Library and Information Science

Two terms that you probably cannot go without hearing these days –particularly so if you are in the library and information field - are social networking and Web 2.0. The two terms, of course, go together, where one, i.e. social marketing, essentially explains what the other, Web 2.0, is about. Professionals and corporations have come to realize that Web sites such as Facebook and Second Life are not only for college students but can be key tools for building connections and for customer base...Read Full Story

The Grande bibliothèque du Québec—Quebec’s bibliothèque nationale in downtown Montreal--was full of people of all ages at 3 p.m. yesterday afternoon. The elderly and the well-dressed mixed amiably with the young and the scruffy in the reading rooms at the document check-outs. It had been a long time since I’d visited—I usually use libraries which are nearer to where I live or the one at McGill—but I was looking for the English translation of Ensemble, C’est tout by Anna Gavalda for the next...Read Full Story

Starting off this blog and learning about other library blogs and Web sites has been an eye-opener for me. With this post I highlight just a few of the blogs and Web sites from my sidebar that I believe are worth further mention. CMRLS (Central Massachusetts Regional Library System) - For my part this is a beautifully laid out Web site with lots of resources for librarians and not just for those in the CMRLS. ilovelibraries.org - This a new site launched by yhe ALA (American Library...Read Full Story

I'm finding writing this blog quite cathartic, so I thought the next thing was to write about five reasons why I love and hate being a school librarian.Why I love itThe childrenThe children do make it worthwhile. I love the way they think, the enthusiasm and the way they seem to appreciate what I do for them.The challengeEvery day is a challenge. From the moment you unlock the library to the time you leave, its non-stop. Remember at those job interviews they ask you about prioritization? Well...Read Full Story

"The great end of life is not knowledge but action."Thomas Henry Huxley, British biologist (1825-1895)Advocacy has pretty much become a major buzzword within recent years. The term was, at a time, only associated with the legal profession, for after all, this is what a lawyer is; an advocate: one that speaks on behalf of, or pleads for the cause of another. But now, the term has become applicable to all such persons and activities that plead for and promote causes, whether inside or outside a...Read Full Story