Category Archives: Libraries

Big Things from a Small Company

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You know the saying “Good things come in small packages”? Well, sometimes, big things come from small companies!  I’ve been doing some work for a group of library technology consultants who I want to let you all know about.  They have a small company called Law Library Management and, among other solutions, they develop custom applications for libraries using the Quickbase platform.

One of the applications they have developed is a complete library management system that’s fully customizable called HOLMES.  It’s unique in that it’s built on top of the Intuit Quickbase platform, which is a very powerful application development environment that offers complete flexibility to tailor your individual application for your library’s needs.  You may have heard of Intuit’s other applications which include Quickbooks and Turbo Tax.  This solution is perfect for small and solo libraries and yet can scale for larger academic libraries as well.

They are also currently working with the library community to develop a project management application that will take into account the specific needs of librarians.  And they are currently looking for beta testers, so if you’re interested please sign up here.

These folks are doing some pretty unique things.  In addition to these two apps, they also develop specific custom applications for libraries according to their specifications.  Quickbase is an incredibly versatile cloud application platform so the possibilities really are endless.  You can find out more about Law Library Management and the HOLMES application here – and while you’re there sign up for the next webinar!

Cosplay, Comics, and Geek Culture in Libraries Has Launched

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After months of planning, and thanks to a team of exceptional writers, my new blog Cosplay, Comics, and Geek Culture in Libraries has gone live!

I decided to start this blog, not only because I am a self-proclaimed geek, cosplayer, and comics reader and collector myself, but because this is a cutting-edge area of growth in libraries with significant appeal to today’s patrons. I think that there is much that we can do to expand and develop this type of programming and collection development. And I’m not alone. I’ve been joined by a talented group of international writers, librarians, information professionals, and library patrons to provide articles and inspiration to libraries seeking to incorporate cosplay, comics, and geek culture in their libraries!

This is an exciting time for geeks of all kinds to be involved with libraries as today’s savvy libraries have begun to embrace new ways to engage library patrons such as fandom events, comic book and graphic novel collections, comic cons, cosplay events.

The intersection of these interests with libraries is a perfect match as libraries are striving to develop entertaining and educational new programs and services that will appeal to not only children but young adults as well as “kids at heart” of all ages. And these new programs and resources fit well with the interests of cosplayers who can utilize the equipment in library makerspaces such as 3D printers and sewing machines to create many of their props and costume pieces, as well as comics fans who can come to the library to read comics and graphic novel collections, video and board game enthusiasts who attend library gaming events, and geeks of all types who are drawn to “nerd nights”, Dr. Who marathons, and Harry Potter socials, etc.

Please come by and check us out and help support us by spreading the word!

Farewell to iLibrarian

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After 7+ wonderful years of blogging for the OEDb, it’s time to say goodbye to iLibrarian. Although the iLibrarian blog will no longer be updated, I will still be blogging!

Please follow me on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ellyssa and here on my blog (http://ellyssakroski.com/blog) for updates about my new ventures!!! And you can always contact me at ellyssakroski@yahoo.com.

It’s been an absolute pleasure blogging at iLibrarian, thank you to all of my readers for your loyal support and attention all these years. A post similar to this one will be going up on OEDb/iLibrarian in a week or two as well. Thank you!

The 4 Flavors of Makerspaces

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Did you know that there are many different types of makerspaces, each with their own set of unique characteristics? This was news to me until recently so I thought I’d pass along my research on what I found were the important distinctions as well as important links.

FabLabs

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Amsterdam Fab Lab at The Waag Society

A FabLab is a type of makerspace that was created by the Center for Bits and Atoms headed by Prof. Dr. Neil Gershenfeld at MIT. It began as an outreach project to provide access to modern means for invention such as electronics equipment, laser cutters, routers and milling machines in order to enable makers to create nearly anything. There are currently over 200 FabLabs in over 30 countries around the world.

Learn More:

 

Hackerspaces

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NYC Resistor Hackerspace

Also called a hacklab or hackspace, hackerspaces are places where computer programmers, makers, DIY’ers and artists converge to collaborate and socialize. Hackerspaces have been around since 1995 with the founding of c-base in Berlin which according to Wikipedia is one of the first independent, stand-alone hackerspaces in the world, not affiliated with a school, university, or company. Hackerspaces were originally started by computer hackers however they have since expanded to encompass many other activities such as creating physical objects, conducting instructional workshops, etc. There are currently over 1,800 hackerspaces in over 20 countries around the world.

Learn More:

 

TechShops

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TechShop

TechShops are a chain of for-profit spaces which offer public access to industrial tools and equipment such as welding equipment, sewing machines, woodworking equipment, 3D printers, and more to build their own projects. They charge a membership fee beginning a $125/month. They currently have 8 shops in the US with their flagship shop in San Francisco and future locations in Dublin and Munich.

Learn More:

 

Makerspaces

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Milwaukee Makerspace

Makerspaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn. The usually have 3D printers as well as electronic equipment available, some also have metalworking, woodworking, and traditional arts and crafts equipment available. They are used by schools and libraries to provide valuable skills in math and engineering to children and patrons of all ages.

Learn More:

 

 

And even more resources are available here:

The post The 4 Flavors of Makerspaces appeared first on OEDB.org.

50 Library Stories You May Have Missed in September

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September was back-to-school and back to writing for many librarians.  Blogs, journals, and news outlets were jam-packed with library and information stories ranging from articles about makerspaces, digital collections, 3D printing, and free technology for libraries as well as some offbeat topics such as medieval selfies and snapchats from Harry Potter!  Check out these 50 posts, infographics, and articles to get you caught up on what’s happening in the LIS world.

  1. 15 Geeky Back-to-School Supplies
  2. 28 Snapchats From Harry Potter
  3. Stay Focused! 5 Tools to Avoid Distractions
  4. Polling the Classroom: 4 Free Polling Tools to Keep Students Engaged
  5. 25 Great Resources for Breaking into Academic Publishing
  6. 15 Free Technologies for Libraries
  7. New OverDrive app eliminates Adobe authorization step
  8. (Rethinking) Makerspaces
  9. Engaging Adventures with Gamification
  10. Rosa Parks papers go to Library of Congress
  11. Librarianship: A philosophical investigation
  12. 6 Ways To Become a Power User of the Public Library
  13. The Case for 3D Printing
  14. 9 great books on library marketing
  15. For library web developers: Performance and austerity
  16. Collect library fines with an online payment app
  17. Long Nights build library use
  18. Digitize old slides on the cheap
  19. Collaborating with your public librarian
  20. Makerspaces can make new patrons
  21. Libraries balk at OverDrive changes
  22. 48 Library Stories You May Have Missed in August
  23. Getting into schools for booktalks
  24. Eight fun children’s libraries
  25. Self-service library technology
  26. New Austin Public Library will have food demos
  27. Seed libraries: Challenges and opportunities
  28. Teaser for new series, The Librarians
  29. Artist uses LC images to animate his GIFs
  30. Utica woman organizes refugee library in Thailand
  31. Czech National Library digitizes rare collections
  32. Younger Americans and public libraries
  33. Checking out America’s libraries
  34. Getting staff and patrons to accept RFID tags
  35. Serving adults with special needs in the children’s library
  36. Libraries that lend tools
  37. OSU seeks help transcribing Cold War letters
  38. Library jobs math
  39. Massachusetts librarians work to ensure privacy
  40. The Loeb Classical Library goes digital
  41. Jane Austen fans break world record
  42. The Value of Information Professionals
  43. Five best language translation tools
  44. New York insists on more school librarians
  45. Library student helps create Ebola tracking site
  46. Create an online catalog with Google Drive
  47. ProQuest digitizes Thomas Edison
  48. Famous historical book bannings
  49. Art painted on discarded library books
  50. Medieval selfies

The post 50 Library Stories You May Have Missed in September appeared first on OEDB.org.

7 Things Librarians Are Tired of Hearing

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We’ve all heard them. Probably more than once or twice. These are the reactions and responses librarians receive when they introduce themselves to those who aren’t in the field.

1) “Do people still even go to the library now that there’s Google?”

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It’s amazing how many people respond this way when I tell them I’m a librarian. I assure them however, that we are somehow soldiering on in the library field, along with all of the doctors who are still attempting to stay relevant in spite of WebMD.
 

2) “So, are you like, a volunteer?” Usually followed up with “What? You need to have a Master’s degree to be a librarian?!!”

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Nearly everyone I’ve ever met has been astounded that librarians hold advanced degrees.
 

3) “But isn’t print dead at this point?”

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Yes, this is still a thing people are saying.

 

4) “You’re a librarian? That’s so hot!”

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I have no words.

 

5) “That must be great to just be able to read all day.”

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Translation: “That’s cute”.
 

Read the full post 7 Things Librarians Are Tired of Hearing on OEDB.org.

10 Remarkably Free Digital Tools for Educators and Students

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1) Hemingway Editor

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This is a free Web-based app that lets you paste in your writing to be analyzed and edited for optimal readability. The app quickly identifies hard to read sentences, passive voice, and overuse of adverbs. It also will instantly grade your work according to level of writing. I pasted in a couple paragraphs from my last article and got a grade 16 but needed to fix 6 hard-to-read sentences. I’ll be using this for all of my writing going forward! They’ve just released a desktop version for $6.99.

 

2) Coffitivity

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I absolutely love the idea of this app, especially being a New Yorker. This creative app gives you the ambient noise of a coffee shop, university campus, or lunch-time conversations on your phone or Mac desktop. The best part? You can still use your music apps at the same time!!! This one is genius.

 

3) TheBrain

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TheBrain combines the best of note taking, file synchronization and mind mapping apps to give you the ultimate digital memory. This app is perfect for anyone who wants to get super organized and have brainstorming tools at their fingertips. There are apps for Windows, Mac, IOS, and Android. The Wall Street Journal describes the app as “Software that thinks like you do”.

 

4) ZooBurst

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ZooBurst is a ditial storytelling tool that lets you easily create your own 3D pop-up books and even interact with them via augmented reality. This is a fantastic app that’s quick and easy to use. Educators that want to teach lectures in a visual way or assign 3D books such as the one pictured above titled “the Battle of Hastings” will get a lot out of this free application

 

Read the full post 10 Remarkably Free Digital Tools for Educators and Students on OEDB.org.

50 Library Stories You May Have Missed in July

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Library stories and news articles flourished this summer including these fifty resources discussing everything from Amazon’s new Kindle Unlimited service to librarian salaries, to 3D printing.  Whether you’re just getting caught up on your reading or want to refresh your memory, here’s what was written last month:

  1. How to Create a Video Press Release for Your Library with Adobe Voice
  2. 4 Great iPad Apps for Creating Educational Videos
  3. 16 Conference Networking Tips for Educators and Librarians
  4. What Happens if Your Library Systems Go Down?
  5. 15 Perfect Etsy Gifts for Librarians
  6. Trashy, Crafty, & Literary: Upcycling for the Win!
  7. LJ Salary Survey 2014

Read the full post 50 Library Stories You May Have Missed in July on OEDB.org.

15 Perfect Etsy Gifts for Librarians

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Etsy is the perfect place to find hand-made, one-of-a-kind gifts for that someone special, or just for you!  Etsy is overflowing with unique items geared specifically for book lovers and librarians.  Here are 15 of my top picks!

  1. Keep Calm And Ask A Librarian T-Shirt

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  2. Alice in Wonderland Literary Laptop Sleeve

    laptopcase

  3. Library Due Date Card T-shirt

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  4. Vintage Library Card Notebook

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Read the full post 15 Perfect Etsy Gifts for Librarians on OEDB.org.