Vancouver / Husband hit by drunk driver, boughtpuppy in Nebraska, city almost burned down / Death of my parents / Beginning the "emptynesting" phase and finding it a bit challenging emotionally, and somewhat exhilirating atthe same time

As one respondent put it:Embracing change (at work and in personal realm) rather than "resisting" it, and seeingmore positive aspects and new opportunities evolving... :)

I have put the responses to question #10, about tips for dealing with change, in the sidemargins of this issue.

Patricia L. Foster

In the Woodward Library commons area a group of medical students are gatheredaround a new laptop looking pensively at the documents displayed on the screen whilediscussing and collaborating information gathered for their third case week in "Blood andLymphatics". Elsewhere you might find another group of students putting together theirPowerPoint presentation for their Human Kinetics health promotion project due later thatday. Such is the typical scene that you might encounter everyday in our life scienceslibrary. Last November ten new laptops equipped with Windows xp and Microsoft Office arrivedfor circulation at Woodward Biomedical Library of UBC. The intention was to provide our

HLABC FORUM

Keep in mind theimportance of tolerating

ambiguity.

patrons with equipment for preparing their course assignments and for group presentationprojects. A wireless network was introduced first. The demand by the patrons for the newlaptops went beyond our expectations. The increasing demand for technology and theintegration of electronic resources with traditional print materials in the new course curriculumincludes students’ expectation to create reports and projects within the Microsoft officeenvironment as well as the use of electronic journals, CD-ROMs, and websites complementaryto texts and other readings. Some professors have also created their own websites from whichthe students will draw upon resources and supplemental course notes. As electronic resources have grown so has the incidence of patrons using the facilities. Thenumber of users in the library has gone up 17% from the previous year. This is due in part tochanges in course curriculum, need for study space and accessibility to computers. There arealso those that need to be educated by the librarians on how to use ef fective ly use theseresources. With medicine and dentistry leading the way in problem based and case basedlearning, other faculties such as Rehabilitation Medicine will be adopting the same style oflearning in the near future. This is facilitated by the expansion of on-line resources. What thelibrary has to offer extends beyond printed material and into cyberspace. This includessubscriptions to e-journals, e-reserve and interactive tutorials and websites. The new optionsare quite exciting and innovative! After the introduction of the laptops into the circulation system we quickly saw that therewere a number of workflow, ergonomic and technical issues that needed to be taken intoconsideration. Each patron new to the laptop borrowing system is required to fill out an agreement form thatdetails the borrowing policy and their responsibilities with the equipment. This involvesupdating the patrons record, signing out the item, making sure that the equipment doesn'tcome in contact with our desensitization equipment (as the magnet might damage the harddrive), that each case is equipped with a wireless network card and power cord, as well asverbally giving a tour of the contents of the case to the patron. In the beginning for securityreasons we housed the laptops in a very awkward locked cart in the circulation area thatprovided power regeneration for the laptops. After the 4-hour loan period the patrons wouldreturn the item, we would rebuild them (to clear items left on the laptop by the patron and anyviruses that might be lurking about), and put them back into the cart to regenerate thebatteries. Initially the introduction of the laptops into the circu lation system came with someunexpected hiccoughs and burps. The process at first was definitely awkward. After the first twoweeks half of the laptops had been taken to technical repairs mostly due to small plastic pinson the computers being broken. Systems is not in-house and each broken laptop had to betaken for an outdoor walk in order to be repaired. Our circulation area was originally designedto facil itate the return of books and printed materials. After the laptops arrived we realized thatwe needed to reorganize the workflow, prioritize duties and make ergonomic adjustments. Dueto the number of staff that we currently have and the fact that this system is integrated with ouralready busy circulation desk, the number of currently available laptops has been droppeddown to three. This gave us the opportunity to make some decisions and redefine the processto make the work flow successful. Furthermore, we removed some harmful magnetic basedequipment from one of our front desks and designated it as the laptop sign out desk. Wereplaced the awkward cart with a desk that can be used for rebuilding the computers. We alsofound that with the hustle and bustle that normally happens around the circulation desk havingincreased since last year, talking with the patrons and educating them about the new laptops,had created some "noise pollution" that wasn't anticipated. It was often difficult to hear abovethe "hustle and bustle". Since that time we now have more patrons that have already filled outthe loan agreement forms and who now know the process. Therefore the amount of time thatthe process takes has decreased as well as the noise pollution. The changes that we have made in the workflow have been successful and have been wellreceived by staff. As we fill a current vacant staff position, the number of laptops we arecurrently have for loan will be revised. Refining the workflow issues is an ongoing process andwe expect that there will be additional improvement over time. We have had good feedbackfrom students and faculty who seem to be quite pleased that they can "borrow" technologies fortheir projects and presentations.

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 3

Change is constant inhealth librarianship andcan be exciting if youhave a good attitude

TERESA ON THE MOVE

The following emails illustrate the impact of change - even positive change- on ourschedules, plans, and priorities. I apologize in advance if my editing of the emails leaves

anything unclear. Teresa Prior is transitioning from Librarian for Royal InlandHospital in Kamloops, to Librarian for Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.

-----Original Message-----From: Prior, Teresa [mailto:[email protected]]Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 11:20 AMTo: Rochlin, Ruth; Renaud, Francine; Clement, Krista;

Hi Interior Health library ladies: It's official. I will be leaving my position here in Kamloops to move to Nanaimo, to behospital librarian at Nanaimo Regional General Hospital.<...> So, after 14 years here inKamloops, I'm on the move! I will really miss my friends and colleagues here in the Interior(especially you!), but I 'm looking forward to moving back to the Island, where I grew up. Lots on changes for me in 2004. I will always be very happy to consult on anything, anytime! But I wanted you three to know as soon as possible,<...> Take care, Teresa -----Original Message-----From: Krista Clement [mailto:[email protected]]Sent: Wednesday, January 14, 2004 11:23 AMTo: Prior, Teresa

<...> Oh, and by the way? The spring issue of the Forum (March 2004) is a provincialupdate about changes, news, etc. Which means I'm going to hit you up for an article onyour move <grin> So look at the whole thing with a reporter's eye. Keep us abreast as everything happens up there,Krista C. -----Original Message-----From: Prior, Teresa Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2004 11:41 AMTo: Clement, Krista

I think I'll be able to do something short (I'd like to, just to letfolks know I haven't died orsomething!). But either way, here is my home e-mail (which is now my only constantcontact. I might have to write about being "Homeless in Nanaimo" (notquite "Sleepless inSeattle", but there you go). Yes -- 3 weeks and 1 day to at work. After 14 years here, it is quite an adjustment -- but Iseem to have a grin on my face all the time, so itmust be the right move at the right timefor me. Thanks for thinking of me, to make a contribution to the Forum. That's a greatidea. Teresa -----Original Message-----From: Clement, Krista Sent: January 29, 2004 11:23 AMTo: Prior, Teresa

Hi, again, Teresa.Well, less than three weeks to go! And so much to do before then...I promised I would hit

HLABC FORUM

Change is enervating. Youcan jump from change thatyou perceive as negativeand do something morepositive or go with positivechange and really grow.Stagnation is the worstthing for us!

Teresa on the move cont...

you up for an article / announcement regarding your move. <...> I suspect that March will be a busy time. Maybe just before you leave, on Feb 19 or 20, you could write up for me avery brief announcement of your change, plus maybe a retrospective glance around theplace you've called home?

Let me know! Krista C. ------- Forwarded message follows -------Date sent: Wed, 18 Feb 2004 09:11:40 -0800From: "Prior, Teresa" <[email protected]>Subject: Teresa on the moveTo: "'Hlabc List' (E-mail)" <hlabc-l@interchange. ubc.ca>

Yes, it's true. Af ter 14 terrifi c years here as librarian at Royal Inland Hospital in "sunny"Kamloops, I will be leaving to take up the post of hospital librarian in Nanaimo (maybe notquite as sunny but just think of that lovely seashore!).

While I will greatly miss the wonderful librarians of Inter ior Health(Ruth, Francine, Krista -thanks, it has been a joy working with you!)and the great staff and physicians of RIH, I amreally looking forward to joining Cliff and the terrific Vancouver Island Health Authority libraryteam!

FYI - I finish here at RIH this Friday Feb. 20 and start at Nanaimo April 1, so I will be "out oftouch" for about 5 weeks. During that time, I will be trying to find a rental house in Nanaimo(one that will welcome both me and my lovely and well-behaved Golden Retriever)plus sellmy house here, pack up and move.<...>

So, I don't need to say "farewell", just "a bientot"!So, a` bientot! Teresa

------- Forwarded message follows -------Date sent: Thu, 19 Feb 2004 11:19:04 -0800From: "Prior, Teresa" <[email protected]>To: "'[email protected]'" <[email protected]>

Hi Krista, I tried to reply at home, but it didn't seem to go through to you.Anyway - yes I really likeyour thoughts about my potential article for theForum. When is the deadline for the nextissue? Teresa

----- Original Message ----- From: "Krista" <[email protected]>To: <[email protected]>Sent: Tuesday, March 09, 2004 10:48 AM

> Hi, Teresa!> Just checking to see whether now that you're moved, if you might> have written down a few thoughts for me? Pretty please?>

------- Forwarded message follows -------Date sent: Tue, 09 Mar 2004 11:16:56 -0800From: Teresa Prior <[email protected]>To: [email protected]

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 3

It's just Stage #792. Itwon't last forever. ANY CHANGES?

Hi Krista -- Where on earth did you get the idea that I had moved yet???? I've just returnedfrom a week of exhausting house-hunting in Nanaimo (did find a house -- pricey but nice). Now I'm home to do a mad packing up job. So I'm st ill in the middle of absolute chaos.

So if you need anything before mid-April (which I suspect you do), I'm afraid I can't. Will beglad to write up something then, but can't even see around boxes yet, let alone think backor ahead too much.

Sorry! Teresa

------- Forwarded message follows -------Date sent: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 13:43:40 -0800From: Teresa Prior <[email protected]>

Hi Ruth, Anita, Francine & Krista, Thanks so much for the hilarious card. It just came today (via RIH) -- just when Ineeded most, after hitting a bit of a packing "wall". Just the right time for a laugh andyour nice words. Thanks so much. <...>

Did I tell you - I bought myself a house in Nanaimo on my trip down, which is thrilling.Wonderful to have a real home to move into - just 2 days after I start work. Must keep thatin mind, during these "will the packing never end" doldrums! It's a 3 bedroom house (morethan enough space for my dog Bailey and me - and any lively librarians who want a place tostay in Nanaimo!)

I will be keeping the same home e-mail so keep intouch! Teresa

------- End of forwarded message -------

Karen MacDonell works at the Library, College of Physicians and Surgeons of BritishColumbia

It has been said "the nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a completesurprise, and is not preceded by a period of worry and depression" (Sir John Harvey-Jones). While the College Library had never codified a strateg ic plan, we had nimbly avoided failure, worry and depression through a tacit understanding amongst Library staffas to the core values of our services and a shared commitment to serving our patrons asbest we were able. However, we were aware that creating an explicit plan would help in many ways, particularly in sharpening even more our focus on improving Library servicesfor BC physicians and in solidifying the role of the Library as a core program of theCollege. The timing was perfect with the essentials for launching a strategic plan in place, that is, a desire on the part of Col lege administrators to see the Library develop astrategic plan, a willingness amongst Library staff, managers and Library Committeemembers to do the necessary work, and the ability of experienced facilitators to lead usthrough the process. So, we did it! Or, at least, started.

We enlisted the help of two facilitators who were very experienced with strategicplanning: Karol Sinats, librarian and manager at the Corporate IT and ManagementLibrary, BC Ministry of Management Services and Mary Martin, an organization

HLABC FORUM

"plus ca change, plusc'est la meme chose"

LIBRARIES + CHANGE = ??

development consultant. Mary and Karol helped us to set reasonable expectations, i.e., a strategic plan cannot happen in one day so why not start at the beginning with articulating avision statement and proceed from there. They also identified the crucial role of all Librarystaff members in the process. Accordingly, we had two vision workshops, a full day for theLibrary staff to share their understanding of the Library's past and to envision a future, anda half day for the Library Committee including a College Council member, physicians, theLibrary's three co-managers and a staff representative. The outcome was fascinating,especially in how clear it was that Library staff and Committee members are passionatelycommitted to the Library as a prime source for reliable clinical information for BC physicians. Also, an agreement was reached that a measured and thoughtful approach tograsp opportunities to achieve that end was required. A detailed three-year vision wasdocumented and will soon be presented to College Council for endorsement. We are nowpoised to develop specific strategies to ground the vision statements in concreteobjectives. This process certainly makes us aware of the uncertainties of the future, but asFrancis Bacon said, perhaps that is as is should be: "If a man will begin with certainties, heshall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end incertainties."

Cheers,Karen

Robyn Ingvallsen works for the BC Cancer Agency in the Library at the Fraser Valley Centre,and is also on the HLABC Website committee.

At the start of the 21st century, technology is changing at ten times the rate it wasat the beginning of the 20th century. According to anthropological theory, change is a signof progress, of a system fine-tuning its processes to become faster and more efficient. Inhuman nature, however, man is a slave to his rout ines. The desire for foreknowledge is asurvival instinct ingrained in us from the beginning -- if we know what to expect, we will knowwhat to do when it happens. See food = eat; see bigger monkey = run; see lion = run faster. Change, and especially the unknown, is a terrifying prospect. Marge Simpson put it perfectlywhen she said, "It's nothing personal, I just fear the unknown." It is a rare person whoembraces change.

For myself, moving from an English background into medical libraries, I wasinevitably nervous, despite having been at Medical Library Service for the past six months. Iwould be alone on the front line of the professional library at the Fraser Valley Centre of theBC Cancer Agency; my anxiety level rose a few notches at the prospect. I knew I wasfortunate to get a job with so much room and opportunity for growth, but alas, I am a typicalcase in human nature: I revel in my routines. I should have realized that things were lookingup when, for a job interview that essentially took 45 minutes to complete, I walked out twohours later feeling comfortable and confident with the people I'd just met, regardless ofwhether or not I got the job. In a conversation with Judy Neill, in one of her many attemptsto calm me down while waiting to hear, I mentioned that this had surprised me. A few of myprevious jobs reinforced something that I already knew: never work for family ormegalomaniacs. Judy, in her wisdom (and perpetual optimism), said that my experience wastypical of the environment in medical libraries. The atmosphere is not one of competition orjealousy, but of camaraderie and companionship. We work in a field that helps peopleincrease the quality and quantity of their lives; the level of service should be as high as wecan attain and therefore we are here to assist each other. Th is makes for one of the bestwork environments available. Isn't she smart? And fortunately for me she is right. I couldnot have asked for a better welcome than the one I got at the BCCA. The staff has beenexceptional, and even in the chaos of finding a new head librarian (yet another change),

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 3

Change is hailed by someas a good thing but I'mnot convinced. I try notto fret too much overthings that I can't control.

LIBRARIANS AFTER 5

Beth Morrison has been able to spend the time to make sure I was comfortableand happy in my new position.

In the past century there have been more changes to the structure of the librarythan in any other preceding it. Gone are the card catalogues and acres of indexes, allreplaced with efficient and far cleaner on-line databases. These changes effectivelyaltered forever the work of the library and the librarian. Perhaps the aspect of all thischaos that deserves the most kudos is the way the field has utter ly embraced thesechanges. Even as many of us battle down the urge to flee in the face of some dauntingtechnologies (see InMagic's WebPublisher = run hard , run fast), we recognize them aschallenges, not obstacles.

Health libraries face a double challenge in that not only do we need to conquerthis technology, but it is extremely important that this technology be reliable. Theinformation we provide is for the benefit of people's health and longevity. If inaccurate,misleading or just plain old wrong, the information we provide could jeopardize people'shealth. So not only do we need to find information, occasionally with only relativelyobscure information (such as "It was an article written by a Dr. Smith about lumps -- youknow the one, right?"), at times we need to ensure that it is from a valid source (or invalidsource, such as this 'Dr.' Smith from the Mexican Center for Transcendent Healing and Joyhas the same credentials as 'Dr.' Laura Schlessinger). Expertise in the library system hasnever been in more demand, and whatever tools enable us to provide the information in aprofessional and timely manner is of enormous benefit to our work.

This is an exciting and dynamic time to be in this field. Opportunities are openingup everywhere and the world needs directions. Who better to be the travel guides?

Francine Renaud is the Librarian at Vernon Jubilee Hospital, part of the Interior HealthAuthority.

An invitation to gather socially after work was extended to the librarians in the vicinity ofKelowna during the month of March and a wonderful time it was.

For myself, in particular, it was an occasion to meet new people in various fields of workand share stories. I enjoyed hearing about other people’s experiences about living in therural community such as in Port Alberni, the beauty of the area and the attractions, and ofthose living in other parts of the province. I now have added new destinations to my list ofplaces to visit.

The dining room table was filled with great appetizers and delectable desserts, and asalways, became a busy gathering place for good conversation and great food. A fewicebreakers were added to a fun evening and brought about a few good laughs.

Many thanks to our gracious host, Gwen Zilm, who opened her lovely home to al l of us.

Cheers to all,Francine RenaudVernon Jubilee Hospital

HLABC FORUM

Working is like sailing, thepleasure is sailing, notgoing to some location. Inwork, the process (change)is the work, not fullfillingall my goals and thenstopping.

BLAST FROM THE PAST

Beth Morrison has been ‘Acting Head’ of the BC Cancer Agency Libraries since DavidNoble’s retirement. Cathy Rayment has just started as the ‘actual’ Head of the BCCALibraries. Both have been Editor of the HLABC Forum.

> ----------> From: Beth Morrison> To: Krista Clement> Krista, came across this while looking for something else. It's my final "Editor's Message"from when I ed ited the HLABC Forum in 1990/91. How quickly times change!!

Editor's MessageThis will be my last message to you as editor of the Forum. <...>

As a part-time activity, it's one that I recommend highly. With the advent of fax, it's not thatdifficult to do from a distance anymore. I also asked most contributors if they would submittheir contributions on diskette, which (to my surprise) greatly reduced the time in front of thecomputer.

I have also initiated something that I hope future Committee members will continue. TheForum has been published on recycled paper this last year, and these last two issues havebeen on unbleached recycled paper.<...>

Thank you for the opportunity of this last year, and I hope to see you all at the AnnualGeneral Meeting. It'll be nice to put some faces to all those faxes.Beth Morrison

------- Forwarded message follows -------

From: Cathy Rayment <[email protected]>Subject: Re: Latest issue of the HLABC Forum now available on the website

Kudos to the editors and all those who submitted articles! This was a great issue! It's come along way since I helped co-edit the first time back in 1982 (when Patti-Rae Stahl and I drewthe cover logo by hand, and made up all the news, typed up on a clunky old typewriter!)Cathy

------- Forwarded message follows -------Date sent: Mon, 09 Feb 2004 11:55:41 -0800From: Beth Morrison <[email protected] c.ca>Subject: New Head Librarian

The BC Cancer Agency is pleased to announce that our search for a newHead Librarian hasbeen successful. We are very proud to announcethat Cathy Rayment, of UBC's Hamber LifeSciences Library (BC Children's Hospital) will soon become the new ProvincialPracticeLeader, Library/Cancer In formation Centres.

Cathy has a vast amount of experience in health librarianship, and her accomplishmentsinclude being the current Past President of CHLA/ABSC, twice a former President of HLAHealth Libraries Association of BC,and CHLA/ABSC 2006 conference co-ordinator.

Cathy will be starting at the BC Cancer Agency March 22, 2004. We eagerly await herarrival.

------- End of forwarded message -------

VOLUME 27 ISSUE 3

NOTES FROM THE AFTERLIFE

The focus of this column has always been change of a sort: life after being a workinglibrarian altogether, or after a job change to another field. With “change” as the overalltheme for the spring ’04 Forum, it’s tempting to broaden out a little.

My 1966 library school class went out into a working world where “new technology”meant photocopiers in place of mimeographs. Library automation was primitive, pricey andunreliable. Years later, all MEDLINE searches in B.C. were still being done by one person:UBC’s redoubtable Diana Kent. Somehow we all got from there to here in one generation,but it wasn’t easy.

As librarians, we are and must be conservers. This may not make us 100% conservative inour thinking as well, but it does lend a certain wariness to our encounters with change.Balancing that, most of us deeply believe in leaving our libraries better thanwe found them, and making a continuing positive di fference to our patrons. So, we’re alsocommitted to change. No wonder we look for guidance wherever we can find it.

When I cleaned out my office for the last time, I saved a beat-up file of quotes that hadproved themselves over the years. Many could have been writ ten for th is Forum. The restcame today from the Web. Plus ca change, as they say . . . .

OPENERS

You cannot step into the same river twice, for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you. - Herodotus.

Nothing is as dangerous as an idea when it’s the only one you have. - Emile-August Chartier. Propos sur la religion (1938).

I’ve come up with a set of rules that describe our reactions to technologies: 1) Anything that is in the world when you’re born is normal and ordinary and is just a natural part of the way the world works. 2) Anything that’s invented between when you’re 15 and 35 is new and exciting and revolutionary and you can probably get a career in it. 3) Anything invented after you’re 35 is against the natural order of things. - Douglas Adams. The salmon of doubt (2002).

NOT SO FAST, FO LKS

What makes life worthy and allows civilizations to endure are all the things that havenegative financial returns under commercial rules of quick t ime: universities, temples,choirs, literature, museums, terraced fields, long marriages, slow walks, line dancing andart. Almost everything we hold dear is slow to develop and slow to change. - PaulHawken, “Possibilities”. In Imagine: what America could be in the 21st century.

May no new thing arise! - Traditional Spanish farewell to a friend.

HLABC FORUM

BUT ON THE OTHER HAND . . .

Read every day something no one else is reading. Think every day something noone else is thinking . . . . It is bad for the mind to be continually part of unanimity. - Christopher Morley.

At first people refuse to believe that a strange new thing can be done, then theybegin to hope it can be done, then they see it can be done - then it is done, andall the world wonders why it was not done centuries ago. - Frances Hodgson Burnett. The secret garden (1911).

Change is what happens. Change is the only surety. We can create and embracechange, or we can fear and f ight it, but change will come in ei ther case. It is farless stressful to frame change as an adventure. - GraceAnne DeCandido. Tengraces for new librarians [speech, 1996].

Information professionals must learn to change and change now. And whateverchanges you make, whatever new skills you acquire or old ones you adapt, theprocess of change will not end or even slow down in the foreseeable future.Whatever you learn today, you will have to re-learn tomorrow. Whatever skills youadapt today, you may have to discard tomorrow and acquire completely newones. No rest for the wicked and no rest for the service-oriented in the NewInformation World Order. - Barbara Quint. The quintessential searcher (2001).

LAST WORDS

We’ll never survive a revolution by pretending it doesn’t exist. And we ignore theongoing revolut ion at great peril. The only people who can ever preserve thosevalues of the old regime that need preserving are the ones who live at the centerof the revolut ion. So: be at the center of the storm. Know what the computers cando and what can be done with them. Then ask yourself what human qualities youwant to preserve . . . [and what ones] you are ready to let go of - for we will haveto relinquish some of the old virtues. We are being changed by the machine. Andwe are being changed radically. But let us not be changed absolutely. Let us helpone another to draw just a few crucial lines in the sand. - John Lienhard.Children, literacy and the computer [speech, 1997].

What keeps us library types going when the dot.coms are going bust is this: wehave a business plan that has stood the test of time, a plan which generations oflibrarians have believed in passionately, a plan that has inspired countless libraryusers and [funders] because of its simple elegance. . . . Libraries promise toshare knowledge and seek wisdom. We keep that promise, whether it is withprint, what we used to call non-print, or with electronic sources. We do i t atbargain prices. For this, society rewards us. Not much, it’s true. But we have astaying power that other less clear business plans . . . have never approached. - Thomas Hennen.

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Notes From The Af terlife is a continu ing feature. We wel come your ideas.Phone ElsieWollaston at (604) 684-3036, fax (604) 685-9335, or [email protected].

HLABC Forum: Spring 2004

Education

Transcript of HLABC Forum: Spring 2004