Stephen's Lighthouse: SirsiDynix OneSource Archives

May 6, 2008

What Does Experience Actually Look Like?

The latest SirsiDynix OneSource Newsletter is out. My column is on this topic:

So What Does Experience Actually Look Like?

Hope you find it interesting.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 4:37 PM | Comments (0)

April 2, 2008

Latest Issue of SirsiDynix OneSource

Part Two of my column is out in the latest issue of SirsiDynix OneSource which went out today.

Challenges to Innovation in Libraries, Part 2 (continued from March issue)

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 3:27 PM | Comments (0)

March 3, 2008

OneSource Column part 1

Here's the latest SirsiDynix OneSource.

My column is on innovation diffusion:

Challenges to Innovation in Libraries

Part 2 in March's issue.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 12:00 PM | Comments (0)

September 26, 2007

Librarians and Innovation Diffusion

Here's my latest column for SirsiDynix OneSource newsletter:

Challenges to Innovation in Libraries
Sept. 2007

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 4:05 PM | Comments (0)

August 2, 2007

Latest OneSource Article

Here's a link to my latest column in SirsiDynix OneSource.

Can This 2.0 Stuff Help Libraries with Promotion?
August 2007

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 12:01 AM | Comments (2)

June 7, 2007

Latest SirsiDynix OneSource articles

Well, the latest OneSource has arrived.

Here's a link to my latest column:

Building Capacity for Learning, Change, and Innovation

May 9, 2007

Latest OneSource

Here's a link to my latest column in the SirsiDynix OneSource newsletter for May 2007:

Earning the Right to Give Advice

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 12:07 AM | Comments (0)

April 14, 2007

January's SirsiDynix OneSource

OK, it's a little late for the New Year but here's January's OneSource column:

It’s a New Year - 2007! How Do We Sustain Motivation?

It's going to turn into a great year....

Stephen
(Another year older in a few weeks)

Posted by stephen at 3:56 PM | Comments (1)

February OneSource

Here's February's SirsiDynix OneSource column:

Rev Up Your Avatars - Future Libraries’ Third Presence in Second Life
by Stephen Abram, vice president of Innovation, SirsiDynix

Second Life is soooo cool.

Stephen
(or Squid Cagney)

Posted by stephen at 3:54 PM | Comments (1)

Bring the User In

OK - that reminds me I think I might have neglected to link to the last few SirsiDynix OneSource articles.

In March, I discussed how to bring the user in to community and project development:

Bring the User In
by Stephen Abram, vice president of Innovation, SirsiDynix

Outside In
Inside Out
By Hand Only

It was actually a small tribute to my late father-in-law who was an amazing man.

Find it here.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 3:45 PM | Comments (0)

Latest SirsiDynix OneSource

Here's my latest column in SirsiDynix OneSource. I tremble to link to it here. It's created a little controversy in just a couple of days since its release.

It's called "Change – Arrghhhhh!" You can find it here.

Anyway, I've learned a lot in many years of change and feel that the emotional side of dealing with change is addressed too little. I've managed a large number of corporate change projects and the books on the simple processes are legion. I have found the stages of grief process a useful metaphor in understanding or at least discussing our emotional reactions. Read and decide for yourself. I was reminded of the stages lately as a few very close relatives and friends passed on unexpectedly. I guess it was just top of mind when I was writing. For those who feel this is insenstive, I apologize. Everyone grieves in their own way and I never question other's reactions to grief nor do I feel any reaction is invalid. For those who feel that corporate employees have no right to comment on this, I respectfully disagree.

Either way, for the hundreds of comments, e-mails and postings I am receiving, I thank you. A conversation is a good thing. So far, the vast majority are positive, respectful and/or constructive. For the few anonymous, nasty or threatening ones - I feel the need to publicly state that I am a librarian and an information professional. As such I have a few personal values. These include signing my work (I never post without my name at the bottom), replying to respectful and constructive criticism, and respecting my readers and clients. I try (sometimes unsuccessfully) to avoid personal ad hominem attacks and hot words and I always ask for the real information and facts from the source rather than imagine or invent a scenario and publish it as if it were fact. Writing a blog would be so much more fun and easy if I were anonymous!

We all have our personal definition of what comprises professionalism. I sometimes fail. I'm not perfect - far from it. If I have offended anyone with this article, then I apologize. My intent was to share a personal experience in a difficult time. But then, that's just me.

Either way, I will continue to carry myself the same way in all my roles.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 3:19 PM | Comments (1)

December 7, 2006

Latest OneSource is Out

The latest SirsiDynix OneSource newsletter is out. My column this month is called "Reconstructing the Reference Team: 6 Ways to Sunday". Enjoy.

There ar ealso some articles on the SirsiDynix Superconference and the SirsiDynix Institute Executive Conference (all are welcome to these special conference in a conference).

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 5:09 PM | Comments (0)

October 11, 2006

Personas Articles: Part 3

Here's the third part of Mary Lee Kennedy's series of articles on personas and their use in library product and service development.

Defining New and Improved Products
by Mary Lee Kennedy, TKG Consulting LLC

In this final article of a three-part series, learn how personas enable the library to look at their "products" from the outside in - and to deliver products that are useful, usable, and used.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 4:19 PM | Comments (2)

Part 2 of Waiting for Your Cat to Bark.

Here's the link to part two of three of my SirsiDynix OneSource article.

Waiting for Your Cat to Bark - Competing with Google and its Ilk

Blogging from Sydney Australia!

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 4:17 PM | Comments (3)

September 10, 2006

Waiting for your cat to bark

My latest three part series of articles has begun in the SirsiDynix OneSource newsletter. This series is called:
Waiting for Your Cat to Bark - Competing with Google and its Ilk .

In this three part series, I will identify and explore the strengths and weaknesses of the Googles of the world (this issue, part 1); the real strengths and weaknesses of our world of libraries (October, part 2); and some of the key strategies that will militate towards our success in the changing world of our communities (November, part 3).

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 7:31 PM | Comments (0)

August 6, 2006

Latest OneSource article - Part Two

Here's the latest issue of SirsiDynix OneSource. My contribution was the article entitled, "Piloting Your Future Library: The Lucky 7 (Part 2)" Part One was in the July issue.

The concept behind this two-parter is that there are cheap and cheerful ways to pilot new ideas before you decide to professionalize them or "grow up" into software that is more sustainable and rugged. I think there are some good ideas here. And, you don't actually have to grow up all the time. (grin)

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 10:16 PM | Comments (0)

July 10, 2006

Latest OneSource article - Part One

Here's the latest issue of SirsiDynix OneSource. My contribution was the article entitled, "Piloting Your Future Library: The Lucky 7 (Part 1)" Part two will be in the August issue.

The concept behind this two-parter is that there are cheap and cheerful ways to pilot new ideas before you decide to professionalize them or "grow up" into software that is more sustainable and rugged. I think there's some good ideas here. And, you don't actually have to grow up all the time. (grin)

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 2:59 PM | Comments (0)

June 6, 2006

MySpace Learning for Libraries

My latest column for SirsiDynix OneSource is titled, "How Can MySpace Inform Library Portal Development?" This time I tried to focus on what public and academic libraries can lear from MySpace. (Previous versions focused on special and school environments.)

SirsiDynix offers a lot of portal oriented products and content, and I think this MySpace/Facebook/Bebo stuff offers a lot of stuff to learn what thhis can look like for pstive effect.

Some folks have been misinterpreting my fascination with Millennials and their ways. I am not suggesting that there is no need to educate them and to teach them life skills for the future they'll live. I am suggesting that there is a different foundation to build on and we need to be cognizant of some of their ways to align our portals, content, lessons and services for maximum advantage and impact. They're not aliens. They're just diverse from us and that's good. Diversity needs to be respected when we build services, content and programs for various demographic communities. We know this when we design for seniors communities (and they're changing radically too), so it shouldn't be a surprise that youth are different too.

Enjoy,

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 2:42 PM | Comments (0)

Usability

I am pretty pumped about some of the usabiity studies SirsiDynix has been doing in partnership with Kent State University School of Library and Information Science. Here's a new article from SirsiDynix OneSource.

The “Eyes” Have It: Eye-Tracking and Usability Study of SchoolRooms by Drs. Greg Byerly, Jason Holmes, David Robins, Yin Zang, and Athena Salab.

What particularly cool here is that this is new age work with Millennials and post-Millennials.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 2:31 PM | Comments (0)

May 3, 2006

Productivity – SSSHHHHHHH!!!)

The latest SirsiDynix OneSource is out. I know that part one of my article on productivity in libraries was read since I got a load of private e-nails from it.

That Library Word That Dare Not Be Heard Aloud
(Productivity – SSSHHHHHHH!!!) - Part 2

If you missed Part one it's here.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 6:58 PM | Comments (0)

April 6, 2006

Shhhhhh! Library Productivity

Here's a link to part one of my article "That Library Word That Dare Not Be Heard Aloud (Productivity - SSHHHHHHH!!!)".

Part two coming in May.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 8:24 AM | Comments (1)

March 31, 2006

OneSource February and March 2006

For these OneSource Issues I did a two part-parter called "Worry" about the devlish dozen worries in library land. Part one if here and part two is here.

Watch for the upcoming two parter on productivity in libraries. Oh oh. Shhhh. We better not talk to loudly about that. (grin)

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 2:02 PM | Comments (1)

OneSource January 2006 Article

January's article was already blogged called "Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and Librarian 2.0: Preparing for the 2.0 World". This posting is to get it linked in the sidebar on the blog. It is here.

Stephen

Posted by stephen at 1:59 PM | Comments (0)