Mapping Still Unclear

I get the vision of where we are going in terms of the semantic web, RDA, FRBR, etc. Believe me, I want to be there as much as anyone. But I still cannot for the life of me understand how we will get there. To paraphrase Janet Swan Hill, I need the intervening steps mapped out and I do not seem to be hearing those. Or else, I am missing them, which is entirely possible ...

Thanks to Georgie Briscoe for her interesting program on quality control in our catalogs! Hopefully we can pursue Barbara Bintliff's suggestion of a new column in TSLL to share our strategies for cleanup projects to catch the errors that Georgia described to us. Look for her article on her research project in an upcoming LLJ.

It was exciting the way the program Q&A portions often produced ideas like this that tech services law librarians could tackle to achieve a desired end. My concern is whether we have the time and energy to make them all a reality. After all, the themes I heard this year remained: budget and staff shortfalls, cross training, justification of what we do to administration (usually in terms of measurement of data), etc. And of course it is the year of RDA, so we are wondering how to grapple with that. How little sleep can tech services law librarians operate on? I guess we will find out!

The meeting was exhausting because there was so much content to absorb in such a short amount of time. I extend my sincere thanks to TS and OBS for their hard work in providing that content. And thanks especially to my committed and enthusiastic colleagues who make up those SISs. You are all amazing!

Charting New Roles for Technical Services

Attending an interesting program given by Carol Avery Nicholson and Karen Davis on making an institutional repository for faculty made me realize I should also have gone to the program, 10 things every law library needs to now about copyright. Luckily, there's a live webcast of it here.

HIVE December One-minute Showcase

How cool is this? A YouTube video of a condensed version of today's program, SKOS and HIVE: enhancing the creation, design and flow of information.

TS-SIS Business Meeting

A few highlights from the TS-SIS Business Meeting, Sunday, July 11.

The Board: Secretary/Treasurer Wendy Moore, Outgoing Chair Chris Long, Incoming Chair Pam Deemer.

Margie Maes introduces this year's winner of the Rene D. Chapman Award for Outstanding Service in Technical Services Law Librarianship:

Carol Avery Nicholson,

and Chair Chris Long presents this year's Marian Gould Gallagher Award winner Marie Whited with a certificate of appreciation from TS-SIS.

Incoming chair, Pam Deemer gives Chris Long a gift and brings the meeting to a close.

Watching the World Cup

A small but international group gathers to watch Spain defeat the Netherlands, 1-0. The Octopus was right.

Bid on Silent Auction at Activities Table

TS-SIS is sponsoring a silent action to promote and raise money for the Marla Schwartz Grants. These grants enable law librarians to attend conferences. Auction items include: ceramic book box (old leather binding look); ceramic colorful flower vase; green ceramic goblet; one dozen handmade greeting cards. Bidding ends at 2:05 p.m. on Monday, July 12, 2010.

Arrival in Denver

I am here, and probably you are, too!

It was sunny, and then it was overcast, and it does feel very high. I'm quite thirsty, and the beer I had at the Tilted Kilt while watching the Germany-Uruguay game has me very tired.

Hope to see you at the Alphabet Soup Reception, and then let the fun begin!

Off to Denver

It's my last day in the office and I'm pulling all my stuff together for the AALL conference. I fly out to Denver early tomorrow morning.

As you plan your conference schedule, don't forget all the great offerings from the OBS and TS-SISs. Details are on their websites:

http://www.aallnet.org/sis/obssis/programs2010.htm

http://www.aallnet.org/sis/tssis/annualmeeting/2010/

Be sure to bring your sunscreen and prepare to drink lots of water to stave off any altitude sickness. I look forward to seeing you all soon in the Mile High City!

TS-SIS program proposals for Summit 2010: Mapping Our Future

To all TS-SIS Members:

If you plan to submit a program proposal, the TS-SIS Education Committee would like to help give your program the best chance of being approved.

Please "Share" your program proposal with me at Carol_Nicholson AT unc.edu on behalf of the TS-SIS Education Committee. Further instructions can be found at http://www.aallnet.org/sis/tssis/annualmeeting/2009/#programideas.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Carol Nicholson, Chair

AALL TS-SIS Education Committee