I get e-mailed the link to PW's religion edition. In today's issue, they announced that Zondervan is entering the YA market. The stats on YA purchasing and other things in this article was intersting but I found this paragraph really interesting as they believe teens will visit their site, blog there and perhaps chat with authors and link it to their Myspace pages (at least that's where my imagination takes me).

"Zondervan will do “the best of traditional marketing, but 75% of our spending will be for online promotion, because we know these kids are online,” Mey said. There will be a dedicated “micro-site” on zondervan.com, and they will use blogs, MySpace, GodTube and YouTube to drive traffic to the site. There will be special merchandising in Christian stores, “because they will offer all of the books,” she said, and B&N and Borders will carry the best-known authors.

Found on CMLsi:Disappearance of the Librarian

excerpt from Blatant Berry: The Vanishing Librarians

"Our reference services and the desk from which they were delivered are gone, too, replaced by wandering “librarians,” with or without an MLS. They are supposed to be proactive in searching out patrons in need but are too often summoned on walkie-talkies or terminals to come to the aid of only those who ask or to respond to the few inquiries that arrive online. Of course, we need fewer and fewer of these librarians, because patrons are urged to do it all for themselves, via Google, PACs, or whatever they discover through our terminals or their own laptops and PCs."

Sound familiar?

via Library Journal

Saving Your Life Away

While on my travels across the internet scouring for free/cheap samples for my music, I ran across this post. Reading the comments section led me to a fairly comprehensive list of online storage options organized alphabetically with brief descriptions of their services.

via Audiogeekzine

In his blog, GDC: The "Tragic" State of PC Gaming Matt Peckham says, “PC gaming isn't dead, but PC gaming as it once existed may be. Wargaming as a genre isn't dead (it'll only die when serious history-minded humans do) but wargaming as it once existed -- something that could land a huge cover story in a gaming magazine, for instance -- almost certainly is. Is that where PC gaming's headed? Toward a small market of specialized gamers? An occasional sideshow to console gaming headliners? Is it finally Alamo time for PC gamers and snarky games magazine editors who love to make fun of gloom-and-doom peddlers?”

For a moment, I believe this was something libraries were interested in. But with the move toward the more popular platforms of X-Box Live for instance, is social networking via PC gaming dead? I noticed that games like Civilization and Myst were not mentioned in this article. Are they not considered to be social gaming? Is there another term for them? Do they still exist in the market? Are they still popular? Are these the type of games we should consider for purchase and mounting for teen SRC gaming?

We are not alone!

We are not the only ones blogging at CML. There has been a staff swap between NS and Lin. and the staff are blogging their experience. Check them out at P B & Kayla. They are posing some interesting circulation related dialog that we may want to discuss as well.

"Get Ready for a Crackdown on Broadband Use", is the title of an article in the latest PC World that may be one of several articles in this issue that you may want to read. In this article, we are alerted to the possibility that broadband "hogs" - those users who are streaming or downloading DVD's, music or other things that use a lot of bandwidth- may be charged for their excess usage. That makes me wonder how this will effect how libraries deliver Internet access to customers in the future if this does happen. Will we be charged as a net Internet provider because we provide free access? How will this effect our virtual users who use MOLDI things? Will we (libraries) petition for an exemption from any fees if this becomes real? What do you think? Read it and other topical articles and let's talk.

Kim Snell wrote a nice article in the Praise Reporter about Black History Month at the library. She used a picture she took when she was here viewing one of our Black History programs. Check out the article and the sidebar. Each month I will have the book list here. Hopefully, it will generate conversation via email and eventually we may be able to create an online book blog (or club). We will see how it goes.

Thanks to one of Helene Blowers' posts, I was reminded that there are many groups that are, in some way or another, related to or valuable to libraries. The Computers In Libraries convention is one (just like the publishers convention). While looking at one of Helene's blogs, I linked to the CIL2008 site and came across an activity that listed MultiMedia & Internet@Schools magazine. The title piqued my curiosity so I went to the site to see what it was about. It was interesting to see that they too (school librarians) are talking about the same issues we talk about, for instance, how to make sure people (in this case youth) are getting factual info from the web, and how to teach them to know the difference. In an article entitled, "Is That Really True? Urban Legends and Information Evaluation Skills", Debra Gniewek writes about how she created a unit on urban legends so students learn to look at information with a critical eye. I mention this because I think it is good to know that somewhere this is going on. I also mention it because I think it is something to keep in the back of our minds as we explain to customers why we are using X site over Y site.

As you surf the net, or are reading your favorite e-zine, keep in mind how whatever you are reading may be of use to us and pass on your links so we can all learn from it. As a matter of fact, check out the CIl2008 conference page and see what you think.

BTW, the MultiMedia & Internet@ Schools magazine is the media and technology specialists guide to electronic tools and resources for k-12 education. To read the articles in full you have to subscribe (free) but the synopsis of each is on the front page (no subscription necessary).

Music Creation:Using Trackers and Step Sequencers

This song, created by manipulating Windows sound effects, uses a version of an early computer sequencer/composition tool called ModPlug Tracker. Some of the inspiration for trackers derived from the step sequencers on hardware modules like the Roland TB303. This type of sequencing is still popular as indicated by the recent Roland MC-808 and extensive use of step sequencers in other music production software such as FL Studio, Reason, and Sonar.

via Download Squad

For some time now I've been pondering the children's room. Today I was reminded about an idea I had for it. I was thinking we need to add 2-4 adult pcs to that room. As you know we have folks with under 7's who come soley to get online. They also need to keep their children with them. Barring the issue of inappropriate web searching near kids, and kids getting on them, and the need to get rid of a whole bunch of books, the only other thought I had was that if the parent is using the pc's just outside of the room, is that close enough? I am sure that once adults are online, they are oblivious to their kids. On the other hand, if the children are quiet and not in jeopardy, could we say that this proximity meets the criteria of being near the parent? Posting the unattended child flyer at the computers could be a first alert for parents who read our flyers, and maybe just alerting them to it would be enough if they remained at those particular terminals. This is not to take parenting responsibilities away from parents as we are not responsible for their children, but it may ease some tension and still let them know they are to be incharge of their children while they are here.

holla back on this.

I must be getting old. I was weeding the reference shelves and started with the “professional reading” materials (which was easy since they were in the 011’s). Usually these materials are a good cure for insomnia. However, while reviewing the ones specifically geared to teens, I found some really interesting things. Anyway, if you are interested, talk to Zach as I have passed them on to him. I am including a website that could be of interest to our teens so any of you can point them in this direction. For teens interested in actually talking with authors, go to the YA Author’s Café:
http://www.connectingya.com. Also, check out Patrick Jones’ site for teen info in general:
http://mysite.verizon.net/selimsa803/default.html. And here is an article that lists a slew of sites that I will be visiting on a regular basis. http://pdfs.voya.com/VO/YA2/VOYA200802tag_team_tech.pdf
Feel free to do so as well and use this space to comment on things learned, oddities, ideas, etc.

As you may or may not know, Grace, Wilbert, Aaron and I have been talking about a neat way to engage teens this summer. This is scary – I’m actually getting excited about SRC. It must be the second childhood thing. Or maybe it’s the weather….anyway, I hope it’s contagious and we all get it! It's GAME ON, folks!

Peace-
SO

A new year

While answering the question, how much time do circ staff spend on email, on a recent in-house survey, I began to think about a better communication method for us. Since we are looking at using this for SRC, I thought I'd start a staff blog. No hoopla, just a tool for us to use on a regular basis. Please, please do respond to posts, and add your own additions to our collective growth and development.

Aaron, this is a great place for you to post all of your wonderful sites and articles.

To start this one off, I am adding some things I found when weeding the reference collection.

The book, Empowering Your Library (now in my office for your ease of access) is a reminder of things that may now be second nature to us (empowerment and leading from any position) and I have included excerpts from it here.

From chapter 6, the managers role, Summary:

'The roles of the manager in a traditional hierarchial organization and the empowered library are quite different. Before embarking on a new role, it is important for all employees not only to understand the rationale for empowerment but also to have an opportunity to develop a personal vision of their new roles. This minimizes resistance and facilitates buy-in.

As the work previously done by managers is gradulaly turned over to self-directed teams, the manager must shift focus from command and control to that of coach, facilitator, and troubleshooter. Managers also play a critical role in helping align work plans with organizational goals, serving as an information conduit, and facitating planning, product development, acquiring resources, community outreach, training, and employee development.

The manager or supervisor also makes certain that employees are appropriaterly encouraged, recognized, and rewarede for their efforts. Rewards need not be monatary. They should, however, be sincere and appropriate to the individual or group being recognized'.

In the chapter on Empowered Library Leadership, it lists Warren Bennis' "10 factors for coping with change, forging a new future and creating learning organizations":

1. Leaders manage the dream.
2. Leaders embrace error.
3. Leaders encourage reflective backtalk.
4. Leaders encourage dissent.
5. Leaders possess the Nobel Factor: optimism, faith and hope.
6. Leaders understand the Pygmalion effect in management.
7. Leaders have what I think of as the Gretzky Factor, a certain "touch".
8. Leaders see the long view.
9. Leaders understand stakeholder symmetry.
10. Leaders create strategic alliances and partnerships.

CML and I both believe in leading from any position. The summary for this chapter goes on to say that "Fear, stress, and anxiety are best overcome by involving all employees in planning and implementation". Fortunately for me, you all are the best team for this type of work. Take some time to look at this book as it is a great tool for understanding where we are and why.

My next post will be about teens and SRC. It will be an ongoing theme and one I hope you all will jump on.

It's a new year, folks!

SO