Computers in Libraries

Editor's Notes

When Kathy-she was Kathy Miller then-joined the ITI staff in 1994 as a newsletter and book editor, one of her first assignments was to cover an SLA meeting that discussed how librarians could serve as "knowledge navigators" for users struggling with the internet.

Using Open Source to Give Patrons What They Want

Howard County Library in Maryland is a busy, exciting, and thriving public library system with the numbers to prove it-in 2006, library door counts reached 2 million visits. Each and every customer computer would offer web access, word processing, flash drive storage, and audio and visual enhancements, such as screen enlargement, CD playback, and online video watching. Each computer greets customers at Howard County Library's homepage; at this point, customers can view websites, web-based a...

Makin' Stories: From New York to Monterey and Now to D.C., Dutch Crew Documents Best '2.0' Practices in U.S. Libraries

In a particularly memorable clip, librarians Judy van Acker (left) and Karen Hixon, of the Florence, Colo., Public Library, sing of the economic woes of a small library, serving a population of 5,000 from 4,000 square feet. Dancing feet in the computer games section of the Ann Arbor, Mich., District Library served as a great opening to this clip from a segment in which Erik interviewed Eli Neiburger, technical manager at the library.

Rave Reviews for the Shanachies

'Top 10 Hits from Monterey BayA Wrap Up of Internet Librarian 2007,' http://dpplplaintalk.blogspot.com Thanks, gentlemen, for reminding us how much American libraries rock and for showing us how much Dutch librarians rock too! -Kathy Dempsey, Past Editor-in-Chief, Computers in Libraries magazine Mothership The Delft Public Library crew spent 3 weeks living in a van they lovingly called 'The Mothership,' docking her in Monterey, Calif., at the close of their U.S. tour.

From Static to Dynamic-Choosing and Implementing a Web-Based Cms

It's required by several other image-related modules: * Image Attach-This allows attaching images to other types of content. * Image Gallery-This sorts and displays images based on categories. * Image Import-This allows batch importing of images. * Image Assist-This allows for inline images. * Backup-This assists in backing up the Drupal installation itself. * Glossary-This allows you to set up and define a sitewide glossary of terms, abbreviations, acronyms, or anything else you'd want. * IM...

Information Commons to Go

How to Extend the Information Commons Model At Buffalo State College's library, I no longer manage the ideal computer and its deployment (that is handled, quite admirably, by the computer technology services department), but building on my past experience and combining it with my current experience as a member of the IC team, I began to ask, "How can we extend this ideal computing and research environment beyond the walls of the library?" The answer is a kind of "Information Commons to Go" if...

Open Source Becomes More Accessible

There are links to open source tools for libraries, blogs, and websites to watch, along with blog posts and articles of interest to librarians, < www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Open_Source_Software> 'How Open Source Software Can Improve the Library,' DegreeTutor.com This article discusses the use of open source software in the library on public access computers and as replacements for the library's ILS and web publishing tools.

Noted &Amp; Quoted

According to the release, Blake helped create the New Jersey Knowledge Initiative, a collaboration of government, business, and libraries that provides small businesses, entrepreneurs, and researchers with free access to cutting-edge published research sources.

The Systems Librarian

Making a Business Case for Open Source Ils

Having just returned from the ALA Midwinter Meeting, I'm struck by the high level of interest in programs related to open source software and in the number of attendees gathering around the cluster of booths for Care Affiliates, Index Data, and LibLime-a new generation of purveyors of open source library software. While some libraries may have the ability to make selection decisions through an informal process, many libraries must follow rigorous institutional or governmental procurement pro...

Books To Check Out

Two New Academic Library Books From Ala

The studies describe several emerging practices, including varied uses of networked social software and open data formats to enhance and distribute resources and services, as well as the use of tools such as blogs, wikis, podcasts, instant messaging software, RSS, XML, mashups, and social computing.

Two New Books From Neal-Schuman

[...] tools and programs to enhance current offerings, such as instant messaging software and subject-specific taxonomies, are highlighted.

Haworth Looks at the Stats

Facet Introduces New Librarians to the Field

Tech Tips For Every Librarian

What Can Open Source Do for You?

Other kiosklike operating systems include the cute gOS Rocket, which is a Linux-based small operating system designed to primarily make use of online (mainly Google-based) tools instead of standard desktop applications.

Building Digital Libraries

The Community Behind the Code

Even though the trade media have tried to make headlines that focus on personal feuds and discord among open source leaders, the power of community-based design was never more obvious than when Netscape and Linux opened their source code. During an energetic search for new models for collaboration, it came to someone's attention that the university libraries had been practicing collaborative work for decades: coordinating collection development, sharing cataloging records, and referencing wo...

Libraries In Computers

What Librarians Still Don't Know About Open Source

In many cases, a vendor will be willing to allow its clients to study its source code or to use its software on an unlimited number of machines with no restrictions, if you just ask-or if you make it an explicit, required condition of signing a license. When FLOSS is available for networking infrastructure, operating systems, web servers, databases, and programming languages, they all fit together very nicely.