TVO digitizes its archives

Yesterday, TVO, Ontario's public broadcaster, launched its public archive of digitized content ... for FREE on its Web site. A great resource and a wonderful example of information-sharing, but more importantly, endless viewings of Today's Special!

From the TVO Web site:

TVO’s Public Archive, the centerpiece of TVO’s 40th anniversary initiatives, is a free online resource that offers Ontarians access to historic TVO content from the past 40 years.Located at archive.tvo.org, it will play an important role in preserving the culture and history of Ontario – it’s a matter of civic pride.“We’ll be unlocking some of TVO”s best educational content from the last 40 years and making it available for free in our new public archive. This includes rare interviews, Ontario stories and kids content that stands the test of time,” said CEO Lisa de Wilde.

Astrid Lange
CLA-CASLIS Listserv and Publicity Coordinator

Member Profile: Mark Gelsomino

Not every CLA-CASLIS member is from a special library. Our programming can sometimes attract librarians from other sectors, like Mark.

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Mark Gelsomino currently works at the Ottawa Public Library (OPL) as a Digital Services Librarian. He took on this position in mid-November 2010, but has worked for OPL in various positions for the past 9 years.

As a Digital Services Librarian, Gelsomino works on various projects that help facilitate and enhance the users’ experience of the library. Gelsomino enjoys the technological aspects of his work; he is excited about getting introduced to new systems and making them work for the OPL. For instance, Gelsomino and his team recently updated the library catalog to allow patrons to leave comments and suggestions.

Gelsomino finds it challenging to work in an environment in which, on the one hand, the public constantly demands an increase in library services, and where, on the other hand, services are always under threat due to budget cuts from the government.

Gelsomino predicts that in the future, electronic services in libraries will increase: Social media will become increasingly integrated in various library services and we will see an increase in eBooks. For librarians it is important to stay up to date with current trends and technologies, and to keep an open mind to using them in the library setting.

Gelsomino has a number of tips for young professionals trying to start their careers in a library. When looking for a job, “don’t feel like you are too good for any job.” Specifically, if you are interested in working for a particular employer, get your foot in the door by taking up any job position. Once you are in the system, opportunities arise and you can apply to internal job postings. Once you hold a position, “find one thing you are passionate about and that you like, and focus on it.” You will be able to make valuable contributions to your work place and show your employer that you are passionate about your work and librarianship in general.

Gelsomino decided to join CLA-CASLIS because it organizes a lot of events. He is excited to be part of a dynamic professional network that allows him to be in touch with and learn from professionals who do not necessarily work in public libraries. He has learned a lot from special librarians about some of their practices, experiences and challenges, and he can now use this knowledge at his own work place. In other words, being part of CLA-CASLIS has exposed Gelsomino to an important network that allows him to learn and exchange ideas.

Profile by Janina Mueller
CLA-CASLIS iSchool Student Liaison, MI Candidate 2011

Invitation to Complete the 2011 Salary Survey

Dear colleagues,

The CLA-CASLIS Government Section is pleased to invite you to complete 2011 Salary Survey.

http://app.fluidsurveys.com/s/2011-salary-survey/

We encourage you to complete the survey by the due date April 4, 2011. The higher the response rate, the better the final product will be in accurately portraying the benefits and remuneration of the members of the Canadian library and information management community.

All information provided will be held in confidence and reported in such a way that no individual can be identified. The survey tool being used, FluidSurveys, is a Canadian company with all data servers hosted in Canada.

The results of the Survey will be available in May 2011.

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.

If you have any questions about the survey, please contact the Section by e-mail at caslis.govlib@gmail.com

Note: Although the 2011 Salary Survey is a CLA-CASLIS Government Section initiative, all members of the Canadian library and information management community are encouraged to contribute.

Posted on behalf of our colleagues in the CLA-CASLIS Government Section

Eileen Lewis
CASLIS Toronto President

Member Profile: Shawn Whatley

The work of Goethe Institut (GI) Toronto Head Librarian, Shawn Whatley, is both demanding and rewarding. The library supports the institute's mission “to present German culture abroad and help shape a current understanding of Germany today.”

Shawn's work at the GI Library consists primarily of developing and maintaining its collections, as well as maintaining the GI Toronto website. Shawn uses the knowledge and skills he developed during his undergraduate and graduate studies in German Literature from the University of Toronto in the daily execution of his duties.

Shawn's academic background gives him a strong passion for the collection he oversees. He describes his work at GI as “an absolute pleasure, since my M.A. fits perfectly. I feel lucky to work in an area of librarianship in which I am intellectually interested.”

Shawn's work, however, is not without challenges. The responsibilities of the Head Librarian are many, and require long hours. An assistant librarian would be welcomed, but at the moment GI Toronto is not able to hire another staff member. As a result, Shawn's workdays can be hectic, requiring that he balance priorities with non-essential tasks.

As a special librarian, Shawn appreciates the value of CLA-CASLIS. Over the years, his membership in CLA-CASLIS has given him the opportunity to meet other members, to work with other librarians on various projects, and to network with colleagues. Through connections with the CLA-CASLIS Student Liaison program at the University of Toronto's iSchool, he regularly meets LIS students which allows him to talk to new students, keep abreast of new developments and trends in the LIS curriculum, and to better understand new LIS professionals.

Shawn's experience as a librarian has also allowed him to develop a good sense of what's required to get ahead in the competitive field of LIS. His advice to new LIS professionals is that, “what's important is to get out there, go to conferences, meet people, volunteer. Getting the degree is very important, but don't sweat it if you get an A- instead of an A.”

He adds that an outgoing personality is usually an asset, as it makes it easier to develop more extensive professional networks. However, introverted individuals need not worry. Academic credentials are also highly valuable in the field. A second M.A., especially for academic librarianship, is a good way for introverts to stand out. “An academic graduate degree helps pad a résumé, and shows that you have a brain and are not interested only in librarianship, but have other intellectual pursuits.” It makes for a well-rounded individual.

More information on the Goethe Institut Library can be found at the GI website.

Profile by Yannet Lathrop, M.A., M.Phil, Political Science

CLA-CASLIS iSchool Student Liaison, MI Candidate 2011

Member Profile: Astrid Lange

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For the past ten years, Astrid has had an exciting library career as a news librarian for the Toronto Star's news library.

Astrid finds her work environment to be very exciting and engaging. She loves to work with different people and is happiest when she is able to research a variety of topics. Astrid has become a "jack of all trades" when it comes to research as she is just as proficient at researching sports as she is national news.

The Toronto Star's work environment is also very deadline driven. Due to the increasing speed of information production, deadlines have become increasingly shorter for both reporters and the librarians at the Toronto Star. In the past Astrid may have had a few day to compile research for a reporter's story, but now reporters may need the same information within a half hour. Due to this, prioritization is a very important aspect of Astrid's career.

Astrid's time at the University of Toronto's Faculty of Information Sciences (FIS) also helped to prepare her for a career in news librarianship, as the program offered a variety of courses. For example, taking courses on government publications, legal librarianship, and online information retrieval helped her become a more effective news librarian. Astrid also took the time to develop her technology skills with courweb design and databases. While Astrid felt that her studies at FIS helped her develop a well-rounded knowledge base of best practices in librarianship, she did comment that a course on pedagogy would have been extremely useful. She has found that as electronic sources have become more important in the realm of information, she spends a lot of time teaching users how to navigate various databases and perform effective online searches.

Astrid advises future librarians to not only be well-rounded in your studies, but to also be involved in clubs, activities, and professional associations. In fact, Astrid found her involvement with the student chapter of CASLIS to be instrumental in helping her to network and develop useful skills. When she became the student liaison for CASLIS, her chapter decided to build a website. Since she had recently taken a web design class at FIS, she eagerly put her new skills into practice. Through this experience she was able to meet a variety of students and library professionals and developed a number of strong friendships that she still maintains today.

Some other words of wisdom stem from the manner in which Astrid started working for the Toronto Star. Instead of waiting for job postings to show up on employment websites, Astrid was proactive and decided to scout out a number of organizations she was interested in working for. By sending a cover letter and resume to the Toronto Star, she was able to secure a summer internship. She made a fantastic impression and this eventually led to her becoming a full-time employee when she graduated.

Astrid's final advice is for students to think long and hard about where they would like to work and what type of experience they are hoping to gain. Even if your chosen organization is not hiring, it is always worthwhile to cold call the organization or send out a resume. But before you email a resume and cover letter, make sure to emphasize why you like the company or library, so that they remember who you are when it comes time for the organization to hire.

Profile by Stephanie Quail
iSchool MI Candidate

Tour of the Film Reference Library at the TIFF Bell Lightbox

Piers Handling, CEO and Director of the Toronto International Film Festival has called the Film Reference Library (FRL) at the TIFF Bell Lightbox "a destination for the study and appreciation of film ... devoted to the preservation of Canada’s cinematic history."

On January 25, CLA-CASLIS Toronto offered a glimpse of this history with a behind-the-scenes library tour presented by Eve Goldin, FRL Senior Manager, who has worked with this impressive collection for nearly 20 years.

The FRL stacks ... books, posters, movies and scrapbooks. (Torontoist photo)

The evening began with a chance to view "Mary Pickford and the Invention of the Movie Star" a display of memorabilia about the silent film star, who was born in Toronto, but achieved success and fame in the early days of Hollywood. The library's Pickford materials were donated by Mississauga collector Rob Brooks who had amassed a house full of items focusing on America's sweetheart.

Every item in the collection must have an emphasis on film. Many are donated, not only by collectors like Brooks, but also by film directors such as Canadians David Cronenberg and Atom Egoyan, who have provided, among other items, personal papers, film production files, press kits and movie props.

Because of these donations and the Canadian-centric mandate of the library, the collection has many one-of-a-kind items of importance to Canadian film. One very unique item included is a grizzly-proof suit used in the 1996 National Film Board documentary Project Grizzly.

An appointment is required to view these one-of-a-kind items, but the public has regular access to the the library's general collection of thousands of Canadian and international books, DVDs, tapes (both VHS and Betamax), and laserdiscs. All video materials are viewable in-house (and only in-house) in private viewing booths.

Not only were we able to view the wonderful items in the library's collection, but unique areas of the Lightbox were also showcased, including the orange "master control" box where all of the building's screens are monitored and the Canadian Film Gallery, which currently houses the Pickford exhibit and Home, a permanent display of archaeological artifacts discovered at King and John Sts. during the construction of the building.

The evening was capped off with a chance to eat, drink and discuss the tour at Gabby's on King St.

If you get the chance to visit the TIFF Bell Lightbox, make sure your visit includes a trip to the library ... a great (and free!) resource for Torontonians.

Astrid Lange
CLA-CASLIS Listserv and Publicity Coordinator

Member Profile: Bruce Harpham

Bruce's profile is the first in a series of member profiles we will be featuring on our blog. Each profile will feature a member's reflections on what they find enjoyable and challenging in their work, trends they see in their industry and their best advice to other CLA-CASLIS members.

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Bruce is a Senior Business Analyst for a large Canadian bank. What Bruce enjoys most about his current position is having a wide variety of duties. These include ad hoc research requests, technical consultation and governance.

Bruce's greatest challenges are designing and developing performance measurements that are meaningful to clients. This involves developing metrics for evaluation and tracking the efficiency of one's services. He is always seeking to develop ways of measuring value that do not rely solely on simple calculations and focus on long term goals and contributions. Assessing the impact of poor information practices and mistakes is another challenge to consider.

Another broad issue for information professionals that interests Bruce is the tension between immediately meeting a client's needs (i.e. "Here is the answer to your question") and providing them with further instruction (i.e. "Let me teach you the skills to find that answer on your own.")

Bruce's best advice to other professionals is to develop technical skills; they may be time consuming to acquire, but are worth the effort! In addition to basic web design skills, a strong knowledge of PowerPoint and Excel is valuable.

Bruce has been a CLA-CASLIS member for two years. He enjoys the educational sessions offered and the opportunity to network with a small group of like minded professionals.

Profile by Erica Sum
CLA-CASLIS Marketing & Outreach Director