A few of the shared libraries that pop up at SJCPL!
Bruce Connoly has an article in the new Computers in Libraries that presents an incredible idea: use iTunes built in sharing capaibilty to share music with library users! Connoly discovers other folks music librraies showing up when he opens iTunes. His thinking, sparked by the recent EDUCAUSE conference and Joan Lippincott’s article on serving Net Gen users, leads to this:
We started by creating a playlist called “Schaffer Library – New Music” consisting of about 2 dozen songs. We used complete songs, not samples. Generally, we included no more than a track or two from any one CD title. We decided to add the Schaffer Library call number in the Comments field (although this is an optional display field and users may not have it turned on) and to include additional information sometimes.
Our intention was not to create a permanent shared archive but rather to add new songs and delete older ones over time. Now we have also begun creating themed playlists–organized around events on campus or wider cultural events like Hispanic Heritage Month–that encompass areas of the CD collection that we would like to showcase. For instance, when The Threepenny Opera played on campus, we noted that several songs in the playlist came from that work.
This blows me away and it is OH SO EASY to do! Go look for the current issue of CIL (sadly the article is not online) and give it a read!
He concludes: “Lippencott’s chapter on “Net Generation Students and Libraries” in Educating the Net Generation asks: “Why should libraries and librarians adapt their well-structured organizations and systems to the needs of students rather than insist that students learn about and adapt to existing library systems?” The answer, from our perspective, is that sharing is a statement that assures students that we are willing to meet them in a space of their choosing–a space that is familiar, comfortable, and vibrant–and that we are just as eager to invite them into our space if they choose to come”
Don’t miss Janet Balas’ article Blogging Is So Last Year–Now Podcasting Is Hot as well – I love the title!