Yearly Archives: 2011

251 posts

Jason Griffey signs off Perpetual Beta

Jason Griffey writes: On December 28, I received notice from George M. Eberhart, the editor ofAmerican Libraries Direct, that my contract with American Libraries for Perpetual Beta is not being renewed. As of December 31, my involvement with this experiment in blogging will end. Perpetual Beta was, to my knowledge, the first American Libraries blog written by a non-staff member. It was originally conceived of by myself and former Associate Editor Sean Fitzpatrick as a way of highlighting edgy, interesting tech that pushed the boundaries of what might be considered “library technology.” I tried very hard to curate the content that it linked to in […]

Is a digital media lab right for you?

If you can be in charge/start your/be part of a Digital Media Lab (DML) I highly recommend it… for you. Now, I think all the community building, etc. aspects of a DML are awesome and one of the futures of libraries – see a Library Journal article I co-authored for that all important aspect.  However, this post is for those of you who are considering starting a DML and wondering if you will enjoy it as an aspect of your job. This is what my work life looks like being in charge of the Skokie DML ( I have other […]

Library on Wheels – Blogging Gold from Char Booth

Please do not miss: http://infomational.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/project-curve-part-five-library-on-wheels/ Just a snippet demonstrates Char Booth’s evidence-based, grounded approach to library outreach and technology: the mobile shift: not exactly news Now, down to project business. Mobile platforms and services have become one of the most handily bandied-about concepts in libraryland over the last few years, and for very good reason. Recent research from ECAR, PIL (pdf), and Pew (among others) documents a mobile shift in personal and academic connectivity, communication, and access among learners. My own research for the Council of Chief Librarians of California Community Colleges in 2011 examined in part the receptivity of participants to mobile library functionality, which resoundingly […]

Beyond the Walled Garden – An Essay in SJSU SLIS Student Research Journal

I have an invited contribution in the new issue of SJSU SLIS Student Research Journal: http://scholarworks.sjsu.edu/slissrj/vol1/iss2/2/ I recently participated in a meeting convened at the Salzburg Global Seminar in Austria. For five days, over 50 librarians and museum professionals from all over the world gathered to critically examine the impact of participatory culture on library and museum work. The event was sponsored by both the seminar and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. Participatory culture, defined by Henry Jenkins in Confronting the Challenges of Participatory Culture (2006), “is a culture with relatively low barriers to artistic expression and civic […]

Young Whipper Snapper No More – A TTW Guest Post by Dr. Troy Swanson

A few weeks ago, I was doing one of my weekly reference shifts. I went to our lower level to see if students using computers down there needed any help. As I was walking along, I thought to myself that it was great that we had these computers. They were added to help ease the demand for machines. I thought, these students should feel so fortunate that we worked this out with campus IT. What a great service improvement! Every computer was in use. Success! Then, it occurred to me that we added these machines five years ago, and the […]

New CEO for Queensland State Library

Note from Michael: I worked with Janette on the CAVAL Visiting Scholar Project. We had a wonderful afternoon visiting the good folks at the Yarra Plenty Library while I was in Melbourne. Congrats Janette! Famous for being a place to expand your mind and change your life, State Library of Queensland will welcome its new CEO and State Librarian in February 2012. State Library has built a reputation for successfully re-imagining libraries for the 21st century, and new CEO Ms Janette Wright will build on this tradition. Announcing her appointment, Library Board of Queensland Chairman Professor Roly Sussex said Ms […]