technology Archives | Page 32 of 33 | American Libraries Magazine

TechSource Webinar Available Online

February 17, 2010

Cosponsored by American Libraries, SirsiDynix Insititute, and ALA's Library and Information Technology Association, the TechTrends: Midwinter 2010 webinar produced by ALA Tech Source attracted about 850 participants. "We had some great presentations and some lively discussion," says Tech Source editor Dan Freeman. The webinar tackled topics related to the new wares being touted in the exhibit hall during ALA's … Continue reading TechSource Webinar Available Online →

Cataloging Horizons

By Karen Coyle | February 12, 2010

Library catalogs have evolved over time as technology has changed. The last 150 years have seen a progression from book catalogs to cards, and eventually, to online catalogs. Each of these changes has provided new capabilities that can be adopted for improved user services. The next step in this evolution is on the horizon, and … Continue reading Cataloging Horizons →

Apple’s iPad Introduction Met with Excitement, Derision

By Greg Landgraf | February 12, 2010

Apple's announcement of the iPad tablet computer drew ample attention from the technology world. As Martin Peers wrote in the Wall Street Journal December 30: "Last time there was this much excitement about a tablet, it had some commandments written on it." But will that buzz translate into applications for libraries? At the January 27 introduction, … Continue reading Apple’s iPad Introduction Met with Excitement, Derision →

10 Technology Ideas Your Library Can Implement Next Week

By Ellyssa Kroski | February 9, 2010

New social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter enable librarians to converse, communicate, and collaborate with patrons as never before, because they are increasingly a part of people’s everyday lives. A brochure that describes your library with a few pictures is great, but a video tour that people can watch on your website or … Continue reading 10 Technology Ideas Your Library Can Implement Next Week →

Your Virtual Brand

By Meredith Farkas | February 4, 2010

I recently started teaching another great group of future librarians at San José State University about Web 2.0 technologies. I’m always in awe of their enthusiasm for the subject matter and for their chosen field. This year, I also feel a little sad, knowing that some of them will likely struggle to find work after … Continue reading Your Virtual Brand →

Vendors Spotlight New Wares in Technology Showcase

January 18, 2010

Nine vendors garnered a spot in the Technology Showcase, which ran concurrently in two theaters during the Boston Midwinter meeting. Aptly named One If By Land and Two If By Sea, the theaters featured demonstrations by Infor Global Solutions, Emerald Group Publishing, 3M, Credo Reference, Thomson Reuters, ebrary, Innovative Interfaces, Springer, and IGI Global. Jeff … Continue reading Vendors Spotlight New Wares in Technology Showcase →

Top Tech Trends MW10

January 18, 2010

LITA's Top Tech Trends was interesting to me this year because its participants, while all formidable representatives of the world of cutting edge library tech geeks, were all new to the panel: David Walker kicked off the discussion by talking about discovery layers, a top trend indeed. Although their growth is somewhat slowed by the … Continue reading Top Tech Trends MW10 →

Washington Office Update, part 1

January 16, 2010

The Washington Office covered a number of topics in its Midwinter update. Due to a scheduled interview on the MCCA/ALA Haiti Relief Fund, I was able to attend the first hour only; Pamela Goodes will be writing about topics discussed after I left. Patriot Act “It’s back, and it’s not real great news, said Lynne … Continue reading Washington Office Update, part 1 →

Brand Perception 2.0

By Meredith Farkas | December 16, 2009

Many librarians have tried to play a role in educating young adults about developing a presence on social networking sites. They have warned teens that nothing online ever really disappears and that compromising photographs or derogatory posts can impact their future job prospects. Online identity is built upon all of the things we have put … Continue reading Brand Perception 2.0 →

Gamers take over U.S. libraries

November 18, 2009

Children, teens, and adults showed up in droves to play board games and video games at the biggest National Gaming Day yet November 14, with 1,365 registered libraries participating, easily doubling the number of participants from last year, NGD mastermind Jenny Levine told American Libraries. Libraries who participated in the massive, nationwide, ALA-sponsored event received … Continue reading Gamers take over U.S. libraries →

Your Desktop: The Movie

By Meredith Farkas | October 26, 2009

In virtually all libraries today, there will be many more people using the library than just those who come through the door. Our patrons are increasingly accessing our resources and services virtually, to the point where some never use the physical library at all. This has challenged libraries to find creative ways to provide comparable … Continue reading Your Desktop: The Movie →

Censorship Gets Smart

By Joseph Janes | October 26, 2009

As we all know, Judith Krug—the director of ALA’s Office for Intellectual Freedom, who passed away April 11, was an extraordinary woman, a force for the freedom to read and view and write and think as we please. She was a hero and role model for us all to live up to, and she left … Continue reading Censorship Gets Smart →

Latest Library Links

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ALA has selected 50 participants for its 2024 class of Emerging Leaders (EL). The EL allows library staff and information workers to participate in project planning work groups, network with peers, gain an inside look into ALA structure, and have an opportunity to serve the profession in a leadership capacity early in their careers. Emerging Leaders will take part in a virtual day-long session during LibLearnX in January and work for six months, culminating in a poster session at the ALA Annual Conference in San Diego where they will highlight results of their project planning work.

ALA Office for Human Resource Development and Recruitment, Nov. 27
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Stephi Smith writes: “Celia Hamilton wanted to identify further with her Chinese heritage. Her adoptive parents are not Chinese, and she says this left her feeling like she missed out on some aspects of her cultural background. To connect with that part of her identity, Hamilton crafted a traditional garment—inspired by the Chinese moon goddess Chang’e—as one of three teens selected for Carmel Clay (Ind.) Public Library (CCPL)’s teen artists-in-residence program. CCPL is one of a handful of libraries across the US that have created teen artist-in-residence programs with a goal of bolstering youth interest in the arts.

American Libraries Trend, Nov./Dec.
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Carrie Russell writes: “Why do librarians and teachers—the very professionals who specialize in information literacy, equitable access to information, and the advancement of learning—have so many anxieties and misconceptions about copyright? Many of us harbor an unfounded fear of copyright litigation. ‘Better safe than sorry’ is a frequent assertion. But that attitude can keep users and creators of copyright-protected content from engaging in personal and educational activities that are unlikely to infringe copyright law. That excess caution is, consequently, contrary to the values of librarianship, teaching, and the goals of copyright.
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ALA’s Intellectual Freedom Round Table is seeking nominations for the 2024 Eli M. Oboler Award. The award honors a literary work or series of works in the area of intellectual freedom, including matters of ethical, political, or social concerns. The article must have been published on the local, state, or national level in English or English translation in the 2022 or 2023 calendar years. The submission deadline is January 2, 2024.

Intellectual Freedom Round Table
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Maya Pontone writes: “A rare manuscript featuring 2,500 pages of detailed illustrations and text documenting the history and culture of 16th-century Mexico is now available online. The Digital Florentine Codex, a seven-year project by Los Angeles’s Getty Research Institute, features new transcriptions and translations, updated summaries, searchable texts and images, and more. Although Spanish Franciscan friar Bernardino de Sahagún is frequently credited as the primary author, the manuscript was created with the help of numerous elders, grammarians, artists, and scribes from the Nahua community. As a result, the codex maintains an important Indigenous perspective.”

Hyperallergic, Nov. 9
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Sam Wineburg and Michael Caulfield write: “Recent headlines warn of sophisticated, AI-driven deepfakes. But low-tech, cheap fakes are the Swiss army knife in the propagandist’s tool belt. Changing a date, altering a location or even repurposing a clip from a video game and passing it off as battlefield combat require little know-how yet effectively sow confusion. The good news is that you can avoid being taken in by these ruses—not by examining the evidence closely, which is liable to mislead you, but by waiting until trusted sources verify what you’re looking at. This is often hard to do, however.”

The Conversation, Nov. 16
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Amanda Melcher writes: “Wayfinding is a fundamental aspect of effectively using a multi-function space. Libraries, with their complicated classification systems, multiple service points, and varying number of distinct collections housed in different areas/floors, exemplify the complex job that signage must accomplish. The University of Montevallo (Ala.) Carmichael Library’s partnership with a graphic design class to modernize library wayfinding was a win-win: it provided a user-centered design for the library and a real-world graphic design job for the students.”

The Journal of Creative Library Practice, Nov. 20

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