Monday, July 31, 2006

Amazon.com's Library Processing Service

Wouldn't it be great if you could get library processing with your Amazon.com purchases? Well, now you can.

"Libraries already use Amazon.com when they need fast and reliable delivery of products at competitive prices, but our library customers have told us they would like Library Processing in order to better serve their patrons," said Greg Greeley, vice president of books, magazines and corporate accounts. "Amazon.com is proud to offer libraries this seamless, end-to-end processing service which will make it even easier for libraries to shop with us."

I know several of our member libraries will often use Amazon.com because it is so easy and quick. This adds an additional value to using the popular online retailer.

Read more (Business Wire)

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

Library Terms That People Understand

This nice presentation is about usability of library websites. Lots of data and good explanations on different usability tests. If you are looking to redesign, or create, your library website, I recommend this.

Intellectual Freedom Course

LibraryU has announced a new course: Ensuring Access: The Rights and Responsibilities of Intellectual Freedom. This course is recommended for all levels of library staff.

How are the First Amendment rights of your library patrons impacted by CIPA, the USA Patriot Act and other challenges to information access and privacy? Do your personal beliefs ever come into conflict with your library's intellectual freedom philosophy? As library staff on the front lines, we protect the intellectual freedom of our patrons by ensuring their access, not by defending the content of what is accessible.

I encourage you to bookmark this site and take the free, online training courses. Other course titles include: Special Needs Children @ Your Library, Budgeting 101, Cataloging and Automation for Trustees. The focus is based on the Illinois Library System but much of the information is helpful for all libraries.

Tuesday, July 18, 2006

TLA Response to TSLAC Sunset Review

Please find it here.

Books replace drugs as treatment

Patients with certain mental health problems are to be prescribed library books instead of medication as part of an innovative scheme.

This news bit is from BBC News. Anyone going to their doctor in north Essex with certain psychological problems will be directed to the public library to check out certain books. It is a pilot program, but one worth watching as this might be another way to do outreach. I can see librarians and Doctors working together. Doctors suggest certain titles to patients who then go to the library to check out the item. Librarians could get a list of recommended books from the doctors to make sure plenty of the titles are on hand. It would add value to the libraries in the minds of both the doctors and the patients.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006

Connecting Your Library's Collection and Amazon

Do you use Amazon.com® to locate books? Wish you could easily find out if the Library owns a book you have located? The Hennepin County Library in Minnetonka, MN has that capability now. So far the feedback looks very positive. This is a great tool to bring in new patrons that tend to purchase most of their books from Amazon.

Tuesday, July 11, 2006

SearchforVideo.com to Launch Video Podcast Directory

FUSA Capital Corporation, parent company of SearchforMedia Network and a leading innovator of video and audio search engine technologies, today announced the addition of a video podcast directory to SearchforVideo.com beginning Wednesday, July 12, 2006. The popular video discovery and sharing site will now offer users an easier way to find video podcast content from among the site's thousands of sources.

Monday, July 10, 2006

Search Engine Submissions

As always, Search Engine Watch has great guidance in helping you get your library's webpage more visible in search results.

It covers search engine submission, placement and marketing issues. It explains how search engines find and rank web pages, with an emphasis on what webmasters can do to improve their search engine rankings by properly submitting, using better page design, HTML meta tags, and other tips.

Wednesday, July 05, 2006

ALA praised for meeting in New Orleans

Travel Daily News reports that the ALA Annual Library Convention helps New Orleans recover from Hurricane Katrina. With the eyes of America on New Orleans’ recovery from Hurricane Katrina, nearly 17,000 librarians, exhibitors and library supporters attended the first citywide convention held in the Big Easy since the storm. Widespread news coverage praised ALA members for their "intrepid" spirit and impact on the local economy by going to New Orleans.

First Lady Laura Bush made an appearance at a national town hall meeting on school libraries on Monday, June 26. Her keynote address helped place a spotlight on the plight of school libraries throughout the United States. he town hall meeting was hosted by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL), a division of the ALA, and Scholastic. The event included a distinguished panel of school library experts who discussed the problems faced by school librarians.