vol 6, no 1 (2014)

BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 1 (2014)

http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118

President’s Report By Gwen Bird.

In my last Browser column I referenced upcoming

work to develop a new mission statement for our

Association. I’m pleased to report on both the

process and result of that work now. First things first—

here it is: Advancing BC Libraries Together. I hope

your response to this statement is as enthusiastic as

mine, and that of the many groups and individuals

who participated in our process to arrive at it. Let me

walk you through the process we took to get here, as

I think it provides a great example of BCLA members,

staff, and Board working together.

The 2012-2013 Board knew we wanted to follow

consideration of BCLA’s new strategic plan with

development of revised Mission, Vision, and Values

statements. The old ones were really showing their

age, now thought to be too long, and in need of

refreshing for prominent display on the Association’s

new website. We provided whiteboards and markers

in the registration area of the BC Libraries Conference

in spring 2013 and collected a substantial amount of

wide-ranging input from conference attendees on

words or phrases they’d like to see included in BCLA’s

mission, vision and values statements. The compiled

list of this input was discussed at a fall Board meeting,

where we noted key themes—collaboration,

connection, community, leadership. In addition,

there were many concepts less frequently

mentioned, but perhaps no less important to those

who contributed them—threads of privacy, freedom

of access, advocacy, activism, even “creative

destruction!” Following a thorough Board discussion,

a small subcommittee crafted several draft mission

and vision statements for consideration and these

were distributed to the chairs and convenors of all

Interest Groups, Sections and Committees. An in-

person consultation with representatives from a

dozen of these groups was held at the BCLA office in

late November. We had a good discussion that

evening, endorsing the selected mission statement

and a preferred vision statement. Input from those

unable to attend the meeting was accepted by

email and via one-on-one meetings on request.

The participation of the members at the group event

in November was highly rewarding for me as

President. Each representative there had consulted

with their constituents, came prepared to engage at

a strategic level, and we avoided devolving into a

group wordsmithing exercise (we’ve all been there!).

BCLA Executive Director Annette DeFaveri supplied

useful documents ahead of time, reminding

participants that a mission statement should be brief

and catchy—in the age of social media, we need a

shorter-than-tweetable phrase that grabs peoples’

attention and summarizes why we exist. The vision

statement, perhaps slightly longer, is an aspirational

statement that conveys where we want to be in the

future.

The group chose the selected mission statement as

the one that best conveys a strong sense of forward

momentum, collective effort, and the importance of

our library networks. We also discussed the fact that

the statement speaks of advancing libraries, whereas

many of our activities and benefits actually accrue to

library people (as individuals). After unpacking this

idea, we agreed that while the latter is true, the

reason we do what we do—indeed why we exist at

all—is because of the libraries themselves, including

the people who run them and work in them. As for

the vision statement, one concept that comes up in

each discussion of this is the idea of “full

membership,” that is, support from library workers at

all levels in all types of libraries everywhere in the

province.

When the proposed mission and vision statements

came back to the Board at our December meeting,

the mission was unanimously approved. We have a

bit more work to do fine-tuning the vision statement,

and we’re now also ready to move on to

consideration of the values that guide our work as an

association.



So there you have it—the BC Library Association:

Advancing BC Libraries Together.

You’ll begin to see our new mission statement on

BCLA materials—the soon to be unveiled new

website, printed materials, and other official

communications from BCLA. Personally, I’m as

pleased with our process to get here as I am with our

bold and concise new mission statement. To my

mind, it represents the best of our group working

together, and it gave me a glimpse into the

wonderful support and even loyalty our members

have for this organization. I look forward to more of

this as we further consider the related vision and

values statements, and then continue to build

momentum toward our conference in a few short

months. Stay tuned!

Gwen Bird is the Executive Director of COPPUL,

the Council of Prairie and Pacific University

Libraries consortia.



UFV Library and Information Technology

Program reunion By Christina Neigel.

For 33 years, the Library and Information Technology

program at UFV has been in operation. In November

and in partnership with UFV’s Alumni Relations, the

Library and Information Technology Department

held a reception to celebrate the hard work and

dedication of students, faculty, alumni, practicum

and site visit hosts, guest speakers and advisory

committee participants. Guests enjoyed moving

speeches, edible delicacies, and live music while

reconnecting with colleagues and friends. Over one

thousand dollars was raised to support the Pat Sifton

Leadership Endowment which supports program

students who demonstrate outstanding contributions

to the community.

Despite the many changes the program and the field

experience, the fantastic contributions of our

graduates would not be possible without the

commitment of our professional community. For this

reason, UFV’s Library and Information Technology

faculty and staff look forward to planning the next

celebration!

Christina Neigel is Associate Professor at UFV, Library

and Information Department.



New technical services award By Janette McConville.

The BCLA Cataloguing and Technical Services

Interest Group (BCCATS) is very pleased to announce

the establishment of a new Technical Services Award

for BC libraries. This award recognizes an individual or

unit working in technical services that have

demonstrated excellence and/or made a difference

to users and colleagues in British Columbia in the

area of Technical Services.

Nomination criteria for the BCCATS Technical Services

Award will include at least some of the following:

Demonstrated impact on users, the library and/or

colleagues across BC

Demonstrated collaboration with colleagues or other

institutions

Worthy of inspiring similar efforts within the profession

Must have worked in B.C. within the past year

All nominations submitted by February 15, 2014 will be

considered by the BCCATS awards committee for the

current year’s awards.

Nomination forms are available on the Cataloguing

and Technical Services (BCCATS) webpage:

http://www.bcla.bc.ca/bccats/default.aspx#.UtCGD

hD9y1w

Nominations can be emailed to Janette McConville

at [email protected].

Please note: Nominees or their institutions are

required to be BCLA members.

Janette McConville is the Chair of the BCLA

Cataloguing and Technical Services Interest Group.

http://www.bcla.bc.ca/bccats/default.aspx#.UtCGDhD9y1w

http://www.bcla.bc.ca/bccats/default.aspx#.UtCGDhD9y1w

http://webmail.bcla.bc.ca/imp/message.php?index=2625



Technology and the academic librarian:

Emerging, merging, and changing the

game By Caitlin Bakker.

At Technology and the academic librarian:

Emerging, merging, and changing the game, ALPS’s

December 2013 meeting, a series of seven lightning

talks highlighted the role of the academic librarian in

using, assessing, and repurposing existing tools and in

the development of new tools to better engage and

meet user needs. For those unable to attend the

event, or who would like to revisit the content, a

recording of all lightning talks is available at

http://www.ikebarberlearningcentre.ubc.ca/alps/.

Online instruction: Keeping it personal

In “Online Instruction: Keeping it Personal,” Ania

Dymarz (SFU) outlined her goal of creating a more

personalized learning experience for 280 students in a

first year Kinesiology course. As is the case with many

library instruction sessions, objectives included

familiarizing students with the physical library,

introducing students to library resources, and

teaching students how to evaluate those resources.

In addition to the number of students, in-person

library instruction was further complicated by the

renovations which were underway at the Bennett

Library at that time. As a result, an online module was

developed with the goal of helping students feel

more comfortable in a physical library space without

the benefit of being taught within that space.

Strategies included incorporating self-guided tours

and web-based assignments which would require

students to physically visit the library space to retrieve

print resources.

To use or not to use: Should academic libraries

be using Web 2.0 tools to engage students and

faculty?

Laura Thorne (UBC-Okanagan)’s “To use or not to

use: Should academic libraries be using Web 2.0 tools

to engage students and faculty?” presented the

results of a research study conducted between

December 2012 and April 2013 on the use of social

media in academic libraries. Defining social media as

internet applications that can be used to facilitate

two-way communications and knowledge

exchanges, Thorne and her collaborator, Sarah

Nicholson, investigated the effectiveness of social

media tools at one mid-sized academic library.

Through surveys, it was found that 74% of students felt

it would be worthwhile to engage with the library via

social media, but only 9% were doing so. Thorne and

Nicholson set out to explore the reasons behind this

discrepancy, including a lack of awareness and the

necessity of timely, relevant, and personalized

content. Despite the enthusiasm of the respondents,

it was clearly found that social media was seen as a

value-added service rather than a replacement for

more traditional reference and instruction services.

Teaching via Skype: The Rashomon Effect

Engaging a classroom of learners can be

challenging, but it may prove an even greater

challenge with a technological intermediary. Liaison

Librarian Holly Hendrigan (SFU Surrey) examined the

difference between the librarian and the faculty

instructor’s assessment of an online library session in

“Teaching via Skype: The Rashomon Effect.”

Hendrigan drew on her experience providing library

via Skype instruction for a graduate-level Education

course in Nanaimo. The session did not allow the

librarian to receive visual feedback from the students

or instructor and the librarian relied on the instructor

to advance slides, click hyperlinks, and enter search

terms. While the librarian felt that the session had

been less than ideal, the faculty member reported

that the students were fully engaged.

Web literacy standards and open badges

In “Web literacy standards and open badges,”

Cynthia Ng (CILS, Langara) described the potential

applicability of the open badges system for libraries

and library instruction. Badges can represent the

achievement of skills and be connected to

competencies, such as those outlined in Mozilla’s

http://www.ikebarberlearningcentre.ubc.ca/alps/



web literacy standards (available at

www.webmaker.org).

While students are familiar with traditional forms of

self-advocacy such as resumes, open badges were

discussed as a means of enhancing the traditional

resume through a more robust web presence. As the

visible metadata includes the issuer, an institutional

affiliation has the potential to add prestige to the

badge.

Experimenting with shifting sands: UBC Library’s

Localized Open Online Course (LOOC)

partnership

UBC’s recent foray into the world of Localized Open

Online Courses, or LOOCs, was described by Erin

Fields. M101 was designed as a flexible learning

space focusing on developing digital literacy skills

from conducting research to synthesizing information

to creating content. It contains forums in which

participants are able to offer ratings and

commentary as a means of engagement and to

provide feedback on the design of the educational

units. It was noted in discussion that one benefit of

the LOOC may be as a professional development

tool for faculty and staff within the community.

It was found that there were some challenges

regarding understanding of intellectual property and

copyright law among participants. In response, a unit

was developed to serve as an orientation to some

basic principles of copyright. The possibility of

incorporating open badges is also under

consideration.

Flexible learning support for a first year business

course

In “Flexible learning support for a first year business

course,” Lindsay Ure (UBC) discussed a project in

which an online information sources tutorial was

created for a first-year business course. The business

context of the module was of the utmost importance

as in business there is not only less of an emphasis on

traditional scholarly resources, but also a very wide

variety of potential sources. One of the goals of the

project was to raise awareness of the variety of

resources available.

Four videos were developed focusing on credible

sources of information for research assignments,

career research, and on-the-job research, as well as

the various types of information sources, and how to

find and evaluate information. Videos were

embedded into quiz questions, which were made

available through the course management system.

As part of the course, pretest and posttest questions

were developed to help the librarian determine the

impact of previous library instruction, see how

students chose the best sources of information for

their research, and measure whether awareness of

information would improve after the tutorial.

Assessment of these pre and post-test questions

found no significant difference or, in the case of two

questions, negative results. It was noted that user

testing of questions during development may offer

further insight.

Qualitative data analysis support for researchers

Nicole White (SFU) described the Research

Commons’ recently introduced NVivo service, which

provides qualitative data analysis support for

graduate students and researchers. Essentially, NVivo

is a software package which helps to organize and

analyze unstructured qualitative data and allows the

user to test theories and identify trends.

To support the software, two graduate students have

been hired to act as peer facilitators. These students

had been using the software independently in their

own departments and therefore possessed significant

experience with the tools. Their responsibilities include

one-on-one consultations, responding to e-mail

inquiries, teaching workshops, and offering general

course-integrated instruction sessions.

White noted that there had been significant cross-

disciplinary interest in the software beyond the

anticipated social sciences which included

researchers in education, business, and applied

science, among other disciplines. Following the

deployment of the software, assessment has now

begun to examine who is using the software and how

the service may better meet user needs.

Caitlin Bakker is the Digital Initiatives Librarian at the

University of Northern British Columbia.

http://www.webmaker.org/



Emily Carr Branch goes Uptown By Lynne Jordon.

The Greater Victoria Public Library (GVPL) started the

new year with a bang by opening the doors to its

newly relocated Emily Carr Branch at the Uptown

shopping complex in Saanich on January 6, 2014.

GVPL had identified the relocation of the branch as

the top priority in its 2010 facilities plan Making Space

for the Future. While a much-loved fixture in the

neighbourhood, the old branch suffered from lack of

elevator access between the two floors, was

landlocked between two major, one-ways roads and

had limited site parking. The inflexible space no

longer met staff and patrons’ needs. As a result,

branch usage dropped over the years.

When looking for a new site for the branch the

mantra was location, location, location. The Uptown

site is across the street from the old branch and,

fittingly, was the former site of the Town & Country

Shopping Plaza where the original Victoria-Saanich

Branch was in the 1960s. With thousands of people

visiting Uptown every day to shop, work and use

other services, it was the logical location for the

library.

The new branch is a marked departure from the old

branch with bright, modern fixtures and flexible

space. Much of the building design is inspired by the

library’s namesake with the interior featuring

reproductions of two of Emily Carr’s paintings, Odds &

Ends and Blue Sky, courtesy of the Art Gallery of

Greater Victoria, and the outdoor reading garden

including plantings mentioned in her writings on

wildflowers.

New technologies are front and centre at the branch

including an innovative, made-at-GVPL solution for

self-checkouts. The new self-checkouts use

touchscreen tablets and a scanner at a fraction of

the cost of standard library self-checkouts. Patrons

have the option to scan their physical library card,

enter their library card number or scan the library

card barcode from a smartphone. They can pay

their fines instantly using Visa or Mastercard and can

choose to have their receipt emailed to them

thereby saving paper.

The Emily Carr Branch is also the first GVPL site to use

to an automated materials handling system for self-

check in. Staff have nicknamed the machine Aggie,

and she is already proving her value by freeing up

staff from materials processing so they can spend

more time helping patrons and getting library

materials on the shelves more quickly. Aggie has also

proved to be great entertainment for patrons who

enjoy watching their items travel down the conveyor

belt!

Other key features of the new branch include:

Stunning views and lots of natural light for reading.

A modern space with flexible furnishings, including

collapsible tables, chairs on wheels and mobile

shelving, which can be easily reconfigured

depending on programming and patron needs.

Outdoor reading garden.

GVPL CEO Maureen Sawa and Saanich Mayor

Frank Leonard at the official ribbon cutting

ceremony. Photo by Susie Jones, GVPL.

Flexible seating and lots of natural light at the new

Emily Carr Branch at Uptown. Photo by Susie

Jones, GVPL.



Emily Carr Branch construction team. Left to right:

Kate Phelan, Wensley Architects, Vancouver Office;

Jen Chapman Story, Story Construction; Stewart Story,

Story Construction; Doug Wong, Wensley Architects,

Victoria Office; Lynne Jordon, Greater Victoria Public

Library; ArieVanderhoeven; Heather Kallos, Heather

Kallos Interior Design. Missing: Von Bishop, District of

Saanich. Photo by Susie Jones, GVPL.

Interactive

children’s learning

panels purchased

with a grant from

IslandLink

Federation.

Adjusted hours to

accommodate a

Monday opening,

which has been

long desired by

the community.

Although it is early days, the new branch is

demonstrating that if you build it, they will come. On

opening day, more than 1,100 people visited the

branch, which is one of four Saanich branches. The

branch also welcomed many new members who

signed up for library cards. “People do vote with their

feet and this is clearly where they want us to be,” said

GVPL CEO Maureen Sawa.

Lynne Jordon is the Deputy CEO & Director, Strategic

Development at the Greater Victoria Public Library.

Lynne is responsible for facilities and strategic

planning, and the oversight of collections and

technical services. Emily Carr Branch relocation is the

third building project she has completed at GVPL.



A Librarians’ Conversation for SFU Public Square’s Community Summit By Phil Hall, Janis McKenzie, Christina Neigel, Kevin Stranack, Jenny Wile, Maryann Kempthorne.

If you walked into a local community group and presented yourself as a librarian, what could you offer them? Do you think they would find you useful? Do you have any value to add to their struggles to define their community's political, economic, and cultural future? Could you do this without a physical collection? Without a building? Even without an institution? Since September 2013, the authors, a group of Metro Vancouver librarians, has been struggling with these questions and we don't have all the answers but we do have lots of ideas and more questions and we thank SFU Public Square for starting the conversation. Members of the group held a “Community Conversation” on Sept. 9, 2013; part of the SFU Public Square “100 Community Conversations”1 program. We called it a “Librarian’s Conversation” and discussed how we can help communities determine and achieve their future goals. In particular we talked about what librarians’ roles are to support communities that wish to inform themselves about the economic and cultural changes within their own region, the province, and, ultimately, the world. The group reported back to SFU Public Square and participated at the SFU Community Summit on B.C’.s Economic Future. A Discussion Guide2 authored for the SFU Public Square seeded the Community Conversations. Although the report was somewhat narrow and top-down in its outlook, it succeeded in giving us fodder for our conversation. Christina Neigel commented, the Discussion Guide “...frankly, reduces a number of complex phenomenon to an eerily government-like agenda.” [and] …. “ it shelves social issues under the broader notion of the 'economy’”. With that kind of colouring-outside-the-lines, our conversation was spirited, wide-ranging and energizing. The SFU Public Square asked us to submit a “Note Takers Report” back to them using a highly-structured online form with sections titled: “Hopes and Concerns for BC’s Economic Future”, “Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats” [for the BC Economy], “Top Actions for BC’s Economic Future” and “Additional Actions to Address Social Equity”. Because of the complexity of the issues, the

documentation process and the short time frame, we felt that we have more questions than answers about BC’s economic future. We tried to record the results of our conversation more or less under the headings they requested (with some omissions). What follows is substantially as we reported back to SFU Public Square (with some additions based on our further conversations). We want to say again that this is not a complete discussion, nor a complete recommendation, but represents merely the beginning of a discussion. We hope for feedback and further participation. Hopes and Concerns (for BC’s Economic Future)

Hopes

We hope that all British Columbians have equal access to resources that help inform their economic choices and the choices of their respective communities. Having access to a range of useful, respectful information sources that take advantage of the speed, breadth, and socializing effect of networked resources assists in informed decision making. In addition, all British Columbians, in all socio-economic situations, require access to public spaces and opportunities to connect with their communities in a range of physical and online arenas. Both resources and forums help counteract the effects of the “filter bubble" and "echo chambers", caused by the algorithms and practices that exist in social media and news media sites which suggest or promote like-minded information. Echo chambers that limit our results lists to what an algorithm decides we want to see contribute to reduced community understanding and participation by reducing the variety of viewpoints and open dialogues. The effects of such bubbles and chambers have been observed in BC politics and discourse as tangibly as weak voter participation and a profound shift in household spending and debt management. Librarians can help British Columbians facilitate the free flow of political discourse and action and through a community driven selection of educational tools. Through providing tools for individuals and collectives to have an informed participation in our communities



British Columbians can more easily lay claim to their economy. Using a breadth of tools and expertise, librarians help communities make effective informed decisions and take action. We hope that British Columbians will continue to have access to diverse information sources and will continue to use it in ways that foster their own education and creativity. Concerns

Information seekers are increasingly given fewer and less interactive information sources. As mentioned above, Google, Facebook and other social media and searching software purposely narrow the focus of searches and enforce similar interests thereby cutting down on the range opinions and viewpoints. In addition, the range of information sources regularly used differs with age, education, and socio-economic status. Community responsibility and success depends on informed and engaged constituents who can make meaningful and relevant choices about their role in the broader spheres of governance. However, those who access fewer information sources are likely to receive a less rounded perspective on the subjects that affect BC’s future. There is a broad-based assumption that the deluge of online and traditional media is a) easily available to all and b) used meaningfully and effectively by all. However, it has been observed by this professional group that many continue to restrict their sources to mainstream “old-media”, receiving limited, if any, news and discussion about their local communities especially if they do not live in the urban areas. Increasingly, B.C.’s citizens, especially those with less free time to seek out sources, even if they use online interactive media for information sources, may fall into the trap of only receiving information that sustains a more limited world view (coined in terms of the Echo Chamber or Filter Bubble effect). All of these scenarios hamper the pursuit of collective, consensual, solutions that improve the development of an equitable economy. Top Actions for BC’s Economic Future

[Just as the framework and guide from SFU marked the beginning of a conversation, so are these “top” actions which were part of the SFU Notetakers Form. We hope they spur more lively discussion and welcome other points of views. These are some actions that came out of the discussion.] 1. Close the “gap” in economics discussions that remove politics and political power from the

equation. Although a framework is helpful for dialogue, illustrating a variety of interpretations of BCs economy and acknowledging the politics that create it would engender a more informed discussion. 2. Empower local decision makers to investigate the more complex attitudes, conditions, and experiences of their communities by acknowledging that their communities do not have a voice that is clearly heard through conventional communications and practices because those conventions ignore the inequities of access that are the product of uneven socio-economic status. 3. Identify, from the community’s perspective, what is missing from top-down institutionally driven processes, by providing more frequent and authentic discourse through online and physical public spaces. What are the questions that they want to ask and answer? 4. Ask all the communities in BC: what are the next steps they want to take to re-make their futures? This could be framed in ways that have specific relevance to individual communities. For example, when faced with profound economic decisions driving the future of a community, investigating how communities view their relationships with other communities at a grassroots level will better inform political process. 5. Encourage and support (financially) local governments to host regular and varied forms of activities that invite civic engagement that goes beyond entertainment and offers communities ways of exploring their own future from diverse perspectives. Additional Actions to Address Social Equity

This Conversation process is very top-down. While we appreciate the efforts of SFU Public Square in initiating this discourse, The Discussion Guide doesn’t necessarily reflect the nature of BC economy now and ignores the significant issue of "politics". It is an “aspirational” document but, like many documents of this nature, validates itself by defending the points of view of the institutions that traditionally dominate provincial discourse and decision-making. We have to get past this because our communities are going to move past it - with or without the mainstream institutions. In other words, there are ways of looking at the possibilities and challenges of our future that are not framed in terms of economics. While economics is an important and necessary consideration for implementing decisions, it reduces



our 'conversations' to a narrow view of how to face the future and limits innovative thinking. Our group believes that the BC economy is still heavily dependent upon resource industries3. The services sector that features so prominently in the Guide’s economic analysis, including (especially) the Finance, Insurance, and Real estate industry, figures prominently because many of its functions exist to support the resource industry. The recent BC election, especially the winning campaign, with its focus on “Jobs and Growth” and featuring key resource developments such as LNG export, echoes this predomination of resources in BC. Resource extraction is a permanent alteration to our environmental 'bank account' - a withdrawal that cannot be later returned and, for this very reason, communities need to be making very careful and informed decisions about this practice. This is hard to achieve when individual citizens feel disconnected because they are only invited into public discourse in polarized ways - proponents or critical activists. As evidenced by their continued support of public libraries, British Columbians simply want an opportunity to explore, reflect and influence decisions in ways that protect the livelihood and future of their families. But opportunities and encouragement are limited. We believe that actions to address social equity, as well as economic improvement, must address the diversity of place in BC. Every city, town, and village must recognize themselves in those actions. They must be broad and show that they can lead to increased economic equality for anyone anywhere. So how do we get there? Perhaps we should look to social actions in the past. For example, the roots of adult education are radical and are about communities defining their needs and empowering themselves. Here is where institutions can return the spirit of power back to communities. In this case we are thinking of libraries because we are librarians: in their current and historical roles, libraries support free unfettered expression and provide a mental space for dialogue and discourse. In reality, all provincial institutions should have a part in the solution but we are not going to solve economic problems until we understand how these institutions, even libraries, have a history of class bias and that this bias persists as a result of flawed “consultation processes” in the history of this province and the institutions within it.

So how do we do this?

We ask the community what kind of radical actions they need and want. It is a classic community development question. Institutions in BC (in which we include libraries and our own profession) often engage in the arrogant practice of “consulting” rather than fostering and aiding unfettered communication in a non-institutionally-prescribed way. For example, without soliciting opinions of BC communities, the “100 Community Conversations” asked them questions based on an economic analysis that may not include them. As a result, we have asked them to literally try to think of solutions within the “filter bubble” that is that analysis. When we do this, community members will not recognize themselves or their neighbours in the stories offered to describe those solutions and we will have alienation where we wanted participation. In follow-up discussions among the authors (and additional librarians) throughout the fall of 2013, we identified the need to engage library practitioners and professionals individually and not just as a result of their institutional employment. Perhaps this is our radical moment in the discipline of librarianship: we want to challenge library practitioners to individually answer their own question: “What can I do for you today?” We want to look at whether librarianship adds value to communities in a future where we may not have the collections and facilities that have traditionally backed us up. For “next steps”, in addition to the traditional professional events and discourse of librarianship, we want to stage participatory events and ask practitioners to propose ways that they can add value to communities based on their own professional abilities and outlook. Notes: 1. http://www.sfu.ca/publicsquare/community-summit/2013summit/community-conversations.html 2. http://www.sfu.ca/content/dam/sfu/publicsquare/ summit2013/files/summit2013-discussionGuide-FIN-WEB.pdf 3. http://www.vancouversun.com/business/ Christy+Clark+says+budget+black+resource+sector+powers+economy/9418106/story.html

Phil Hall has been a librarian serving various communities in BC for the past 26 years; Janis McKenzie is Head, Information

and Instruction at SFU Library; Christina Neigel is Associate Professor at UFV, Library and Information Department; Kevin

Stranack is Coordinator of Community Services and Learning (Open Source Projects) at SFU Library; Jenny Wile is

Manager, Information Services at Surrey Public Library; Maryann Kempthorne is Access & Learning Specialist at BC

Libraries Cooperative.



The Feature Effect: Library Technicians embracing Collections Promotion By Michelle Ward.

At Okanagan College, library technicians are encouraged to derive displays in our campus libraries as a longstanding strategy to promote services, facilities and collections. New item arrivals are a standard display at each library. In addition, at the start of every term to ensure a continuous turnover of feature displays, each library develops a “loose” schedule of themes based on cultural holidays and important events. Priority is given to campus events such as student orientations, and link-ups with student-driven events; e.g. Student Union celebration of International Women’s Day which in Kelowna is collaboratively sited out front of the library. Library visits with display tie-ins to entice non-traditional students into the library are encouraged; e.g. carpentry & woodworking for the Trades. Library staff react to impromptu opportunities to build features around controversial issues; e.g. in Penticton, Idle No More. Most importantly, public services staff are ideally placed to see topic demands and to raise ideas for features that promote collections relevant to coursework. Increasingly these features are more proactive and ambitious. The context being the impetus of new programming at campuses, the building of supporting collections, changing circulation patterns, the transformation of collections from print to digital and more integrated contact between the Library and student learning; e.g. librarian-led research skills sessions. Supervising campus librarians, subject liaison librarians and faculty are now bringing ideas to the staff for displays to promote collections at the level of courses and timed to coincide with assignments and instruction. Smaller campus libraries conduct displays both in and beyond the library. Penticton staff defy cramped space in the Library with innovative bulletin board features. Permanent lockable display units have been devoted to library features in the main office foyer in Salmon Arm and at campus building entrances in Penticton where, for example, resources for new programming in sustainable construction technology have been highlighted. Vernon staff even took their efforts beyond the campus for an Okanagan College information event

at a local hockey arena. With help from colleagues at several campus libraries, staff scanned book covers and title pages of article publications by OC faculty that were converted to posters promoting both collections and faculty expertise.

Vernon Library Technician Karen Friesen proudly promoting the poster display of OC authors’ works.

Close up of Okanagan College Authors’ Display.

The Kelowna library benefits from a large foyer space through which users must enter the library to reach service points. Mobile display units can be pushed between the foyer and the student “hot-spot” of the Information Commons. In conjunction with Remembrance Day in November 2013, a multi-department collaboration called



Canadians at War & as Peacekeepers promoted books, e-books and media from across our collections in support of Canadian history courses and featured unique military maps loaned from the private collection of an Okanagan College Geography professor, as well as military personnel gear loaned by a History professor and the family of a library staffer. Media publicity has brought the attention of the community to the library collection and faculty expertise.

Geography Professor Terence Day & History Professor Howard Hisdal discuss the finer points of their collaboration with the Kelowna library.

Military map featured in the Kelowna library.

Features are expanding across time and campuses. A Kelowna display featuring new titles for GEOG201 Food & Society and its specific book review assignment took on an extended life as professors in

Women Studies and University Writing adopted the theme in their assignments. The display became a travelling-show as the theme was picked up at two other campuses. In Fall 2013 the course was run at a second campus with the two professors involved requesting the feature. Library staff collaborated on a shared simultaneous feature at both libraries. The diversity of our collections is now more visibly promoted across our campuses. A Library technician from Salmon Arm expresses a commitment shared with her colleagues: “Displays of items are fun to do and involve research, creativity and relevancy.” Supervising librarians comment that these features are a definite strategy for job enrichment for our library technicians and clerks. Supervisors and subject librarians provide general guidance on focus and content, and help with curatorial aspects such as faculty co-ordination and publicity, but the rest is laid open for the staff to derive. Skill sets developed by staff include: • research skills in the selection of relevant and

diverse sources with the scope to express their intellectual input;

• creativity with the design of posters, signage, layout and the sourcing of props;

• technological skills with scanning, • creation of Prezi media shows to use on a digital

monitor within the display zone; • administrative tasks such as spread-sheeting lists

for archival purposes on the shared Library network,

• and tracking the circulation of display items using their ILS circulation module skills.

Enhanced teamwork and collaboration are valuable results as staff will pool their individual skills and value each other’s areas of strength to create the best feature they can. The power of the features is in presenting libraries whose staff and services are vibrant, learner-focused and engaged with faculty, and the scope and diversity of our Library collections are out-there!

Michelle Ward is Kelowna Campus Librarian at

Okanagan College.



UFV Library and Information Technology

Program reunion By Christina Neigel.

For 33 years, the Library and Information Technology

program at UFV has been in operation. In November

and in partnership with UFV’s Alumni Relations, the

Library and Information Technology Department

held a reception to celebrate the hard work and

dedication of students, faculty, alumni, practicum

and site visit hosts, guest speakers and advisory

committee participants. Guests enjoyed moving

speeches, edible delicacies, and live music while

reconnecting with colleagues and friends. Over one

thousand dollars was raised to support the Pat Sifton

Leadership Endowment which supports program

students who demonstrate outstanding contributions

to the community.

Despite the many changes the program and the field

experience, the fantastic contributions of our

graduates would not be possible without the

commitment of our professional community. For this

reason, UFV’s Library and Information Technology

faculty and staff look forward to planning the next

celebration!

Christina Neigel is Associate Professor at UFV, Library

and Information Department.



>Hello, World! 2014 BC Library Conference By Shirley Lew & Baharak Yousefi.

On behalf of the 2014 BC Library Conference

Planning Committee, it is our pleasure and privilege

to share with you our unbridled enthusiasm for this

year’s conference program. As announced in the

call for proposals last fall, this year’s conference

theme is >Hello, World! which we hope captures a

sense of optimism, creativity, exploration, and

engagement with the world.

From the beginning, we hoped for speakers,

presentations, and conversations which capture and

honour our library communities in their richest

diversity. We believe that we will be able to mobilize

our best energies when we take inspiration and

guidance from the many, not the few, and we are

thrilled with the results. With the call for proposals, we

asked for submissions that responded to one of the

five conference themes: access, evidence,

community, place, and work. We also approached

people outside of the library world who have

valuable things to share in these areas. The response

from both these groups was tremendous. From the

library community, we received thirty percent more

submissions this year. From those outside of the library

world, we were met with immediate enthusiasm and

willingness to share their work with us and to forge

new relationships and alliances with the library

community. The response buoyed our spirits and

indicated to us the reserve of potential we have yet

to explore.

We are blown away, humbled, and delighted that

Ivan Coyote, Marian Bantjes, and Arundhati Roy will

be featured as the 2014 BCLC keynote speakers. For

us, their work, while greatly varied, represents an

opportunity to seek new orientations and to gain new

eyes. Among the invited speakers, we are privileged

to have a variety of perspectives such as Dethe Elza,

an Aesthetic Programmer who has worked with

Mozilla, Michael Heeney, Architect and Principal at

Bing Thom Architects and Susan Downs, the dynamic

Chief Librarian of truly innovative Innisfil Public Library

in Ontario.

In the past year, at BCLC and other library conferences,

symposiums, and colloquia, our community has gathered

to ask questions and summon inspiration: Are we there

yet? Do we have five years to live? What is your big idea

for libraries in communities? These are good questions

and have resulted in many great conversations. We hope

that you will keep asking questions and summoning

inspiration at this year’s conference and, most of all, we

hope that we can broaden the conversation and allow

for a diversity of voices and perspectives from both inside

and outside of libraries.

We are looking forward to seeing you in Vancouver and

hope that you will find BCLC 2014 to be a professionally

and personally energizing and rewarding experience. It is

our greatest hope that this year’s conference will

reconvene us as a collective who share a passion for the

future of libraries and the sessions and conversations will

be equal parts reflective, frank, creative, and forward

looking.

Shirley Lew is Coordinator, Library Systems & Technical

Services at VCC in Vancouver and the Co-Chair of

Program Planning Committee for BCLC 2014.

Baharak Yousefi is Head of SFU's Fraser Library in

Surrey and BCLC 2014 Conference Chair.

Baharak Yousefi Shirley Lew Photo by Lachlan Murray

vol 6, no 1 (2014)

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