Monday, March 29, 2010

Project Management Review

If the Beatles ever had any words of wisdom to impart on to us, it was that we all get by with a little help from our friends. In the professional world of librarianship, tools and techniques related to project management can be the friends that not only help us get by, but also improve our managerial skills and add an additional layer of professionalism to the work we do.

On March 10, CASLIS and SLA sponsored a well-attended presentation on project management by University of Toronto iSchool faculty, Kelly Lyons. A former Program Director of the IBM Toronto Lab Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS), Kelly’s knowledge of project management is extensive. As head of CAS Toronto, she was responsible for 60 collaborative research projects with universities, 100 visiting researchers, and the organization of IBM’s CAS conferences (CASCON). Managing all of these responsibilities was greatly facilitated by project management techniques, principles and tools.

Kelly began her presentation by defining project management: A results-oriented management style that makes use of tools to assist with the process of project development (planning, implementing and activities management) and the final delivery of a finished product. Project management is not only useful in a corporate environment, but can be applied to many (if not most) contexts, including library projects.

The nature of the project can influence the management style one should adopt. For example, the management of a “compliance” project (that is, a project to help an organization to comply with certain requirements) may differ from the management of operational and strategic projects. Unlike the first two, strategic project management involves an analysis of the mission statement of an organization, which informs the planning and implementation stages of the project.

Regardless of the nature of the project, however, management tools help with the project’s various stages. Useful tools in the early stages of the project are the Project Charter and the “Project Management Triangle.” The former is both a decision-making and communication tool, while the latter is a conceptual tool that helps evaluate the desired product quality vis-à-vis the project’s scope, the costs associated with it, and the timeframe for project completion.

Other useful tools are the Work Breakdown Structure and RACI charts, the Network Diagram, and the various project management software (such as MSProject, @task, Basecamp, etc.). A ranking of some of these software packages (as well as more information on project management in general) can be found in Kelly’s presentation slides, available on the CASLIS Toronto website.

The evening concluded with a lively Q&A session. One question asked was whether it is necessary that all team members desire to be part of the project. Kelly answered in the negative, since this is an unrealistic expectation. She added that team leaders or project managers should try to find a way to convey the value of the project to team members, and to try to find the aspects of the project that motivates each team member in order to bring them more fully into the project and increase their professional satisfaction.

When an attendee asked a similar question regarding student volunteers, not only Kelly, but many individuals in the audience offered advice: Determine what motivates them—maybe it is a letter of recommendation, or experience in a particular aspect of the project.

Following the presentation and Q&A, many participants lingered, mingled and continued to discuss insights from the presentation for some time.

Yannet M. Lathrop
M.I. Candidate, 2011, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

Sunday, March 28, 2010

CASLIS Toronto presents: Sustainable and Green @ your library

The CASLIS Toronto executive invites you to join us on Thursday, April 15 for:

Sustainable and Green @ your library:
Greener and Eco-Friendly Libraries in the New Century


with Fred Stoss, Associate Librarian at the University at Buffalo

Register now at http://www.caslistoronto.on.ca!

Fred Stoss, Associate Librarian at the University at Buffalo, discusses the history of the Green Library Movement, including roles played by librarians serving the communities in which they work, live, and play. He brings his ideas and suggestions for environmental responsibilities and concepts of sustainability to our libraries. His talk includes a historical review of roles played by libraries, librarians, and professional library associations over the past several decades with regard to environmental information, and focuses on current trends in building Green Libraries. He expands the concept of Green Libraries by introducing other "green" or environmentally friendly services, programs, projects, and opportunities for librarians. His presentation features a number of resources that help librarians stay abreast of the issues, policies, programs on a variety of "green" topics, including LEED

Certification for new and renovated library buildings, energy efficiency and conservation into libraries and communities. His presentation closes with ideas for expanding library community services and bringing smart energy and environmentally friendly ideas to libraries and the communities they serve.

Date: Thursday, April 15, 2010

Time: 5:30 pm (registration and light dinner) and 6:00-8:00 pm (program)

Location: The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto, 14 Elm Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1G7

Registration deadline: April 9, 2010

Message to CLA members: CLA President’s Task Force

This has not been the year I was anticipating as CLA President! In my inaugural address in June 2009, when I said “who would have thought that General Motors would be filing for bankruptcy protection”, I should have taken it as an omen.

First, let me assure you that CLA is not in the meltdown situation we witnessed a year ago, we are solvent! Further, we can continue to operate without making any decisions for probably 18 months. However, we do have to address some serious financial concerns. I posed the problem for Executive Council and emphasized the fact that delaying action would not be prudent. The seeds for our situation were sown years and years ago. We have attended successive Annual General Meetings and on each occasion listened to a dire Treasurer Report. Then we manage to walk away with the feeling that the sky is not falling.

Over the past two weeks I have heard that the initial communication from Executive Council contained mixed messages. Is our Association in a real financial quandary or not? The answer is: CLA is solvent, but we cannot continue to operate in the manner to which we have become accustomed. We need to change!

I have been asking myself for the past several months, how did we get here? The budget chart that was distributed on 11 March is very clear: we budget with the anticipation that revenues will not cover expenditures. This is not normal long term behaviour. Most organizations avoid deficits if at all possible. In circumstances when a deficit cannot be avoided, a contingency is developed to accommodate the planned deficit, combined with an action plan to restore funds to a balanced situation. I believe our approach has been less pragmatic, and much more of a “hopeful” approach, believing that the next year will be better than the last. CLA has been functioning within this hopeful environment for a decade, and the time of addressing the problem is upon all members. We can no longer avoid embarking on this very difficult discussion.

I am very pleased to tell you that the Task Force which was established by motion of Executive Council on 28 February has been formed, and held its first meeting by teleconference on March 19. It was a very lively discussion of how to begin what seems like an impossible task. The members of the Task Force are: Melody Burton, Gary Gibson, Kelly Moore (ex officio), Shelagh Paterson, Ken Roberts, John Teskey (chair), and Keith Walker.

The Task Force will be developing various scenerios which will be pulled apart and reconstructed as we search for the appropriate way forward. There will be a blog on the CLA website which will provide you with an opportunity to post your comments on the scenerios as they are developed by the Task Force. We only have a matter of weeks for this process and I hope that you will actively participate. I would urge you to review a key CLA strategic document from 2001, called Writing the Future, which is available on the CLA website at: http://www.cla.ca/Content/NavigationMenu/AboutCLA/Governance/StrategicPlanning/Writing_The_Future_Final.pdf .

I want to thank the individuals who have written to me to offer help and support. As the blog on the website becomes active I hope you will share the many thoughts that you have been developing to help direct the association into a revitalized future.

John Teskey
CLA President

Canadian Library Association
328 Frank Street
Ottawa, ON K2P 0X8

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Film Reviews from Susan Murray

Der Weisse Band / The White Ribbon

Former CASLIS Toronto executive member Susan Murray has provided us with her annual film festival reviews. This year, in addition to reviews from the Toronto Film Festival, she has provided us with reviews from two more festivals in Montreal. Enjoy!

Astrid Lange
Listserv and Publicity Coordinator, CASLIS Toronto
-----------------------

To: Film Fans Everywhere
From: Susan Murray - send comments to susan.murray@mcgill.ca
-----------------------
This year I started a new job at McGill University in August. So my film reviews are for films that I viewed at the Festival des films du monde, Montreal (August 27 – September 7, 2009), the Toronto International Film Festival (September 10-19, 2009), and Cinemania (November 5-15), a festival of French films screened in Montreal.

Key
TIFF - Toronto International Film Festival
FFM - Festival des films du monde
CINEM - Cinemania

Here are my recommendations:

Amores Locos / Mad Love (Spain, 2009), Beda Docampo Feijoo FFM
Lush treatment of a young gallery assistant seeking psychological help because she believes that she appears in a 17th century painting with her lover.

Animal Heart – see Coeur animal

L’armée du crime (France, 2009), Robert Guédiguian CINEM
True story of 23 foreign-born patriots in German-occupied Paris in 1941 who combat the Nazis. Robert Guédiguian – most known for his stories about Marseille – recreates the mood of Vichy France in this film.

The Army of Crime – see L’armée du crime

Art of the Steal (USA, 2009), Don Argott TIFF
Thrilling and tragic recounting of how the Barnes Collection (fabulous 20th century art collection located in Merion, Pennsylvania) was sold out due to grudges and jealousy, contrary to the founders’ wishes.

L’autre (France, 2008), Patrick Mario Bernard, Pierre Trividic CINEM
Hallucinatory and powerful examination of the obsessive jealousy of a middle-aged woman and her young lover. Tour de force performance by Dominique Blanc.

Be Good – see Sois Sage

Bright Star (United Kingdom/Australia, 2009), Jane Campion TIFF
Recounts the love affair of two very different people: the untutored, fashion-conscious Fanny Brawne and the penniless poet, John Keats.

Change of Plans – see La code a changé

Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky (France, 2009), Jan Kounen CINEM
Stylish saga of the tempestuous love affair of the great Russian composer Igor Stravinsky and the unconventional and elegant French dress designer Coco Chanel. Starring Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen and the sultry Anna Mouglalis (also seen in J’ai toujours rêvé d’être un gangster / I Always Wanted to Be a Gangster).

La code a changé (France, 2009), Danièle Thompson FFM
Delightful, delicious comedy about eight friends meeting for dinner with undercurrents of constraint and secrets.

Coeur animal (Switzerland / France, 2009) Séverine Cornamusaz FFM
An emotionally-stunted bully who treats his wife worse than the livestock, becomes consumed with jealousy when a young, Spanish hired hand shows her affection.

Le concert (France / Belgium / Italy / Romania, 2008), Radu Mihaileanu CINEM
Lush music and humour combine in this story of a Communist-banned conductor bringing the Bolshoi orchestra to Paris to make old wrongs right. Cast includes Mélanie Laurent – seen as the female terrorist in Inglorious Basterds – and Miou-Miou.

The Concert – see Le concert

La dernier pour la route (France, 2009), Philippe Godeau CINEM
True, emotionally moving story of a journalist’s struggle with alcohol addiction.

Eden à l’ouest, (France / Italy /Greece, 2008), Costa-Gavras CINEM
Cost-Gavras (who was at the screening!) recounts a personal journey of a young immigrant risking everything for a new life in France.

Eden is West – see Eden à l’ouest

Envoyés très spéciaux (France, 2009), Frédéric Auburtin CINEM
Zany tale of two French correspondents who when they misplace their funds to go to Iran on a story, concoct a scheme to fake reports of the war.

Fais-mois plaisir! (France, 2008), Emmanuel Mouret CINEM
Harkening back to slapstick 1920’s comedies, a young. clumsy Parisian man finds himself in a series of unusual situations when he woos the daughter of the French president.

Fish Tank (United Kingdom, 2009), Andrea Arnold TIFF
Portrait of a working class teen’s dreary existence in a British housing project that is made bearable by her love of dancing and the arrival of her mother’s caring boyfriend.

The Forest (India - United Kingdom, 2009), Ashvin Kumar FFMWhen an urban couple working on their flawed marriage retreats to a secluded rest house in the forest, the wilderness unlocks dark secrets.

Giulia Doesn't Date at Night – see Giulia non esce la sera

Giulia Non Esce la Sera / Giulia Doesn't Date at Night (Italy, 2009), Giuseppe Piccioni TIFF
Ill-fated romance between a married novelist and his daughter’s swimming instructor who has a mysterious past.

Gravity – see Schwerkraft

I Always Wanted to Be a Gangster - see J’ai toujours rêvé d’être un gangster

J’ai toujours rêvé d’être un gangster CINEM
Screwball black comedy (filmed in black & white) of an inept hold-up man whose life intersects with a sexy waitress and several aged bank robbers looking for their last heist.

Je vais te manqué (France, 2008), Amanda Sthers CINEM
Several lives collide in this teary tale of a dying woman on a journey home to Quebec who meets a disillusioned writer, a divorced father sending his young daughter to see his ex, a young woman looking for Mr. Right, and aged lovers who are meeting after many years. Starring the luminous Carole Bouquet.

Korkoro (France, 2009), Tony Gatif FFM
Most-acclaimed film of the Festival des films du monde in Montreal. Examines the journey of a Gypsy family in France during WWII who chafe under a law that bans being nomadic. Stars Canadian actress Marie-Josée Croze .

Liar – see Menteur

Mad Love – see Amores Locos

Mademoiselle Chambon (France, 2009), Stéphane Brizé CINEM

A simple, hard-working mason meets his son’s artistic teacher and taps a part of his feelings he didn’t know he possessed.

Menteur (Belgium, 2009), Tom Geens FFM
A younger son under the shadow of his favoured, high-achieving brother pretends he has attained a managerial position after being laid off.

Nang Mai / Nymph (Thailand, 20090), Pen-ek Ratanaruang TIFF
Surrealistic story of a young, fragmented couple who encounter the paranormal on a country outing.

Nymph – see Nang Mai

One For the Road - see La Dernier Pour la Route


The Other One – see L’autre


La Pivellina (Austria, 2009), Tizza Covi , Rainer Frimmel TIFF
A young, abandoned child is taken in by a middle-aged circus couple.

Please Please Me! – see Fais-mois plaisir!

Un Prophête / A Prophete (France, 2009), Jacques Audiard TIFF
Riveting story of a young, illiterate Muslim who learns to survive and succeed in the French penal system

Schwerkraft (Germany, 2009), Maximilian Erlenwein FFM
A mild-mannered bank clerk who witnesses a suicide embarks on a life of insider burglaries, throwing him on a violent and resolute path.

Secret Defensé (France, 2008), Philippe Haïm CINEM
Smart. fast-paced spy thriller about a beautiful young woman recruited to foil a terrorist plot.

Secrets of State – see Secret Defensé

Sois Sage (France / Denmark, 2008), Juliette Garcias CINEM

Moody, nuanced tale of a young woman who settles in a small provincial village in obsessive pursuit of a man from her past.

Sólskinsdrengurinn / The Sunshine Boy (Iceland, 2009), Fridrik Thor Fridriksson TIFF
Upbeat documentary about an Icelandic family’s quest to find treatment for their autistic son.

Special Correspondents – see Envoyés très spéciaux

The Sunshine Boy – see Sólskinsdrengurinn


Der Weisse Band / The White Ribbon (Germany /Austria /France /Italy, 2009), Michael Haneke TIFF

Disturbing tale of unexplained violent incidents in a small German village on the eve of World War I. Examines the effect of children instilled with absolutist values and the consequences.

Welcome (France, 2008), Philippe Lioret CINEM
A swimming instructor befriends a young, illegal immigrant who dreams of rejoining his girlfriend in London by swimming across the English Channel.

The White Ribbon - see Der Weisse Band

You’ll Miss Me - see Je vais te manqué

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Canadian Library Association - State of the Association, February 2010

Message from the CLA Executive Council to all CLA members

We would like to share with you preliminary details of some exciting changes that are going to take place at the Canadian Library Association. We met on 27-28 February for a facilitated session on strategic budgeting. CLA is in a situation where our revenues are not sufficient to provide all of the activities and services which our members expect and deserve. We have determined that structural changes must be made to the association in order to allow us to re-direct our financial and human resources so that CLA can fulfill its mandate more effectively.

This message outlines the points of discussion arising from our meeting, as well as the texts of the motions that were passed. President John Teskey has been charged with forming a Task Force to develop proposals for members to consider for adoption at the upcoming Annual General Meeting at the CLA Conference in Edmonton in June.

Everyone associated with CLA will be aware that the association has been in a tenuous financial position for years. The following chart is a very graphic representation of our budget situation over the past decade. We have projected deficit budgets in each of the past 10 years. While we have always managed to finish each year with a better than predicted outcome, we only were able to realize actual profits in four of those years, most recently in 2006.

During our facilitated session, we engaged in a very positive discussion, and considered a variety of options for the structural changes required to address the chronic deficit budgets. We worked from the premise that the association’s finances should be spent on serving its members, specifically, on investing in the priorities and programs that fulfill the CLA mission to “build the Canadian library and information community and advance its information professionals.” It was agreed that, for this year and forward, we must create a budget that both serves the best interests of the members and indicates that CLA is re-defining itself.

It was further agreed that the main focus of CLA's activities should be to advocate for issues of cross-sectoral interest and national importance. In order to achieve this goal, we recognized that both the organizational structure and the budget need to be realigned to support the mission; maintaining the status quo is not an option. We need to build on our existing strengths, and concentrate our human and financial resources on those areas which CLA, as a national broad-based association, is uniquely positioned to advance.

At the meeting, Executive Council passed two motions:

Motion:
Whereas the current organizational structure of the Canadian Library Association is no longer financially viable, and

Whereas, Executive Council of the Canadian Library Association is responsible for the financial viability of the association, and

Whereas, national issues faced by the Canadian library community are of critical importance,

Therefore be it resolved that Executive Council commit itself to recreate CLA as an organization that can more effectively advance national issues critical to the Canadian library community, and

That President John Teskey form and chair a task force charged with developing a proposed structure responsive to the association’s financial and strategic challenges, and

That the task force present its findings and recommendations to the 2010 CLA AGM.

Moved by Ken Roberts; Seconded by André Gagnon; passed unanimously.

Motion:
To defer elections for CLA Executive positions and Division Executive positions until a decision is taken regarding the organization’s structure.

Moved by André Gagnon; Seconded by Pam Ryan; passed unanimously.

We are now taking steps on the actions stated in these motions. President Teskey is forming a Task Force; details of its composition will be made available as soon as all participants have confirmed. The elections for CLA Executive and Division Executive positions have been put on hold pending the presentation from the Task Force at the CLA AGM on 5 June.

Please note that CLA activities, including those of Divisions, Interest Groups, Committees, and other units, will be "business as usual" in as much as possible until June 30, 2010. The 2010 CLA National Conference in Edmonton will continue as planned, with a very strong professional program and some new innovations in the schedule of events.

We appreciate that members will have questions about the implications of these decisions; and we will address these as best we can. We ask for your patience while President Teskey's Task Force completes its work on a new budget and organizational structure, and thank you in advance for your support.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact any member of Executive Council. Further information will be posted to the CLA website in the coming weeks, so please keep checking the site for updates.

We look forward to your continued engagement in CLA, and in the process of developing these changes. We are very excited about the possibilities for a new direction.

We hope you will attend the AGM in Edmonton to vote on the future of your Canadian Library Association.

CLA Executive Council
John Teskey, President ~ jteskey @ unb.ca
Keith Walker, Vice-President ~ kwalker @ mhc.ab.ca
Ken Roberts, Past President ~ kroberts @ hpl.ca
Ingrid Langhammer, Treasurer ~ ingridlanghammer @ shaw.ca
Linda Shantz-Keresztes, CASL President ~ ljshantzkere @ cbe.ab.ca
Pam Ryan, CACUL President ~ pam.ryan @ ualberta.ca
André Gagnon, CAPL President ~ andre @ reginalibrary.ca
Robyn Stockand, CASLIS President ~ robyn.stockand @ nbfinancial.com
Jan Harder, CLTA President ~ jan.harder @ ottawa.ca
Victoria Owen, Councillor-at-Large ~ owen @ utsc.utoronto.ca
Cheryl Stenström, Councillor-at-Large ~ cheryl.stenstron @ gmail.com
Catherine Steeves, Councillor-at-Large ~ csteeves @ uoguelph.ca

Friday, March 5, 2010

Japan Foundation Toronto Library Tour

On a brisk evening on February 3, CASLIS sponsored a well-attended presentation and tour of the Japan Foundation Toronto (JFT) library. The two-part presentation took place in sizable room decorated with elegant wooden panelling, livened by the presence of a volunteer donning a kimono and many friendly greetings exchanged by attendees. Prior to the presentation and tour, attendees had a chance to enjoy sushi and Japanese pastries, and to view items on display for the Origamic Architecture exhibition.

The first presentation was given by Chief Librarian Mariko Liliefeldt, who described the library’s online and onsite resources, and illustrated the positive impact administrative changes have had on library statistics. The second presentation was given by Library Assistant Natalie Chan, who described Japanese pop culture, and discussed the role that manga (Japanese comics) play in Japanese culture.

Described by Mariko as Toronto’s “gateway for Japanese information,” the JFT library boasts over 17,000 Japan-related materials in Japanese, English and French. In 2008, the library had a total circulation of 22,300 and welcomed 23,000 visitors.

Although the JFT library had experienced declining circulation and visitor numbers in years prior to 2008, administrative changes and successful efforts to better understand patrons’ information needs and interests has turned this once under-used library into a lively hub for Japanese news and culture.

Simple changes such as the extension of library hours, more liberal application requirements and borrowing limits, the holding of events and exhibits in partnership with other Japanese institutions and associations, and the creation of a Pop Culture Corner have greatly improved visiting and circulation numbers.

The creation of the Pop Culture Corner may, in fact, be one of the most successful changes made by the JFT. One of the most attractive parts of the library, the Corner features an inviting and bright interior design in the mod style. Here, visitors can peruse library material at their leisure, view cultural exhibits (such as the recent Noh Costume Display), and interact with volunteers clad in cosplay costumes—an activity which is very popular in Japan, according to Natalie.

The Pop Culture Corner collection is composed of Japanese and English language books, magazines and newspapers; Japanese pop music recordings (“J-Pop”), as well as other non-pop music; films and anime (Japanese animation) in DVD and VHS formats; and 1,600 volumes of manga (including 800 new titles that were added in May 2009 to reflect patron demand).

In Japan manga has become a ubiquitous media that reflects some of the most current trends in Japanese cultural life. Themes covered in these comics range from age and gender-related material, to historic narratives, sports and cooking. Manga has also served as cultural ambassador for Japan, as it is known and read in many countries, including those in Asia, Europe and Latin America.

In addition to a sizable collection of manga, JFT’s collection includes thousands of volumes on many subject areas, including art, history, geography, Japanese language, and the social sciences.

The attractive layout of its library, the wealth of its holdings, the exhibits and events held at its downtown location, and the opportunity for CASLIS members to network and learn from their JFT colleagues, make a visit to the Japan Foundation of Toronto a rewarding experience.

Yannet M. Lathrop
M.I. Candidate, 2011, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

Monday, March 1, 2010

The Japan Foundation Toronto Library Tour

The Japan Foundation Toronto Library Tour, was a success. All attendees enjoyed the talk and the tour. Please check out the link bellow for a few snapshots from the event.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/36772867@N04/sets/72157623537575664/


Raluca S., CASLIS Toronto Photographer