Search

The article focuses on the decision of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library in North Carolina to move to a model of the so-called unified services, in which any staff member at any service point can offer the same level of basic service to library customers. It notes that unified services approach enables customers to check out materials from any service point in the library. According to the author, the said approach is an effective strategy for coping the loss of staff positions through attrition.

The article highlights ways to integrate the services of a library to make it easier to use for library patrons. Using a library should be easy. Patrons with simple needs should not have to navigate through dozens of databases to find what they want. If they locate something in a citation database that needs to be requested through interlibrary loan, they should not be required to enter the information by hand into a separate form. Improved technology and vendor support for standards that allow systems to talk with each other has made seamless access to a wide variety of services a reality in many libraries already. It takes relatively little effort to let patrons find issues of electronic journals in a catalog, link database citations to the full text or to interlibrary loan system. Staff members do not want to change the address or other patron information in more than one system. Other objectives are not clear because different types of users may have competing interests and abilities. Some of the services that libraries want to integrate may not support a good mechanism for automatically sharing information with other systems. Some database may want substantially higher license fees because of the increased usage they expect from being included in a metasearch.

The author offers online social networking tips for library professionals. Social networking sites that may be used by these professionals include Facebook, LinkedIn, for career building, and the microblogging service, Twitter. He mentions how library professionals can use Twitter effectively. He adds that launching Twitter feeds is one way for libraries to increase its exposure to its users.

The article describes the job of library's system administrators. Librarians who serve as systems administrators are never without a long list of tasks on their to-do lists, and every one of those tasks is a top priority. There are suggestions for system improvements from both staff members and library patrons, all with different opinions on the "right" system design. Another site that can help the busy systems administrator keep up with network security and digital privacy is Vitalsecurity.org. This nonprofit organization's goal is to disseminate the latest information on developments in the online world.

Focuses on the relevance of a librarian's profession. Impact of technology on the profession; Misconceptions about library patrons; Influence of library technology.

The article offers library computer laboratory tips for library employees. A baseline set of expectations should be established to help clarify things between staff and patrons and between staff and management. Information on the laboratory computers could be provided on a special page on the library's website. Additional computer tools can be used by staff members to help them learn about the capabilities of some Internet and technology tools that in turn, would help patrons. Web sites could also explain technology terms to help users understand them.

The article focuses on the need for simpler tools to manage digital content of libraries. Whether libraries are well into digitization projects or just undertaking digital initiatives, there is no question digital resources are playing an increasingly important role for their staff and for patrons. As the mandate of libraries grows to encompass digital and digitized content, there is not necessarily a corresponding increase in staff resources to handle these new media. The tools should be simple enough to not require training and simple enough to allow volunteers and part-time staff to participate in digital projects. Libraries must promote intentional and serendipitous discovery of digital resources.

This article offers technical tips for librarians. As library resources become more technology-dependent, patrons expect support in accessing and using trusted resources--even when a problem exists on their end. Even smaller public libraries can reach out in a number of ways to provide technology help to their patrons--by partnering with other local institutions, by creating or borrowing lists of useful resources, and by providing all staff with step-by-step instructions for troubleshooting common problems. The MaintainIT Project's "The Joy of Computing" offers some useful guidelines for recruiting and effectively using technical volunteers as well as invaluable advice on maintaining public access computers.

Deals with the availability of Concerto 1.9, a platform from BiblioMondo that provides real-time data consolidation. Impact of the platform on downtime; List of the patron-centric tools offered by the platform; Features offered by the platform to library administrators.