Hello Everyone,
Annually we ask you to participate in the National Survey of Public Library Funding and Technology Access (it’ll roll around again in September.) You may wonder who uses this data and to what end? Here is some information for you that John Carlo Bertot, the survey administrator, has provided on the value of this information:
Effort supports public computing at 42 libraries and adult education sites
Montpelier, VT – Google has donated 100 computers and funding for software to Vermont public libraries and adult education sites.
Vermont State Librarian Martha Reid announced the gift, which is valued at nearly $25,000 combined.
“Our local libraries have become the hubs of connectivity in many communities and we are very pleased with this public private partnership,” said Governor Peter Shumlin. “This puts power in the hands of Vermonters seeking free access to the Internet and all the benefits – for education, employment opportunities and more – that offers.”
The donation, part of a larger effort by Google to donate surplus equipment from their offices, includes desktop computers and flat screen monitors, keyboards and mice, all completely refurbished and loaded with the latest software operating systems. None of the computers is more than three years old.
Greetings. I’d like to take this opportunity to invite anyone with an interest to join what we’re calling the VT Library Tech Club. It’s intended to be an informal group to discuss technology in libraries, to ask questions, share experiences, and collaborate within the state. We’re not assuming a particular level of experience with technology, just an interest in the topic. We’ve created a Google Group to give us a venue for communication – it’s located at https://groups.google.com/
In addition, I’d like to mention the Library Technology Unconference, which is taking place on Thursday, September 13th, from Noon-4:30 pm, in Berlin:
ALA has now made it easy for all of us to respond to email alerts that are sent out asking us to call our legislator on behalf of the most recent bill or action.. Text!
Here’s what to do:
Text “library” to 877877. You will receive a message back asking for your address. Send that info back. From now on, when there’s a legislative alert from ALA relating to library and information issues they will send you a text.
Hello everyone,
I’d like to invite you to join Nicole C. Engard, Koha Documentation Manager and VP of Education at ByWater Solutions for a free Koha 3.8 introductory demo webinar. If you’re considering and open source ILS or just curious about Koha please join me!
The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources just announced a free Vermont State Parks App:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/oh-ranger!-parkfinder-vermont/id509618668?mt=8
As Parks Passes start to go out, this would be a wonderful thing to promote with the passes for library members with smart phones and tablets.
It might even be a great time to promote certain apps that have to do with the great outdoors, like the Audubon Guide Apps, which are a little pricy but I use them all the time myself and that purchase supports local business (Green Mountain Digital).
http://www.greenmountaindigital.com/
What are your favorite reference apps that you tell patrons about?
New England Library Association – Information Technology Section
2012 ITS Spring Event
Cloudy with a Chance of Connecting to the Future!
Friday, June 8, 2012
9:30 am – 3:30 pm
Worcester Public Library
3 Salem Square, Worcester MA 01608
Registration fee includes lunch!
NELA members $50
Non-members $65
Library School students & unemployed librarians $35
Register at theConference Website: http://www.nelib.org/its/conference
DEADLINE: June 1, 2012
A discussion lead by Jess Weitz of Brooks Memorial Library and Forrest Holzapfel of the Marlboro Historical Society
Small town cultural organizations, such as libraries, museums, and historical societies, are community-anchored institutions that provide access to unique, local information and objects that are unavailable elsewhere. But budget-strapped organizations often do not have the funding, staff time and expertise, or technology to devote to digitizing these collections.
The importance of creating digital collections for small organizations is only increasing. Cultural changes have demanded more user-friendly ways to access information, such as from home or on mobile devices. In addition, social media, digital collaboration and crowdsourcing are now available to help create forums for sharing digital data.
Charles (Chuck) Henry, President, Council on Libraries and Information Resources, will give a talk, Words Fly Up: The New Digital Environment and its Challenge to Higher Education, at Middlebury College (Axinn 232) on April 23 at 4:30 p.m
He looks at ten of the very large projects being developed at a national scale in the U.S., and explores ways these unprecedented efforts, if developed as elements of a coherent ecology, will challenge our understanding of culture, learning, and the organization of higher education.
Tuesday May 8, 2012 from
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Champlain College, South Willard Street, Burlington VT 05401
Broadband connections can open opportunities in all sectors and for all Vermonters. On May 8th, join leaders from around the state to set the path for using Internet technology to create jobs, strengthen our communities, reinvent schools and increase citizen participation.
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