is this book in YOUR library?
July 31, 2007
Library of Congress Webcast about OPACs - Life Beyond MARC
I just finished watching this webast and am amazed that almost 2 years later that OPACs are still terrible! I do like what NCSU is doing with Endeca, but I don't know of much else going on to make OPACs more user friendly. If you do that same search in Amazon.com and your OPAC on the two words, Shakespeare Hamlet, check out the difference in results. It's amazing how much OPACs are truly meant for librarians and not patrons.
TITLE: Life Beyond MARC: the Case for Revolutionary Change in Library Systems and Services
SPEAKER: Roy Tennant
EVENT DATE: 09/15/2005
RUNNING TIME: 65 minutes
DESCRIPTION:Roy Tennant makes a case for revolutionary change in the ways libraries do their business and make their offerings available to the public via the Internet.
technorati tags:MARC, library, congress, webcast, opac, roy, tennant
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July 30, 2007
How will Libraries be impacted by the new LG Philips flexible display?
LG Philips, known for its nearly constant pursuit of new flexible display solutions, has recently applied for a patent on a bendable OLED screen technology which would use oil and water to produce images. Apparently, current flexible OLED displays are hampered by the fact that the OLEDs get hotter than the plastic substrate, making manufacture difficult and expensive. The new process that the company is developing would circumvent those problems by making pixels out of oil and water connected to plastic electrodes. The opaque oil would float on the water and obscure a colored surface beneath -- when an electric charge was applied to the field it would reveal the surface and change the color of the pixel. The process is cheap and simple, which hopefully means a future of reading a completely digital morning paper for all of us.
technorati tags:flexible, display, libraries
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Support for Public Libraries Recognized
David Warren, executive director of the Richland County Public Library, recently presented South Carolina Representative Nathan Ballentine, (right) with a plaque from the South Carolina Association of Public Library Administrators for his work to increase state funding for public libraries. As a result of Rep. Ballentine’s efforts, libraries across South Carolina received $2.25 per capita instead of the proposed $2, resulting in thousands of additional dollars that will benefit people of all ages statewide.
July 27, 2007
Poor NMSL
I recently found out that staff members at the NM State Library do not have access to Flickr, YouTube, and other social softwares/web based technologies that Libraries are using in the 2.0 world to promote their services, offer IM/Chat reference services, and more. This is a big mistake! If the state library can't access these tools then how are they supposed to do a good job of helping the libraries in the state? This makes no sense to me. Get with the program NM!
Welcome to the New Mexico State Library
technorati tags:new, mexico, state, library, 2.0
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kameraflage enables your digicam to see more than you
Check this out! i think someone needs to start marketing "I Love Libraries" with this new technology so it'll show up in digital images! Very interesting! :-)
While we've already seen what tricks cameras can play right before our very eyes, kameraflage is a slightly different flavor of optical illusion. The patent-pending technology exploits the fact that cameras can see a broader spectrum of colors than our meager eyes, and as the creator puts it, "by rendering content in these invisible colors we are able to create displays that are invisible to the naked eye, yet can be seen when imaged with a digital camera." Currently, it's being applied to garments in able to for cameraphone addicts to find surprises all over while pointing their sensors at unsuspecting humans, and the tech will even be on display at the upcoming 2007 ACM SIGGRAPH Unravel fashion show in San Diego. Best of all, custom orders will be fielded as early as September, and if we've got any interested VCs in the crowd, give this man a holler.
kameraflage enables your digicam to see more than you - Engadget
technorati tags:digital, images, kameraflage, cameras
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July 26, 2007
Google's Mission
I think this is a very nice, brief mission. However, it is extremely ambitious! And, where does it leave libraries if google is the one to organize it? If they continue to be successful, how does it effect library missions?
July 25, 2007
Decrapification - new word
I just learned about this today and had to share it!
Ever bought a new PC only to realize in horror that it comes pre-loaded with every piece of crapware ever created? Well, it happened to me when I bought my dad a new Dell notebook a few months ago, and it took me almost two hours to uninstall countless of useless software from AOL to Bonzi Buddy. I just ordered a new Dell E1405 and just the thought of going through the process again …. aaaargh. Fortunately, I’m not the only one who hates Dell for doing this. Enter the PC Decrapifier, a script that allows you to automatically uninstall all junk that’s pre-loaded on most new PCs. It was originally called the Dell Decrapifier but the author decided to rename it to the more politically correct PC Decrapifier. After all, Dell is not the only manufacturer that does this.You can download the PC Decrapifier from the author’s website at: http://www.yorkspace.com/pc-de-crapifier/
Decrapify your new PC? « www.popovici.net
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Emerging Technologies Report
click on the image for page 1. Page 2, is also in the photostream on Flickr.
July 24, 2007
Lafayette Public Library WiFi - KADN
Check out this nice PR spot on a public library's WiFi addition! Great way to promote library services and let people know there's more than just books at the library now!
July 23, 2007
ETV Radio
I'm happy to announce that I was able to get a spot on the SC Business Review radio show and it will be aired on Wednesday July 25!
July 22, 2007
thank you note
Librarians and Information Professionals should find venues to go out and talk to people about the importance of Web 2.0 and Libraries 2.0. I was able to do a presentation at the recent Municipal Association of South Carolina's annual conference to show how libraries in SC are taking advantage of Web 2.0 technologies such as Flickr, Blogging, Youtube, and Meebo. People need to be made aware that libraries and librarians are keeping with with what is going on in the world of information. The library isn't just a place to come and check out books, but more and more a place where reference librarians are answering questions from patrons using Meebo and promoting summer reading programs using Flickr. So find out what is going on in your community and ask if you can make a presentation to proactively teach people about Web 2.0 and while you're there, tell them to come by the library and check out what's new!
July 19, 2007
polldaddy
I learned about this from a colleague today and it is SO easy! I created a poll for my blog even :-) This would be a great tool to put on your library's web site or blog and get some input from your users. Give it a try!
No more Dewey?
I really think we're going to be seeing a lot more of this, either through the result of retirements or funerals, but it will start to happen to more and more public libraries. We have to be competitive now with the private sector and to be competitive, we have to listen to our customers!GILBERT, Ariz. — Trying to build popularity, many public libraries across the country have been looking more like big chain bookstores, offering comfortable easy chairs, coffee bars and displays of the latest best sellers.
But the new library in this growing Phoenix suburb has gone a step further. It is one of the first in the nation to have abandoned the Dewey Decimal System of classifying books, in favor of an approach similar to that at Barnes & Noble, say, where books are shelved in “neighborhoods” based on subject matter.
It was Harry Courtright, director of the 15-branch Maricopa County Library District, who came up with the idea of a Dewey-less library. The plan took root two years ago after annual surveys of the district’s constituency found that most people came to browse, without a specific title in mind.
Dewey? At This Library With a Very Different Outlook, They Don’t - New York Times
technorati tags:dewey, decimal, system, libraries, public
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July 17, 2007
Hong Kong WiFi
everywhere you go in hong kong you will be able to check your library catalog! :-)
Hong Kong's Mass Transit Railway to get outfitted with WiFi - Engadget
technorati tags:wifi, hong, kong
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July 16, 2007
postcards from the road
This is a great idea from the Canton Public Library in Michigan. They have patrons send postcards from their summer vacations during their adult summer reading program and then have a drawing. Sounds like fun!
July 14, 2007
Presenataion at MASC Annual Conference
Yesterday, I gave a presentation on a panel about What is Web 2.0 to about 45 attendees who were from various municipal level governmental and other organizations. I was amazed at how many people had not heard of Flickr, Blogger, and Meebo. Many, however, had heard of YouTube. There were many questions of the panel that had to do with copyright, searching blogs vs. searching for blogs, what is the difference in a web site and a blog, were some that stand out in my mind. I hope that yesterday's session will get some people in SC interested in starting a municipal or official city/town blog. Anyway, it was a great opportunity to talk about what libraries in SC are doing. I used the following examples: Spartanburg County using Meebo, Lee County using Blogger, and Pickens County using Flickr. They all seemed to be very impressed!
Municipal Association of South Carolina Home Page
technorati tags:MASC, municipal, association, south, carolina, web2.0
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July 12, 2007
Training Video on how to use the LRC's FSCS Data Tool for libraries
Using the FSCS Data Tool Tutorial (video) (avi format, 0:11:23 duration)
http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/podcasts/fscs_pl_data.AVI
South Carolina State Library - Statistics, SC Library
technorati tags:FSCS, data, library, libraries, statistics
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July 10, 2007
Lee County Council Members
This morning, four of our SC State Library staff attended a Lee County Council meeting in Bishopville, SC. I must say that the library staff, namly Elizabeth, did some very clever planning. She not only invited SC State Library staff members to the county council meeting, but also planned a "drop-in" with Cake and Coffee (very important) for community members and council members immediately following the meeting to celebrate the library's 1st anniversary at their new location. They were very successful in getting the county council members to come into the library, when very few of them had been inside yet. This was a great opportunity for board members and county council members to see the library and library staff in action! What a great morning!
July 07, 2007
Fannie D. Lowry Library
4 of us from the state library attended the grand re-opening of this small library in Jefferson, SC. What a great little place! :-) Check out the photos.
July 06, 2007
SC Public Library Automation Systems
I found a really neat library web site that has lots of great features - one of which looks at automation systems.
July 05, 2007
July 02, 2007
bad use for books
Books being used for the WRONG reason! to disguise playing your PSP! this gives books and reading a bad wrap (pun intended).
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