| dc.description | I will report on my participation at both the WILU and CLA conference activities.
I attended the WILU conference in Montreal May 25 – 27, 2009. Both theoretical models and concrete ideas of information literacy projects were presented that may translate well to the delivery of library services at AU Library. These will inform the new information literacy duties which I will be assigned in the coming months. While at the conference, I was selected to co-convene the Information Literacy Interest Group (ILIG) of CLA. This is meant as a transitional position to becoming convener within the year. This increases my personal involvement in this area of information literacy as well as the profile of Athabasca University Library in this area of librarianship.
On May 29, 2009 at the CLA Conference and Trade Show, I set up my display booth with bilingual handouts and two posters, one French and one English. I was present at my booth during the conference’s trade show opening 10:30 am Sat. May 30th, various times throughout the weekend, and during the required times on Sunday May 31st. I feel the presentation was successful as I had contact with over 100 people during the weekend. Comments included that the presentation was extremely professional and the research encompassed fresh ideas. To my surprise, mine was the only fully translated presentation, a point well appreciated by the national audience. Many people contributed additional information about unexpected locations of libraries around the world, such as on camels or in taxi cabs. Discussions were also raised in areas of further research. I look forward to continuing my research.
Interestingly, as I’m sure is not a surprise to anyone on the A&PDF committee, about 25% of the questions I answered were about the uniqueness of Athabasca University and AU Library. This is an indirect positive outcome of my professional participation at this event.
While at the CLA conference, I attended many sessions on information technology and open source options for libraries, which will directly inform my work with AU Library.
As well, I co-facilitated a breakfast meeting of the national Information Literacy Interest Group (ILIG). This was my first meeting as co-convener of ILIG.
I feel my attendance at both conferences exceeded my expectations of success, and will closely inform my work at AU Library over the next year.
These posters cannot be posted to AU Space, as I do not have the legal permissions for electronic distribution of photos that I took of travel operations or hotels. I hold copyright of each photo, and could lawfully present these photos in person during the educational presentation at CLA. I do not have permission to distribute them.
Thank you for the support of these professional endeavors and you continued work with the APDF Committee. | en |
| dc.description.abstract | Destination travel readers are those who seek reading material while at or en route to their destination. There is a growing trend of hotel and tour operators offering books on loan to their guests. This has meant that libraries are emerging as value added services to vacationing guests. Previously, tour promoters would focus their efforts on wooing travel agents with commission incentives and free trips. Now, in the era of DIY vacation planning, tour promoters need to differentiate themselves from their competitors through the services they offer that have meaning to the traveler. Increasingly, we find libraries listed along side chef to traveler ratios and the company’s socio-environmental responsibility as features of value to the discerning traveler. This presentation will explore the international world of travel reading and the role of libraries in various tourism ventures. Examples will be drawn from various cities around the world, including a Montreal auberge. | en |
