LSA Consultant Ken Davenport, WPL Diversity Administrator Claudia Ramirez, and myself finally made it back from our long road trip to ILA 2006 in Council Bluffs. Of the 11 conferences I've attended since 1996, this one might have been the most interesting.
The first day and second morning were devoted to Library 2.0. Look for the WPL to be implementing several new technologies over the coming months. The second afternoon was devoted discussions of the cultural divide between librarians and academics. Cooperating with local schools and providing support for students has always been an interest of mine. Reference staff have noted that many of our college student patrons have difficulty coping with their online assignments; it's time to reach out schools to discuss how we can provide better assistance.
And, today's sessions dealt primarily with the concept of "Information Literacy." In other words, how well equipped are our patrons to find, evaluate, and use information? How can the library help to improve Information Literacy?
I'm looking forward to hearing comments and brainstorms. I'm also eager to get back to the library to apply some of the things I've learned.
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