Kathryn Greenhill : Libpunk’d
I work as Emerging Technologies Specialist at Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia. I became all teary when I found out that I am a LSW Shover and Maker – especially among such a shiny, shiny bunch of librarians.
I jokingly coined the term “libpunk” on my blog, Librarians Matter in response to the nascent “edupunk” movement early 2008.
I described Libpunk as
” Librarians using non-proprietary products and groupings not based on institutional alliances to practice their craft and communicate their practice. Open, collaborative enterprises based on not making money, but often on increasing social capital or extending knowledge”.
Although the libpunk term was extremely tongue-in-cheek, it does describe the areas of work about which I am most enthusiastic.
I have been instrumental in the Australian group blog, Libraries Interact and in organising and speaking about library unconferences in Australia. I have implemented a blogging platform, Murdoch Blogs, for my university community using the Open Source blogging platform WordPress Mu. I am part of a very productive in-house library project designed to embed library resources outside of our library URL. I regularly publish and present around Australia about new technologies, online virtual worlds and how to engage staff with emerging technologies.
I am also proud of the conversations that I am part of daily with other librarians in online social networks as we encourage each other, push out links, share stories, show off hacks, play together and work on the serious business of discovering what changes we should pay attention to and how our profession can best rapidly respond to these.
I am on the move at the moment, traveling on a VALA travel scholarship in the United States interviewing some of my library heroes about Open Source library software. I am also presenting about unconferences at the Computers in Libraries conference, speaking at a library futures summit in Darien Library (In the Foothills: A Not-Quite-Summit on the Future of Libraries) and at U Game U Learn in DOK in the Netherlands. I’ve been shoved right out of my comfort zone and am absolutely thriving.
Category: S&M Winners, 2009 6 comments »
March 24th, 2009 at 4:31 am
There is pretty much no one cooler than Kathryn.
March 24th, 2009 at 4:34 am
Applauds! Kathryn, you’ve amazed me for a few years now and I’m in awe of all that you’ve achieved lately.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:18 am
Thunder from down under! I’m gonna be a libpunk from now on.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:29 am
Awesome Kathryn, you doth rawk :-) I think just being able to get other people to pay for international travel is a worthy accomplishment in, and of itself :-D
March 24th, 2009 at 6:35 am
You are so very much one of my library heroes Kathryn. A true inspiration, an amazing friend and a very worthy recipient of a Shover and Maker.
March 24th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
It is sooooo awesome that you won the VALA travel award. I was wondering how long you were going to stay in the States…