Penthouse Particulars

We are dashing into June here at the mothership. May was mostly, for me and Maryann, an on-the-road delivery of our Update sessions and workshops to prepare everyone for June and September and the changing nature of our work, including the latest information about inventory, databases, statistics, information literacy, and so on. This week was:

• Monday morning's SLRCCC meeting where a group of TLs prepared for our annual June report to Trustees



• Tuesday morning's Inqiry TLs meeting at Byng Library for a last chance to work together to prepare for the June 3 "public" presentation in Room 400 -- can you come?



• Wednesday afternoon's gathering of all secondary teacher-librarians at the UBC Ike Barber Learning Centre for their May Update and introduction to Education Librarians Chris Ball (UBC) and Hope Power (SFU), who talked about their findings based on a survey of the information literacy needs of first-year students, as well as new Sustainability Consultant Kevin Millsip who took on questions about Libraries and sustainability.



• Thursday featured three meetings: one that is monthly in Learning Services, another that is quarterly with Metro-area TLs -- we mostly talked with ERAC guests and teleconferencing participants -- and finally one very lovely event that occurs annually to honour people like me who joined the district 25 years ago, in my case, in 1984! Add to this schedule a rather frantic run back to UBC to retrieve the cell phone left the day before.
  
  
• Somewhere in the week MK and I decided we needed one more Update for a group who hadn't been able to make the other sessions! June 4 pm ... anyone want more? Is there something wrong with this picture?
  
  
• Then I had hoped to spend Friday in recovery and getting ready for next week ... which would have been the case except that "recovery"for me meant attacking backlogged desk work and email as well as sorting out the cubicle which had become something of a supply base from which I had been launching the city-wide Update project and related catering services for three weeks -- and for Maryann it meant recovering from the fall taken while getting ready for the Thursday meeting with Metro area District TLs.
  
  
• Missed in the blue blur that was the week was finding a time, finding just the right moment to phone or drop by Kerrisdale to wish Michele a wonderful weekend in Montreal. Am trying to keep tabs on the CLA Conference from the blog-point of view of winning Victoria TL Karen Lindsay who is with Michele. Check out Karen's blog. She has been having problems with transmission, as you will see, but we expect that Michele will lead her to the light! Way to go, you two!! We'll want all the details when you get back.

So, do you see any indicators are that it is time to "smell the roses"? Let's say I have every reason to keep this week's blog post short. Maryann, you okay? And I am certain some of you would like time to get caught up with blog-reading anyway.

All Thoughts

Turn to Italy

A reminder to those of you considering the IASL Conference in Italy in the first week of September and related excursions:

You can register for the pre-conference events including (1) The Guided Inquiry Workshop on August 31 with Drs Ross Todd and Carol Kuhlthau, a day that promises to be an outstanding learning opportunity for TLs and I do intend to be there, so am signing up today; and (2) "Reading in the Digital Age": scroll down through a day of featured speakers including Aiden Chambers. Space in these two days of workshops is limited.

We are awaiting the finalized conference agenda but expect it will be as exciting as the conference in Berkeley last summer.

Also, I met up with our TL colleague and Tuscany Tour Organizer Francesca (della Hastings) at the celebration of 25-year district veterans on Thursday ... we celebrated together and talked about our summer trip planning with Trustee Mike Lombardi who told me we will love Italy, where everything revolves around food, friendship, and family. Oh, and Frances!

Frances and I, needless to say, are thinking that the tour of Italy this summer should be organized by now! I am wondering if you are coming ... are we meeting up as a group to do 10 days in Tuscany? See previous posting (search Italy or find May 2 archive). Email me or Frances della Hastings for the information flyer.

VTLA Dinner:

I will see some of you on June 8 at the Annual VTLA dinner where we celebrate and say goodbye to retirees. Have you ordered your ticket from Akemi yet?

Have a good weekend. One more month and you are into recovery.