On Tuesday 9th June, Bournemouth University library was awarded the Times Higher Education (THE) Outstanding Library Team Award. After receiving the award in the evening at the London Hilton Hotel on Park Lane, the winners rushed back to Bournemouth to host SCONUL’s three day conference, which proved to be a second success for the team. During the conference, Chris Spencer, Bournemouth University’s Library Procurement Librarian, discussed with me the reasons for their success. As this announcement outlines, the library has led the way in its introduction of flexible learning spaces with innovative and popular features such as Techno Booths, illustrating Bournemouth’s strength of aligning education with technology. The library balances this focus on learning with a proven commitment to the research community, as the development of BURO, one of the UK’s largest online research repositories, demonstrates.
I was fortunate enough to get the chance to record a podcasting with three members of the library team to discuss their submission to the Outstanding Library Team Award, and it can be accessed here.

Share This

In this podcast, I talk with Martin Lewis, Director of Library Services and University Librarian at the University of Sheffield. We talk about the shortlisting of his team for the Times Higher Education Supplement Outstanding Library Team Award, 2009. Martin describes features of Information Commons (see photo) that have proven particularly popular in the university since its opening two years ago, and we go on to look at developments and plans in place to build on this success. We also discuss the importance of responding actively to feedback from students and working closely with academics. This ensures that the library service meets the evolving needs of University of Sheffield’s two core businesses - learning and teaching on the one hand, and research on the other - and staff within this outstanding library team develop and grow in this dynamic environment.

Share This

In this podcast, I talk with members of the library team of Bournemouth University, which has been shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Supplement Outstanding Library Team Award, 2009. We look behind some of the innovations of this library service, such as the Techno Booths (see photo) which have proven so popular across the university. We discuss how Bournemouth University library’s impressive operational efficiencies have been achieved. And we also explore the thinking behind Bournemouth University library’s success. It’s striking, for example, how the library staff are constantly reaching outward, developing strong relationships and partnerships beyond the library walls, and indeed, beyond the university itself in some cases. Underpinning all this of course is the importance of team work. This is, after all, the award for an outstanding library team. It’s appropriate therefore, that I be joined by not one but three members of the library team, namely:
David Ball - University Librarian
Chris Spencer - Library Procurement Librarian
Jill Beard - Deputy University Librarian

Share This

The next UK general election is probably only a couple of years away and there is a serious possibility that we could see a change of governing party. Against this background Ed Vaizey, Conservative MP for Wantage & Didcot and Shadow Minister for Culture is beginning to shape his thoughts and future policy with respect to libraries.

This podcast conversation, recorded in Ed Vaizey’s office in the Houses of Parliament, explores Ed’s thinking as to the way Government should influence library services provided by local authorities; is the MLA as an organisation the appropriate way to promote libraries at a national level; and even is the Department of Culture the right place for libraries to be represented.

With a guest appearance of Big Ben, chiming the hour, this is an interesting insight into the thoughts of a senior opposition politician on the future of libraries.

This conversation was recorded on Wednesday 10th July and edited on a Mac with Garageband.

Share This

Rachel Bruce of JISC and Anne Bell of SCONUL join me in the latest Talking with Talis podcast to discuss the recently published JISC & SCONUL Library Management Systems Study - An Evaluation and horizon scan of the current library management systems and related systems landscape for UK higher education.

We discuss the report, the reasons for commissioning it, how it will inform the on going debate about the future of academic libraries, and how libraries could use it.

During the conversation we reference the following resources:

• JISC
• SCONUL
• JISC & SCONUL Library Management Systems Study [pdf]
• JISC Information Environment
• Libraries of the Future

This conversation was recorded on Friday 9th May  and edited on a Mac with Garageband.

Share This

Elaine Fulton Director, Scottish Library and Information Council/CILIP in Scotland is the subject of this Talking with Talis Podcast.

From library assistant in East Kilbride to Director of SLIC, Elaine has had a long career in and around Public Libraries in Scotland. For a significant amount of that time she was associated with library systems, which has been a great help in her current position.

We discuss her career; the role of SLIC/CILIP in Scotland; the differences and advantages of working through the Scottish Government; and past and current SLIC projects.

This conversation was conducted as a SkypeOut call on Wednesday 5th March 2008, recorded with Ecamm Network’s Call Recorder for Skype, and edited on a Mac with Garageband.

Technorati Tags: Elaine Fulton, Libraries, Scotland, SLIC, CILIP, Talis, Podcast

Share This

In this Talking with Talis podcast episode I am in conversation with Bob McKee, Chief Executive of CILIP - the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals in the UK.

Bob, a librarian with a long career in public libraries and local government, shares his interesting and entertaining views and opinions about the challenges faced by his organisation and the professionals it supports.

He also discusses his experience of blogging From the Chief Executive’s Desk.

This conversation was recorded on Friday 18th January 2008, on a Mac with Garageband.

Technorati Tags: Bob McKee, CILIP, Libraries, Talking with Talis, Talis

Share This

Departmental right-sizing, transferring functions out of London to Birmingham, placing programs on hold, and even an appearance at a Talis Conference have all been part of Roy Clare’s first 100 days.

The MLA’s enthusiastic new Chief Executive talks with Richard Wallis about the place and purpose of the organization, it’s challenges, and the opportunities for England’s Museums Archives and Libraries. Coming from several years working with biodegrading monuments at the National Maritime Museum, Roy is obviously up for the challenge.

This conversation was conducted as a SkypeOut call on Tuesday 18th December 2007, recorded with Ecamm Network’s Call Recorder for Skype, and edited on a Mac with Garageband.

Technorati Tags: MLA, Roy Clare, Libraries, Talis, Podcasts, Taliking with Talis

Share This

In the latest Talking with Talis podcast Richard Wallis is in conversation with Clore Fellow and librarian from Tower Hamlets in London, Zoinul Abidin.  Zoinul is manager of one of Tower Hamlets’ four Idea Stores.

They discuss how being a Clore Fellow is helping him in his career.  We discover his passion for Idea Stores and how they can engage libraries with the community, without loosing sight of the fact that “books are core”.  Idea Stores have much to offer as examples of innovation in the approach to delivering public library services.

Listen Now

Download MP3 [52 mins, 48Mb]

This conversation was conducted as a SkypeOut call on Wednesday 8th August, recorded with Ecamm Network’s Call Recorder for Skype, and edited on a Mac with Garageband.

Share This

This Talking with Talis podcast conversation is with Michael Stead of Bolton Libraries  Michael was one of last year’s winning MLA ‘Young Librarians of the Future’, who were rewarded for their passion and commitment to the library service.

We discuss the impact of being a Young Librarian of the Future, this year’s competition, the challenges of libraries in Bolton, and Public libraries in General.

Listen Now

Download MP3 [38 mins, 35Mb]

This conversation was conducted as a SkypeOut call on Tuesday 7th August, recorded with Ecamm Network’s Call Recorder for Skype, and edited on a Mac with Garageband.

Share This