Chelmsford Library Revamped: In the place formerly known as the library, students perch on long-legged chairs and huddle in purple and black booths. Once a week, they drink coffee and discuss books in the Java Room. They watch a history lesson, school news, and CNN on a 58-inch flat-panel “digital kiosk.” Just don’t call it the library. The new Learning Commons was born from the old Chelmsford High School library, until recently an area so notoriously shabby that school officials conspired to keep superintendent candidates from glimpsing its electric yellow walls and duct-tape-scarred floors. But the school district’s head of […]
Contributors Michael Stephens
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File under keeping up with your students’ technology use. Brian Mathews reports on investigating how his library could better support the technology needs of students: http://theubiquitouslibrarian.typepad.com/the_ubiquitous_librarian/2008/12/tell-me-about-your-laptop-what-libraries-can-do-to-provide-support.html I am not talking about IT support, although that is offered by people in our building, but rather about the types of software, gadgets, accessories, tools, furniture, or supplies that would help people to be more productive. So I asked them: Recliners and more ottomans More outlets More headphones for check out Power strips Extension cords Book stands / paper stands More small cubical-like spaces Wireless keyboards Wireless mice Laptop docking stations Comfortable chairs with […]
The Best Tweets Include: Recommended links. Images and videos to share. Something worth replying to and having a conversation over. (Guide to Replies) Something worth retweeting. (Avoiding 1-sided conversations) Announcements about upcoming events. Valid sources of information. Take a look: http://flatworldschools.blogspot.com/2008/12/twitter-tutorial.html
Library Faces, originally uploaded by scampion.
Check your ego at the door. Good leaders don’t surround themselves with “yes” people. And good leaders know that if their message is not being heard, or it’s being heard incorrectly, then the fault does not lie with the listener but with the speaker. Stop worrying about the snarkiness of survey responses and start worrying about the meaning behind those negative comments. Be sure to listen through the criticism. Behind relatively unconstructive criticism may lie a real concern. Show those critics you can listen, and show them that you’ll respond. Recognize and grow your talent. Talented staff reflect better on you. […]
Quiet Sign ADULT, originally uploaded by Manatee County Public Library.
Superpatron reports on Duke University’s mobile home page for the library: http://vielmetti.typepad.com/superpatron/2008/12/duke-university-libraries-mobile-edition.html Duke Libraries Mobile Library Home 1 Hours 2 Available Computers 3 Contact Us 4 Directions 5 Loan Periods 6 Links 7 Phone: (919) 660-5880 (Perkins Reference) 8 Main Library Home Page (not formatted for mobile devices) If you click through to “Available Computers” you get real time status of free/busy computers in their labs. This is what they write about it on their library blog: Key points about our pilot: Compact display: information optimized for the very small screen space available on handheld devices — every pixel counts. Compact file size: patrons often pay a fee for each byte transmitted […]
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6617658.html Once it began, everything seemed to be going smoothly. That is, until I saw a security guard shoot a look at a group of loud teens, telling them to keep it down. He then shut the door in their faces as they stood in the doorway trying to get into the event. The teens were initially shocked and looked to each other for some kind of explanation. Then they burst out laughing at the absurdity of the situation. There were more than 150 teens attending this YA author visit, buying books, CDs and T-shirts. It was a librarian’s dream: […]
Library Sign – Gadgets – Blue, originally uploaded by ccacnorthlib. This series was inspired by ipod advertising and is being used throughout the library. A special thanks to daxtor for making this image available under Creative Commons.
A big congratulations to Dr. Brian Kenney who attended the hooding ceremony at the University of North Texas this weekend. Brian is in the 2nd IMLS Fellowship PhD Cohort at UNT. A big shout out to Dr. Brian and to all of the others who graduated this weekend.