tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post1626200765518671583..comments2023-04-29T04:04:39.274-07:00Comments on Trying to be a librarian: When did it become OK to be rude to each other?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03106480464887936509noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post-3881411422491756132013-12-04T06:56:06.694-08:002013-12-04T06:56:06.694-08:00I enjoyed my first Library Camp, but as someone wh...I enjoyed my first Library Camp, but as someone who is used to the idea of using a phone whilst someone is speaking being rude, the live tweeting took a bit of getting used to! I'm one of those people who claim to be able to multitask, but I know in reality that there is only so much I can concentrate on at once. It is good to see what people were noting as they went however and since this was being actively encouraged I think it's fair enough.<br /><br />I picked up on a couple of less-than-polite tweets and it *is* like passing notes in class, except that in class the notes aren't normally put on the wall for the subject to dwell on at the end of the lesson. Twitter can be extremely useful, but hopefully as a way of promoting things and spreading news - negative stuff can be kept private: I've been surprised before at the things some people seem happy to write on a completely public forum. Then again, maybe it's better to know what people are really thinking...<br />Nancyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15199570654087194044noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post-74119568173058703102013-12-04T00:46:21.584-08:002013-12-04T00:46:21.584-08:00The children at the back of the classroom comparis...The children at the back of the classroom comparison is an excellent one. I've been through the tweets from Saturday's Library Camp a couple of times and the 'back channel' tweets you refer to were in a tiny minority and most of the tweets were recording what was being said in sessions and facilitating positive discussion and debate. I have since realised that some of the back channel tweets were happening 'off the hashtag' if that's an appropriate term to use, and I wasn't too happy that some comments were being directed at friends of mine. I'm a sensitive soul and really dislike negativity and conflict. <br /><br />Again, I can't emphasise enough that this post is more about humans and their relationship with each other via social media generally rather than me trying to pick fault with Library Camp. My reasons for not enjoying the day as much as I've enjoyed other Library Camps in the past is entirely down to me and I wasn't feeling 100% on the day. My post is more of a combination of thoughts I've been having for the past few months about social media and communication in general. I think sometimes I do tend to focus on the negative aspects of things as my use of social media is mostly positive, it's just that the negativity often plays on my mind a lot more than any positive interactions, which I suppose would be the same with face-to-face communication too. <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03106480464887936509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post-30038622819958670292013-12-04T00:16:58.051-08:002013-12-04T00:16:58.051-08:00Thaks for posting this, I think it's an intere...Thaks for posting this, I think it's an interesting point to discuss. I've encountered the same phenomenon, and I've got to say that I don't think it's new, allthough I have seen it far more at some conferences than others (inside and outside the library world). <br /><br />For me, there are three main ways people use Twitter at these kind of events: as a way of taking notes, as a way of sharing, and as what's sometimes called the back channel. In its best form, the back channel exists as a critical friend, providing a counter opinion to the prevailing current of a conference. In its worst form, it appears as the modern day equivalent of children passing rude notes at the back of a classroom. <br /><br />For me, the realisation that Twitter could be used to share a conference in a meaningful way was a bit of a threshold concept when it came to understanding the medium. Sharing and engaging simultaneously is a skill I value, and have worked hard to develop. I therefore wouldn't suggest getting rid of social media across whole conferences, but I would be fine with a speaker asking for an audience not to use it (or to limit it appropriately) in an interactive session if they wanted 100% engagement from those in the room. <br /><br />I'd also suggest it's worth subtly pointing out to those 'passing notes' how visible they actually are: it's worth demonstrating the impact of these conversations (as you've done here) as people tend not to feel so accountable in an online space. Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01315524876011826222noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post-47571730826561598082013-12-03T17:35:11.615-08:002013-12-03T17:35:11.615-08:00This was a rather surprising article to read! Sat...This was a rather surprising article to read! Saturday at LibCampUK 13 was my first "unconference" after many years of traditional academic workshops, conferences, etc and I absolutely loved it. The relaxed atmosphere, great people, willingness to share ideas and opinions, and oodles of cake were a refreshing change. So much so that I've just been singing its praises to non-library researchers this evening as a way of invigorating their research workshops.<br /><br />I have to say that I tweeted quite a bit before, during and after the sessions and I found it an invaluable communication stream. I can quite happily listen and grok what's being said whilst typing - for me tweeting interesting snippets is no more distracting than making notes. And those tweets have lead to some great post-camp online discussions and contacts being formed. It also meant that I could see what was happening in other streams when I really didn't want to use my two feet to leave a session (which was all of them in my case as they were all interesting discussions). Indeed I was rather annoyed that my phone battery ran out just after lunch so I had to go "dark" in the afternoon sessions and didn't find out what was happening at the other groups. Of course if something really interesting had popped up on twitter from another group that might have encouraged me to use the two feet rule.<br /><br />I'm also really surprised to read that you felt people were being unpleasant on Twitter. I tried to keep up with the #libcampuk13 hash tag feed when I could and everyone seemed really positive and nice. At least from the point of view of a techie... we might have different norms "pleasant" of course!Jon Knighthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00640306778393051318noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post-20809857083081009282013-12-03T04:51:42.837-08:002013-12-03T04:51:42.837-08:00I definitely agree that it is societal trends rath...I definitely agree that it is societal trends rather than just our profession, it's so easy to hide behind a phone/computer/tablet these days. I do feel like people's social skills are being lost because people aren't practicing them enough.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03106480464887936509noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post-61056343657616611292013-12-03T03:32:05.143-08:002013-12-03T03:32:05.143-08:00I think this is a really interesting blog post and...I think this is a really interesting blog post and raises some important issues for us all to reflect on as individuals and as a profession (why are we tweeting, what are we tweeting, how are we tweeting). <br /><br />There can be merit to highlighting something you don't agree with in a session for wider discussion on Twitter (or equally something you do agree with), but I agree that I would not want that to be at the expense of having that discussion in the session itself. People may not always feel comfortable raising things in a session or may think of something after the discussion has moved on, so I think there should always be the option for less direct discussion if people do not want to raise something in the session for whatever reason. However, it sounds like the incidents that have prompted this post were of a different nature.<br /><br />I think this is a good idea for a future Library Camp pitch!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post-67548740141078163592013-12-03T03:06:33.790-08:002013-12-03T03:06:33.790-08:00I went to my first library camp a couple of months...I went to my first library camp a couple of months ago, and it was what persuaded me to get back into Twitter and stay in touch with librarians; I'm really sad that you didn't get more out of the one you attended, but it sounds like just the one, so hopefully it won't be like that at future events!<br /><br />I have to confess I'm not a fan of live-tweeting or live-blogging - to me it's like being at lectures again, and the information passes straight from the ears to the hands, never to be digested by the brain! In order to fully engage with what's going on, I have to make the notes and ask questions there, and only write about it after I've had time to go home and think about it.<br /><br />The other points you make: preferring online over real-life interaction, the rudeness encountered in social media; I think are indicative of societal trends rather than a particularly librarial idiosyncrasy. We are still getting used to communicating this way, and I think there's a tendency for people to forget that the comment they were going to make about the speaker's horrible shoes is better expressed as a throwaway comment whispered in the ear of the person next to them than a hashtagged tweet on a public and permanent forum!Dianahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16192346491134106882noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2960446969720272669.post-51144536005229913092013-12-02T15:42:52.722-08:002013-12-02T15:42:52.722-08:00Agree wholeheartedly with you that never OK to be ...Agree wholeheartedly with you that never OK to be rude or personal. Sad when other think it is alright. Regarding tweeting during sessions - when I tweet at events it is for me the equivalent of taking brief notes to remind myself (and incidently let others know about) key points. I'm listening at the same time - and also contributing. I type faster than I write, so takes less effort for me ;) libchrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15351077196965048433noreply@blogger.com