Monthly Archives: January 2021

CPDWL Podcast Project Season 2, Episode 2: Daria Beliakova and Monica Ertel

Colleagues, we are excited to announce the our next episode (for season 2) of the CPDWL Podcast Project where we feature library and information professionals who support and participate in professional development work.

This episode’s guests are Daria Beliakova and Monica Ertel.

To see the episode, see here: https://anchor.fm/ifla-cpdwl/episodes/S2E2-Daria-Beliakova-and-Monica-Ertel-on-Knowledge-Caf-envs08

Curious about the upcoming Knowledge Café on Feb 9th 2021? See here: https://www.ifla.org/node/93475

Transcript is below.

Daria Beliakova has received the specialty of a librarian-bibliographer at Moscow State University of Culture. She has been working in the Library for Foreign Literature (LFL) since 1995. Her professional interests include: study and dissemination of experience of foreign libraries; preparation of publications in professional journals and social networks; organization of professional development programs for cultural workers, coordination of work with professional organizations, including IFLA, the Russian Library Association (RLA), the Library Assembly of Eurasia (LAE), with leading Russian, foreign libraries and universities.Since 2013, Daria has headed the International Librarianship Group. She was the compiler, one of the authors and editors of the annual scientific and practical collection “Open Access. Libraries Abroad”. She participated in the preparation of the annual annotated bibliographic index “Library Business and Bibliography”. She coordinated internships of Russian and foreign specialists in the Library for Foreign Literature and other Moscow libraries, and internships of students from specialized universities in the LFL.From 2016 to 2019 Daria headed the educational department of the Library for Foreign Literature “Rudomino Academy”. Her tasks included preparation and implementation of professional development programs, methodological events (working meetings, section meetings, round tables, conferences).  She developed and participated in advanced training programs: “Modern Practices of Russian and Foreign Libraries”, “Library as a Center of Local Cultural Heritage”. She took part in adaptation to the Russian language and holding in Russia the educational program of the Mortenson Center for International Library Programs “Strengthening Innovative Library Leaders” (SILL). Since 2019, she has been the Head of the Center for Cooperation with International Professional Organizations. From 2015 to the present day Daria participated as a speaker in conferences and working meetings on librarianship, including the Congresses of IFLA, RLA, the 2nd and the 4th meetings of the Russian-American Library Dialogue (Suzdal, 2018 and online 2020) . In 2018, she completed an internship at the International Institute “Life Beyond Tourism” to study the concept of responsible tourism and preservation of cultural heritage. Member of the Standing Committee of the IFLA Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning Section (2018 – 2022); Member of the Standing Committee of the Section for International Cooperation of the Russian Library Association (2018 – 2023).

Monica Ertel is currently Vice President of Global Information Services for Bain & Company where she leads their worldwide information services network in 59 countries.  Her responsibilities include managing an international team of researchers who provide high-level research analysis and support, desktop delivery of key information resources, end-user consultant training and strategic information leadership for the firm.  Ms. Ertel has over 25 years of library management experience, including Korn/Ferry International where she was the Director of Global Knowledge Management and North America Research. Prior to that, she was with Apple Computer where she was the Director of Knowledge Systems that included the Apple Library as well as research programs in the field of information management. Monica holds a Master of Library Science degree from San Jose State University in addition to an MBA from Santa Clara University.  She has been active in a number of library and information associations and was appointed Fellow of the Special Libraries Association and Outstanding Alumni award from San Jose State University.  She has also held leadership positions with the American Library Association and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions where she has been a member since 1988.


Transcript:

Hi, this is Raymond Pun, Welcome to the IFLA CPDWL Podcast Project. In this space, we talk with library and information professionals who support and participate in professional development work.. Today’s guests are Daria Beliakova and Monica Ertel.

Daria Beliakova has received the specialty of a librarian-bibliographer at Moscow State University of Culture. She has been working in the Library for Foreign Literature (LFL) since 1995. Her professional interests include: study and dissemination of experience of foreign libraries; preparation of publications in professional journals and social networks; organization of professional development programs for cultural workers, coordination of work with professional organizations, including IFLA, the Russian Library Association (RLA), the Library Assembly of Eurasia (LAE), with leading Russian, foreign libraries and universities. Since 2013, Daria has headed the International Librarianship Group. Member of the Standing Committee of the IFLA Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning Section (2018 – 2022); Member of the Standing Committee of the Section for International Cooperation of the Russian Library Association (2018 – 2023).

Monica Ertel is currently Vice President of Global Information Services for Bain & Company where she leads their worldwide information services network in 59 countries.  Her responsibilities include managing an international team of researchers who provide high-level research analysis and support, desktop delivery of key information resources, end-user consultant training and strategic information leadership for the firm.  Ms. Ertel has over 25 years of library management experience, including Korn/Ferry International where she was the Director of Global Knowledge Management and North America Research. She has also held leadership positions with the American Library Association and the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions where she has been a member since 1988.

Welcome Daria and Monica!

0:04

Let’s talk about the knowledge cafe and our upcoming workshops. First tell us briefly what is knowledge cafe, who started it in IFLA. And when did it start. And why is it so wildly popular under Congress, Monica. Would you like to address that?

0:20

Sure. And thank you, Ray. The concept for knowledge cafe started in 2013 and IFLA in Singapore. We have a session CPDWL on libraries as learning organizations how to nurture growth in our staff and communities, and it was several presentations, if I can remember back that far, but we also broke up into tables to talk about topics that had to do with learning organizations, and we had 294 people. So we knew we were on to something. We didn’t call it a knowledge cafe at the time, but we decided to build on this idea, so a knowledge Cafe is a place where people come together to talk to share ideas of common interest so just like you go into your local coffee shop, you see people, chatting with their friends talking about their families or talking about movies, whatever is of interest. So, as librarians, our job is to listen to share to help to educate our patrons, and it’s just very natural to do this for ourselves. So, we come to IFLA to learn, in many ways, and I think some of the best ways is from talking to one another and so that’s why we decided to formalize a session where people could just come and talk on topics of interest to them in a very non formal way. And here we are, 2020, and we’re headed off into, I think this will be our eighth or ninth one. 

1:59

Wow, eighth or ninth one? that is quite impressive. I remember going to a couple of knowledge cafes in person. During the past few congresses, and it is very popular, lots of people coming in with different perspectives, sharing their ideas, the trends that are going on to address these specific topics. Right. And so right and it’s interesting because we have an upcoming knowledge cafe session on Zoom In February, and some of the table topics such as change management techniques for staff and designing user centric services and programs are really great ideas for discussion particularly now. During this period that we’re all experiencing, and Daria Can you tell us which topics are relevant to you, and in your work.

2:45

Hello everybody. Thank you Ray and I thank you Monica. Actually when preparing the program, we chose from topics that were popular last time and have not lost their relevance. And of course we have suggested some new topics. My favorites are: Upgrade your brain! Top 10 essential competencies for modern info pros and Working with diverse generational staff: Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers. Because my activity has been related to the implementation of professional development programs for librarians for several years. We always need to upgrade our brains! Using information technology, online teaching methods and personnel management. We need to learn how to quickly assimilate large amounts of information. How to communicate with people of different generations? These people have different competencies. They have different life experiences. They have different approaches to their daily challenges. It is very interesting! And together in the work team, they complement each other perfectly. But we must understand and remember these differences well.

Well, yeah, those are really great points Daria, and I think the one that you mentioned upgrading your brain, that, that, that beginning part I did stood out to me so I find some of these topics, I’m certain, most of them are really connected to the bigger issues and some of them are very can be very specific. And so we want to talk about these topics and trends like how are they chosen and Daria mentioned them being popular, but if you, if Monica,  if you can also expand on how are they chosen from your point of view and which one stands out to you. I think our listeners would like to hear that.

Sure. Um, well, it’s really the top of search chose and just based on as Daria said what are hot topics at past cafes what has been interesting, getting ideas from colleagues, and the organizers. This year it’s CPDWL, and knowledge management. So Daria, and I are the representatives, organizing this. We put together a long list between the two of us. And then we passed it by the leadership in the cam and CPDWL standing committees and ask them for their ideas, and we put together a big list and then we just send it around and we, we kind of voted on it but really it was up to Daria and me to say, these are the top topics we figure out “how many tables we want.” I should back up and say, “okay that purse drives” “How many do we have” and we base it on the number of people that we had in the prior year and where the conference is being held so generally we’ve had 10 to 12 tables of 10 people each. And so that means we come up with 10 to 12. 

6:26

And so that said it’s pretty simple. There’s nothing very scientific to it but just based on what we know is going on out there and what we think that people want to talk about and I suppose some of it is kind of selfish because it’s what do I want to hear about and to me the sessions that are interesting have to do with measuring impact of our learning activities, and finding motivation for how do you take control of your own professional development. 

6:58

Yeah, that’s a really great point about the motivation aspect particularly now with so many distractions going on. And for folks who are going from one zoom meeting to another webinar, and so forth.

Right.

And so how do they adapt some of these features into their work and continue right sharpening their skills and experiences and you brought up a really great point about the coordination with you and Daria, which is really important, right, if you are interested in organizing a knowledge café, whether it’s in person or in zoom, definitely have a team of folks to help, help us get that started. So we certainly hope to see more of these types of sessions down the line. And so you had mentioned about the roundtable discussions, people coming in together and then having a facilitator and a reporter potentially and then documenting all of that discussion so that it could be shared later. But I wanted to ask on this other type of question on this note what happens with the shared notes after the discussion. Do you think the discussion, helps participants share their ideas in their workplaces Daria, what do you think? 

8:08

Ah, well, first, you do prefer a summary of the results, or the discussion for each focus, and then video series for all participants of the knowledge coupler and before sir for all the attorneys that are interested in it and do publish their results in our blog and our newsletter. I’m sure many librarians. Did you find it useful information for themselves? Most important. 

8:44

Well, at first we will prepare a summary of the results of the discussion of each topic. And then we will share it for all participants of the Knowledge Café. and of course for all specialists who are interested in it. We will publish the results in our blog and newsletter. I am sure many librarians will find useful information for themselves. Most importantly, during the discussions, we share the best practices of our work. Things that work in some libraries and countries are likely to work in others. And besides, the competent professionals will discuss their best ideas. I believe these ideas must work in practice. 

9:14

Right. And certainly, I think it’s important for all of us to try to create a strategy where you can transfer knowledge to the workplace, I hear this a lot, even in our discussions at IFLA, how do they translate and transfer what they’ve learned into what they’re doing directly, and sometimes it might not be connected and sometimes they are curious, right they don’t know what topic, for instance of on a specific technology and then they participate in. And so it’s quite interesting to hear how the Daria, you share the strategy to disseminate in different areas so that other people who couldn’t attend can also get an idea and participate and share their reactions and feedback, potentially with their own colleagues.

Now we want to pivot to this other question here really looking at, for those who are interested in organizing a knowledge café session, whether it’s in person or online. What advice do you have for those interested in doing so, Monica? Would you like to start first?

Sure.

10:17

I would say if you have a topic that you want to learn more about from people from your colleagues, it’s a very simple way to get people together to talk and share at the say the kind of the impetus to the knowledge café for me was a long time ago when I was at Apple, and I was hired to start a library for them and asked to do it on was an apple two at the time, and I said in the interview, “yes I can do that”, you know, and then I got the job and I thought, What am I going to do you know I don’t know how to do this, but I knew a lot of people were using Apple’s own library so I put a call out in American libraries and said, “Anybody want to get together to talk about how they’re using apples in their libraries”, and I got a lot of response, and we kind of went for there and for several years we did this we broke people up into different tables to talk about circulation systems or reference and so it, it kind of comes out of a need that you have to learn and to share in a more informal setting with your colleagues who have more experience and everybody learns.

Definitely not necessarily a sage on stage kind of approach.  Right.  So we have you here, and a community of practice

And Daria, what advice do you have?

Invite the best professionals to the discussion! Invite the most experienced moderators as discussion leaders! Invite the smartest secretaries to write and prepare the reports. Discuss current topics with your audience in advance. And now, if you do it online, try to bring people who live in different time zones together in one session.

12:21

Yeah, that those are really great points, it’s really challenging right now that we’re sort of working in this vacuum of sorting out different time zones and for those listeners who have been following in our previous conversation, IFLA President Christine Mackenzie also mentioned that this has been a lingering challenge right for everyone, even to the work that she’s trying to do online.

Even though we are all connected right now in different ways, it’s still quite a challenge. And so, really, those are great points, thank you both for sharing. And now we want to end on this last question here since we are about professional development.

13:03

This last question is, what’s a professional development tip or advice that you’d like to share with others, particularly those who are new, and or would like to be involved in IFLA, Daria, would you like to start first. 

13:16

Be proactive! IFLA is undergoing major changes. And really needs your fresh ideas and energy.

Get to know better your colleagues in the IFLA section. You can use their rich experience in your work. And fear nothing! IFLA is a very friendly community of professionals.

13:44

Great. Great advice..  Monica.

13:47

I would say, my advice would be to get involved. Join a standing committee, attend to meeting, volunteer do a poster session.

13:57

Anything you can you just get the most out of any organization when you get involved do meet people lasting relationships and again, you kind of have these informal knowledge cafes outside of the programs, but you, the more you give, the more you get so my advice is in any organization and IFLA especially.

14:22

Do what you can to get involved you will make friends for life, and you, it will really benefit your professional development. 

14:33

Yes, those are really great points, as we mentioned there will be a knowledge cafe sessions, we have ongoing yearly webinars in collaboration with different groups. We have social media channels engaging with the library profession, and certainly those are opportunities, if you’re unable to attend in person, like all of us aren’t able to but even so when things change down the line. These are still opportunities to stay connected. And so thank you both so much for taking the time to speak with us today and sharing your thoughts on knowledge cafe.

15:07

Thank you, Ray enjoyed it.

15:10

Thank you very much.

15:12

See you all.

LIBRARIES AS WITNESSES OF THE COMMON VICTORY

In December 2020, M.I. Rudomino Library for Foreign Literature (Moscow, Russia) ran a series of international educational events, in the blended (face-to-face and virtual) format, dedicated to the history of World War II. They highlighted the effective team work of librarians and educators to tap the libraries’ rich potential in providing original sources for teaching History. With the outbreak of the pandemic, the realm of education inevitably and actively shifted into the virtual environment, thus enhancing the demand of the society, particularly its younger generation, for employing cutting-edge formats in educational activities.

The recordings of all the project events are available on the Libraries as Witnesses of the Great Victory page on Facebook.

Web page of the project Libraries as Witnesses of the Great Victory: www.victory.libfl.ru (English language version is available).

The Project’s reference materials (in Russian) can be used as an example of the effective collaboration on the following issues:

  • Library as a unique public repository of original documents to be used in the education process;
  • Libraries and secondary school;
  • Libraries and higer education;
  • Digital library projects for new generations;
  • International collaboration among libraries (incl. times of the pandemic).

We would be glad to provide consize description of project materials in English upon request.

About the Project

Video presentation.

Apart from Russia, the Project encompassed three CIS countries – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Belarus. From the Kazakh side, the Project involved the National Library of Republic of Kazakhstan and the National Academic Library of Republic of Kazakhstan. Kyrgyzstan was represented by the A. Osmonov National Library of Kyrgyz Republic while Belarus – by the V.I. Lenin Gomel Oblast Universal Library with the support of the National Library of Belarus.

On 8 – 18 December, 2020, these libraries  hosted two-day events in the framework of the Project. On the first of the two days the theme „Educational Projects in the Virtual Environment: Partnership between Schools and Libraries (in the celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory)” gathered teachers, historians and librarians in round-table discussions, focusing on most effective ways of conducting digital projects. On the second of the two days there were open interactive lectures for schoolchildren and students to discuss historical events of WWII.

Library for Foreign Literature presented several projects designed to preserve the historical memory shared by the participating countries. First of all, the 75th anniversary of the Great Victory was celebrated by the Libraries as Witnesses of the Great Victory international public resource, which played the pivotal role in the Project roll-out. The resource has accumulated memoirs and stories from library collections all over the world, told by people who were witnesses to the glorious Victory Day.

Libraries as Places of Rememberance. Child of the Field of Honour” is another unique LFL project initiated together with the Dutch author Remko Reiding, director of the Soviet War Cemetery Foundation (Stichting Sovjet Ereveld in Amersfoort).

The round-table discussions laid the groundwork for a diverse, meaningful and lively dialogue. The Project events gave the participants a boost of creative energy and outlined directions for their further joint activities. They demonstrated the will of the older generation to convey their expereience and wisdom to the youth. At the same time, the younger generation showed commitment to keeping up the efforts to preserve testimonies of Great Victory. These encounters strengthened the Organizers’ conviction that libraries and educational institutions have ample possibilities to develop joint digital projects using archival materials for promoting the history.

Schoolchildren and students attended interactive lectures presenting events and lives of WWII heroes based upon the real stories of the Libraries as Witnesses of the Great Victory international public resource. Discussing this topic at their school history classes, high school students came up with suggestions as to whom of WWII heroic soldiers they would like to see among the heros of the resource.

Over 1000 participants and more than 8000 viewers joined the events on the LFL virtual venue. The Organizers expressed their sincere gratitude to the audience and especially to the Rossotrudnichestvo Federal Agency for the financial and informative support of the Project.

Written by:

Svetlana Gorokhova, Advisor to Director General All Russia State Library for Foreign Literature, Moscow, Russia 

Daria Beliakova, Head of the Centre for Cooperation with International Professional Organisations, Library for Foreign Literature, Moscow, Russia

Maria Bereslawskaia, leading methodologist of the Centre for Cooperation with International Professional Organisations, Library for Foreign Literature, Moscow, Russia

Webinar Recording: Open Access and libraries: Lessons from COVID-19 and our path towards the future

Open Access and libraries: Lessons from COVID-19 and our path towards the future

IFLA has affirmed that comprehensive open access to scholarly literature and research documentation is vital to the understanding of our world and to the identification of solutions to global challenges and particularly the reduction of information inequality. Coalition S which is hosted by the European Science Foundation, has stated that full and immediate Open Access to research results can provide fast answers to protect lives and curb disasters. It is time to make full use of that potential for other global crises that are threatening us. UNESCO is promoting and supporting the online availability of scholarly information to everyone, free of most licensing and copyright barriers—for the benefit of global knowledge flow, innovation and socio-economic development.  Join us for an event with library leaders and learn about how they are managing Open Access efforts in the midst of COVID-19 to move forward research and access to information free of barriers during these times when libraries are deeply impacted by the pandemic. Speakers come from MIT, SPARC, Open-Access- Büro Berlin, and IFLA.

Moderator: Loida Garcia-Febo, CPDWL Consultant, International Library Consultant

Speakers:
Chris Bourg, Director, MIT Libraries
Stephen Wyber, IFLA Manager, Policy and Advocacy
Agnieszka Zofia, Open-Access-Büro Berlin, Open-Access-Referentin im Projekt open-access.network
Nick Shockey, Director of Programs & Engagement, SPARC

Webinar Recording: Librarians supporting universal broadband to continue providing essential services to communities everywhere

IFLA has championed the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals for a long time. The Internet Governance Forum has called attention to the Internet as a vehicle for human resilience and solidarity. They have stated that inclusion achieved by access to the Internet is a key contributor towards a stronger economy and enhanced economic development through shared wealth, shared employment, and equal opportunity for all, and is an enabler towards the fulfillment of the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNESCO has indicated that broadband is “the missing link” in global access to education. COVID-19 propelled a massive shift to digital which made evident the reality of inequality of access to the Internet which also plays into the mission and operation of libraries. As per the ALA, broadband in libraries is needed by patrons to access devices, collections and information, and a myriad of services. It is also used by librarians to create and develop content accessed by patrons and provide access to transformative resources to better the education and lifelong learning of communities deeply impacted by COVID-19 in all regions of the world. Join us and hear from library leaders from IFLA, UNESCO MIL, and libraries in different regions share considerations on how to move forward towards this urgent goal.

Moderated by Loida Garcia-Febo, CPDWL Consultant, International Library Consultant

Speakers:

Dr. Jesus Lau
Co-Chair UNESCO Global Alliance for Partnerships on Media and Information Literacy (GAPMIL)

Catharina Isberg
Library Director Helsingborg City Libraries, IFLA Governing Board Member

Sanjay Kumar Bihani

Library and Information Officer, Ministry of External Affairs, Patiala House Annexe, Tilak Marg, New Delhi, India IFLA Governing Board Member

See the Recording here!

ISSN for scientific blogs

In Germany we have right now a discussion to assigned ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) for scientific blogs.

Typically ISSN are used for continuous publications that appear numbered or dated. But also scientific blogs or databases of general interest can be registered. In the allocation, only the formal criteria are examined. A substantive examination or evaluation of the quality of the contributions published therein does not take place.

The international ISSN Centre in Paris coordinates the work of the national centres. The international ISSN database https://portal.issn.org/  now more then two million ISSN with their titles and short bibliographical descriptions is constantly growing.

What are the arguments to register for a ISSN if you are publishing a blog?

  1. Better visibility. For ex. with an ISSN in Germany you will be listed in the Zeitschriftendatenbank (ZBD) https://zdb-katalog.de/index.xhtml
  2. Long-term citation through long-term archiving. National libraries will archive blogs if they have a ISSN in the automated webharvesting.

As the awarding of the ISSN is free of charge I would recommend to register the CPDWL blog.

Sources:

Michael Knoche: Warum ISSN für Blogs?, in: Aus der Forschungsbibliothek https://biblio.hypotheses.org/2080

Mareike König ISSN für für Blogs bei de.hypotheses – praktische Hinweise 

Webarchivierung der DNB 

 

 

CPDWL Podcast Project Season 2, Episode 1 Featuring Christine Mackenzie, IFLA President 2019-2021

The CPDWL Podcast Project is back!

Our first episode for season 2 features Christine Mackenzie, IFLA President and CPDWL Co-Chair Gill Hallam as host.

Hear the podcast conversation: https://anchor.fm/ifla-cpdwl

Transcript below.

Christine Mackenzie is President of IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions). She retired as CEO of Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service, Melbourne, Australia in 2016 after 12 years in that role and following a long career in public libraries. Previously she was Manager of Brisbane City Council Library Service, the largest public library system in Australia. Christine has been very active in IFLA and was President elect 2017 – 19 and Treasurer 2015-17. She was a co-founder of INELI-Oceania, a program funded by the Bill &; Melinda Gates Foundation that provided leadership training for librarians in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific and which sponsored the formation of the Pacific Libraries Network in 2018. She has been a member of the Australian Government’s Public Lending Rights Committee; the Library Board of Victoria’s Advisory Committee on Public Libraries; the Victorian Government’s Ministerial Advisory Council on Public Libraries; the Executive of the Public Libraries Victoria Network, and a juror for the Intelligent Communities Forum. She has held a number of roles in ALIA including President 2003-04. She was awarded an ALIA fellowship in 2008 and the VALA Robert D Williamson Award in 2012.

Gill Hallam has enjoyed a rich and varied career as an LIS practitioner, educator and researcher. She was an information manager in the Australian business and legal sectors before moving into the academic world, working with Queensland University of Technology, the University of Queensland, the University of Melbourne and Hochschule der Medien in Stuttgart, Germany. Her recognition as Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) reflects the breadth and depth of her achievements. Gill is currently a freelance consultant undertaking applied research projects at the confluence of libraries and learning. Gill has long been involved in the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). She served as President in 2005-2006 and for many years she has contributed to the development of ALIA’s education and professional development policies. In 2008 she was made a Fellow of ALIA; in 2011 she was recognised as SLA’s Information Professional of the Year in the Australasian region. Gill is Co-Chair of IFLA’s Section for Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPDWL).

Transcript:

Hi, this is Raymond Pun, Welcome to the IFLA CPDWL Podcast Project. In this space, we talk with library and information professionals who support and participate in professional development work.. Today’s guests are Christine Mackenzie and Gill Hallam. 

Christine Mackenzie is President of IFLA. She retired as CEO of Yarra Plenty Regional Library Service, Melbourne, Australia in 2016 after 12 years in that role and following a long career in public libraries. Previously she was Manager of Brisbane City Council Library Service, the largest public library system in Australia. Christine has been very active in IFLA and was President elect 2017 – 19 and Treasurer 2015-17. She was a co-founder of the International Network of Library Innovators Oceania, a program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that provided leadership training for librarians in Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific and which sponsored the formation of the Pacific Libraries Network in 2018. She has been a member of the Australian Government’s Public Lending Rights Committee; the Library Board of Victoria’s Advisory Committee on Public Libraries; the Victorian Government’s Ministerial Advisory Council on Public Libraries; the Executive of the Public Libraries Victoria Network, and a juror for the Intelligent Communities Forum. She has held a number of roles in ALIA including President 2003-04. She was awarded an ALIA fellowship in 2008 and the VALA Robert D Williamson Award in 2012.

Gill Hallam has enjoyed a rich and varied career as an LIS practitioner, educator and researcher. She was an information manager in the Australian business and legal sectors before moving into the academic world, working with Queensland University of Technology, the University of Queensland, the University of Melbourne and Hochschule der Medien in Stuttgart, Germany. Her recognition as Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (UK) reflects the breadth and depth of her achievements. Gill is currently a freelance consultant undertaking applied research projects at the confluence of libraries and learning. Gill has long been involved in the Australian Library and Information Association (ALIA). She served as President in 2005-2006 and for many years she has contributed to the development of ALIA’s education and professional development policies. In 2008 she was made a Fellow of ALIA; in 2011 she was recognised as SLA’s Information Professional of the Year in the Australasian region. Gill is Co-Chair of IFLA’s Section for Continuing Professional Development and Workplace Learning (CPDWL).

Gill Hallam is the host for this episode. 

3:10

Gill: Thank you for the introduction Ray – that’s great – and welcome Christine! I’m absolutely delighted to have you with us on the CPDWL Podcast, this morning. So, first of all, if you had to describe yourself using only one word. What word would that be?

3:28

Christine: Wow, that’s a great question to start off with, Gill, and thanks very much for the invitation to be part of this podcast. I’m really delighted to be doing that.

3:39

When I think about that question I think of the word ‘responsible’. And the reason I say that….

3:48

I’m the oldest of eight children and I think when you’re the eldest of eight children, you have to be responsible. You grow up thinking that you need to take care of people. And so I think that’s been something that’s kind of come right through my life. It’s a funny word because it sounds a bit sort of uninteresting; I’d rather be able to say I’m fun or something like that. But I think ‘responsible’ probably the word I’d choose.

4:19

Gill: Well, certainly you’ve had a lot of responsibilities, beyond your family life, to be sure. Certainly within all of the different roles that you’ve played in the library sector and now of course within IFLA. That’s a highly responsible position that you hold! So, yes, let’s go with ‘responsible’.

4:37

But going back in time, what compelled you to become a librarian? So how did you actually get started?

4:44

Christine: Well, I’ve always been really fond of libraries and that started when I was in primary school, because I went to this country school and it was a new kind of model school and so we had a really good library in it – which is pretty amazing back in 1960. And so, they had a lovely teacher-librarian and I just really loved Mrs Stewart. So that gave me a very warm feeling towards libraries right from a very early age, and also my auntie used to take me into the local public library and I loved going in there too, so it’s where I just ended up. Of course, I loved reading. And so I’d always felt very fumbly towards libraries and as I got towards the end of school, you know, and thinking what I could do, well you know, Gill, back in those days the options were fairly limited. And so really for me, there was to be a nurse, a teacher or a librarian and the other two didn’t really appeal at all so I just…  I think fell pretty naturally into librarianship.

5:51

Gill: OK, so you actually moved into the career straight from school?

Christine: Yeah, well I went to, I did a Bachelor of Arts so I suppose the option of teaching was still there but then I got into the RMIT graduate diploma – and so I’ve been a librarian all my life!

Gill: So your first career – that’s amazing!

6:13

In a profession that brings in people from so many different avenues… Congratulations! That’s really good. You’re a great example for future people. OK – and then expanding our vision a little bit away from the Australian shores. What does global librarianship mean to you, and has that vision changed for you over the years that you’ve been involved in the profession?

Christine:  Well, I suppose my first taste of global librarianship – I’m not sure that’s really the right term – but I did a job exchange to Baltimore County Public Library back in 1990, I went there for 6 months, and boy, did that opened my eyes, and gave me a whole different perspective on things like customer service and the professionalism of the librarians over there. It was really quite an eye-opening thing and I also got to go to my first ALA conference while I was over there and wow, you know, all those librarians… So that really opened up my horizons, I think.

7:16

But the whole thing about global librarianship now, to me, I think is epitomized in the IFLA Global Vision project because we engaged 31,000 people from all the continents and we asked them: ‘What do you see are the strengths, and the opportunities for libraries going forward?’ And I think it was amazing that we all agreed: we share the same goals and values, and we’re all committed to free and equal access to information and I think that’s what it means to me – that we share these values, wherever you go, and that’s great.

7:58

Gill: Well, certainly the whole organization of IFLA supports that interaction on a global scale of, you know, library and information professionals from all across the world. So it’s an amazing organization from that perspective.  And now – you’re currently President, and perhaps it didn’t turn out quite the way you’d expected, given the pandemic that we’re suffering through at the moment. But first of all, how did you get involved with IFLA?

8:29

Christine: Well, firstly, well, I went to my first IFLA conference in 1988, and it was in Sydney. It was also my first ALIA conference, it was a joint conference and I’d have to say, I wasn’t terribly impressed.

8:46

But there again I was, you know, very young and very green, back then.

8:51

So I didn’t really think much about IFLA and then I was invited to join the Bertelsmann Foundation’s International Public Libraries Network. And so I got to know a lot of international colleagues through that and public library colleagues, and we worked together and really valued that relationship. And then when the Bertelsmann Foundation said they were no longer supporting it, we wanted to find a way to keep our connections going and so we found a home at IFLA.

And so, the Metropolitan Library section kind of became the old Bertelsmann network’s second home, I guess, and so I’ve been in the Metropolitan Library section since around 2003. And I was Chair, gosh, 2009 to 2011. it would have been… So yeah, that’s how my involvement with IFLA started.

10:02

Gill: Great, that’s really good. Many many experiences, I’m sure, over all of those years that you’ve actually been involved with IFLA then. So, can you share with us a memorable moment that you have about IFLA, whether that’s a particular session at the WLIC or a meeting or social event that you attended? What really stands out for you?

10:23

Christine: Well, selfishly, I would have to say my acceptance speech in Athens last year… That was for me a highpoint of my career: to be able to stand in front of my colleagues and accept the presidency of IFLA was an amazing opportunity for me.

But there’s another occasion that still warms my heart, and in the introduction, Ray mentioned the founding of the Pacific Libraries Network, and the work we did with that.  We had a summit in Fiji, to bring together all the libraries and library leaders in the Pacific. And then we followed that up in Brisbane, six-eight months later, with another meeting to try and try and develop a plan going forward to keep that connection going. And so, we had 15 librarians and library leaders from around the region and we’re all working on, you know all about workshops, Gill, working away in a workshop, and a group of them said : “Christine, can you come over?” And I said, “Sure.” And one of them said, “Now we know that this IFLA advocacy work. Now, what do we have to do to use that?” And Margaret Terry from Vanuatu, now Vanuatu was a tiny little place, with 300,000 people, a little island out there in the Pacific.  Margaret spoke up and she said, “We don’t have to ask permission: We are IFLA.”

12:03

Well, I just thought, well that’s really the ownership that people have of IFLA is so important. And that we don’t, you know, it’s a tagline, I suppose, but if there’s a lot of meaning behind it and if people really feel engaged they feel like they have ownership, I think that’s really one of the key things.

Gill: Yeah, absolutely that. Yeah, so that the nub of engagement in the profession is, I think, very, very important. And yes, as you say, I do know a fair bit about workshops, with all the Building Strong Library Association workshops that I’ve been involved in through IFLA around the world – they have been just amazing opportunities to interact with people at the global level, if you want to call it that.

Christine: So, we know how valued those workshops have been; we did an evaluation of them and even still now, when we’re talking to the regions and they say what’s important, they are saying, well, making sure that national library associations are strong… so it’s an important thing.

13:09

Gill: It’s really good to know about the lasting impact of the investment that was made through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation into that program, that’s really great.

13:18

And these days, what are you most excited about in the profession?

13:24

Christine: I feel really good about the profession because you know we’ve gone through this horrible year, and I’m on a lot of webinars and discussions and all the rest of it and, in particular, I remember one by the National Library Board of Singapore: they brought together … they called it Leaders’ Conversations, so there were leaders from three different streams: academic, public and national libraries. And what struck me through those conversations and the common themes coming through, and I think the main thing, is how resilient our profession is. That, you know, we were facing all these challenges and you’re closing and you’re opening and you’re closing again and…

I know over in Europe at the moment and my colleagues over there, they’re all busy closing down again. And one of them – I was talking to some of them yesterday and one of them just said – you know it’s a lot easier to open – I mean it’s a lot easier to close than to open. And we are a particularly resilient profession, I think, and you have kind of got to think back to mid 90s when the internet was all brand new. We certainly adapted and made that our own and I think we have that resilience and we can pivot with  the best of them, Gill, I think that we can look at the landscape and we can really see ways forward and we’re all passionate and we all believe so much in libraries.

15:01

Gill: Yes. In my observations about, what’s been happening across the world during the pandemic. The ability of the libraries – librarians particularly, obviously! – to pivot, as you say, to be able to just address the challenges as they come through, and it’s really exciting as you say.

15:21

Despite the negativity of what’s going on around us. Now, with a bit of selfish thought here, with representing CPDWL which is all about professional development… Can you give us a professional development tip or some advice, something that you’d like to share with others. Maybe particularly for those who are new or who’d like to become involved with IFLA?

15:47

Christine: Yes, sure.

15:49

My favorite bit of advice is: seize the opportunities. I think if you’re invited to be on a committee or you’re asked to do something, say yes because you never know where it’s going to lead, you never know. You’ll certainly learn new things, you know you shouldn’t feel concerned that I mightn’t be able to do this, because in particular you’re invited to do something or someone’s seen that, you know, you’re capable of doing it. And so it’s around taking up opportunities and just looking ahead.

16:29

And the other advice. I’ve got, I think this is more a managerial thing than an IFLA thing, is really do well in the job you’re in. You’re always thinking about what’s the next best job I can get. Be really good at the job you’re in and if you do that, you know, you consolidate your skills and people notice if you doing a good job. 

16:56

Gill: That’s right, new doors will open because there are opportunities. And so that’s been a trait of my career, sort of opportunities have come from angles that I wasn’t planning to move into…

Christine: So that’s right. You can’t really map out a career path, can you?

17:14

You never know what’s going to happen and you think, “Oh this job’s perfect for me.” Well, you mightn’t get it or you might get it, then regret it…

So then you need to be adaptable and resilient – and pivot!

17:29

Gill: And then picking up on your first vocabulary, of being responsible, I think it’s the responsibility of people who are working within IFLA on standing committees to think towards the future and to find younger people who do have the potential to get involved, and to do that tapping on the shoulder and to invite them to get involved in those activities.

17:52

It’s a two way street I think from that side.

Christine: Mm hmm.

17:58

Gill: Then, this might be quite a hard question in some ways, which is the focus is on what career you might have chosen instead of librarianship – and you’ve already sort of thrown out the nursing and the teaching.

18:14

But those were the opportunities in those days. Have you had any further thoughts during your career, to sort of think, “oh there’s all these new opportunities and different careers; I’d have been so good or I would have been passionate in that sort of area.” Anything else that inspires?

Christine: Oh, yeah. Oh sometimes. And I’m really happy being a librarian, I don’t think I could have picked a better career for myself. But some areas that I could have been interested in, you know, if you could have a parallel life:  psychology has always interested me. I got quite involved when I was doing, you know like staff developments things, I did the Myers Briggs accreditation course. Also, and I did an Enneagram course. And I found all that quite fascinating. Back in the day, and probably still so now, you had to have mathematics to do psychology and I had no mathematics at all. So that was never really a thing. The other thing, you know, if I was really out there in the wild, some thing in advertising perhaps? I like coming up with new ideas and being creative…

So, I’ve enjoyed for instance learning how to make websites, and that sort of thing. I found that quite interesting… 

19:31

Gill: But I think then, libraries do have, there’s so many strands to the profession, you know, different skills can actually bring those into the field.

Christine: That’s right, you can do it.

19:43

Gill:  It’s interesting, the ideas around the psychology and everything.

19:48

When I was teaching at QUT, Queensland University of Technology, a close colleague there was actually accredited with Myer Briggs as well. And so for several years we actually tested, with their permission, all the new students coming into our course, to actually track the psychology of the profession.

Christine: So, was there a dominant type coming through?

20:15

Gill: Ah, no, there wasn’t, as far as I can remember.

20:20

It was no longer than the introvert, that it changed…

Christine: there’s nothing wrong with introverts, you know ..

Gill: I know…  The traditional sort of, you know, scenario where you’re working behind the scenes, you don’t engage with people and things like that.

Christine: But that’s not really what introversion is about either, a bit because the introversion they talk about is where you get your energy so you get it from yourself, within yourself.

Gill: Yeah.

Christine: But if anyone who knows Myers Briggs is listening, I’m an INFP.

21:00

Gill: Good. And so this is really our final question for the podcast this morning.

21:08

Can you tell us about a recent project or presentation or program that you’re working on, or an upcoming event that you’d like, you will be zooming in and watching might be presenting on. Now I do realize that your schedule is very,very full and you’re in high demand across the world, to be zooming everywhere, so anything that’s sort of particularly important at the moment.

Christine: Oh, I guess the one that comes first to mind is the one at six o’clock tonight, Gill!

21:40

This year, we’ve been working on the IFLA Governance Review, as I’m sure the CPDWL people know…

21:49

And so we’re doing a regional workshop this evening with Asia-Oceania, and talking to them about how to how they think we can best encourage participation and representation in the Asia Oceania region. As part of this new Regional Council we’re forming

22:12

Yeah, so that’s on tonight.

22:15

Gill: Yes, well, you certainly had a very busy week, as I understand. The Governing Board has met, and you’ve had some long sessions online, I think.

22:26

Christine: Yes, we have. It’s a real challenge, but I think the biggest challenge, you know, I don’t mind doing the virtual, online stuff, but it’s the time zones. And I suppose that your section knows that too. I know sections are dealing with it in a different way but it’s impossible, basically to have a time that everyone’s can be kind of synchronously awake.

Gill: That is actually something we have been working on this week, with sort of avoiding ‘the ugly times’, as we call them, for the difficult times all the time. We did hold a single Standing Committee meeting late last year. So we did straddle all of the time zones. But that was in European summer time and it was a little easier than around the wintertime, that shifts it just a bit too much.

But I’m sure it’s been a quieter, in many ways a disappointing year for you. Because it’s such an exciting time to be president of association like IFLA, with the opportunity to visit so many different countries and to interact with people on different continents. So the fact that our borders are closed, ongoing for quite some time, has meant that you’ve had to pivot yourself as well, to become the online persona that you have become.

Christine: Yeah. But anyway, I just wanted to say that it is what it is. Who said that? It still is what it is. 

24:04

I think we should close.

24:10

Gill: So, um, is there anything else you’d like to add?

Christine: Oh, just to wish everyone a very Happy Holidays and let’s hope 2021 is a whole lot better than 2020 has been, hey?

24:25

Gill: There’s a lot of action around vaccinations and things like that beginning to happen so it is the beginning of the end, and lots of better things ahead.

Christine: Let’s hope so. And meanwhile, let’s work together and we are IFLA!

24:43

Gill: Indeed, we are IFLA. Thank you very much indeed for your time. We do realize that you have lots of meetings and lots of interviews and things like that happening so your contributions to our podcast series is just lovely to and to be able to engage with you on a personal level, that’s a little bit more relaxed than, you know, some of all the real professional stuff that you have to do, so thanks!

Christine: Thanks, Gill. Thanks very much. Thank you for your very nice questions and thank you, Ray for organizing it.

Gill: Thank you!