The Colorado State Library will have a variety of pre-conferences and workshops at the 2009 CAL Conference. Don’t forget to stop by our booth on Friday and Saturday in the Exhibits Area. We would love to:
I spent an awesome day at the Anythink Brighton location last Monday for TechFest 2009. The day started off with a bang with a presentation by David Lee King, followed by a full schedule including staff presentations on web 2.0 tools, and technology, a Technology Petting Zoo, and gaming. Continue reading ‘TechFest 2009′
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.
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’
In 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!
SouthEast 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!
Last week I visited Carol Lee Dugan, Library Director, at the Monte Vista Carnegie library. We were talking about the broadband initiative. Here is what is happening in her town.
Carol was approached by her local telecom company to see if the library would be interested in loaning out video cameras. The company wanted to insert this collaborative piece into their grant proposal.
Carol is also in discussion with a renewable energy company who wants to install a thermal pump heating system at their new branch in South Fork. Tax credits may be available for investing in renewable energy. Can anyone else add to this discussion about the advantages of using tax credits? Of course the library will have to pick up part of the funds to install, but in the long run it could prove a good long term solution to rising energy prices. Finally…
The Montrose Regional Library District will be having a grand opening for the Naturita Community Library on Friday, August 7th at 107 W 1st Avenue in Naturita. Tours begin at 5pm, with a dedication and ribbon cutting at 6pm. A free community barbeque and live music will follow. The Naturita Community Library is America’s second strawbale library, and incorporates many environmentally sustainable features, including geothermal heating and cooling, and earth-based plasters.
View entire press release (PDF)
More information:
Paul Paladino, Director, 970-249-9656 or 970-275-2958
Amy McBride, Dvpt Officer, 970-249-9656 or 970-433-8779
I had the pleasure of visiting the Estes Park Public Library for an AskColorado meeting. The facility is beautiful (and really aren’t all libraries?), and the surroundings enchanting. However, it was the unusual configuration of their catalogs that caught my eye.
These vertical catalog stations appear to run on magic…where is the CPU?
Thanks to Claudine Perrault and Mark Riffle for the detailed documentation of how these cool catalogs are set up: Continue reading ‘Cool Technology at Estes Park Public Library’
It was a beautiful day in Bennett, CO, as Pam Sandlian Smith spoke about their newest library in the Rangeview Library District. The enthusiastic crowd awaited the opening of their new library as speeches were given recognizing those involved in the project. The 7,000 square foot building replaces the original branch that was opened in 1974 on the same site. Many sustainable building practices were used throughout the building including recycled beetle-killed pine for the ceiling and paneling, ground source heating and cooling, solatube natural light sourcing, and photovoltaic solar array. Also unique to this library, as highlighted in the 6/9/09 Denver Post article, “Adams County Libraries Shelving Dewey Decimal” is the elimination of the Dewey Decimal Classification system replaced by the use of word categories. Another fine example of a Colorado library with an eye to the future. Congratulations to all.
KSUT Four Corners Public Radio continues its new Four Corners: One Book community-wide, online book club with The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo, a book by Durango’s Paula Huntley.
Every month, KSUT partners with a different public library or local bookstore in making the Four Corners: One Book selection. This month, KSUT has teamed up with the Lavenia McCoy Public Library in Bayfield, which chose The Hemingway Book Club of Kosovo because of its well-written and inspiring tale about how one person can make a difference. The library has invited Huntley to talk about her book and real-life experience in Kosovo just after the Kosovo war at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 18.
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