2012
19
Sep
/
19 Comments
Running the Library Race
In Brief: This article draws a parallel between fatigued runners and overworked librarians, proposing that libraries need to pace work more effectively to avoid burnout. Through an exploration of cognitive science, organizational psychology, and practical examples, guest author Erica Jesonis offers considerations for improving productivity and reducing stress within our fast-paced library culture. By Erica Jesonis... Read More
2012
5
Sep
And the Survey Says…
In Brief: The results are in for the In the Library with the Lead Pipe reader poll. Detailed results and sample responses for each question are provided. Additionally, the article lists actions the editors will be taking based on the results. By Ellie Collier Back in April we ran a reader poll asking some questions about... Read More
2012
22
Aug
“That’s how we do things around here”: Organizational culture (and change) in libraries
In the Library with the Lead Pipe welcomes a guest article by Jason Martin, Head of Public Services at Stetson University. Jason holds an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership and joins us to share his knowledge of organization culture and change. By Jason Martin Introduction A position opens on an important campus committee, and the provost would... Read More
2012
8
Aug
What do we do and why do we do it?
In Brief: The library community should develop a philosophy of librarianship. In order to do so the community should engage in a dialogue about what we do and why we do it. Our history with the idea of a philosophy of librarianship is long, yet the library community hasn’t resolved the problem of what that... Read More
By Eric Frierson When I undertook my first library website redesign a few years ago, I stumbled upon an ongoing culture clash in web-based industries between the developer and the designer. Developers are programmers – they have coding skills and speak languages like PHP, jQuery, and AJAX. For them, Cake isn’t something you eat – it’s... Read More
2012
11
Jul
The Ebook Cargo Cult
By Brett Bonfield Libraries created the present crisis in scholarly publishing, and we are creating a similar crisis now with our approach to ebooks. We created the crisis in scholarly publishing by ceding control of an intrinsic library function, abstracting and indexing, a decision with inevitable consequences. Consequences like the present need to boycott Elsevier... Read More
tl;dr – Libraries and digital humanities have the same goals. Stop asking if the library has a role, or what it is, and start getting involved in digital projects that are already happening. Advocate for new expanded roles and responsibilities to be able to do this. Become producers/creators in collaboration with scholars rather than servants... Read More
By Brett Bonfield Gina Trapani and Paul Ford are programmers, interface designers, authors, editors, and broadcasters. They are consistently involved in the kinds of projects that we as librarians undertake when we’re at our best: finding imaginative, meaningful ways to make as much information as possible widely available, easily accessible, and interesting. Gina Trapani was the... Read More
2012
30
May
Stop the Snobbery! Why You’re Wrong About Community Colleges and Don’t Even Know It
By Kim Leeder Several weeks ago I attended my first community college commencement. Despite my staff status, I was pleased to be invited to sit among the faculty behind the stage. From this vantage point I was able to watch the ceremony and play a small role in it (faculty, please stand; faculty, please sit) while... Read More
By Anne Helen Petersen Picture the person who comes into the library and heads straight for the magazines. She beelines for People, maybe spends some time with Vanity Fair. She may or may not tear a few pages from the copy when it suits her needs. She loves celebrities: she’ll read InStyle if you have it,... Read More