Job Posting - Diversity Resident Librarian

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro is a progressive library. Take a look at the following new opening for the position of diversity librarian.

Diversity Resident Librarian
The University Libraries, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

The University Libraries have established a two-year Post MLS Diversity Residency program to further increase the diversity of our professional staff while fostering the growth and development of a new librarian. The purpose of the Residency is to attract a recent graduate to the challenging and rewarding career of academic librarianship. The University Libraries has a Diversity Committee and also participates in the University?s diversity initiatives:
http://library.uncg.edu/divres/

Residents will provide service and gain valuable experience in multiple facets of academic librarianship through this process by spending their first year in three different functional areas and their second year focused in one primary service area. The Resident will serve on library committees as appropriate including the Diversity Committee and search committees as well as be assigned other activities such as liaison responsibilities. Professional development is a strong component of the Residency program, which includes conference attendance, interaction and participation in the University Libraries Mentoring Program, and collaboration with UNCG Library and Information Studies Department.

Human information behaviour and Human-Computer Interaction are areas of study, particularly in Library and Information Science. Drawing from supporting knowledge from disparate disciplines as computer graphics, operating systems, programming languages, communication theory, graphic and industrial design disciplines, linguistics, social sciences, and cognitive psychology, IB and HCI are powerful concepts which continue to shape LIS.

However, the LIS cognitive schools of thought assume universal concepts, and are often devoid of ethnological methodology or cultural comparisons. Unfortunately, this resonates to the library and information professions as users are often painted with the same generalist brush. Multicultural librarianship is often limited to market segmentation and specialized reading lists. What about cultural user behaviours? Cultural information retrieval studies? LIS often does not cross into the realm of cultural studies, despite the fact that there is much to examine.

Larissa Hjorth's The Game of Being Mobile: One Media History of Gaming and Mobile Technologies in Asia-Pacific is an interesting microanalysis of social media behaviourial differences between Korea and Japan. It offers much food for thought for LIS professionals, particularly for those who overgeneralize their user groups and standardize one-size-fits-all attitudes in designing information systems. Hjorth highlights some interesting points:

(1) Asia-Pacific Region - Marked by diverse penetration rates of gaming, mobile and broadband technologies, which are subject to local cultural and socio-economic nuances. One of the dominant modes of socializing the consumption of new technologies is through the role of cute culture (also known as kawaii).

(2) Rise in mobile media - Marked by the rise in particular modes of gaming in these regions. South Korea and Japan represent two opposing directions for gaming - Korea emphasizes MMOGs played on stationary PCs in social spaces while Japan pioneers the mobile (privatized) convergent platforms and devices such as the handhelf PSP2 and Nintendo DS.

(3) Public and Private Spaces - Previous domestic technologies such as TV and radio reconfigures public and private spaces. 19th and 20th century technologies therefore have always been part of the way in which space is redefined.

(4) Imagined Communities - Through mobile media and media communities such as gaming, we are seeing emerging unofficial imaging communities that will impact on official imagined and transnational synergies.

(5) Remediating Technology - Customizing invites uers to conceive of technology as remediated. Through cute customization of mobile media and games in the region, new technologies are linked into earlier cultural histories and media archaeologies that are distinctive from European or American models.

(6) Cute Technology - Cute is fundamentally linked to the adaptation of new technologies, such as mobile media and SNS. This phenomenon distinctively differs from Western modes of user customization modes and demonstrates that technologies are much socio-cultural as they are industrial.

(7) SNS in Asia - Unlike Western or European social networking systems (SNS) that are consumed by children and teenagers, in Korea's Cyworld both young and old engage in the politics of cute representation online as a reflection of offline identity. Because of such localized features of not only the SNS, but its specific geographical and cultural audience, its success outside of Korea (and the Korean diaspora) is far from assured.

Archives and Culture

The information profession often lacks a cultural approach in its methodological inquiries. Victorial Lemieux is perhaps an exception. A new and rising star scholar, Lemieux has won several awards for her scholarly and professional work, including the 2001 W. Kaye Lamb Prize (awarded to the author of the article that most advances archival thinking and scholarship in Canada) for “Let the Ghosts Speak: An Empirical Exploration of the ‘Nature’ of the Record.”

Using empirical data from a case study of record-keeping practices in indigenous Jamaican commercial banks that collapsed to explore the “nature” of the record, Lemieux continues a thread of debate appearing in previous issues of Archivaria which questions the definition of a record, whether the meaning of a record is fixed at the point of creation or evolves over time, and who authors the record. In the end, Lemieux argues that there is no single valid conceptualization of the record; instead, there are many valid conceptualizations arising from particular social contexts, and, further, the meaning in records is engendered over time by all those involved in the processes of incription, transmission, and contextualization, including record-keepers.

Community Historical Recognition Program as 'Digital Storytelling'

Digital Storytelling is unique exchange taking place between active learning and content creation of history. The Community Historical Recognition Program at the University of British Columbia helps match elderly Chinese Canadians unfamiliar with the use of digital resources and the use of computer technology with young students often have little idea of the rich lives and historical experiences of elders in their communities. In conducting interviews and putting together a collage of historical anecdotes, the CHRP hopes to bring together young students, who can tap the enormous potential of digital age technology, with elderly members of the community whose unique memories and stories are in danger of being lost as they pass on.

The CHRP is a three-year program of workshops, community learning forums, and family history research projects that will create new materials and preserve them for posterity. The workshop and projects are all built upon the core concept of putting together young students with older generations of Chinese Canadians and having them work together in an engaged manner that maximizes what each can bring to a collaborative process.

Gayatri Spivak Talk at U of California

I ::heart:: Gayatri Spivak. She is the dame of postcolonial subaltern studies. What an energetic, enigmatic talk. It complements my readings of Spivak's works. She is marvellous. It makes my work as an academic librarian that much more enjoyable.

BC Mosaic 150 Project Unveiling

Chinese Aboriginal Teaser from Farzine MacRae on Vimeo.

One of my greatest joys as an information professional has been the ability and opportunities to use my skills for the betterment of my community and profession. I was honoured and very fortunate to have been part of the BC Mosaic 150 project, which was a labour of love for over a year.

On the 150th anniversary of the province of BC, the Chinese Canadian Historical Society of BC was awarded a grant to take a closer look at these inter-community histories in order to promote understanding of the shared experiences between Chinese Canadians and First Nations peoples. This would be of significance to all British Columbians, whether First Nations/Aborginal/Métis, immigrants, Canadian-born, Chinese, and non-Chinese alike. It is appropriate to provide a more inclusive perspective on these communities, rather than looking at each one in solitary isolation. The reference bibliography provides a comprehensive look into the research that has already been done in this topic.

MTR In Need

Who says that information managers are restricted to libraries? There are exciting careers to be found in the world of information. In this increasingly globalized world of knowledge exchange and retrieval, jobs such as this is becoming the norm. Take a look at Hong Kong's MTR need for an information professional.

MTR CORPORATION

Get Your Career On The Move

Are you looking for a career where you can make a difference? As a MTR Corporation team member, you can.

In MTR Corporation, we have expanded our business from beyond the construction and operations of a mass transit railway system. We have prided ourselves in growing the communities and enhancing the quality of life of Hong Kong people. Today, MTR Corporation is a diversified company with interests in transportation, property management, many other commercial activities, investment projects and consultancy services worldwide.

We would like to invite applications for the positions of:


(Ref: J09031)

Reporting to the Manager-Knowledge and Information, you will perform the role of a Technical Librarian by maintaining a library of essential records for the Projects Division. You will maintain key aspects of the Intranet Portal including smart interactive organisation charts, on-line reference libraries, etc. using the SharePoint 2007 platform. You will also be a centralised resource to respond to hotline requests and support staff in the use of knowledge management tools through the new Intranet Portal.

You should have a Higher Diploma in Management Studies or equivalent and 3 years' relevant working experience.
Applications
You are invited to apply online at http://www.mtr.com.hk/careers or send in your application stating the position you are applying for and relevant reference number either by email to recruit@mtr.com.hk or by mail to the following address on or before 27 February 2009:

Human Resource Management Department
MTR Corporation
G.P.O. Box 9916
Hong Kong

Attention Chinese Language Community Librarians

Library 2.0 is about user-centred services. Vancouver Public Library (VPL) gets it. They're hiring a Chinese language community librarian to specially serve its heavily-populated Chinese clientele in the Strathcona and Hastings area. Take a look at this position and tell me if it isn't a unique way of providing information services!

Position Title

Librarian I – Chinese Language Community Librarian (Part-time)

Library / Organization Name

Vancouver Public Library

Library Type

Public

Job Description Offering exceptional collections and innovative services, the Vancouver Public Library (VPL) is the third-largest library system in Canada and consists of 21 branch libraries and a large Central Library.

VPL is seeking dynamic Librarians to actively engage the Chinese community in the Downtown Eastside and Strathcona in provision of services in the branch, and in discussions about and planning for library services. Please note, candidates may apply for one or both of these positions.

Position 1: Chinese Language Community Librarian – Carnegie, 12 hours per week
Reporting to the Branch Head, Carnegie Library, the incumbent participates in programming activities within the East Area, acts as a resource to Carnegie staff in their community engagement activities, works in the Chinese community with those who have not traditionally been served effectively by the library, provides reference and reader’s advisory and referral services, and performs other related duties. The Chinese Community Librarian will be part of a team dedicated to providing inclusive, relevant and high quality public library service to the East Area. The position is 12 hours per week based out of the Carnegie Reading Room.

Position 2: Chinese Language Community Librarian – Strathcona, 8 hours per week
Reporting to the Branch Head, Strathcona Library, the incumbent participates in children’s programming activities within the East Area, acts as a resource to Strathcona library staff in their community engagement activities, provides reference and reader’s advisory and referral services, and performs other related duties. The Strathcona Community Librarian will be part of a team dedicated to providing inclusive, relevant and high quality public library service to the East Area. The position is 8 hours a week based out of the Strathcona branch library.

Qualifications for these positions include an MLS/MLIS degree from an accredited Library School and fluency in English and Cantonese. Mandarin language skills would also be an asset. The successful candidate will have a strong public service orientation and an understanding of the importance of community engagement activities to develop inclusive library service.

Interested applicants may apply for both positions, for only the Carnegie Reading Room hours, or only the Strathcona branch library hours.