Lecture Notes on Library Advocacy, Exhibition Spaces in Libraries, and Human Libraries

Part II: Takeaways from PLAI 2018:“Connected Actions, Collective Vision: Libraries Transforming Society”

1. Lecture Title: “Your Voice Counts: Libraries for Supporting Community Advocacy”

- Bibliotherapy – one way to support the community
 Donate books for the waiting areas of hospitals, especially public hospitals
 Storytelling for hospital wards
 Support digital inclusion – provide free access to some literary materials for the less fortunate

2. Lecture Title: “Creating Experiences in Spaces: Exhibitions to Spark and Stoke Interest in the Visual, Auditory, and Print story of Filipinos”

- Speaker M. Bugnosen is the librarian at the Filipinas Heritage Library (Ayala Museum)
- Suggested Library Exhibits/Designs

 The Secret Life of Books – art exhibit on book binding/book making, demonstrations, lectures, workshops
 Revolutions Exhibit – uniforms of old soldiers
 Film exhibits – digital screens show different scenes/short movies
 Film screening
 Poetry reading
 Concerts – cello, local musicians, guitar/acoustic

3. Lecture Title: “Reading Beyond Books: Exploring Human Libraries”

- De La Salle University librarians and organizers recount their experiences with the “Human Library” project they set-up with the international organization The Human Library http://humanlibrary.org/
- Events in various countries are set up and listed at https://www.facebook.com/humanlibraryorg/
- Event application form is at http://humanlibrary.org/human-library-organizers-event-application-form/

- What is a human library?

 A person rather than a book is being “read” by another person
 Basically a Q&A, monitored by a marshall who ensures the human book’s safety and security
 The library is transformed into a safe place for discussion and “reading”
 The goal is to un-judge someone
 There may be more than one book available per session, depending on the availability of marshalls and organizers

- Who qualifies as a human book?

 Someone who is a victim of unfair judgment, who might have been misunderstood by society, who wants his/her voice to be heard

- Planning for the Human Library project:
 Come up with project description/rationale
 Target audience?
 Learning outcome?
 Budget? Source of funds?
 Project flow?
 Collaborating agencies
 Limitations? How ‘free’ is free speech?
 Should there be pre-determined “chapters” that the book can talk about?

What Librarians Do in 2024: Keeping Up with Everyone's Needs

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Get your paperback copy of Library Bibliographic Data book from Amazon through this link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B7QBGNKR A hard copy of something is simply a physical ink-on-paper version of what is in the library database. Some librarians say it is cumbersome to keep a hard copy when the soft copy is already there, one simply has to log into the system. But the hard copy of library bibliographic data can be an essential resource for small libraries for several reasons: 1. Backup for Digital Records : While many libraries have digital systems for cataloging their collections, hardcopies serve as a reliable backup in case of digital data loss due to system failures, cyber-attacks, or other unforeseen events. This ensures that the library's catalog remains accessible even in the face of technical difficulties. 2. Accessibility : Not all library patrons may be comfortable or familiar with digital search systems. Hardcopy bibliographies allow these patrons to access bibliograph...

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Simple Way to Ask Library Users to Rate the Library Service

Library users do not always share their thoughts on how the librarian or school can improve their library service. In fact, some won't ever, unless prompted. Soliciting their thoughts using a suggestion box is also not as good a strategy as it is predicted to be. After all, the blank piece of paper near the suggestion box doesn't really guide the user. I also noticed that users would only use the suggestion box if they have a complaint, but not if they just want to go about their business and leave. There must be a more pro-active way to solicit users' opinion. A simple solution would be to offer a short survey to measure how successfully users were able to complete some common activities in the library. This assessment uses the Likert scale, which is typically a five, seven, or nine-point agreement scale used to measure respondents' agreement with various statements. For example, the scale can range from "very unsuccessful" to "very successful."...

Side Hustles for People Who Rarely Go Online

If you barely have enough time to go online, you'll want a side hustle that's low-maintenance, flexible, and doesn't require constant attention. Here are a few options: Print-on-Demand Store : Create simple designs for t-shirts, mugs, or notebooks. You can use platforms like Redbubble or Teespring, where they handle printing, shipping, and customer service. Your main task is to create and upload designs, which can be done in short bursts of time. Selling Digital Products : If you have expertise in a particular area, you can create digital products like eBooks, templates, or printables. These can be sold on platforms like Etsy, Gumroad, or my favorite platform, Creative Fabrica. After the initial creation, the products can generate passive income with minimal ongoing effort. Here's my online store on Creative Fabrica if you need an example (this is also an affiliate link): https://www.creativefabrica.com/designer/ruby-cari...

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My very first job ever is ABSTRACTOR. And, in the year 2000, I had to sit a person down and spend no less than fifteen minutes explaining what I do. Now, it's easier because people are more likely to get it when I tell them about the main job description of an abstractor. What exactly does an abstractor do? An abstractor is a person who summarizes important information from documents and records, making it easier to understand the main points without reading the whole text. This is often used for legal documents, such as those related to property ownership, for submitting studies to peer-reviewed journals, and for thesis writing. Here are some questions you might want to ask if you're considering a job as an abstractor. Does an abstractor need to be a graduate of library science and information courses? An abstractor does not necessarily need to have a degree in library science. Typically, abstractors have backgrounds in fields related to the documents they work with, such as ...

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Every Halloween, when dusk began to settle over Willowdale, Eleanor Marwick closed the public library with a smile that was as much mischief as it was politeness. By day, Eleanor was the quintessential librarian: quiet, precise, and draped in an earthy cardigan. But as October 31st arrived, she was, for one night, something else entirely. Tonight, as soon as the clock chimed seven, she shed her librarian guise and stepped into her true role: the witch of Willowdale. Her cardigan transformed into a flowing cloak, her sensible shoes became lace-up boots that clicked against the cobblestone paths. A grimoire appeared in her hands, pages filled with spells in looping ink, all waiting to be unleashed. The first stop was Mrs. Haversham’s house. Sweet, gray-haired Mrs. Haversham never missed a due date and handled every book with reverence. Eleanor whispered a soft incantation, and immediately Mrs. Haversham’s garden burst into a spectacle of flowers that would bloom all winter. Mrs. Haversha...

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