ASDAL 2006 - Day 3
After the long day yesterday, I wasn't sure how many people would make it to the meetings today, but we have a really good turnout, which is fortunate because our worship is given by Dr. Ruth WillamsMorris of Southern's School of Education & Psychology. She's always good.
Then we have an all-morning presentation from Tina Mason of Solinet on disaster preparedness. Recovering from a disaster doesn't start after the disaster happens. If you're only starting there, you're way too late. Planning is the key. And people have to know what the plan is, and be able to implement it quickly in order to save as many materials as possible when horrible things happen. It's easy to forget about planning and about the details of a plan, but we need to change that thinking.
After lunch, we go straight into our Breakout Sessions. This is usually my favorite session. It's fun to get together with fellow Technical Services people and talk about how we do our jobs and share information. And we try to only gripe a little! Somehow, I am often asked to chair our group, and I don't know why that is, but I'm fine with it. I think I'm getting better at keeping the conversation flowing. In fact, we have so much conversation, they have to send someone to get us and tell us to stop talking because it's time to come back together for the next session. These things never seem to be long enough.
Marge Seifert has a presentation about how she's done her bibliographic instruction sessions here at Southern, and how they've changed as different technologies, such as wireless and the availability of laptop computers for instruction, have become available. She has time for only a quick demonstration of the SynchronEyes software that we use to control the student laptops from the instructor's computer. Unfortunately, I've been using the computer that she normally uses as the instructor to do the recording of these sessions. She needs it for the presentation because it's the only one that works with the student laptops. So this means I need to quickly download and install the Audacity recording software onto the other library laptop. Then I discover that the mic input on that laptop doesn't seem to work. All I'm getting is loud static. Fortunately I have my own personal laptop with me as well (which I'm using to write these blogs), so I have to download and install on that now. So I miss about half of Marge's presentation. I'll try and get the slides from her and put them up on the website, at least. Because it's a good presentation.
Then after a quick break, we give our Breakout Session reports. One of the good things about being Chair of a group is that you can appoint someone else to give the report! But that's fine, I'm scheduled to give two reports in the Business Session that follows immediately after these reports. What always interests me about these reports is how serious the discussion is in the Directors and Public Services groups. They usually come up with recommendations for the group, whereas our group usually just shares information, tips, and has a good time. But I suppose each group does what's best for its membership.
My reports at the Business Session for the Website and SDA Classification Advisory Committee are basically that I have to do some more work this next year. Some interesting things have been happing with the website, including the completely on-line registration form for this conference and the implementation of a PayPal payment option so that we could pay by credit card instead of only by check. Yes, there were a few problems, but we'll keep working on ways to solve them. The SDA Classification Committee hasn't actually done that much work this past year, but during this next year we need to find a new editor for the schedules and try to get a new edition published. Should be fun.
We finally get out of the Business Session with a bit of time to spare before we all have to be over at the Presidential Dining Room for the annual Banquet. I, of course, have to head over right away with many of the other Southern staff to help get things set up. Such is the case for those who host, I guess. Fortunately, our staff has been very good about pitching in and getting things done, so things have run pretty smoothly.
The food service staff out-does themselves with our food. It is very good. And then we have a concert on the hammer dulcimer from a local girl that one of our staff managed to find. She's very good, and plays a nice selection of tunes. That instrument takes alot of talent to play, and she's got it. I just love the sound of it, too. Then the Resolutions Committee gives its report. They do a very good job for only having had 2 days to work on it. Bruce may have a very definite talent in this area.
Finally, time to get back home and to bed so we can get up for the last day of the conference. Sorry, no pictures today. I seem to have been a bit distracted.
Then we have an all-morning presentation from Tina Mason of Solinet on disaster preparedness. Recovering from a disaster doesn't start after the disaster happens. If you're only starting there, you're way too late. Planning is the key. And people have to know what the plan is, and be able to implement it quickly in order to save as many materials as possible when horrible things happen. It's easy to forget about planning and about the details of a plan, but we need to change that thinking.
After lunch, we go straight into our Breakout Sessions. This is usually my favorite session. It's fun to get together with fellow Technical Services people and talk about how we do our jobs and share information. And we try to only gripe a little! Somehow, I am often asked to chair our group, and I don't know why that is, but I'm fine with it. I think I'm getting better at keeping the conversation flowing. In fact, we have so much conversation, they have to send someone to get us and tell us to stop talking because it's time to come back together for the next session. These things never seem to be long enough.
Marge Seifert has a presentation about how she's done her bibliographic instruction sessions here at Southern, and how they've changed as different technologies, such as wireless and the availability of laptop computers for instruction, have become available. She has time for only a quick demonstration of the SynchronEyes software that we use to control the student laptops from the instructor's computer. Unfortunately, I've been using the computer that she normally uses as the instructor to do the recording of these sessions. She needs it for the presentation because it's the only one that works with the student laptops. So this means I need to quickly download and install the Audacity recording software onto the other library laptop. Then I discover that the mic input on that laptop doesn't seem to work. All I'm getting is loud static. Fortunately I have my own personal laptop with me as well (which I'm using to write these blogs), so I have to download and install on that now. So I miss about half of Marge's presentation. I'll try and get the slides from her and put them up on the website, at least. Because it's a good presentation.
Then after a quick break, we give our Breakout Session reports. One of the good things about being Chair of a group is that you can appoint someone else to give the report! But that's fine, I'm scheduled to give two reports in the Business Session that follows immediately after these reports. What always interests me about these reports is how serious the discussion is in the Directors and Public Services groups. They usually come up with recommendations for the group, whereas our group usually just shares information, tips, and has a good time. But I suppose each group does what's best for its membership.
My reports at the Business Session for the Website and SDA Classification Advisory Committee are basically that I have to do some more work this next year. Some interesting things have been happing with the website, including the completely on-line registration form for this conference and the implementation of a PayPal payment option so that we could pay by credit card instead of only by check. Yes, there were a few problems, but we'll keep working on ways to solve them. The SDA Classification Committee hasn't actually done that much work this past year, but during this next year we need to find a new editor for the schedules and try to get a new edition published. Should be fun.
We finally get out of the Business Session with a bit of time to spare before we all have to be over at the Presidential Dining Room for the annual Banquet. I, of course, have to head over right away with many of the other Southern staff to help get things set up. Such is the case for those who host, I guess. Fortunately, our staff has been very good about pitching in and getting things done, so things have run pretty smoothly.
The food service staff out-does themselves with our food. It is very good. And then we have a concert on the hammer dulcimer from a local girl that one of our staff managed to find. She's very good, and plays a nice selection of tunes. That instrument takes alot of talent to play, and she's got it. I just love the sound of it, too. Then the Resolutions Committee gives its report. They do a very good job for only having had 2 days to work on it. Bruce may have a very definite talent in this area.
Finally, time to get back home and to bed so we can get up for the last day of the conference. Sorry, no pictures today. I seem to have been a bit distracted.
posted by Stan | 3:11 PM
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