As seen in ALA blogs on Tuesday, June 28:
Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Information Science – Membership Blog
Bohyun Kim reported, “On Saturday June 25, 2011, the LITA Imagineering Interest Group offered at the 2011 ALA Annual Conference ‘Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Information Science,’ a panel discussion program that looks at the present and future of information science and information technology through the eyes of a panel of science fiction and fantasy authors: David Weber, Bill Willingham, Orson Scott Card, John Scalzi, Jim Ottaviani, Carrie Vaughn, and Gail Carriger. Weber compared the recent information storage revolution to Gutenberg’s modern book printing revolution and stated that the mass market paperback will have to compete with e-books in the near future.”…
ebooks Top School Library Focus at ALA Annual – AASL Blog
“While the New York Times hosted the debate about the dispensability of their positions, school librarians from across the country and around the world were buzzing about the possibilities of ebooks at ALA Annual in New Orleans,” reported Wendy Stephens. “ebook conversations organized by Dawn Nelson, Carla Bosco, and others were standing-room-only. Questions were articulated but not answered about the role of eink and the screen in leisure reading, the new immersive experiences promoted in iOS apps, and possibilities for annotations and markup in a digital environment. There was palpable anxiety about choosing the wrong technology and investing scarce resources unwisely when we what we have learned from Kansas make us understandably cautious about DRM implications. One new school librarian went so far as to call this the ‘party pooper’ syndrome.”…
Jessica Hernandez shared another perspective on that same popular program, writing that “The ongoing dilemma over eBooks continues to bring more questions than answers. While eBook sales have increased exponentially in the last five years, nobody has them quite figured out. We have now reached a tipping point where eBooks are beginning to outsell print books; and yet despite eBooks’ growing popularity, librarians continue to grapple with the issue of how best to integrate them into library collections. Ebooks elicit mixed reactions because they are still in many ways a mixed bag. As the debate over eBooks rages on, school librarians are coming together to establish best practices and support each other’s initiatives. The need for this was crystallized in Dawn Nelson’s American Association of School Librarians (AASL) program, ‘EBooks—Has Their Time Come?’”…
The Language of Conservation: A Case Study in Library-Zoo Partnerships – Programming Librarian blog
Jeana Elizondo wrote, “Libraries may have a physical location, but the possibilities for programming extend far beyond four walls. Partnering with an external organization allows libraries to solicit model programs that provide interesting and innovative ways to disseminate information and educate their community. One such program is ‘The Language of Conservation,’ which connects libraries, poets, and zoos together for a mix of humanities and sciences. Initiated by Poets House (a nonprofit geared toward poetry education), the “Language of Conservation” endeavors to expand understanding of conservation efforts and environmental issues by the general public. Examples of the program were discussed in-depth in a session titled ‘The Language of Conservation: A Case Study in Library-Zoo Partnerships.’ Seeking to integrate two heavyweight cultural institutions, “Language” develops relationships between zoos and libraries.”…
Final thoughts on ALA 2011 – ALSC Blog
“The 8th annual Poetry Blast was a blast!” enthused Lisa Taylor. “Despite the late time and date (Monday evening @ 5:30pm), many librarians and fans turned out for the annual poetry blast. Joyce Sidman, Marilyn Singer, and Janet Wong were a few of the featured poets at the event – each poet reading for seven minutes. Highlights for me were Mike Artell’s reading of Petite Rouge: A Cajun Red Riding Hood (definitely added a local flavor to the evening! So happy I found the book in the French Quarter this morning!), and Nikki Grimes’ reading of ‘First Kiss,’ complete with the news that she’ll have a new book out this fall, Planet Middle School, based on the poem. Kristen O’Connell George read from Emma Dilemma: Big Sister Poems. There is nothing like live poetry. All were phenomenal!”…
Library Marketing Unprogram Summary – Membership Blog
Luke Vilelle shared, “Lively discussions about marketing proved the perfect wake-up call for the nearly 40 librarians who roused themselves for Monday’s 8 a.m. ‘Library Marketing Unprogram: Learn From Your Peers.’ The attendees did not lack for ideas for discussions, quickly filling up the whiteboards spread around the room with a dozen topics ranging from making more effective use of social media marketing to increasing library card registrations.”…
Annual Conference Wrap-Up – ALSC Blog
Mary Voors summed up, “In a word, this year’s ALA Annual Conference in New Orleans was GREAT! Yes, it was hot, but I learned so much, renewed connections with librarians around the country, met people I had only known through blogs or email, talked with authors and publishers, attended fascinating & useful sessions, asked questions of vendors, AND had lots of fun & great food! Some of the many things I’ve brought back home with me from the annual conference include…”
