Since the Library Society has frequent meetings (here, on this space, as we think of issues to discuss...) we should probably have a place to list any interesting ideas or questions to talk about.

So one thing I wrestle with (this is Corp). I'm a corporate librarian, which is different from most LSW members I know. I'm a solo librarian, and a telecommuting one, both of which make me different from most corporate librarians I know (yes, I know there's a Solo Librarians division of SLA). I have a negligible budget (which is something in common with a lot of librarians I know). What can I actually contribute, in terms of experience or expertise, that would actually be useful to anyone?

(Steve aka Corp, (this is Laura/newrambler) stay tuned. . . I have a project in the works that might well just be right up your alley)

Here's one: Do we want our library society to take over the world?

(Naaaaw we just want to take it aside and give it a good lecture on the appropriate use of internets in public spaces.)

Here's another one: What is the coolest stunt that a librarian could do without people thinking it all just a big joke??

(Take over the World. Stephen Colbert already knows we are up to something. The groundwork has been laid.)

(Good one. Now people know that this "open access" thing is just a big red herring to divert attention from our true cause. Whoever wrote the above needs to be taken aside and sternly shushed. :) )

(from AaronTheLibrarian) Oooo, sternly shush me! Shush me! Ooo, Ooo, I want to be shushed! Please? :-)'

I think the LSW needs to do something for Global Library 2.0 Week. Anyone have any ideas?

(From Katie) There was discussion in the Meebo Room on Tuesday regarding potential author (particularly genre fiction)/librarian salons during ALA conferences. If anyone is interested in doing this, post your ideas for both logistics and funding below.

(From Thomas) I think one of the things than is needed to make this society different from the rest of the library world associations it would be to be truly international and open to individual librarians from around the world. Today there is no real association or society for the individual "pfc" librarian, just IFLA for directors and association bigwigs. I would love to see this wiki turn into a forum for all interested librarians. Over at Ning Library 2.0 there is a growing numer of librarians from South America, Europe and Asia, those librarians should become aware of this wiki. It would be really interesting to see where thing go if Library Society of the World really was OF all the World:-)

(From Josh) I agree, Thomas. I would love to see the LSW truly be an international (dis)organization. What do you think we could do to make that a reality?

(From Fiona) Yes, more global voices and ideas!

(From Courtney) Maybe publicizing on the Library 2.0 Ning? And with Global Library 2.0 Week? I'm not on Ning, so I don't know what's going on over there. I have noticed several librarians from overseas in the Meebo room.

I propose that we make LSW stickers that we can put on our badges at ALA. Who thinks this is a good/feasible idea?

(From Josh) I've been meaning to make a nifty logo for the LSW that could go on stickers, buttons, or even t-shirts. I just haven't actually gotten around to it yet.

I (Courtney S.) propose that we make Moo cards (or some other kind) with the wiki address and password on them to hand out to new recruits at conferences - give them a ribbon and the card with the info so they can look it up later. (It could totally just be a document that people handing out ribbons print out and cut apart, since that's cheaper.  Moo cards are cooler though.)

(From Amy Kearns) Hello - thanks to Cindi for blogging about my idea of having some sort of "Twitterbrarian" (?) twitbrarian (?) service - she came up with "The Librarian Is Always On" which I love! Also, Connie Crosby mentioned "guerrilla librarianship" which is also great, and there is, of course, the "hive" mind of all of us librarians (and others) on Twitter! My original ramblings are here , but Cindi is a better writer than I am. I was thinking maybe of having a working wiki for getting this up and going - and/or maybe we need a wiki to just go along with it - I set up thelibrarianisalwayson.pbwiki.com so far in case we want to use that, AND, just in case, I just bought the domains TheLibrarianIsAlwaysOn.com, hivebrarian and HiveLibrarians.com - just in case! ;-) Thanks to everyone for talking about this idea - I (ironically) wasn't on Twitter when the main discussion of this was going on tonight - ha ha - but hopefully we can get something going if others like it too - several people have indicated an interest and I appreciate that so much! What say you?

UPDATE: I had a few ideas last night - I think one of the great things about this would be raising our visibility and value by becoming a noticeable ENTITY on Twitter - not just for whatever librarians might be there, or members of the public who might, but to the other hard-core Twitter-users who are already using Twitter but may or may not think of librarians with their questions - sort of a "Slam the Boards" type thing.... so while our patrons may not be using Twitter, this is not "useless" as there are many (how many current Twitter users total now?) Twits out there...

ALSO: If this "model" works there could be other professions that could be on, i.e., THE ACCOUNTANT IS ALWAYS ON, THE TEACHER IS ALWAYS ON, etc.... AND I really like the way this kind of "librarianship" fits in with the philosophies and ideals of Library Society of the World - OPEN, WORLDWIDE, FREE, lots of meetings in person LOL etc....

HEY KIDS, LET'S PUT ON A SHOW

So, if we were to have a conference, what should it be like?

Steve Lawson suggests:

• I'd like more applied technology: how to take something and really get your hands dirty.
• Probably the code4lib level
• I'd like something more unconfernce-y
• more many-to-many
• I'd like fresh keynotes from outside libraryland
• I'd like to attend something on digital humanities

More from SL on "what to do at a conference":

• more comedy/risk
  • "here is your topic, you have ten minutes to prepare a ten minute presentation with slides"
  • Worst Library Ideas Evar
  •  slide roulette: present someone else's slides without seeing them first

(From Connie Crosby) 

• Sabrina Pacifici and I were discussing that it would be good to have web space for scheduled meetings on pre-set topics in which people could discuss certain topics, share notes and lend each other support.  Especially for those who perhaps are not already using Twitter and meebo--this could support those who feel isolated around the world.   I thought this would work with the ideals of LSW.
• Re: guerrilla librarianship, I have been getting informal requests from friends via twitter who know I can "find stuff". I also help people out when I can pull up something easily.  Thinking of adding "Guerrilla librarian" to my twitter profile.  I welcome additional ideas on this front.

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