December 31, 2007

Happy New Year!


feliz ano novo 2008
Originally uploaded by crr29061
... wishing everyone a happy and prosperous new year in 2008!

December 28, 2007

Comparison of Libraries and Paris Hilton in Internet Searching trends

After I figured out how to compare searches, I was pleasantly surprised to see that comparing the search term "library" to "paris hilton" showed that many more searches were conducted with the word library. So are libraries more popular than Paris Hilton? Let's hope so :-)

Google Zeitgeist shows decrease in the search "Library" over the years

Should librarians consider this a disturbing trend in searching for internet resources? Or does this decreasing trend of individuals searching Google on the word "library" mean something else. I think it means that people are using the library for other things than just the traditional checking out of books. With more libraries offering teen services, gaming, online services, etc., many people already have the URL of their local library bookmarked and don't need to search Google for it? Wouldn't that be nice... Hmmm, well, I'm not exactly sure what this trend really means but I do find it interesting. Be sure to go to Google Zeitgeist and see what people are searching for. Makes for interesting discussion!

Reminder: Deadlines Approaching For Two Grant Opportunities from ALA’s Public Programs Office

Great Stories CLUB
Connect with hard-to-reach, underserved teens by conducting a Great Stories CLUB reading and discussion program in your library. Online applications will be accepted through February 1 at www.ala.org/greatstories.

The Great Stories CLUB (Connecting Libraries, Underserved teens, and Books) program reaches teens through books that are relevant to their lives, invites them to read and keep the books, and encourages them to consider and discuss each title with a group of their peers. By showing troubled teens that reading can be a source of pleasure, a tool for self-exploration, and a meaningful way to connect to the wider world, the program will inspire young adults who face difficult situations to take control of their lives by embracing the power of reading.

For tips on preparing an application, a list of the titles included, guidelines and the online application, visit www.ala.org/greatstories or contact publicprograms@ala.org.

We the People “Created Equal” Bookshelf
The We the People Bookshelf, a collection of classic books for young readers, is a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities’ (NEH) We the People program, conducted in cooperation with ALA’s Public Programs Office.

Each year, NEH identifies a theme important to the nation's heritage and selects books that embody that theme to build the We the People Bookshelf. The theme for the 2007-2008 Bookshelf is “Created Equal.” Public libraries are invited to apply online through January 25, 2008. A total of 3,000 libraries will be selected to receive the “Created Equal” Bookshelf. Awards will be announced on March 31, 2008.

For more information, or to complete an online application, visit publicprograms.ala.org/bookshelf.  With questions, contact publicprograms@ala.org.

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Promote Your Library in e-News@PLA

Want your library to be featured in an upcoming issue of e-news @ PLA? PLA is currently looking for libraries to profile in 2008. Email Louisa Worthington at lworthington@ala.org for more information.

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December 27, 2007

iLibrarian » Track Building Visitors by their Cell Phones



The UK company Path Intelligence has developed a pedestrian path measurement technology which automatically monitors the routes that visitors take within a building from their cell phone signals, (these signals do not reveal user identities). This technology aggregates these visitor movements and presents them within a continuously updating interface indicating visitor concentration levels at different times within different areas of the building. The technology is meant to be used as a way to optimize building layouts and staffing levels by providing insight into where people are naturally going, and also to quantify the impact of marketing campaigns by monitoring foot traffic to particular areas.
iLibrarian » Track Building Visitors by their Cell Phones

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National Film Registry, 2007

LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS ANNOUNCES NATIONAL FILM REGISTRY SELECTIONS FOR 2007

Back to the Future (1985)
Before "Beowulf" or "The Polar Express," writer/director Robert Zemeckis explored the possibilities of special effects with the 1985 box-office smash "Back to the Future." With his writing partner Bob Gale, Zemeckis tells the tale of accidental time-tourist Marty McFly.  Stranded in the year 1955, Marty (Michael J. Fox)—with the help of Dr. Emmett Brown (played masterfully over-the-top by Christopher Lloyd)—must not only find a way home, but also teach his father how to become a man, repair the space/time continuum and save his family from being erased from existence. All this, while fighting off the advances of his then-teenaged mother.  It's “The Twilight Zone” meets Preston Sturges.

Bullitt (1968)
For his first American film, British director Peter Yates made an inspired decision: shoot a crime drama on location in San Francisco, rather than on the usual streets of L.A. or New York City.  The pitched streets and stunning vistas of San Francisco, backed by a superb Lalo Schifrin score, play a central role in this film renowned for its exhilarating 11-minute car chase, arguably the finest in cinema history.  Steve McQueen as the cop in the title role romances Jacqueline Bisset and solves a murder case while fighting off the mob and a sleazy district attorney, played by Robert Vaughn.

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
After his 1975 blockbuster “Jaws,” Steven Spielberg produced this intelligent sci-fi film in which the climactic scene is set far from an ocean: Devil’s Tower National Monument in Wyoming.  Long a sacred place in Native American folklore, the monument served as an iconic image around which to construct this film about the quest for extraterrestrial life and UFOs. Also making the film effective and believable is Richard’s Dreyfuss’ Everyman character Roy Neary: “I wanna speak to the man in charge."   The five-tone musical motif used for communication with the aliens has become as quotable as any line of movie dialogue.  

Dance, Girl, Dance (1940)
Although there were numerous women filmmakers in the early decades of silent cinema, by the 1930s directing in Hollywood had become a male bastion—with one exception.  Dorothy Arzner graduated from editing to directing in the late 1920s, often exploring the conflicted roles of women in contemporary society. In “Dance, Girl, Dance,” her most intriguing film, two women (Lucille Ball and Maureen O’Hara) pursue life in show business from opposite ends of the spectrum: burlesque and ballet. The film is a meditation on the disparity between art and commerce.  The dancers strive to preserve their own feminist integrity, while fighting for their place in the spotlight and for the love of male lead Louis Hayward.

Dances With Wolves (1990)
A personal project for star Kevin Costner, “Dances with Wolves” disproved a reputation  Western films had acquired in the latter years of the 20th Century for being money-losers. The film also became the second Western to win the Academy Award for Best Film. The movie presents a fairly simple, intimate story (the quest of a cavalry soldier to get to know a nearby Sioux tribe and his resulting spiritual transformation) in an epic fashion, with sweeping cinematography and a majestic John Barry score. The film marks one of the more sympathetic portraits of Native-American life ever shown in American cinema, and introduced the American public to Lakota Sioux folklore, traditions and language.

Days of Heaven (1978)
Often called one of the most beautiful films ever made (acknowledging the sublime cinematography of NĂ¿stor Almendros and Haskell Wexler), “Days of Heaven” is an impressionist painting for the screen. The wheat fields and prairies of the Texas Panhandle—filmed in Alberta—shine and undulate in wind currents and storms, framing the tale of a love triangle (Richard Gere, Brooke Adams and Sam Shepard) fated to end badly.  The dialogue is spare, punctuating an elegiac score by Ennio Morricone and haunting narration by Linda Manz, who speaks from a child’s point of view. After this film (his second after “Badlands”), director Terrence Malick disappeared from public view for 20 years, returning in 1998 with “The Thin Red Line.”

For complete list and information, visit http://www.loc.gov/film/nfr2007.html

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December 21, 2007

No Cookies in the Library - Classic Sesame Street

just for a little friday fun! vintage video of Sesame St. Cookie Monster in the library. We've come a long way!

December 20, 2007

Sexy Librarians of the Future Will Help You Upload Your Videos to YouTube

This is a great article: check it out!


Sexy Librarians of the Future Will Help You Upload Your Videos to YouTube

Written by Marshall Kirkpatrick / December 20, 2007

A new poll from Harris Interactive was released this morning, finding that US respondents are more excited about watching mainstream, commercial content like full length TV shows and movies online than are about watching User Generated Content, news or sports video.While hardly surprising, I don't think it has to be this way forever. Who could help improve this landscape by maximizing the impact of the read/write web? Super sexy librarians, that's who!The Harris poll provoked two trains of thought in my mind. First, would these numbers change if high-quality and relevant videos were easier to find on sites like YouTube?   more...
Sexy Librarians of the Future Will Help You Upload Your Videos to YouTube - ReadWriteWeb

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Bundestag Dome

After the breakfast with Berlin librarians, we toured parts of the Bundesdag. This video takes you from the top of the dome to the bottom.

Noise Level Zones at Oak Park Public Library



this is a great idea for public libraries!
i noticed this on Michael Stephen's Tame the Web blog:

 http://tametheweb.com/2007/12/ttw_mailbox_zones_at_oak_park.html

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Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA) Mildly Attractive Men 2008 Pin Up Calendar!



I just got a copy of -The "Mildly Attractive Men of SLIS" calendar for Christmas from my wonderful friend Caroline!  What an inventive fundraiser idea! And it's a great calendar too with LIS dates and all.  Go to the web site and you can buy one online and have it shipped to you. 

The LISSA students are using the sale proceeds to go to the IFLA conference in Quebec this summer. 

You can order a copy through Paypal. The cost is $12.00 plus $1.00 for shipping. Be sure to include your name and address when ordering.

Calendar web site where you can order online: http://www.heidihoerman.com/lissacalendar.html


Library and Information Science Student Association (LISSA)

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December 18, 2007

River of Words

This is a brief video about the River of Words project which is a visual arts and poetry contest. Any student age 5-19 is eligible to participate. The program is sponsored by the Library of Congress Center for the Book and the SC Center for the Book. For more information, visit www.sccenterforthebook.org.

New Design

Well, as you can tell, I got tired of my old blog template so I'm going to give this one a go and see after a few days if I like it or not :-)

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Bundestag Breakfast

In the next few weeks I'll be posting some of my favorite YouTube videos I created from my experiences on the Study Tour of German Libraries. Here is the first. We were having a wonderful breakfast with colleagues on the rooftop restaurant of the Bundestag. It got incredibly hot and I opened a door to let in some air. The food and company was wonderful. Michael Cullen talked to the group about Berlin and was very informative. Enjoy!

Top 10 Novel Ideas + Invisible Floating Bookshelf (SUPER GALLERY)

Those who love showing off how well read they are will adore displaying their books on this invisible floating bookshelf. Displaying favorite books is an exceptionally easy way to reflect personal style, values and interests, and the Conceal Bookshelf will do so in a non-space-evasive way.

As computer-focused as our world is getting, there is still something irresistible about real books. They hold a charm that many younger generations will never learn to appreciate.

These bookshelves, cases and unique designs are dedicated to old-fashioned book. The furnishings speak to bookworms who enjoy collecting favourite stories, appreciate the classics, or simply like to indulge in the comforts of curling up with a good novel.

Top 10 Novel Ideas + Invisible Floating Bookshelf (SUPER GALLERY)

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December 17, 2007

Nice library sign

This sign is better than most of the "turn off!" signs you tend to see in many public libraries.  We need to be more friendly in our signage when it comes to cell phones and everyone can learn a lesson from Skokie Public Library.  Great sign!

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December 11, 2007

Speaker @ the Center – Andrew Billingsley to Speak at SC Center for the Book


billingsley promotional flier
Originally uploaded by crr29061
Speaker @ the Center – Andrew Billingsley to Speak at SC Center for the Book

Columbia, SC -- Bring your lunch and enjoy an interesting hour with author Andrew Billingsley as he discusses his book, Yearning to Breathe Free: Robert Smalls of South Carolina and His Families. On May 13, 1862, the enslaved African American Robert Smalls commandeered a Confederate warship, the Planter, from Charleston harbor and piloted the vessel to cheering seamen of the Union blockade, thus securing his place in the annals of Civil War heroics. Slave, pilot, businessman, statesman, U.S. congressman, Smalls played many roles en route to becoming an American icon, but none of his accomplishments was a solo effort. Billingsley offers the first biography of Smalls to assess the influence of his families—black and white, past and present—on his life and enduring legend. -University of South Carolina Press, 2007
Andrew Billingsley is a professor of sociology and African American studies and senior scholar in residence at the Institute for Families in Society at the University of South Carolina. He served as a professor and chair of the Department of Family Studies and a professor of sociology and African American studies at the University of Maryland, as president of Morgan State University, and as provost at Howard University.

Thursday, January 17th, 2008
Noon—1 p.m.
SC State Library Administration Building
Room 309, 1430 Senate Street
Columbia, SC 29201

This free lunchtime program is presented by the South Carolina Center for the Book ( www.sccenterforthebook.org ), the South Carolina affiliate of the Library of Congress Center for the Book. The SC Center for the Book is a cooperative project of the SC State Library, the University of South Carolina School of Library and Information Science, and The Humanities Council SC.

RCPL's The Link

Check out the newest branch of the Richland County Public Library. The new branch was funded with an LSTA grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services www.imls.gov administered by the SC State Library www.statelibrary.sc.gov.

December 07, 2007

South Carolina Obituary Resources Page

Check out the latest YouTube video about the SC Obituary Resources web page available from the SC State Library's web site. www.statelibrary.sc.gov.

December 06, 2007

Dr. Robert Ackerman at the SC Center for the Book

Today Dr. Ackerman discussed the subject of his recent book, Wade Hampton III, at the Speaker @ the Center book discussion. For more information visit www.sccenterforthebook.org.

December 05, 2007

Book scanning robot

Chris Zammarelli took this quick vid of the amazing scanning robot at the Staatsbibliothek in Munich. Fascinating!!!

RCPL the Link - opening


RCPL the Link opening
Originally uploaded by crr29061
RCPL Executive Director David Warren, South Carolina Representative Nathan Ballentine, Friends of RCPL Representative Susan Mazur, Richland County Councilman Bill Mallinowski and RCPL Board of Trustees Chairman Rox Pollard officially opened The Link, Ballentine on December 4.

RCPL Adds Innovative New Location to Rapidly Growing Community

The Richland County Public Library in Columbia, S.C. opened its 11th location—The Link, Ballentine—to a crowd of more than 150 children, teens and adults on December 4.

The highly anticipated facility features popular reading and children’s collections as well as a number of technologically advanced services, including wireless Internet access and a video reference system that allows users to see and speak with a reference librarian at the Main Library’s General Reference and Business, Science and Technology Reference desks.

With a statewide property tax referendum limiting local funds for libraries, this new facility was made possible because the Friends of RCPL matched a $65,000 Library Services and Technology Act Grant. This support allowed RCPL to increase services in the rapidly growing Ballentine community in Northwest Richland County, an area that was served only by a Bookmobile.

“The video conferencing technology, which has been adapted for commercial efforts but not widely used to date in public libraries, allowed us to utilize current staff at the Main Library to provide personalized reference services,” said RCPL’s Executive Director David Warren. “Maximizing current resources, including staff and the numerous materials in several formats now available through our Web site, allows us to enhance services to a more remote area of our community.”

RCPL also worked with a local architecture firm to carry out its Build Green philosophy by refurbishing and reusing several aspects of the rented, storefront facility including furniture, shelving and concrete floors.

In December of 2006, naturalist and avid library supporter Rudy Mancke fulfilled a childhood dream of driving a bookmobile when he guided RCPL’s Bookmobile along its final journey to be parked at the future library location, where it nearly tripled its circulation.

For more information on The Link, please call 803-929-3440 or visit www.myRCPL.com.

December 03, 2007

January is National Mentoring Month

Libraries, here is an idea for promoting National Mentoring Month!

Contact organizations in your area that have mentoring programs or would like to start a mentoring program to an open house in January in honor of National Mentoring Month.  Get your Friends Group to help sponsor the event with refreshments. Find a local speaker to come and talk about the importance of mentoring.  Set up a small book/video display about mentoring. Talk about how the library can provide meeting space for mentoring programs.  Show the PSA on mentoring!

National Mentoring Month (NMM) highlights mentoring and the positive impact it can have on young lives. Spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project, MENTOR, and the Corporation for National and Community Service, the firstever NMM was held January 2002. This month-long outreach campaign focuses national attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us—individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and nonprofits—can work together to increase the number of mentors and assure brighter futures for our young people.
MENTOR :: National Mentoring Month

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Techopolis: Library Pod - The Cave is Novel Design for Bookies



I love this kind of design feature when it comes to library furniture.  What a neat area to read in!

Avid readers will love retreating into this little library pod to be one with their books. "The Cave" is a relaxing and comfortable space intended for reading -- the system even includes bookshelves!
Techopolis: Library Pod - The Cave is Novel Design for Bookies

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December 02, 2007

Library as Place

This is a great library school student made video. They make a lot of important observations about library services. Check it out!