This Week in Best of PubLib 12.14.2009

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

Video coming soon

This week  in  Best of Publib covers the week of December 7th through December 13th. This week includes questions about building collections in Western, Urban Fiction and Romance genres along with thought-provoking discussions about  library organization, library reorganization and control of libraries.  Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:

• Topic   »    olympics? – Sharon Dalton in Parlin, NJ would like to know about Olympic themes for marketing library programs and materials.
• Topic   »    urban fiction - Elizabeth Fraser in  Charleston WV is looking for good urban fiction resources.
• Topic   »   Mail Chimp - Lisa Pappas in  Plainfield, IL wants to know who is using Constant Contact and who is using Mail Chimp - How do they compare?
• Topic   »    RESUME - Karen Hertel in Idaho asks – what to include on librarian resumes  - Are academic librarian resumes the same as public librarian resumes?
• Topic   »    Moving from a municipal department to an association library? - Laurel Goodgion in Wethersfield CT  seeks examples of municipal libraries that became independent libraries.
• Topic   »    Reorganizing customer service | Library organization structure -  Janice Painter in  Princeton, NJ is investigating cross training and various innovative methods of reorganization.
• Topic   »    software questions – Helen Rigdon in  Kansas City, Kansas wants to know if libraries qualify for academic price breaks on software - Is Open Office a viable alternative and what about TechSoup?
• Topic   »    Flooring material – Connie Meyer in Fort Atkinson, WI is finishing a building project and seeks flooring suggestions.
• Topic   »    Rental Ready Videos vs retail editions, Library edition audiobooks vs. retail editions – Jeanette Piquet in Richmond Heights, MO  is looking for guidance on vendor definitions – What are the legal and ethical ramifications?
• Topic   »    Building upon an existing Romance Collection - Sherise Pagan is looking for web site sources to help develop a  Romance collection
• Topic   »    Western Paperbacks – Ann Moore  in New York is looking for sources for up-to-date paperback westerns
• Topic   »    Bags for Patrons, plastic or otherwise - Rebecca Hermen in Michigan is looking for economical, green library  bag guidance
• Topic   »    Kirkus is shutting down – Mamie  Ney in Maine gives the sad news about the cessation of Kirkus
• Topic   »    Friday funny - Elizabeth Thorson in Cheyenne, WY reports on extraordinary autographs located in The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists
• Topic   »    Controlling Libraries - Who should control public libraries? Should ALA?  Should ethics?  Should politicians?  Should professional librarians?  42 ? Take our poll!

Take the poll -

 

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This Week in Best of PubLib 11.23.09

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

This week  in  Best of Publib covers the weeks of November 8th through November 22nd. This week includes questions about collection development, thought provoking discussions about library photography,  archiving the Grateful Dead, library materials security and damage,  and generational conflicts. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:

• Topic   »    The end of CD HotList – Rick Anderson in Utah announces the ending of the CD HotList - will he create a new directory?
• Topic   »    What is the Source of a Nativity story from Joseph’s point of view from Toby Greenwalkt in Skokie, IL – Answer The Handmaid and the Carpenter by E. Berg
• Topic   »    When customers are ill – Alison Moss in Lafayette, IN is looking for policies – Diedre Conkling references LibraryLaw
• Topic   »    Fun Games for little ones - Pam Karr in Redlands, CA wants your suggestions – Louis Alcorn recommends Tumblebooks
• Topic   »    100th anniversary suggestions – Rita Squires in Dalles, OR wants to know how others celebrate
• Topic   »    Generational conflict and retiring librarians – Hillary Theyer in Torrance, CA wants resources
• Topic   »    Posting/identifying photos – Roger Carswell  in Iola, KS wants to know policies for posting photos – what is the law?
• Topic   »    Legit site? – Cynthia Dieden wants to know some credentials – Trustee Fred Beisser evaluates
• Topic   »    Children’s registrations/multiple cards – Andrew Poplawski in Dartmouth, N.S.  is looking at policies
• Topic   »    Archiving the Grateful Dead - Judy Anderson spots a hot dead head library job 
• Topic   »    Teachers selling lesson plans – Sharon Foster wants to know if librarians are next.
• Topic   »    Locking book drops  - Helen Rigdon wants to know if you are locking them for the holidays – are your materials secure?
• Topic   »    What would you tell a student? – Christie Brandau is teaching a MLIS course and wants your nuggets of  library wisdom – Grace DeCandido offers her suggestions
• Topic   »    Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? – Lorie J. O’Donnell in Rome, NY is having a book discussion and wants to know what you would ask.
• Topic   »    Good resources for magazine/journal indexes – Andrea Lhotka in Sedona notes the lack of database support for indexing old magazines – what resources are out there – WorldCat ?
• Topic   »    Patron requests limits – Lynne Mildestein in Bend, OR wants to know if you are limiting active holds – can there be too many holds?
• Topic   »    A/V in bookdrop - Mary Soucie in Illinois want to know policies – How do you limit damage?
• Topic   »    ESL Website – Amber Sroka is putting together an ESL website and would like to see other examples

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This Week in Best of PubLib 11.08.09

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

This week  in  Best of Publib covers the week of November 2nd through November 8th. This week includes questions about collection management,  discussions about language learning systems , library crime,  and the do’s and don’ts of library work. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:

• Topic   »    Major news regarding Highwood (IL) PL  – Karen Turk brings us news of library board members being dismissed – Does this create a new precedent?
• Topic   »    CDs – Cataloging and displaying – Donald Crews in Union, Kentucky wants to know how you organize your CD collections -
• Topic   »    Help finding a website on library legal issues – Elizabeth Fraser wants to locate a website for library legalities – Diedre Conkling recommends LibraryLaw
• Topic   »    V-ness – In a twist of the discussion on the Oak Brook incident – M. McGrorty in Los Angeles tries to define the nature of vileness – Does gender weigh heavily or is vileness a universal condition?
• Topic   »    Waiver of Responsibility for Displayed Art – Sue Violino in Norwalk, CT is looking for examples of art display waivers – Is public art a public risk?
• Topic   »    A Spoooky Tale of Shameless Self Promotion -  David Wright the Seattle Public Library is telling stories on NPR – Listen !
• Topic   »    Social networking policies – PubLib moderator Karen Schneider is looking for examples – How do you control in-house 2.o use?
• Topic   »    50 things [library staff] should never do – Tom Cooper in Webster Groves, Missouri is creating a list – Are there more do’s than don’ts?
• Topic   »    Language Learning Systems – Natalie Morgan wants to know what you are using – Byki , Mango , PowerSpeak and Tell Me More  get recommended.
• Topic   »    library robberies – The 50 things discussion diverged into library crime – what will they steal next?
• Topic   »    MA Library in trouble – Melissa Mannon gave us the news that the Massachusetts State Library is under the gun – what is the governor thinking?
• Topic   »    Library Jobs – There is a new tool available – maybe it can help you!
• Topic   »    Helping Friends – Marita Squires in Oregon wants to know your policies for staff helping Library Friends - When is helping friends hurting staff?
• Topic   »    Trackball Abductions – are trackballs being abused or is this a false memory? – PubLib members want to know!

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This Week in Best of PubLib 11.01.09

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

This week  in  Best of Publib covers the week of October 26th through November 1st. This week includes questions about collection development, thought provoking discussions about intellectual property rights and enemies of libraries , reference librarian development,  and the value of library Ph.d programs. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:

• Topic   »    Creative display ideas – Robin Shader in Georgia would like your ideas for a display workshop – Abbey Dunlap has many!
• Topic   »     Best book of the year – David Faulkner wants to know – What has been your favorite ___ this year? – Not just for books!
• Topic   »    PLA Room Share wiki for 2010 – Kathleen Hughes and Brenda Dowling want you to ‘get a room’.
• Topic   »    Intellectual property rights – Michael McGrorty points to this Chicago Tribune article - cd ownership – Is ripping from a Library CD ripping off?
• Topic   »    Facebook courses – France Meadows would like to know if you have taught courses on Facebook. 
• Topic   »    Community resource websites – Kim Braun in Chester, PA would like examples of community resource websites.  Looks like a job for Drupal!
• Topic   »    Cat litter redux – Phalbe Henriksen in Taylorsville, NC wants to know - Does cat litter preserve library materials?
• Topic   »    Shelving plan expertise – Pam Kiesner in Bellingham, WA asks for the best method of reshelving – What is most efficient?
• Topic   »    Ph.D. Program in Library Science - Judith Turner questions the real value of the Ph. D – Is the MLS the real terminal degree?
• Topic   »    Career change – A new MLS want to know how to get her foot in the door - In the current economy, how do you start?
• Topic   »    Reference Department Structure – Carrie Herrman in Burlington, KY would like help developing management skills for reference librarians?
• Topic   »    Looking for libraries with gardens - Mary Jordan at Simmons is looking for examples of library gardens - How does your garden grow?
• Topic   »    Oak Brook, the Attorney and the Teamsters – Kathy Berggren offers this story of a library community undermined in Oak Brook, IL  -  How do we respond?

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This Week in Best of Publib 10.18.09

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

This week  in  Best of Publib covers the weeks of September 28th through October 18th. These last weeks include discussions about food for fines and collection development, thought provoking discussions about drug testing Friends groups and  cataloging Obama , post mortem niceties,  and the relevance of Teamster librarians. Some of the topics we will be reviewing include:

• Topic -  Children and technology – Should we give them what they want or tell them what they should want?
• Topic -  f32bb3e838340b8318b565ac7e59477d3b5c775d - Do we confirm, deny or neither?
• Topic -  PubLib list moderator Karen Schneider is on the move again - Is Oakland ready for her? – Will Tallahassee ever be the same?
• Topic -  ALA-APA seeks course providers – But writers ask ‘At what cost’?
• Topic -  The cashless library? Is your money is no good here anymore?
• Topic -  Food for fines revisited – How do you balance the budget and still help the less fortunate? 
• Topic -   NYPL staffer Esther Averill’s and her Jenny Linsky books.
• Topic -   - Patrons and back packs - should there be different rules for teens?
• Topic -   – Vacation messages – housekeeping your email settings – Should you use Gmail for Publib?
• Topic -   – Foreign language collection development - What are the best sources?
• Topic -   – Downloadable audiobooks – What resources are available other than Overdrive?
• Topic -   - Selling thumb drive / usb devices – Elizabeth Fraser in Charleston WV explores cost management.
• Topic -   – Sign me up – Does the brand of union affect the outcome of negotiations? Does a Teamster librarian have more clout?
• Topic -   - Is there a nicer name for post mortem ? Phalbe Henriksen from the great State of North Carolina asks for a less morbid descriptor.
• Topic -   – Room use and background / drug tests for Friends groups in New York – Do you ask your Friends to pee in a cup?
• Topic -   – Cataloging  Obama – Pre-Obama presidency and post-election materials cataloging rules investigated – Where do you shelve the President?
• Topic -   - What are libraries charging for non-resident use of the Internet? What are the new economics – how are costs recovered from transient patrons?
• Topic -   – Library Drug policies – Do you have a library Drug Czar or needle sharing programs?  Do you just say ‘know’?
• Topic -   - Our time – Michael McGorty provides a thoughtful  link to this LATimes homeless story   - from the richest country on earth.

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This Week in Best of Publib

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

This week  in  Best of Publib includes some elegant and thoughtful discussions on collection development, the value of GSLIS programs and the future of public libraries – some of the topics we will be reviewing include:

• Topic - Cataloging 9/11 ‘conspiracy’ materials - do conspiracy ‘theories’ belong with the official truth, or in their own section?
• Topic - H1N1 sanitation redux – handwashing and inhaling in the swine flu era – librarians behind the mask.
• Topic - Jobs and People- including many permutations – Favorite Books, Library Education, Library Organizational Structure, Library Job Descriptions and Ethics.
• Topic – Missing the Boat – future  of librarianship/ technology skills and the ups and downs of the MLS/MLIS – do we know enough?
• Topic – Nuke the Books – will the California  book microwaving trend catch on across the US,  is it just an isolated fad or a recipe for disaster?
• Topic - Is this thing on? – some libraries are allowing print reference to go out – what does this mean to circulation and collection provenance?

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