Fascinating article in SLJ from David Loertscher: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6610496.html Last year, when I thought of revising my book Taxonomies of the School Library Media Program (Hi Willow, 2000), I realized that I had pushed the traditional model of school libraries about as far as it could go. We don’t need a revision. We need a reinvention. Experts say that the rank and file of any profession can’t re-create itself because it’s too enmeshed in the status quo. We’re more hopeful. What has to happen for school libraries to become relevant? If we want to connect with the latest generation of learners and teachers, […]
Monthly Archives: November 2008
50 posts
Don’t miss this article from Sarah Houghton-Jan and Aaron Schmidt: http://www.infotoday.com/mls/nov08/Schmidt_Houghton-Jan.shtml While there are many quick, one-time things you can do to make your content findable, we’ll address those later. First, we have to make sure that there’s a reason to promote your library and its website. If you’re not offering relevant services or interesting content on your site, there’s really nothing to promote. The most important and effective thing you can do to make your content findable and to draw people back is the most difficult: Make a good website. Creating a website is ridiculously easy, and it takes […]
Kathryn Greenhill reports on Liz Wilkinson, University of Auckland, presenting at the LIANZA 2008 conference: I was very impressed with an information literacy package she had helped to design. Te Punga uses online graphic novels and simulations to introduce students to the library catalogue. I was even more impressed with her philosophy behind the design – and I have tried to capture this in this movie, Information Literacy: Seven ways to think outside the box. She was very gracious about being filmed with no rehearsal time, and I’m very grateful to her and the University Of Auckland for allowing me to use her words […]
Great stuff: Tips to Make a University Student Blogging Program Successful You Can Never Have Enough Feedback The final step to a successful student blogging program is to constantly pursue feedback. Successful bloggers utilize user feedback to improve their writing and focus on topics that their readers would be interested in. Ask prospective students, current students, alumni, and staff to give their impressions of these blogs and suggestions of what they would like to see. Some of my best blog entries were inspired by e-mails from readers who asked what I had to say on a topic that interested them. […]
Via Andrew Finegan from Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, comes another example of taking the library to the users. The books are read and passed on to others – great idea. Is anyone doing this in the States? http://www.portphillip.vic.gov.au/wheelbarrow_library_service.html The vehicle As it takes its cargo of books to sunbathers, paddlers and beach walkers, our all terrain wheelbarrow skims along the sand like a jet powered hovercraft . It is orange and is decked out with flags, bells and a horn. You won’t be able to miss it! What’s on offer Beach goers of all persuasions are invited to rummage through our barrow […]
Brenda Hough writes: The MaintainIT Project is happy to announce the latest Cookbook! “Planning for Success” http://www.maintainitproject.org/cookbooks/planning-for-success It’s a free online resource with current ideas and best practices for planning, building, and managing your library’s computer technology. Librarians around the country have contributed their knowledge on topics ranging from security solutions and strategic maintenance practices to community building experiences involving Web 2.0 tools and vital partnerships. And the Cookbook is FREE. Cookbook topics include: – Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) – Evaluations and Metrics – Talking with non-techies – Standardizing your IT infrastructure – Leasing computers – Disk-cloning in libraries – Remote desktop software – Hiring […]
MT 015, originally uploaded by Russ and Lori.
DevLearn08 staging area, originally uploaded by leeleblanc. TTW Contributor Lee LeBlanc writes: Today is the first day of DevLearn 2008 in San Jose. The elearning theme is not only valuable for someone in my position but this aspect of the changing nature of learning environments is fascinating and one libraries should watch (perhaps even participate in). More updates about this conference later. I’m being very conscious of my time here. I just read a very interesting blog post about how people are attending conferences these days -and not really attending them by being (kinda) un-present. Consumed, was the thought, about […]
Crowd, originally uploaded by teens_libraryloft. Teen Read Week at ImaginOn.
Danny Strzyzewski, originally uploaded by Lester Public Library. Lester Public Library writes: Calling all Veterans! In honor of Veteran’s Day, November 11, the library would like to honor our local servicemen and women. We are asking that anyone who is or has served in any branch of the military bring in a framed photo to be displayed in the library during the entire month of November. Please include the following information to be displayed with the photo: Name, Rank, Branch of Service, when and where served. Photos will be displayed in the reference area of the library and will be […]