LJ highlights some features of the new Darien Library: New technology, new design RFID for self-check and materials handling is just a tip of the technology infused throughout the building. There are also 21 wireless access points, large LCD flat displays for community information, a ten-foot rear-projection screen for the community room, and a touch-screen tabletop Microsoft Surface computer for the children’s room on the main floor. A “Power Library” in the basement is filled with public access computers and includes a room dedicated to office needs. The teen room nestles right next to the Power Library, in a serious effort, according to Blyberg, to “couple teens […]
Categories TTW Ephemera
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As a soon-to-be graduate of Dominican’s GSLIS program and in need and want of a new job, I watch the job lists pretty closely. My interest was piqued quickly as I came across a posting for a “Creativity Library Manager” at the University of Nebrask at Omaha. Part of the post reads: This newly created position is responsible for developing and operating a unique, experimental library to support creativity in all fields of endeavor. The successful candidate: will identify and select library materials that inspire new ways of thinking; will assist users with materials and extensive, leading-edge technological resources; will […]
The Princeton Public Library is in the home stretch weekend of their 3rd annual Princeton Environmental Film Festival – an 11 day event that has touched upon many topics relating to the environment. What started as 5 day program in 2007 via an idea brought to the library by Kai Marshall-Otto (a student involved with the Environmental Club at Princeton High School) has grown in to an 11 day extravaganza with numerous films, panels, and speakers that touch upon many important topics. Close to 2,000 people have attended lectures, discussions and screenings in the first 9 days and some of the largest events […]
Webcam chat at Ustream I can’t be in Darien this weekend, but I can certainly tune into BlybergTV. Nice use of Ustream!
I’m prepping classes and presentations right now and my eyes fell on this OLD link from walkingpaper: http://www.walkingpaper.org/106 Aaron lists some things libraries can do to improve techie stuff. How many have you done? How far have we come? Here’s just a few of his ideas: 3. Have CD burning available for patrons at your workstations. Patrons with slow connectivity at home may want to download large files with fast library connections. Also, they may be working on large documents not easily fit on floppies. Cost = The hardware is not expensive and not too difficult to install. If you’re replacing computers […]
After getting a special press-only sneak preview of Darien’s new $24 million dollar, soon-to-be-certified “Green,” state-of-the-art library yesterday, all I can say is: Oh. My. GAWD. http://allaboutdarien.com/2009/01/the-new-darien-library-its-for-me/ A Darien, CT blogger and mom visits the new library for press opening day, and notes its user-centered, innovative approaches: (emphasis mine in bold) ….beyond the fact that there are no more “desks” behind which Librarians sit, but rather “consultation tables” and Librarians who float around with tablet laptops dedicated to helping you find what you’re looking for; beyond the fact that practically everything from building materials to geo-thermal heating and cooling and air […]
I’m adding this article by Stephen Abram to my LIS701 syllabus. http://www.infotoday.com/searcher/sep08/Abram.shtml Abram offers various scenarios for the future of reference services, including this one: Status Quo: A Recipe for Fossilization This is the disaster scenario — at least for our profession. Suppose we don’t evolve fast enough. Most of us know the story of the frog in the boiling water. Will we be blind to the overall changes and allow ad-driven search results to dominate the important question space? Worse still, will we fall into the trap of demanding a Google-like experience? Will there be no event, no transformational experience that […]
I get very excited at the power and promise of what we’re doing: innovative services, new buildings, the harnessing of new technologies to extend our services in surprising ways, and much, much more. With that in mind, I offer a few simple hopes for this shiny new year. Many libraries are doing these things already while others are testing the waters. Wherever your institution is going, these are things I hope for: I hope that we tell our story well. I hope that we guide our users into the digital landscape. I hope that we make good decisions. I hope that […]
final things, originally uploaded by circulating. Congrats to Iris Shreve Garrott who is retiring from McCracken PL! I’m swiping some text from her blog bio page: As the family matriarch and company employee with the most longevity it is my responsibility to show everyone else how important it is to be play and be happy as they work on the web. Oh… and I am happy 100% of the time now… for really. for more career bio, here is a press release from April 27, 2006… Although plenty of people work extremely hard for youth in the Paducah community, few ever […]
Before Michael puts Tame The Web to rest for the holidays I just wanted to say a quick thank you. You might be asking, “why the thanks?” Well, to be honest I have to say that spaces like Tame The Web, Twitter, Facebook, and other online networks have connected me with the profession in more ways than I could have ever imagined. I’ve had some great professional dialogues about the state of librarianship and its future. I’ve met some wonderful folks and I hope to continue to build these relationships and create even more. With two classes left at Dominican […]