Discussion topic: Games and libraries

The upcoming Twitter chat on Thursday at 11 am South African Standard Time (UTC + 2:00) will be about gaming and libraries. I will be running it from the ILN Twitter handle. Check out a Time zone converter here and please take part. Please give us a shout-out from your part of the world and tell us what you do with gaming in your library? Maybe it is still something you should try in your library?

International Librarians Network

Gamers by Arne Halvorsen. CC BY-NC 2.0

This week’s discussion topic will look at the connection between libraries and games – this seems to be as varied as the types of libraries themselves. From a traditional focus on board games to the rise of Minecraft in libraries, there is something in this topic for most of us.

I remember as an 8 year old playing games in my school library at lunch time on rainy days and with rising pressure on funding of libraries in many schools, there is plenty of people arguing that games and libraries can help with teaching core literacy and numeracy.

At the community level, many public libraries include video games in their spaces, to help bring in teenagers and young adults, either on a continuous basis or as a one off event to promote the library.  Providing a safe, non commercial space for…

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Certificate of participation – International Librarians Network

International Librarians Network – Certificate of participation August to December 2014

I value these certificates greatly from the International Librarian Network.

With each programme I am able to add new partnerships and professional development opportunities to my own resume!

Thanks to all the programme coordinators who make this happen! It is a huge effort!

I have signed up for the new programme!

The applications close on 15 February 2015 for the next round!

First ILN welcome webinar

I attended the International Librarians Network first webinar on Saturday morning at 12am South African time. Although I have been through 3 ILN peer mentoring programmes already, it was the first time that an introductory webinar was held.

They made use of anymeeting to conduct the webinar. It had to be downloaded to my iPad, but it was extremely easy to use!

I was glad that I stayed awake on Friday night to hear the voices of the ILN programme coordinators.

It is an eye opener to see how the programme is expanding: 572 participants from 72 countries is taking part in this most recent programme. It is very inspiring!

we have 572 participants from 72 countries this round, wow! #ILNwelcome

— InterLibNet (@InterLibNet) September 16, 2014

I have had peer mentors from Australia, Indonesia, Spain and now from Manchester in the United Kingdom.

It is also exciting to see all the country coordinators from around the world.

The most important message that I am taking with me is that we can take up issues with the programme coordinators, and rather sooner than later. I have been very lucky with regards my own peer partnering, and have learnt much from my international peers.

Thank you very much, International Librarians Network! I appreciate all your efforts, which is voluntary and must take up a lot of your time!

Sharing my workspace as first dialogue with my new ILN partner

The third round of the International Librarians Network kicked off with an invitation to showcase our workspaces.

I shared two of these photos with my new ILN partner from Manchester in the UK. I am excited to learn more about a new library environment.

Two technical computers to handle digital audio systems, with a personal computer on my desk

Yamaha Digital Mixing Console

Reel-to-reel tapes machines: Studer (left) and ReVox (right)

Marantz CD player, Tascam MD player and a Denon cassette player

Thorens record player in the middle (marked as a “professional Disc Drive”)

International Librarians Network Applications Open

Another great opportunity for connecting with a peer mentor from around the globe.

It is great for librarians as well as archivists to develop professional relationships with like-minded peers.

This is my fourth round that I am signing up for.

International Librarians Network

Photo CC by Tup Wanders: Globes

Want to build your professional network and learn about librarianship around the world? Love the idea of professional travel but just don’t have the budget?

The International Librarians Network (ILN) is for you.

The ILN peer mentoring program is a facilitated program aimed at helping librarians develop international networks. We are pleased to announce the next round of this popular program will commence in September 2014.

Applications for the next round of partnerships are now open and close at midnight on 22 August 2014

If you want to know more about the ILN,  check out the information about  how the program works for details.

The ILN is open to anyone in the library and information industry around the world. The program remains free and the only requirements to participate are:

• an internet connection
• fluent English skills
• one hour each week
• a desire to build…

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International Librarians Network – a certificate of participation

TX International Librarians Network @InterLibNet for my certificate of participation #InterLibNet >learnt much pic.twitter.com/ygWd3lMsEU

— Karen du Toit (@karentoittoit) July 8, 2014

The March to June round of the International Librarians Network has ended with certificates sent to all the participants.

The reflection, review and what next? post has already been published, and I will be signing up to the next round of ILN which will start in September.

I have connected with librarians from Australia, Indonesia and most recently Spain. It has been an eye-opening experience!

To sign up, complete the  Expression of Interest form.

Censorship discussion with my ILN partner #InterlibNet

I am copying and pasting from my email discussion with my International Librarian’s Network partner, Bekti Mulatiningsih from Indonesia.

This is in reply to the monthly discussions: Censorship Part 1 and Censorship part 2.

With regards Censorship and the archives:

During the previous regime of Apartheid in South Africa they had very strict censorship laws in place. The archives used to delete or damage all the material that were in contravention of the censorship laws of the time. A lot of material was lost. Now the archives sometime have to buy material back from other organizations who also filmed the same historical events.

My own thoughts on this is that they should have kept the material, but with a note on it. After the bans were lifted, they could have changed the restrictions on the material.

See the blog post about the music that was censored in the Record Library: Searching for Sugarman.

Searching for Sugarman was awarded the best documentary at the Oscars this year. The SABC archives get a mention in the movie.

 

Who did the damage to the recordings? The archivists themselves!

 

Another though about archivists and censorship. We are daily busy with a form of censorship by our mere choice of which material to keep and which to throw it. Also by the way we assign more importance to one collection and giving more attention to it. The shear volume of the archives make it impossible to catalogue it all.

I am the only archivist assigned to catalogue a radio station’s programmes. Because of my own affinity towards certain programmes and themes, I am daily doing a form of censorship. The previous archivist concentrated more on certain programmes. I am concentrating more on other material that I am focusing on. I can only hope that I am selecting the right programmes in years to come.

Time will tell!