Blended Services Training Programme

Here are some links to previously-posted tips, practice assessments and self-tests:

• from March 23/09: Multiple Choice Review Exercises | Answers
• Technology Checklist
• from April 29/09: Trial Assessment | Trial Assessment Answers
• from May 21/09: Study Tips
• last year’s assessment:
  • without answers: BST IF Assessment 2009 No Answers
  • last year’s assessment, with answers
• from Oct. 22/09: Technology Self Assessment

Rhonda and Lynn will be doing some basic Corporate Calendar training (both client and web versions). This training is directed at the new blended services staff, but anyone else who is interested is also welcome to attend. This will not be hands-on training, but will be a demonstration session.

One session will be held on Tuesday July 21st from 2-3 pm, and will be repeated on Wednesday July 22nd from 10-11am, both in the Wong e-Classroom.

No need to RSVP, just come to the session you prefer.

Session Materials:

• Oracle Corporate Calendar Slides

We have officially finished the first round of Blended Services Training and Assessment! Everybody involved in the program should be proud of what we have accomplished. I owe a ton of thanks to our fabulous training team (Karen, Ines, Nora, Linda and Susan), all of the mentors (Amanda, Shawn, Regina, Olga, Catherine), the Supervisors (Debbie, Lynn, Ann Philbrook, and Rhonda), the Access Services Staff at Mills for freeing up our trainees and the participating IT staff (John and Matt). I want to especially thank the trainees for their extraordinary effort. You have developed so many new skills and should be very proud of your accomplishments. The trainees are an example to all of us on just how far hard work and commitment can take you. Well done!

Answers to the written portion of the Blended Services Assessment are available here.

Joan

A new search engine is to be launched by Microsoft next week. See:

Microsoft Expected to Show New Search Engine Next Week (from the Wall Street Journal via ResourceShelf)

Keep an eye out for it.

Everyone loves to talk about the weather. The weather, however, plays a part in much of what we do, when we do it and how we do it. Researchers from several disciplines use weather information to understand the world around us. One of my favourite sites is Environment Canada. Not only can you find out everything you need to know about our current weather conditions, but also you can find out what the weather was like on any given day at any given hour at hundreds of locations across this country. Check it out:

National Climate Data and Information Archive – http://www.climate.weatheroffice.ec.gc.ca/climateData/canada_e.html

For fun, check and see what the weather was like on the day and hour that you were born

You may be called upon to find out what was said and by whom in the Federal or a Provincial House of Commons. The transcripts of parliament are known as Hansard. Many years of Federal Hansard are available online. You can also find Provincial Hansard online. If you are interested in older Hansard or print copies, check out the library catalogue.

You are not alone out there! You may want to consider joining a listserv. For those of you that aren’t familiar with listservs, they are free electronic mailing lists with common themes that you can join and participate in. Ask your mentor what they are all about. I belong to a few including LIBREF-L. Every day, I receive emails from fellow reference librarians discussing what matters to us all. Sometimes, I send a note to a listserv asking for help or input on a topic of interest. A good listserv is a thing of beauty! Here are three worth looking into.

LIBREF-L – listserv for reference librarians

STS-L – listserv for SciTech librarians

BUSLIB-L – listserv for Business librarians

It may appear that Google is the only search engine in town, but don’t let its prominence fool you. There are several search engines, each designed to retrieve and sort results differently. And content differs from search engine to search engine. For fun, you might search want to search:

Twingine – http://www.twingine.com/
Google meets Yahoo

Search Engine Watch – http://searchenginewatch.com/
An excellent site to track search engine developments and search engine statistics.

Web 2.0 is all the rage. One of the sites that The Star library staff recommends to confused journalists is:

Common Craft – http://www.commoncraft.com/

Through short simple videos, Web 2.0 application such as RSS, Wikis, and Twitter are described to the user in plain English. Useful information presented in an accessible manner. This type of video is also food for thought on how we might choose to design instructional information for end users. A bit like the Idiot Guides series of books, Stagecraft presumes you know nothing and in simple terms, describes how and when to use Web 2.0. It’s really worth viewing these entertaining and informative videos.

You may not love statistics like I do but almost every student needs statistics at one time or another. Your best bet is to rely upon official government statistical agencies such as Statistics Canada or U.S. Census Bureau, central banks and government departments and agencies.

One of my favourite compilation sites is:
NationMaster – http://www.nationmaster.com/index.php
It pulls together statistics from several countries and is easy to use. The data can be viewed graphically and country rankings are included on the site. Sources are provided for all data. A good tip is to use Nationmaster as a way to identify relevant statistical reports on a given topic. The site comes recommended by search guru, Mary Ellen Bates.