More Than 200 Public Libraries in Texas Don't Offer Internet Access
Posted October 13, 2009
Although we're still wondering whether it was A Good Thing for public libraries to wade into providing Internet access
on top of everything else they're expected to do, we were surprised by this little statistical factoid, embedded in
a recent article published by
the San Antonio Business Journal.
Anybody know how many public libraries in Georgia still don't offer Internet access for their patrons?
Will Google Wave Replace Email? Replace Wikis? Replace Those Annoying Library Committee Meetings?
Posted October 13, 2009
Having seen numerous references to Google Wave in the biblioblogosphere, only today did we finally get around to finding out
what the Wave is all about, and why we might care.
Turns out Google Wave is an attempt to reinvent e-mail by mashing together a lot of other software applications that came
along after email was invented back in the Dark Ages of the Internet.
It certainly looks very promising, especially in terms of all the collaborative projects that are (rather clunkily) using email to
minimize the need for a lot of committee meetings. Looks like the Wave might save librarians (among others) a lot of
time and travel. Watch the video:
Factoid du Jour: 4 Billionth Photo Posted to Flikr
Posted October 13, 2009
You'd think that, with that so many people posting photos so often to Flikr
(and elsewhere on the Web), that the idea of using photos on library websites - specifically, AFPL posting photos to its website - would be a routine thing. But you'd
be wrong. And AFPL's website is certainly lacking in lots of instructive and entertaining videos that embellish and enliven
the websites of so many other public library websites.
Reading Enthusiast Giving Away Books from His "Book Bike"
Posted October 9, 2009
Watch this short ALA video about Chicago resident Gabe Levinson,
whose love of reading led him to figure out a simple way to give away books to other book-lovers in his town.
Many public libraries have long sponsored book sales, but maybe adapting Levinson's idea of a library-sponsored
way of giving away free books - and, say, including in each freebie a bookmark inviting the reader to get a library
card if he/she doesn't already own one - is worth a few "outreach" experiments?
Less Expensive Alternative to OCLC's Cataloging Services?
Posted October 9, 2009
Library Journal has posted encouraging
details about two recently-established companies - SkyRiver and
LibLime's biblios.net - that could eventually substantially weaken the expensive near-monopoly enjoyed by OCLC for supplying
catalog records for libraries of all kinds (including AFPL).
Severe Budget Cuts Result in Severe Curtailments in Service for Pittsburgh Libraries
Posted October 7, 2009
The wave of of closing libraries, merging libraries, and fewer hours of operation has now reached Pittsburgh. The
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette has the dreary details.
"Did You Hear the One About..."
Posted October 5, 2009
Since this past June, The Merry Librarian has been inviting everyone who works in libraries to add to this online repository
of the "hilarious, disgusting, heartwarming, alarming, shocking and ridiculous things" that happen in libraries. Judging from
some of the stories we've heard from our colleagues, AFPL employees could be major contributors to this diverting project.
Just click on any of the story tags (Gag Real, Demanding Patrons, Tear Jerkers, etc.) for some guaranteed entertainment.
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