Going to ALA Annual? Interested in learning to code? Already know how, and interested in getting better, or helping others get better? Have some awesome library software projects going on that you want to share, or some awesome ideas looking for collaborators? You should join the brand-shiny-new Library Code Year interest group!
We’re looking for participants, speakers, and diversity.
Participants
Come to our very first meeting and help figure out what we should do with this group, now that we have it. Our mission is to support librarians in learning to code and to apply that in their work, but we haven’t figured out the details yet, because that’s all about what the members (aka: y’all) want.
Saturday, June 23, 2012 – 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Doubletree Suites
Tuscany AB
http://ala12.scheduler.ala.org/node/651
Speakers
What strategies, or roadblocks, have you found in learning to code? How have you used programming to improve library service models or workflows?
The Library Code Year Interest Group seeks speakers for lightning talks (5 minutes) on any aspect of coding and libraries, including projects you have completed, your experience learning to code or thoughts on projects you would like to see in the future. Our inaugural meeting will be Saturday, June 23, 1:30-3:30 at the Doubletree Suites (Tuscany AB). Speakers at all levels of coding skill and from all types of library backgrounds are invited to participate.
Email me (firstname dot lastname at gmail) and/or post your topic to our ALA Connect group.
Diversity
I recently went to my first hackathon, and it was great, but also unexpectedly stressful, because I was literally the only woman at the table. And you know what? Even surrounded by very nice and welcoming men, that sucked.
In a librarian tech group, I’m not concerned about there being too few women. Our entire leadership is female and the membership of the Connect group is the only time I’ve ever seen a tech group skew so heavily female. It’s amazing.
But I am concerned about us being a whole lot of straight white people from academic libraries. Because I’ve seen tech in general and libtech in particular, and that’s how it usually works. And you know what? If I hated being the only woman in a room, I should (and do) hate just as much the idea of an interest group with only one (or, worse yet, zero) of anyone.
Library tech isn’t just about academic libraries. It isn’t just about any one group. So if you’re someone who likes library technology, who is involved or who wants to be, but who tends to be the Only One Like You (on whatever axis!) in the room — or you haven’t gotten involved because you think you will be — please come. Please. Propose a lightning talk! Be a face of library tech and tell us what we should be doing and how this interest group can support everybody in their tech journeys. And tell people. And bring them.
I’ve been the only one at the table. I don’t want you to be the only one. It sucks. I don’t want us to suck.
andromeda yelton 