Friday, April 27
6:45 a.m.-8:15 a.m. Breakfast
8:00 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Registration Desk open
A1 8:45 a.m.-10:00 a.m. Keynote speakers - Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Exhibits open
10:00 a.m.-10:45 a.m. Coffee break
10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Registration Desk open
10:45 a.m.-12:00 noon Conference Sessions
B1. A Non-Geek’s Guide to Twitter - Anne Marie Watson
If you’ve heard about tweeting, hashtags, following, or trending topics, but need to know more, this is the session for you! This presentation will demystify Twitter, define Twitter terminology, give you some best practices and tips, and help you understand how Twitter can be effectively used by libraries, librarians, and trustees.
B2. Next or Now? It’s Up to You! - Kristin Litke
Let’s take a look at technology trends and statistics in Alberta libraries over the last decade, and forecast the next decade – is it possible that libraries are more relevant today than they were 5-10 years ago? Together, we will evaluate the needs of patrons, staff, facilities and services, demographics, social trends, and the new role libraries play in the community. See Alberta libraries like you've never seen them before!
B3. iAccess: There is an App for That! - Gerald Logan and Marian Logan
How can you leverage the mobile computing power in the pockets and purses that walk into your library and on the streets of your town? Learn about the applications on smartphones, ipads and ipods and how they can be used to help your patrons access information in your library and others around the world.
B4. Come and Play a While! Making it Fun at the Calgary Public Library - Anne O'Sullivan
Play has been accepted in recent years as a legitimate pedagogy for children’s services in the public library, but its impact in other areas of service is largely ignored. However, providing opportunities for customers to engage in meaningful recreation is one of the core services that the public library offers, and an area in which libraries excel. In this session, learn about the importance of play, and what Calgary Public Library is doing to “Make it Fun!” for its customers.
B5. Graphic Novels from the Inside -Bill Barnes and Gene Ambaum
Join our keynote speakers in this follow-up session, where Bill will give a brief introduction to the history of comics. Then, Gene will show why he loves comics, explaining some of the reasons why by showing moments from graphic novels that demonstrate the unique power of this amazing medium.
B6. Trustee Forum -Karen Lynch
A chance for Trustees to get together and share ideas.
B7. Security in the Public Library -Kevin Kramers
An overview of what Edmonton Public Library has implemented from the Board level to the frontline staff, ensuring a safe environment for all. EPL has successfully drawn from the experiences of Edmonton Police Services, Corporate Security and Community Recreation workers to implement a community-based approach to security and safety. This is a review of our strategies and awareness training to create a consistent staff management of the environment.
B8. Get Connected! Find Out What’s New at APLEN -Julia Reinhart, Ron Sheppard, Bill Rice and Janelle Beblow
There are all kinds of new things happening at APLEN and you could have a front row seat. Check out what is set to take place technology-wise around the province, and learn more about current initiatives. We’ll also talk about the latest APLEN marketing campaign, “Make it Yours," how to use the tools that have been rolled out, and what new elements will be coming for 2012.
B9. Spreading the Words: Building a Literacy Collection - Caroline Land
Over 40% of adult Albertans struggle with literacy. Public libraries can be a great resource, but what materials do we have to offer these customers? Join us as we discuss trends in literacy publishing, essential titles and materials, and great programming ideas for libraries of all sizes (and budgets).
B10. Settlement Services for Newcomers in Public Libraries: A Community-Led Approach - Linda Garvin and Oliver Kamau
The Library Settlement Services Program (LSSP) is a three-way partnership between Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Edmonton Immigrant Services Association, and Edmonton Public Library (EPL). This partnership provides a novel and interactive approach to target the information needs of newcomers, focusing on direct delivery of information and referral services through the strategic placement of Settlement Practitioners in EPL service points throughout the city. Oliver and Linda will share how this program got started, how it is meeting identified needs, and how the Steering Team is evaluating participation and outcomes of the program.
12:00 noon-1:15 p.m. Lunch
1:15p.m. – 2:30 p.m. Conference Sessions
C1. Getting your Politician's Attention: Factors Affecting the Funding Decisions of Elected Politicians - Ken Haycock
What makes a difference in decision-making? Why do some elected councils and provincial governments support libraries and others do not? How do you affect the decision-making process? What really determines your budget? For three years, Ken Haycock and his partners (Cheryl Stenstrom and Stephanie Hall) have been looking at factors affecting the funding decisions of politicians and senior bureaucrats in Alberta, British Columbia and Ontario, as well as in the United States. Through examination of funding decisions over the past decade and interviews with politicians and their senior staffs who have made those decisions over time, they have reached some startling conclusions. They have looked at advocacy and influence, networks and political ties, at the local and provincial levels to develop a set of guiding principles. Their preliminary results suggest that our advocacy efforts may be "off-base."
C2. On Your Feet Adult Training Sessions - Caroline Vandriel
Far too often, training sessions for adult library patrons are presented in a traditional classroom setting: teacher talking, students listening. What if that was turned on its head and the adult training session became a playground of exploration? What if training sessions were more fun, more active, more interactive? What if the students had more control over what they learned? Imagine the learning that could take place for everyone in the room. Learn new ways to get your adult patrons learning, exploring and talking.
C3. Epic Adventure: Using QR Codes for Orientation to Your Library - Leeanne Morrow
The use of QR codes has steadily increased in all types of libraries. Easy to create and fun to use, QR codes are an excellent marketing and outreach tool. In this session, we will look at how the University of Calgary used QR codes to encourage engagement and add an element of fun into our first-year student orientation experience. We will also discuss how QR codes are used to encourage our users to take self-guided tours through the new Taylor Family Digital Library.
C4. iRead + iShare = iFun - Shannon Slater
Public libraries are uniquely positioned to provide the best in customer service and resources in the pursuit of matching readers with great reads, and to create spaces that facilitate the shared reading experience. Calgary Public Library has created a new position that focuses on serving readers in new ways, including marketing physical collections, expanding virtual services for readers, and working with staff to create a reader-centred service model. Find out about the goals and tools that have been used to create a more engaged and interactive space for readers at CPL – both virtually and in-library.
C5. 21st Century Library Spaces Designed for 21st Century People - Carla Haug, Valerie MacDonald and Beth Wortman
Who’s in your library? What are they doing there, and what would they like to be doing there? Is your library built to support those activities? Understanding how customers are using and thinking about the physical library in the 21st century can help us build library spaces that are user-friendly, appealing, and relevant. Edmonton Public Library’s 21st Century Library Spaces Intern Librarians have spent the past year investigating how EPL’s spaces can best meet their customers’ needs, using a variety of methods. Valerie and Carla will share their most interesting findings, as well as practical tips and insights about the process – what we did, how we did it, what worked and what didn’t.
C6. "Perceptions" and Reality - George Needham
How do people find, use, and evaluate online information in this data-glutted world? Are we becoming more or less wary of what we find online? These are just two of the questions addressed in the new OCLC report, "Perceptions of Libraries 2010: Context and Community" that will be discussed by OCLC VP George Needham.
C7. Beyond Best Buy Flyers: Bringing eBooks into the Edmonton Institution for Women through EPL’s Community-Led Approach - Amanda Bird, Kim Bewick, Martina King
This session opens with a discussion of why and how we took eBook readers into the Edmonton Institution for Women, through the lens of Edmonton Public Library’s Community-Led Service Philosophy. Special attention will be paid to how social justice initiatives are connected to the digital divide. The session will detail first-hand observations of incarcerated women interacting with Sony eReader, Kobo, and Kindle devices, and compare those interactions to those of people attending public library eBook training sessions. Attendees will garner an understanding of barriers to digital technology facing incarcerated populations and develop a greater understanding of the impact of EPL’s Community-Led Service Philosophy on socially vulnerable populations.
C8. Strategies to Successfully Take Your Library into the Future - Punch Jackson
The session will provide an overview of strategies that will support trustees and staff in preparing plans and operational approaches. Some of the areas to be addressed are: board makeup, advocacy, needs assessments, council relations, users' thoughts, library environment, training, collaboration, and partnerships. These strategies will better position libraries to consider their "iLibraryness" and all that technology "stuff."
C9. Advocacy: The Best of the Best - Pilar Martinez and Michael Burris
Is your library positioned for success? Do you understand how to tell a compelling library story? This session will highlight the best advocacy initiatives libraries are using to build support from their stakeholders and position themselves for the digital age.
C10. Red Rover, Red Rover Calling School and Public Libraries Over: Breaking Down Barriers Between School and Public Libraries - Jocie Wilson
Do you know your local school library manager? Do you know your local public library manager or staff members? Are you working together? Learn how to use technology and literacy services to collaborate with other libraries in your community.
2:30 p.m.-3:00 p.m. Coffee break
3:00 p.m. Exhibits close
3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. ALTA & LAA Annual General Meetings
6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m. Dinner
D1 8:00 p.m. Author Talk: Brian Brennan
D2 9:15 p.m. Movie Night: Get Animated!
Need a Print-Friendly Friday Schedule?