Archive for the 'School Libraries' Category

“We’re getting gerbils!”

My son Peter illuminated a Colorado road atlas one day on our way to a pet store. His inscriptions are as gleeful as some of the comments I hear lately around Marmot, where we’re implementing VuFind as a next-gen OPAC.

In this and future posts I’ll tell the story of how we selected VuFind from a list that included AquaBrowser, Encore, Drupal SOPAC, and WorldCat Local. I’ll write about testing and launching open source software originally developed at Villanova University. We might blaze a few interesting trails, taking software currently running in university libraries, and adapting it to our multi-type consortium on the Western Slope.

“We’re getting open source!”

Continue reading ‘“We’re getting gerbils!”’

SWIFT Book-of-the-Month

Welcome to February! A new month for all of us means a new Book of the Month for the SWIFT Book Club. Our pick for February is The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett. Hammett’s detective Samuel Spade is the quintessential hard-boiled gumshoe; he drinks, he brawls and he always gets the girl. Of course, once he gets her, he might just turn around and turn her in. This novel is an absolute must read for any fan of detective fiction or anyone who likes to read on the edge of their seat!

Read a full review of The Maltese Falcon here. For a full list of books available from the SWIFT Book Club, look here.

The NEW AskColorado: utility and coolness combined

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’

Conditions of U.S. Libraries: Trends 1999-2009

Elena Rosenfeld, Colorado Association of Libraries ALA Chapter Counselor, passed this press release on from ALA. Great statistics and information. How would you use this to advocate for libraries in your community?

New ALA report details economic trends in libraries and 2010 outlook
CHICAGO – At every turn, news reports and research indicate fairly dramatic changes in U.S. library funding, services and staffing – most occurring in the last 18 months. According to a new report prepared by the American Library Association (ALA), libraries of all types are feeling the pinch of the economic downturn while managing sky-high use.

Compiled from a broad range of available sources, The Condition of Libraries: 1999-2009 presents U.S. economic trends (2009), and summarizes trends in public, school and academic libraries across several library measures, including expenditures, staffing and services. The report also highlights trends in services provided to libraries by library cooperatives and consortia.
Continue reading ‘Conditions of U.S. Libraries: Trends 1999-2009′

Free Web 2.0 Training for Librarians and Staff

Colorado Libraries 2.0 LogoWant to use Web 2.0 to communicate instantly and effectively? What about collaborating in real time, sharing photos, videos, and documents, or using other tools to increase productivity?

We all know that Web 2.0 tools are essential for communicating and creating in today’s fast-paced world. If there are tools that you or your staff want to learn more about, or if you just need to brush up on the basics, please visit the Colorado Libraries 2.0 website.

Colorado Libraries 2.0 is a FREE learning program to help library staff become familiar with Web 2.0 tools. The program is designed in modules associated with categories of tools:

1. Communication
2. Collaboration
3. Visual Communications
4. Personal Learning Environments (PLE)
5. Productivity Tools
6. A capstone project – Your PLE

Additional modules will be available in 2010.

Join with others from your library to get the most from the program !

Colorado Libraries 2.0 was created by Reach – Leading Learning in Libraries – a group of library staff members committed to sharing continuing education opportunities with others.

E-rate Training Announcement

(Posted on behalf of DeLilah Collins–E-rate Coordinator–Colorado Department of Education)

The Colorado Department of Education will hold a one day beginner E-rate training session on December 14, 2009 from 9am to 4pm.  The training session will cover the basics of E-rate from the history of E-rate to completing forms.  This training is open to anyone new to E-rate. Continue reading ‘E-rate Training Announcement’

AspenCat is Up and Running – Libraries Unite!

AspenCat




The ASCC Consortium’s new integrated library system, Koha hosted by Liblime debuted last week. The new AspenCat catalog currently includes records from the seven pilot libraries.
Send out a big congratulations to:
Akron Public Library
Dolores Public Library
Manitou Springs Public Library
Nederland Community Library
Ouray Public Library
Wellington Public Library
West End Schools: Nucla and Naturita
They all worked extremely hard over the last several months and their diligence shows!
AspenCat includes over 100,000 items that are readily available to any patron in the participating communities. AspenCat will be growing to nearly 700,000 records from 22 more libraries by September 2010.
AspenCat can be viewed at www.aspencat.info.

Plinkit wins Project of the Year

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’

Visit the State Library’s Booth at the CAL Exhibit Hall!

Libraries. A place of endless possibilities. The heart of many stories.

Two people meet in nonfiction and fall in love. A boy finds salvation in his local library and becomes the first in his family to attend college. A suburban mother of four relies on the library’s expert reference service to start her own business, and later is named “Entrepreneur of the Year.”

Come visit the State Library’s booth at the CAL exhibit hall to share YOUR story! You can write it, type it, or tell it (we will have flip cameras). Read fantastic stories of your colleagues and celebrate the many ways libraries transform lives.

Need more reason? Submit YOUR story and become eligible to win one of these fabulous prizes!

State Library at CAL schedule (PDF)

The State Library at CAL

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:

  • * Share with you the latest services and resources we can offer Colorado libraries
  • * Hear how libraries have transformed your lives

CSL at CAL 2009 – Schedule (PDF)