We’re off to a busy start and the Sunday first day was great fun, as well as informative – well done local Committee and organising teams, you’ve clearly done a brilliant job – now it’s up to us!

Many friends have popped by to say hello, talk work (just a bit!) and catch up – I love it!  As LIANZA President Jane Hill has just said “libraries need to work together more on a regional basis to respond to the changing global times we live in” – connecting and networking at Conference is vital for such activity and I sincerely believe organisations like NZMS helps ‘lubricate’ the system.  We know and work with so many of you in so many different ways - digitisation, text conversion and microfilming projects - that we often find ourselves sharing experiences across the (GLAM) sector that put you in touch with your fellow librarians.  We all learn, we all win, sharing knowledge is indeed king.

Many of us enjoyed the Powhiri yesterday and the kapahaka group of youngsters were a treat.  LIANZA11 Convenor Sue Roberts gave us an invigorating and brief welcome.  Clearly the overseas guests were impressed, including the #INELI librarians who are here to discuss IT innovation in libraries – so pleased to see them here: in New Zealand; at LIANZA!  I met the MC, Apirana Taylor, and his wife later on – he’s the real deal and I think he and his musical instruments will be popular (his wife loved our Kakabeak seeds too!).

SHOWGIZMO is working well at the Conference – a few quirks (typically firewall issues) but positively received – and there’s a helpdesk downstairs by the Registration Desk.  We’re proud to bring this technology to LIANZA11 – have you ‘favourited’ NZMS and thus entered the draw for the iPod Touch?.

Come and see us on the Stand 23 - we have some exciting new software to show you!

...and then of course we have licorice allorts! 

regards

Andy Fenton

Showgizmo me here

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Fentnz