Keeping Track of Our Heritage
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9/17/2008 Keeping Track of Our Heritage
Wednesday morning already. A bright, clear day, or at least we think as we peer through the shutters on the windows. The Guin Auction bidding has picked up pace and folks are bidding happily on the many fine items donated for the cause.
State of the Nation’s Marine Protected Areas by Dr. Rikki Dunsmore
Having an area designated as a Marine Protected Area does not always mean that the area is truly protected. Many of these areas are still designated as multi-use. Very few areas are no-take areas that actually prohibit fishing and protect the environment. Kind of disheartening to think that folks spend all that time getting areas designated and the area may not necessarily be protected as they think.
MagicJack by Joe Wible
Use your computer as a telephone. The only available numbers are in the U.S. and Canada, but then you can call from anywhere in the world using that number. The service is an annual subscription.
Story Place by Suzie Davies
The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park is bringing the story of the reef to the people and bringing the people to the story. By tying aboriginal literature to the story, they are expanding how people learn about the reef and using traditional knowledge to care for the reef.
Pacific Islands Climate Change Portal by Peter Murgatroyd
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Reefbase Pacific Information Portal: Livelihoods, Fisheries and Biodiversity by Pip Cohen and Asenaca Valemei
Information portals are becoming more important for sharing online information and creating common knowledge areas.
During the morning break, we took time to have a group photo, in between the very important task of bidding on Guin Auction items and eating the delicious spread of food. Of course, the group photo resembled herding cats into a cage for a trip to the vet, but we got there and actually have a couple of decent photos to show for the effort.
Lunch was another sumptuous spread of various ethnic delicacies, but there was a lot of attention on the Guin Auction.
Information Commons: an Overview by Elizabeth Winiarz
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Learning Commons Planning: One Size Does Not Fit All by Jan & Mary Heckman
Many universities are now developing areas known as information commons for students to have comfortable places in the library to enjoy finding information. Comfortable seating, low lighting and other extra electrical outlets are hallmarks of these areas. Increasingly, libraries are also allowing food and drink inside the library in these areas to encourage student use.
While these presentations may seem to be very similar, there was enough difference in the true heart of the topics to make both well worth paying attention.
The Aquatic Commons and OceanDocs by Suzie Davies and Steve Watkins
The Aquatic Commons is continuing to evolve as more participants are contributing to the effort.
Afternoon tea had many discussing the information commons ideas as well as the Aquatic Commons digital library efforts. Folks were also busy guarding their favorite items in the Guin Auction. As the break came to an end, final bids were fast and frantic. As the auctioneer, I missed the IAMSLIC IOC Memorandum of Understanding brainstorming session in the afternoon. The auction raised $716 for the Guin Fund this year. Not a bad amount for about 50 items.
The day closed early as we all returned to hotels and rooms to prepare the the banquet in the evening.
The banquet was held in the dining hall on the University of the South Pacific’s upper campus. The staff had spent a bit of time decorating. Beer & wine were flowing freely (when do they not at IAMSLIC conference banquets) as we celebrated the ending of another fine conference. A few of the more adventurous male attendees chose to wear their sulus. Hm. Who won the pool on when the first one would fall off?
Before dinner, we were treated to contemporary South Pacific dancing by dancers from the Oceania Centre for Arts and Culture. The last dance had us all up and dancing along to get us in the party mood. Dinner was a scrumptious buffet of Fijian, Indian and hybrid dishes.
Shortly after dinner, the dancing started. Several of the less party animal types left at this point. So, we missed the excitement of disrobing, albeit accidentally, later in the evening. Shoot, I could have paid for my trip to Belgium with that money.
