Pensar como una empresa emergente. Un libro blanco para inspirar el espíritu empresarial en la biblioteca

L’autor planteja que els bibliotecaris i les biblioteques acadèmiques, per tal de sobreviure, han de començar a pensar i actuar com les empreses emergents (startup), que són aquelles que es dediquen a crear quelcom nou en condicions d’extrema inseguretat. Les biblioteques, com aquestes empreses, no s’han de limitar a fer més del mateix, a milllorar els serveis i activitats que han ofert fins ara, sinó que han de crear coses noves, han de tenir idees disruptives, innovadores, transformadores, necessiten un canvi de paradigma. S’ha de redefinir la professió. Per tal d’aconseguir-ho proposa el mè-tode Lean Startup o les seves variants, que es basen en un procés per fases que es repeteixen constantment: construir, mesurar, aprendre. Els conceptes d’innovar i treballar amb les idees són bàsics per l’autor. Pensar coses noves, fer crèixer les idees, no entre-tenir-se en les que no funcionen, provar-les i aprendre dels resultats i tornar a començar.The author proposes that libraries and librarians, in order to survive, should begin to think and act as a startup, which are those organizations devoted to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. Libraries, as startup, can-not limit themselves to do more of the same, to improve the services and activities they have offered until now, but they have to create something new, they need disruptive, breakthrough, transformative, paradigm-shifting ideas. Profession has to be redefined. To achieve it he poses the exemple of Lean Startup methodology or any of its variations, based on a phased process that iterate forever: build, measure, learn.Innovation and working with ideas are core concepts for the autor. Think new things, grow ideas, give up new ideas if they just don’t work, probe and learn from outcomes and begin again.El autor plantea que los bibliotecarios y las bibliotecas, si quieren sobrevivir, tienen que empezar a pensar y actuar como las empresas emergentes (startup), que son las que se dedican a crear algo nuevo en condiciones de extrema inseguridad. Las bibliotecas, como estas empresas, no tienen que limitarse a hacer más de lo mismo, a mejorar los servicios y actividades que han ofrecido hasta ahora, sino que tienen que crear cosas nuevas, han de tener ideas disruptivas, innovadoras, trans-formadoras, necesitan un cambio de paradigma. Se tiene que redefinir la profesión. Para conseguirlo pone como ejemplo el método Lean Startup o una de sus variantes, que se basan en un proceso por fases que se repiten constantemente: construir, medir, aprender.Los conceptos de innovar y trabajar con las ideas son básicos para el autor. Pensar cosas nuevas, hacer crecer las ideas, no entretenerse con las que no funcionan, probarlas y aprender de los resultados y volver a empezar

Author Correction: Synchronized Biventricular Heart Pacing in a Closed-chest Porcine Model based on Wirelessly Powered Leadless Pacemakers.

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper

HUBS AND CENTERS AS TRANSITIONAL CHANGE STRATEGY FOR LIBRARY COLLABORATION

Libraries of science and technology universities worldwide are adapting to a changing environment where cyberinfrastructure, eResearch, and new technology-intensive approaches to teaching and learning are transforming the very nature of universities. While many have adopted new technologies and the resources and expertise to manage them, this is only an initial step. Libraries are experimenting with organizational models that will transform their work capacity and expertise. The goal of these libraries is being an entity that feeds and produces collaborative synergies between faculty, students, information professionals, and technologists. Virginia Tech, among the top research universities in the United States, and its constituent libraries are adopting a unique organizational change strategy that implements eScience and cyberlearning roles. This two-part strategy begins with establishing ‘hubs’. The hubs are collaborative, cross-departmental groups in which library employees of varying backgrounds and skills come together on common themes of strategic importance. The hubs act in one sense as a ‘research & development lab’ to explore, imagine, and brainstorm new library initiatives as well as engender deeper understandings of the university’s core academic enterprise. They also are a ‘strike force’ that implements, supports, and assesses emerging library roles in relation to the institution’s academic mission. In these ways, hubs also create learning and scholarship opportunities for their participants beyond the individual task-oriented projects. The second part of this strategy involves the establishment of research and service centers. At Virginia Tech, these are the Center for Innovation in Learning (CIL) and the Center for Digital Research and Scholarship (CDRS). These centers are designed to incubate and sustain new collaborative synergies between libraries, researchers, instructors, and learners by providing expertise, resources, and new infrastructures to address specific academic research-based needs. The centers become focal points for library action, focused on learning and research activities within other university entities. Benefits to library employees come in the form of scholarship and research with potential for collaboration and new initiatives as relationships grow among project participants. The authors will discuss transformational aspects of the change management model, with lessons from their early experiences. They also will discuss how the model can be adapted by other libraries of science and technology-centered universities

Social Bookmarking: What are the Implications for Teaching and Learning

Presented at the ACRL/CNI/Educasue Virtural Conference, April 200

Canals, Bridges and Urban Maintenance

This project aims to produce up-to-date information for a comprehensive list of canals, segments and bridges, and to study ways to achieve a reduction in the maintenance cost of canals and related infrastructure. To achieve this, information from past WPI projects, as well as local organizations, was examined. This project’s results include organized spreadsheets, public information pages, and web applications. These products streamline accessing and understanding the data and encourage continued knowledge of the importance of Venice’s unique urban infrastructure