This Week in LIS - 26 September 2008

Submitted by bartch02 on September 26, 2008 - 1:09pm
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Headline of the Week: LIS Recruiting Season

As folks in LIS are aware, we are approaching the final review portions of our current recruitments for a Help Desk Specialist and Programmer Analyst. I always find a recruitment to be one of the more interesting we do, especially given all the interesting and good people we have the opportunity to meet and get to know. Would that we could hire more of the ones we find! Recruiting is also a process that takes time and deliberation. As I say to recruiting teams, the decision we seek to make will not only affect us now as we seek to bring on a new colleague, but could continue to shape our organization for years to come. That is the principal reason we invest time and energy up front to ensure as best we can we select the right person to join our team.

I want to thank everyone who has participating in reviewing candidates so far, and everyone who participate in our next stages of review coming up. It is my hope that everyone in LIS, and others on Luther’s campus with particular interest in LIS support participate and engage with our process. So, as you have an opportunity to review candidates, please send along your thoughts and impressions. Every voice and perspective is valued.

LIS Blog Highlights from the Week

The following articles are sampled from those available on the LIS Blog:

LIS Website Changes

  • Some system upgrades were made this week.
  • Permissions changes have been adjusted for site administrators.
  • Our taxonomy for visibility has been added to book page content types to facilitate the upcoming migration of our emergency response plan to the LIS website.

Notes from LIS Council

LIS Council did not meet this week

NITLE Opportunities

As a member of NITLE (National Institute for Technology and Liberal Education), Luther has the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of developmental and training programs intended for faculty, librarians, and information technologists. Events listed at the link below are currently open for registration by Luther participants. LIS Staff who are interested in participating in an event should speak with Christopher Barth. Faculty who are interested in participating should speak with Lori Stanley. Participation is contingent upon available funding and program acceptance.

The following new NITLE opportunities are available:

Special Topics for Instructional Technologists

Community-based Collaboration

  • Teaching with Tablet PCs in Varied Disciplines

DePauw University has announced a workshop entitled “Teaching with Tablet PCs in Varied Disciplines.” The workshop will explore Tablet PC usage across disciplines and will consider pedagogies that are appropriate when only faculty members have access to Tablet PCs as well as pedagogies that make sense when Tablet PCs are available to each student in a class. The program will consist of presentations by those who already have experience with Tablet PCs, hands-on demonstrations, discussion among workshop participants, and opportunities to build a community of practice.

This workshop was awarded support from the NITLE Instructional Innovation Fund, enabling workshop planners to cover the cost of registration, meals, lodging, and up to $350 per person for travel (exceptions to the travel limit will be considered as funds permit) for up to thirty faculty members and instructional technologists from NITLE participating schools in the Midwest. Funding may be available for participants from other NITLE participating schools. Space may also permit participation by additional self-funded individuals beyond those whom we can fund. To be considered you must complete a registration request form.

Space at this workshop is limited. Fullest consideration will be given to those who complete a registration request form by 5pm on Monday, October 6th. When it makes sense, please consider applying to send a pair of individuals from your school.

The workshop will be held at DePauw University in Greencastle, IN, starting with dinner on Friday, March 13th, 2009, and extending through noon on Sunday, March 15th. To complete a registration request form please visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=BxbbgGlDrDQEIgU5mn358A_3d_3d.

The workshop planning committee will let you know the status of your request by the end of October.

Workshop Planning Committee: Dave Berque, DePauw University; Michael Gough, DePauw University; Melinda Kraft, Albion College; Logan Mayfield, Monmouth College; Carol Smith, DePauw University; Lisa Wiebenga, Coe College. More details: http://www.nitle.org/index.php/nitle/content/view/full/3653.

  • The Outdoor Classroom: Recent Advances in Mobile Computing for the Field Sciences

A workshop supported by awards of the NITLE Instructional Innovation Fund and the ACM Faculty and Career Enhancement (FaCE) Project. June 16 – 18, 2009. Workshop Conveners: Jeff Clark (Lawrence University) and Sue Swanson (Beloit College). Guest Speaker: Peter Knoop (University of Michigan). Location: Lawrence University’s Björklunden Vid Sjön, Door County, Wisconsin.

This workshop will bring together faculty members in the field sciences (e.g., archaeology, ecology, geology, environmental science) for a workshop and discussion of how GPS-enabled field computers can enhance their teaching and research. The workshop is open to faculty and staff from Associated Colleges of the Midwest (ACM) campuses and campuses participating with NITLE who are interested in utilizing mobile computing technologies. Workshop planners can accommodate up to two individuals per campus. Additional attendees will be accommodated on a space-available basis; a wait-list will be created in the event of over-enrollment. Those interested in participating in “The Outdoor Classroom: Recent Advances in Mobile Computing for the Field Sciences” should apply by the February 9th deadline. Applicants will be notified of acceptance by March 2nd.

More details: http://www.nitle.org/index.php/nitle/content/view/full/3655.

Complete List of NITLE Opportunities

Next Week in LIS

Notable Internet Resource of the Week: Umbrella Today?

Simplicity is a good things generally, and Umbrella Today? aims to hit the mark when it comes to knowing the weather each day. Once the website is armed with your ZIP code, it will tell you simply “Yes” or “No” to the question, “should I take my umbrella today?”

You can then schedule a text message to your cell phone on any day when you should prepare for inclement weather. Of course, we’ll have to see how it handles the more solid form of winter precipitation …

On the web at http://umbrellatoday.com/

Around the Web

Here are a few links to interesting developments over the past week:

Related Categories: