Confessions of a Mad Librarian

I've been meaning to blog about this for a while, but I've fallen out of the habit, unfortunately.

Nonetheless, I had to blog about this ...

I re-joined CLA (California Library Association). Registered for the Annual Conference in San Jose. Then, earlier today, I gave my first conference presentation.

"Privacy Concerns of Social Networking" was the title I thought up at the time when I submitted the proposal to talk about the issue of online information and Web 2.0. I had 45 minutes during a prominent lunchtime lecture, but people showed up and even stayed.

I took what would be considered a hard-line stance: there are myriad privacy issues with social networking, it's not the end of privacy and libraries/librarians have a role to play in pushing back against

Yes, I believe it. But it's the start of a conversation (I hope!) and I don't have solutions. I have suggestions, though ... look & see (PDF).

So ... the presentation was ... okay. I knew what I wanted to say, I didn't have the best flow with the slides, but I didn't keep my head in my notes and I made eye contact. Interesting comment section (someone thought that privacy as we know it is dead, one mentioned the USA PATRIOT Act and one asked about age verification practices (in connection with COPPA). I had an attack of flop sweat and forgot my words on occasion, but I'm told that it was otherwise a good job.

But then my day got even better when I HAD LUNCH WITH ZOIA HORN!!!

*squeeing and jumping around commences*

It was lovely. She is lovely and as the young people used to say, quite fierce. Truly an honour and pleasure to talk with her and hear her story from her lips.

Truly excellent day.