1nandadevi
Hello Australian LibraryThingers,
Tim has put out a call for people to become Administrators of some of our LibraryThing Groups. I'd always thought that Australian LibraryThingers (ALT) had an Administrator - if I'd thought about it at all. But it turns out we don't. I suspect at this point you might be wondering how we ever got by without one, and then, "Actually we seem to be doing just fine". I think so too. As a long time reader of this group it seems that we've always maintained a civil tone without being stifling, and always had a good sense of what our Group is about.
Tim describes the role of the Administrator as:
* Rewriting the group description if required
* Changing group parameters if required (ALT is open and I can't imagine we'd want to change that)
* Add and remove group pictures
* Create 'pinned' topics at the top of the group page
* Receive notification of new members of the group, and potentially welcome them.
I guess I'd be sorry if there wasn't anyone doing that last role, and with that in mind I put my hand up yesterday to say that I was interested in helping out. Applications are still open and you can find a link ('This group is looking for an admin') on this page where the Admins would normally be listed.
A bit about me. I have been in LibraryThing since 2009 so I know my way around. I have always been enthusiastic about the product and the community. My involvement with LT has changed over the years, more or less active depending on work, though having retired a few years ago (after working in a high security prison) I've embarked on a few new projects in LT. In the past I've done the book reading challenges, and tinkered for years (on and off) with the Personal Library Guide in the LibraryThing Wiki. Most recently I've been volunteering building and curating library catalogues for community literary groups.
What I haven't done is spend much time contributing in the LT Groups. Which might seem an odd thing to mention while putting my name forward to take on a Group Administrator role. I'd just say a few things. I dislike the word 'Administrator'. Even though its double meaning of 'serving' and 'governing' goes all the way back to the Latin root 'ministrāre', the modern sense of it has lost the emphasis on service. I prefer the word 'curate' - it's a bit of dusting the ornaments over the fireplace, polishing the silver plate and putting out the welcome mat for the occasional passer by with a standing invitation to tea and scones.
I don't think there's a persuasive argument that a person who isn't a contributor to discussions would be the best or worst person to curate a discussion group. There's an advantage in maintaining some distance from the day to day 'to and fro' on a discussion board, but only as long as distance isn't indifference. I do have a certain affection for LT that keeps growing over the years, and I admire this community that has stood by it and enabled it to grow. I am Australian, though I admit to having more respect for our peoples and cultures than I have for flags or politicians. That said, there are things to love about Canberra, and I've lived and travelled 'all over', and spent some time living overseas and looking back at Oz with both a jaundiced and affectionate eye - the same viewpoint I bring to Australian literature. I'm a reader not a writer and I don't have any particular axes to grind or mission in mind, except to help the Australian LibraryThingers group be what it's always been - a good place for ideas and for people.
There's no 'Vote for me' part of this. Megbmore at LibraryThing suggested I put forward my name here and I think she's interested to see what you think, and to see if this prompts anyone else to put their hand up to do this, or share in doing this.
The big thread about Group Administrators is here, led by Tim: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328882
And Tim's further thoughts about Admins and Moderation:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/329652
Thanks for you time, and I'll be around during the day (in between naps) to answer any questions,
John 'Mack' 'Nandadevi' McCann
Tim has put out a call for people to become Administrators of some of our LibraryThing Groups. I'd always thought that Australian LibraryThingers (ALT) had an Administrator - if I'd thought about it at all. But it turns out we don't. I suspect at this point you might be wondering how we ever got by without one, and then, "Actually we seem to be doing just fine". I think so too. As a long time reader of this group it seems that we've always maintained a civil tone without being stifling, and always had a good sense of what our Group is about.
Tim describes the role of the Administrator as:
* Rewriting the group description if required
* Changing group parameters if required (ALT is open and I can't imagine we'd want to change that)
* Add and remove group pictures
* Create 'pinned' topics at the top of the group page
* Receive notification of new members of the group, and potentially welcome them.
I guess I'd be sorry if there wasn't anyone doing that last role, and with that in mind I put my hand up yesterday to say that I was interested in helping out. Applications are still open and you can find a link ('This group is looking for an admin') on this page where the Admins would normally be listed.
A bit about me. I have been in LibraryThing since 2009 so I know my way around. I have always been enthusiastic about the product and the community. My involvement with LT has changed over the years, more or less active depending on work, though having retired a few years ago (after working in a high security prison) I've embarked on a few new projects in LT. In the past I've done the book reading challenges, and tinkered for years (on and off) with the Personal Library Guide in the LibraryThing Wiki. Most recently I've been volunteering building and curating library catalogues for community literary groups.
What I haven't done is spend much time contributing in the LT Groups. Which might seem an odd thing to mention while putting my name forward to take on a Group Administrator role. I'd just say a few things. I dislike the word 'Administrator'. Even though its double meaning of 'serving' and 'governing' goes all the way back to the Latin root 'ministrāre', the modern sense of it has lost the emphasis on service. I prefer the word 'curate' - it's a bit of dusting the ornaments over the fireplace, polishing the silver plate and putting out the welcome mat for the occasional passer by with a standing invitation to tea and scones.
I don't think there's a persuasive argument that a person who isn't a contributor to discussions would be the best or worst person to curate a discussion group. There's an advantage in maintaining some distance from the day to day 'to and fro' on a discussion board, but only as long as distance isn't indifference. I do have a certain affection for LT that keeps growing over the years, and I admire this community that has stood by it and enabled it to grow. I am Australian, though I admit to having more respect for our peoples and cultures than I have for flags or politicians. That said, there are things to love about Canberra, and I've lived and travelled 'all over', and spent some time living overseas and looking back at Oz with both a jaundiced and affectionate eye - the same viewpoint I bring to Australian literature. I'm a reader not a writer and I don't have any particular axes to grind or mission in mind, except to help the Australian LibraryThingers group be what it's always been - a good place for ideas and for people.
There's no 'Vote for me' part of this. Megbmore at LibraryThing suggested I put forward my name here and I think she's interested to see what you think, and to see if this prompts anyone else to put their hand up to do this, or share in doing this.
The big thread about Group Administrators is here, led by Tim: https://www.librarything.com/topic/328882
And Tim's further thoughts about Admins and Moderation:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/329652
Thanks for you time, and I'll be around during the day (in between naps) to answer any questions,
John 'Mack' 'Nandadevi' McCann
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