LISNPN: anonymous reviews of library masters courses

I'm back from hols and ready to start learning again! I've now left the commercial sector and I'm about to begin a new role in the academic sector on Monday...

Today I learnt that you can read anonymous reviews of library masters courses in the UK on the LIS New Professionals Network site. It's under Downloadable Resources.

LISNPN is a network for new professionals (no surprises there, then!). You don't actually need to be "new" (whatever that is) or a "professional" (whatever that is) to sign up, but topics discussed might be of interest to you if you fall under these categories. Recent discussions include career advice and interviewing tips, library school scholarship, library conferences and so on.

LISNPN:
http://www.lisnpn.spruz.com/

SLS / BIALL Annual Academic Law Library Survey 2010/2011

Today I learnt how to bench-mark my academic law library (if I had one).

The report analysing the results of the SLS / BIALL Annual Academic Law Library Survey was published this week on the BIALL website. 95 academic libraries from the UK and Ireland took part in the survey and the data relate to the academic year 2010/2011. The report was compiled by David Gee, Deputy Librarian and Academic Services Manager at IALS.

The survey provides a snapshot of different aspects of the academic law library, including services provided, database subscriptions, acquisitions expenditure and staffing levels. The report also provides further analysis and commentary on how these results have changed year on year.

No surprises that the three most popular databases were Westlaw UK, Lexis Library and HeinOnline. More surprising is that expenditure on law materials per student in old universities was down 2% on 2010 whereas in new universities it was up 12% in the same period. For context on these and other trends you will need to read the report itself.

SLS / BIALL Annual Academic Law Library Survey 2010/2011 (BIALL Members only):

http://www.biall.org.uk/publications.php?action=publication&id=28

caLIM - Current Awareness for Legal Information Managers Database

Today I learnt about caLIM (Current Awareness for Legal Information Managers Database).

caLIM, a database maintained by the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Library, is based on the current awareness column in BIALL's Legal Information Management. Here's what it contains [this description is lifted directly from the database]:

The database contains bibliographic records for articles and books relevant to legal information professionals. December 1994 onwards.

You can search by author, title, free-text, category (subject index terms) and date.

caLIM on the IALS website:

http://193.62.18.232/dbtw-wpd/textbase/cadquery.htm

IALS Global Law Library homepage:

http://ials.sas.ac.uk/library/library.asp

BIALL Law Librarian Salary Survey 2012

Today I learnt how to benchmark my salary against that of other law librarians using the BIALL Law Librarian Salary Survey.

The survey allows law librarians and information professionals to compare their pay and benefits with colleagues in academic, private or public sectors. It is a useful benchmarking tool for salary negotiations. You need to be a member of BIALL (British and Irish Association of Law Librarians) to complete the survey and to access the completed survey (and back issues). The 2012 survey is now open.

The BIALL website provides further information and a link for BIALL members to complete the 2012 survey:
http://www.biall.org.uk/publications.php?action=publication&id=27

SLA Europe bursaries for the 2012 SLA Conference in Chicago

Today I learnt that SLA Europe wants to send you to the 2012 SLA Conference in Chicago (if you are an information professional living or working in Europe, with more than five years’ experience, and have not won an SLA Europe Early Careers Conference Award within the last five years, that is). You don't even need to be an SLA member.

Further details about how and when to apply are on the SLA website:
http://www.sla-europe.org/awards/sla-europe-conference-award/conference-award-application-guidelines/

IWR Information Professional of the Year - Time to Nominate

Today I learnt that nominations have opened for the IWR Information Professional of the Year 2011. The winner will be announced at the Online Information Conference 2011, which will be held in London in November.

According to the IWR website, the award "recognises an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the profession in the last 12 months".

Previous winners include Dave Pattern, library systems manager at the University of Huddersfield, and Dr Hazel Hall, director of the Centre for Social Informatics at Edinburgh Napier University and executive secretary of the Library and Information Science Coalition.

http://www.iwr.co.uk/professional-and-library/3011105/Search-starts-for-Info-Pro-of-the-Year

National Libraries Day

Today I learnt that about National Libraries Day.

CILIP has posted on its website that next year National Libraries Day is on 4 February 2012 and describes it as a "nation-wide celebration of libraries, librarians and library staff in all sectors". Is it wrong to admit I have never heard of it?

A range of events and activities in libraries will be advertised nearer the time, and a membership campaign will lead up to the day.

http://www.cilip.org.uk/news-media/Pages/news110909.aspx

Electronic Submission of CILIP Chartership Revalidation Portfolio

Today I learnt that you can submit your CILIP Chartership Revalidation Portfolio electronically. This will come in useful in a couple of weeks as that is exactly what I plan to do. How things have changed since I did it first time round...

http://www.cilip.org.uk/jobs-careers/qualifications/cilip-qualifications/revalidation/Pages/esubmission-reval.aspx