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Includes highlights from BCLA's sections, committees and interest groups, designing library programs, government information and updates from libraries.
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BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
Executive Director’s report By Annette DeFaveri.
The new BCLA Board met on July 4th for the first time this year. As part of the Executive Director’s report to the Board I talked about some of the changes that the Association has experienced in the past two years. I’d like to share some of that information now with you. The year ahead will include consolidation and assessment of many of the changes we have been making at BCLA. Some practices and processes need to be regularized while others need to be further communicated to members. The purpose is to deepen our practices and processes ensuring the Association’s long-term sustainability. Over the past two years the Association has written a Strategic Plan, as well as Mission, Vision and Values statements. We have endeavoured to improve communication with members by launching a website re-design that includes BCLA’s main site, the BC Library Conference site, and the Partnership Job Board site. Last year the Board defined the role of Board Directors and created portfolios for elected members that mirrored the goals and objectives of the Strategic Plan. Financial Health of the Association
A balanced budget over the past years is the result of careful financial planning and identifying the core activities of the Association. Our goal for 2015 is to maintain a balanced budget and to continue updating our financial practices. In 2015 we will articulate an Areas of Interest funding model as the guide to raising funds for the Association and to identify key areas needing additional resources. To ensure a balanced budget we have moved to a cost recovery model for our programs and services. This helps us all understand how to plan and execute programs within a defined budget. Those of you who attended the AGM this year know that the Association has hired new Auditors to help us with any new financial practices we may need.
Advocacy
The Association has become a better advocate for issues that affect libraries and for the principles that are at the core of libraries and library services. BCLA letters and overall communications are signed by the BCLA President as the representative of the collective view of the Association. The content of our communication is worked on by those who are experts in the area. We have been extremely fortunate to have people such as Myron Groover, Carla Graebner, Barbra Jo May, Gwen Bird, Beth Davies, Devon Grayson, Lisa Nathan, and Eric Meyers (to name just a few) helping us with advocacy issues this past year. Their work builds on the work of past contributors such as Brian Campbell, Ann Curry, Heather Morrison, Miriam Moses, Maryanne Epp, Nancy Hannum and Sybil Harrison (to name just a few). This year we hope to develop a template for Position Paper that, when written, will help us articulate the Association’s position on key issues. At the same time we see a need for resources that support core library principles such as Intellectual Freedom, Information Policy and open access to information The BC Library Conference (BCLC)
The BCLC is the single most important revenue generating event mounted by BCLA. At the same time it is BCLA’s most important opportunity to support individual members and the BC library community. The Conference is meant to focus on new ideas and current issues that affect libraries. For many members what they know about BCLA comes through the conference participation. We have made significant changes to the BCLC in the past two years as we modernize the conference model and work toward an intentional process for building conference sessions. The current iteration of the conference model includes: • Adding 45 min sessions. This changes the delivery
and focus of some session and lets delegates sample a wider range of sessions.
• Curating about 30% of our sessions. This lets us act on conference feedback ensuring that current issues and interests are discussed in a timely
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
manner. At the same time this approach lets us invite speakers whose area of expertise may not be directly linked to libraries, but whose expertise intersects with library issues. This approach helps us learn from the experiences of others.
• Working to be more inclusive of and responsive to the needs of our academic members by prioritizing sessions that are of special interest to these members. Ideally we want sessions with an overarching appeal to a broad base of members.
• Moving the conference to three days, all weekdays. Before making this decision we also looked at conference attendance and noted that Saturday attendance is consistently the lowest of the conference. Member feedback in 2013 was overwhelmingly positive about this change.
• Adding more networking opportunities. Some opportunities worked well, for example the wine and cheese gathering, while other attempts need to be rethought to ensure that people are on site to participate.
• Moving toward a paperless environment. 2014 was our first year without a paper schedule. We thought we had inundated members with this information and the alternatives for accessing the schedule, but realize that we need to get better at providing alternatives to paper in coming years.
• Moving the AGM away from the Conference. This allowed for more conference sessions thus giving better value to delegates.
Having tried new things at the Conference we now need to work on building the foundations to support the changes in future conferences. In 2013 the
evolution of the Conference was led by Christina de Castell, Conference Chair, and Debbie Schachter, Session Selection Chair. In 2014 Baharak Yousefi was Conference Chair and Shirley Lew and Tara Robertson co-Chaired the Session Selection Committee. Without their time and commitment the BCLC could not have made the positive changes needed to keep the conference relevant and interesting to members. There are other areas where noteworthy work is being done to support the Association. Daphne Wood, Sarah Stang, and Jessica Tivy all worked to mount last spring’s membership drive that focused on individuals whose membership had lapsed in the past 2 to 5 years. Sylvia Nurse is working with the Continuing Education Committee to aggregate professional development opportunities for members. The Reader’s Advisory Interest Group continues to mount their very successful “RA in half a Day.” Karen Sharkey is preparing to reinvigorate the Libraries across Boarders Interest Group as the new Chair. And Cynthia Ford continues to guide and evolve the BC Summer Reading Club. It’s been an exciting year that has generated new and strong directions for the future. My goal as the Executive Director is to continue to work with the Board and Members to strengthen the Association by making it relevant and responsive to members.
Annette DeFaveri is BCLA’s Executive Director.
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
Hacking and Making in the Youth Department at Surrey Libraries By Caroline Johnson and Tamarack Hockin.
Maker workshops (and makerspaces) are the new hot trend in library programming. So what is a maker workshop? Well, basically any program that encourages people to create something, most commonly interpreted to mean make something involving technology. Libraries across Canada and BC are joining the maker movement, and in some cases, leading it. Maker programs are especially vital for youth. Encouraging creativity helps young people develop vital life skills, such as problem solving and thinking outside the box. Maker programs that encourage participants to create with technology allow them to develop both confidence and the mastery of technology that is now one of the most critical job skills for the workforce of the future. Teen Services at Surrey Libraries recently delved into maker programming. This past spring break, we hosted three maker-themed programs: Surrey's first Teen Hackathon, two WebMaker Teens events, and a Stop-Motion Animation workshop. Teen Hackathon
The Teen Hackathon could never have happened without bringing in people and expertise external to the library. The important inspiration was a document out of the Ministry of Education called "How To Hackathon With Youth" (link below). Being introduced to the mechanics of hackathons during Datacamp VPL was our catalyst to investigate and reach out to partners. Our city GIS department was excited to guide the teen hackathon, and brought in critical data sets, expertise, and special guests developers. It was a four hour workshop during which the teen “hackers” learned how to map multiple geographic datasets to highlight relationships, how to create snazzy infographics to visually represent data, developed part of an online gaming world, and learnt about the stages of app development. Check out How to Hackathon With Youth: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/topic/B125BBFA3197257535F97E315A83E564/uploads/how_to_hackathon_with_youth.pdf [PDF], and see some coverage of our event in the Surrey Leader:
http://www.surreyleader.com/community/251096711.html
Teen Hackathon.
Webmaker Teens
We have also dabbled in web literacy using Mozilla's Webmaker tools. Webmaker tools features tutorials and guided activities to hack (modify) webpages by changing the html. It's surprisingly simple, and the teens we worked with caught on quickly and easily. X-Ray Goggles lets the teens access the code to a live webpage (like your library's website!), and change it (temporarily, on a local version-- not live on the Internet). Thimble Maker provides editable template webpages in a split-screen so teens can see the code and the result live in real time (for example, a template for a personal webpage where you add your photo and information about yourself). The third magnificent tool is Popcorn Maker — a simple multimedia editor that allows users to mix video or images with different audio files. Our teens made music videos with dancing dog GIFs and video highlights of car chases from YouTube! Check out the Webmaker Tools and "makes" (activities and tutorials): https://webmaker.org/en-US/tools, and Mozilla's Web Literacy Standards: https://wiki.mozilla.org/Learning/WebLiteracyStandard
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
Stop-Motion Animation
Stop Motion animation is a great way to get kids and teens engaged in making. We did this workshop with several different age groups. We were inspired by the NFB’s “Get Animated” campaign several years ago, when Reel2Reel put on animation workshops for the public. We started by demonstrating to the kids how to do very basic stop motion animation, using cut outs (made with high tech construction paper and scissors!). We also showed them a very short animated video we had put together. We explained the concept of storyboarding and broke down scenes from our homemade video for them. They had a great time, and produced some very lively videos! Comic book style explosions and expressions were popular (think POW! and BANG!, in successively larger coloured starbursts) in thrilling montages of destruction, car chases and air bombing scenes. In addition to paper, scissors and glue, we used iPads, iMotion HD, tripods and clamps.
Stop-motion animation workshop.
Resources in the Community
If you’re looking for some maker program ideas, consider the resources in your community. There are lots of maker groups around that will be happy to come to the library and do a program for you – think local colleges, universities, high schools, alternative computing groups and even municipal IT staff! Local Makerfaires are also a great way to connect with maker groups and get some great programming ideas. Vancouver Maker Foundation http://www.vancouvermakerfoundation.org FreeGeek Vancouver http://www.freegeekvancouver.org Victoria Makerspace http://makerspace.ca Reel2Reel http://www.r2rfestival.org/ Maker Mobile Workshop on Wheels http://www.makermobile.org/ MakerLabs (Vancouver) http://www.makerlabs.ca/ Vancouver Community Laboratory http://vancommunitylab.com/ Happy making! Caroline Johnson is a Community Outreach Librarian
(Youth Services) with Surrey Libraries.
Tamarack Hockin works with teens at the Surrey City Centre Library, and is looking forward to co-piloting
their first Teen Maker Camp this July and August!
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
President’s report By Heather Buzzell.
I have been asked many times since accepting the nomination for this position – why? The answer is fairly simple and complex: BCLA is an organization in transition, with a new strategic plan guiding us, a strong commitment to our values, and a passion for the work that we do – both individually in our jobs and as an organization. BCLA is an organization with dedicated members, board members, sections, committees, interest groups, supporters, and an amazing staff. Why wouldn’t I want to be a part of that? We have a strong board and one that is well represented geographically and within the public and academic fields. We are many voices with diverse backgrounds and opinions at the table. I feel that is something that we, as an organization, should be proud of and make use of to fulfill our goals to serve the library community in this province. I have inherited this board with a new tradition of challenging the way we have always done things, a vital attitude to have in libraries these days. It has been a pleasure to learn from Gwen Bird as she steered the board through the final stages of strategic planning, clarifying roles and portfolios for our Board members, and much more. Having the BCLA conference early gave us the opportunity to try new things, including a stand-alone AGM! The addition of a keynote address by Duncan McCue which focused on the role that libraries play in positively impacting peoples lives and challenged us as library workers to help address the inequities in educational opportunity experienced by Aboriginal youth, provided us with food for thought while attending our AGM. My year as vice president has been one of learning and meeting colleagues in other areas of
librarianship. In the coming year we will be strengthening our new direction. We finished our AGM with a new way of presenting our financial statements. We are financially stable, and we intend to build on this and explore opportunities for the future stability of our organization. Building on the work of the 2014 conference planning committee, who did a fabulous job, we will be looking to continue the success of the conference over the coming year. How wonderful was it to learn not only from our colleagues, but also from members of other professions as they explore topics relevant to us? Another new thing this year is our directors at large who have taken on specific portfolios: professional development, membership, funding opportunities, and communications. We are planning to deepen our work in these portfolio areas and build the association to strengthen our role as a resource to support all types of libraries, including developing position papers on issues that affect libraries in BC. Over the coming year we will develop and deepen our partnerships with libraries, library associations and library bodies; building on our existing relationships and building new connections. In September I will represent BCLA along with BCLTA and ABCPLD at the Union of BC Municipalities convention and look forward to representing the association to local governments. I look forward to working with the BCLA board and staff to continue growing this association for our members.
Heather Buzzell is Chief Librarian at
Penticton Public Library.
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
Aleha McCauley
UBC librarian recognized by SLA By Leanna Jantzi.
Congratulations to Aleha McCauley, Community Engagement Librarian at UBC's Irving K. Barber Learning Centre! Aleha was presented with the Achievement in Academic Business Librarianship Award at the SLA Conference held in Vancouver earlier this summer. This award, sponsored by Business Expert Press and administered through the College & University Business Libraries (CUBL) Section of the Business & Finance Division of SLA, is intended to recognize the accomplishments of librarians who are relatively new to the field and who demonstrate evidence of exemplary librarianship which includes innovative services at their institutions. For those who haven't met her yet, the "innovative service" most associated with Aleha is undoubtedly the Small Business Accelerator (www.sba-bc.ca), a service that she has championed as it has grown into
the go-to place for BC's entrepreneurs and those who support them. Aleha is quick to point out that her success, and that of the Small Business Accelerator, is based on collaboration: "We're thrilled that this award provides us with an opportunity to recognize YOU as well - our audience, partners, collaborators and friends for your involvement and support over the years. We’re grateful for this recognition and excited that it showcases that there is plenty of space for information professionals and institutions in the business ecosystem, especially when we take a community-focused approach and work together." Aleha also noted that the SBA is a work in progress with many opportunities to pitch in, "“Partnerships and testimonials are what make the program valuable to the BC business community, so I’d urge anyone to contact us ([email protected]) with their success stories or ideas for new innovative partnerships.” Leanna is a librarian at Capilano University and editor
of the BCLA Browser.
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
Online Government Information: Access By Kristina Oldenburg.
BC Laws, a free online source for current legislation, is
expanding both its content and the generosity of its
license. This occurs as QP LegalEze, a paid
subscription service, winds down.
Meanwhile, the federal government has discreetly
removed a blanket use license. It had previously
granted rights to a fairly wide range of uses for many
types of documents. However, the right to reproduce
federal legislation and court decisions remains.
BC legal information online: Content
This spring, QP LegalEze announced that it would shut
down after moving all its content to BC Laws.
QP LegalEze includes regulations, statutes, and the
BC Gazette (Part I and II). There are also point-in-time
consolidations going back about thirty years: this
means users can access legislation as it looked in the
1990s.
BC Laws had always included current laws and
regulations, but now it has point-in-time. For the acts I
checked, point-in-time went back about ten years.
The BC Gazette is yet to be available on BC Laws, but
is marked as “coming soon.” Part I of the Gazette
contains government legal notices, and Part II
contains new regulations.
An exciting addition to BC Laws is the Orders in
Council (OIC) collection. There is current content,
plus digitized OICs going back to 1870, complete with
scans of the original index.
Curious whether the mayor of Victoria was successful
in getting $50 for the care of a “destitute British
Seaman,” or what provisions were made for “Lunatics
– Safe keeping and treatment in BC”? Wondering if
Young H. and Cook J. were granted their liquor
license at Granville? The 1872 OIC index will point you
to the answers!
All of this new BC Laws content is presented on an
updated interface. There are clear indexes along the
left of the page, including navigation to updated
and new laws. For an alternate access point on the
same page, click one of the ghostly spheres orbiting
in the photo.
Expanded permissions: BC
Once users have found their act, regulation, or OIC,
what can they do with it? The new Queen’s Printer
license grants a “worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual,
non-exclusive license” to reproduce legislative
material for “lawful and non-commercial” purposes.
This requires inclusion of the license statement: a
citation, a disclaimer, and the bolded, all-caps
caution that THESE MATERIALS ARE NOT AN OFFICIAL
VERSION [emphasis in original].
Meanwhile in Ottawa
In the fall of 2010, the federal Crown Copyright and
Licensing service expanded the right to use
Government of Canada works—such as reports—for
non-commercial purposes. The Crown Copyright
page included a blanket statement, permitting users
to “reproduce Government of Canada works, in part
or in whole, and by any means, for personal or public
non-commercial purposes, or for cost-recovery
purposes” (cited by Fodden 2010).
This changed three year later. Effective November
18, 2013, the Crown Copyright and Licensing page
states that anyone seeking copyright clearance must
now contact individual departments for permission.
Canadian copyright professor Michael Geist tweeted
Tony Clement, Treasury Board president, about the
Crown Copyright changes (2013). Clement
responded that the non-commercial use policy is still
in effect for all departments (2013).
All federal department websites I checked have
since added permissions statements to their websites,
outlining what users can do with the material. These
follow the “Global notices for Government of
Canada departments” template provided by the
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.
They departmental statements allow unrestricted
reproduction for non-commercial use, with various
caveats about appropriate attribution, and
instructions not to represent content as an official
version or reproduce symbols.
Websites with outside content—such as the
Canadian Museum of Nature and the Canadian
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
Centre for Occupational Health and Safety–have
more restrictive use statements, reflecting the fact
that their content comes from a variety of creators.
So what do you do if you want to save or distribute
federal website content? Check the “Terms and
conditions” link; there is one at the bottom left of the
homepage of almost every federal department.
Federal legislation? That’s still cool
Federal laws and court cases are still reproducible
without permission. The Reproduction of Federal Law
Order permits anyone to “without charge or request
for permissions, reproduce enactments… of the
Government of Canada, and decisions… of
federally-constituted courts… provided due diligence
is exercised in ensuring the accuracy… and the
reproduction is not represented as an official version”
(SI/97-5).
Kristina Oldenburg is a Vancouver librarian. Most of
her encounters with government documents occur
at the Metro Vancouver Harry Lash Corporate Library.
References
British Columbia Queen’s Printer. 1872 May – Index.
Index to Historical Orders in Council. Retrieved from
http://www.bclaws.ca/civix/document/id/arch_oic/
arc_oic/1872_may
British Columbia Queen’s Printer. (n.d.) Queen’s
Printer License – British Columbia. Retrieved from
http://www.bclaws.ca/standards/2014/QP-
License_1.0.html
Clement, T. [ @TonyclementCPC] (2013, November
30). The Crown Copyright non-com policy still remains
in effect for all depts. I'm posting a notice to that
effect. Thx. [Tweet]. Retrieved from
https://twitter.com/TonyclementCPC/status/40680508
7068385280
Fodden, S. (2010, December 14). Permission no longer
required re: Government of Canada Copyright. Slaw.
Retrieved from
http://www.slaw.ca/2010/12/14/permission-no-
longer-required-re-government-of-canada-
copyright/
Geist, M. (2013). Clement confirms Canadian non-
commercial Crown Copyright licence still available.
Michael Geist. Retrieved from
http://www.michaelgeist.ca/2013/12/crown-
copyright-licence-clement/
Government of Canada Publications. Crown
Copyright and Licensing. (2014). Retrieved from
http://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/ccl/index.html#p
ermission_not_required
Reproduction of Federal Law Order (1997), SI/97-5
Retrieved from: http://laws-
lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SI-97-5/page-1.html
Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat. (2013) Global
notices for Government of Canada departments.
Retrieved from: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/ws-nw/wu-
fe/sn-ea/terms-avis-eng.asp
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
RA in Half a Day By Jenny Fry.
Are you new to RA? Do you feel rusty or tentative
when someone asks you for a great book to
read? Especially in a genre (like Steampunk?), topic
(Popular Science, perhaps?), or format (how about
Audiobooks?) that you aren't personally interested
in? How about a strategy to approach Literary
Fiction when you've no idea what to suggest
because you don't read that kind of thing?
RA in a Half Day is the workshop for you! It's about
boosting confidence, showing you how much you do
know, exploring ways to better serve your patrons
through reading, and having lots of fun at the same
time.
Following our wildly successful first year, held at City
Centre Library in Surrey, with more than 100
participants and last year's workshop at the Central
branch of VPL, with about 70 participants - this year
we are in Richmond with two keynote speakers. Dr.
Keren Dali from the University of Western Ontario who
will discuss the impact of pleasure reading for
immigrants, and Stephanie Chase from
Bibliocommons who will introduce RA tools we can
use in Bibliocommons. (Dr. Dali will also be doing a
colloquium at UBC SLAIS on Oct. 21 at noon in the I.K.
Barber Learning Centre. Contact [email protected]
for more information/updates). Plus, there will be
more Speed-Dating Through the Genres!
Registration for RA in Half a Day will be through the
BCLA website, starting September 3rd at 10am.
Registration closes on October 9th. Maximum
registration is 110: $20 students, $30 BCLA members,
$40 non-members.
Jenny Fry is an Information Services Librarian
at Surrey Libraries.
SAVE THE DATE! for the 3rd Annual
RA in a Half Day Monday, October 20, 2014,
9:30am-1:30pm Cultural Centre Performance Hall,
Richmond Cultural Centre (7700 Minoru Gate, next to the Brighouse branch
of Richmond Public Library)
Presented by the BCLA Readers’ Advisory Interest Group
http://whatareyoureadingblog.com/
The Readers’ Advisory Device (RAD): powered by
Raspberry Pi, and built by BCLA Readers’ Advisory
Interest Group’s SLAIS co-reps Matthew Murray and
Anna Ferri and the student chapter of ASIS&T at UBC
for the 2014 Vancouver Maker Faire. Press the button
and a randomly selected book (from a curated list of
50 titles) suggestion will be printed just for you! Also
used at ALA with 50 graphic novel titles. UBC’s Koerner
Library wants to display it this fall, and it will be on
hand for you to try at RA in a Half Day on October 20th
in Richmond. Photo by Matthew Murray.
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
Easy as Pi: Designing a Library Program to Support Computational Thinking in Preteens
By Danielle Wing and Eric Meyers. Introduction
When a dozen preteens gathered in the computer lab of West Vancouver Memorial Library in May 2014 for a program titled "Easy as Pi," they were not learning how to bake pastry or solve math problems. Over the course of four 90-minute sessions, these young people learned the basics of computational thinking using the Raspberry Pi microcomputer, an inexpensive, credit card-sized circuit board with a tasty name and enormous potential. Since presentations this spring at the BCLA and CLA conferences on our Raspberry Pi program, librarians and educators have been asking us: how did you develop this program? What would we need to start a Raspberry Pi program at our library? In this article, we will discuss the origins of our project, sketch an outline of the program curriculum, provide a few measures of our initial success, and considerations for future programs. What is the Raspberry Pi?
Born from the realization that children were receiving inadequate computer and technology education in schools, the Raspberry Pi microcomputer was released for sale in the UK in February 2012. Now available in Canada for approximately $45.00, the Pi has captured the imagination of kids and adults, do-it-yourselfers and makers, attracted to its small form factor and user-friendly coding environment. It assembles quickly and easily, and can be expanded using off-the-shelf components found online and at local electronics stores. Scratch and Python, two simple programming environments, the former developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology expressly to teach children the basics of computer programming, come pre-installed. Of particular importance to educators, a growing community of coders is sharing programming tips and sample projects online. The Raspberry Pi serves as an ideal platform to teach young people "computational thinking," the skills and attitudes that software engineers use to design many
of the digital tools we use every day. These skills include decomposition -- breaking an object or process into its component parts or steps, and pattern recognition and abstraction -- being able to see how parts or steps in a process recur or co-occur to make meaning. In addition to being easy to program, the Raspberry Pi fits in a transparent case: all the parts of the computer are visible. This helps demystify computing and make the device accessible, both on a physical and an intellectual plane. The Raspberry Pi and "Informal" Digital Literacies
While the Raspberry Pi was designed to fill a gap in the British education system, it can also serve as an entry point for kids to develop computational thinking in an informal fashion. This is where the public library fits in. Meyers, Erickson and Small (2013) identify libraries, museums and other community spaces as key points for developing digital literacies through informal learning opportunities. This includes not only finding and accessing information using digital tools, but also the capacity to create digital artifacts and share those creations with others. Libraries can enhance digital literacies by providing access to tools, knowledge, and the support of creative peers and adults. Our program was designed to do just that. By running a Raspberry Pi program for middle years children, we hypothesized the public library could encourage and facilitate the development of important skills, and also engage children in a new and exciting way. Creating new programs for library patrons is essential, but can come with considerable costs, particularly if the program relies on new equipment or specialized knowledge outside the library's existing resources. The "Easy as Pi" program sought to overcome some of the expense and uncertainty associated with piloting a new digital literacy program for youth through a unique partnership with the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies -- The iSchool@UBC. In this partnership, the iSchool purchased and supplied the Raspberry Pi "kits" (the computer, accessories, and
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
supplies) for the program, and supported the development of the curriculum through an independent study supervision. The West Vancouver Memorial Library provided advertising and registration, staffing, and a computer lab in which to hold the workshops. Curriculum Design and Implementation
The initial curriculum was developed before any students had signed-up for the program, so we needed to be prepared for a wide range of participant needs and abilities. The program design incorporated the skills outlined in the Framework for 21st Century Learning developed by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills (P21, 2011). Danielle (first author) compiled a large number of projects and lessons, then structured several activities for each session. She drew from a number of online resources and Raspberry Pi learning communities to select activities that could be combined and accomplished in the limited session duration and within the confines of the lab. We developed activities to be done in pairs to accommodate the limited set of equipment (we could afford six Raspberry Pi "kits") and small lab space. We encouraged participants to collaborate, share, and provide one another with helpful feedback as they worked through the activities together. Thus, our limited resources helped us accomplish the goal of getting kids to engage both with the technology and with each other. While running our pilot program, we constantly adapted the flow and duration of activities for the learners. Most of the participants had little experience with coding, so we balanced off-computer creative and problem solving activities with on-computer programming, and found creative ways to have children "act out" computational tasks. For example, kids would work together to break a drawing task into a series of easy but precise instructions for an adult "computer" to follow. Then they constructed animations using Scratch, where each movement of the "sprite" or character on screen had to be carefully specified using a set of on-screen building blocks. Over the course of the four 90-minute sessions, participants were introduced to the computer and its component parts, how to set up and operate the Raspberry Pi, how to code music in Sonic Pi (a simple MIDI program), create animations in Scratch, drawing with code in Python, and were provided with a basic introduction to LED lights and switches. Participants showed a high level of engagement, even though the workshops occurred in the
afternoon after a full school day. A ratio of four to one (three adults for 12 participants) was necessary to troubleshoot problems and manage activity flow. Our philosophy of informal learning required that we keep the structure loose and flexible, which the kids and parents responded to with enthusiasm. Measures of Success
Feedback from the participants, parents and the community at large was overwhelmingly positive. Registration for the May workshop series filled in under an hour, and a second workshop series, with positions determined by lottery, was planned for July to accommodate demand. Youth Services Department Head Shannon Ozirny commented, “The Raspberry Pi program resonated with our community in completely unexpected and unpredictable ways. We had well over 100 kids and parents clamouring to take part, which demonstrated a clear interest and need in our community." A survey distributed to parents and participating youth after the completion of the workshop also returned positive reactions to the program. In particular, parents all felt that computer programming was an important skill for children to learn, and furthermore that library programs to support digital skills were needed. One parent wrote: "This was a wonderful program, and my son loved attending. We would be happy to attend even if it wasn't free. Wish there were more programs like this available!" An important outcome of this collaboration between the iSchool and West Vancouver Memorial library has been the testing of joint programming and outreach efforts, seeing digital literacies as something libraries and universities can work toward together. WVML Director of Library Services, Jenny Benedict, remarked, “Our collaboration with the UBC iSchool has been instrumental in developing our understanding of how our public library can support 21st Century learning." The project has also inspired students at the iSchool to begin coding and creating with the Raspberry Pi, and MLIS students recently displayed their efforts at the Vancouver Mini Maker Faire. A future goal is to replicate the "Easy as Pi" program in other library systems with the support of iSchool students, creating a reciprocal teaching-practice relationship. Considerations for the Future
The Raspberry Pi, and similar low-cost creative technologies, offers enormous promise. Libraries are
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positioned to make a difference in their communities by using these tools to support the development of digital literacies. Such efforts might include workshops for youth, such as ours, community "Pi Jams," where makers and coders assemble to share ideas, or access to "starter kits" as a circulating item. While we consider our pilot to be a success, replication of this program will challenge libraries to consider how best to meet their community's needs. Libraries may wish to pose a number of questions, including: Does teaching children computational thinking fit in with your library’s programming goals and objectives? Is there adequate staff, space, and IT support for such a program? Does your curriculum support the needs of diverse patrons? Our pilot exceeded our expectations, but not without a few challenges along the way. We learned that having spare parts on-hand was essential, and that no matter how many times you tested an activity, be prepared for it to work differently with the kids. A program of this type also demands communication and training beyond those immediately involved; it becomes a whole staff effort. Conclusions
The focus of this program was to teach children about computational thinking rather than to teach them about using specific coding languages. While developing the ability to think computationally, children are learning about problem solving, reasoning and communication. This leads to improved language skills, and the use of algorithms allows children to use mathematical skills and thinking in a new and exciting environment. Skills outlined in the Framework for 21st Century Learning (P21, 2011) such as Creativity and Innovation, Critical Thinking and Problem Solving, Communication and Collaboration, and Information Media and Technology Skills were all carefully integrated into the “Easy as Pi” program. Beyond developing these essential digital literacy skills, an emphasis was placed on having positive and empowering interactions with technology. When participants left the final session of the program their understanding of computers had changed: they knew that humans were intelligent, but computers only did what they were told to do. Most importantly, they knew that they had the ability and power to participate in the design of their own technology futures. Resources for Librarians and Educators
Where to Buy Your Pi You can purchase a Raspberry Pi board or starter kit through these online retailers: • The Raspberry Pi Foundation (shipping from UK) • Adafruit Industries (shipping from US) • CanaKit via Amazon.ca (shipping within Canada)
You can also find Raspberry Pi kits and accessories at select electronics stores. We recommend: Lee's Electronics 4522 Main St, Vancouver (604) 875-1993 http://www.leeselectronic.com/ Pi Support Communities (selected) Raspberry Pi Foundation http://www.raspberrypi.org/community/ Element 14 http://www.element14.com/community/community/raspberry-pi Adafruit Learning https://learn.adafruit.com/category/raspberry-pi Raspberry Pi on GitHub https://github.com/raspberrypi References
Meyers, E. M., Erikson, I., and Small, R. (2013). Digitial literacy and informal learning environments: An Introduction. Learning, Media and Technology, 38(4): 355-367. P21: Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2011). Framework for 21st Century Learning. Retrieved from http://www.p21.org/our-work/p21-framework
Eric Meyers is an Assistant Professor at the School of Library, Archival and Information Studies -- The
iSchool@UBC. Email: [email protected]
Danielle Wing is currently an Auxiliary Librarian at the West Vancouver Memorial Library and the North
Vancouver District Public Library. She will be starting as Head Librarian at West Point Grey Academy
in September 2014. .
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
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UBC Library: Summer Update By Andrea Coutts.
Community Report highlights sustainability
UBC Library recently released its 2014 Community
Report, which highlights the many ways that the
Library has supported students, faculty and
community members over the past year. The latest
edition focuses on sustainability – environmental,
social and economic.
The report features articles on a special training
program designed to help international students
hone their tech know-how; a partnership with Better
World Books that supports literacy initiatives while
bypassing the landfill; digitization projects on the
Vancouver and Okanagan campuses; and initiatives
that support open and unfettered access to
knowledge.
Arthur Erickson bio wins book prize
L-R: Ingrid Parent, University Librarian; David Stouck,
author and prize winner; Brenda Peterson, UBC
Librarian and wife of Basil Stuart-Stubbs. Photo credit:
Don Erhardt
Family, friends, colleagues and book lovers gathered
to celebrate the awarding of the second annual Basil
Stuart-Stubbs Prize for Outstanding Scholarly Book on
British Columbia.
North Vancouver’s David Stouck won for Arthur
Erickson: An Architect’s Life, a biography on the
renowned local architect. The $1,000 prize, given by
UBC Library and the Pacific BookWorld News Society,
was established in memory of Basil Stuart-Stubbs, a
bibliophile, scholar and librarian who passed away in
2012.
Interested in reading this award-winning title? Arthur
Erickson is available at UBC Library and UBC
Bookstore.
UBC Library launches Library PARC
L-R: Rue Ramirez, Associate University Librarian; Ingrid
Parent, University Librarian; David Farrar, UBC Provost
and Vice President Academic; Melody Burton,
Deputy University Librarian. Photo credit: UBC Library
UBC Library recently celebrated a groundbreaking
for Library Preservation and Archives, a modular
storage facility being built to accommodate the
future growth of our collections.
Very low circulation items from the Library’s
collections will be relocated to Library PARC, freeing
up physical space at branches for other uses –
including student and research services, study spaces
and informal learning areas, multimedia labs,
scholarly exchanges and more.
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Read more about Library PARC, have your FAQs
answered and view the architect renderings of the
facility. Please contact Rue Ramirez with any
questions about the project.
Illustrated historical menus: a delight for foodies
A new exhibition in the UBC Library Chung Collection
room highlights historical food menus from the
Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).
UBC Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections
teamed up with local historian and author of Dim
Sum Stories, Larry Wong, to create the exhibit. “Bon
Voyage / Bon Appétit: Menus from the Canadian
Pacific Railway Company’s Ships, Trains, Planes, and
Hotels” features an array of eye-catching and
mouth-watering menus.
UBC Library’s Chung Collection contains more than
1,000 menus, ranging from the 1890s to the 1980s. The
majority of the menus are in English, but there are a
few unique menus in Chinese, Japanese, French and
even German. Featuring unique historical delicacies,
these menus offer a glimpse of “the elegance of
dining” in the early days, says Wong.
The exhibition features CPR menus exclusively, but
local foodies can also enjoy a few digitized menus
from Vancouver’s Chinatown. Six menus are currently
online and there are plans to add more over the
summer.
Read more about the exhibition, currently on display
in the Chung Collection exhibition room until the end
of 2014.
Personal histories are community histories
One of the special images submitted in celebration
of Preservation Week at UBC Library.
To help celebrate Preservation Week this year, UBC
Library asked its community members to share their
personal archives and family histories. These special
heritage objects form the histories of our community.
Read the stories behind a Freemason ring, brass
knuckles, a stamp collection, Russian prisoner of war
photographs, a Bible with gold leaf-lined pages and
more.
Andrea Coutts is the Communications Coordinator at
UBC Library.
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In the Media Compiled by Roën Janyk.
“Turning fact into fiction.” Salmon Arm Observer (April
16, 2014).
“Books plus: Facebook, Earth Day and English
practice.” The Tri-City News (April 17, 2014).
“Cuts to school libraries a concern.” The Tri-City News
(April 29, 2014).
“How many words is a map worth?” Campbell River
Mirror (April 29, 2014).
Diana Hutton. “Introducing little ones to the joys of
learning.” Lake Cowichan Gazette (April 23, 2014).
“At the library tomorrow: Author tells her tale of 19
months of living wild.” Campbell River Mirror (April 29,
2014).
“Author inspired by comic books.” BCLocalNews.com
(May 1, 2014).
Ross Armour. “Lake’s Library wins excellence awards.”
Lake Cowichan Gazette (May 8, 2014).
“VPL Chief Librarian Sandra Singh receives 2014 BC
Library Directors Award of Excellence.” VPL.ca (May
8, 2014).
Erin Haluschak. “Provincial award for Cumberland
Library.” Comox Valley Record (May 8, 2014).
“Lumby library launches meet the artist series.”
Vernon Morning Star (May 9, 2014).
Jenna Hauck. “What’s happening at your local
Chilliwack libraries.” Chilliwack Progress (May 9, 2014).
Peter Critchley. “Book talk: Authors build intriguing
mysteries.” Vernon Morning Star (May 11, 2014).
Gordon McInture. “Hit list for books varied, and
sometimes baffling.” The Province (May 12, 2014).
“Doris Riedweg: New book completed.” Aldergrove
Star (May 21, 2014).
“Books plus: Get crafty, get digital, get reading, get a
job.” Tri-City News (May 22, 2014).
Jenna Hauck. “What’s happening at your local
Chilliwack libraries.” Chilliwack Progress (May 25,
2014).
Duncan McCue. “First Nations in BC gain libraries
thanks to judge, ex-officer.” CBC News (May 27,
2014).
“Magician at library.” The Williams Lake Tribune (May
28, 2014).
“Books plus: Crafts, clubs & a little magic.” The Tri-City
News (May 29, 2014).
“George Mackie Library hosts job seeker workshops.”
Surrey North Delta Leader (May 29, 2014).
Pedro Arrais. “Sidney used-book sale benefits the
regional library.” Times Colonist (June 4, 2014).
Nicholas Pescod. “Librarian focuses on teens.”
Nanaimo News Bulletin (June 5, 2014).
“Summer reading in Coquitlam, Port Moody.” The Tri-
City News (June 10, 2014).
“Finding love at the library.” Prince George Citizen
(June 18, 2014).
Bowen Island Library “Summer Reading Club is “Funny
Business”. Bowen Island Undercurrent (June 19, 2014).
“Hours change at Falkland library.” Vernon Morning
Star (June 22, 2014).
Julie Maclellan. “Lively city: Swashbuckling author
wields sword at library.” Burnaby Now (June 24, 2014).
Sandra Thomas. “Community calendar: Learn to
tweet.” Vancouver Courier (June 24, 2014).
Jennifer Moreau. “Burnaby library remembers young
staffer.” Burnaby Now (June 26, 2014).
John Mackie. “Video: Tour CBC archivist decades of
stories.” Vancouver Sun (June 26, 2014).
Paul Galinski. “City council considers library funding
options.” Powell River Peak (June 26, 2014).
BCLA Browser: Linking the Library Landscape Volume 6, no. 3 (2014)
http://bclabrowser.ca ISSN 1918-6118
“Lots to do at local libraries.” Delta Optimist (June 27,
2014).
John Mackie. “The Beatles, Dylan Thomas and the
CBC.” Vancouver Sun (June 27, 2014).
“Teen’s work up at Port Moody library.”
BCLocalNews.com (June 27, 2014).
“Around town: June 27, 2014.” Powell River Peak
(June 27, 2014).
CBC. “Vancouver Public Library launches Battle of
the Funny Books.” CBC News (June 27, 2014).
Jenna Hauck. “What’s happening at your local
Chilliwack libraries.” Chilliwack Progress (June 27,
2014).
“Adult Summer Reading Club starts July 2 in
Cowichan and Chemainus.” The Citizen (June 27,
2014).
Peter Critchley. “Book talk: Science fiction, triple
feature.” Vernon Morning Star (June 29, 2014).
“Community Bulletin Board.” North Shore News (July
2, 2014).
“What’s on in Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows:
Published July 3, 2014.” Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows
Times (July 2, 2014).
Al Lehmann. “Keep calm and read on.” Terrace
Standard (July 2, 2014).
“Library’s Summer Reading Club up and running.”
Comox Valley Record (July 3, 2014).
Nicholas Pescod. “Libraries encourage fun.”
Nanaimo News Bulletin (July 3, 2014).
Andrea Rondeau & Lexi Bainas. “Stories taking root at
Duncan’s Kin Park with reading club event.” The
Citizen (July 4, 2014).
“Libraries celebrate spice road with art display.”
Delta Optimist (July 4, 2014).
“Library project earns plaudits.” Prince George
Citizen (July 4, 2014).
Elections BC. “Eleven years of history in one book.”
Coast Reporter (July 7, 2014).
“Kids can discover fun at the library.” Tri-Cities Now
(July 9, 2014).
“Around town: July 11, 2014.” Powell River Peak (July
11, 2014).
“What’s on in Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows.” Maple
Ridge-Pitt Meadows Times (July 14, 2014).
“Books plus: Magazines, books, storytime.” The Tri-City
News (June 26, 2014).
Roën Janyk is the Web Services Librarian at
Okanagan College