May
16
I was lucky enough this evening to be asked to have dinner with the famed library blogger of TameTheWeb, Michael Stephens. I wasn't entirely sure of what to expect. I sat in on a presentation he gave at the Polaris Users' Group conference in Syracuse last summer and his talk was very inspiring and motivational. He'll be providing a day long presentation on two days (tomorrow and the following day) to a sold-out crowd of librarians and staff members interested in his talks (or told they had to attend by superiors, though I believe it's more of the former); I'll be attending Friday's session (long weekend, anyone?).
As I was saying, I wasn't sure what to expect at tonight's dinner. I wanted to just start blurting out questions, comments, satire, and many other things related to library websites, but at the same time...it's dinner, not work. I wasn't sure where he drew the separation line and I didn't want to cross it. Sitting right next to him was a little daunting (not that he's a celebrity and I'm a lowly pauper in aspiration, only the fact that I felt like I should have something to contribute to conversation, but everything I do during the day is web-related). He was apparently exhausted from all the traveling he's been doing (though I think he often is), and is currently finishing his dissertation - though don't confuse my take of him from tonight with his presentational tone, which is very lively and expressive. He's completed the fourth chapter out of his planned 5, and has also planned to be finished in two weeks. That's quite ambitious considering his schedule; I feel a little bad in that he (assumingly) has little time for himself.
Either way, I'm looking forward to the presentation on Friday. I may know and be familiar with the majority of the things he'll be discussing, but his style of talking, as I said, is very motivating to me, and I could use some motivation about now...especially with all the new buds growing on the trees and warm weather outside!
So, anyone have any questions for Michael Stephens?
On a side note, I used MagpieRSS today to pull RSS feeds from an HTTP Authenticated (intranet) page, and it only took me about 15 minutes (it would have taken 2-3 on a standard configuration of PHP, and without HTTP Auth). I was quite pleased at how easy it was. I'll probably eventually write my own RSS/Atom parser, but for the meantime, this'll do nicely.
Either way, I'm looking forward to the presentation on Friday. I may know and be familiar with the majority of the things he'll be discussing, but his style of talking, as I said, is very motivating to me, and I could use some motivation about now...especially with all the new buds growing on the trees and warm weather outside!
So, anyone have any questions for Michael Stephens?
On a side note, I used MagpieRSS today to pull RSS feeds from an HTTP Authenticated (intranet) page, and it only took me about 15 minutes (it would have taken 2-3 on a standard configuration of PHP, and without HTTP Auth). I was quite pleased at how easy it was. I'll probably eventually write my own RSS/Atom parser, but for the meantime, this'll do nicely.
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