Yesterday I wrote about A History of the World in 100 Objects as an example of the extraordinary value that can be produced through collaboration between strong public partners. Today I’d like to touch upon the project’s effective use of digital technologies. Rich Content, Rich Presentation All the material offered by this project is worthy
◊ Technology ◊
The future of information … libraries how will you respond?
Today at Library Journal‘s virtual summit, eBooks: Libraries at the Tipping Point, I’ll address the question posed by our moderator: “If libraries build the perfect ebook collection, will the patrons come?” My response is one of the unspeakables I wrote about last week. In this instance, it’s the notion that “The Collection” goes away in
How it feels to voice the unspeakable
On September 29th, I’ll be a panelist at Library Journal‘s virtual summit, eBooks: Libraries at the Tipping Point. My participation so far suggests it will be a provocative, content-rich program offered in a new way, at a rock-bottom price—which is so important with the need for communication within the library profession so high and training/travel
Community service and library advocacy in Darien, CT
Big shout out to Darien Public Library for its program to host websites for community NPOs. The Library currently hosts approximately 50 sites, many for organizations that might otherwise not have a web presence. John Blyberg, Assistant Director of Innovation & User Experience, supports a range of applications on the Library’s in-house server. Some organizations
Pew Research: How Americans Use the Internet
Pew Research has just published a survey of interest to libraries. Read the full report. Key Findings Email and online news are still more appealing to older users, but social media sites attract many repeat visitors. Social networking use among users 50 and older has nearly doubled over the past year. Percent Usage by Age
LC-Twitter, another bite at the apple
In The LoC & Twitter: the horror, the horror I expressed discouragement over my industry observations during the weeks following the Library of Congress agreement to archive Twitter. An opportunity arose to revisit the subject in Library Journal and I returned to form with some straight-ahead analysis and thoughts about new information needs in the
The Goodnight, Gutenberg blog
Folks interested in publishing and technology will want to check out Slate.com’s Goodnight, Gutenberg from publishing-exec-turned-author Marion Maneker. A few recent articles may be of particular interest to libraries: The Cloudy Revolution: The iPad will speed the shift from desktop to Web-based computing. The Future of E-Readers Is Brighter Than We Knew Does It Matter
Could this be @ your library?
If I worked for the National Public Library Corporation, I’d include moving visuals like the ones below in my architecture collection. In addition to reference materials, the collection would include resources for library programs that drive community participation, education and enjoyment such as: physical and online references for in-house exhibits project outlines for researching &
The LoC & Twitter: the horror, the horror
This, dear reader, is what I saw while navigating the voluminous digital record of April 14th – 21st, a momentous week in American library history. News of the Library of Congress’s acquisition of Twitter’s archive set me on my course. Announcements trumpeted across the principals’ blogs. Twitter’s dignified, concise and authoritative statement was a masterful
Libraries, help lighten our ecological footprint
Remember libraries … from an ecological point of view, [that's] the virtuous way to go. Daniel Goleman, author of Ecological Intelligence: The Hidden Impacts of What We Buy, during a recent interview with public radio’s Tom Ashbrook. By way of introducing Life Cycle Assessment, a cradle-to-grave methodology for evaluating environmental impact, Daniel Goleman refuted the
