40th Annual Conference: Day 5

Day 5: Thursday September 18
After Mary-Clare’s announcement that the name tags Proqest sent via a boat that encountered rough voyage arrived yesterday, we embarked on the final day.

Verenaisi Bavadra was first speaker of the day to talk about managing open data in the Pacific. USP and SPC fisheries use Greenstone but SPC/SOPAC uses  software that is more map friendly because they do mapping and bathymetry.   There are a number of open databases built and maintained by the different entities serving the region.  The challenges tend to revolve around the diversity of technology and the distance influencing communication.  There is often duplication because it’s hard to know who is doing what.  Also one has to consider the problem of knowing the quality of the data included.  There are many agencies all discussing the topic of open data but what is supposedly open is not always really open – some want to keep their data under “control.”    One of the directions planning is focusing on is utilization of cloud computing.

Dang Tai Hai Yen then told us about preservation of rare books in the Vietnam Institute of Oceanography by digitizing them. The library had been founded in 1922 and has books from the 1800’s.  Important rare books were identified for preservation as the environmental conditions and human impact on them has been quite detrimental.  For example, they have digitized all 32 volumes of the HMS Discovery reports.  This project was an important component of capacity building in Vietnam.  The benefits of IODE participation have been invaluable.

Next up was supposed to be Alice Endra of Uganda but she was unable to attend so Samuela gave the highlights of her presentation from the PowerPoint she had sent about digitizing historical fisheries information in her country.

I moderated the last session which started with Daryl Superio, information assistant at SEAFDAC.  He talked about the damage typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) had on Phillipines. 195 mph winds. His study was conducted in Western Visayas region.  18% of the libraries had a disaster management plan (DMP) and 83% plan to have one! Major reason to not having plan is lack of personnel and second is no budget.  When asked about priority level of library to management in a disaster, a discussion ensued about library’s are not high on any priority list so we need to be ready to take care of ourselves.  We need to be prepared.

For the panel discussion on DMP, Lyra started with some training and preparedness that would be beneficial within each institution.  Have a plan and practice it.  Daryl talked about a fire at his library caused by lightening hitting an air conditioner unit which burst into flame.  The fire department response added water to the damage.  Then they had a flood in their storage room where their extra publications are stored when construction guys hit pipe to the staff toilet and broke it.  It’s not just typhoons and tsunamis we need to prepare for.  I was last speaker and attempted to legitimize my participation by showing pictures from my library’s flood.  I then handed out the disaster pocket plan form and directions on how to make canopies in case of leaking roofs.  You can find links to disaster planning tools here: http://library.manoa.hawaii.edu/departments/preservation/d-resources.html

Tea time!  Our last tea break offered the usual delicate pastries and today’s special? A canoe of tea sandwiches!  No, not a real canoe, but two great big loaves of bread that had been hollowed out and filled with assorted sandwiches cut in triangles.  We had our choice of salami, prosciutto, potted meat, or brie.  We have been totally spoiled!

Back to the meeting room for the second business meeting.  I was taking the minutes so you’ll have to look up the full report later.  For now I’ll let you know the highlights are the changing of the guard – Sally is now past president and Guillermina steps into the presidency.  It was announced that Steve Watkins is the jr. President-elect and Kristen LaBonte was elected treasurer.  Helen Wibley then invited us, on behalf of Maria Kalentsits, to Rome for IAMSLIC 2015, 7-11 September.  FAO will host.

Thus ended the 2014 conference!  The PIRG group had actually sung us farewell at the end of last nights banquet as some members departed earlier today.  This was truly an excellent conference – Mary-Clare and company really put on an awesome show.  Thanks to you all!

Due to technical difficulties the Aquatic Commons work party spent the afternoon lolling on the beach and some of us visited the aquarium.

Modestly submitted by Kris Anderson.  See you in Rome!

September 18, 2014 · Filed under Announcements

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