Categories TTW Ephemera

http://www.tadl.org/wireless/map/ Traverse Area District Library is my library away from home! Jeff, in IT there, IMs on occasion to let me know what’s happening. This just debuted! What a great service provided by the library that reaches out into the community using some pretty nice techie tools.Not only are library hotspots listed, but other free ones as well. I asked Jeff what their goals were. He said: “We had a few goals in mind: 1. provide our patrons with an accurate list of free hotspots in the area 2. gain additional real-world experience with (buzzword alert) AJAX, XML, XSLT, the […]

Sometimes we rely too heavily on rules, protocols and procedures. The best policies and practices in libraries are those that can be bent or ignored when the situation calls for it. I admire those managers and administrators that get that and see the difference between micro-management/never break the rules and those that realize we are all in this big thing called life together and yes stuff happens. Like someone wanting to use the phone. Thanks FGL for the reminder.

http://www.techsource.ala.org/blog/blog_detail.php?blog_id=75

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?id=15312 Hopefully, many more universities will follow with similar programs!

From the Rambling Librarian: http://ramblinglibrarian.blogspot.com/2004/09/differentiating-public-service.html We should go out there and engage potential users in the forums, chatrooms etc. As I wrote in my other blog:”… the presence that librarians project can no longer be the “Thou knoweth more than you-eth” attitude. To connect with our average information-customer, we need to show them that we’re as human as they are; as fallible, and there’s nothing to be fear from us.” In providing our service, be it answering reference enquiries or Readers’ Advisory, or checking a reader’s loan record, PLS librarians can distinguish themselves by engaging in conversations with the reader. […]

When a new technology gets picked up by NPR, I’d count it as on the upward slope toward tipping into the mainstream. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4956468 Thanks to Meg in Evansville for the heads up!

I interviewed Wanda Bruchis for my technology planning article last year. I emailed shortly after Hurricane Katrina and was glad to hear she’s fine. She sent along a link to local coverage of the hurricane and her library. http://houmatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051006/NEWS/510060315/1026/ARCHIVES14

I have another post up at the ALA TechSource Blog entitled Web 2.0 for Librarians. Don’t miss Theresa’s coverage of Roy Tennant speaking at LITA as well!

Michael Casey, who JUST STARTED BLOGGING in September — wooohoo — commented yesterday on a post from 2004, 10 Things A Library Can Do to Boost their Techie Stuff* (*without breaking the bank), and I wanted to put that comment here because it’s way back in the TTW archives. I couldn’t agree more with what Michael says: “Looking at this more than a year after posting causes me much frustration and angst when I realize that so many libraries — libraries that can and should have embraced all of these long ago — have yet to adopt more than one […]

Caught at the Starbucks during lunch: a dear group of SJCPL Librarians bidding a fond farewell to Sue, who is moving to Arizona. We’ll miss you Sue! Left to Right: Sarah, Tracy, Maire, Sue, Julie