Author Archive for Jim

About Jim

A government bureaucrat? No, I'm a librarian. See my LinkedIn profile... http://www.linkedin.com/in/newbreedlibrarian


Email: duncan_j@cde.state.co.us

Website: http://www.coloradostatelibrary.org/


All of Jim's Stuff

The NEW AskColorado: utility and coolness combined

Published by Jim on January 27, 2010 in Academic Libraries, Community Collaborations, Front Range, IT, Innovation, Public Libraries and School Libraries. 0 Comments Tags: , .

What do E*Trade, REI, Godiva Chocolatier and AskColorado have in common?

Beginning Feb 1, they will all use the same web-based customer-support and communication technology, InstantService.

In the last few years, libraries have seen an explosion in online communication tools available for reaching and serving patrons. The use of IM, text messaging, online chat and related technologies are becoming embedded in the fabric of libraries’ online service offerings. Given this changing landscape in technology and the evolving need for libraries to flexibly serve their patrons, the AskColorado community and AskColorado Steering Committee have endorsed a migration to this new software platform, InstantService. Continue reading ‘The NEW AskColorado: utility and coolness combined’

Plinkit wins Project of the Year

Published by Jim on December 7, 2009 in CAL, Community Collaborations, IT, Innovation, Public Libraries and School Libraries. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

As they say, “Woot!”

The Colorado Association of Libraries (CAL) recently honored the Colorado State Library’s Plinkit service with its “2009 Library Project of the Year Award” at the association’s annual conference in November.

This award recognizes a creative and innovative project which furthers library service within the state of Colorado. Continue reading ‘Plinkit wins Project of the Year’

Tour a new Arapahoe Library District branch

Published by Jim on October 5, 2009 in Front Range, General, Library Visits and Public Libraries. 0 Comments Tags: , .

I paid a recent unscheduled visit to the new Southglenn Library, a branch of the Arapahoe Library District. Hearing reports about the design of this library, I was interested to find out what was new, what was tried and what was true.

Cafe tables, Southglenn Library

What greeted me was an open layout, a sense of airy space, and a notably clean view from one side of the library to the other.

Continue reading ‘Tour a new Arapahoe Library District branch’

Northeast Directors Meet

Published by Jim on October 5, 2009 in Library Visits, Northeast and Public Libraries. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Akron Public LibraryIn rural NE Colorado, the directors of several public libraries gathered last Friday to network and commiserate on the success of their services to their communities. Judy, Shelley and I had the good fortune to share information and lunch with this bunch. We met downstairs in the recently-renovated Akron Public Library, which is such a warm and cozy space. What a great community hub! See our Flickr account for more photos, including the wonderful interior.

For small libraries in Colorado, staffing and volunteers are particularly crucial for day-to-day operations. Directors wear a dozen different hats, so to take time away from daily work for this kind of networking and information sharing is no small decision.  Our thanks to all of those who made the trip, and to Jan McCracken, Akron’s director, for hosting!

A revolution in Rangeview: Anythink

Published by Jim on September 25, 2009 in Community Collaborations, Front Range, Innovation, Public Libraries and advocacy. 2 Comments Tags: , .

You may have missed the September 12 official unveiling of the Rangeview Library District’s latest (some would call radical) movement away from its traditional library brand into a new style.

AnythinkAnythink(tm) “celebrates imagination, play and interactivity.” In the official Anythink announcement, you’ll note a decidedly strategic absence of the tried-and-tired verbiage and emphasis typical of library press releases. Included is a YouTube-hosted “Anythink Branimation.” Pop on over to the site; this is an innovative and bold direction for Rangeview Library District, well worth watching.

Libraries awarded grants for key projects

Published by Jim on September 24, 2009 in Academic Libraries, Children's Services, Community Collaborations, Front Range, General, IT, Innovation, Instruction, Northeast, Northwest, Public Libraries, School Libraries, Southeast, Southwest, Western Slope, funding and programs. 0 Comments Tags: , .

The dust has settled on the 2009-10 LSTA grants to libraries process. With the economy in the state wobbly and libraries doing all they can to scrape by, it’s not surprising that $792,285 worth of grant proposals were submitted, competing for the $400,000 allocated to Colorado through the Library Services and Technology Act.

Teams of grant reviewers, composed of librarians of all types from throughout Colorado, scrutinized every word within each proposal. For a library or library service organization to prepare a top-notch proposal is no small feat, and reviewers took their task just as seriously.

The breadth of proposals, both in terms of content and reach in Colorado, was impressive.  All grants awarded addressed the long-range goal “that Colorado’s residents will be able to access resources and services electronically through libraries to meet their information and learning needs.”

A list of 10 grants awarded for 2009-10 follows below. For more information about the LSTA grant submission and review process, your questions are welcomed by Jean Marie Heilig, LSTA Grant Coordinator (heilig_j@cde.state.co.us)

Continue reading ‘Libraries awarded grants for key projects’

Plinkit Wins National Award

Published by Jim on September 21, 2009 in General, IT, Innovation and Public Libraries. 0 Comments Tags: .

The Plinkit Collaborative, a national cooperative organization behind the Plinkit web site hosting system, has received an achievement award from the Center for Digital Government, a national research and advisory institute on information technology policies and best practices in state and local government. The Colorado State Library is one of four founding members of the Plinkit Collaborative. Continue reading ‘Plinkit Wins National Award’

Spanish Peaks Photo Tour

Published by Jim on September 17, 2009 in General, Library Visits, Public Libraries and Southeast. 0 Comments Tags: , .

Spanish Peaks Library DistrictSouthEast Area public Library Directors (SEADs) periodically meet. Where? In the southeast! On Wednesday this week the gang met at the new Spanish Peaks Library in Walsenburg. In addition to talking shop, attendees were treated to a comprehensive tour of this eco-friendly library. Check out our Flickr site for more photos, including rare behind-the-scenes shots of the 2nd and 3rd floors to get a sense of how the 1st floor looked before it was renovated!

On NPR: Spanish Peaks Library District

Published by Jim on August 24, 2009 in Children's Services, Community Collaborations, Public Libraries, Southeast and advocacy. 0 Comments

An uplifting and celebratory radio spot on NPR’s All Things Considered was broadcast last Saturday, focused on the opening of Walsenburg’s new public library. Give it a listen at: npr.org (scroll down and look for the story “High-Tech Library Gleams in Colorado Town”).  If you can’t access the audio, read the transcript.

The story features interviews with Library Director Monica Birrer, former Library Research Service Director Keith Curry Lance, and Douglas County Library District Director Jamie LaRue.

The best part of the story, in my opinion, are the comments of a nine-year-old patron of the library!

Author Fest of the Rockies

Published by Jim on August 21, 2009 in Community Collaborations, Front Range, General, Public Libraries, conferences and programs. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , .

As always, Margaret Morris and the Friends of the Manitou Springs Public Library have been hard at work creating interesting ways to support the library and connect with the community.

Author Fest of the Rockies is another terrific example!

The event features education and training workshops, contests, keynote presentations and much more. Be sure to check out the schedule; the diversity of topics is excellent!

Proceeds for two-day event, featuring more than “50 published authors, editors, coaches, Internet marketing experts, illustrators, poets and publishers from throughout the state of Colorado” will benefit the Manitou Springs Public Library and contribute to its plans for expansion. Check it out at: http://www.authorfestoftherockies.org/