Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Is consolidation the wave of the future for libraries?
In Indiana, they've created a commission to study the possibilities of consolidating library service in order to reduce property taxes. This article, from the Reporter-Times in Martinsville, IN, discusses some of the perceived benefits and possible problems with consolidation. http://www.reporter-times.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=89615
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 8:53 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The mindset of those who'll be graduating from college in 2011
This is a report from MSNBC about a list put togther every year by Beloit College, showing the mindset and knowledge set of the people who will be graduating from college in 2011. If this doesn't make you feel a tad elderly, I don't know what will! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20378610/
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 7:17 PM 1 comments
Friday, August 17, 2007
Great editorial by John Berry at Library Journal
If you are a younger librarian, read this. If you are an older librarian, read it too. This editorial in the August 2007 Library Journal speaks to all of us.
Coaching Up: How the Young Teach Us the New Information Paradigm
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 3:25 PM 0 comments
Another excellent "Transparent Library" column from Library Journal
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 3:22 PM 0 comments
The Michaels are at it again. Their column in the August 2007 Library Journal is excellent -- and will hopefully give people some food for thought.
Why humans are better than computers
Clarissa just came to my office and said there was a woman looking for a couple of books but she didn't remember the titles or the authors, just the plots. I went out to see if I could help. The woman said "I'm looking for a book called The Emperor of Something."
"Oh," I said, "The Emperor of Ocean Park?"
"Yes, that's it! I want the new one by the guy who wrote that."
So I replied "Okay, that's Stephen Carter, let's see if it is in. Oh, it is - let me get it for you."
She then said "I'm looking for another book, by a divorced woman who goes to Europe---"
and I interrupted her and said "Eat Pray Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert?"
"Yes! That's it!" she said.
Unfortunately our copy of that book was checked out, but she did leave happily with the latest Stephen Carter book.
I'm fortunate that I love books, but I also soak up book information like a sponge, so even though I'd never read The Emperor of Ocean Park I was able to pull it out of my memory (somehow). Plus, I pay attention to what is on the pop culture radar (in terms of books, at least). I'd like to see our stinkin' library automation system beat THAT.
Or, I'd like to see our library automation system deal with the patron I once had, who was convinced that she wanted a book called "The Crystal Palace." "It's a book about a woman who has dysfunctional parents," she said. "It's a memoir." I told her "I think you mean 'The Glass Castle.'"
Funny, how the mind works. The human brain is an amazing thing.
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 2:42 PM 1 comments
I hate my library automation system
I'm doing teen collection development this afternoon, and our library automation system is making things SO DIFFICULT. I just want to get the information that I want, in the format that I want it. Is that so wrong? Here's what I want to be able to do - and I want it all on one screen, thank you very much:
1. See a list of all items by that author that our consortium owns, with the ones specifically owned by our library highlighted in some way.
2. See the average popularity of each of the books on the list. This could be done by taking the number of times the item has circulated and dividing by the number of years that the library has owned the item.
3. See the last time each item has circulated.
That's it! And I don't want to have to jump through 34 million hoops to get this information! Grrrr!!! Grrrrr! Grrrrrr! ¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 2:16 PM 0 comments
1. See a list of all items by that author that our consortium owns, with the ones specifically owned by our library highlighted in some way.
2. See the average popularity of each of the books on the list. This could be done by taking the number of times the item has circulated and dividing by the number of years that the library has owned the item.
3. See the last time each item has circulated.
That's it! And I don't want to have to jump through 34 million hoops to get this information! Grrrr!!! Grrrrr! Grrrrrr! ¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 2:16 PM 0 comments
Monday, August 06, 2007
"If you like" shelf cards
I was at the post office mailing a package this morning, when out of the blue, the person helping me said to me, "You know, I really like those if you like cards you put up at the library. I sometimes feel like I get stuck in a rut reading the same authors over again, but now I can get some ideas of other authors who I might also like."
I was at the post office mailing a package this morning, when out of the blue, the person helping me said to me, "You know, I really like those if you like cards you put up at the library. I sometimes feel like I get stuck in a rut reading the same authors over again, but now I can get some ideas of other authors who I might also like.""Thanks for telling me that," I said. "And if you ever want your very own personalized recommendations, just stop by the front desk and we'll hook you up with some really good books."
Those "if you like" shelf cards are really great -- especially for the patrons who don't like to ask for help, or who don't even realize that we could help them find something to read. And they are also good at creating feelings of serendipity-- where you stumble across something you didn't even realize you wanted. I love that feeling.
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 2:23 PM 1 comments
Interesting article by Karen Schneider on the Dewey-less controversy
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 1:53 PM 0 comments
An interesting article by Karen Schneider that discusses the differences between Dewey and BISAC (Book Industry Standards & Communication) headings. Does Dewey still do what we want it to do? As Schneider points out, "BISAC codes are pragmatically user-centric; they're designed to make it easy for customers to browse for books." I can't help but think that this could be a good thing for our library patrons!
Outsourcing your library?
An interesting article about the outsourcing of library services to LSSI at San Juan Public Library:
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 7:31 AM 0 comments
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Doing It Without Dewey
This is an interesting blog post about the Arizona library that decided to ditch Dewey and go with a more "bookstore-type" approach to how they display their collection for the public. The guy who writes this blog was fortunate enough to go on a tour of that library, and he has some good observations, I think.
¶ posted by Mary Martin @ 3:08 PM 1 comments
