Author Archive: Marshall Breeding

SirsiDynix booth at ALA 2015 Annual Conference and Exhibition

A Look at Tech

By Marshall Breeding | July 23, 2015

One current trend in library technology aims to improve the engagement of patrons with libraries or to provide tools to help users work more effectively. In many respects, the technologies on display reinforced the theme of the “Library Systems Report 2015,” operationalizing the innovations brewing in recent years, including the increased adoption of Semantic Web technologies … Continue reading A Look at Tech →

Library Systems Report

By Marshall Breeding | May 1, 2015

Tied to the economy of libraries, the vendors that make up the library technology industry support a stable but highly constrained economic sector, with global opportunities. Library budgets may never recover to pre-recession levels, fueling interest in technology to improve their efficiency and the impact of collection resources. Products able to deliver efficiency, innovation, and … Continue reading Library Systems Report →

Supporting Print, Digital, and Mobile

By Marshall Breeding | August 5, 2014

The exhibit hall at the ALA Annual Conference in Las Vegas provided both a respite from the weather and a chance to learn about the latest developments in library technology. As the world’s largest exhibition of library products, the ALA Annual Conference continues to be a unique opportunity to assess current technologies from an almost … Continue reading Supporting Print, Digital, and Mobile →

Library Systems Report 2014

By Marshall Breeding | April 15, 2014

This phase of the industry offers many choices, including both proprietary and open source license options, some based on cloud technologies and others that continue to rely on local hardware. Though a new generation of library services platforms has entered a phase of early adoption, the integrated library system remains viable, especially when extended to … Continue reading Library Systems Report 2014 →

Web-Scale Discovery Services

By Marshall Breeding | January 14, 2014

Discovery services face complex challenges. For example, to accommodate the concerns of proprietary-content providers, discovery services must differentiate publicly available search results from content offered only to authenticated users. In addition, access to resources must be aligned with each library’s subscription and database selections. Discovery services only allow access to resources that a library is … Continue reading Web-Scale Discovery Services →

Enabling Access, Engagement, and Efficiency

By Marshall Breeding | July 30, 2013

Technology, as always, was on display at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago. Consistent with the strong attendance figures, activity in the exhibit hall seemed especially brisk this year. As the largest exhibition of library-oriented technology and content products worldwide, ALA Annual offers librarians a unique opportunity to review the latest offerings from nearly every … Continue reading Enabling Access, Engagement, and Efficiency →

Vendors Showcase Their Wares in Anaheim

By Marshall Breeding | July 16, 2012

Interested buyers found tech products that press beyond established boundaries as well as those that enable bread-and-butter library activities in the Anaheim Convention Center during the 2012 ALA Annual Conference. Products ranged from discovery services that aim to deliver access to the universe of library collections to new library management systems bringing together print, electronic, … Continue reading Vendors Showcase Their Wares in Anaheim →

Latest Library Links

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PLA has commenced its Inclusive Internship Initiative (III) activities for summer 2019. Through III, PLA sponsors paid and mentored summer internships at public libraries for high school juniors and seniors. The libraries were selected through a competitive application process in early 2019. With individual guidance from a mentor, each intern engages with multiple facets of library life, from administration to user services. A total of 96 people—48 interns and 48 mentors—are attending the 2019 III Kick-Off, taking place in Chicago, June 13–15.

PLA, June 13
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In the PBS documentary American Creed, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Pulitzer Prize–winning historian David M. Kennedy come together from different points of view to explore the idea of a unifying American creed. Their spirited inquiry frames the stories of citizen-activists striving to realize their own visions of America’s promise across deep divides. On June 22 at the 2019 ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., attendees are invited to watch segments of the film and learn about programming ideas to bring home to their libraries. All attendees will receive a free DVD of American Creed for their circulating collections.

AlA Public Programs Office, June 14
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During the ALA 2019 Annual Conference in Washington, D.C., ALA is rolling out a new ALA Scholars Program. Recipients of ALA scholarships will be brought to Annual Conference and given opportunities to learn about ALA governance while meeting seasoned library workers. To find out about the scholars who will be participating in the program this year, visit the scholarship 50th anniversary page. To support the ALA Scholarship Program, visit the donation page.

Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment, June 14
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After serving St. Paul, Minnesota, for 98 years, the James J. Hill Center is closing on July 3. Originally the James J. Hill Reference Library, it has served as a wedding and event center in recent years. The railroad magnate commissioned the library in 1911, but died five years before its completion in 1921. He wanted the library to have the most current and accurate materials, and he intentionally left out the subjects of law, genealogy, medicine, and popular fiction. The center is currently evaluating all options related to the future of the institution and its historic building.

Minnesota Public Radio News, June 13
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Tony Hoffman writes: “Projectors have come a long way from the days when the most useful way to categorize them was by their weight class. Today, you can break them down into any number of more meaningful categories, including their intended use (business presentations, home theater, or gameplay), their base technology (LCD, DLP, or LCOS), and the throw distance (how close to the screen you can place the projector). Here are some questions to answer that will help you find a projector with the right features and performance for your needs.”

PC Magazine, June 12
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Tim Gideon writes: “Improving the quality of your podcast vocals isn’t rocket science, but it does require paying attention to some aspects of the recording process that you might be ignoring. After all, sound engineers and producers spend years honing their craft, and voice-over artists and radio personalities need to develop at least a modicum of mic technique. Understanding the basics of a microphone’s characteristics, be it a USB mic or an XLR mic, will help you approach your recordings with more confidence.”

PC Magazine, June 13
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Amherst (Mass.) College on June 5 announced a gift of approximately $25 million from the late William McCall Vickery to the college’s endowment, approximately $22 million of which is designated for use by the Emily Dickinson Museum. The transformative gift, the largest ever received by the museum, will be known as the “William McCall Vickery ’57 Emily Dickinson Fund” and is specifically earmarked for the maintenance and improvement of its buildings, grounds, and collections. Vickery, who was a devoted Amherst alumnus, volunteer, employee, and supporter, also was a founding member of the Dickinson Museum’s board of governors.

Emily Dickinson Museum, June 5

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