Hazman Aziz

The VALA conference really has pushed me further into the world of academic libraries. Once again, I have to keep reminding myself that I am only a Trainee Librarian. Even though, they changed my title for a strategic purpose as an Assistant Librarian. But, what make a big deal or difference to me, frankly. I am still and be prefer to address and known as Hazman Aziz. And, maybe as the boy who ponders about Library 2.0 Webotology at the Podium every day, waiting for his turn to speak and deliver the new manifesto of presenting a concierge initiatives. That would be simply me.

So what are the details of my first conference?

My subject head (Business Library) noted that our paper has been accepted by the Library of Singapore’s (LAS) committee in coming LAS Library Fair & Conference 2008. This event will be held on the May 9, 2008 in Singapore. Location, I haven’t got any yet. But, I will still update you guys soon.

My Chief advised that this would be a good opportunities for us to present papers and gain experience in active conferencing. Furthermore, writing academic paper and delivering a conference presentation is an essential skill for academic librarians today. Inspire by the podium, to be an information scientist on fine day (when I grow up), I took the initiative to suggest to my team; we will be participate in this forum as a joint paper. Four of us, including my subject head, will be delivering a topic on Innovative Library Web Marketing Practices in Singapore. This paper would be concise of the knowledge strength within the Business Library, as me providing the technical expertise as a Subject Librarian for IT & Operation Management and two more subject librarian for Marketing as well as International Business. I would day a well round papers covering from three difference expect in the subject library to evolve and outreach to the community.

As for the keynote of the speakers, I will update you guys soon, once I received the confirmed details.

Below is the abstract of my paper that I will be presenting soon.

Innovative Library Web Marketing Practices in Singapore
Alan Choy, Akbar Hakim, Catherine Tan & Nurhazman Abdul Aziz
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Business Library
For LAS’s Library Conference & Fair 2008

“With the current rapid development of internet technologies, marketing models have moved into the global virtual arena and are creating an impact on traditional promotional practices of libraries in Singapore. As observed, the value created today of such marketing models is perceived as being based on creative and innovative use of information, communication, social networking and web technologies. The exponential growth of virtual communities in recent years has led to social networks becoming increasingly popular. This is in part due to the ability of social networks to connect across diverse communities and dispersed locations virtually and globally regardless of time and physical space. This paper aims to provide an exploration and assessment of the adoption of commonly used web marketing tools by libraries in Singapore in their attempt to integrate these tools as part of a strategic, creative and innovative method for library advocacy and service promotion. This paper also attempts to look into explorations by libraries in Singapore to integrate the traditional (Web 1.0) and new (Web 2.0) web technologies into areas of library marketing and outreach activities to an increasingly diverse community of library users, who are adept with social networking tools and have embraced social networks and virtual communities as a part of their life. A review of currently available web marketing tools is also made. A study of the current state of web marketing practices adopted by libraries in Singapore is presented. Initiatives, based on a web marketing model, are proposed to move libraries in Singapore into a new role as an info-concierge, where individual information object or library activity is a self-sustainable, self-contained unit of content or service that can be effectively marketed in any form or format to each library’s community of users.”

The above article is also part of my dissertation paper (minor) and part of the upcoming NTU Business Library Blog (Corporate Structure). So, if you guys are interested to follow up on my work, come to the LAS conference for the start and follow on my work, how I will be delivering a business info-concierge for Business Library to evolve. Just for information, I am also going to draft and submit for another conference to the Internet Librarians International 2008 in London. And the topic that I am thinking, Exploring the Model of Information Concierge into the Business Library Environment. It will be a mixture of a conceptual paper with technical deliveries and the feasibilities to deliver such platform. Hopefully, I will able to recreate a theory model based on social computing to illustrate the idea.

Lastly, here is the brief biography of my team that will be presenting the paper.

Nurhazman Abdul Aziz is a Business Librarian (Information Technology & Operations Management) and an Assistant Librarian (Library Technology & Systems) with NTU Library. He applies design methodologies, skills, and principles to create and refine the strategy and user experience of new and existing tools, such as Library 2.0. Previously, he has assisted in a number of projects such as NHG e-Learning (for Tan Tock Seng Hospital) and SAFTI Self-Paced on Time on Need (SPOT-ON) project (for School of Infantry Specialist). Presently, Hazman is also doing his postgraduate dissertation at Nanyang Technological University. His research interest currently is in the area of Library 2.0 webotology where he is looking at ways to present information via an intuitive platform for library users. Hazman is also interested in expanding his idea of the library as an info-concierge.

Akbar Hakim Harun is Head of the Business Library at NTU. He has some twenty years experience in the field of academic librarianship and has been pioneering information literacy programmes at NTU since 1992. Akbar was a past Council Member of the Library Association of Singapore (LAS) and has also served in the Association’s Training and Development Committee. His research interests include issues in internetworking, information literacy, business intelligence, library training, library cooperation, and information technology as it affects the librarian, their clients and society in general.

Catherine Tan is the Head of Library Promotion Division at NTU Library. The division’s main responsibility is to increase awareness of the library’s resources, tools, and services. The team has partnered with both database vendors as well as private companies to create activities and collaterals which attract NTU community to use the library. She had previously worked in corporate libraries which require constant marketing of services and resources to internal clients. Promotion of the value of information services are often needed to justify the existence of resource centres which are often viewed as cost centres.

Alan Choy is an Assistant Librarian from Facilities Planning Division at NTU Library. His main responsibility is to assist in planning, coordinating and executing new and expansion projects in NTU Libraries so as to provide a more conducive library environment for the NTU community. Alan is also Business Librarian for Marketing and International Business. Previously, he has worked in an academic library where he was required to do cataloguing, library facilities and planning, providing user education as well as reference services to users. To pursue his interest in the library profession, he furthers his studies by taking up a postgraduate degree programme in Information Studies at NTU.

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