Dreamweaver

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The latest assignment in LIS 2600 has provided the opportunity to work with the following:

1. Dreamweaver
2. Cyberduck
3. XHTML
4. FTP
5. Unix Command Lines
6. Pitt Help Desk
7. Filezilla
8. Frustration

I've realized that Dreamweaver isn't something I can teach myself. I'm having a hard time using the W3C tutorials too, so I've given up on learning an HTML Editor. I'll try my best and let the chips fall where they may (grade-wise). I like working with Blogger. I'd prefer to use Blogger to create a webpage.

I do have to admit that I'm happy to have learned whatever it is I have learned with HTML, etc. I just hope I can make it through the remaining coursework without having to learn much more about HTML and HTML editors. Frankly, I don't think I can learn it.

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Stanford Ushers in the Age of Bookless Libraries

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The new Stanford engineering library was recently built and it will no longer house print journals or the 80,000 print books it previously held. The print book collection will contain about 10,000 items.

The reason for this change is that the engineering discipline is changing rapidly and print items aren't the best way to stay current in that field. Much of the research is best done with online journals and e-books. The library is responding to the needs of the engineering folks who use the library.

I don't think the age of the book-less library will be widespread. However, depending on the need of the user, the specific discipline, or the type of item, moving to e-items may make sense.

By the title of the NPR article, you would think book-less libraries were widespread.

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Illinois Budget Crisis | Chicago Public Library Commissioner Reacts to FOX Chicago News' Story

Illinois Budget Crisis | Chicago Public Library Commissioner Reacts to FOX Chicago News' Story

I was happy to read the Chicago Public Library Director's response to a story about whether libraries were a waste of tax money. Someone may conclude that libraries are indeed a waste of tax money, but the story seemed to leave out the pertinent facts. The CPL Director responded and her letter is attached.

Part of the response mentioned how people turn to the library as their free resource for books, information, and entertainment in multiple formats: print, online, and in-person. I think librarians need to remind our communities that the "in-person" format (talking to a librarian) is one of the best resources available. No matter how big and pervasive Google becomes (for example), a conversation with a librarian is something that can add a great deal of value.

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RDA Toolkit (Resource Description & Access Toolkit)

The link to the RDA Toolkit (Resource Description & Access Toolkit) is available here. Enjoy free open access through August 31, 2010.

ALA Conference 2010 (Washington, DC)

This year I attended the ALA (American Library Association) Annual Conference in Washington, DC for the first time. I was a student volunteer in the ALA Student-to-Staff Program where I volunteered in exchange for travel awards to help defer the cost of attending the conference.

I was assigned to the PLA (Public Library Association) where Linda Bostrom is the Manager. My role as a student volunteer was to attend PLA Programs and help the speakers with their needs. I provided assistance with the program evaluations that attendees completed at the end of each program. I also acted as a liaison between the speakers and the convention center in case audio/visual problems occurred.

When my volunteer duties were finished, I had an opportunity to tour the National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health Library.

Night of the Living Librarians (a better version)

Congratulations to my friends and library classmates at the University of Pittsburgh for bringing home the gold book cart and first place in the 6th Annual ALA Book Cart Drill Team Competition. Special thanks to Sherri Griscavage for organizing the routine. Hail Pitt!

Night of the Living Librarians

March of the Librarians

The annual conference of the American Library Association (ALA) is in Washington, DC this weekend. I'm attending from Thursday to Tuesday and will spend most of my time with the Public Library Association (PLA). I'm looking forward to meeting new people and observing the conference in general.

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Social Media

The lecture and discussion about social media today in LIS 2600 was pretty good. The idea that these are tools a library can use to invite people into the community is a useful way to frame the topic. Many people use these tools, so the library ought to use them too. The result may be more people playing a role and being involved in the library community.

One of the examples that speaks to the success of building a community is the open source movement. The article "The Cathedral & the Bazaar" that we read in LIS 2000 describes why open source works and how the process incorporates the best in people when they are collaborating on topics they feel passionate about.

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Pierogi Mascot Fired

This post is weakly related to libraries or technology. It is about public relations. The Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team demonstrated how little they understand public relations when they fired a pierogi mascot for writing critical statements about the Pirates on his Facebook status. Earlier in the week, the Pirates admitted to extended the contracts of Manager John Russell and GM Neal Huntington, which had been kept a secret for a year. It's really one public relations disaster after another. Did the Pirates think that no one would pick up on this juxtaposition where the pierogi was fired instead of the GM and/or Manager?

I just think it makes for interesting commentary. I'm not in favor of firing JR or Huntington (yet) but to fire the pierogi the way they did seems like no one in their office has a sense for how a story like this plays out. Not well.

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A Day In My Life

Here's what I did today:

Morning

• Made iced tea for breakfast.
• Watched my cat Roberta while she was sleeping.
  
• Went grocery shopping for vegetables.
• Cooked roasted veggies.
• Read a few journal articles for LIS 2000.
• Looked over LIS 2000 small group dicussion board.
  

Afternoon

• Played tennis.
• Watched knuckle-baller Tim Wakefield pitch for the Red Sox against the Dodgers.
• Looked at some websites I found while reading the World Book Almanac.
• Looked over a few of my classmates blogs for LIS 2600.
  

Evening

• Rendez vous with a friend for dinner somewhere in Pittsburgh.
  

The Future of Public Libraries: Tending the Garden

Tending to existing customers of libraries should be first and foremost. I understand the need to broaden the base of users and to bring in larger numbers of users. However, I think there is an existing constituency that is being neglected. I would rather have fewer, more passionate advocates for the library over more lukewarm users. I also think the existing needs of patrons may be overlooked when the emphasis isn't on their particular needs and enhancing service to them. The "tending the garden" analogy is that it's easier to get great results from an existing garden or flowerbed over planting from seed. Enthusuastic supporters will advocate for the library and can be considered as a the best tool for success. It's also more likely that they will become lifelong supporters, not simply library users while their children are in school (for example).