CASLIS Toronto

AGM & alt careers recap

2011-06-02T09:36:00.005-04:00

Thank you to all who came out to our AGM last month. It was a very special night for us as we celebrated a challenging year for the organization, honoured the leadership of our President, Eileen Lewis, and looked forward to the future - complete with our very own fortune teller! But we don't need a psychic to tell us that we've achieved a lot this year; just take a gander at our Annual Report.

On a different note, Brenda Wong, a library technician, has written up an informative review of our program: I've got my degree, now what? Thank you, Brenda, we're looking forward to hearing your elevator speech!

Members update

2011-05-10T11:51:00.003-04:00

As the final AGM for our division approaches, we'd like to provide our readers with a brief update:

1) The CASLIS Toronto exec has been discussing CLA's Future Plan and we are now awaiting for events to crystalize at the CLA Conference. Our president, Eileen Lewis, will be in attendance and if you have any questions or concerns, please direct them to her at Eileen_Lewis AT ontla.ola.org

2) Thank you for all the students and new professionals who attended our last program, I've Got My Degree, Now What? We fielded some interesting questions and the discussion was packed with detailed, how-to information about how to approach the job search. For anyone currently job hunting, we have compiled a delicious account with helpful links.

See you at the AGM!

CLA-CASLIS Presents: A Panel Discussion on Alternative Careers in Information - April 13, 2011

2011-03-28T13:31:00.014-04:00

Join CLA-CASLIS Toronto for the last event in our Learn Local Programming series on Wednesday, April 13th!

I’ve got my degree, now what? A panel discussion on Alternative Careers in Information

Register now at: http://www.caslistoronto.on.ca/regform2010.html

While most Information Professionals (and soon-to-be info pros) know about the types of work available in “traditional” library settings, many are not aware of just how broad the range of opportunities for work really is. Whether you’re a new (or soon to be) graduate, an established professional looking for a career change, or simply curious about what some of your colleagues are getting unto outside traditional libraries, join CLA-CASLIS Toronto and a panel of engaging information professionals who are pushing the definition of “librarian” – and loving every second of it.

Featured Panelists:

Cathy Lindsey-King graduated with her Masters degree in Information Studies from U of T in 2001. She has worked for close to 3 decades in a number of database & information related positions, including transportation statistics, fuel tax reporting, and as the Information Officer for a corporate special library. For the past 16 years, Cathy has worked at Sound Ideas, the world's leading publisher of sound effects for the professional broadcast, feature film & multimedia industries. Her responsibilities include corporate communication, production coordination, controlled vocabulary development, and Web site design, maintenance & beta testing. Most recently, she has worked on several projects to create and populate search metadata within digital audio files. She credits her Information Studies education with providing the skills to effectively research, organize and share information in a business environment that demands a high level of digital literacy.

Kimberly Silk has over fifteen years of digital media experience and is actively engaged in the interactive media, library and education industries. She is currently the Data Librarian at the Martin Prosperity Institute, a think-tank at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management. Between 2001 and 2009 her consultancy, BrightSail, served a variety of clients including corporate, academic, government and non-profit organizations.

Jennifer Stein graduated with an M.I.St. from the Faculty of Information Studies in 2000 and has not set foot in a library (in a professional capacity) since. However, for the past 11 years, Jennifer has worked with digital information in various roles related to the ever-evolving FPinfomart.ca product and its predecessors. Jennifer is currently the Product Manager, B2B, at Postmedia Digital, in which capacity she is responsible for bridging the gap between customer needs and the FPinfomart suite of products and services. This role requires her to apply her background in information studies to a very wide variety of non-traditional information tasks including product development and design, technical writing, social media participation and monitoring, sales support, training, and public speaking.

Erica Sum is currently a Research Officer with the University of Toronto’s Division of Advancement. Prospect Research for advancement or fundraising is a relatively new field that involves a highly specific knowledge base regarding securities, business resources, media monitoring and marketing but also draws on the traditional research and reference skills of a librarian.

Date: April 13th

Location: Faculty of Information, University of Toronto, 140 St. George St. – Room 728

Time: Registration at 5:30 p.m. Discussion will start promptly at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be served.

Cost: $20/members, $30/non-members, $10/students, unwaged, or retired persons. Special to CLA student members – CLA student members can attend programs for free! Registration is still required for dinner accommodations.

Deadline for registration or refunds: April 8

Register now at: http://www.caslistoronto.on.ca/regform2010.html

HarperCollins e-book controversy

2011-03-15T19:10:00.006-04:00

You've probably heard about the recent controversy regarding e-books that are inoperable after 26 checkouts. We've rounded up the most informative articles on the debate for your convenience:

CBC News: CLA President Keith Walker shares his point of view

The Guardian: Library friend Cory Doctorow offers his analysis

New York Times: American librarians weigh in on the issue

HarperCollins' open letter to libraries

Pioneer Library System's 26+ checked out items video:

You can also follow the debate on Twitter via the hashtag #HCOD

If you know of a great article or link, please feel free to share in the comments.

TVO digitizes its archives

2011-02-24T12:26:00.005-05:00

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

2011-02-22T14:58:00.001-05:00

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

2011-02-17T13:15:00.002-05:00

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

2011-02-15T14:47:00.000-05:00

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

2011-02-08T13:57:00.004-05:00

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

2011-02-02T22:36:00.006-05:00

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

2011-02-01T09:10:00.009-05:00

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

Holiday Social photos and looking forward to 2011

2011-01-23T16:36:00.006-05:00

Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate the holidays with us in our annual social! We had a great mix of professionals and look forward to seeing you at our future programs. We are very excited to kick off the new year with a tour of the new TIFF Bell Lightbox Library.

Thanks to the chapter presidents for all your hard work!

Also, do keep your eye on this blog space - beginning in February, we will be posting profiles of professionals in keeping with our theme to Learn Local. We hope that you'll enjoy getting to know some of your fellow CLA-CASLIS members. Remember, if you are a member and would like to have your website, blog or Twitter feed featured on our blog, please contact the Marketing & Outreach Director.

Librarians Without Borders Fundraising Party

2010-12-13T18:17:00.001-05:00

Bring your dancing shoes, hideous sweaters and wallets to help send The University of Toronto's Librarians Without Borders to Guatemala to help establish a public library.

Wednesday, December 15 · 8:00pm - 11:00pm
The Central (upstairs)
603 Markham Street - Bathurst & Bloor
Toronto, ON

$5 at the door, $3 with hideous sweater

For more information, visit the event's Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119732324756340&index=1

Championing local talent

2010-12-04T11:16:00.007-05:00

Suzanne LeBlanc: helping our community navigate the sea of email records

We hope you have been enjoying our 2010/11 program so far! We would also like to thank everyone who has given us feedback, to help us better serve our members.

We've received many positive comments from members including:

"Really enjoy CASLIS events and excited that I might gain practical tips at the same time as gaining insight into a particular area of special libraries."

"Love the support for local learning and sharing."

"Local experts/heros are good to hear from!"

Thank you for all your support. On behalf of the CLA-CASLIS Toronto board, we wish you a wonderful holiday season and hope you will join us in the new year!

Program Review: Taming the Tsunami, November 2nd

2010-11-10T15:49:00.002-05:00

On November 3, CLA-CASLIS was fortunate to have Suzanne LeBlanc present a talk entitled, “Taming the Tsunami: Best Practices in Email Records Management for Small Organizations”. Suzanne has worked as an Information Management Specialist at Service Ontario for five years and clearly has a passion for digital preservation and records management. Her job incorporates many of the theories and practices she learned in the Archives Management courses at the University of Toronto.

The presentation took place at Oakham House within the Ryerson University campus. Oakham House appeared to be a busy place, but luckily, the venue was separated from the noise of the street and other presentations. The room was on the cozy side but was also very bright and welcoming.

Suzanne explained that paper records are becoming less popular because they are inadequate for simultaneous consultation and document linking. Email presents its own special challenges, for example, how one might preserve emails for periods of 50 years or more. Emails that seem trivial today may contain invaluable information at a later time. The legal ramifications of poor records keeping can include loss of credibility, lack of transparency, large financial fines, and loss of context and access.

Reuse of reliable data is one of the prime objectives of email management. Increasingly, modern organizations are using business email as a record of project development. To sell the idea of email records management to a boss, a Records Management Specialist may want to sell his or her skills based on the concerns of a boss. At the moment, there is a bit of a generation gap in terms of willingness to adopt new archiving strategies, but this is changing with shifts in the business world.

Suzanne explains that records do not arrive at an “end stage,” but instead are always moving between stages of documentation and organization. Records Management Specialists use criteria of content, context, structure and appearance to prioritize which emails are worthy of preservation. There are a number of methods that Records Management Specialists use to determine and organize relevant email. The first method is to instruct users on proper practices in email (such as use of real names), the second is to consider metadata as a tool to record attributes of email, the third is to use automated message sorting and filtering with a stored file system, and the fourth is to manually select either some or all of the emails for storage. The approach that Suzanne personally recommends is to convert emails to a standard such as PDF, TIFF, XML, or RFC-2882.

Companies often use default, traditional Operating System folder classifications, but Suzanne recommended a customizable, open source Digital Repository system for superior organization. In the discussion following the presentation, She explained that a third party such as ArchiveMatica would offer this software. She also recommends archiving for your own email!

Martinus Driessen
M.I. Student - Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

We ♥ Special Libraries

2010-10-28T09:00:00.000-04:00

Thursday, October 28th is special libraries day! To celebrate, the CLA-CASLIS Toronto Executive Board would like to share our reasons for loving our field.

I ♥ special libraries because

... of special librarians and the supportive and engaging communities that they build.
- Eileen Lewis, Toronto Chapter President

... I enjoy collaborating with people to develop tools that would benefit the community.
- Lily Mac, Past President

... I learn something new there every day.
- Maggie Weaver, Program Coordinator

... they open an opportunity to custom design services for a select clientele.
- Kejo Buchanan, Registrar

... I can work in a focused environment towards a tangible goal, yet still have opportunities to embrace innovation and to grow professionally. I especially love news libraries because I feel like I am helping the public stay informed about important issues.
- Astrid Lange, List-Serv & Publicity Coordinator

... I enjoy working in environments where I know my users by name and can help small communities develop.
- Erica Sum, Marketing & Outreach Director

... they provide unique services, and because many of them have very interesting collections.
- Yannet Lathrop, iSchool Liaison

If you ♥ special libraries too, please share your reasons in a comment below!

CLA-CASLIS presents: Taming the Tsunami: Best practices for Email Management in Small Organizations‏

2010-10-27T15:17:00.004-04:00

The executive of CLA-CASLIS Toronto invites you to join us on Tuesday, November 2nd for the second installment in our Learn Local programming series. This month, Suzanne LeBlanc will be reprising her popular session from CLA National Conference, Taming the Tsunami: Best practices for Email Management in Small Organizations.

Register online today at http://www.caslistoronto.on.ca/caslis_programs.html

Even small organizations generate quantities of e-mails, but when a professional services firm moves all client correspondence from traditional formats (letter, fax and phone) to e-mail, a rigorous approach to electronic records management is required. Best practices must take account of legal requirements, technology challenges and existing corporate culture. This presentation covers standards, best practices, practical applications, and considers ways to get executive buy-in.

Speaker: Suzanne LeBlanc, Information Management Specialist, ServiceOntario
Date: November 2nd
Deadline for registration or refunds: October 31st
Location: Oakham House (Ryerson University), 63 Gould St., Room A/B
Time: Registration open at 5:30, Program begins at 6
Cost: $20/members, $30/non-members, $10/students, unwaged, or retired persons.

Special to CLA student members – CLA student members can attend programs for free! Registration is still required for dinner accommodations.

A light supper will be served.

For registration details, please see our website: http://www.caslistoronto.on.ca/caslis_programs.html or email our registrar at caslis_registrar@yahoo.ca

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listerv and Publicity Administrator

CLA Released Draft of the Future Plan

2010-10-20T09:29:00.003-04:00

This Monday, the CLA released a draft of their Future Plan, which can be found at: http://www.clatoolbox.ca/CLAFuture/index.php/2010/10/18/proposed-cla-future-plan/

CLA-CASLIS Toronto encourages all of our members to take the time to read and consider this plan. Feedback and comments can be left as a comment to this blog post, or emailed to our President, Eileen Lewis at eileen_lewis@ontla.ola.org or any one of the members of the Future Committee listed on the CLA Website. The purpose of releasing the draft was to solicit comments and input from the membership, so now is the time to raise your voice. CLA is YOUR association and it's only fitting that its future be put in YOUR hands.

Take the time to read, write and shout about what you want the CLA to be for you.

Eileen Lewis
CLA-CASLIS Toronto President

Forensic Surfing : How a News Librarian Searches the Web

2010-09-23T16:11:00.001-04:00

The CLA-CASLIS Toronto Executive invites you to join us in our on Tuesday, October 5th for our first program of the 2010-2011 year. We will be kicking off our Learn Locally program series and celebrating Canadian Library Month with our very own Astrid Lange, who will be presenting Forensic Surfing : How a News Librarian Searches the Web.

The Web is a far more powerful research tool than many of us realize. With some surgical precision and advanced techniques, researchers can dig past quick keyword searches to find invaluable information sitting just below the radar screen. Join Astrid, as she demonstrates how she uses the Web to uncover information on the good guys, the bad guys and everyone (and everything) else in between.

Date: October 5th
Deadline for registration or refunds: October 1st
Location: Toronto Public Library, Lillian Smith Branch, 239 College Street
Nearest Subway: Queen’s Park
Time: Registration begins at 5:30 and the session will begin at 6
Cost: $20/members, $30/non-members, $10/students, unwaged, or retired persons. Special to CLA student members – CLA student members can attend programs for free!
Registration is still required for dinner accommodations.

A light supper will be served.

For registration information, please visit our the Programs page at our website at http://www.caslistoronto.on.ca/caslis_programs.html

CASLIS Toronto Kicks off its 2010-2011 Year!

2010-09-08T17:05:00.002-04:00

Greetings all; it is hard to believe that September is already upon us, bringing promises of cooler nights (we hope), new iSchool students, TIFF, and much more – including a new programming year for CASLIS Toronto. Despite the continuing restructuring work of the CLA (see more here: http://www.clatoolbox.ca/CLAFuture/) the CASLIS Toronto Chapter has committed to putting on a full program for the 2010-2011 year.

Our theme this year will be looking to “Learn Local(ly).” Hot on the heels of the movement to “Eat Local, ” our executive wanted to focus on benefiting from the wealth of knowledge that is abundant in our own community. We will be informally kicking off our Season with a social on the evening of September 23rd. Join us after work at the Bedford Academy to welcome new students into the community, returning students back to school, and the rest of us back to work from (what I hope were) lovely vacations over the summer.

Following our social, we will kick off our fall program in October to celebrate Canadian Library month with Astrid Lange, presenting Forensic Surfing: How a News Librarian Searches the Web. This will be followed in November with Suzanne LeBlanc reprising her popular session from CLA National Conference on Best Practices for E-mail Records Management. We will be closing out 2010 with our Annual Holiday Party, held jointly with SLA Toronto, the Faculty of Information Alumni Association and, new this year, TALL. We look forward to celebrating with all of you this Holiday season!

Moving into the New Year, we will be bringing you exciting programming including a tour of the newly opened (and currently very busy) Bell Lightbox library, panel discussions on Alternative Careers for Info Pros and the Future of the Book.

As much as this is a year where we will continue to offer the same great programming, this will also be a year of big changes for CASLIS Toronto and the CLA, and we will be doing our best to communicate the changes at the CLA level to all of our members, and to have their voices heard. Another change to this year is the end to our five-for four subscription program; after declining numbers in recent years, the executive came to the conclusion that, in the interest of flexibility in planning, the program’s time had come. It’s not to say that we won’t be offering a full year though, and we expect to continue to see our regular subscribers at many (or all) of our events in the coming year.

We look forward to celebrating the 2010-2011 season with all of the members of the community. Keep your eyes on the listserv and our website for more detailed programming announcements in the near future. As well, don’t forget to join our Facebook Group and visit our blog keep up with all things CASLIS Toronto.

As always, any questions or new volunteers are always welcome, and I encourage you get in touch with me, or any one of my wonderful colleagues on our executive.

Cheers,

Eileen Lewis
CASLIS Toronto President
(t) 416-325-6294
(e) eileen_lewis@ontla.ola.org

Canadian librarian leads worldwide digital revolt for free knowledge

2010-08-11T14:22:00.003-04:00

From the Toronto Star, August 10, 2010:

A bearded 52-year-old Canadian university librarian is leading a digital revolt that is starting to go global.

It began when an academic database proposed increasing the fee it charges the University of Prince Edward Island by 120 per cent.

Mark Leggott snapped.

“The world’s knowledge is increasingly being held to ransom and available only to those who can pay the fees,” Leggott told the Star on Tuesday.

He announced in a campus-wide letter that as chief librarian he had cancelled UPEI’s subscription to Web of Science and was launching “an effort to create a free and open index to the world’s scholarly literature called ‘Knowledge For All’.” ...

Read more ...

Go Mark!

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listerv and Publicity Administrator

CLA Conference debrief

2010-06-30T09:30:00.000-04:00

It is hard to believe that Canada Day is almost upon us and that the CLA National Conference and Trade Show was almost a month ago now! How the time flies during the hazy days of summer.

The CLA conference was a fantastic experience for me – I attended wearing several hats, including first timer, presenter and CASLIS TO President (and member of the CASLIS National Advisory Committee). It was an incredibly rewarding and enriching experience all around, and I was able to walk away with a lot of new knowledge and tools, both in regards to my work, and my – and your – association.

As blog readers likely know, CASLIS and CASLIS Toronto have been in a bit of a limbo since the end of February, when CLA announced a drastic restructuring. At the time, we were uncertain if we would continue to exist – never mind offer programs and services – after June 30, 2010. Well, that date has come and gone, and we are still here. However, the year ahead is certain to be an interesting one for CLA and our chapter.

I, along with my colleagues on the executive Maggie Weaver and Lily Mac attended the CASLIS and CLA AGMs, as well as the Resolutions Hearing wherein the resolutions for the AGM were reviewed and significantly revised. This was a highly informative process for me, and I am very pleased with the resolutions that emerged from that session; to the point that I spoke in their favour on the floor of the AGM.

The nuts and bolts are as follows:
· The Executive Council (EC) acknowledged that they acted hastily in the deferral of all elections – a motion was carried to reinstate the election for VP/President-Elect, the other members of the EC will remain in their current roles until the 2011 AGM in Halifax;
The current CLA business model is no longer sustainable for the organization;
It has been acknowledged that CLA needs to change, and change quickly. The current EC has been charged with the task of delivering a framework for change, and communicating its progress to the membership;
A subcommittee was formed, under new president Keith Walker which is charged with outlining the future direction of the organization. The findings of this committee are expected to include significant changes to the constitution which will be presented to the membership in early 2011;
Overall, the community responded overwhelmingly that not only is change needed, but the CLA is needed as a voice for our profession now and in the future.

What this means for CASLIS Toronto and our membership is that we will be moving forward with the 2010/11 programming year, in addition to working with the CLA to ensure that our members’ voices are heard. There will be more announcements regarding both Toronto’s programming and the restructuring of the CLA in the coming weeks and months.

I encourage everyone to check back both here, and the CLA’s Future Blog [http://www.clatoolbox.ca/CLAFuture/] regularly for updates.

Eileen Lewis
President, CASLIS Toronto

Neil Gaiman explains why libraries are important

2010-06-25T12:25:00.003-04:00

Explaining why he thought libraries were essential, (Gaiman) said: "We're now in an age of 'too much information'. Libraries and librarians are more important than ever.

"Children want stories. They want information. They want knowledge about the strange world they're in. Saying that the internet can be that is like setting a child free in a jungle and expecting them safely to find things to eat."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/culturenews/7852404/Neil-Gaiman-says-closing-libraries-would-be-a-terrible-mistake.html

Happy G20/G8 weekend everyone!

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listserv and Publicity Administrator

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

2010-06-14T01:26:00.006-04:00

The evening of April 15th was the sort of warm sunny evening in early spring that reminds you why it is nice to be outdoors and helps you remember that Canadian winters do not, in fact, last all year. This is not meant to suggest that winter doesn't have its own austere beauty, but the first hints of green always seem to bring a sense of optimism with them at the promise of still greener days just around the corner. Therefore, although the lecture was not held outdoors as some of us might have liked, this particular evening's affirmation of spring's arrival seemed to lend "Sustainable and Green @ your Library: Greener and Eco-Friendly Libraries in the New Century," the CASLIS Toronto hosted lecture by Fred Stoss, an increased poignancy.

Fred, a librarian employed at the SUNY at Buffalo Science and Engineering Library, has been involved in raising the environmental awareness of information professionals for much of his career. He began the lecture by leading the audience through a brief historical overview of the environmental movement, moving from Rachel Carson's Silent Spring to Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth, and from the more politically targeted environmental activism of the 1960s to the less polarizing, but perhaps more pragmatic and widespread environmental action of today. However, this overview merely established context and the lecture moved quickly to its main focus: actions that librarians can take to make their institutions greener and more sustainable.

Throughout the lecture Fred repeatedly highlighted the need for environmental Information, Communication, and Education (ICE), both for information professionals, as well as for the public provided by information professionals. Doing his part to inform and educate the information professionals present, Fred emphasized the importance of "building green": for example, using natural light to illuminate libraries, installing solar panels, providing structural support for green transportation like bikes, and getting your building LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. Furthermore, he stressed critical thinking about the environmental consequences of day-to-day actions and the energy savings that can accrue through simple actions like turning off lights in unused sections of the library (sometimes through motion sensor technology). Attention was also given to the various resources librarians provide and can consult to learn about environmental issues and sustainable actions they can take at their library, for example, the Environment Canada Library or the Canadian Green Building Council.

The final section of the lecture was concerned with suggestions for moving forward in "greening" library conferences and facilities, as well as the roles information professionals can play in providing ICE to the public regarding various environmental issues. Particular attention was given to the education of children (Fred described children as suffering from "nature deficit disorder" due to the increasing amounts of time spent interacting with digital devices) regarding environmental issues, and the resources available to facilitate this education through websites such as ndsl.org and eeweek.org.

In the question period that followed, discussions centered around library influence on the publishing industry and its CO2 emissions. For example, one question led to a discussion of the possible environmental benefits that increasing demand for digital documents and open access could engender, through reduction in printing and the associated CO2 emissions. Following the Q&A attendees lingered to discuss the lecture, but eventually dispersed to enjoy what remained of the warm spring evening. Fred’s presentation slides are available from the CASLIS Toronto’s website for viewing.

Chris Gapski
M.I.St Candidate, 2010, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto

CASLIS AGM & 35th year

2010-05-26T22:55:00.004-04:00

Hello everyone,

the AGM took place at The Arts and Letters Club. CASLIS celebrated its 35th year. To view a few snapshots from the evening please click on the link.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36772867@N04/sets/72157624144758852/

Enjoy!

Raluca, Photographer, CASLIS Toronto Chapter

Updates to Pictures (March & April events)

2010-05-26T22:44:00.002-04:00

Our last 2 events were a success! If you would like to see some of the pictures taken during the presentations please click the links below:

March 10, 2010 event titled: "Project Management 101" was presented by Kelly Lyons, Associate Professor, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36772867@N04/sets/72157624144600482/

April 15, 2010 event titled: "Green Libraries" was presented by Fred Stoss, Associate Librarian at the University of Buffalo.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36772867@N04/sets/72157624144637910/

Raluca, Photographer, CASLIS Toronto Chapter

Message from the President re: CLA Restructuring

2010-05-25T11:30:00.003-04:00

Greetings Everyone,

Firstly I would like to thank everyone who contributed to our fantastic Annual General Meeting earlier this month at the Arts and Letters club, particularly the executive who organized the event. It was a great evening with lots of shared memories and insight about the importance of CASLIS and CASLIS Toronto in our professional community.

With that in mind, I would like to take this opportunity to look to the future of the chapter. Having just taken on the presidency of the organization, I am about to step into some uncharted waters. In March, the CLA issued a press release indicating financial challenges at the national level, and informing its membership of a significant restructuring in reaction to this. At the time, the local chapters and divisions were told to pursue “business as usual” until the June 30, 2010. With this deadline fast approaching, it would appear that we are soon to begin conducting business as unusual. In short, it is highly likely that CASLIS Toronto, in its current form, will likely be no more as a result of this restructuring.

The full CLA press release can be seen on our blog at: http://caslistoronto.blogspot.com/2010/03/message-to-cla-members-cla-presidents.html

Details from CLA have been slow to emerge, but many of these changes will likely come to a head at the 2010 Annual General Meeting in Edmonton next week. I, along with my colleagues Maggie Weaver and Lily Mac will be attending the conference, as well as both the CASLIS and CLA AGMs as representatives of our Toronto Chapter. As I stressed at our AGM, my current priority as President is communication with the membership. This message will be cross posted to our blog and website, as will all further information as we receive it; expect extra activity on the blog and listserv in the coming weeks. Additionally, I invite members to contact me directly with have questions or comments which they would like to see represented by us in Edmonton next month. My email and telephone number can be found below.

**UPDATE: the CLA has released the resolutions for the AGM. Please see: http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Home&CONTENTID=9501&TEMPLATE=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm**

Regards,

Eileen Lewis
President
CASLIS Toronto
(t) 416-325-6294
(e) eileen_lewis@ontla.ola.org

CASLIS Toronto 35th Anniversary AGM

2010-04-28T22:05:00.001-04:00

CASLIS Toronto invites you to join the executive for our 35th Anniversary Annual General Meeting on Wednesday, May 12 at the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto.

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

This year’s theme comes directly from our CASLIS Constitution – “Creating an exchange of experience and ideas” with CASLIS Toronto . Not only will we be celebrating a landmark 35th anniversary serving special librarians in Toronto , but CASLIS Toronto is at a pivotal stage as CLA prepares to undergo serious changes. Please join us as we reflect back on our past and look towards the future. Members are encouraged to come armed with anecdotes, memories, and ideas about what CASLIS Toronto means to them and to join friends old and new for some good food, good drink and stimulating conversation about the history and future of our association. The evening will be emceed by founding member of CASLIS Toronto, Barbara Fingerote, and incoming president Eileen Lewis.

Registration will begin at 5:30, with the meeting to kick-off at 6pm

Cost:
CASLIS Members and Past Executives - $25
Non-Members - $35
Students/Retired/Unwaged - $15

The Arts and Letters Club is located at 14 Elm Street, Toronto , Ontario , M5G 1G7

CASLIS Toronto - 35th anniversary

2010-04-19T15:42:00.001-04:00

Calling all CASLIS Toronto members!

This year, CASLIS Toronto celebrates its 35th anniversary - which we will be celebrating on Wednesday, May 12 at the Annual General Meeting at the Arts and Letters Club.

We are looking for anyone - members, former executive - that might have CASLIS Toronto paraphernalia (old newsletters, etc.), photos, fond memories or anecdotes, from CASLIS Toronto's history that they'd like to share with the current executive.

Anything you have would be greatly appreciated. Please contact Lily Mac or Eileen Lewis with this information.

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listserv and Publicity Administrator

Keith Richards wanted to be a librarian!

2010-04-06T14:02:00.001-04:00

How hell-raising Rolling Stone Keith Richards wanted to become a librarian

... but apparently it was "too much hassle!"

Enjoy!

Astrid Lange
Listserv and Publicity Coordinator, CASLIS Toronto

Project Management Review

2010-03-29T22:23:00.003-04:00

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

CASLIS Toronto presents: Sustainable and Green @ your library

2010-03-28T22:53:00.006-04:00

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

2010-03-28T09:41:00.002-04:00

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

Film Reviews from Susan Murray

2010-03-20T11:39:00.012-04:00

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

Canadian Library Association - State of the Association, February 2010

2010-03-13T22:20:00.015-05:00

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

Japan Foundation Toronto Library Tour

2010-03-05T00:07:00.002-05:00

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

The Japan Foundation Toronto Library Tour

2010-03-01T22:02:00.004-05:00

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

CASLIS Toronto and SLA Toronto presents: Project Management 101

2010-02-14T17:43:00.002-05:00

** VENUE and TIME change! Please note the change in venue and the slight time change below. We apologize for any inconvenience. **

Join us on Wednesday, March 10 for a joint CASLIS Toronto and SLA Toronto event

Project Management 101

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

PLEASE NOTE: Even though registration for this event is being handled by CASLIS Toronto, SLA Toronto members will also enjoy the "Member" rate for this event. When registering online, simply check off "Member" if you belong to either organization. Furthermore, both CLA and SLA students are welcome to attend the event free-of-charge, simply check off "CLA student" when registering online.

Project Management techniques are used in various settings from planning fundraisers, to the development of software applications, to government projects. Knowledge of project management techniques is critical for successful in future careers, in volunteer efforts, and for implementing personal or home projects. As special librarians and information professionals we are often called upon to manage projects; whether moving the library to a new location or deciding upon a new piece of software. In this session Kelly Lyons, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto iSchool, will provide an overview of the project management landscape, share some effective resources you can use without completing PM certification, and give pointers to those interested in exploring PM in greater depth.

Speaker: Kelly Lyons, Associate Professor at the University of Toronto iSchool

Date: Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Time: 6:00-6:30 p.m.: registration and light dinner; 6:30-8:00 p.m.: program

Location: The Hospital for Sick Children, Room 1250, Black Wing, 555 University Avenue

Registration deadline: March 3, 2010

Library community response to Haitian crisis

2010-02-03T15:03:00.008-05:00

In the wake of the tragic earthquake in Haiti, many Canadians jumped to respond to the pleas for aid and cash donations. These have gone to rescue, aid and medical supplies to address the urgent needs. The CLA has joined the chorus of voices offering support for Haiti, particularly our many colleagues there.

In the January 22nd issue of the CLA Digest, the following message was sent out tour our membership:

On behalf of our members, CLA expresses sympathy for the loss and devastation suffered by our colleagues in Haïti. Humanitarian aid is the first priority. There are many agencies in Canada that are soliciting donations for humanitarian relief efforts. Our IFLA colleagues from the Latin America & Caribbeanregion have also suggested that donations be directed either to UNICEF or to the Pan American Health & Education Foundation.

A very sad time and our thoughts most certainly go out to the many Librarians and all Haitians who have suffered such an immense tragedy. The sights and reports out of Haiti have certainly been harrowing, and CASLIS Toronto joins the CLA in expressing deep condolences to all of those who have been affected by this tragedy.

In the long term there will also be continuing needs for restructuring and rebuilding a country which had very little to begin with, and which has even less now. Below is information (as we have it) regarding the current state of Haitian Libraries and the response by the Library Community.

By way of the Conference Directors of National Libraries, CLA also published a brief statement from Françoise Beaulieu-Thybulle, the Director-General of Haiti’s National Library

The building of the National library is safe, the shelves and holdings have shifted...we will prevail ...our building is the only one standing in the whole area. I have not yet been able to locate all the personel, but half of them are safe...we keep on checking. We will keep you posted

The Literacy Organization, Haiti Reads is working on the ground and currently advocates diverting funds to the immediate relief efforts, but asks those of us in the library community to keep them in mind in the future for their restructuring efforts.

This rebuilding process will be long and challenging, given the extent of the destruction. Our colleagues in Bibliotheques Sans Frontieres recently forwarded the following update to some of the Listservs:

We have a contact with Patrick Tardieu who is an archivist in the oldest library in Port au Prince, Bibliothèque des Pères du Saint Esprit. Fortunately, he's alive and flighted [sic] yesterday to Canada. The first information we have are:

- Saint Martial College in which there is the Bibliothèque Haïtienne des pères du saint esprit collapsed

- The St Louis de Gonzague library building would be ok but very weakened

- The national Library collapsed, at least a part of it

- Most of the university libraries collapsed too

Those libraries gathered very old collections (from the 16th centuries).Several manuscripts were brought by the missionaries who came from Europe. Other have been collected in the Caraibs (notably, publications on the haitian revolutions, transcriptions of vaudou oral traditions, personal documents from the 18th centuries).

The International Federation of Library Associations has a News and Developments Regarding Libraries in Haiti page which is dedicated to the current state and the efforts necessary in moving forward in Haiti; this is a joint project with several different organizations, facilitated by our colleagues at IFLA. The initiatives include ways in which both time and money to support this cause, as well as social media tools to stay connected to the ongoing challenges and restructuring efforts.

As well, for our members in the Legal field, the Law Library Microform Consortium is creating a special Haiti Collection:

On the theory of everybody doing what they can, we at LLMC have decided that the most immediate contribution that we can make is to give priority to assembling a comprehensive Haiti legal collection and bringing it online as quickly as possible. So we will be giving this project priority during the first half of 2010, and hope to have the bulk of the titles becoming available later in the year.
(Full text of press release available here)

We know that the Library Community is a caring and supportive one, so we urge you to take a look at the available programs, and consider the many ways in which you may be able to help those who have lost so much.

Eileen Lewis
CASLIS Toronto Vice-President

News librarians featured in Ryerson Review of Journalism

2010-01-15T18:11:00.001-05:00

From the latest edition of the Ryerson Review of Journalism:

With Files From... by Mai Nguyen

Google hasn’t made newspapers research librarians redundant. In fact, they’re as busy as ever, even if they rarely receive the recognition they deserve

Yours truly is quoted ...

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listserv and Publicty

Japan Foundation Toronto Library Tour

2010-01-11T10:13:00.002-05:00

Happy New Year from the CASLIS Toronto executive!

Please join us for our first event of 2010:

The Japan Foundation Toronto Library Tour
Wednesday, February 3
Register now at http://www.caslistoronto.on.ca/

The Japan Foundation, Toronto, which opened in 1995 as one of 19 Japan Foundation offices around the world, is mainly funded by the Japanese government. Its purpose is to promote international cultural exchange between Japan and other countries. The library holds approximately 16,000 volumes of Japan-related prints and audio-visual materials in its collection. This spring, the JFT library opened a new Pop Culture Corner featuring popular contemporary manga, magazines, CDs and other media, which has been very popular and has brought in many new patrons.

The tour of the library and gallery will be offered by Chief Librarian Mariko Liliefeldt, 1995 graduate of FIS. “Origami Architecture” will be exhibited in the Gallery during the tour.

Date: Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2010
Time: 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: 131 Bloor Street West, Toronto, ON M5S 1P7
Registration deadline: January 27, 2010

To get an idea of what to expect from the Japan Foundation tour, visit the blog of CASLIS Toronto's iSchool Student Liasons http://caslistorontostudents.blogspot.com/ who visited last year. Another iSchool student also blogged about the tour here:http://blog.mayyan.net/2009/10/28/japan-foundation-library.

Astrid Lange
CASLIS Toronto Listerv and Publicity

Holiday Social

2010-01-06T20:20:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone and a Happy New Year!

The Holiday Social took place on December 2nd, 2009 at the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto. The evening was well attended and prizes were won. Please view the link below for a few snapshots taken during the event.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36772867@N04/sets/72157623156135058/

Raluca,
Photographer, CASLIS Toronto Chapter

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-23T20:39:00.001-05:00

Season's Greetings from the CASLIS Toronto executive!

See you all in 2010!

Shedding Your Idenity in the Digital Age

2009-12-20T18:22:00.003-05:00

Another interesting read passed on by one of the reporters at the Toronto Star: Writer Evan Ratliff Tried to Vanish: Here’s What Happened

A Wired magazine writer attempted to "vanish" and challenged readers to find him. He discovered it's a difficult task in the digital age. Technology is so ingrained in our daily lives.

Astrid Lange
Listserv and Publicity Coordinator, CASLIS Toronto

"Special Issues" Vol. 19, No. 3 (2009) is out!

2009-12-03T14:49:00.008-05:00

The latest issue of Special Issues: Bulletin of the Canadian Association of Special Libraries and Information Services Vol. 19, No. 3 (2009) is available:
http://www.cla.ca/AM/Template.cfm?Section=CASLIS_special_issues

Check it out! It also features an article "Bridging the Gap Between the
Student and Professional Worlds" which was contributed by one of our iSchool Student Liaisons, Erica Sum.

4 SharePoint in the Special Library
By Melanie Sucha

8 Information and Knowledge Management Checklist
By Ulla de Stricker

15 Liste de véreification pour la gestion de l’information et du savoir
Par Ulla de Stricker

Departments

2 From the Desk of the President
Your World, Your Library
By Robyn Stockand

3 CASLIS News and Notes
CASLIS Mentoring Program; Food for Thought

23 CLA Student Chapters
Bridging the gap between the student and professional worlds
By Jeannine Sickle, Erica Sum, and Deborah Kendze

25 Alma Matters
A round-up of news and events at the MLIS and LIT programmes
By Jenn Cox, Michelle Mallette, Kathleen O’Brien, and Christina Neigel

30 CASLIS Almanac
Upcoming events

30 People in the News

31 CASLIS Directory

Lily Mac
President, CASLIS Toronto Chapter

A Luddite in the library

2009-11-23T15:47:00.005-05:00

This Diana Wagman opinion piece from the Los Angeles Times was passed on to me by a Toronto Star reporter who said it reminded him of me. I can see where he's coming from, despite my technical expertise, I really am a luddite at heart!

A Luddite in the library by Diana Wagman, Los Angeles Times, Nov. 22, 2009
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-wagman22-2009nov22,0,3706824.story

Astrid Lange
Listserv and Publicity Coordinator, CASLIS Toronto

CASLIS/SLA/FIAA Holiday Social

2009-11-23T15:35:00.001-05:00

We cordially invite you to attend our annual holiday social in the Great Hall of the Arts and Letters Club

Lily Mac, 2009-2010 President, CASLIS Toronto
Joy Shanfield, 2009 President, SLA Toronto Chapter
Claire Lysnes, 2010 President, SLA Toronto Chapter
Kim Silk, 2009-2011 President, Faculty of Information Alumni Association (FIAA)

Join your CASLIS, SLA and FIAA friends and colleagues to celebrate the holiday season.

Enjoy a delicious selection of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres and raise a glass of good cheer as you toast 2009.

Date:
Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Time:
5:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Cocktails (cash bar) and hors d’oeuvres will be served

Location:
Arts and Letters Club of Toronto
14 Elm St.

Cost:
CASLIS Toronto Members/SLA Toronto Members/Alumni of the Faculty of Information, U of T: $25.00
Non-Members: $35.00
Retired/Not Employed/Students: $15.00

Registration Information:
http://units.sla.org/chapter/ctor/events/register.asp?eid=271
Registration closes Saturday November 28th, 2009

This event is generously sponsored by SLA Toronto Chapter Partner CEDROM-SNi

November Program Review

2009-11-22T22:11:00.012-05:00

An Evening for Leaders: Preparing Ourselves for the Future

On November 4, CASLIS had the pleasure of hosting a presentation by Vicki Whitmell on “Leadership, Skills and Knowledge: How We Can Prepare Ourselves and Our Staff for the Future.” The Executive Director of the Information Technology and Services Division, and Librarian at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, Vicki addressed leadership and information technology skills—two competencies acquiring increased importance in the library and information science (LIS) field.

The event took place at the Nicholas Hoare bookstore in Toronto, on a rainy evening. Surrounded by hundreds of books, elegant brown bookshelves, the interesting architectural features of an indoor balcony, and the pleasant company of attendees, Vicki’s presentation had the intimate quality of a mentor sharing useful tips with colleagues.

Vicki began by proposing that librarians are an aging population, while social and technological developments require a skill set that older librarians may be lacking. New LIS vacancies and opportunities for advancement often require knowledge of electronic content management; digitization; database development; and other competencies that may not have been part of the curriculum of older library programs.

For librarians, the future does not look bleak, but does require some changes. Quoting the document, “The Big Bang: Creating the New Library Universe,” Vicki emphasized that “No job will be unchanged; some things we have always done, we will no longer do.” Libraries will increasingly become user-centered, developing and organizing collections, and providing access that reflects a constituency’s changing information needs. Librarianship will require leaders to keep abreast of these changes and make decisions on these developments.

Identifying and grooming future LIS leaders will be an important part of our field’s evolution. iSchools and library programs that emphasize “the relationship between information, people and technology,” and encourage a broad understanding of diverse expertise within the information field, are good places where to begin the search. However, current librarians will need to acquire leadership skills themselves, before this process can take place. This is not a tall order, affirmed Vicki. There is a leader in all of us, and there are many opportunities to acquire these skills. Informal leadership, for example, can be developed as we build relationships with other colleagues, train new ones, and become role models to others.

Following the presentation, attendees had a chance to pose questions. One of the most interesting queries came from a gentleman who proposed that managers with an information technology (IT) background might not be the best choice to lead a library, and asked how librarians can demonstrate they are also capable of becoming CIOs. Vicki answered that IT professionals have actively sought leadership roles, and in the process have associated their expertise with “leadership.” Librarians must do the same, redefining “information science” more broadly to include LIS, seeking leadership roles, demonstrating competence as leaders, and acquiring the skills necessary to be able to efficiently manage IT workers.

The evening concluded with a chance to mingle and speak to Vicki one-to-one, before heading back out into the damp streets of Toronto.

Presentation slides for this event can be retrieved from http://www.caslistoronto.on.ca.

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

Photos - October and November programs

2009-11-18T20:52:00.005-05:00

Our first two events were a success. If you would like to see a few snapshots from those enjoyable evenings please click the links below:

October 15th 2009 event, featuring Ezra Silverton from the Toronto Web Design & SEO Company, "What does the future of the Web hold?"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36772867@N04/sets/72157622654739057/

November 4th 2009 event, featuring Vicki Whitmell from the Legislative Assembly of Ontario “Leadership, Skills and Knowledge: How We Can Prepare Ourselves and Our Staff for the Future”

http://www.flickr.com/photos/36772867@N04/sets/72157622778849472/

Enjoy!

Raluca
Photographer, CASLIS Toronto Chapter

October Program Review

2009-11-13T16:12:00.000-05:00

On October 15th, CASLIS Toronto kicked off their programming year by celebrating the past and looking into the future which, as CASLIS TO President Lily Mac noted, is of particular relevance, given that librarianship and the information field are forward looking disciplines, with a vital role in the future of our organizations. Looking forward also helped us to celebrate how far we’ve come as a profession, and was a fitting way to celebrate October, which was Canadian Library Month.

Hosted at Ryerson University, guest speaker Ezra Silverton, from 9th Sphere, spoke about to the group about the evolution of the web as a tool, and the future of the internet as it relates to business, networking and more. He touched on the history of the web from his perspective as someone who has been working “online” since the early 90’s, offering a good overview of what has come before and, perhaps more importantly, emphasizing that we are still in the very early days of the internet’s evolution, with much of its full potential still laying ahead of us, which was a key takeaway from the evening.

Ezra’s presentation served as fodder for a lively and impassioned discussion amongst those in attendance. The conversation ran the gamut from trepidation and curiosity to excitement and detailed discussion of the concepts of the future of the web. Topics discussed included cloud computing, server needs and the aggregation of increasingly more data as well all move towards a web 3.0 world. Shrugging off the notion of the staid and quiet librarian, event attendees dug into the subject matter and were happy to pipe up and share experiences and opinions.

As much as the content of the presentation, the debate made for a great event. What’s more, the debate and discussions around the room were a fantastic reminder of the value of Professional Development programming, like CASLIS’, which serve our professional community and bring us together to discuss our work and share ideas and passions alike. To me, this is the real value of associations, and underlines why I continue not only to attend events, but also to serve as an association volunteer, so that I can give back to my community as well as take away the valuable lessons and food for thought that provides.

To download a copy of Ezra Silverton’s presentation “What does the future of the web hold?” please see the CASLIS Toronto Website.

Eileen Lewis,
Vice President, CASLIS Toronto Chapter

University needs Grateful Dead archivist

2009-11-12T20:16:00.002-05:00

As Lily mentioned in her introductory message, this blog will be used to post information about CASLIS Toronto and its events, but also news of interest to the library and information community. Sometimes that news can be fun ...

Anyone a fan of the Grateful Dead and looking for an information career? The University of California needs you!

Astrid Lange
Listserv and Publicity Coordinator, CASLIS Toronto

Welcome to our new blog!

2009-11-09T23:52:00.002-05:00

On behalf of the CASLIS Toronto Chapter executive, I would like to personally welcome you to our new blog. We are thrilled to create this new tool to connect with our members and colleagues in Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area.

Our goal for developing this blog is to reach out to librarians and information professionals. As a communication tool, this blog will help connect our members and colleagues together who work in such diverse areas as business, health, law, non-profit, and media. And as a learning tool, this blog will be a medium for knowledge and information exchange. We'll be bringing you up to date news on CASLIS Toronto and the library and information community, and new this year we'll be reporting on our programs to help bring the programs out to you.

But it's not just the CASLIS executive who will be contributing to this blog. We would love to hear from you. Feel free to share your comments, or connect with us if you would like to contribute to a blog posting!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us. We hope you enjoy our new blog and we look forward to your comments!

Lily Mac
President, CASLIS Toronto Chapter