SAOUG Blog

SAOUG workshop, 11 Nov 2011

2011-11-07T10:15:00.001+02:00

The SAOUG end of the year function/workshop will take place on 11 November 2011 at River Place Country Estate from 11.00h.

The talk: "Writing for social media and business" – by Tiffany Markman

Learn more by visiting the SAOUG website

Pavlinka Kovatcheva
SAOUG committee member

EASTERN CAPE MEETING - 21 Junie 2011

2011-07-01T09:12:00.002+02:00

On 21 June 2011 the Eastern Cape Branch of the SAOUG held their first event of 2011 in the Senate Hall of the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (North Campus) in Port Elizabeth. Altogether 34 delegates attended the event.

Hennie Rautenbach and meeting delegates

Hennie Rautenbach gave a most interesting and entertaining talk on Social Networking: tips and tricks. One of the delegates remarked afterwards that Hennie could easily have started earlier and given a lengthier talk as there was so much that all of us learnt from him.

Susan Scheepers, who has the portfolio on SAOUG Membership, told delegates more about SAOUG’s aims, interests and functions, and encouraged delegates to join.

Madeleine Claire was elected as the EC Branch Meetings Organizer, and Pelisa Hlanga as the EC Branch Honorary Secretary.

After the event, delegates enjoyed a finger lunch.

Jean Thomas

Jean.Thomas@nmmu.ac.za

Invitation to SAOUG Workshop: 25 May 2011

2011-04-18T14:25:00.000+02:00

The SAOUG invites you to attend on 25 May 2011, the workshop on "How effective is our information nervous system?" – talk by Johann Havenga

For more information and registration, visit the SAOUG website.

SAOUG End of the Year Function: Invitattion

2010-10-29T09:55:00.000+02:00

Don't miss the last opportunity to be at the South African Online User Group (SAOUG)

End of the year function.

Date: Friday, 12 November 2010

Venue: The Castle Kyalami, 66 Pine Road, Kyalami, Gauteng

Time: 11:00 - late afternoon

Please RSVP to Christa Fourie by 5 November 2010
E-mail: christaf@saonlineinfo.co.za
Contact Christa also for SAOUG Exco Nomination Forms

Programme:
11:00 – 11:30 Registration
11:30 – 12:00 AGM : Chairperson’s Report, Financials and Exco Vote
12:00 - 13:00 Talk : “Good news...bad news...the demise of newspapers” with special reference to all the fuss about a media tribunal / by David Bullard
13:00 - Late Lunch

Visit the SAOUG website for more information

SAOIM: The Next Generation Library Professionals: Open Discussion

2010-08-05T15:09:00.001+02:00

From this afternoon session the discussion was on:

Are LIS schools teaching the right competencies?

We want your comments and suggestions. Use this blog to start the discussion!

Post & pictures: Pavlinka Kovatcheva

10th Southern African Information Meeting: The Piblishers, Vendors & Agents

2010-08-05T14:49:00.002+02:00

Honouring all Publishers, Vendors and Agents who supported the SAOIM!

Thank you!

Blog post: Pavlinka Kovatcheva

10th Southern African Online Information Meeting: The Birthday celebration

2010-08-05T11:41:00.029+02:00

Special dinner to celebrate the SAOUG's 30th year in existence as well as the 10th SAOIM was held on 4th August at the Union Caterers, Utopia Place, Pretoria. Over 90 delegates, publishers and vendors have attended the event. The pictures are proof for the good time we had.

Pictures & Blog post: Pavlinka Kovatcheva

10th Southern African Online Information Meeting: Day 2

2010-08-04T11:57:00.033+02:00

Welcome to the 10th Southern Africa Online Information Meeting: Past, Present & Future

3-6 August 2010, CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa

Organised by SAOUG together with SLIS and OSALL

Session 10.30 - 12.00h

Meet the SAOUG financial people.

Visit the SAOUG stand

Birthday cup cakes for you

Johannie Steyn from University of Johannesburg

Keynote speaker Pieter van Brakel presented on "Are your clients on Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn....?

Doctor, Doctor, please help me

Paper from the Conference will be available soon...

Blog post & pictures: Pavlinka Kovatheva

10th Southern African Online Information Meeting: Day 1 Workshops

2010-08-04T11:26:00.002+02:00

Welcome to the 10th Southern Africa Online Information Meeting: Past, Present & Future

3-6 August 2010, CSIR, Pretoria, South Africa

3 August 2010: Workshops on "Non-textual search" and "Web-site evaluation tools: changing criteria" presented by Marydee Ojala.

Blog post and pictures: Pavlinka Kovatcheva

Register for the SAOUG workshop: Broadband in South Africa

2010-04-30T09:04:00.000+02:00

You are cordially invited to the

Southern African Online User Group (SAOUG) talk:

Broadband in South Africa

Date: Tuesday, 11 May 2010

Venue: ‘nt Shonalanga Valley

Time: 10:30-14:00
Cost: R50 for members; R500 for non-members

Programme:

10:30 - 11:00 Registration

11:00 – 12:00 Broadband in South Africa / talk by Alan Knott-Craig Jr.

12:00 – 14:00 Lunch

About the talk:

How do you connect to the Internet?
Why is the rest of the world so much cheaper?
What is the future for broadband in SA?
What is the future of SA?

About the Presenter:

Alan Knott-Craig qualified as a Chartered Accountant (SA) in 2002. In October 2003 he founded South Africa’s first location-based mobile services company, Cellfind. In 2004 he co-founded Lucky Mobile, a provider of entertainment content for mobile phones. In 2005 he co-founded iFind34600, the world’s first location-based SMS directory enquiry service. In 2006, he co-founded 6th Line, a software development company focusing on the development of platforms supporting user-generated content for mobile phones. On 1 January 2006 he was appointed Managing Director of iBurst, a provider of wireless broadband. In April 2008 he published Don’t Panic, a collection of stories explaining why people live in South Africa, In May 2008, Alan founded “The Trust”, a not-for-profit organisation that provides a platform for individuals to locate accredited charities and easily make financial contributions. In January 2009 he founded COLV, a company that develops credit card fraud prevention software for banks. In February 2009 he was nominated as one of the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders. In April 2009 he resigned from iBurst in order to relocate his family to Stellenbosch.

Please RSVP by Tuesday, 4 May 2010 to Christa on:
E-mail: christaf@saonlineinfo.co.za

Posted by Pavlinka

SAOUG Conference, August 2010: Call for Papers submission date 1 April 2010

2010-03-27T09:12:00.005+02:00

The 10th South African Online Information Meeting: Past, Present and Future, CSIR International Convention Centre, Pretoria, 4-5 August 2010.

Call for Papers submission date: 1 April 2010

Submission Guidelines

SAOUG webpage

Renew or join SAOUG Membership for April 2010-March 2011.

SAOUG Valentine's Workshop: Social Networking

2010-02-12T22:49:00.008+02:00

SOUTH AFRICAN ONLINE USER GROUP (SAOUG)

Valentine's Workshop 12 February 2010

Adler Museum, Wits Medical School

Talk by Hennie Rautenbach, SabinetOnline

"Social Networking - Tips & Tricks"

The SAOUG members, who attended the Annual Valentine’s Breakfast, received a splendid treat on Friday 12 February 2010. Not only did the caterers arrange a delectable table of filled croissants, pasties and the ever popular fruit kebab, but the venue was most fascinating peering into the history of medicine and apothecary. Though a venue change took place, the Adler Museum proved to be an advisory to the first chosen Origins Centre. Members needn’t worry. A suitable SAOUG meeting is promised to be hosted there in future.

The best treat of the day of course was the speaker, Hennie Rautenbach, whom many in the library & information community know as “Sabinet’s IT guy”. Hennie gave his view on the social networking phenomena – he captivated and entertained the audience with quirky humor whilst answering several interesting questions such as where did social networks start, what is required to use social networking technology, and what if I don’t have a PC? Those with a Facebook presence, but not in the junkie category, received a few tips on how to rid your in-box of unwanted hatchling eggs, flowers or quiz invitations. Explaining that he is no expert, and only “playing around” as a hobby he made double sure of conveying the latest juicy developments such as Google Buzz, Picasa, Google Goggles, Panoramia.

No IT presentation is complete without some gadgets. Yes, photo frames can search images on the web! (The writer doesn’t even own one). There is even a solution for social networking junkies with profiles on every site imaginable, but do you really want all your personal secrets collated for the next company to whom your CV is sent?

If the first 2010 SAOUG event is anything to go by, the SA Online Information meeting should not be missed in August 2010. Visit the updated SAOUG website to learn more about the upcoming Conference and the call for papers.

More pictures from the workshop are available on PICASA

We also gratefully thank SA Online Information Services wanting to be our love bug…..

Contribution: Rejaene van Dyk (SAOUG Committee member)

Blog Post: Pavlinka Kovatcheva (SAOUG Committee member)

SAOUG MEETING HELD ON 13 NOVEMBER 2009 AT KLOOFZICHT LODGE

2009-12-03T08:16:00.013+02:00

The website for Kloorzicht lodge http://www.kloofzicht.co.za/ begins by saying "Nestled at the foothills of the Zwartkops Mountains in the Cradle of Humankind, Kloofzicht Lodge is the essence of tranquility and ultimate Luxury, a comfortable 40 minute drive from both Johannesburg and Pretoria." For once, the online brochure captured it all in one. The venue was a little piece of heaven, just a stone's throw away from the big cities. Their catering was also up to the challenge and did not let their side down either. Very definitely a venue to be revisited!

Ramon Thomas http://www.netucation.co.za/ was the guest speaker for the morning, the title of his talk being "Leadership in a technology driven world". In his talk, he explored the books and people that had made an impact on his own life. When it came to technology, he informed us about the acceleration adoption rate per 50 million users: Radio took 38 years, TV 13 years, Cable 10 years, Digital Cameras 8 years, Internet 5 years, with the digital camera phone being less than 3.5 years. If anyone had any doubts about the pace of life speading up, this would have put to rest any doubts that they had.

With regard to cell phones, he commented that there is currently a move amongst certain sectors of people wanting a simple phone without all the additional extras. He suggested that on an average, there are 2 sim cards per phone, but in poorer communities 1 cell phone is being used by 8 different people with 8 respective sim cards. He indicated that in some rural areas, airtime is becoming a new form of currency whereby airtime is being bought and resold with the rural entrepreneur taking 5% commission for the transaction. The individual will sms and receive the code for the airtime, and then sell the code for cash. I did not realize that I was walking around with the potential for a small business in my pocket, did you?

As someone who has dabbled in MXit to keep in touch with my children when attending international conferences, I was pleased to hear that as from 2008 MXit had blocked off all areas to chat rooms with a parental control function. This has been an area of personal concern for some time and I am delighted that some intervention is in place. I would really recommend Ramon Thomas "Parent's guide to MXit" which is available as a download from his site. It is a worthwhile read.

Ramon described what he called the three pillars of technology terrorism: conflict, confusion and complexity. He is currently working on this theory for his Masters Research project at the University of Johannesburg. His advice was to keep things simple. Know what it is that you want to achieve with technology. We are often using less than 5% of the capabilities of the software programs we are currently running (he used MS Office as an example).

As far as the technology terrorism was concerned, he had the following solutions to offer:

CREATIVITY

- There is a paradox of choice.

- Clarify exactly what it is that you need. (Know thyself)

- Have technology FREE DAYS. Allow you to switch off the cell phone and computers and just "be yourself". Do you really need to be wired 24/7?

CONFIDENCE

- Decision making.

- Collaboration. Open plan offices, open source software, and social media.

To sum up: Adopt the KISS principle with technology. Know what it is that you want to achieve, keep it simple and you will avoid the confusion, complexity and conflict that was mentioned by the speaker.

Contributed: Janet Zambri

SAOUG Workshop feedback: 8 October 2009

2009-10-30T08:45:00.005+02:00

SAOUG organised a training tips talk on the 8th October 2009.

The venue: University of Pretoria

The Power Point Presentation are available on the SAOUG website

About the talk: From survivors to an amazing race team. How did we achieve it?

"The team of the Faculty Library: Natural Sciences and Engineering strives to contribute to the University of Pretoria's mission, vision and strategic plans. We form part of teaching and research teams, market not only our services and new products, but also our skills and competencies. By building on everybody's strengths and taking weaknesses into account we not only survive change, but keep up with new trends and technology and together we build a happy and satisfied team"

The audience

Sunette Steynberg talked about the importance of regular communication with clients and how to evaluate current and new databases. She also discussed the importance of training content and the need for professional training and presentation skills. Sunette also explained how bibliometrics are used for research evaluation.

Elna Randall, provided an overview of the University of Pretoria's structure, the Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences and how the library support its clients.

Danie Malan, took us down memory lane in how the UP Library has survived changes during the 80's, 90's and the new Millennium. The amazing race to adapt to an ever-changing environment has begun.

Faan Naude, Information Specialist for the Mathematical Sciences talked about the marketing of self and services. He also provided an overview of their book and journal collections.

Hettie Groenewald talked about the Collection Management of the Library: the challenges of digitization of materials, new technologies and the Institutional Repository. She introduced us to some new initiatives, such as: Structure models, 3D models and usage of Google Earth to map new projects.

Elsie Verheem, Information Specialist for Consumer Science and Food Science and Technology said: " We all have unique ways in which we define our roles as information specialists. With my colleagues I listen and learn. With students and academics I listen, learn, encourage and assist." She talked about her involvement with the research process of her clients and the commitment to provide a relevant service.

Sello Baloyi talked about the importance of the staff members who are responsible for the shelving of the collections. How they manage books that go missing or need to be restored.

Sonto Mabena talked about her experience as a new staff member in the library; about the way her colleagues help her adjust in the new library environment.

Max Depree once said: " The key elements in the art of working together are how to deal with change, how to deal with conflict, and how to reach our potential .... the needs of the team are best met when we meet the needs of individual persons."

The workshop was a very stimulating team building experience for all of us.

Don't forget, the presentations are available on the SAOUG website.

Posted by: Pavlinka Kovatcheva (SAOUG blogger)

Forthcoming SAOUG events

2009-10-29T21:42:00.005+02:00

In November you are invited to attend two SAOUG workshops:

Workshop 1: SAOUG End of year function

Date: 13 November 2009
Venue: Kloofzicht Lodge, Kromdraai Road, Muldersdrift, Johannesburg
Time: 11.00h - late afternoon
Talk by Ramon Thomas: Leadership in Technology Driven World
RSVP by 6 November. Read MORE on the SAOUG website

Workshop 2: SAOUG Training Sessions on ScienceDirect & Scopus

Dates & Venues:

- Tuesday, 24 November 2009, University of Johannesburg, Library Auditorium, Level 3
- Wednesday, 25 November 2009, University of Pretoria, Hatfield/Main Campus, Tswelopelo room, IT Building, Room 4-46.

Programme:

9.00 - 10.30 ScienceDirect training tips
10.30 - 11.00 Refreshments
11.00 - 12.30 Scopus training tips

Cost: free
Facilitator: Sunette Steynberg (Elsevier freelance trainer for SA)
RSVP by 20 November 2009.

Contact Christa Fourie (christaf@saonlineinfo.co.za) to book for both workshops.

Posted by: Pavlinka Kovatcheva (SAOUG blogger)

Establishment of the SAOUG Eastern Cape Branch

2009-10-29T18:06:00.007+02:00

Establishment of the SAOUG Eastern Cape Branch!

Mr Vuyani Mhlontlo

24/9/2009

One of the objectives of the SAOUG Executive Committee for this term is to expand the activities of SAOUG to areas outside Gauteng through the establishment of regional branches. It was decided to, as a starting point, concentrate on the Eastern Cape. Once established, further regional branches will be considered.

It is with pleasure that the SAOUG Executive Committee announces the appointment of Mr Vuyani Mhlontlo of NMMU as the Eastern Cape Branch representative. Vuyani will be instrumental in the establishment of the SAOUG Eastern Cape Branch. Details of a first meeting to promote membership will follow in due course.

Congratulations Vuyani!

Madelein van Heerden
Chair: SAOUG

23/9/2009

The Information Services and Training Department of the LIS is proud to announce that Mr Vuyani Mhlontlo has been nominated and selected by SAOUG as Committee Member of the national South African Online Users Group. Vuyani will represent the Eastern Cape towards the establishment of the SAOUG Eastern Cape chapter. To promote membership in the Eastern Cape, a meeting is in the process of being scheduled to be held in Port Elizabeth. The SA Online Information Services will offer Quatum2 professional development workshops as part of the agenda. Vuyani will distribute the list of workshops in due course to allow you the opportunity to indicate your preference.

Congratulations Vuyani!

Hester Kritzinger
Senior Manager: Information Services and Training
Library and Information Services
NELSON MANDELA METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

Posted by: Pavlinka Kovatcheva (SAOUG blogger)

SAOUG Workshop feedback: 13 August 2009

2009-10-29T17:07:00.006+02:00

SAOUG AGM took place on the 13th of August 2009.

The venue: University of Pretoria, Groenkloof Campus.

Chris Cromhout, SAOUG treasurer presented a report for the past financial year.

The guest speaker for this workshop was Johann van Wyk, Library Manager for Education Library, UP. He presented an enlightening talk on: "Engaging Clients through Web 2.0 Tools:The Education Library, University of Pretoria".

The presentation is available through the SAOUG web page.

Johann captivated the audience with his talk

Fiona Bester, SAOUG committee member said a word of appreciation to Johann.

Posted by: Pavlinka Kovatcheva (SAOUG blogger)

SAOUG Committee News Flash! (7 May 2009)

2009-05-07T22:40:00.011+02:00

SAOUG Committee News Flash!

Have a glimpse at the people, who ensure that SAOUG provides quality workshops and conferences. Those, who find the hot topics and even the "hoties" speakers.

So, what is happening in the SAOUGsville?

Forthcoming Workshop: 20 May 2009

Training the Trainer: A New approach to training end user

Facilitator: Dr. Glenda Myers, WITS Medical Library (SAOUG ex-chair)

Feedback will come after the workshop. If you want an additional workshop, please let us know.

Regional Branches

Good news for the SAOUG members outside Gauteng. At the last two meetings (January & March 2009) the committee discussed the arrangement of workshops and election of regional SAOUG representatives. As a start a Quantum workshop will be arranged in the Eastern Cape area. Further discussions with Stellenbosch & Cape Town representatives will be made. I will keep you posted.

SAOUG Conference 2010, 2-6 August

A new exciting Conference coming your way just after the Soccer fiver is down.

Keep these dates in mind for budgeting purposes.

Membership April 2009- March 2010

Membership Invoices are being currently sent to all SAOUG members. Please pay on time.

Want to become SAOUG member? Visit the Membership website for MORE information!

SAOUG Blog & Website

The blog is receiving a new make over. Posts will be done on a more regular basis. Links to useful online resources & services will be added. Keep coming back to find out more.....

The future face of the SAOUG website will be discussed @ a meeting on 8th of May 2009.

2009 Committee Members

Do you know who are your SAOUG Committee members. Click HERE!

These are some of the members present at the March 2009 meeting.

Madelein van Heerden chairs the meeting

Glenda Myers (past chair) & Chris Cromhout (treasurer)

Susan Scheepers (former SAOUG blogger & the NEW Membership secretary)
& Fiona Bester (Branch & Liaison officer)

Upcoming SAOUG committee meeting: 8 May 2009 (CSIR).

Want your voice to be heard? Leave a comment on this post.

Go to >>>> SAOUG website

Posted by: Pavlinka Kovatcheva (SAOUG blogger)

SAOUG Committee Member: Saying goodbye

2009-05-07T21:36:00.008+02:00

During the Valentine's workshop on 13 of February 2009, with sadness we said goodbye to Ingrid de Bont, who after many years of being in the SAOUG committee, decided to leave.

It was a committee decision to present Ingrid with a honorarium for long and dedicated service. The SAOUG chair Madelein van Heerden had the pleasure of handing Ingrid a gift and saying a couple of words of appreciation.

This is what Ingrid had to say:

" Personally, I take this opportunity to thank the Committee, and the Group, for the generous token of appreciation which was awarded to me. I feel honoured, and I want to stress again that membership of the SAOUG has opened worlds of interest to me over the years, and that work on the Committee has been such fun, and has given me so much, in the way of insight and also friendship and encouragement, that I really feel that my personal gain far outweighs any time and effort spent in the process"

Ingrid also sent through an e-mail, her thoughts on the presentation given by Anthony Olivier:

Valentine’s breakfast 2009 – “Ada’s offspring” by Anthony Olivier

"A full house of SAOUG members attended the traditional Valentine’s breakfast at Swan’s Rest in Centurion. The morning was chilly, but at least the sun was out again and made the lovely venue look its best.
After having enjoyed the breakfast spread, we were treated to some fascinating previews of what is in store for humanity in the way of computer technology, things that many of us may actually live to see, and which are likely to be as natural to our children or grandchildren as radio and TV are to us.
Tony demonstrated in an entertaining way that virtual worlds are already within reach, ready for exploration and exploitation by the imaginative. The question is whether we will still be in charge in the end, or whether computers could actually outsmart us altogether, a thought that Tony followed through history and speculated about, supported by some thought-provoking examples."

Thanks Ingrid for your inputs and your spirit. I hope you will still keep in touch with us!

Have you seen the SAOUG blog post on the Anthony Olivier presentation? Click HERE!

Posted by: Pavlinka Kovatcheva (SAOUG blogger)

SAOUG VALENTINE'S WORKSHOP

2009-05-05T11:50:00.007+02:00

Welcome to the SAOUG 2009 blogging world!

The SAOUG committee organised it's first workshop for 2009 on 13th February 2009. These are some pictures and highlights of this event, which took place in the beautiful Swan's Rest in Centurion, Pretoria.

On the way to the workshop, you can enjoy the swans in the pond!

The guest speaker Anthony Olivier, holds the position of Security Strategist and Architect, in the Standard Bank Global Security Office, where his function is to determine security strategies for the 3 to 5 year time frame.

His intriguing presentation "Ada's Offspring" kept us guessing from the beginning. To learn who's Ada's offspring is click HERE! You will be pleasantly surprised by the way Anthony starts from the Mythology and the early Literature, through the technological changes in the last two centuries, to the latest technological innovations and the Web 3.0 semantic web. Have you heard of Nike MP3 Run? Nintendo Wii? Emotiv? Keep reading to find out Anthony's predictions.......

Read Ingrid de Bont comments on Tony's presentation. Click HERE!

Madelein van Heerden, SAOUG committee chair opens the workshop and welcomed all! The breakfast and the networking made for an enjoyable time during the morning.

Thanks to the South African Online Information Services for the Valentine's chocolate.

Visit the SAOUG website!

Want to talk to SAOUG members? Leave a comment....

SAOUG’s End of Year Function held at Foxwood House on 11 November 2008

2008-11-20T11:56:00.012+02:00

Stress Management Workshop

Librarians often work under a lot of stress, and so it was not surprising that an impressive 85 members felt the need to get away from the rat-race and learn some coping skills. The SAOUG end-of-the-year function was very successful, and participants practised humour therapy while becoming aware of ways to take charge of our responses to stressful situations.

Gavin Novis is an excellent and very entertaining speaker, and even though, as Glenda remarked, much of what he covered belongs to “common sense”, he managed to present his material in a both interesting and thought-provoking manner. Thank you for that! I believe most of us came away with a positive charge. For those members who had to miss this event, Gavin’s slides will get posted on the SAOUG website.

Foxwood House proved to be a very special venue, although not easy to find for some of us. The rain prevented much exploration of the delights of the garden, but what we did experience fitted well with the theme of the day. The lunch was good and made many of us stay on for extended relaxed socialising.

Contributed by: Ingrid de Bont (Committee Member)

Please see link to Power Point by Gavin Novis

http://www.saoug.org.za/Stress_management.ppt

EXHIBITORS AND DELEGATES

2008-06-12T20:05:00.057+02:00

28 Exhibitors (vendors and publishers)
present at the SAOUG Conference June 2008

------------

Delegates had the opportunity to meet and interact with the exhibitors at their leisure
Thursday 5th of June - 'speed vending' was on the menu for the delegates and exhibitors had 10 minutes with alternative groups to introduce their products

Some of the exhibitors and delegates:

IOP - Yann

IET INSPECDIRECT

JUSTIS

Colleen & Andre

CEICdata

Nature

OVID - Bianca

NISC - Michelle

DOW JONES - Maureen

Red Pepper Books

Delegates

RefWorks & Bowker

EMERALD - Katy Oddy

EBSCO - Colleen

SAGE

Market IQ

GALE

EXHIBITORS & COMMITTEE MEMBERS

WORKSHOPS B AND C

2008-06-05T09:40:00.013+02:00

NINTH Southern African Online Information Meeting

Tuesday 3rd of June to Thursday 5th of June 2008

CSIR Conference Centre

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOPS

WORKSHOP B: Practical Presentation Skills for Trainers
PRESENTER: Julie Meyer form the Voice Clinic

WORKSHOP C: Planning a Digital Strategy for yourself

PRESENTER: Jarred Cinman & Jacqui Maroun, Cambrient

Jarred Cinman

Jacqui Maroun

Delegates

2008-06-03T12:28:00.009+02:00

WELCOME

TO THE CONFERENCE

NINTH Southern African Online Information Meeting

Tuesday 3rd of June to Thursday 5th of June 2008

CSIR Conference Centre

Workshop A: Evidence-based Library and Information Practice (EBLIP)

Dr Glenda Myers, University Witwatersrand Health Sciences Library

Glenda in action

Delegates attending

Delegates hard at work

WILL KEEP YOU POSTED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING

LOOKING FORWARD IN SEEING YOU ON THE 4th AND 5th

SAOUG / SLIS / OSALL CONFERENCE 2008

2008-06-02T16:54:00.003+02:00

WATCH THIS SPACE

FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION ON:

NINTH Southern African Online Information Meeting Tuesday 3rd of June to Thursday 5th of June 2008CSIR Conference Centre Meiring Naude Road, Pretoria
Organised by Southern African Online User Group Together with SLIS and OSALL

2008-06-02T16:50:00.000+02:00

Marydee Ojala Workshop for SAOUG: Thursday, 16 August 2007

2007-11-27T09:35:00.000+02:00

Workshop for SAOUG: Thursday, 16 August 2007

Workshop 1: Using Social Networks in the Real World
As we enter a Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 world, it seems everyone is talking about social search. Whether it's blogs, wikis, nings, RSS feeds, podcasts, mashups, remixes, folksonomies, or social bookmarking, there's a whole host of new technologies that encourage sharing of information, collaborative working, and involvement with our users. But how much of this talk about social networks translates into reality and how much is hype? Can information professionals effectively integrate social networking in their daily work lives? This workshop will explore the social networking technologies and give examples of what works, and what doesn't, in the real world of

libraries, education, and business.

Workshop 2 : Advanced Web Search

Today most people equate "search" with Google, and they use Google on a regular basis, sometimes as a replacement for consulting a librarian or going to a library. However, there are other search engines and search tools that information professionals should include in their repertoire, particularly if they expect to present themselves as information experts to those who think that putting a few words into a Google search box is sufficient. This Advanced Search seminar will cover the intricacies of Web search syntax, introduce sophisticated search techniques, explain how Web search differs from traditional online search, compare and contrast Web search engines, look at multimedia search, and explore some new initiatives and projects from the major Web search engines.

Marydee Ojala edits ONLINE:

The Leading Magazine for Information Professionals and writes its business research column (?The Dollar Sign?). She contributes feature articles and news stories to Information Today, Searcher, EContent, Computers in Libraries, Intranets, Cyber Skeptic's Guide to the Internet, and Information Today's NewsBreaks. Her blog is ONLINEInsider.net. A long-time observer of the information industry, she speaks frequently at conferences, such as Web Search University, Online Information (London, UK), Internet Librarian International, and national library meetings outside the U.S. She has adjunct faculty status at the School of Library and Information Science at IUPUI (Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis) teaching business information resources. Her professional career began at BankAmerica Corporation, San Francisco, directing a worldwide program of research and information services. She established her independent information research business in 1987. She currently serves as membership chair for the Indiana chapter of SLA and as the treasurer for IOLUG (Indiana Online User Group). Her undergraduate degree is from Brown University and her MLS was earned at the University of Pittsburgh.

BRAIN LEARNING STYLES

2007-09-04T09:40:00.000+02:00

16 SAOUG members (and/or interested parties) attended the SAOUG brain styles workshop with Cecil Murray as facilitator today. We all thoroughly enjoyed the workshop; and there was an amazing synergy within the group.

At least 16 SAOUG members and associates will know themselves a bit better; and will relate better to their partners, children, family, friends and clients.

I would like to thank the SAOUG Committee (even though I am part of it) for bringing this workshop to us. Especially to you, Glenda, for the original idea. Also: a special word of thanks to Gwyn for the venue; and Tanya for the organisation. And of course to Cecil – you are an amazing facilitator.

I really enjoyed it.

Christa Fourie

Reed-Elsevier's arms and health

2007-03-09T15:09:00.000+02:00

Richard Smith, the former editor of British Medical Journal, has called
for a boycott of medical authors publishing in Elsevier journals,
because its subsidiary company Reed Exhibitions, which hosts medical
conferences, such as the Lancet Conference, also hosts arms fairs
throughout the world. Reed Elsevier maintains that it is "legal to sell
arms, that the trade is tightly regulated, and that arms are clearly
needed in a dangerous world." Smith maintains that whilst boasting of
the impact the top-rated Lancet has on global health, Reed Elsevier
nevertheless continues to host trade fairs that sell those weapons that
do most harm to civilian populations - the very populations whose health
Lancet is dedicated to improving. Smith accuses Reed Elsevier of using
Lancet as a "moral fig leaf".
Read the free article for yourself at http://www.jrsm.org
Reed-Elsevier's hypocrisy in selling arms and
health.

DISCUSSION: Copyright case against Google

2007-02-21T15:49:00.000+02:00

Belgian newspapers win copyright case against Google
(see following link for full article)

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2347645,00.html

Court ruled in favor of Belgian Newspapers, regarding violation of copyright laws.
Google published links to these newspapers without their permission or payment. The court ordered the Google company to pay daily fines for these links, until they were removed. The Belgian Court said that Google has broken the Belgian Copyright law.

The Internet group, and specifically Google News, was advised to request permission to show the articles or extracts, which included pictures and graphics from the Copiepresse (Belgium’s French language newspapers group).

What do you think of this? Please post your comments for discussion

ONLINE

2007-02-12T08:59:00.000+02:00

Hello Fellow Blouggers

I hope it’s just summer holidays followed by pressure of work, but really!!! Only three comments received on the first item posted can hardly be called a resounding success, especially as one of those comments was my response to Mary Bruce. Do you even KNOW that the Bloug has been launched?????? Well, anyway, thanks to Mary, and also to Anonymous, who obviously had a great time at OUGSA 2005!

We’re supposed to be the leaders in this field so PULEESE send through your comments, suggestions – in fact ANYTHING at this stage would be welcome.

Here’s my two cents worth – again. Mary Dee Ojala sent through to us for comment an article that one of her contributors was writing for the January 2007 30th Anniversary Issue of Online. It’s by Suzanne Bjorner and it’s called “Where have all the OLUGs gone?”

You can read it for yourself if you subscribe, but the gist of it is that Online User Groups, first mentioned in Online in April 1977 used to meet regularly to work on common goals and to try to solve shared problems. By July 1981, although most of the listed groups were in the USA, Canada and Europe, SAOUG featured amongst the international groups. For those of you who perhaps weren’t born or toddling around in nappies then, SAOUG began 27 years ago in 1980.

Problems are different in nature, but few of the groups which thrived in the 1980’s have survived. As Bjorner notes, “The world that spawned OLUGs is gone. Online evangelism is no longer necessary – we succeeded in marketing online information retrieval to the masses. Our workplaces and professional organizations have integrated online into basic operations. Communication and training, through e-mail, blogs, online tutorials and all the other social networking devices of Web 2.0 are faster and easier than ‘picking up the telephone’ was in 1977. As the ‘online industry’ has dispersed in multitudinous vertical markets, consumer activism has lost its target and activism.”

However, she also writes that “Some groups outside the United States are faring better. The Southern African Online User Group remains active with a well-developed Web site. It holds three or four meetings a year, and although it discontinued its newsletter, it provides space for an electronic discussion list.” My comment was that it was perhaps that we still had fun together, a thought that was heartily endorsed by Marydee Ojala based on her visit in 2003.

Well, if the dismal response to the first Bloug is anything to go by, then we’re doomed to follow our colleagues in the USA and Europe. This Bloug is meant to become an interactive newsletter, so we can keep up with each other’s comings and goings nationally and virtually – we did indeed have fun, but it’s getting so that it’s become passive fun for you, and I really don’t want to be the only one up there singing “Let me entertain you” …

Chair – Glenda Myers

Fellow Blougers

2007-01-15T13:35:00.001+02:00

Hello Fellow Blougers

What is a Bloug? Why, a blog for OUG of course …

We’ve been trying to get a blog for SAOUG going for some time now so we can circulate news and replace the newsletter for the out of town members, but the obstacle that’s been holding us back is time. Why is there never enough of it? And is it only me that feels like a hamster on a wheel – the wheel is turning but I can’t seem to run fast enough to keep up with all the things I need to do. And when my computer centre updates my browser version without asking (as it did this morning) so I can’t find my familiar icons or URLs without a long game of hide and seek, should I be drinking that extra cup of coffee so I’m even more caffeine-stoked, or should I just be calming down and wasting a day while I figure out the ins-and-outs of IE v.7.whatever?

Well, we’re finally here (with the blog, that is)and it struck me when I sat down to write this that in order to get things moving, we need to be controversial enough to get some dialogue going. So forgive me in advance if you don’t like what I’m about to say, but please feel free to respond. In fact, please respond!

We were fortunate enough to have Dr Renate Volpe talk to us at our end-of-year FUNction on 10 November 2006, and she spoke on the topic of social networking (as opposed to information networks). She had a lot of very common sense things to say (and I guess if we had the time we could have self-analyzed most of what she said), but I could see heads nodding vigorously in the audience, so it seems as if she touched a lot of chords with the folk present.

What she said that struck me in particular is that the workplace is still designed by men for men with wives – could this be the reason that I’m so stressed? I’ve always thought of it as having “two jobs” – one in the workplace and one at home, and I can function well if both are running reasonably well, but as soon as there’s a crisis at either “job”, then I tend to unravel. This, Renate said is one of the reasons we need to form networks or informal or formal coalitions, so we can support each other.

So the next time I need to stay at home to wait for the plumber/carpenter/deliverymen/washing machine servicemen/electrician to call I’ll be calling on all of you (my “wives”) to assist so I can get on with my day job while you wait at my home for my evening job problems to be resolved. I wish I had R1.00 for every time I’ve heard the excuse “the truck broke down/got hijacked” in the past couple of years – I’d be extremely wealthy by now and able to stay home permanently in order to wait for the plumber/carpenter … you get the picture.

But as a group composed mostly of women, should we not be forming an informal network to help with these things? Or should SAOUG remain a network only on the professional level?

I don’t know the answers – what do you think?

Chair - Glenda Myers