Mash time!

Paul Stainthorp , , , , , ,

Wordle: Mashed Library Pancakes and Mash interestsThe ‘meat’ in the sandwich of Pancakes and Mash (if that’s not too unpleasant a culinary mixed metaphor) will be the six practical mashing workshops—three in the morning, three in the afternoon—that form the bulk of our programme.

Each of the six workshop sessions will have its own resident mashup expert(s). Following the ‘unconference’ spirit of Mashed Library, the experts’ job will not be to give a traditional presentation or to lead the workshop, but to act as a catalyst for spontaneous group discussion and creativity.

That’s the idea, anyway.

Here are the six workshops we have planned. They’re all listed on the programme:

  1. “We Can Haz Ur Data!?” with Alex Bilbie & Nick Jackson, University of Lincoln
  2. “Using Web2.0 tools to save libraries” with Gary Green, Surrey County Council. (Gary’s also giving the keynote presentation in the morning)
  3. “Metadata Forum: building a community around metadata” with Stephanie Taylor, UKOLN
  4. “From zero to hero: building a simple library web app in under an hour” with Julian Cheal, UKOLN
  5. “Mash for lunch” with Alison McNab, De Montfort University / “Across the divide: how geeks and non geeks can have meaningful conversations with each other, and how we’re all the same, really” with Stephanie Taylor, UKOLN
  6. “Mangling MARC and Munging Metadata” with Owen Stephens, Owen Stephens Consulting

For inspiration, the word cloud on this blog post was created from all the answers people gave on the Pancakes and Mash booking form, to the question: “What subjects, technologies or aspects of Mashed Library are you interested in?“

Progress report

Paul Stainthorp , , , , ,

Just a quick note, with less than a month to go, to let you know where we are with the preparations for Pancakes and Mash:

  • 50 people now booked in! Just 10 places remaining.
  • Venues, catering (inc. pancakes) and wifi all sorted.
  • Keynote speaker confirmed.
  • Programme shaping up: 3 out of the 6 practical mashing sessions have a confirmed, resident ‘expert’ and a theme.

What we still need to do:

  • Lanyards, badges, library access cards, flipcharts, pens, laptops, sign-in details, directional signs/posters, drinks & nibbles for our reception on the evening of Monday 7 March, cake, cake, cake and more cake.

Tick, tock…

Keynote: a Loud Voice in the Library!

Paul Stainthorp , , , , , ,

Photo: Gary GreenA round of applause for Gary Green (Technical Librarian, Surrey County Council Library Service), who’ll be kicking us off on the 8th with a keynote presentation on : “Loud Library Voices: Campaigning, The Web, Journalists & The Offline World“.

Gary graduated from Manchester Metropolitan University with a BA(Hons) degree in Information and Library Management in 2004. Following graduation he worked in higher education libraries. He has worked for Surrey County Council Public Library Service for 13 years, initially starting out as a cataloguer. His current position within the Virtual Content Team, as Technical Librarian, is to oversee catalogue development, EDI support and support the development of on-line web and social media services for the library service.

He is also a founder member of Voices For The Library, a campaign dedicated to defending the values of public libraries. See also Gary’s own blog at: http://informationtwist.wordpress.com/

We’ll follow up Gary’s keynote with a practical mashing session about using Web 2.0 tools to help save libraries.

Getting there.

Paul Stainthorp , , , , , , , ,

Details of transport to, from, and around the city of Lincoln.

Lincoln is a small, compact city and it’s only a short walk from the Brayford Waterfront (where the University campus is located) to the High Street and the historic uphill Cathedral Quarter. However there is a ‘Walk & Ride‘ shuttlebus between downhill and uphill Lincoln, if you don’t fancy tackling Steep Hill.

Steep Hill Lincoln

By train

There are connections to Lincoln Central from the East Coast Main Line at Peterborough, Newark, Retford and Doncaster.

The University of Lincoln’s campus (the venue for Pancakes and Mash) is a short walk from the station:

  • Come out of the railway station and turn left along St Mary’s Street. Go to the end of the street, to the church of St Mary-le-Wigford, by the traffic lights.
  • Cross the High Street by the level crossing. (If the traffic is busy, it can be safer to cross to the pedestrian precinct near Nationwide and then use the subway opposite, by Greggs, to cross the road.)
  • Go along the path to the right of the British Heart Foundation charity shop, up Wigford Way.
  • Turn left onto Brayford Street and walk past the entrance to the NCP car park.
  • At the end of this road turn left on to Brayford Wharf East, and cross the road toward the lake (Brayford Pool).
  • Turn right before the level crossing and follow the footpath on to the campus.
  • Walk straight through the Main Admin Building and out the other side. EMMTEC will be in front of you, to your right.

(You can see this route on the Pancakes and Mash Google Map.)


View Pancakes and Mash in a larger map

By car

Unfortunately there is no parking available on campus, but there are a number of public car parks nearby, including discounted parking for visitors to the University at the NCP ‘High Street’ multi-storey car park on Brayford Street (LN5 7BJ). To receive a discount in this car park, you will need to take your ticket to a validation machine in the Engine Shed (Tower Bar) on campus before you return to your car.

Other public car parks in Lincoln:

Campus map: where can I mash?

Paul Stainthorp , , , , , , , , ,

The University of Lincoln’s Brayford Pool campus has plenty of open-access areas that are perfect for mashing. There’s wireless internet access in all campus buildings.

On the Pancakes and Mash Google Map, buildings that play some part in the Pancakes and Mash programme are coloured red. Other campus buildings that you can mash in are coloured blue.


View Pancakes and Mash in a larger map

Cathedral / Brayford Pool (north) side of the railway line:

  • EMMTEC
    (The main venue for Pancakes and Mash. Refreshments will be served in here at 10.00, 11.30, and 16.00)

    • Brayford Suite (MT205)
    • Carholme Suite (MT207)
    • Guildhall Suite (MT208)
    • EMMTEC Foyer
  • The Atrium, Main Admin Building
    (Lunch will be served in here at 13.00)

GCW Library (south) side of the railway line:

  • Architecture Building (café)
    (The keynote lecture will be in here at 10.30)
  • LPAC (café)
  • Engine Shed (Tower Bar “Hub”)
  • GCW Library
    (The pre-mashlib drinks reception will be held in here, on Monday 7 March at 19.00. Your conference badge will allow you through the turnstile barriers)
  • Enterprise@Lincoln (café)
  • Business & Law building