ALA News

When a new trend emerges and grows as quickly as gaming in libraries has, those of us who weren't involved at an early stage can sometimes feel like they've been left behind. In all likelihood, there are librarians all over the country who have heard about the growing role that gaming is playing in many libraries and would like to expand its role in their own libraries as well, but just don't know how to get started.

ALA has created a fantastic new resource for just that type of librarian.The Librarian's Guide to Gaming: An Online Toolkit for Building Gaming @ Your Libraryis now available online. If you are looking to get gaming off the ground at your library, this is a one-stop-shop that will get you going in a hurry. Read More »

If you are in the library technology world, or even if you just brush up against it, you've probably heard of Marshall Breeding. Marshall is the is the Director for Innovative Technologies and Research for the Jean and Alexander Heard Library at Vanderbilt University. A prolific writer, Marshall has authored six issues of Library Technology Reports, is a contributing editor for Smart Libraries Newsletter, a columnist for Computers in Libraries and has written dozens of articles on library technology trends. A regular on the library conference circuit, Breeding frequently speaks at Computers in Libraries, Internet Librarian, and other professional gatherings throughout the United States and internationally.

We're excited to spread the word that Marshall will be giving a talk online via OPAL that will take place next Thursday at 2 p.m. You can join Marshall for what's being described as "an informal conversation about the promise, trends, and challenges of next generation library catalogs," at the ALA OPAL 100 Room.

We were lucky enough to get an exclusive preview from Marshall himself. Read More »

Michael has posted four video submissions to ALA's candidates for President over at Tame the Web, including one from our own Tom Peters.

We are extremely excited about the January Issue of Library Technology Reports, “Funding and Budgeting for Library Technology in Today's Economy” by Larra Clark and Denise Davis. With the current economic crisis, librarians are concerned about having the funds to keep up with the rapidly evolving technology needed to serve the needs of twenty-first century patrons. ALA TechSource is responding with an issue that offers not only a detailed look at the library funding landscape, but also expert-authored, practical guidelines for stretching your budget as far as it can go.

Read More »

I've been working backstage for some time now as manager of ALA Publishing's Online Resources unit, which in addition to ALA TechSource includes Guide to Reference and RDA: Resource Description & Access. With loads of help from Jenny Levine, not to mention Joe the Drupal developer, I coordinated the migration of the blog to the Drupal platform. I recruited Jason, Kate, and Cindi to the blogging team and hired Dan . . . but I've never posted to the blog! I'll be writing the occasional post, mostly reporting on other ALA Publishing projects. More soon. Read More »

Robin Williams is the newest member of the ALA TechSource Blog Team.  Welcome, Robin!  Recently she and I met and chatted on ALA Island in Second Life, the 3-dimensional virtual world.  The text chat transcript of our conversation is pasted below.  Greylin Fairweather is the name of Robin's avatar in Second Life, and Maxito Ricardo is my avatar. Read More »

Last weekend I made my third trip to Philadelphia/>/> to attend an ALA/> Midwinter Meeting.  The first Midwinter I attended (early 90's?) in Philly was very snowy, and the second Midwinter (2003) was extremely cold.  (I have a vivid visual memory of watching Jay Jordan stoically traverse an arctic, windswept parking lot near the Convention Center.)  The most recent Midwinter w Read More »

Some of my favorite books, such as Huck Finn and Of Mice and Men, are frequently challenged and banned by others.  Since 1982 ALA has organized an annual Banned Books Week (Sept. 29 through Oct. 6 this year) that encourages people to read and celebrate the freedom to read whatever one wishes.  Read More »

Six months ago, if I had been playing a linguistic parlor game and had encountered the word MIG, my first and only thought would have been about Soviet/Russian military jets.  But now, thanks to the emergence of social networks, virtual worlds, and John Chrastka at ALA, I have been re-educated, Comrades.

Now my first thought whenever I hear or see the word MIG is of Member Initiative Groups.  The American Library Association has a wonderful process whereby any group of members interested in a professional topic can apply to the Committee on Organization (COO) to form a MIG.  Got ants in your pants?  See a need?  Form a MIG! Read More »

The ALA Annual Conference in DC, which just ended, was another energizing, informative event.  In a forthcoming post I will summarize the more substantial sessions and issues that came to my attention.  However, in the spirit of the adage, "Life's uncertain; eat dessert first," I would like to share with you the most fun I had at ALA in DC.

Vendor receptions are a time-honored event at these conferences, and the protocol is well-established: Read More »