Author: lyndamk

Librarian with many interests but primarily data, government info, history, political science, and international studies. Serve as Chair of the ALA Government Documents Round Table.

Beyond the Numbers 2018 Day 1 #data #BTN2018

I had the opportunity to attend the Beyond the Numbers conference at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis this week. This biennial event brings together librarians, archivists, and economists from all over the country to talk about the challenges in economic information access and use. Usually they add their presentation materials every year so check back for slides. I’ve never been to the conference but have heard a lot about it from IASSIST members since it started in 2014. I arrived late because of teaching and plane malfunctions, but I was able to attend a few sessions on Thursday.

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Data Play

The first was with Christine Murray from Bates College talking about using R for economics data. She did a great job showing both the basics of using R and then how to do use the pdfetch package to work with time series from economic data vendors like FRED, BLS, and others. I’ve imported data using API but this package makes it much easier to work with these particular vendors.  You can also visualize and layer time series within R. She created a great libguide showing how to use R for economics. Definitely going on my data play list for winter break.

The second was Kate McNamara’s Evidence-Based Research with the Census Bureau Data Linkage Infrastructure. Kate talked about the new efforts in the Census Bureau’s Data Linkage Infrastructure program. This is related to the  Federal Statistical Data Research Centers (FSRDCs) located around the country (our closest is at Duke) that have administrative data from a wide variety of government agencies that are linked together. Researchers must apply to access the data and it has been a lengthy (and slightly cumbersome process). One of their efforts is to promote evidence building projects that are collaborations between Bureau researchers and academics. The difficulty for academics in the past has been that, while there is a data inventory, the CB hasn’t provided detailed metadata about the available datasets and information on what unique identifiers are available for linking datasets. Without that information it can extremely difficult for researchers to know before they apply if the data will be useful. The CB is preparing though to post that metadata on ICPSR and create a new inventory available to the public. That is REALLY exciting news for data users.

Finally,  Kristin Fontichiaro and Wendy Stephens presented on From “Skip the Numbers” to “Great Stuff”: A Data Education Project. These LIS professors created a project geared to high school teachers and media center specialists to help them integrate statistical literacy into their curricula. Their project, Creating Data Literate Students, made the rounds a while back and they have recordings from past virtual conferences if you are interested. For lower level or data adverse students, the principles and teaching suggestions are very helpful. They also have two free books on teaching statistical and data literacy in teaching. I’m xcited to read Lynette Hoelter’s chapter! She does some great work at ICPSR.

So, day 1 is a wrap. Today we learn more about data and I am presenting on the PEGI Project. Exciting stuff and more to come!

Presidential Research Resources webinar!

Our next NCLA Gov Resources Section Help! I’m an Accidental Government Information Librarian webinar is November 7, 2018 from 12-1 pm (eastern). It is on Presidential Research Resources.

This talk will discuss digital and archival resources for Presidential Research with librarians and archivists from the Miller Center, the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington and Seton Hall University.  The presenters will include Rebecca Baird, Archivist, Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association (MVLA), Sheila Blackford, Librarian, Scripps Library, Miller Center, University of Virginia, Lisa DeLuca, Social Sciences Librarian, Seton Hall University, and Katherine Hoarn, Special Collections Librarian, The Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon

Sign up here: http://bit.ly/NCLAGRS-81-1

For more of our webinars, see our YouTube channel: http://tinyurl.com/nclagrsonyoutube

Comment period open for new Meeting Room Interpretation Draft #alacouncil

Sorry for the delay on posting this. Apparently I had forgotten how busy September can be when I decided to attend IFLA. My email is a manageable level and I noticed this one about the draft Meeting Room Interpretation. If you haven’t seen already, we are in the comment period. You have until September 14 to comment. The information is below from Julia Warga, Chair of the Intellectual Freedom Committee. This is your chance to contribute!

The Intellectual Freedom Committee would appreciate feedback from the library community on this draft. ALA members and non-members alike are invited to provide feedback on the draft interpretation by September 14, 2018. Feedback can be posted in the following two ways:

  • Use this Google doc to post your comments. The working group requests that you ONLY post comments on this document, and not edit the document directly. To post a comment, select “Insert” in the top menu, and then click “Comment.” Comments may be posted anonymously (if you’re not signed into a Google account) or publicly (if you’re signed into your Google account).

  • Post suggestions to this ALA Connect post, either as a comment or by attaching a “track changes” version of the provided Word document.

Please share this document widely. After the deadline, the working group will review comments and revise the document further. It plans to submit the draft to ALA Council no later than October 1, 2018. The committee also plans to publish a Q&A on meeting rooms, addressing specific questions brought up in discussions and feedback from the library community; this Q&A will be drafted after October 1.

Below are resources and references that will be included at the bottom of the web version of the Council-approved interpretation. Although this section — titled “See Also” — is not part of the proposed interpretation and is not adopted by ALA Council, the working group invites suggestions on additional resources that readers may find helpful:

 

Update on ALA Meeting Rooms Interpretation

Just a note that the ALA Executive Board met on July 20, 2018 and unanimously voted to allow an on-line vote of Council on the Resolution to Rescind Meeting Rooms: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights (2017-2018 ALA CD#19.6_62617_act). Councilors will have a closed discussion from July 26-August 9. On August 9 we have until August 16 to vote on whether it should be rescinded. The results of the vote will be announced on August 17.
 
In addition, a working group has been created to look at a revision of the language. This is a separate but related process. My understanding is that even if the vote to rescind the original interpretation is voted down, the IFC is planning revise.
 
In addition, the IFC wants your feedback:
The ALA Intellectual Freedom Committee has created a working group to revisit the language in the Meeting Rooms interpretation because of concern from the library community. You can provide feedback to the group.
 
The deadline for comments is August 24. The working group plans to distribute a draft of the revised interpretation to the library community at large shortly after Labor Day for additional feedback, with the goal to present ALA Council a final draft for consideration by October 1.

Update on Meeting Rooms debate: resolution to rescind; comments needed by 7/19

This is the most recent info on the Councilor list about the Meeting Rooms interpretation. There is currently an effort to rescind the interpretation. They are asking for comments by 7/19/2018. It is still unclear how this fits with the IFC working group and if it will fly under parliamentary procedure. More to come.

Attached please find a draft resolution ( in Google Doc [ https://goo.gl/Mp8vEM]) to rescind the meeting rooms interpretation.

We, the signers, would like to receive feedback on the language of the resolution and additional seconders. Please let us know by 11:59pm PDT, Thursday, 5/19/2018.

Never a dull moment: ALA Council 2018

Well, never is a strong world … Just kidding.

I finished my first year as the NC Chapter Councilor and I have the duty and privilege to report on the activities of Council at conference. In the interest of making this more accessible, I’ve uploaded it to Google Drive and you are free to read and even comment (keep it nice, or not). I’m happy to take feedback or hear your concerns. Just email or comment.

The biggest issue coming out of annual was the controversy over the use of the term “hate group” in the Library Bill of Rights Meeting Rooms interpretation. You can read more about this in the the google doc if you missed the debate. The Office of Intellectual Freedom has issued a statement providing some context. Yes, as NC Councilor I voted for the interpretation. And yes, I read the interpretation before I voted on it. My opinion is available on Twitter if you are interested.

As a result of the debate, the Intellectual Freedom Committee is revisiting the document. They have formed a working group as of Saturday, July 14 and will develop a timeline and plan of action. There is also a movement to rescind or amend the interpretation virtually but that has hit a parliamentary procedural roadblock (RONR is pesky beast). More to come this week we are told. I’ll post updates under this link: https://lyndamkreads.wordpress.com/tag/meeting-rooms/

I’m just happy people are reading ALA documents and engaging with the organization to be honest. (P.S. This is me being light-hearted to some extent. But seriously, considering our voter turnout, I am happy to see people engaging with the big ALA even if it is to criticize. Just wish more would vote. If you don’t like things, come fix them.)

Several other things came out of Council’s meeting including a good discussion of ALA’s future and the creation of the Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table. We also passed four resolutions that might be of interest. The summary and the full-text link of these is in the google doc.

  • A Resolution Recognizing the 25th Anniversary of the GPO Access Act and Calling for the Enactment of the FDLP Modernization Act
  • A Resolution to Reunite Detained Migrant Children with their Parents
  • A Resolution to Honor African Americans Who Fought Library Segregation
  • A Resolution on Gender Inclusive Bathrooms at ALA Conferences and Meetings

And finally we celebrated Lois Ann Gregory-Wood who retired as the ALA Secretariat after almost 30 years of work. We will certainly miss her!

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We heart Lois!

NCGA Constitutional Amendments

The News & Record wrote an editorial this morning arguing why this process is not ideal. The short version and the key things to remember are that these amendments if enacted are difficult to repeal and will give the legislature ability to enact laws in the spirit of these amendments (making them harder to overturn). The editorial tells you to go read them for yourself, but the NCGA website is the most labyrinthine government website possible, and it isn’t immediately clear which laws are the amendments, so here they are:

NCLA GRS webinar on Providing Health Information Services STAT

Help! I’m an Accidental Government Information Librarian presents … Providing Health Information Services STAT (IN CONJUNCTION WITH NCLA STEM)

The Government Resources Section of the North Carolina Library Association welcomes you to a series of webinars designed to help us increase our familiarity with government information. All are welcome because government information wants to be free.

This talk will cover the medical information reference interview and the uniqueness of health questions. This webinar will give an overview of recommended resources from MedlinePlus.gov and NCHealthInfo.org.

Presenters:

Terri Ottosen, MLIS, AHIP, Community Engagement and Health Literacy Librarian, Health Sciences Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In her position, Terri works to advance the library’s community engagement activities and manages and develops health literacy, consumer health and patient education resources and services for health professionals and students. She also provides outreach to the citizens of North Carolina through NC Health Info, working directly with public libraries and community agencies. She has served on many professional committees and is a distinguished member of the Academy of Health Information Professionals.

Sarah Jeong, MLIS, Research & Instruction Librarian for Science, Z. Smith Reynolds Library, Wake Forest University

Sarah is the subject specialist responsible for course-integrated research instruction, research metrics consultation, literature research consultation for undergraduates and graduate students, and collection management in her designated liaison areas. She is one of the original section editors of NC Health Info and is a member of Beta Phi Mu Honor Society.

We will meet together online on July 24th from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (Eastern). Please RSVP for the session using this link: https://tinyurl.com/grssession-79

We will use WebEx for the live session. Information on testing and accessing the session will be made available when you register.

The session will be recorded and available after the live session, linked from the NCLA GRS web page (http://www.nclaonline.org/government-resources).

Data analytics and library marketing at #SLA2018

This spring I was asked to present for the Special Libraries Association’s Leadership & Management Division at the annual SLA conference. They asked me to talk about big picture efforts to develop data analytics projects for marketing library services, two areas I find fascinating to learn about.

Using data driven analyses for developing marketing strategies is a broad topic and can (and should) encompass a wide variety of techniques. Sometimes we focus too narrowly on digital analytics or user engagement with our web presence. As such, some of the traditional but still useful approaches get lost or we don’t always invest in better professional development for those approaches, such as talking about market segmentation or survey writing and development. In addition, many universities have developed data analytics shops to support research projects, but using those shops for library marketing are rarer. And then there is the issue of terminology. We all do assessment to “prove value” but shouldn’t we use that assessment to shape our marketing strategies too? How do we do so effectively? How many libraries even have a marketing plan (and not a promotional plan)? UNCG has started in this area with our (relatively) new Director of Communications and Marketing. She is doing a great job, but her approaches have been quite new for us.

So, just some questions I was pondering when developing this presentation. I’ve gathered some resources together in an open zotero library. This includes some writings about the topic, examples, and tools. I am still adding items there from my research, so come back for more.

I also created a Padlet (a virtual chalkboard) for people to add their ideas. This didn’t seem to resonate as much with the SLA crowd, although there are a few ideas. If you are reading and have ideas, feel free to add. Also my slides are below the Padlet.

Made with Padlet