SCL

SCL responds to Ofcom consultation

calleguen — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:33:55 +0000

The Society of Chief Librarians responded today to an Ofcom consultation about the online infringement of copyright and the Digital Economy Act:

Draft Initial Obligations Code.

You can read the consultation response here.

In the news – 28th July 2010

calleguen — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:36:21 +0000

Information World Review:

The Society of Chief Librarians supporting the future of public library services

calleguen — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:47:45 +0000

The Society of Chief Librarians (SCL) is committed to, and advocates for the continuous improvement of public library services.

Following yesterday’s announcement from Government that the MLA will be wound down, SCL pledges to continue to work closely with the MLA and other sector partners during in this time of transition, and will also continue to work in partnership on joint projects and initiatives such as the Library Support Programme.

We recognise that this is a time of significant transformation for the public library sector, which also presents great opportunities for public library services across the UK. SCL welcomes an opportunity to meet with the various library stakeholders in the coming months to discuss how how the transformation process in the library sector will be lead in the future and about how the MLA’s current functions, such as improvement, policy and research roles, will be devolved to other existing organisations.

Nicky Parker, President of SCL said “As an organisation made up of senior librarians from local authorities across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, SCL are leaders in the public library sector, delivering robust local services. SCL continues to be committed to working with Government and other partners to continue to transform and improve public library services to meet the evolving needs of our communities”.

The British Library talks to librarians about web 2:0 technology

calleguen — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:24:34 +0000

The British Library recently welcomed librarians from Surrey, Wimbledon, Winchester and Suffolk to showcase how the British Library has pioneered web 2:0 technology and continues to maximise social networking.

Colin Wight, Web Editor at the British Library showed how the library has used tools such as twitter, facebook and other blogs to have a continuous conversation with the library’s Readers and how to link up and analyse web 2:0 activity.

Colin gave live examples of web 2:0 technology at the British Library including the twitter feed that is featured on the exhibition’s website: www.bl.uk/magnificentmaps

Lancashire Libraries engaging young people to conceive a new type of creative story

calleguen — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:40:17 +0000

The Lancashire Library Service is working on a project to engage young people and ingeniously recycle the large amount of paper waste that is discarded in the form of newspapers, magazines, meeting minutes, stationery, and the odd old book etc, and avoid filling up landfill sites needlessly.

The aim is to create ‘bags for lit’ which will be fashionable, marketable and practical bags which will allow library users to carry around their library choices, wrapped in words, fiction and stories in a coolly branded and designed way.

Working with the Environment Directorate, local youth groups and services, Lancashire County Council intends to promote social inclusion and create a youth-led design and manufacturing scheme to encourage local enterprise and create a cost effective method for sustainable recycling in the area.

The key outcomes that the project aims to achieve are as follows:

To increase awareness of public library services
To increase awareness of environmental work within the community
To make literature and writing an opportunity for all
To demythologise the library
To promote reading as a fashionable activity
To transform writing into collectible design
To champion young people’s creativity
To generate humour in urban moments
To create method of reaching audiences who don’t normally ready
To build strong cultural and cross-sector partnerships

Stewart Parsons, Cultural Youth Offer-Project manager and Founder of Get it Loud in Libraries said “I think that this project has lots to offer young people and the wider community who will benefit from not just a cleaner environment in the long term, but by creatively engaging with the library service. We hope to foster long-term local sustainability and encourage our communities to think differently about reading, writing and literature”.

Librarians learn about the power, propaganda and art of maps at the British Library

calleguen — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 15:07:53 +0000

Librarians from across London were treated to a curator led tour of Magnificent Maps at the British Library – an exhibition which explores the power, propaganda and art of maps.

The exhibition features an impressive 80 items, made up of the most impressive, beautiful and largest maps ever made – from 200 AD to present day. These include a fragment of the ‘Forma Urbis Romae’ to Stephen Walters map ‘The Island’ which finely illustrates a Londoner’s view of their city today.

The librarians were shown the powerful messages that maps portray in the context of different times and places

SCL Executive Member for London, Rosemary Doyle said “I shall encourage all of my colleagues to visit”.

To read more about the Magnificent Maps exhibition please visit:

http://www.bl.uk/magnificentmaps/

Alison Bramley to continue with SCL

calleguen — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 10:16:30 +0000

Nicky Parker, President of SCL has confirmed that Alison Bramley has agreed to remain in her current post for an initial period of six months. Alison’s job title has now changed from Development Officer to Executive Officer.

SCL visit the Business & IP Centre at the British Library

calleguen — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 11:39:38 +0000

Executive Members from The Society of Chief Librarians recently visited the Business & IP Centre at the British Library. The Executive learnt more about the history of the Centre, current initiatives and plans for the future.

The visit also incorporated a tour of the Centre, including the networking area, workshops and Reading Room. The SCL Executive learnt about the businesses and products that the Centre has been instrumental in developing and launching, the range of workshops and events featuring senior business people such as Sir Alan Sugar, the support that the Centre offers entrepreneurs through the provision of networking opportunities and skills sharing and the range of other resources including databases and reference materials.

Isabel Oswell, Head of Business Marketing at the British Library said ‘It was a pleasure to meet Chief Librarians from across the Country and show them the Business and IP Centre. Public Libraries are a key port-of-call for all entrepreneurs and small businesses, and many libraries have excellent business collections. We aim to raise awareness of the Centre within public libraries - especially those in the London area – so their users can benefit from our services’.

Press activity – 15th July 2010

calleguen — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:47:45 +0000

A press release from the MLA here:

http://www.mla.gov.uk/news_and_views/press_releases/2010/Libraries_support_RaceOnline

A guardian story about libraries:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2010/jul/13/internet-age-still-need-libraries

News from Nicky Parker – 15th July 2010

calleguen — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:02:07 +0000

Thanks for the comments about the weekly e mail, I think that if I manage to sustain them, they will give you a better understanding of what’s going on, supported by the website and Claire’s newsletter.

Yesterday was the Executive meeting and we discussed amongst other things the work to get 500,000 library customers on line, the joint work programme with The Reading Agency, the Improvement Programme with MLA and LGA and the forthcoming Party Conferences. There are a number of parliamentary receptions coming up about libraries and we’re sending some SCL people to these and thanks to the good number of you who volunteered at attend the Party Conferences. Alison and Claire will be contacting you to arrange a meeting so we can sort out what our stand is going to say.

We also met with Bookstart yesterday and there will be a letter coming out to you in the next week with an update on what they are doing. Mark Freeman has volunteered to represent SCL on their Strategic Forum and keep us up to date in their search for future funding. There’s an update on the SCL/BBC partnership going on the website this week too.

There are a couple of consultation documents for you to look out for and respond to – one around the Digital Economy Act and another about the Outcomes Framework for Culture and Sport. SCL will also send in a response and we’ll put the final version on the website.

I’m going to tweak the 4 SCL priorities following feedback from you and make a start on a new SCL Business Plan – we had a bit of a discusison about headline activity yesterday. Please send us your evaluation of the SCL Seminar as that wil help us plan the next one.

You will have seen Martha Lane Fox on TV, the internet and in your newspapers this week and we managed to get lots of library mentions in. She’s a library supporter and we need to make sure we keep our new profile up.

That’s it for this week, a bit shorter but still loads going on.