Library 2.0

Most everyone reading this blog is familiar with Karen G. Schneider. As a recent member of the Techsource team, she has helped us all understand technology a little more clearly. Her new job as Community Librarian for Equinox Software, Inc. involves working to expand library and librarians knowledge about the Open Source ILS, Evergreen.

I was able to track her down, and ask her a few questions about Evergreen, libraries, and the ILS. As always, she never fails to inform. Read More »

When you are training a dog, you do not start with something complicated. You begin with something small and easy: sit. From sit, you move on to tricks that build on that one skill, like shake and lie down. You never start with lie down or shake, because a dog has to be sitting to do those things.

When we teach children to read, we sing them the ABCs first and then teach them how the letters form words. We do not show them words and then teach them the alphabet. We know that to learn a skill there is a logical progression of learning. We know this, but often, when dealing with technology, we forget about it. Like all other knowledge acquisition, learning how to use technology tools should follow a logical progression. We should start with cornerstones before constructing the building. If you are a technology trainer, consider what cornerstones are already in your staff's arsenal when planning a training. Read More »

For the past few days I've been an early morning denizen of the Denny's restaurant at the corner of Munras and Fremont in Monterey/>, California/>/>.  It's close to my hotel and always open.  If you're an early morning person in the Midwest, you're a REALLY early morning person on the West Coast. Read More »

In just 12 months, from the time ALA Techsource published Web 2.0 & Libraries: Best Practices for Social Software, the influx of 2.0 type tools, books, articles about the tools, and conference presentations has been overwhelming. So much excellent content to take in!
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I had the honor of giving my "Hyperlinked Library" talk at the prestigious New York Public Library last week. The question-and-answer session following was wonderful: questions about levels of service with technology, reaching out to the under-served who may not have access to newer types of tech and what working in a 2.0 world means to a large library system. I've heard that staff are given internal blogs to communicate, and there are some other wonderful digital projects on tap with the new Director of Digital Strategy and Scholarship, Josh Greenberg.
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I keep my eye on many innovative libraries. These libraries are at the outer edge of our market, leading the way with new takes on service and outreach. They inspire me. They also help me do my job. I love to see what Hennepin is doing, and what Darien will do as they build their new library, as well as many other libraries across the country and around the world. And I'm also keeping a close eye on the state of South Carolina. If there ever was a state filled with library goodness, it would be there.

Here are just a few reasons why:
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A post from the field of Computers In Libraries 2007.

Lee Rainie, from the Pew Internet and American Life Project was the first speaker at this year's Computers in Libraries conference. His talk, as expected, was bursting with numbers that illustrated how people use and interact on the Internet. On Thursday, the Pew Internet and American Life Project released a new study called “Teens, Privacy and Online Social Networks: How teens manage their online identities and personal information in the age of MySpace”. As a result, much of Rainie's talk focused on young people.
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• [G]aming has tremendous potential for libraries to reach out to new users, offer new services, and help complement efforts in community building, information literacy, and other areas.—

Stephen Abram Learn more about gaming and libraries from Jenny Levine, the mastermind behind the upcoming ALA TechSource Gaming, Learning, and Libraries Symposium.

On Tuesday, March 13, 2007, tune into Jenny talking about the possibilities for and successes of gaming—and the accompanying learning and outreach benefits gaming can bring to—libraries in her Web Seminar at the SirsiDynix Institute: Read More »

• Gaming in the Library
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• March 13, 2007
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• 12 p.m. Eastern; Length: 1 hr

"If people were better informed about social networking sites and knew and used basic Internet safety tips, the cloud of fear may decline."—Robert Doyle, Executive Director of the Illinois Library Association
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