Information Wants To Be Free – Page 4 – A librarian, writer and educator reflecting on the profession and the tools we use to serve our patrons

Appreciate your speakers

I have been very fortunate to address librarians nationally and internationally as a speaker. I love sharing my ideas, experiences, and things I’ve learned and meeting other librarians. I have…

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Playing the super-productive librarian. My #LISMentalHealth Week post

I know a lot of librarians who've suffered with depression or anxiety, take psychotropics, or who go to therapy. It makes me wonder if people with mental illness are drawn…

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Reputation is everything: On problematic editing and sponsored content

First, full disclosure: I am a columnist for American Libraries. They pay me to write columns every other month in which I state my opinion on various things relating somewhat…

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My year in reading, 2015

I've learned over time that work/life balance not only looks different for every person, but looks very different for an individual from one moment to the next. The needs you…

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Should the horrible first job search be seen as a rite-of-passage?

I felt really sad when I read Kyle Shockey's post on the Librarian Burnout blog about feeling burnout after library school and being in the midst of the job hunt.…

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The Next Librarian of Congress?

Late last week, I received an email from the culture editor at the New Republic about writing an article on the next Librarian of Congress. It was the first offer…

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The insidious nature of “fit” in hiring and the workplace

Organizational culture is a very real and a very powerful force in every organization. I have worked in a variety of different organizations and each had had its own rituals, norms,…

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Are online MLIS degree-holders “less than?”

When I graduated from library school, I worried about anti-online-degree bias. I worried that people would think my degree was somehow "less than" because I'd done it fully online. I…

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You could learn a lot from us: community college librarians at ACRL

ACRL was ridiculously amazing this year. I feel energized, affirmed, and hopeful (and completely exhausted and sick since it ended). The programming was so high-quality and relevant that, in most…

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True confessions

When my brain was completely full on Thursday at the ACRL Conference, Jad Abumrad's keynote felt like a spa for my brain. For those who don't know, he is the…

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Read your contract: Being OA isn’t enough

So, I missed writing this for Open Access Week, or Fair Use Week, or Open Education Week, but I think these are topics that we should be focusing on every day…

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Framework? Standards? I’m keeping it local.

I'm sure most of you have already heard that the ACRL Board has decided to adopt the Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education. What I think is more interesting…

Sorry Springshare, but also not sorry

So I probably didn't make a lot of friends at Springshare with my blog post about LibGuides this morning (if you haven't already, take a look at the update I…

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Peer learning in library instruction

Teaching is such a solitary thing. Sure, you're up in front of a bunch of students, and maybe an instructor if you're doing course-integrated instruction, but the act still feels…

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My year in books

Growing up, I was a voracious reader. What a surprise, right? Gee, a librarian who likes to read. But something happened to me between college and grad school where I lost…

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A weight off my shoulders

I know it's been a while since I last posted. I've almost written a few posts on the vitriol I've been seeing from librarians on social media over the past couple…

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Living essentially

“What do I feel deeply inspired by?” and “What am I particularly talented at?” and “What meets a significant need in the world?” ― Greg McKeown, Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less…

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Free and Cheap Technologies to Supercharge Your Teaching

Just gave a fun whirlwind instructional technology talk and I wanted to provide the slides and links below for the attendees (and anyone else who's interested). Slides: Links: Tools for…