Rambling Librarian :: Incidental Thoughts of a Singapore Liblogarian

Remixes, Attribution, Creative Alchemies: The Long Tail in Acts of Kindness (part 1)

2012-01-29T18:01:00.000+08:00

Here's a few recent videos that used my songs from my ccMixter.org uploads.

Remixed with: Beyond Jupiter III

Remixed with: Dreaming of the Ocean

Remixed with: Island Journey Reprise

Typically, my songs are used in "hobbyist videos". Not surprising, as the need and demand for royalty-free works generally come from hobbyists. I think it's also the increasingly popularity of ccMixter.org as the source for CC-licensed music.

ATTRIBUTION
I love how people are crediting my music, in full, in their video descriptions. By "full", I mean describing the title, indicating my name, and including the relevant URL to link back to the source.

This wasn't necessarily the case a few years back, at least for those remixes that use my music. My impression, at least. I don't have hard evidence to prove that the level of attribution has improved. Unless I trace back all the remixes and compile the way they have been cited (... hmm).

Anyway, about two years ago, most remixes tend to unwittingly omitted the credits entirely. People email me to thank me for sharing the music, and to let me know how they have used my music. For those cases where I find that credits were not made, I ask nicely that they include my name and the relevant URL. If they have already uploaded a video, I ask that the credit is included in the description, which was easily done rather than asking them to include in the video and re-upload again.

I would add that the attribution requirement was the stated condition for using the work:

"For any reuse or distribution, you must make clear to others the licence terms of this work"

I didn't want them to think I was asking for something extra. In all cases, they happily made the change. Some went the extra step of amending their video and re-uploading it. Which was very gracious on their part.

How do I properly attribute a work offered under a Creative Commons license?
All CC licenses require users to attribute the original creator(s) of a work, unless the creator has waived that requirement or asked that her name be removed from an adaptation or collection.

CC licenses have a sophisticated and flexible attribution requirement, so there is not necessarily one correct way to provide attribution. The proper method for giving credit will depend on the medium and means you are using, and may be implemented in any reasonable manner, although in the case of an adaptation or collection the credit needs to be as prominent as credits for other contributors.

The CC website offers some best practices to help you attribute works, and the CC Australia team has developed a helpful guide to attributing works in different formats.
Source: Creative Commons FAQ

Rather than say that Creative Commons "does not provide clarity on the proper way to cite", it's more accurate to say that Creative Commons allows flexibility in how attribution can be presented. The manner of attribution depends on the medium. For instance, a "live" hyperlink is only possible for an online media, whereas for a print media the URL is obviously not "live".

It's more important that people -- users and creators -- understand the spirit and philosophy of Creative Commons. But that's not to say there cannot be clarity in how to attribute properly when making use of Creative Commons licensed materials.

HOW TO CITE EQUITABLY
I highly recommend this PDF guide to attributing works by CC Australia. It's both comprehensive and concise:

What to include when attributingAll Creative Commons (CC) licences require that users of the work attribute the creator... ...The same principles apply to providing attribution across all CC licences. You should:
credit the creator;
provide the title of the work;
provide the URL where the work is hosted;
indicate the type of licence it is available under and provide a link to the licence (so others can find out the licence terms); and
keep intact any copyright notice associated with the work

It's not so much about "proper citation" but more of crediting the source adequately and equitably. If I'm using a CC-licensed work, I try to put myself in the other person's shoes and ask how I would want to be credited. Also, I believe that "payment" can be the form of reciprocity. Any one who uses my work, and provides equitable attribution, is my publicist.

In the digital economy, a "live" hyperlink is currency.

Admittedly, I don't always follow the last two points, i.e. indicating the CC license type and copyright notice. But I always state the creator's name and provide a "live" link back to the CC-licensed works. I try to adhere to this when listing the credits in my videos, but if it's not possible to do so fully, the "live" links are definitely in the description section.

That said, if the creator indicates very clearly how they would like to be attributed, I will always adhere to it. It helps if creators state their preferences upfront and/ or in an obvious location next to the work.

My own practice, in licensing my own work, is to state how I would like to be credited. I state this near or just below the download link. Basically in a way that others won't miss it.

I didn't always do that in the beginning. I used to assume others knew how to properly cite my work.

As creators, we can help others help us, by providing clear, simple/ hassle-free instructions and requirements. Most people will respect and adhere to that.

To be continued: Part 2.

My 2011 read list

2012-01-18T22:14:00.000+08:00

The start of 2012 seems, for me, just as busy as 2011. Might as well just start with the annual read list.

Total items read since 2004:

2011 = 70 items (25 items were eBooks)
2010 = 93 items
2009 = 79
2008 = 72
2007 = 104 items
2006 = 67 items
2005 = 91 items
2004 = 100 items

Will do a more detailed breakdown, if I get the chance (ha!)

What's obvious is that my 2011 reading volume has decreased, reversing the increasing trend for the last two years.

2011 was a particularly busy and hectic year for me. I'm still having flashbacks of bringing work home, after office hours -- on a regular basis from January 2011 all the way to maybe July. *shudder*

But I believe I read far more graphic novels in 2010 compared to 2011. So in terms of reading depth, 2011 might be better. Maybe (I might be wrong).

The purchase of an iPad, and seriously using the NLB's Overdrive collection on a regular basis, has given me more reading options. I think my reading volume might have hit 40 or 50 items only, if not for the iPad. And those 40 to 50 items might comprise of mostly graphic novels.

A snapshot of my reading genre tag-cloud so far (wished I'd done a snapshot each year... ah well)

My overall perception was that I was reading more non-fiction (not graphic novels) compared with previous years. In anycase, I'm rather intrigued to discover any particular shifts in reading patterns, beyond volume read. We shall see.

Will leave you with a re-post of my 2011 list (first posted at RoughNotes)

Aftermath: Prepare for and survive apocalypse 2012/ Lawrence E. Joseph
Aliens: Female war/ Mark Verheiden
Asimov’s Science Fiction/ March 2011
Battlestar Galactica: Complete Omnibus V1
Battlestar Galactica: Ghosts
Between water and song: New poets for the twenty-first century/ edited by Norman Minnick
Bicycles: Love poems
Bloomberg Businessweek/ June 27 – July 3, 2011
Blue Beetle: Black and blue/ Matthew Sturges & Mike Norton
Brevity 2: Another collection of comics by Guy & Rodd/ Guy Endore-Kaiser & Rodd Perry
Buy me: new ways to get customers to choose your products and ignore the rest/ Marshall Cohen
Buying time: trading your retirement income for income and lifestyle in your retirement years/ Daryl Diamond
Coach Wooden: The seven principles that changed his life and will change yours/ Pat Williams
Core strength for dummies, pocketbook edition/ LaReine Chabut
Digital animation
Dog fancy/ natural dog (2 issues in 1)/ Aug 2011
Freakonomics
Fundsupermart/ 4Q 2009
Futurama: The time bender trilogy/ created by Matt Groening; story by Ian Boothby
Gone case/ Dave Chua
Happiness at the end of the world/ Happy smiley and friends
Heroes vol 1
How an economy works and why it crashes/ Peter D. Schiff
Jack Doe: Anonymous/ Shawn Yap, Gabriel Chua, Xander Lee
James Robinson’s complete WildCATS
Jia: a story of North Korea/ Hyejin Kim
Kato vol 1: Not my father’s daughter/ Ande Parks
Liquid thinking: Inspirational thinking from the world’s greatest achievers/ Damian Hughes
Lost Squad/ written by Chris Kirby; art by Alan Robinson; lettered by Kel Nuttall
Love is the best medicine: what two dogs taught a veterinarian about hope, humility, and everyday miracles/ Dr. Nick Trout
Mac Life/ May 2010
Macworld/ April 2011
Macworld/ May 2011
Mental floss: genius instruction manual
Myspace Darkhorse Presents (MDHP) vol 4.
Northlanders. Book one: Sven the returned/ Brian Wood
Northlanders. Book two: The cross and the hammer/ Brain Wood
Relational intelligence: how leaders can expand their influence through a new way of being smart/ Steve Saccone
Return on engagement: content, strategy, and design techniques for digital marketing/ Tim Frick – Standard
Six degrees of expatriation/ Maida Pineda
Small message, big impact: how to put the power of the elevator speech effect to work for you/ Terri L. Sjodin
Social media metrics/ Jim Sterne
StarCraft: Frontline. Volume 1.
Story structure architect: A writer’s guide to building dramatic situations & compelling characters/ Victoria Lynn Schmidt
Stranded vol 1/ Mike Carey & Siddharth Kotian
Strategic thinking: a nine step approach to tragedy for marketeers and managers/ Simon Wootten & Terry Horne
Strength for life: the fitness plan for the rest of your life/ Shawn Philips
Teenage as a second language
Terminator: revolution
The agile enterprise
The appeal/ John Grisham
The brain fitness workout: brain training puzzles to improve your memory, concentration, decision-making skills, and mental flexibility/ Philip Carter
The collected stories of Arthur C. Clarke. Short stories/ Arthur C. Clarke
The crown and other stories/ Rabindranath Tagore; translated by Ranjita Basu
The digital handshake: seven proven strategies to grow your business using social media/ Paul Chaney
The genius machine: the eleven steps that turns raw ideas into brilliance/ Gary Sindell
The home and the world
The immortal iron fist
The past and the punishments
The Question: The five books of blood/ Greg Rucka et al.
The right decision
The tarnished angel
The unwritten: Inside man/ Mike Carey & Peter Gross
The war that time forgot: Vol 1
Twitterville: how businesses can thrive in the new global neighborhoods/ shel israel
What should I do with the rest of my life? True stories of finding success, passion and new meaning in the second half of life/ Bruce Frankel – Standard
What the dog saw, and other adventures/ Malcolm Gladwell
Why we run: a natural history/ Bernd Heinrich
Work’s intimacy/ Melissa Greg
Yes! 50 secrets from the science of persuasion/ Noah Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, Robert B. Caildini

When Nations Remember II - 28 Nov 2011

2011-12-01T17:16:00.001+08:00

Here's my very belated take on the "When Nations Remember II" event, held on 28 Nov 2011. The event was part of the Singapore Memory Project (mentioned in this 2011 MICA speech; also mentioned in PM Lee's 2011 National Day Rally speech), to thank partners and give various partners and stakeholders a sense of the goodwill and buzz that has been built up in the past months. Also, it was to pay tribute to about 100 volunteer "Memory Corps" members for their support and contribution to this national project.

I took a few notes that day, but got caught up with stuff, i.e. more procrastination. Add a dose of laziness. This largely photo "essay" is the result.

Luckily, there are published perspectives of some people who attended the event. Here's Dexterine, Lizzy and James (see here, here and here). Chun See also blogged about it (he wasn't a Memory Corps volunteer at the time of the event, but glad to say he has subsequently volunteered to be part of the movement).

Of the presenters that day (several interesting ones), the person who stood out was the young lady, Lizzy. I thought she gave a fantastic presentation that morning. Your passion and enthusiasm was very real. I remember thinking to myself, "Listening to a young person like that makes me proud to be Singaporean". Would have wanted to tell her and her friends all what an awesome thing they did with their Unseen/Unsaid series.

Alright then.

My version of a post-event blog post.

Monday morning. Asian Civilisation Museum (how apt!) Colleagues reported at 7am. Quite a few were involved on the rehearsal on Sunday.

Preparations at the registration table.

Another dry-run before the actual stuff.

At the back of the hall was a wall, inviting people to share their memories.

Participants were invited to write their stories on a card and clip it to a clothes line strung across the wall.

Here's mine (fuzzy image from my camera phone). Essentially, I shared what came to mind first. Oddly enough it was about a memory when I was about 10 years old. I remember waking up at 5.30am and walking to school. Staring up at the dark dawn sky, I wondered to myself (I'm not making this up) just how many more years of this routine I've to go through at such unearthly hours. Heh.

At about 9am, guests started streaming in.

Dr. Yaacob Ibrahim, Minister MICA, spicing his speech with some of his personal memories.

There was a screening of this video, about the handover of the Gunong Pulai waterworks (see this CNA article). The video featured some of the Memory Corps volunteers like Mr TC Lai (he has some really interesting stories/ personal memories, here and here).

He was given this token of appreciation: a framed poster from Singapore's first ever water campaign. A very apt token, for he was the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (2004 - 2011).

A shot of my colleagues from the 'Engage' division, National Library. They were the division responsible for organising this event.

At the conclusion of the morning's segment, the Memory Corps volunteers were invited to take a group photo. Essentially, the Memory Corps are people who volunteer their time and effort to write memories for the Singapore Memory Project (you can read some of their stories at iRemember.SG). Or they may interview other people for their stories.

A buffet lunch awaits.

Before the start of the afternoon session, I had the pleasure of speaking to Mr Hillary Francis ("call me Francis"). A very nice gentleman, who can be said to be one of the pioneers of the Singapore music scene. BTW, check out his LinkedIn profile.

The afternoon session featured some pretty interesting presentations. One was on the architectural designs of Malay houses in colonial times Singapore, plus dispelling the myths about what a 'Malay Village' should look like. Darn it, where are the YouTube videos?

I had to leave the event earlier, for another work appointment. Managed to snap a few (unfortunately rather badly focused) images of the memories-on-cards that some participants shared on the wall.

The event also saw the launch of the PictureSG web service, pictures.nl.sg (see this CNA article also).

Incidentally, I've recently transferred to the National Library, after a good 12 years in the public libraries. Have joined the Singapore Memory Project and heading the Online Engagement department. Will blog more about the project, and about my new work scope, in the months to come.

The persistent social media notice board (or "Singapore Police Force's first 'Facebook Arrest'")

2011-11-26T16:55:00.001+08:00

In my view, the Singapore Police Force's (SPF) Facebook page is a very successful social media initiative by a government agency, in terms of public awareness, receptivity and amount of consistent "chatter" (i.e. comments).

I've not done any recent environment scan, let alone a comprehensive survey. But looking at the comments and number of congratulatory Likes for its recent "win", it's easy to conclude that the SPF Facebook page is certainly a popular one:

The "win" was this, as reported by ChannelNewsAsia, 25 Nov 2011 (emphasis are mine):

SINGAPORE: Police have arrested two loanshark suspects based on a lead that came from a photo that was posted on the police Facebook page in July 2009.

A netizen called the 999 number on November 11 after seeing the photo, saying he could identify the suspect.

Fuller details over at the SPF press release, "Singapore Police Makes Its First “Facebook Arrest", 25 Nov 2011:

This significant development came about on 11 Nov 2011 when a public-spirited person called 999 and informed that he could identify a loanshark suspect from a photo posted on the Police Facebook Page since July 2009. This has led to the arrest of the suspect and another suspect, both 19 years old, for suspected involvement in loanshark harassment activities in the Bukit Merah area. Investigations are ongoing.

THE PERSISTENT NOTICE BOARD
At first I missed the part about the initial public appeal for information posted in July 2009 (ASIDE: for a skimmer like me, maybe the post could have said something like "Facebook breakthrough for a two-year old unsolved crime..." or something to that effect).

Anyway, I understood why the SPF considered it a significant "operational breakthrough". The inference was that traditional channels (newspapers or TV) tend to have a limited duration before information fades from public awareness. Even if people remember something, verifying it via the source would be hard beyond a few weeks.

I'm reminded of the "Think Before You Post" advisory video, warning young people about the persistent nature of the Internet. For fighting crime, that quality is a good thing.

VIRAL EFFECT (?)
I also noted that the SPF Press Release stated that one of their aims, for starting their Facebook Page in 2009, was to "(take) advantage of the viral nature of social media".

I'm not entirely clear how much of the cascading effect took place. Reading the press release, I understood the sequence of events to be:

SPF posts the information on the suspects on Facebook in 2009.
Fast-forward to 2011, a member of the public recognised the suspect and contacted the SPF.

I wonder how that member spotted the FB photos of the suspects. Scrolled all the way to earlier posts? Heard about it through a friend, who heard it from a friend? Maybe even a fall-out among gang members and using the FB post to disguise the fact that the caller already knew the suspects?

But the above is moot (and probably suggests I've too active an imagination).

What's important is that the case was resolved, with the help of the public. This "Facebook Arrest" is also likely to send a strong signal to would-be-criminals about the even longer arm of the law.

THE RISK OF SOCIAL MEDIA WITCH HUNTS
Of course the downside of a "social media cascading effect" would be called a social media witch-hunt, or Internet Vigilantism. The viral nature of social media works both ways.

Having said that, I don't recall a case of a social media witch-hunt in Singapore. Which may suggest that for something as serious as identifying suspects to the police, Singaporeans are a calm and rational lot on the whole.

Which also suggests to me that the public has a very high level of trust in the SPF's thoroughness and professionalism.

I certainly have.

SOCIAL MEDIA AMPLIFIES TRUST. OR DISTRUST
The SPF would not receive any public tip-offs at all, never mind through a social media channel, if it did not have the trust of the populace.

I think that's one reason for it being a successful on Facebook.

When the SPF identifies someone as a suspect, intuitively I do not question that. I would have assumed the SPF has enough evidence to make that charge (it's not a small thing to be publicly announced as a suspect in a police investigation, even if subsequently proven to be innocent).

That sort of trust is like Internet reputations: Slow to earn, fast to destroy.

Gladly, the SPF has maintained that social trust for as long as I can remember. Its efforts in maintaining its Facebook page does a good job of reinforcing that, and probably enhancing it. I've always admired was the consistent level of chatter over at their Facebook page. I don't get a sense of it being an echo chamber effect.

It's not just my view about the SPF being successful on social media:

On the topic of strategies, and agencies needing to know what they want to use social media for, the Singapore Police Force was brought up as a role model that knew exactly what they wanted to use the social platforms for—information sharing and recruitment—and used it well.

Via www.FutureGov.asia

I was told the above was an unsolicited comment about the SPF. Yet another win.

SPF DOES NOT NEED TO BLOG (OR DOES IT?)
Back in May 2008, I wrote a three-parter on whether the SPF should have a blog (part 1, part 2, part 3).

They started their Facebook page in July 2009. Some people feel Facebook makes blogs redundant, but I've a different opinion -- perhaps for another post.

I wonder if SPF is planning for "the next step" wrt social media engagement. In my view, they are doing a darn good job already. I don't forsee the SPF embarking on the level of engagement like this last case study I blogged about, here and here).

But then again, maybe the SPF will lead the way. Again :)

UPDATE: Walter blogs about it, here.

The "No Bed Bugs Essential Spray"

2011-11-17T23:58:00.000+08:00

My wife concocted a homemade essential oil spray. She did a bit of research over the Internet. To get rid of bed bugs. She says it works.

I thought it made our home smell like a classy boutique hotel. I asked her what name she's calling the fragrance.

"No Bed Bugs Essential Spray", she says.

Recipe:

Reuse a 120ml spray bottle or perfume atomiser.

Fill it up slightly more than 3 quarters full with boiled water (in lieu of distilled water).

Add:

Cedar wood essential oil x 10 drops

Clove essential oil x 5 drops

Lavender essential oil x 20 drops

Rosemary essential oil x 5 drops
Shake like mad.

Red Potion
Originally uploaded by Artform Canada

BTW, you can freely copy the above. A mere listing of ingredients and procedures cannot be copyrighted. Unless the listings have "substantial literary expression-—a description, explanation, or illustration, for example-—that accompanies a recipe or formula or to a combination of recipes, as in a cookbook". Source: U.S. Copyright office (Singapore follows U.S. Copyright law pretty closely).

Wired.com Goes Creative Commons

2011-11-09T00:00:00.000+08:00

Announced on 7 Nov 2011. Wired.com's statement:

"Beginning today, we’re releasing all Wired.com staff-produced photos under a Creative Commons (CC BY-NC) license and making them available in high-res format on a newly launched public Flickr stream."

More info, from the CreativeCommons.org blog:
"... Wired.com’s announcement that from now on all Wired.com staff-produced photos will be released under a CC Attribution-Noncommercial license (CC BY-NC)! Wired.com’s Editor in Chief Evan Hansen says,

“Creative Commons turns ten years old next year, and the simple idea of releasing content with “some rights reserved” has revolutionized online sharing and fueled a thriving remix culture. At Wired.com, we’ve benefited from CC-licensed photos for years — thank you sharers! Now we’re going to start sharing ourselves.”"

Here's Wired.com's CC-BY-NC Flickr stream, at www.flickr.com/photos/wiredphotostream.

What's significant to me was that Wired.com is a recognisable brandname. Their very public statement on CC was also very clear to me (see quote at the beginning of this post).

They have made a long-term commitment rather than a one-off publicity stunt (some people might think this was a one-off thing if they only noticed the selected 50 images).

Their Flickr stream would be one good resource to get CC-BY-NC photos of people in the tech industry (since Wired.com covers that sort of news extensively).

Probably images of gadgets, events and tech stuff.

(Which reminds me: I've not blogged about YouTube's "hybrid" adoption of Creative Commons; check this and this out).

Social media Twitter interview: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

2011-11-08T14:33:00.003+08:00

The level of competency and the manner of response, shown by the organisation's social media manager/ staff, says something about the overall competency of the organisation.

This recap, of what happened two weeks ago, illustrated that to me.

Minutes after I blogged and tweeted about this post, I received a twitter reply from @ShannonPaul, Social Media Manager of Blue Cross Blue Shield Michigan. With an offer to answer questions.

Got to admit, the speed of response was impressive. But even more so, it was the unsolicited offer to answer questions.

I replied that I'll think of good questions to ask. But before that I corrected my mistake on the blog post. Sorry, Shannon, I really thought "Shannon" was a guy's name. Forgive this librarian's ignorance.

Before asking my questions, I decided to do some homework. Read up Shannon's blog (was humbled by her About Page, subscribed!) plus her current work at A Healthier Michigan.

Decided on my five questions, tweeted to Shannon, to which she replied almost immediately as well.

Here it is (in actuality, I tweeted all five questions in a continuous thread, and perfectly happy if Shannon only answered some of them. But she graciously answered all; in between she was also responding to other tweets):

Me: Q1: how did you discover my post about BCBSM? I tweeted it but neither the tweet nor url mentioned BCBSM directly.

Shannon: We use @Radian6 to monitor brand mentions. They're usually really fast, especially at picking up tweets :)

Me: Q2: how did that YouTube comment episode turn out? Happy customer? Satisfied? Still cheesed? both parties met objectives?

Shannon: I don't believe that person ever followed up with me, but I can't be 100% sure in this case.

Me: Q3: what's the top 3 goals for @bcbsm's social media forays/ strategy?

Shannon: Top 3, eh? Build/strengthen relationships with consumers and business customers, gather feedback, provide quality health info

(Shannon managed to answer coherently within 140 characters. Fwah! Talk about being concise.)

Me: Q4: apart from an overall social media plan, does @bcbsm social media team have specific goals for the week/ month?

Shannon: Q4: Of course, but they're a bit granular and vary from week to week :)

Me: Q5: what would ur employer consider as 'success' for @bcbsm and @HealthierMI?

Shannon: Q5: Goals vary by business area. For @HealthierMI 2011 is about building an audience, 2012 will be about loyalty/engagement.

That's the five. I honestly felt like asking 50! Found the responses very useful. It corroborated with some ideas I had in mind for my new work scope (updates in another post).

Thanks again, Shannon.

Here's the other thing: Shannon's responses were also examples where the Social Media Manager/ staff can respond off the cuff and still keep their jobs!

Obviously she did not have to obtain clearance from Blue Shield Michigan's official corp comms department for some of the responses (for instance, the one about their success criteria). Unless, their corp comms staff was sitting right next to her. I doubt that.

To recap what I mentioned at the start of the post:

Perhaps the more subtle part was this -- the level of competency and the manner of response, shown by the organisation's social media manager/ staff, says something about the overall competency of the organisation.

To me, it says a heck of a lot about the organisation's understanding and approach to online engagement. Particularly their intent and the service potential.

Social media response example: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (or, "Re-thinking Customer Service in the Social Media world")

2011-10-25T23:35:00.001+08:00

OK, here's more of my rambly disconnected thoughts, this time about Customer Service Vs Social Media Engagement.

AN EXAMPLE
I came across this Youtube video (posted 25 Jun 2011), put up by a US health insurer the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. The video showed the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan employees, their friends and family performing a "flash-mob" style dance segment.

What caught my eye was this comment posted by an apparent customer: "My premium goes up 27% on 8/1. Glad it pays for nonsense like this."

Plus, the following response by the company's Social Media manager:

"I'm sorry you're frustrated about a pending rate increase. Please let me know if there is anything we can do to help. You can email me directly at spaul3@bcbsm.com with the 800# on the back of your card and I'll do my best to see if there is anything we can do.

Shannon Paul
Social Media Manager
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan"

Cool. They have a social media manager (perhaps a team?) who knew what he she was doing. Appropriate tone and all that.

Was obvious they took ownership of their YouTube channel and took immediate charge of the response (it seemed to be posted at the same time as the comment).

(Re)STRUCTURING the CUSTOMER SERVICE UNIT
That example got me thinking:

Did Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan have two separate customer service units? A traditional one and a social media unit? Perhaps more likely that their social media unit was part of the larger customer service unit, or the company corporate communications department. (Maybe they're monitoring the blogs and might post a comment here. Or someone might pass the message along to them). UPDATE: Check this out. A tweet response just minutes after I tweeted!

I'm wondering if the new norm might be for two independent customer service units -- at least independent in terms of their specific function, though their overall aim was still about customer management and relations.

One unit might handle the "traditional" channels like snail-mail, emails, and telephone calls. More reactive, in the sense that it's the customer who initiates the customer service transaction.

Then the Social Media unit would be in charge of trawling for social media mentions. This could be channels set up and managed by the organisation (e.g. an organisation Facebook page), or the broader social media-sphere (e.g. Facebook). Part of the scope might be to also engage in conversations with the customer. Particularly in the case of the latter scenario, where the customer may post a complaint on their own social media space rather than the organisation's. A mix of the reactive and proactive.

SERVICE Vs ENGAGEMENT
Extending that idea further, it's less about customer service using social media but more of customer engagement through social media channels. This may allow for easier distinction between a Customer Service department and a Customer Engagement department.

BTW, the term "service" makes me think of a production line. i.e. I bring my wonky TV set to be serviced. But as a customer, increasingly I'd expected to be engaged rather than to be serviced like a piece of equipment.

ROI
If having two channels is the "new normal", then there would inevitably be issue of ROI for the organisation.

I suspect at face-value, the traditional customer service unit would be more cost-efficient compared to the dedicated social media unit. Afterall, the traditional customer service unit is structured to be efficient. Basically, the customer service staff are like the production line, handling calls as they come in. Customers tend to be the ones waiting to be served.

The social media unit has to be accessed slightly differently. When we're talking about "engagement", I think we're talking about measuring in terms of customer satisfaction -- or the quality -- rather than efficiency of a customer encounter.

You can be efficient with the customer, but it doesn't necessarily mean the customer is more satisfied with what has taken place.

I think "engagement" is really about "reputation" and "goodwill". If the organisation has a way to measure the worth of its reputation and goodwill (which you can, in accounting terms), then I think that's a way to measure social media engagement.

What's harder to measure is linking the ultimate outcome -- which is sales or the customer's repeated use of the service -- to the amount of staff time expended. But that's the whole point about a social media engagement unit: you can't expect a causal relationship from engagement to 'sales'. That's seems more like a sales department function, in my view.

Well, you can chart trends or try and derive correlations.

But that's the other point: Mapping out trends means we need to take a longer time.

Can't expect instant wins where social media engagement is concerned.

p.s. Feel free to comment/ agree/ disagree. I'd appreciate any insights to help refine my thoughts on this matter.
p.p.s. How do you measure this? :)

RELATED: Social media Twitter interview: Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan

What has kept me busy, work-wise

2011-10-09T23:25:00.000+08:00

My blogging frequency has decreased sharply since the beginning of this year. A big reason was that work had eaten into my personal time. First three months was just crazy.

A bit of that work, slogged over with several other colleagues, is finally in the open. It's reflected in the draft plans for the Arts and Culture Strategic Review (ACSR), under the part for "Communities for Reading, Writing and Storytelling":

From: www.acsr.sg/REC_PP6_CommunitiesforReading.aspx

We hope to build on the existing network of reading communities to nurture a vibrant reading culture and cultivate an understanding and appreciation of the literary arts.

While the National Library Board (NLB) manages about 100 reading communities (which organise monthly book discussions), only a small number of such communities integrate all three elements of reading, writing and storytelling. Writing, and the appreciation of local writing, is still a very niche activity that has yet to take root.

Singaporeans could be encouraged to come forward and contribute their personal stories (e.g. with old photos, letters) through communities for reading, writing and storytelling. These communities could be set up all over Singapore, in libraries, community clubs and even the places where we work and live. Besides enjoying books together, participants could be encouraged to write, share their stories, experiences and interests, and even produce creative works in both physical and online forms (such as blogs, video clips and audio recordings). These works could then be shared with their friends, family and online communities.

The entire ACSR plans (still a draft as of this post, at the post-public consultation stage) has several components, and will be a mutli-MICA-agency effort. The National Library Board is one of those MICA agencies.

The ACSR was initiated by the Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts (MICA) in 2010 and aims to chart Singapore’s next phase of cultural development until 2025. This review would also aim for twice as many Singaporeans – from 40% to 80% – to attend and benefit from at least one arts and culture event a year by 2025, and to encourage Singaporeans’ active engagement in arts and culture activities, up from the current 20% to 50% by 2025. This could include taking up or volunteering for arts and heritage activities in their personal time.

Source: www.acsr.sg/introduction.aspx

You can download the 50-page draft report here, at www.acsr.sg/download.aspx (public consultation just ended recently). Or you can scan through the summary list if recommendations, here.

There will be some other changes to my work scope. It's not a state-secret but I'll share more when it's finalised in a few weeks' time.

Remembering Project Gutenberg's Michael Hart (1947-2011)

2011-09-26T01:34:00.002+08:00

Earlier this September, the world focused on the 10-year anniversary of the 9-11 attacks. Not surprising, for the events on 11th September of 2001 was a world-changing event.

I thought what seems to have slipped the world's attention was the passing of Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg.

Hart's project might not be world-changing on the scale of 9-11, but it certainly spanned the World Wide Web.

Project Gutenberg is, without a doubt for me, the precursor of ebooks.

Hart was best known for his 1971 invention of electronic books, or eBooks. He founded Project Gutenberg, which is recognized as one of the earliest and longest-lasting online literary projects. He often told this story of how he had the idea for eBooks. He had been granted access to significant computing power at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. On July 4 1971, after being inspired by a free printed copy of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, he decided to type the text into a computer, and to transmit it to other users on the computer network. From this beginning, the digitization and distribution of literature was to be Hart's life's work, spanning over 40 years.

~ Dr. Gregory B. Newby, Obituary for Michael Stern Hart.

I only learned about Project Gutenberg after I entered the library profession in 1996. That was also the year I had any real practical experience with the World Wide Web and the Internet. I also did not realise -- until much, much later -- that Project Gutenberg was started in 1971 (I'm almost as old as it was).

Project Gutenberg, at that time, it was a no-frills website. It still is, by today's standards.

Then, and like now, you basically searched for titles and downloaded digital texts for free. Almost all 'books' in Project Gutenberg were texts from public domain.

However, it was not an online bookstore the way Amazon was. In terms of popular appeal, the public domain texts could never compare.

Still, I found Project Gutenberg impressive. I still do. It may seem a simple idea: converting texts from printed book form to digital files, then making the digital works available to the world. For free.

But for a 'simple idea' to be sustained since 1971, that alone has to impress.

The reading experience
Michael Hart's project didn't revolutionise the reading experience, not in the way Amazon's Kindle and Apple's iPad did.

Of course, I don't think he sought to do that.

I thought Project Gutenberg had two issues that prevented it from becoming truly world-changing. One, the reading experience wasn't 'wow'. Reading large volume of texts on desktop or laptop computer screens was impractical for most. It was more of 'reading off a computer' rather 'reading an ebook', not to mention the print resolution and several well-discussed issues.

Two, the content wasn't 'wow' either. Not when the rage was Tom Clancy and John Grisham etc.

I have an impression that when the world's reading experience was transformed with the appearance of Kindle and iPad (along with their respective supply of eBooks with modern and popular appeal), Project Gutenberg fell even more out of the public eye. Relatively speaking.

In the 90s, when the World Wide Web was a nebulous thing and librarians met it with calls of doom and gloom, I think librarians saw Project Gutenberg as a positive thing, but not a remedy.

Project Gutenberg was not a search engine. It wasn't an online reference (come to think of it: if it were, it would be seen as yet another threat!)

Renewed relevance?
I think with eReading devices becoming more accessible and affordable, an initiative like Project Gutenberg's Mission Statement may be well poised to take on the future:

The mission of Project Gutenberg is simple: To encourage the creation and distribution of eBooks.

This mission is, as much as possible, to encourage all those who are interested in making eBooks and helping to give them away.

Project Gutenberg has moved with the times. They have backed up their intent (of encouraging eBook distribution) by providing formats like EPUB and for Kindle.

And who knows? Perhaps a successful contemporary author, whose works have current mass appeal, may bequeath his works to Project Gutenberg. Or a philanthropist who decides to acquire the rights of popular works and make them available through the Project.

Or some one may leverage on Project Gutenberg's collection, add a new twist to its eBooks content or reading experience, and make it available as an Apple or Android app. Which might transform the world's reading experience.

Well, all are just conjectures.

Most of us did not see 9-11 coming. On a more positive note, neither did we foresee the Kindle or iPad. For that matter, did we anticipate a relatively simple idea like Project Gutenberg?

So who knows?

Thank you, Michael Hart.

Teaching racial harmony

2011-09-21T01:00:00.000+08:00

The train doors opened.

An old man stepped in. I could tell he was quite elderly: his wrinkled skin; his unsure footing as the train moved off.

A much younger man noticed him too. The young man got up from his seat. The younger person's body language and eye contact was enough to signal his intent to the elder.

The old man shuffled towards the vacated seat. "Thank you, thank you," he said.

A few seats away, a young girl took it all in, glancing between the two.

Singapore MRT Cabin
Originally uploaded by xcode

The old man and young person were of two different races.

[Note: The above happened just the way I saw it. I was inspired to recount the above after reading Lucian's post. No where as elegant as Lucian's though.]

Singapore Wins Bid to Host 2013 IFLA General Conference and Assembly

2011-08-19T22:00:00.000+08:00

There's about two years to prepare. This should be interesting for librarians in Singapore :)

I hope to see some of my IFLA friends and colleagues again.

From NLB's media release, dated 19 Aug 2011:

Singapore Wins Bid to Host Prestigious International Library Congress in 2013

Release Date : 19 Aug 2011

Singapore, 19 August 2011 – Singapore has won the bid to host the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA) World Library and Information Congress to be held in August 2013. This announcement was made officially at the closing session of the IFLA World Library and Information Congress 2011 on 18 August 2011 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

This marks the first time that Singapore is hosting the Congress, which is the flagship professional and trade event for the international library and information sector. The Congress takes place in August each year in a city selected through a competitive three-stage bidding process that is overseen by the IFLA Governing Board. The hosting of the Congress rotates among the IFLA regions of Asia and Oceania, Europe, Africa, North America and Latin America and Caribbean. Previous host cities included Gothenburg, Sweden in 2010 and Milan, Italy in 2009. The last Asian host city was Seoul, South Korea in 2006.

Singapore's bid to host the 2013 edition of the Congress was jointly submitted by National Library Board (NLB) and the Library Association of Singapore and supported by the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Ministry of Information, Communications and the Arts and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The international convention in August 2013 is expected to attract over 3,000 participants from over 100 countries who will converge in Singapore to discuss the developments and new trends in the library arena. The programme will run over eight days, including three days of business meetings, a five-day conference programme, and three and half days of exhibition.

“Our successful bid to host the IFLA World Library and Information Congress will place us firmly on the world map of the library and information sector as the Congress offers a unique platform to promote knowledge sharing and exchange best practices within the international community. This will also pave the way for us to deepen relations and facilitate future collaborations with our global counterparts,” said Mrs Elaine Ng, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NLB.

“We are very pleased to be the city of choice for the 2013 IFLA World Library and Information Congress. Singapore's vibrant and pro-business environment, bolstered by quality infrastructure, and a strong global network of strategic partnerships, will provide an ideal platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration among delegates,” commented Ms Melissa Ow, Assistant Chief Executive, Industry Development (II) Group, STB.

“Further, Singapore's rich multi-cultural heritage, diversity of business and leisure offerings, and upcoming developments such as Gardens by the Bay, and the world's first River Safari, look set to provide guests and delegates with a differentiated experience of our constantly evolving city.”

A national committee, chaired by CEO of NLB, comprising representatives from the local library and information sector will be set up to oversee the organising of the Congress.

Here's more, from the current Library Association of Singapore president.

Celebrating Singaporeana: Happy 46th

2011-08-09T22:50:00.003+08:00

In my friend Lucian's post, he admitted having the sort of prejudice some Singaporeans might have towards things made or achieved by Singaporeans:

It is true that for some obscure reason, Singaporeans look down on other Singaporeans. “Made in America” comes with the notion that the product is heavy-duty; “made in Japan”, quality; “made in the UK”, quaint. But when you talk about something that is “made in Singapore”, it is always the Singaporeans who’ll be first in line to pull it down. You’ll often hear things like “trying too hard to be [insert name of western country]” or “cannot make it”. Best of all, these criticisms are uttered by the ones who’ve never had the guts to even try.

I know, because I’m guilty of it.

(Btw the context of his post was Inch Chua's Open Letter to Singapore; her facebook post has been removed but you can read a repost here).

Lucian's admission struck a chord with me. I, too, displayed a similar sort of prejudice a few weeks earlier.

I was reading a book containing stories written by Singaporeans. The title of the book isn't the point. The point was my unconscious judgement, comparing those stories with my favourite non-Singaporean authors. I felt the "made in Singapore" stories were not "good enough".

On one hand, I desperately wanted to like the stories. On the other, I wanted to admit the stories didn't appeal to me. I even tried to rationalise why those stories weren't appealing to my tastes. My reasoning came up short.

I was torn between wanting the stories to be great, and having to acknowledge they were not.

Then I realised something else.

Even though I would not consider those stories to be 'great', I had managed to read the entire book from cover to cover. I read every single story. That was already an achievement. There have been contemporary best-selling authors whose works I can never read past chapter one, or less.

Once I got past my mental literary-hang up, it was easy to see what else was good about those stories. They were technically competent. There were no glaring spelling or grammatical errors. The story ideas may not have made me go "wow" (actually, very few stories can) but they were not run-of-the-mill ones. It was clear the authors put in what they were worth, and not out to insult the intelligence of the reader.

I also realised I didn't have to like every single story in that "made by Singaporeans" book.

Perhaps this sort of reader reaction is part of the literary territory. We all have our personal yardsticks against what we consider as 'best'. And I think it's healthy to compare, so that there's some specific literary target to aim for.

However, I think we Singaporean readers have to be mindful not to confuse "setting a goal" with "expecting every Singaporean author to write like [insert name of your favorite author]".

Another friend of mine is fond of saying, "Don't celebrate mediocrity".

I agree.

I'm not suggesting we endorse or embrace, by default, everything "made in Singapore" or "by Singaporeans". If the works are shoddy, we should say so. But I believe we should not impose undue expectations or comparisons. Enjoy the work -- a play, music, a piece of creative fiction -- for what they are worth.

We should not confuse "not being unique" with "not good".

If we have a flower that smells like a rose, it's OK to compare with another blossom in the next yard. But let's not forget: that very flower, grown in our garden, still smells sweet.

Happy 46th, Singapore.

App How-To: EBSCOhost iPhone/ iPod Touch app

2011-06-26T17:38:00.004+08:00

If you access EBSCOhost resources regularly, you might want to give this EBSCOhost app a try (even if you don't it's still worth giving this a spin if you own an Apple mobile device).

It's compatible with iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad (though, the design/ app display size is more for the iPhone and iPod Touch than the iPad).

NOTE: After you've installed the app on your iPhone or iPad, you can't use it right away. You have to obtain and activate an Authentication Key from the EBSCOhost database page, which has to be done via logging into the library's eresources website. It seems you do this step once and it's valid for 9 months. It's also valid only for the individual database, which means you have to do the same authentication process for each of the EBSCOhost that you want to access via the App

Here's a step-by-step guide (btw, the steps were done via my iPad):

SETTING UP
Download the app from the App Store (keyword search "ebscohost").

After installing the app, there's a few more preparatory steps. You need to obtain and activate the authentication key (if not, you won't see any menu options on the app).

To get the key, you first login to eResources.nlb.gov.sg in order to get to an EBSOhost database (I'm assuming you've already signed up for a digital library account, or you're registered as a NLB library member. The site's How To section has details of how to sign up/ access the resources).

After logging in, browse through the database listings and click on the EBSCOhost database you prefer. The list is in alphabetical order, so you've to scroll the page to entries starting with "E".

In this example, I clicked on an EBSCOhost database called "MAS Ultra - Public Library Editition". On the database page, scroll all the way to the bottom of the page and click on the link "EBSCOhost iPhone/ iPod Touch Application":

You will be prompted to enter your email address, where the authentication link will be sent.

The authentication mail looks like this. Follow the instructions (the link has to be accessed via your iPhone/ iPod Touch/ iPad).

After that, you're done. When you open the EBSCOhost app, the menu appears.

EXPLORING THE APP
Under the Settings option, I can specify the databases I'd like to access (note: you have to repeat the authentication process for every individual database. But

You can specify what results to display (e.g. show you full-text articles only, or filter by date ranges):

To search for articles, you type your keywords (there's no Advanced Search option in this app, but you can filter the results under the Settings option, as explained above)

Results are displayed like this.

The default display is by articles that the system deems as most relevant based on the keywords. In the above screenshot, the first article was published in 2006. is You can display the most recent articles by tapping on the Date tab (the following screen now shows the first listed article published in 2011).

READING (on and offline)
Tapping on the displayed article title brings you to a screen like this. It gives you the abstract, the link to save the article to your mobile device, or download the PDF or email.

Scrolling down the page shows information like the author, article source, subject headings, database name (tapping on them does an automatic search and display, based on those links):

When I tapped on the PDF icon, the app starts to download the PDF document:

The PDF document shows the scanned article, with all other contextual information (e.g. sidebar, ads) preserved on the page.

The display can be expanded by dragging. But the display window is definitely not as large as the iPad, so reading the PDF was a bit tedious (the app works on an iPad but resolution tends to become grainy when enlarged).

I was able to access my saved articles from the "Saved" tab.

The saved articles can be read off-line, which was great. When I disconnected from my WIFI, the app says as much.

The NLB libraries subscribes to the EBSCOhost databases, which you can access at eresources.nlb.gov.sg.

There are 14 EBSCOhost databases, out of which 11 are accessible from home (and hence via the app). The 11 are:

EBSCOHost CINAHL
EBSCOHost ERIC
EBSCOHost Funk & Wagnall's new world encyclopedia
EBSCOHost kids search
EBSCOHost MAS ultra : public library edition
EBSCOHost MasterFILE premier
EBSCOHost military and government collection
EBSCOHost novelist
EBSCOHost primary search
EBSCOHost regional business news
EBSCOHost searchasaurus

Of the 11, the ones in bold are accessible via the EBSCOhost app (at least, it's listed in the app).

What others shared: Their ideas on ideas on using social media as part of library services for Children or Teens

2011-06-05T05:31:00.001+08:00

[From this earlier post]

Thanks for the responses, people!

"We are having our teen advisory groups make videos that we post on blogs, facebook and Twitter. I am sure thus isn't anything new though." ~ Jessica, who works for Seattle Public Library.

[I quickly commented that it wasn't necessary to be new or earth shaking. Being consistent and being genuine in engaging customers were more important]

"you can make them post impressions of what they read on facebook. It helps to introduce others to particular books and rate them. When I go to the library, I see shelves of books that might not be good to read rather than shelves of books that may be good to read. Maybe if there is a rating system using social media, it might help." ~ This was from my band-buddy, Adrian (a teacher and a biologist). I think his comment about "seeing shelves of books that I might not like to read" was something worth looking into.

"Maybe this is already done. Set up target group specific twitter alerts. For example for pre-school kids, encourage parents to follow "twitter tots" for updates on bks suitable for their kids" ~ From Mui Lin, an ex-colleague of mine and now a stay-at-home mommy. She also adds:

"I'm a SAHM, am planning to set up a book club in the online forum that I'm a member. What prompted me to do this is I'm stressed out looking after my 3 young kids and want to reach out to other parents who love to read. We do not need to meet and can share anytime of the day :). Not sure how it will work out or if anyone will join" [I think she should just give it a go! :)]

"Make catalogue.nlb.gov.sg facebook friendly. You have almost the entire population of kids on facebook (short of a couple of non-facebookers). Tag a discussion board to the end of the listing and allow posting by people. Policing the discussion boards would be a challenge but I don't see how technology can't overcome it." ~ from Say Hong. [Hmm... nice idea; the online catalogue is probably the most visited page/ site of the library so it makes a lot of sense to make it more social]

What's interesting for me was that in all their ideas, there's a strong social element and about people-to-people-to-content connections. There's also implied or explicit roles for the librarians.

It's also about simplicity.

It's definitely less about the tech.

Thanks again, people!

Tools don't make change. People do.

2011-06-04T04:19:00.000+08:00

I wouldn't be surprised if this was re-quoted some years down the line:

"Social media tools in themselves can bring about change no more than a hammer can in itself build a house." ~ @ShelIsrael

It was from Shel, as part of an email conversation we had some weeks back. Just briefly about social media and social/ political change.

I liked Shel's quote so much I just had to tweet it.

Your ideas on "Using social media as part of library services for Children or Teens"

2011-06-01T01:43:00.001+08:00

Question to librarians (or people who use library services): how would you use social media to serve children and/ or teens?

I've been invited to speak at the 5th International Symposium on library services for children and young adults, in South Korea. Several weeks back, I was pleasantly surprised to hear from the organiser (the National Library For Children and Young Adults) that they wanted me to present a condensed version of the "Web 2.0 and Library Services for Young Adults: An Introduction for librarians".

I'll share more of what I intend to talk/ present, in subsequent posts.

For now, I thought I'd ask the above question. I'm interested in examples or just ideas (they don't have to be earthshaking ones), to be featured in my presentation.

Thanks!
P.s. Let me know how you would like to be quoted in my presentation (if I do cite your idea/ comment).

Think aloud (research idea): Digital Media Literacy, information Consumption and Use by Singaporeans

2011-05-28T14:35:00.004+08:00

I've not looked at this seriously. Just womdering if there's any research relating to the “Digital Media Literacy", "Information Consumption" and "Use" (meaning, more than just reading but application, repurposing or remixing) by Singaporeans.

The thought came about when, at work, a question was asked if there were any high-level strategic projects that could be initiatied. This was several months back (just finding time to blog the thoughts now).

I thought it would be interesting obtain a representative profile (ages, gender, occupations etc.) of the extent of Singaporeans' "digital media and know-how".

It is about the everyday use of information by Singaporeans (an example of "everyday use" could be weather or traffic information)How do Singaporeans make informed choices? Or perceptions on whether they think they are getting informed.

How do Singaporeans approach their information search? What digital information sources do they use, and do those sources differ by the information need? (for instance, might video-sharing sites be the preferred source for certain situations?)

Maybe part of the study could show how information -- or what types -- proliferates through Social Media (compared to traditional media?)

Who are their key influencers -- teachers, friends, colleagues, friends via social platforms, or strangers in familiar social networks?

How much of their information search involves different modes like informal grapevine (i.e. Unsubstantiated) and how much involves independent fact-checking? For instance, how much of the information -- by different ages, profiles -- are they able to differentiate as rumours, outright inaccuracies, or facts? e.g. Radiation threat, from the nuclear reactor incident, on food imports. Or health and legal matters.

Who are their key influencers (e.g. teachers, friends, colleagues, friends via social platforms, or strangers in familiar social networks?)

What is their level of awareness/ knowledge regarding existing online information sources? For instance, are they aware of online sources for local weather information? Government policies and procedures? Consumer rights and avenues for legal recourse?

The study may have implications on the roles of libraries and other potential "community information centres" like schools, community clubs, cultural organisations etc. May also give insights on the role such institutions have to play in shaping information and media consumption.

As I mentioned, I was just thinking aloud. The research idea is still rough on the edges.

Do you know of similar research that has been done? Thought, ideas, critiques and comments are welcome.

Clementi Public Library: Officially opens 23 April, 2011

2011-04-25T00:51:00.000+08:00

Clementi residents have waited for about five-plus years for a public library near their homes.

With the official opening of Clementi Public Library (CMPL) on Saturday, 23 April 2011, it has brought the total number of public libraries in Singapore to 24.

The ChannelNewsAsia, 23 Apr 2011 quoted the Trade and Industry Minister, Mr. Lim Hng Kiang, who officiated the opening:

Speaking at the opening of the library, Mr Lim highlighted the importance of public libraries in Singapore's development.

"We must pay tribute to the library. It has been a very progressive organisation. Over the years, it has done so many brand new things and has been innovating in many ways to reach out to Singaporeans and improve their reading habits," he said.

Visitorship for Singapore's 24-strong network of public libraries is estimated at 13 million per year, while books loaned numbered 31 million, according to Mr Lim.

My colleagues should record his remarks as official compliments!

The NLB CE, Mrs Elaine Ng, adds:

"Libraries are social learning spaces that draw and unite people across all ages and cultures...the new services at the Clementi Public Library are part of our efforts to promote reading and make books and other information resources accessible to all our users."

LINK

I discovered this blogger, quite likely a Singaporean, who was even more succinct:

The library opens today. Very popular, quite crowded but well managed.

Brief comment, but no less important. Ultimately, it's the residents who will be using the public library. Or not.

Over at the HardwareZone forum, there are even more succinct comments (Singaporean trademark? heh).

Here are pictures I took on the opening day (some shots show the obvious Before/ After scenes, as you'll see):

8.30am: The public were already asking if they could go into the library.

A view into the library, from the entrance:

The self-check machines are to the right (off picture):

Very cool looking book/ item displays:

One of the highlights of CMPL -- the Faces of Clementi showcase:

The Children's section:

Another highlight of CMPL -- the Digital Storytelling Kiosk. Selected eBooks and games (from Tumblebooks) are featured on this console.

All quiet on the library front... until the library-enthusiasts enter!

The Programme Zone (which is unusual for a mall library to have one; the space doubles up as a reading area when there are no programmes):

The magazine section:

The newspapers reading area:

Another highlight of CMPL -- Mystery Brown Bags. You pick a bag (you're not supposed to peek in to the bag), check out the item, then discover what's the book in the bag. When done reading, return the item with the bag via the bookdrop.

The picks are from library staff and volunteers. There are different themes each time. It's a way to target the lunch-time crowd who wish to read but can't stay in the library to browse and choose. Or those who wish to be surprised and expand their reading tastes.

In my view, what's cool is that it's a social experiment of sorts. For instance, how would readers take to the service? Would people return the bag (or just the book?) Will this encourage the busy lunch-time crowd to pick a book? What sort of problems will materialise, if any? What opportunities would be created from this?

Here's a shot of Friends of the Library being briefed and assigned duties for the opening:

And then, the Guest of Honour arrives...

... greeted with a thunderous welcome by students from Singapore Polytechnic, Japanese Taiko Drums club:

9.30am, thereabouts. The library opens to public. The place got busy and crowded in a matter of minutes.

Orderly crowd, as far as I could tell. Btw, the "aunties" will always be there but they were better-behaved this time. I couldn't resist mentioning that episode because I wanted to put the entire matter in context: those ungracious few probably numbered 10 or so, compared to the 31 million of civic-minded users who pass by the public library gates in FY2010. From that perspective, I'd say the vast majority of library users in Singapore are gracious people. I'm sure I speak for my colleagues when I say we thank them for it.

Not least, the Read and Reap initiative, offline (Web 2.0 in action, without the Tech!):

Book Exchange 2011

2011-04-18T01:13:00.000+08:00

I was roped in to help at this year's event, which was on Saturday, 16 Apr.

ChannelNewsAsia reports: Over 77,000 books exchanged in a day

SINGAPORE: A project for book lovers to refresh their collection and help save the environment at the public libraries is drawing huge support.

The Book Exchange on Saturday attracted more than 7,000 people, with over 77,000 books exchanged.

Chief Executive of the National Library Board, Mrs Elaine Ng, said this shows that people still love books and reading.

To participate, members of the public had to drop their used books at any public library from April 2 to 15.

A coupon was given for every book accepted.

On April 16, the coupons were presented at the National Library Building for a one-for-one exchange of books collected from other participants.

LINK

They weren't kidding when they said "huge support". My colleagues said the morning queue, before the event started, snaked round the big National Library building twice.

This was the scene when I arrived at 12.30pm.

Volunteers, comprising of staff and Friends of the Library, were briefed on our respective duties. We were told of the layout and various logistics and measures put in place.

My duty area was "The Store":

In between my duties, I went round to take some pictures. The place was utterly packed.

Sadly, there were some ungracious people who grabbed all they can -- but not what they needed. Then they sat down in their own space sorting out their "treasures". Which would still have been OK, except that they left their unwanted pile on the ground. Tsk.

Still, it was heartening to see the majority who were well-behaved and orderly.

At one point, one person came up to me. Asked what the event was about. He said he wasn't from Singapore. So I explained. He was impressed that the Public Libraries were doing this. During my rounds, I saw at least one other foreigner asking similar questions.

Library staff (from various other groups and divisions) were also helping out. Here's a shot of the exit point, where books and accompanying tickets were counted and exchanged.

At around 6pm, only these carts were left.

End of event. Staff all chipped in to pack up.

I think about an hour later, the Event Plaza was cleared.

Until next year!

Two Public Libraries outreach events: MOE ExCEL Fest and Active Ageing Carnival

2011-04-16T10:16:00.000+08:00

Should've posted this on 2 Apr...

My colleagues from the Public Libraries were at the Suntec Convention Centre early this month, for two outreach events that happened in the same week. I went down on Sat, 2 Apr, to say Hi to my colleagues.

MOE ExCEL Fest 2011 (1-2 Apr)
The MOE ExCEL Fest is organised yearly by the Ministry of Education (MOE). It's a showcase of innovative practices in schools. The event aims to let parents and the general public learn more about the latest developments in schools.

I saw Primary and Secondary schools, as well as Junior Colleges and Polytechnics at the event. Didn't hang around long enough to properly check out the booths. But I saw reading programmes, lesson plans, student projects etc.

The ExCEL Fest's first day was for teachers and MOE staff only. The second day, Saturday, was open to the public.

The library booth was there for both days.

My colleague, Robin, observed that more teachers and parents were asking more indepth questions about the library digital resources (databases and eBooks). A year ago, they probably asked general questions (e.g. "How do I access?"). Now, the questions were more specific (e.g. "Why aren't certain titles available?") that suggested they had actively used the resources and had specific suggestions/ feedback.

Two of my colleagues spoke, at different presentations, on the second day. Unfortunately their event were just over when I arrived. I was delighted to see one of the event ("Raise-A-Reader") fully subscribed.

Active Ageing Carnival (1-3 Apr)
This annual event was organised by the Council for Third Age.

The event blurb says:

The Active Ageing Carnival 2011 will help seniors discover their inner Fun-atic! This annual event is back this April with three full days of fun and exciting programmes. There is clay craft, glass art, Kangoo Jumps—the world’s lowest impact exercise shoes— and an obstacle course designed to build confidence. There is always something for every active ager at the Carnival.

From what I saw, I thought they certainly achieved the "discover the inner fun" part.

The place was packed.

The library booth was particularly so, which was an excellent sign. Books were being issued at such a brisk pace that I could only barely manage to exchange a few words with my colleagues on duty.

Senior citizens visiting the carnival were issued a little book. If they collected the required stamps (by visiting and "playing" at the various booths), they stood to win prizes. Or, I think they were instantly given some gifts.

I think this was the first time there were two major outreach events happening at the same venue.

From the public library's perspective, they were just two of the hundreds (in total) of outreach events conducted each year. Part of the job of public library staff and librarians.

Think aloud: Japan quake, tusnami & nuclear reactor crisis (Part 2 - Friends and personal perspectives)

2011-04-03T21:46:00.002+08:00

[From Part 1]

SOCIAL CRISIS PLATFORMS
Whoever thought this up deserves a prize or something: Google Person Finder. This one is specific to the 2011 Japan Quake.

There's now sites like Missing.net, a" global missing persons search engine".

More about Social Crisis Platforms at the readwriteweb.com.

[ASIDE: I wonder if some people will make use of those sites to deliberately make themselves "disappear"...]

LIBRARY CRISIS PLATFORMS?
Over at the IFLA mailing list, I learned of this page for "Libraries and Librarians", and reports on "damaged libraries information, photos, and librarianship in Japan".

Perhaps more typical was the dissemination of information via mailing lists. Like the previous Egypt and NZ crisis, library-specific was also being discussed at IFLA-L.

On 13 March, two days after the quake struck, Ryuichiro Takahash, Chief of Library-user Support Section, Tokyo Gakugei University Library, shared insights on the situation faced by Japanese libraries affected by the quake (edited for brevity):

Fallen and scattering of library material
Damage to library facilities (windows, walls...)
Lack of response of Internet servers; unable to access the World Wide Web and e-mail
Staff members could not return home because of traffic stoppages
Libraries forced to close, or cut-back of servics
Power outages (unforseen and scheduled ones as well, to conserve power)
Good news--no injured persons.

The effort of researching about present damaging situation and recovery operation will continue from this time.

The Japanese Library Association, individual library institutions and many voluntary library-related persons will have this role.
For example, Mr. Makoto Okamoto open following website, for researching and collecting present information about damage... "savelibrary @ wiki",
http://www45.atwiki.jp/savelibrary/ (written in Japanese)

[5 April, update: Ryuichiro shares with the IFLA-L list that members of the Japanese library community are still unable to communicate with many libraries in the Tohoku area, which was seriously damaged by earthquakes and tsunamis.]

REDUCING ANXIETIES
It's a very human need to want to know if our friends and family are OK. Some news is better than no news.

When disaster strikes, I think the very first thought for most people would be, "Are my friends and family safe?" Or if they were the ones involved in the crisis, they would want to let their family know they are alright.

I found myself searching my Japanese friends' Facebook pages. And was relieved when they posted that they were safe.

My Japanese friend's Facebook updates has provided some very interesting insights for me. Hours after the quake, one of my Japanese friend posted that she was safe but was initially stuck in her office and couldn't get home.

She even thought she was going to die when the quake struck while she was on the 11th office floor. I could only imagine the terror.

A week later, one of her subsequent updates said she finally had hot water (she lives in Tokyo).

CONVERSATIONS
On 22 Mar (about two weeks back), I chatted online with another Japanese friend, Kanako. She was in Singapore when the quake struck. I was interested in her viewpoint. She gave me permission to share the following:

Kanako: Now, the biggest problem in Tokyo is lack of electricity rather than aftershocks. Some of my friends are a kind of aftershocks-phobia though. Imagine your ground shakes once a day... But they are not so terrible, my fine friends and news says

Kanako: ... we can't get any energy from the nuclear plants, electricity lacking is happening in Tokyo area... some thermal power station are also broken, so blackouts are unavoidable.

Me: How do you feel when people are praising Japanese society's civility in handling the crisis, e.g. no riots or looting.

Kanako: I agree with some parts of praising, but not all... ... I saw some bad fake info online. like attempt to trick people who wish to donate money

Me: but it's also true that vast majority of japanese people are not looting and damaging property.

Kanako: One thing I'm sure is Japanese are trained for earthquake better than other nation citizens. Turn off fire, Keep the exit open, Hide under the desk, Don't push people around you, don't run, and don't chat when you evacuate. We do many earthquake drills when we are in elementary school. And we know there is no 'safe place' when it's happened.

Kanako: We need to cooperate with others.

Good advice.

And I couldn't help but ask whether Singaporeans would display the sort of discipline and tenacity, if disaster does strike here.

EMPATHY & REMEMBERANCE
My friend Kanako has also published this translation of someone else's blog post, originally written in Japanese. The author experienced the 1995 major quake that struck Kobe and the tedious road to rebuilding.

The author makes an interesting point of "sustaining our emotions". Which I understand to mean "sustained empathy".

Lest we forget.

The pertinent point was that it takes only an instance for a disaster to strike, but a much longer time for the recovery process. And that the aftermath of the disaster doesn't end just because the mainstream media has stopped reporting it.

As of this post, the world's media has largely shifted its attention elsewhere. My impression is that most reports are of the ongoing nuclear reactor crisis. And mostly articulated as statistics and monetary terms.

Still, there are individuals -- regardless of nationalities -- who are helping with fundraisers. My Singaporean friend, O., emailed:

As you know there was an earthquake on 11 March that led to tsunami and a nuclear plant leakage in Japan. Life has been very unsettling and tough for many Japanese, especially those in the affected areas in this cold season. There is a shortage of basic essentials such as drinkable water, blankets, gasoline and medication.

I hope you'll consider donating to the Japan Disaster 2011 efforts.

You may refer to the Embassy of Japan's website for ways of donating:
http://www.sg.emb-japan.go.jp/ryoji_THEQ_redcross.htm

... Every bit counts.

Thank you.

Facts and statistics are just information. It's the personal appeals and insights that will bring the world closer.

Augmented Reality App for Shelf Reading

2011-03-30T22:00:00.000+08:00

Learned about something called the "Augmented Reality App for Shelf Reading" (hat-tip to Artem Russakovskii of AndroidPolice.com).

Watch this video:

It's a prototype app developed by the Miami University Augmented Reality Research Group, or MU ARRG for short.

From the video, you can see that the app is used this way:

The shelf-reader holds up the mobile device (a Samsung Galaxy Tab was used in the prototype)
The device's built-in camera reads and detects the item spine labels.
Items that are not in sequence are identified on screen.
By zooming in the camera to the "misplaced" item, the app displays the direction to shelve the item (left or right arrows) and is also able to identify the specific right spot.
In addition, the system is able to generate a list of books that have been "scanned".

Nice!

It's only a prototype and not a finished product, but it's easy to see how the system can be refined into a more robust system. For instance, making it hands-free (maybe a flip-cam worn as part of a headgear, or shoulder-mounted, or mounted on a trolley and raised to eye level).

What's impressive is that the app runs on a mobile device rather than a laptop. Which means it's space-saving. Probably more energy-efficient as well, being able to run for longer time on a single charge.

It's also possible that the app could be programmed to detect specific titles on shelf (as suggested by Nick Pan)

I'm also reminded of this post that I wrote back in Jul 2006, where I mentioned about "wearable devices" and visual identification of library items.

More about the work of MU ARRG at their website http://muarrg.com/

p.s. I can imagine a skeptic asking "What if printed books no longer exist?" -- well, that's besides the point and I believe books will still be around for at least another decade. Unless mobile devices become cheaper than a book.

Think aloud: Japan quake, tusnami & nuclear reactor crisis (Part 1)

2011-03-27T17:40:00.003+08:00

The availability of high-bandwidth information over the Internet (i.e. audio and video) has surely increased people's understanding and empathy. Especially for those not directed affected by the crisis.

On March 11 at 2:46pm JST a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake occurred near the northeastern coast of Japan, creating extremely destructive tsunami waves which hit Japan just minutes after the earthquake, and triggering evacuations and warnings across the Pacific Ocean. The earthquake and tsunami have caused extensive and severe damage in Northeastern Japan, leaving thousands of people confirmed dead, injured or missing, and millions more affected by lack of electricity, water and transportation.

Source: google crisis response page (last accessed 22 Mar 2011)

LISTEN
Not only do we read or watch about a natural disaster unfolding, we get to hear as well. I learned about these sound recordings of the quake and aftershock (speeded up to be audible to human hearing) at Yahoo! News, 18 Mar 2011:

Ever wonder what the fourth-largest recorded earthquake since 1900 sounds like? The Laboratory of Applied Bioacoustics (LAB) has posted the eerie sound online. The Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), a network of underground observatories more than a thousand meters below sea level, made the chilling recording as the quake struck.

SEE
This website, Japan Quake Map, is brilliant. It's developed by Paul Nicholls, who developed the Christchurch Quake Map. The map shows a time-lapse visualisation of the Sendai earthquake and its aftershocks. It plots earthquake data from the U.S. Geological Survey using the Google Maps API. The size of the circle reflects the magnitude and the colour shows the "focal depth".

It's About Page explains that the site was built "primarily to help those outside the affected area understand what the people of Japan are experiencing."

PIECE TOGETHER
Following a few major news and related-agency websites, I found their reports up to date but they lacked the comprehensiveness I was looking for. Like, what were the place names, where and when did the quake first happened.

One report might talk about the power and food shortages in Tokyo. Another would cover the nuclear reactor crisis. A separate one would talk about the tsunami aftermath.

I think the terms "earthquake", "tsunami" and "nuclear reactors" became closely associated with "Japan". But I suspect not many people could link those separate events with the place names (it would be interesting to find out).

The Fukushima prefecture probably became a familiar sounding name to most people, because of the ongoing updates and reports of the reactor crisis. My guess is that not many people would know Sendai was the place most affected by the tsunami (they might know about the tusnami). Tokyo was mentioned in the subsequent days, though I'm not sure if people realised it suffered aftershocks and disrupted food supplies rather than the immediate threat of (the potential) nuclear fallout.

Information was scattered in that sense, with individual authoritative sites focusing on specific information.

Like the Japan Meteorology Agency quake information page, with a map can be expanded to show the epicentre and the seismic intensity in surrounding areas. But you wouldn't get a chronological sequence of events.

I think they updated the page over several days, if I wasn't mistaken. There's a list of place names down the page (didn't recall seeing that when I first visited the site).

The Google Crisis Response page was a convenient directory, though it wasn't quite the place to find all the information I was interested at that point.

The BBC News site is still one of my favourite news agency. Though in this case, it didn't quite provide what I had in mind. For instance, there are video footage linked to the place names. But clicking on the video for "Sendai", the caption only says "Sendai was hard hit. Aerial footage shows an industrial complex on fire, submerged houses and stranded ships". Nothing about the tusnami and flooding.

I wanted to find an English language page that summed up the chain of events, and the places affected. Eventually, I looked at the Wikipedia entry.

It was by far the most comprehensive in terms of the information I'm looking for. I even showed it to my Japanese friend, who currently resides in Singapore. Even she was impressed with the coverage, at a relatively short time.

BTW, my advise is still to make some attempt to verify information (or as my MSc professor would say, "Triangulation"). For me, by mentally referring to information from BBC and other news sources, I could use the Wikipedia information with greater confidence.

Next: Part 2 - "Friends and personal perspectives"

"Can't find the game? Want to try the book?"

2011-03-11T23:45:00.000+08:00

Was helping out at today's official opening of Serangoon Public Library.

A young boy approached me. He must have been about 12.

"Are you here to help people look for things?" he asked in a meek way.

"Yes, I am".

He was interested in an item from the Visual Discovery kiosk. Said he tried to look for it on the shelf but it wasn't available.

[He's not in the picture; just showing you how the Kiosk works]

We checked the kiosk display again.

"Halo Encyclopedia".

Seemed like a rather heavy-going book for a 12 year-old.

He pointed to the word "Game" in the display. Which made me ask him if he was interested in the book or the computer game.

"I want to play the game."

"Oh, this title is a book. Not the actual computer game".

Apparently, he was looking at the Subject field which contained the word "Game".

"Why not try reading the book?" OK, that wasn't so subtle. But I had to try.

He gave a sheepish smile. The way kids do when they mean "I'd rather not" but don't want to say anything for fear of offending an adult.

I smiled back.

A few minutes later, he came looking for me.

"Where can I find Greg Bear?"

I brought him over to the Fiction section. Greg Bear was definitely not a Children's author. This kid's reading upwards (not my place to doubt him either). "Halo" must be one heck of a game for him (Thank You, Bungie).

"What's the title?" I asked.

"Halo Cryptum". He had to spell out "Cryptum", as he couldn't quite pronounce it.

Unfortunately for him, the title wasn't on shelf.

"Did the OPAC say the item was available or out on loan?"

He started looking doubtful. We scooted to the nearest OPAC. A man was using it, so we waiting in line. The boy appeared eager for the man to finish this search, for he stepped up pretty close to the guy. But he was discreet enough to stand just a little behind.

Our turn came.

He typed in "Halo". We went through a few minutes of clicking on titles and checking the availability. I showed him how to limit the search to only SRPL.

We clicked through a few titles. Some that he picked out weren't novelisations. I explained that to him.

It seemed like we were performing a cat-and-mouse game, hunting down available titles. There was a queue behind us. I asked they boy if he wanted us to email him a list.

"I don't have email at home".

My colleague, Jan, happened to walk past. She took stock of the situation and immediately offered to help print out a list. Asked him if he could wait for 5 to 10 minutes while she went to the office to get it done (this wasn't something we readily offered on the spot, as SRPL wasn't a regional library with an advisory counter).

The boy went off.

Meantime, I thought I'd try looking around for Halo novels. Something about the kid made me want to ensure he didn't go back empty handed.

By chance, I noticed "Halo: The Cole Protocol" sitting on a display panel.

I picked that up. Found the boy sitting on a floor reading. I triumphantly presented the book to him.

"How about this?"

"I already have this," and he showed me.

Nice! But I thought I'd try one more time. I'm sure there were some other titles he wasn't aware of. I don't know what you can call it. Perhaps it was from a selfish professional reason. Professional pride?

All the OPAC stations were occupied. I wasn't sure how long the boy would be staying in the library. Gotta rely on memory.

Some time back, I read a Halo-related anthology out of curiosity. Couldn't remember the title*, vaguely remembered the author's surname started with the letters "Ny". [*Now that I've access to my RoughNotes blog, this was the book.]

Walked over to the Fiction shelf. Looked under "N" and then "Ny". It was "Eric Nylund". Two of his stories were in plain sight: "The Fall of Reach" and "Ghosts of Onyx".

I brought both titles to the boy.

The delight in his "Thank You" was simply priceless.

Pictures and first-hand perspective: Official opening of Serangoon Public Library

2011-03-11T22:03:00.004+08:00

Like many of my Public Libraries colleagues, I was helping out at today's official opening of Serangoon Public Library (SRPL).

ASIDE: In case you're not aware, SRPL has a Facebook page.

Seeing the library fill up, with customers of all ages, gladly reminded me of the voracious reading appetite of some Singaporeans and members. You'll see that in a few pictures.

8.30am
The library was quietly ready for business. Staff were on hand to receive invited guests.

Vendor staff getting the current day's newspapers ready:

Shots of the Children's Section:

A close-up of the board at the Children's Section: the library's attempt to inculcate a healthy dose of curiosity and encourage them to actively seeking knowledge:

Very nice range of graphic novel titles. I was really tempted to borrow some for myself. But nah, we'd like to let the public have a go at them first.

"Learn as you Play" - Here's the "Gaming Area", which is one of the highlights of the new library:

"The first public library in Singapore to have a dedicated area for gaming, SRPL aims to promote learning and a reading culture by tapping on the educational effects of games. The games featured in this area will demonstrate significant educational content or learning value."

Source: NLB Press Release. See also Channelnewsasia.

The games that are currently featured include "The World Of Temasek", which is a pretty cool virtual 14th Century Singapore and role-playing game environment, developed by Magma Studios in partnership with National Heritage Board.

9.30am
The official ceremony kicked off:

11am
An orderly queue had already formed before the library opening time.

The library staff shouted out a countdown to the last seconds, before the doors opened to the general public for the very first time.

I'm sure many of these were neighbourhood residents, who have been eagerly waiting for a library near their homes. Library staff and volunteers were on hand to assist customers.

I met a few parents who were looking for YP books for their kids (told them SRPL intershelved their YP collections with Adult collections):

The Gaming Area was a hit with the kids, naturally.

This picture is easily my favorite: it says "family", "intergeneration", "the young learning with the old"... sweet!

"Visual Discovery Kiosk"
This is a new service being prototyped at SRPL, something called the "Visual Discovery Kiosk". A touch-screen digital book display, if you will.

The items displayed complements the Gaming Zone. The kiosk displays "games" related books -- includes Fiction, and Non-Fictional works like game play design and creation -- that belong to SRPL.

Clicking on the book cover image displays the synopsis and some item details (author, Call Number, Subject etc.)

"People, Places and Recollections"
This neat little touchscreen display features the winning entries of a “People, Places & Recollections” photo contest. The event was organised before the library's official opening, where the community was invited to share photographs on the Serangoon area.

It complements the static exhibit on interesting facts and heritage information about the neighbourhood (turn left immediately when you enter the library):

At least one happy customer
One middle-aged lady approached me and asked, "May I give you some feedback?"

"You certainly can!"

"I just love the library. It's the best use of the taxes I pay."

Next: "Can't find the game? Want to try the book?"

NLB media release: "Serangoon Public Library Offers New Experience for Gamers and Shoppers"

2011-03-11T20:29:00.004+08:00

Today's the official opening of Serangoon Public Library.

The library is at "Level 4R" (rooftop) of the NEX mall.

I'll put up pictures in the next post.

First, here's the the National Library Board press release:

Release Date : 11 Mar 2011

First public library in Singapore to focus on gaming as a learning pedagogy

Singapore, 11 March 2011 – Residents staying in the North East region of Singapore will now be able to enjoy convenient access to learning resources with the opening of the new Serangoon Public Library (SRPL) today. The first public library in Singapore to have a dedicated area for gaming, SRPL aims to promote learning and a reading culture by tapping on the educational effects of games. The games featured in this area will demonstrate significant educational content or learning value. Apart from housing interactive game stations, SRPL also offers an extensive collection of game-related titles to enhance the learning and discovery process for novice and seasoned gamers alike. SRPL has also partnered with gaming entities such as the Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association and DigiPen Institute of Technology, to organise programmes and workshops related to gaming.

Pick and Go
Located at retail mall nex and the heart of a major transportation node, the library offers a wide selection of quick and easy reads such as comics, graphic novels and magazines which will be prominently displayed to make it easy for users to pick up a book on the go.

Ms Yeoh Chee Yan, Chairman, National Library Board (NLB), and Second Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education said: “The Serangoon Public Library is the result of a close collaboration with the community. In planning this new library, we worked closely with users, residents and various community groups, seeking views and suggestions to create a social learning space that promotes learning and reading. NLB will continue to enhance our service offerings to remain relevant, accessible and convenient to our users.”

With a floor area of 1,635 square metres, SRPL has a startup collection of approximately 150,000 items, which include books, magazines and audio-visual materials in the four official languages. These include 70,000 volumes of fiction and non-fiction books for children and 80,000 volumes for adults and young people. The library will also carry over 400 local and international magazine titles and a selection of local newspapers in the four official languages.

Thematic Community Programmes
To celebrate the opening of SRPL, an exhibition titled “Serangoon: A place like no other” will be on display at the library. This exhibition showcases the heritage of the Serangoon area, as well as winning entries of the recently held “People, Places & Recollections” photo contest, where the community was invited to share photographs on the Serangoon area. SRPL has also partnered the National Heritage Board (NHB) to feature two exhibitions on “Food” and “Spice” targeted at children and young people, to create awareness and educate on the heritage of Singapore's street food and spice trade. Please refer to Annex 1 for more information on the exhibitions.

The library has also teamed up with community and grassroots organisations to organise thematic programmes that engage both the young and old through interactive learning. Library users can look forward to programmes on heritage and green living as well as perennial favourites such as storytelling sessions for children. Please refer to Annex 2 for the list of programmes. For more information on upcoming programmes at SRPL, the public may visit NLB's Go Library website at http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg/.

Annex 1

List of exhibitions at Serangoon Public Library

1. “Serangoon: A Place Like No Other” Exhibition

Where is Ang Sali and what does the term mean? Who is Singapore's “bee hoon king”? Once covered with fruit orchards, rubber plantations and villages, Serangoon today is perhaps most famed for its culinary finds. But good food is not the only thing that defines this place. Pockets of the past, diverse cultures and a strong kampung spirit - these are just some of what one may discover while strolling along Serangoon's streets. Ready to explore one of the most colourful areas in Singapore? Kickstart your journey at this exhibition tracing Serangoon's transformation over the last two centuries!

2. “Spice Frontier: Changing Boundaries, Evolving Uses” Exhibition

Even before the British established Singapore as a trading post in 1819, there were already a small number of gambier plantations on the island. Subsequently, spice cultivation expanded as the British actively encouraged the planting of nutmeg while the Chinese independently grew gambier and pepper. This exhibition documents the rise and fall of gambier and nutmeg cultivation in Singapore during the heady days of the spice trade, and the various uses of spices in our everyday life. Discover Singapore's “spicy” past in this exhibition which aims to provide a historical overview of spice cultivation in Singapore.

3. NHB Heritage Food Gallery

Singapore food originated from street food sold by hawkers who thronged the harbour front and building sites in the late 1800s. From neighbouring countries, dishes were adopted and adapted to suit the palates from different culture. This gallery showcases the various popular hawker food that is part of Singapore's food heritage.

Annex 2

List of programmes at Serangoon Public Library in March 2011

1. Digital Game Design Workshop by DigiPen
Sunday, 13 March, 1.00 - 3.30 pm

Find out what it takes to create a video game that may just give you a headstart in the video games industry. At this hands-on session conducted by trainers from DigiPen, the world's premier game development institute, you will learn more about the creative and engineering aspects of game design, plus a chance to create your own electronic games using DigiPen's ProjectFUN game development kit.

2. Cyberwellness Workshop by Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association
Sunday, 13 March, 4.00 – 6.00 pm

Learn how to protect yourself online from experts from the Singapore Cybersports and Online Gaming Association. Apart from finding out more about Internet and gaming addiction, netiquette, cyber bullying, intellectual property issues and achieving a balanced lifestyle, you will also get a chance to participate in a range of workshop activities.

3. Learning through Gameplay: Para Life Gaming Session
Wednesday, 16 March, 1.30 – 3.30 pm

Test your understanding of cell biology in Para Life, an exciting PC game that pits players against one another in challenging tasks.

4. Crazy and Fun in Wonderland by Ministry of Games
Thursday, 17 March, 2.00 - 2.30pm

Play games inspired by Alice's Wonderland! Everyone gets to wear a silly hat to this party! You'll roll over with laughter during games like the Tea Party Showdown, or become a funky March Hare Hopper and hop your way to great prizes! All play materials, including the hat, will be provided.

There's nothing but fun and excitement in wonderland! This programme is open to children aged 6–10.

Please register via our e-Kiosks available at all libraries, or at http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg.

5. Gaming @ Serangoon Public Library
Friday, 18 March, 2.00 – 4.00 pm

Never thought you could play games in the library? Now you can! Join us in our gaming session where you can have fun and sharpen your minds with selected video games on the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. Plus, you will also get a chance to learn more about Singapore and world history with our range of heritage and historical board games.

6. Memories of Upper Serangoon by Mr Bernard Chiang, Braddell Heights Citizens' Consultative Committee (CCC)

Saturday, 19 March, 5.00 – 6.00 pm

Talk a walk down memory lane as Mr Bernard Chiang, a long-time resident of Serangoon, Vice Chairman of the Braddell Heights Citizens' CCC and the Chairman of Braddell Heights Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle (IRCC), shares his memories of the Upper Serangoon area and how it has changed over the years. You will also get to see a number of photos of the area from his personal collection. This talk is jointly organised with Braddell Heights grassroots organisations.

Please register via our e-Kiosks available at all libraries, or at http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg (please click on “Heritage” and look for the programme title.

7. The Upper Serangoon Story by Serangoon Grassroots Organisation (GRO)
Sunday, 20 March, 11.00 am – 2.00 pm, Programme Zone, Serangoon Public Library

Jointly organised with Braddell Heights Inter-Racial and Religious Confidence Circle and grassroots organisations, this trail will bring you on a journey to the various places of worship around the Upper Serangoon area. Step back in time as you visit the sites of the former Lim Tua Tow Market, Upper Serangoon Community Club, Paya Lebar Police Station, Simon Road Market and much more.

Please wear comfortable attire and walking shoes for this trail. Do remember to bring your umbrella and some drinks. Feel free to bring your cameras and start clicking!

Please register via our e-Kiosks available at all libraries, or at http://golibrary.nlb.gov.sg (please click on “Heritage” and look for the programme title.

About the guide
Mr Charles Soh is a freelance guide registered with the Singapore Tourism Board.

8. Learning through Gameplay: Praxis Board Game Workshop by EduWealth
Sunday, 20 March, 2.00 - 4.00 pm

Plan your way to financial success by learning about the basics of financial management through the Praxis board game developed by Eduwealth. At this interactive board game session, you will learn the importance of financial planning, including insurance, savings and retirement plans - even at a young age. It's never too early to plan for retirement and consider the need for insurance protection. The game will also cover the importance of good credit management and prudence in inflationary times.

Next: Pictures and first-hand perspective.

iPhone app: 3 Degrees of Wikipedia (social game)

2011-03-06T20:51:00.000+08:00

[This was initially posted at an experimental group blog, "Gamers Blog", which we've decided to close.]

Found this post at CreativeApplications.Net. About an iPhone app that's essentially a "connect-the-dots" game out of Wikipedia entries.

Here's the social learning/ gaming element: You can play a 'game' created by others, and also create a game yourself. Players can then rate the game level of difficulty/ usefulness.

Watch this self-explanatory video:

3 Degrees of Wikipedia Demo from 3 Wiki on Vimeo.

Basically as a player, you try to make the connection between three Wikipedia articles. E.g. "What's the connection between "iPhone" and "China"?" The answer, as shown in the video, is a Wikipedia entry on "Compass".

I thought the app was quite cool.

And I instantly thought about it as a library application (OK, librarians have to get rid of their hang-ups about Wikipedia though! LOL)

If framed properly in the context of library gaming, the app could be about information literacy, information-seeking (to some extent), information and knowledge discovery, and social learning.

But what might be more challenging is for the hyperlinks links to be stripped out from the Wikipedia. 'Cos after a while, the player may end up just looking for hyperlinks in the text, rather than think about the question/ contextual connection.

Past weeks in libraryland: Egypt and New Zealand

2011-02-26T18:58:00.001+08:00

The citizen uprising in Egypt, which would have some significance to librarians because that's where the Bibliotheca Alexandrina is located (non-librarians might be more familiar with the ancient Library of Alexandria).

What's hearterning was that citizens stepped up to defend the library against vandals and looters.

EGYPT
News of the protests in Egypt started unfolding in late Jan.

On 3 Feb, a message was posted to the IFLA-L list, where it carried a message by Dr. Serageldin (Director, Bibliotheca Alexandrina) to let librarians know the Library of Alexandria was safe:

To our friends around the world: The Events in Egypt

The world has witnessed an unprecedented popular action in the streets of Egypt. Led by Egypt’s youth, with their justified demands for more freedom, more democracy, lower prices for necessities and more employment opportunities. These youths demanded immediate and far-reaching changes. This was met by violent conflicts with the police, who were routed. The army was called in and was welcomed by the demonstrators, but initially their presence was more symbolic than active.

Events deteriorated as lawless bands of thugs, and maybe agents provocateurs, appeared and looting began. The young people organized themselves into groups that directed traffic, protected neighborhoods and guarded public buildings of value such as the Egyptian Museum and the Library of Alexandria. They are collaborating with the army. This makeshift arrangement is in place until full public order returns.

The library is safe thanks to Egypt’s youth, whether they be the staff of the Library or the representatives of the demonstrators, who are joining us in guarding the building from potential vandals and looters. I am there daily within the bounds of the curfew hours. However, the Library will be closed to the public for the next few days until the curfew is lifted and events unfold towards an end to the lawlessness and a move towards the resolution of the political issues that triggered the demonstrations.

More coverage from the Guardian.co.uk, "Alexandria youth 'protecting library from looters'" (1 Feb 2011):

The director of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina has announced that his building, built in commemoration of the famous ancient library destroyed in antiquity, is being kept safe by Egypt's young people during the current unrest sweeping the country.

... "The young people organised themselves into groups that directed traffic, protected neighborhoods and guarded public buildings of value such as the Egyptian Museum and the Library of Alexandria," he states. "They are collaborating with the army. This makeshift arrangement is in place until full public order returns."

(also see this chronological report from Guardian.co.uk)

NEW ZEALAND
This week on 22 Feb, over in New Zealand, news of the Christchurch Earthquake caught the world's attention.

I first learned about it from a Facebook friend's status update, where he posted a link to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation news page. I was quite stunned by the video footage.

The New Zealand Library Association's (LIANZA) blog posted updates of news about their library colleagues affected in the quake.

The update on 23 Feb, 12pm:

At this stage I think we need to accept that with limited phone and power facilities, those on the ground in Christchurch are focusing on their immediate needs and those of their family and neighbours. The practicality of this is that people will be conserving battery power on their phones and computer for emergency use and I don’t think we can expect to get any detailed reports for some time.

As of 24 Feb, the LIANZA blog post reports that "all library staff in the Christchurch area were safe, although many are contending with personal property damage. There is no information about many of the libraries which are still closed."

I'm not a religious person. But I'll say a prayer for librarians and people in Christchurch.

REMIX now ccFree - by Lawrence Lessig

2011-02-20T17:04:00.001+08:00

Old news: Discovered this in my blog draft (dated 5th Jan 2009!). Was alerted, by Kevin's tweet, to by Lawrence Lessig.

It's available at Archive.org(luckily!) under a CC-BY-NC-ND license.

Incidentally, the book used to be downloadable from Bloomsbury Academic page under a CC-BY-NC license but it's a broken link now. See why we need a library? :)

I didn't have time to read the book then, and there's a few other books on my read list right now. Meantime, I gathered this much from the following blogs/ online posts (there are mixed reactions, basically):

From Mr Tunes (Dec 2008):

In my opinion, if Lessig cut a bit of repetitive text about the Open Source software industry out of the book, and maybe shaved off about fifty to one hundred pages or so of other fluff content, I think he has a real winner on his hands.

I would recommend this book to any musician, filmmaker, or other artists, as well as to anyone who is interested in copyright law. But for the average person this book might be a little much. 7/10

From The Independent (Nov 2008):

Thankfully (and I'm writing as a rights-holding musician here), Lessig isn't anti-copyright. He only wants it to apply sensibly – particularly in this dynamic new environment, where the circulation of culture is operating at light-speed. Some of his broad solutions are pretty familiar to artists. He wants to take the principle of the "performers royalty" for radio – invisible to the audience who listens for free, but which all stations pay – and extend it to internet service providers as a whole.

Remix brilliantly puts a name to those businesses trying to bridge the gap between the commercial (Amazon) and sharing (Wikipedia) aspects of the web: the "hybrid" enterprise. Their looser, less paranoid approach to copyright allows fans to explore their enthusiasms. Lessig cites many studies – Warner's U-turn around fan usage of Harry Potter is a prime example – to show the commercial benefits this brings.

I don't quite go along with his general enthusiasm for "remixing" as an art form. Musicians who explore harmony, melody and rhythm might ask: is it more important to play and compose a new soul riff, for new times, than just rest on the auratic power of a James Brown sample? But Lessig is surely right that digital culture requires governance that is more subtle and ecological, judging a balance of forces between commerce and community, than precise and draconian. The Democrats could do a lot worse than give the formidable Lessig some work in this area.

From Businessweek (Oct 2008):

It's nice to see Lessig trying to move beyond the mere critique of the system that he offered in previous works. He first stepped down this path a few years ago by helping to found the Creative Commons, a copyright-licensing system that has since become a powerful alternative to America's traditional copyright regime. And for those who have never read Lessig, the new book is a good primer on the shifting debates over copyright in the Digital Age. But Remix is Lessig's weakest effort to date, a derivative essay that rehashes a lot of his older work. Like Martin Scorsese doing another mobster flick, Lessig seems uninspired, groping for a fresh take on familiar themes. Most annoying, he devotes only the last 35 pages of the book to his reform plan, and some of those ideas are not even that new.

From The Complete Review:

Remix is a very approachable read, Lessing laying out the legal and economic issues in most basic style, heavy on the real-life examples. The simplification can get a bit annoying -- though it's good enough as a starting point for discussion -- and the anecdotes tiresome, and Lessig's parenthetical asides, while amusing, make it all seem a bit glib, but the basic point is an important one, and if this makes the books more accessible to a greater number of readers and gets them to think about (or pressure their government representatives !) to reform copyright it's worth it.

Have you read the book yourself?

Singapore International Foundation (SIF) Mobile Library Project in Hanoi, Vietnam

2011-02-13T15:36:00.000+08:00

Was alerted to this Singapore International Foundation project, over at the Librarians-In-Singapore list.

The SIF is seeking between 3 to 5 volunteers, at least 18 years-old, for a mobile library project in Hanoi, Vietnam. The six-day project will be from 23 to 28 March 2011.

The mobile library project is in partnership with the Hanoi Public Library. Volunteers will perform storytelling, teach basic computer skills and organise educational activities for children aged between six to 15 years old.

All volunteers are required to pay their way -- about S$1,500 per volunteer, inclusive of airfare, accommodation, travel insurance and local transport. But excludes meals.

From the SIF website (last accessed 13 Feb 2011):

Location: Hanoi, Vietnam
Type of SIV: Direct Service Project
Project partner: Hanoi Public Library
Duration: Six days
Assignment period: 23-28 March 2011

Description of Assignment
The Singapore International Foundation (SIF) will launch its first mobile library project in Hanoi in partnership with Hanoi Public Library.

This mobile library will be equipped with books, computers with access to broadband Internet and multimedia facilities such as educational videos, which will be operated by the Hanoi Public Library.

The library will visit different villages in Hanoi province on a rotational basis.

Apart from providing free usage of library resources, Internet and multimedia facilities, library staff and volunteers will conduct activities such as book readings, storytelling sessions and will provide coaching on the use of Internet and multimedia information tools.

The selected villages were chosen based on the number of households that earn less than S$42 per month and do not have access to Internet, multimedia and library facilities. Working in partnership with local village cultural centres, the mobile library will help local communities develop educational activities and promote a culture of reading and self?learning via the Internet and multimedia facilities. In every village, the library will be parked in the compound of the village cultural centre.

Requirements
We are looking for a group 3?5 volunteers to attend the official launch of the mobile library and volunteer at the project in Hanoi. Over six days, volunteers will perform storytelling, teach basic computer skills and organise educational activities for children aged between six to 15 years old.

All volunteers are required to finance their own volunteer trips. The estimated cost for a five-day trip is approximately S$1,500 per volunteer. This includes airfare, accommodation, travel insurance and local transport, and excludes meals.

The volunteers must be:
* At least 18 years old and above
* Medically fit for overseas travel involving manual work
* Adaptable and willing to serve in a challenging physical environment
* Able to manage socio-cultural diversity
* Open to sharing and learning
* A team player with good interpersonal skills

Support provided
The SIF will:
* be the liaison between the overseas community and the volunteers
* guide the volunteer team leader in coordinating with volunteers to meet all administrative and logistic needs
* conduct a pre-departure briefing to ensure a safe and enriching volunteering experience
* assign an SIF staff on the actual volunteer trip

LINK

BTW, here's a news release of a 2009 related library project, in partnership with the SIF, the Public Libraries Singapore, and SIA Cargo.

Read in Jan 2011

2011-01-31T19:26:00.000+08:00

Start of 2011 and I read:

Mostly graphic novels for this month. Borrowed a few of Tagore's works, after hearing Adrian talk about him.
If you like Bill Willingham's Fables series, you might like Mike Carey & Peter Gross's "Inside Man".
Another graphic novel that's worth reading is "Lost Squad" by Chris Kirby. If you like WWII-Zombie-Indian Jones type of setting.
The "Story structure architect: A writer’s guide to building dramatic situations & compelling characters" by Victoria Lynn Schmidt is a great reference guide, if you're thinking of writing a novel or short story. Or if you're a film student.
And if you like modern contemporary poetry, check out "Between Water & Song". A poetic title, don't you think?

Rambling with Silver: 30 Jan/ 29 Jan 2011

2011-01-30T14:27:00.008+08:00

[Explanation: An archive for my own personal reference and reflection, of memorable bits from my Skype conversation with David Silver, Associate Professor of Media Studies at the University of San Francisco. Feel free to join the conversation.]

Previous ramble - 30 Sept/ 1 Oct 2010

David's Dream Exhibit:

In the library; Circle/ panels; 360-degree view
Displaying foods by seasons; "Fill in the exhibit as we go along the seasons"; Showcase seasonal recipes; Feature cookbooks, poetry books (winter, spring etc.)
"get viewers mindful of seasons"
What about Singapore, which has no seasons? David suggests holiday food traditions, which tends to be seasonal (true!)
Information could be based both librarians and patrons own research
"nowadays we don't care about the seasons: chickens are available year-round in the grocery stores"
"imagine a huge world map; figure out where our food come from".
Perhaps extend the idea to a cross-country chat (among teens?)

Future of libraries

"Libraries are beholden to books", and notion of literacy is significantly "print-based literacy"
David observes that (in the US) librarians used to complain that users come in to use computers only and leave without borrowing. Now some librarians are glad libraries have computers, so that people are visiting libraries.
We talked about fearing the Internet in the 90s, and whether there are similarities with the fears of digitisation and rise of eBooks today.
David suggests a possible research area about "librarians' fears from 1994 - 2010"; suggests this could go back to the '80s with the onset of computer databases.
Possible source of research: editorials of library journals of last 15 years; library magazines; forecast articles; "fears"; initial reactions to microfiche
Suggested reading: Joseph Corn's "Imagining Tomorrow"; popular stories/ narratives on what the future is going to look like.

The September Project (TSP)

Problems of being bogged down with immediate needs of posting updates (not hard to do in itself but the volume overwhelms)
Suggestion that TSP could develop the following framework:

David & Sarah (funding, figurehead roles, interview students)
Gleeson Library (learning & training partner)
Student Volunteers (content work)

Value to the library - a way to position the library as a focal point; to engage students in a global volunteer activity
Value to students - learn a skill (blogging, google maps), apply the learning, learn about libraries both nationally and globally; count as academic work
Once this "operational" foundation is established, then there's more time to work on innovative aspects to TSP

BTW, check out Librarians and Social Change, a research project by Teresa Garcia, with a case study on TSP.

Engagement: More than just Feedback (Part 1)

2011-01-23T18:09:00.000+08:00

This FastCoDesign.com article led me to explore the Give A Minute website:

Give a Minute is a new kind of public dialogue. It only takes a minute to think about improving your city, but your ideas can make a world of difference. "Give a Minute" is an opportunity for you to think out loud; address old problems with fresh thinking; and to enter into dialogue with change-making community leaders. Soon, you’ll also be able to link up with others who have similar ideas and work on making your city an even better place.

Very cool site, in terms of design and presentation. The submissions appear as Post-It notes. To view them, you use the Zoom-in feature (at the top left of the website). The individual notes can be shared via Facebook.

I didn't try to submit a suggestion, so I'm not sure if there's any filtering or authentication (by IP address) on what appears on the page.

Like any feedback site, the suggestions are of varying "quality". What is "quality" is subjective but you can tell that some are better conceived than others. And some posts are self-promotional than genuine submission of ideas:

BUT IS IT REALLY CROWDSOURCING?
For all its coolness, the Give A Minute site functions more like a feedback portal rather than a real crowdsourcing site as suggested by the Co.Design article headline. Though in fairness, the Give A Minute site itself didn't suggest that it was crowdsourcing in any way.

I understand Crowdsourcing to be more than just "ideas from the crowd". There has to be some activity or actions from participants too. Merely soliciting ideas and views doesn't seem like crowdsourcing to me.

SINGAPORE'S CONTEXT
The Singapore government's equivalent of Give A Minute would be the REACH portal, and probably the eCitizen portal (i.e. the Feedback page, where submitters don't have to worry about which government agency to direct their views).

As both a library employee (we receive loads of suggestions) and also a private citizen who has submitted feedback to private companies and government-related organisations, I think ideas are cheap.

The devil is in the implementation.

I'm not demeaning the ideas from customers (or myself). It's good when the citizenry/ public is increasingly forthcoming with views and suggestions, for the opposite would be apathy.

Social media is increasingly the tool of choice for engaging the citizenry. But it's become so easy to give ideas and suggestions that the concept of engagement has to be more than that.

The article made me wonder how government agencies could adopt crowdsourcing as a means of engagement. Or more important, what would make it work?

I'll have to think about it.

Meantime, if you happen to stumble onto this post, feel free to leave your comments.

[Next: Part 2]

Writing as an individual, rather than "For the Institution"

2011-01-19T13:32:00.003+08:00

It's the ~~reminder~~ remainder of my lunch time as I write this. Taking a break before the workshop resumes.

I'm conducting a "Writing for Social Media"* workshop today. Have been conducting this for maybe three years or so. About eight runs so far.

The course covers aspects of writing for the Internet and social media -- blogs, a little bit of Facebook/ Twitter, an overview of planning vodcasts and podcasts. There's some technical information and techniques (e.g. what does it mean to "write concisely", "in a personal tone", "passive Vs active voice", differences in writing instructional posts Vs feature articles).

Participants go through writing activities, group discussions and class critiques (I always warn them to leave their egos at the door -- but it's not as ~~hard~~ horrible as it sounds).

I also try to get the class to discuss and think about what it means to be "social", as opposed to only "writing".

The hardest bit, from my perspective as a trainer, is in explaining what it means to "write from the heart". Or rather, convince the participants why it's important to do do.

In explaining about "writing from the heart", I still quote Shel's book: write with "Passion" and "Authority".

Participants also shared that it's about giving readers a glimpse into our personal viewpoints or work. E.g. how did we plan for this programme? What did participants tell us?

And about our feelings, e.g. what's my personal thoughts after facilitating a book discussion session? What new insights did I learn?

Technical skills are easier to master. But the ability to evoke emotions from the reader -- that's an art in itself.

Also, what one reader feels is emotive writing may come across as bland to another.

And I think in a work setting, few jobs require the employee to write with emotions. Couple that with the culture of librarianship being more of "behind the scenes" rather than being "front and centre", it's harder to get a library institution to share it's institutional knowledge, through its people-assets.

* The workshop details are not posted at the NLB Academy site, but you can email them to enquire.

Read in 2010

2011-01-13T23:56:00.000+08:00

If you're interested in what I read in 2010, here's the link.

Total of 93 items listed there. About 42 items (or 45%) were graphic novels. Which meant 51 items were books.

About 4 books a month. Almost all were items borrowed from the public libraries.

Was a bit surprised at that, 'cos I expected to have read even less books in 2010. Apparently I reversed my own decline in reading books and graphic novels. I definitely blogged a lot less in 2010 compared to 2009 (and even less than 2008). It all has to do with how I used my discretionary time.

I was able to keep up my reading because I commute to work on the MRT. I tend to have a book on hand when I travel by train.

Don't have an iPad or Kindle, so it's still largely books for me. A related point was made here.

My choice of graphic novels arose from a need to just chill and read something less heavy-going.

My rate of reading/ borrowing was maintained because I visit a public library almost every day, as part of my work.

Yet another reminder that for libraries, whose main products offered as still in physical formats, if we're out of reach, then we'll soon be out of touch.

Singaporeans working adults are just so pressed for time today, and offered so many other reading alternatives. It's no surprise that they won't use public libraries if we don't offer them something that they can't obtain elsewhere (or would find it too expensive to do so, on a regular basis).

Read in Dec 2010

2010-12-31T21:50:00.002+08:00

The memorable ones in Dec:

Gilbert Adair's very clever and entertaining The act of Roger Murgatroyd: An entertainment
China Miéville weaves his magic with Looking for Jake: Stories
Alex Sheikman's futuristic steampunk-ish Robotika: For a few rubles more (graphic novel)
For GarageBand enthusiasts, Keith Gemmell's GarageBand tips and tricks is one of the better works on sound-engineering and mixing with GarageBand.

"Virtual Worlds for Kids" research

2010-12-23T01:26:00.000+08:00

Bernadette, aka hvxsilverstar, alerted the Librarians-In-Singapore list members to a special "Virtual Worlds for Kids" issue of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research on "Virtual Worlds for Kids".

The accompanying note from the Editor-In-Chief:

"... We hope this volume of scholarship will provide much needed insight into the ever increasing use of virtual worlds by kids (3-14 years old), which represents a significantly larger market share than virtual worlds use by adults."

Incidentally, the journal is licensed under a CC-BY-NC-ND license.

The issue's guest editors were Dr. Sun Sun Lim (National University of Singapore) and Dr. Lynn Schofield Clark (University of Denver).

THINK-ALOUD
I thought the journal articles was timely, in light of recent articles I read about kids and teens not taking to twitter and blogs. The peer-reviewed articles contains lots of thinking points in the context of libraries.

For instance, in Diana Burley's "Penguin Life: A Case Study of One Tween’s Experiences inside Club Penguin", this para on page 12 caught my eye:

"Penguin life has been interesting. It has presented a dynamic backdrop for the exploration of how personal, behavioral and environmental factors have influenced the development of my tween daughter’s social identity, and of how the platform of Club Penguin makes it easy to experiment with identification, and more challenging to read social cues that relate to those identifications."

And also, page 11:

"Racial identification similarly changes, so that young people are challenged to see that race may not be solely related to appearance but may also be related to one’s choices and particularly to the affiliations one chooses. In Club Penguin, race as manifested through the penguin body color is a seen as a legitimate reason for gathering and for exclusion."

Those might be reasons to be put into proposal papers, if any library were to put up funding papers for setting up VR environments for kids.

On the flip side though, I think the difficulty is in trying to prove those outcomes empirically, on a representative scale. Or in a way that convinces people that if the library were to set up a VR environment for kids, the kids participation will result in those intended outcomes -- and not merely an intellectual observation made in the research context.

I can imagine critics asking if kids really go into VR environments to learn about social identity. If they don't, then how would that sort of specific learning outcome be achieved, rather than through chance.

Also, a criticism may be that there are other "tried and tested" ways for inculcating the same values. E.g. face-to-face workshops.

Those were some "issues" that came to mind, i.e. I could hear the funding panel ask those tough questions.

Perhaps the response could be in research like "A Framework for Children’s Participatory Practices in Virtual Worlds" (Terhi Tuukkanen, Ahmer Iqbal, Marja Kankaanranta). From their abstract:

The aim of this paper is to establish a framework for participation in virtual worlds and to test the framework by looking at current participatory practices in virtual worlds. In this paper we present a framework for children’s participation in virtual worlds which is based on research review. Our framework sees children in virtual worlds as social actors, learners of civic participation and as citizens. Results of a survey conducted to find the participatory practices of children in virtual worlds are also presented. The results indicate that children are highly interested in socializing with friends and engaging in avatar related activities. It was also found that traditional forms of civic participation are not very common in virtual worlds. Thus, there is a need to promote traditional forms of civic participation and at the same time look at new opportunities presented by virtual worlds for civic participation.

I was intrigued and encouraged in the potential application of this framework (page 7 illustrates the four levels in the framework). But reading the conclusion, it's clear the outcomes are inconclusive. Like this para on P.21:

"... Instead, children seem to be more interested in expressing themselves in chatting and other social activities. On the other hand, it has to be remembered that there are always differences between children as well. There were children in our study who reported being interested in expressing opinions and taking part in voting and demonstrations often in virtual worlds. We also have to accept that all children are not interested in virtual worlds at the moment..."

And continues:

In this article, we have presented one way to look at children’s virtual participation and our study still continues. Based on this first phase of our study, we may argue that children are socially active in virtual worlds, which creates many opportunities to educate children about civic participation and to prepare them as citizens of real world by enhancing citizenship in virtual worlds. However, these opportunities can only be realized when the activities and features for civic participation and education are social in nature and have a fun element to it. Thus, there is a need to carry out further research in order to enhance civic education and participation in virtual worlds.

The search for empirical proof continues.

Until then, I'd imagine that few libraries would venture into VR environment initiatives for kids as yet. The costs seems to be high. Arguable, perhaps. But costs can be in terms of investment of time and resources.

Especially in an economic climate that seems unfavourable for experimentation, I suppose libraries will generally plod along when it comes to straying outside the "tried and tested".

The PDF issue can be downloaded via this direct link. The journal website is at jvwresearch.org.

Journal of Virtual Worlds Research
Volume 3, Number 2: Virtual Worlds for Kids

Virtual worlds as a site of convergence for children’s play
Sun Sun Lim, Lynn Schofield Clark

Beyond Being There: A Grounded Investigation of the Value of Virtual Worlds for Remote Family Interaction
Lizzy Bleumers, An Jacobs

Virtual Epidemics as Learning Laboratories in Virtual Worlds
Yasmin B. Kafai, Nina H. Fefferman

Who’s Watching Your Kids? Safety and Surveillance in Virtual Worlds for Children
Eric M. Meyers, Lisa P. Nathan, Kristene Unsworth

Making Sense of the Virtual World for Young Children: Estonian Pre-School Teachers’ Experiences and Perceptions
Andra Siibak, Kristi Vinter

A Framework for Children’s Participatory Practices in Virtual Worlds
Terhi Tuukkanen, Ahmer Iqbal, Marja Kankaanranta

Penguin Life: A Case Study of One Tween’s Experiences inside Club Penguin
Diana Burley

Virtual Junk Food Playgrounds in Europe: Advergames in the UK and Hungary
Arhlene A. Flowers, Katalin Lustyik, Emese Gulyás

Growing Up with Neopets: A Personal Case-Study
Stephanie Louise Lu

Principles and strategies for institutions adopting Creative Commons/ Open Access initiatives

2010-12-15T00:41:00.000+08:00

The Creative Commons Australia just published this document, "Opening Australia’s Archives: Open Access Principles for Australian Collecting Institutions" (version 1, Dec 2010), for Australian Collecting Institutions (e.g. galleries, libraries, archives and museums).

I felt the guidelines would be useful if your institution is exploring a Creative Commons (CC) or Open Access policy, and would like to know where/ how to start.

Or simply to go through all critical considerations, in order for the institution to make an informed decision whether to adopt a CC/ Open Access policy, or not.

The document also describes examples of institutions that have adopted CC/ Open Access (see the Case Studies section).

The 38-page* document is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Australia licence.

*It's 38 pages when I opened with Open Office, which seem to have different pagination.

From its Introduction:

The Opening Australia's Archives project aims to address this problem by working with Australia’s collecting institutions to increase the public’s ability to access and reuse our national collections. Run by the Innovation Law program of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Creative Industries and Innovation at Queensland University of Technology the project encourages the adoption of open access approaches through coordinated policy, implementation and advocacy initiatives across the collecting sector.

Opening Australia’s Archives: Open Access Principles for Australian Collecting Institutions were prepared in consultation with representatives of the Australian collecting sector commencing with a series of meetings held nationally during 2009. For more information on the meetings, principles and project see the Opening Australia's Archives website.

The document explicitly states that it is not meant to be prescriptive:

They are suggestions only, drawing on approaches already being used by collecting institutions in Australia and internationally, and may not be appropriate for all situations. (p10/ 11)

I found the document very readable.

Practical too.

The coverage seems comprehensive. Enough to anticipate pertinent operational issues in the institutional adoption of CC/ Open Access. That's what struck me, as I think back on how some of my colleagues and I attempted a similar assessment recently. This set of guidelines would have helped a lot (as for the said 'assessment' in question, it shall be revealed in due time).

For instance, the section on "Easy first steps" suggests:

"Start with low-risk steps, such as marking public domain material on your website as free for reuse"
"Identify materials that the institution owns the copyright of and release them under broad terms of use (such as a Creative Commons licence)"
"Identify materials within your collection that have a single, easily locatable copyright owner..."
"Incorporate an optional public access licence into your collection agreement"

The 'practical' part comes across like these two examples (from the "writing institutional policy" section):

Establish ‘notice and takedown’ procedures for dealing with requests to remove material from an institutional website. This should include clear guidelines on the circumstances in which it is appropriate for material to be removed (eg copyright infringement, cultural sensitivity etc) and the circumstances in which it is not.
... Having some material available for open access – even if it is not complete or of the highest quality – is better than none.

Other subsequent sections spell out principles for practical and operational matters. Like these section headers:

When developing terms of use for online material
When responding to permission inquiries (btw, it mentions about how to save administrative time for public enquiries on permissions for re-use(
When collecting material
When providing access to material
When dealing with orphaned works
When writing institutional policies
When considering business models (i.e. how to sustain the open access service)
For sector-wide collaboration

The document continues with case studies of "successful and best practice open access projects, or projects relevant to open access around Australia and internationally".

The cases include those from Australian local/ state and national institutions. International case studies include Flickr Commons, The Brooklyn Museum, Massachusetts Institute of Technology OpenCourseWare, Bundesarchiv (German Federal Digital Picture Archives), the Dutch Tropenmuseum, Project Guttenberg, The Smithsonian (also links to the Smithsonian Institution Web and New Media Strategy wiki.

It occurred to me that it's not just public or government institutions that might find this set of guidelines useful.

Maybe in the near future, we'll see a private/ commercial enterprise start a CC/ Open Access project, as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility.

Read in Nov 2010

2010-11-30T23:55:00.024+08:00

Several nice finds in Nov.

Harry Turtledove's WWII historical fiction piece, "Man with the Iron Heart".
Leslie Scott's "About Jenga" (bet you didn't know Jenga was a recent invention).
"My Jakarta", a collection of interviews of Indonesians from all walks of life. I found the accounts fascinating.
"Runaways" graphic novel series, by Brian K. Vaughan (writer). Turns an ordinary idea on its head.

Birthday celebration at Central Public Library, 12 Nov 2010

2010-11-13T21:34:00.004+08:00

No, it's not that the public libraries are starting to hold birthday parties for library-goers (although...)

I was at the Central Public Library yesterday, for a meeting. It so happened the CTPL library staff threw a birthday bash for the library. Library customers were included of course.

There was cake, which the library staff cut and served to customers. A bunch of kids, there for a Class Visit session, were unabashedly tucking into the cake (which made the library staff happy of course).

The adult customers were more shy. Our Senior Director & Chief Librarian (Public Libraries), pictured on the left, gamely approached them and personally served them cake.

For the rest of the day, there were tokens to be redeemed (for those who borrowed library items), games to be played, Polaroid pictures to be taken, Henna painting...

... there was also a Nat Geo exhibition (I saw people playing with remote control cars dressed up as animals, in a safari mockup).

Central Public library opened its doors five years ago, together with the opening of the National Library.

Here's to more good years :)

Active Ageing Celebrations 2010 with the Public Libraries

2010-11-09T21:42:00.001+08:00

You might have seen this if you were at Jurong Point shopping mall on 30 Oct (pictures courtesy of my colleagues who were manning the booths):

Books and DVDs, from the public libraries, for loan. On the bridge within the mall (suddenly I'm thinking "Three Billy Goats Gruff"...)

Plus, some hands-on arts and crafts activities for the kids.

The main feature was the on-site borrowing event. Other activities included storytelling times, a Manga/ Anime workshop (led by one of my librarian colleague), Henna Artwork. Plus tokens and stuff to be won or collected.

The outreach event at the mall was organised by the Public Library, in collaboration with the Council For Third Age's (3CA) Active Ageing Celebrations 2010.

My colleagues (from the Seniors Services) identified suitable sites for the outreach event, drafted and presented a funding proposal to Council for Third Age, negotiated with the mall management, wrote up the necessary purchase requests and quotes, worked with the vendors to get the printing, publicity, production, delivery... and so on. And of course they also manned the booths on that day, with support from other colleagues from the public library.

Several Friends of the Library responded to the call for volunteers, and they were invaluable in helping with the events that day.

If you missed the 30 Oct event, there's a second one on 13 Nov, at Century Square this time.

Read in October 2010

2010-11-04T19:48:00.000+08:00

Rats. Posted this late again.

Ah well.

"Two caravans" by Marina Lewycka was a nice find (romance, humour, insights to the life and plight of Eastern European transitory migrant workers).

Here's a graphic novel that proved why it's highly recommended -- "Persepolis: The story of a childhood" by Marjane Satrapi.

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Crystallization: An urban traffic mega-disaster

2010-11-01T22:41:00.001+08:00

Can you imagine a traffic jam so massive -- so utterly irreversible -- that an entire city has to be evacuated?

David Gerrold speculates just such a scenario in the city of Los Angeles in, "Report from the near future: Crystallization" (one of the many brilliant pieces in this anthology of Science Fiction and Fantasy stories):

Elemental: The Tsunami Relief anthology: stories of science fiction and fantasy/ Steven Saville & Alethea Kontis (editors)
ISBN: 0765315629
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The mega-disaster started off innocently enough.

A traffic accident had blocked the exits to the freeway. The situation worsened when the traffic control and alert network broke down, leaving people unaware of the mounting traffic problem. An already slow-moving stream of vehicles hardened into a solid pack.

Things became worse.

Drivers stayed in their vehicle in the sweltering heat, unwilling to abandon their vehicles. They turned up their airconditioning, with their stationary vehicles running. Some overheated vehicles burst into flames. An inferno resulted in one part of the jam. The aftermath was a massive junk pile that further hindered recovery efforts.

Hours became days. As vehicles ran out of fuel, their owners abandoned them on the roads.

The lifeline to the city became permanently choked.

Food and other necessities stopped flowing into the city of Los Angeles. Inhabitants began to abandon their homes, becoming refugees in neighbouring counties. That imposed a strain on resources. Rents and property values in those places soared, which created its own set of problems.

The silver-lining in the story was that the pollution levels in Los Angeles dropped drastically. And some remaining residents inhabitants weaned themselves off their dependency on cars and "learned how to walk".

But Gerrold speculates that it was human nature to repeat our mistakes, for "individuals who felt their lives were dependent in their mobility were quick to replace their lost cars".

His ends his speculative fictional piece with a hint that humans tend to forget, and were wont to repeat the mistakes of the past.