Blogging Section of SLA-IT

Gathering around the virtual coffee pot

Nearly a year ago, I finally cornered someone at a conference at asked her to explain Twitter to me.  I knew people liked it, but why?  Her explanation, and seeing others use it at the conference, got me to try it...and I got hooked!

Twitter is described as a microblog, but what it really is -- at least to me -- is a gathering around the virtual coffee pot.  When I worked in a corporate environment, useful information was often exchanged at the coffee pot.  Critical discussion would often start with the words "want to get a cup of coffee?" 

Working by myself means that there are no profound conversations around my coffee pot. However, now I have those conversations with many others during random moments in our days.  We...

• Exchange tips and techniques
• Troubleshoot problems
• Offer support
• Pass around things that make us laugh
• Share joys and sorrows
• Offer professional advice
• Coordinate events

All without leaving our desks.  We don't have to wander down the hall and wait for others to arrive.  We only need to open up Twitter and a group is already there.

One thing that was important for me was to find the right Twitter tool.  Using Twitter.com was okay, but I like TwitterFox better.  You might want to check out this list of Twitter tools, if you like Twitter but don't like using it through the web site.  Of course, you could just ask your Twitter buddies for suggestions of useful Twitter tools -- I bet they'd be glad to offer up some suggestions!

BTW if you are using Twitter and want to connect to other SLA members, leave a comment with your Twitter ID.  Mine is jahurst.

Google for Non-Profits

I just learned about a site that will be of interest to many of us special librarians.  Google now has a page with tools for non-profits.

Learn how to use free Google tools to promote your work, raise money, and operate more efficiently.

I learned about this site from CrunchGear, where they say:

his site includes ideas and tutorials on ways Google tools can be used to promote non-profits, raise money and operate more efficiently.

Features include standard Google services such as Gmail (including hosted email), YouTube, Blogger, Gadgets, Earth, Calender and Analytics. The two interesting services are the provision of Google Checkout for free to non-profits who want to take donations on their site, and Google Grants, free advertising for non-profits via Google’s Adwords network.

While it's nothing I couldn't find in other ways, it's pretty handy for those unfamiliar with Google tools.

Open Source for Mac Users

As you may know, I’m a new Mac user.  I’m still trying to find my way around and find software packages that work for me.  Today someone sent me an awesome site with a list of Open Source products for my Mac.  Open Source Mac lists many packages I use already and some I’ve never heard of!! This is a nice resource if you’re a Mac user looking for some open source option.

The Open Source ILS

I know that we're all (or mostly all) special librarians here, but I attended an academic library event that I think translates into our environment as well.  Last week, I attended the Next Generation Academic Library System Symposium and hosted by VALE (Virtual Academic Library Environment of New Jersey).  I wrote up summaries of the presentations for one of my other blogs and wanted to share the links with you all:

• From Open Stacks to Open Source
• Evergreen Open Source Library System
• Koha Open Source Library System
• Q&A
• WALDO & the Koha Open Source ILS
• PINES & the Evergreen Open Source ILS

Flickr Donation Program

Flickr & TechSoup have announced a great program!

The Flickr photo sharing service has teamed up with TechSoup Stock to offer premium “pro” accounts to individuals within eligible organizations. The pro accounts are available in packages of either two or five accounts. Organizations must assign these accounts to individuals over 18 years of age, and the accounts will remain assigned to those individuals even if they leave the organization. For details on eligibility requirements, see the Flickr Restrictions.

Flickr is a Web site for photo storage, sharing, and organization, designed to make photo management an easy, natural, and collaborative process. Flickr stores over two billion photos taken by members all over the world. Communication tools let users get comments, notes, and tags on their photos, post them to any blog, share them, and more. See Flickr’s FAQ for much more information.

Awesome!!!

Technorati Tags: Flickr, TechSoup

Taking the Catalog out of the mix

I’ve been saving a post by Karen Coyle for a while now - wanting to give it a good read.  The post was titled The ILS minus the catalog.

This is an interesting post and on that I can relate to both as a librarian and as a developer.  Karen mentions that the movement to pull the Catalog out of the ILS seems like a strange move since the ILS was such an amazing feat not too long ago.  At the same time she understands the need now that we’re all focusing more on our patrons.  In the beginning the systems were built to make librarians’ lives easier - bringing all library functions together under on roof.  In that process something had to suffer and unfortunately patron search/research success is not easily measured and as such the OPAC was not focused on as much as it should have been.

All that said, as a developer - who does understand this predicament - I disagree with the way the ILS was designed in the first place - I disagree with the librarians who told their developers that only quantifiable services were important and the other areas were secondary.  Whenever I developed an application I always made sure that the librarians I was working with knew that the patrons were my first concern.  If that meant that the staff interface was going to be less than ideal - so be it!  If it means we have to work harder to make our patrons happy - so be it!  That’s what we’re here for - isn’t it? To help the patrons? 

I would think that this is more an issue in a public library than an academic or corporate library where there is a captive audience - but that doesn’t mean that academic and corporate librarians get to focus more on themselves.  I think we all need to take a good long look at our libraries and the services we provide.  Are we really making it as pleasant for the patron as possible? 

I know that I’ve been very hard on the proprietary vendors in the past - and while I still have strong feelings on the matter - I think Karen’s post makes it clear that this is not the sole fault of the vendors, but the librarians who initially requested these systems as well.  We all know it’s time for a change - and I can’t wait to see what happens.