Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Sentenced to read
Wood County Common Pleas Judge Alan Mayberry ordered a Perrysburg township woman to perform an innovative community service duty: spend 200 hours at the library reading to her children. Staff at the Wood County District Public Library will verify for the probation department the hours spent at the library, and will help defendents select the books for reading.
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Fitness at the library
You can always find fitness books and probably videos too at the library. (I don't think I've ever fully recovered from trying out the TaeBo videos I checked out in the late 90's). But Cincinnati is going a step further, landing a grant for fitness activities as part of the national Get Real, Get Fit program.
One colleague said, "I hope this doesn't mean treadmills instead of chairs in front of the Internet computer stations and in the periodicals dept!!!" Intriguing idea, though. But then would libraries also have to locker rooms and showers for the exercising reader?
One colleague said, "I hope this doesn't mean treadmills instead of chairs in front of the Internet computer stations and in the periodicals dept!!!" Intriguing idea, though. But then would libraries also have to locker rooms and showers for the exercising reader?
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Grant for Cuyahoga County Public Library
The Skirball Foundation has awarded the Cuyahoga County Public Library a grant to support author appearances at Cleveland's Playhouse Square. The new William N. Skirball Writers Center Stage Series brings high profile authors to Playhouse Square for public events, and ticket sales will benefit the library's foundation. This year's series features Pat Conroy, Alexander McCall Smith, Jane Smiley, and Anna Quindlen, telling their stories and answering questions from the audience.
Nothing connects me to a writer like seeing her in person. Congratulations to CCPL for securing money for this fantastic cultural opportunity.
Nothing connects me to a writer like seeing her in person. Congratulations to CCPL for securing money for this fantastic cultural opportunity.
Friday, July 15, 2005
The Choir
The kickoff event for the Ohio library "One Book, Five Landscapes, Six Partners, Endless Possibilities" project was held yesterday at the Kilgour Theater at OCLC. 144 people had signed up to attend one of the two sessions, to listen to George Needham outline the 2003 OCLC Environmental Scan and begin a discussion of the future of library services.
I love events like this. I love it when libraries come together to imagine their grand futures and the immediate steps they can take to get there. Mark Mabelitini of Westerville Public Library noted that George was preaching to the choir -- "We should all be wearing robes," he said -- but don't we all enjoy a really good choir performing at its best?
The main highlight for me was the recognition that Google's mission statement, "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," is a library mission statement. So what does that mean? So many people think it puts libraries in competition with Google. That is a bad strategy. We can't compete with Google: we will lose and we will lose bad.
So what do we do instead? We put our services where the people are. That's what OCLC did. They put found a way to put WorldCat into the results list of the popular Internet search services. What other services do libraries provide that can be put into Google results, or plugged into the workstations and daily workflows of users? That's only one of the questions that will be posed and turned over and reworked and brainstormed over the next couple months on the "One Book" discussion board at WebJunction. Check it out.
[And while you're waiting for the discussion to get started, read Library Geek's take on the event].
I love events like this. I love it when libraries come together to imagine their grand futures and the immediate steps they can take to get there. Mark Mabelitini of Westerville Public Library noted that George was preaching to the choir -- "We should all be wearing robes," he said -- but don't we all enjoy a really good choir performing at its best?
The main highlight for me was the recognition that Google's mission statement, "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful," is a library mission statement. So what does that mean? So many people think it puts libraries in competition with Google. That is a bad strategy. We can't compete with Google: we will lose and we will lose bad.
So what do we do instead? We put our services where the people are. That's what OCLC did. They put found a way to put WorldCat into the results list of the popular Internet search services. What other services do libraries provide that can be put into Google results, or plugged into the workstations and daily workflows of users? That's only one of the questions that will be posed and turned over and reworked and brainstormed over the next couple months on the "One Book" discussion board at WebJunction. Check it out.
[And while you're waiting for the discussion to get started, read Library Geek's take on the event].
Thursday, July 14, 2005
East Cleveland hits high note with library's arts center
East Cleveland hits high note with library's arts center
Greg Reese has kept a free Sunday concert series of Jazz and Blues going at the East Cleveland Public Library for decades. Now he's being honored by having the library's concert hall named after him. The Greg L. Reese Performing Arts Center is part of a terrific new addition: the Debra Ann November Learning Center, containing not only the performance hall but a new computer lab, new children's department, and a Black Heritage Collection room."
Greg Reese has kept a free Sunday concert series of Jazz and Blues going at the East Cleveland Public Library for decades. Now he's being honored by having the library's concert hall named after him. The Greg L. Reese Performing Arts Center is part of a terrific new addition: the Debra Ann November Learning Center, containing not only the performance hall but a new computer lab, new children's department, and a Black Heritage Collection room."
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Book themed parties
Following the example of a popular bookstore program, the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library will stay open late Friday to celebrate the release of the sixth installment of the popular Harry Potter books.
Such book-themed parties are great fun, even when they're not held late at night. The Bucyrus Public Library is notable for their successful programs based on children's books. They've hosted parties about Lemony Snicket, Bob the Builder, Captain Underpants, and old favorites like Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Polar Express. Rumor has it they're putting one together for the Magic Tree House series, to be held in September.
These programs are the work of Bucyrus's children's librarian Barbara Scott, who welcomes questions about the programs at barbarascott@hotmail.com.
Such book-themed parties are great fun, even when they're not held late at night. The Bucyrus Public Library is notable for their successful programs based on children's books. They've hosted parties about Lemony Snicket, Bob the Builder, Captain Underpants, and old favorites like Clifford the Big Red Dog, and Polar Express. Rumor has it they're putting one together for the Magic Tree House series, to be held in September.
These programs are the work of Bucyrus's children's librarian Barbara Scott, who welcomes questions about the programs at barbarascott@hotmail.com.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Why Innovate?
The perpetual tension of technology in libraries: should technology be solely in the service of enhancing library services, or should the technology be explored as a catalyst for innovation in services? This a theme underlying Laura Solomon's new blog, Library Geek Woes. In her latest post, Laura laments that library technology is not backed up by a business plan, that no one asks "Why do we want this new technology?"
It's a balancing act, I think. I have a lot of respect for libraries that push for innovation. Maybe you don't have a clear picture of where you will end up or even why exactly you want to go there, but you have faith in your sense that it's the right direction to go.
That's why OPLIN gives an annual award to libraries for Innovation in Network-Delivered Services. We've given awards to CLEVNET for KnowItNow, the virtual reference system that now is available to all Ohio residents, and their pioneering work with OverDrive to create circulating ebook collections. We've also given awards to the NOLA Regional Library System (a perpetual innovator) for their ListenOhio project (one of the first to bring digital audiobooks to library services), and to the Portage County District Library for their Library Express project.
Yeah, these projects were spearheaded by visionary directors and managers who understood how the "cool technology" served a clear business plan, and that's why they're deserving of an award. But I still applaud the courage of innovators without the clear vision of where they're going, and would love to give the award to a project that failed. And sometimes it's better not to ask "Why?" if asking is just a kneejerk excuse not to move forward.
It's a balancing act, I think. I have a lot of respect for libraries that push for innovation. Maybe you don't have a clear picture of where you will end up or even why exactly you want to go there, but you have faith in your sense that it's the right direction to go.
That's why OPLIN gives an annual award to libraries for Innovation in Network-Delivered Services. We've given awards to CLEVNET for KnowItNow, the virtual reference system that now is available to all Ohio residents, and their pioneering work with OverDrive to create circulating ebook collections. We've also given awards to the NOLA Regional Library System (a perpetual innovator) for their ListenOhio project (one of the first to bring digital audiobooks to library services), and to the Portage County District Library for their Library Express project.
Yeah, these projects were spearheaded by visionary directors and managers who understood how the "cool technology" served a clear business plan, and that's why they're deserving of an award. But I still applaud the courage of innovators without the clear vision of where they're going, and would love to give the award to a project that failed. And sometimes it's better not to ask "Why?" if asking is just a kneejerk excuse not to move forward.
Dull name; great resource
No one would want to go explore something called "LearningExpress Library," and the company's old name, Learn-A-Test, isn't much better.
But trust me, it's great. And thanks to the coordinating efforts of State Librarian Jo Budler, it's available to all Ohioans, and there's something for everyone there.
Prepare for the GED, or practice college entrance exams like the SAT, MCAT, or LSAT.
Starting a new career? There are tools to help build your resume, and practice tests for Cosmetologists, Firefighters, Real Estate Brokers, Paramedics, Postal Workers, and more.
Plus tons of help to build skills for school proficiency exams: Algebra, Grammar, Reading Comprehension, Biology, Writing....
Visit your library to set up an account and get started. OPLIN created a Quickstart Guide to get you on the right path.
But trust me, it's great. And thanks to the coordinating efforts of State Librarian Jo Budler, it's available to all Ohioans, and there's something for everyone there.
Prepare for the GED, or practice college entrance exams like the SAT, MCAT, or LSAT.
Starting a new career? There are tools to help build your resume, and practice tests for Cosmetologists, Firefighters, Real Estate Brokers, Paramedics, Postal Workers, and more.
Plus tons of help to build skills for school proficiency exams: Algebra, Grammar, Reading Comprehension, Biology, Writing....
Visit your library to set up an account and get started. OPLIN created a Quickstart Guide to get you on the right path.
Friday, July 08, 2005
Another Ohio library RSS feed
Cincinnati has a great explanation of RSS feeds (and their own collection of feeds) at http://www.cincinnatilibrary.org/feeds/. Check out their offerings:
Hubbard Public Library has a feed too. http://www.beyond-books.org/feed.xml
- Library News
- Library Programs
- Library Jobs
- Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction
- New Stuff for Teens
- New Stuff for Kids
- New Audiobooks
- New Music
- New Movies
Hubbard Public Library has a feed too. http://www.beyond-books.org/feed.xml
The examples of others
The State of Rhode Island Office of Library and Information services has a blog: Rhodarian. I saw it mentioned on LISNews.com, and was immediately ashamed at how remiss I've been in updating this site. I'm wasting its potential.
Idaho and Indiana have blogs, too. Utah used to.
Endeavoring to do better....
Idaho and Indiana have blogs, too. Utah used to.
Endeavoring to do better....
