Education Minister on Universities in Wales

Leighton Andrews’ speech at Cardiff University is worth reading in full:
http://www.leightonandrews.com/2010/05/my-cardiff-lecture.html

Learning in a Digital Wales

We would like to take this opportunity to invite you to attend our ‘Learning in a Digital Wales – Dysgu mewn Cymru Digidol’ event on 30 June 2010.

‘Learning in a Digital Wales – Dysgu mewn Cymru Digidol’ is a collaborative, cross sector event brought to you by JISC RSC Wales, with the support of LearnTech Wales, Moodle-Wales and Community eLearning Wales (CeLW) covering all educational sectors in Wales including Work Based Learning and Higher Education.

The aims of the event are:

• to share good practice and experiences in new and existing technologies from across the sectors
• to focus on key questions about the transformation agenda and the role of technology enhanced learning
• to look at the reasons for change in 21st Century education

The event will be a mix of presentations, hands on sessions, sharing of good practice, networking and discussion opportunities. The topics covered during the day include: personalised learning, accessibility and inclusion, effective use of digital media, portable free applications, assessment, Moodle, use of Web 2.0 and mobile technologies, eSafety/Safeguarding, the transformation agenda … and more.

For the full programme please visit http://docs.google.com/View?id=df7ss89s_49xc27mgc8

Further details and the booking form can be found here: http://admin.rsc-wales.ac.uk/events/event_details.asp?eid=550

The event will be hosted at the All Nations Centre in Cardiff and the cost is £50 per person.

BOOK NOW

We look forward to seeing you there.

Regards

The RSC Wales team.

Repositories Strand – Gregynog 2010

Just a reminder that we have announced the repository stream programme at this year’s Gregynog Colloquium. Please book now to attend as delegate bookings are closing at the end of this week (Friday 21^st)!

The full Colloquium programme is available on the Gregynog site at http://www.gregynog.ac.uk/HEWIT/index.asp?Page=2 

As in previous years the WRN will be sponsoring places at the Colloquium for 2 participants per partner institution to attend the repository stream. Please book as usual via the Gregynog website but inform the project team that you would like a subsidised place by emailing wrnstaff@aber.ac.uk

Looking forward to seeing as many of you there as possible.

Repositories Strand – Gregynog 2010

Tuesday 8th June 2010

15.30-17.00 WRN Business Meeting

Wednesday 9th June 2010

9.15 – 10.00 The power of mandates, Sue Hodges, University of Salford

10.00 – 10.30 Publications Management System at Swansea University – Alex Roberts, Swansea University

10.30 – 11.00 Research Management System at the University of Glamorgan – Leanne Beevers & Neil Williams, Glamorgan University

11.00 – 11.30 Tea

11.30 – 12.00 Developing a repository, caring, sharing and living the dream – Misha Jepson, Glyndwr University

12.00 – 12.30 Encouraging Author self – deposit at Cardiff  – Tracey Andrews & Scott Hill, Cardiff University

12.30 – 13.00 Using statistics as an advocacy tool Nicky Cashman, Aberystwyth University

13.00 – 14.00 Lunch

2.00 – 2.30 Repository Advocacy: The theory – WRN staff

2.30 – 3.30 Advocacy Café Society session
3 tables will be laid out each with a facilitator and a topic to discuss, participants are moved on to a new topic every 15 minutes with a 15 minute slot at the end to feedback and present findings. Suggested topics:

A)What are the main obstacles to gathering content in your repository?

B)What are the main misconceptions your stakeholders have when it comes to your repository?

C)Put yourself in the shoes of an objector and outline the main arguments against having a repository?

3.30 – 4.00 Tea

4.00 – 5.00 Advocacy in Action: Workshop/exercise. Participants are asked to work in groups to produce some broad brush repository promotional materials.

Information Literacy Development Officer for Wales

Cardiff University are recruiting for an Information Literacy Development Officer for the new Welsh Information Literacy Project.

A motivated professional is needed to undertake this high profile project, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government. Under the guidance of a steering group, you will work with a range of library services, government departments and other agencies to create a universal information literacy framework for Wales. This will identify the skills required at each stage in life to manage information to the best advantage, for the benefit of the individual, the economy and society.

You will have excellent communication skills and be able to forge successful working relationships both in and between organisations. A thorough knowledge of the principles of information literacy is required, along with previous experience in a professional role in libraries or education.

Secondment requests would be considered.

This post is fixed-term from July 2010 until March 2011. Salary: £29853 – £35646 per annum (pro rata).

For more information visit: http://www.cf.ac.uk/jobs/insrv/information-literacy-development-officer-for-wales-1536.html

National Library of Scotland in 2030

THRIVING or SURVIVING? National Library of Scotland in 2030

Details of the report just published by the National Library of Scotland can be found here:
http://www.nls.uk/about/policy/docs/future-national-libraries.pdf

Gregynog Colloquium 2010

Bookings are open for the Colloquium at: www.gregynog.ac.uk/HEWIT

The main themes for Monday and Tuesday  are projects, co-operation, Information literacy and resource discovery, Wednesday is a joint Library IT day with emerging technologies in libraries and IT services, access management and the future of IT services as the main themes and Thursday and Friday’s themes are green ICT and projects of special interest.

We have excellent speakers coming including  Rebecca Davies, Sue Mace and Cathie Jackson and Chris West. The Information Literacy session will include a talk about the Information Literacy Strategy for Wales.

There will also be a parallel repository session running from Tuesday afternoon through to Wednesday afternoon with Sue Hodges (University of Salford) speaking on Wednesday morning.

We are still looking for Chairs for some of the sessions so if you wish to Chair please contact Jenny Jones jmjones@uwic.ac.uk

There is also a poster presentation going on through out the whole week and if you have posters to submit please contact Jenny Jones for this too.

Please encourage your staff to book and not to miss this great opportunity for networking.

Richard Burton Archives: The New Home of Swansea University’s Archives

A £1.2 million refurbishment project at Swansea University to create the Richard Burton Archives was celebrated on 30 April.

The new state-of-the art archive facility – named The Richard Burton Archives, in honour of the Richard Burton Collection generously donated by Sally Burton in 2005 – is due to be completed by the end of the summer.

The Archives, located within Swansea University’s Library, has over 2 kilometres of shelving available to store the University’s archive collections under strict environmental conditions; ensuring their long-term preservation. A new reading room will also be available for researchers to consult the collections.

Speaking from Perth in Western Australia, the actor’s widow, Sally Burton, said: “I am thrilled that the donation of Richard’s archive to Swansea University has resulted in the creation of this magnificent world class facility for researchers and the local community.

Chris West, Swansea University’s Director of Library and Information Services explained: “The donation of the Richard Burton Collection by Sally Burton has acted as a catalyst for a number of vital developments. These include the major refurbishment of the Library, to create the Richard Burton Archives, and the establishment of the Richard Burton Centre for the Study of Wales at the University, to act as a focus for world-class research on Wales.

“Richard Burton loved books and scholarship. I’m sure he would have been delighted with what we’ve achieved.”

In addition to the Richard Burton Collection, the Richard Burton Archives will house the South Wales Coalfield Collection; the Raymond Williams Papers; and other major collections on the local area and the University.

SCONUL report on shared services on HELibTech: meeting 19th May

The HEFCE funded SCONUL report on ‘Shared Services’ is available to download on the Higher Education Library Technology (HELibTech) website.

A meeting is being held in London on 19th May to explore the study’s findings and proposals.

For more information and also a short article on Shared Services in general go to the HELibTech ‘Shared Services’ page: http://helibtech.com/Shared+Services You are welcome to edit the page and to join in the discussion started by SCONUL.

HELibTech contains a wealth of information about library technology. (See LGLibTech http://lglibtech.wikispaces.com/  for information on Local Government Library Technology-public libraries ).

‘Shared Services’ is one of the ‘Specific Themes’ listed on the HELibTech home page http://helibtech.com/ Other themes are Open Source and RFID. You are welcome to add others.

Welsh Libraries, Archives and Museums Conference 2010- last chance to book

This week is the last chance to book a place at the Welsh Libraries, Archives and Museums Conference 2010: Hard Times, service survival through innovation

Please visit the link for more information and booking forms: http://www.cilip.org.uk/get-involved/regional-branches/wales-cymru/pages/conference-2010.aspx  

FREE Transport to and from the 2 day conference, bus routes cover North, Mid and South Wales: http://www.cilip.org.uk/filedownloadslibrary/2010%20welsh%20conference%20free%20bus%20info.pdf  

FREE Archive and Museums places for Thursday 13th May 2010: There are a very limited number of FREE day places left for Archives and Museums staff, if you want one please fill in the booking form and write FREE Archive or FREE Museum at the top and e-mail to Jessica Spring, eps@aber.ac.uk  this week.

Conference venue information: http://www.metropole.co.uk/