The Official Presentation

What a special day!

Having known about the award for a few weeks, I had only known I would need to make a speech for about 24hrs, luckily it was a friendly crowd!

It was great to have my family and workmates there to share my special day.

When I got back to work I could tell all the staff which for me was very exciting. Our webolution and fishy program have created a really positive energy around the place. I may even get a shameless starfish in my own fish tank of fame this week.

Ooooo close guess at Library Party

Saw Pexta at KD & Shanksie's party this arvo. Everyone else has been making really random guesses on my blog but Pexta proved herself a real detective today with a guess that I am doing "A library work exchange in New Zealand" I'm really impressed and will have to get her a little prize as the closest guesser...I'm sure I can find something fishy that she'd appreciate.

Closing in on the official announcement

Only a few more sleeps to go. I'm hanging out to tell everyone and have come up with a sneaky plan to get people excited in the lead up.
Currently our staff are undertaking the webolution, an "in house" adaption of the State Library's 23 things Web 2.0 training. We are all blogging and supporting each other through our 9 activity program.
I have decided with 5 more sleeps to go that I will post clues on my blog. The clues are obscure enough not to give it away but will get them close enough to feel satisfied when the announcement comes.
We talked about "shameless self promotion" in our recent FISH workshop, I hope that everyone will get on board and the positive energy will be shared. I really hope that news of the scholarship gets our staff talking about our service and what we do/have compared to other library services, obviously it is exciting for me personally but how it impacts on my colleagues is equally important to me.
I think the award will raise the profile of Hobsons Bay, which will hopefully bring enough fun our way for everyone to share!!

About my award & my blog

Well, the fact that I am the WINNER of the Margery C Ramsay Scholarship is finally starting to sink in. I am a bit scared! I will need to have my picture taken and talk to strangers and promote not only my work but myself. Yep scary!!
But in for a penny in for a pound...I have decided to create a blog.
A big commitment as I am only new to blogging but I think that in this time of advanced technology it is the right thing to do. People will be able to follow my research, look at my pictures and comments, link to articles and books that I have read and most importantly post comments, questions and share ideas.
The blog is not posh or formal (that just isn't me!) but it will combine a mix of my research as well as my thoughts and feelings about my progress and what I have been up to.
I apologize now in advance if I visit your library and say there were parts of it I didn't like....feel free to come and visit me and make constructive comments about my library service (there are parts of it I don't like too).
Know that I have a great love and respect for libraries. I visit them when on holiday (much to the disappointment of my non-library partner)
I will warn you now that I am not a quiet Librarian (too right my colleagues say!) I have no issue with food, drink or mobile phones in libraries, if you have signs saying "no food" I will probably comment on them! Nor am I a member of the library Police and generally feel that these days customers can police each other with regard to what is acceptable in a library.
I hope that all comments will be received as they are intended: purely my interpretation of what I see, hear and feel and definitely not a hex on any library service.
I hope you enjoy my blog....and feel free to comment!! Jo

Conference Day 1 (technically trip day 2)

Well who would have thought my little trip to New Zealand would put me in communications hell. I have my blackberry but for some reason it is SOS only so I can not send text messages or emails. What does a girl who is usually surgically attached to her phone do in such a situation?! Shopping of course!!
After a late arrival last night (v.early morning), I enjoyed a lazy sleep in. Surfacing about 11am I registered (quicker than ALIA, just a booklet and a name tag) then went for a wander down the street. Auckland is obviously not a hub for weekend trading as it was very calm and quiet but a few places were open, I managed to pick up a few early Christmas Prezzies which is a bonus. It was nice just mooching and recognising the places I went with Tom last time I was here.
It was while we were in NZ that I logged onto the Hobsons Bay Website from Devonport Library and found out that they were advertising the role which eventually became mine. If I had not recommended the library to Tom as an internet access point I may never have started working for Hobsons Bay Libraries...SPOOKY.

The conference started at 1.30pm with a traditional Powhiri (welcome ceremony) so far the group is much smaller than ALIA and many seem to know each other, which is a bit intimidating. Have spoken to 3 other delegates so far and have arranged for a little look around Auckland City Library on Monday evening, which is a bit exciting.
Have just left the welcome drinks with my haul of free stuff. Spoke to Chelsea from Bolinda who says there are a few places testing audio downloads in December. All being well she will contact us in the New Year to see what we want/can afford to trial.

LIANZA Day 1

Arrived at the airport bang on time, although last in the check-in queue. Major dramas with a Chinese tour group in front of me, visas in different name to passports and only one in the group spoke English so the staff and group were all pretty stressed. Stood in the queue for an hour and only checked in at 7pm for a 7.30 flight!
Tom waited with me and was amazingly uptight (for him) I remained uncharacteristically cool and calm, saying if they bumped me off the flight I would just go home. I don’t know what came over me?! Sailed through customs no dramas and the plane headed off with only a slight delay. Unfortunately the delay at Melbourne plus some bad weather in transit meant we arrived approx 30mins late, by the time I got to the hotel it was about 3am Auckland time. Made a cuppa, watch a bit of telly and nodded off. Still unsure why I could not get my blackberry to message Tom!