There’s only really one update to speak of, but I didn’t want to title this post ‘guess what guys, I was selected to be an ALA Emerging Leader for 2012′.

There’s only one update, you see, because this fall semester really kicked my butt. For the first time since I’ve started, I really felt like I couldn’t run fast enough to keep up with everything. This was due to a number of factors, I think. First, we were running a pilot project on using online modules to replace face-to-face instruction in a number of courses. My role in the project was to evaluate the success of the project, which involved doing a lot of tasks with which I had little experience: ethics applications, survey design, qualitative research, etc. I also had to pick up a few Engineering courses, due to the departure of our Engineering liaison librarian. Finally, the iSci program is now running at three years simultaneously, which from a workload perspective is about as high as it will get for me, so I have to find the right balance.

Before the Great Onslaught, however, I took a few days this past summer to apply for the ALA Emerging Leader program. It was admittedly on something of a whim (I hadn’t heard of it previously), and was recommended to me by my supervisor at the time. Some thoughtful words on paper + two recommendation letters later, the application was in. After about three months or so, I found out I was selected and quickly signed up for ALA Midwinter & Annual (two conferences I’ve never been to & are required for the program).

The last bit to add is that the EL program is founded on project work for ALA committees and roundtables, culminating in a poster presentation at ALA annual. There is some choice in which project to work on, and I was quite pleased to see a video game focused project, based on ALA’s Gaming Roundtable. My impression is that the work will be centred on drafting policy and language about video game collections for libraries, with some thought toward a library videogame award.

Videogames are a broad medium, and stretch from indie art projects (Passage) to causal (Angry Birds) to blockbusters (Skyrim), plus countless genres, sub-genres and non-genres in between. It will certainly be an interesting conversation to figure out what ought to be important to libraries.

In conclusion, I’m ready for my holiday vacation days.

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Links:

1. News Release, McMaster Libraries 
2. ALA Emerging Leaders webpage

I’m running for the Board of Governors at McMaster University. It ought to be a pretty good race, because there’s eight of us on the ballot, all from different parts of the university. My motivation for running is twofold: 1) I think there should be representation from the library in university governance, since we cater to such a large and diverse user-base and 2) I want to have an inside look at how the university is governed, so I can better understand it. I want to be an active contributor instead of a passive observer. I am happy to share what I learn with you.

If you’re a non-teaching staff member at McMaster, I hope you’ll vote for me on April 12/13, 2011.

[update, April 27, 2011: Alas, I wasn't elected to the Board, but not for lack of trying. I think I was the only candidate that postered the campus. Next time..]

Poster inspiration after the jump.

I’m almost embarrassed to post this video here, but as an (honest) record of my professional life, even the silly stuff should be laid bare. Arr!

I’ve hijacked this post to re-render it as a running list of Andrew-approved™ list of quality podcasts.

• Spark (Digital Culture, Internet, Technology)

• Search Engine (Internet, Open Access, Copyright)

• This American Life (Society, Humour)

• Planet Money (Economics)

• RadioLab (Science, Society)

• Risk (Humour, Secrets, Society)

• Quirks and Quarks (Science)

• A Life Well Wasted (Video Game Culture)

• All Songs Considered (Music)

• On the Media (Media)

• Sound Opinions (Music Talk, Reviews)

• Fresh Air (Society, News, Interviews)

• Wiretap (Humour)

• White Coat, Black Art (Practice of Medicine)

• The Sound of Young America (Interviews, Humour)