Best of PubLib 03.14.10

Best of Publib Current Topics and Archives

Video coming soon

This edition of  Best of Publib covers the weeks of March 1st  through March 14th 2010. This edition includes questions about collection development, thought-provoking discussions about  known inaccuracies in ‘non-fiction’ works , circulation manager duties ,  humorous anecdotes regarding blondes ,  and the impact of closing public school libraries: 

• Topic   »    Program planning template   ♦  Elizabeth Fraser with the  Kanawha County Public Library seeks program planning templates
• Topic   »    Request for Gimp lesson plans   ♦   Sana Moulder in  Fayetteville NC  wants to provide workshops on the popular Open Source graphics program Gimp –  Have another other libraries provided instruction in Gimp?
• Topic   »    Yahoo mail problems    ♦    Deb Messling  at the  Phillipsburg Free Public Library  in NJ is experiencing problems with Yahoo! mail – Laura Hayden recommends that everyone upgrade their web browsers.
• Topic   »    Collection development   ♦     Lori Eskridge  from the   New Albany-Floyd County Public Library  seeks examples of collection development policies for medium-sized public libraries – Margaret Neil in NM provides this great example – How do you grow your collections?
• Topic   »    Job description request   ♦     Mary J. Soucie  with   Three Rivers Library District  requests examples of local history librarian job descriptions 
• Topic   »    Software to use for Game Discs?   ♦    Matthew Hamilton at the    Boulder Public Library  asked for recommendations for playing CD/DVD based games on local computers –  Bob Sullivan with the Schenectady Digital History Archive  recommends using –  Alcohol available in free, fee and trial download versions
• Topic   »    What to do with “Last Train From Hiroshima?”   ♦    Andrea Taylor   with Fullerton Public Library  referenced Brian Herzog’s question on how to handle a book with known inaccuracies – What qualifies as ‘non-fiction’?
• Topic   »    Questions about selling flash drives to customers   ♦    Beth Kroehler  from the  Muncie Public Library asks how other libraries provide flash drives / thumb drives to library patrons – What do you offer in this medium?
• Topic   »    telephone storytelling   ♦    Angie Bayne at the    Missouri River Regional Library is interested in how other libraries provide telephone storytelling – Can PubLib readers provide guidance?
• Topic   »    Story Times for Grown Ups: Share with me    ♦    David Wright  with the  Seattle Public Library seeks success stories of adult story times akin to SPL’s Thrilling Tales  
• Topic   »    Internal Library Communication    ♦    Fran Hays    at the Beaufort County Library in SC would like to know what intra-library communication tool works best – The PubLib reader consensus appears to be a combination of tools.
• Topic   »    Managing librarians   ♦    Leslie Schow    from  the Herriman Library in UT asks how to guide and successfully manage Youth Services Librarians and their work flow – what are the job parameters for YSL?
• Topic   »    Intranet guidelines or policies?    ♦    Matthew Hamilton at the    Boulder Public Library asks how other libraries deploying Drupal manage content – What rules does your library have for staff additions, modificatins and deletions to content?
• Topic   »    call numbers for biographies     ♦    Mary Johnson  from the   Jacksonville Public Library  FL  investigates best practices to classify biography call numbers – Is [Bio] – [Subject’s last name] superior to [Bio] – [Dewey number] – [Subject’s last name] ?
• Topic   »    providing access to those overseas    ♦    Elizabeth K. Speigle  with the  Newport News Public Library  wants to know how to treat service members who are stationed overseas wanting library cards to access on-line databases sponsored local libraries – What are their limitations?
• Topic   »    Proctoring Exams     ♦    Andrea Taylor would like to know how other libraries handle proctoring exams – Should proctoring be an expected public library service?
• Topic   »    Classification of fiction DVDs     ♦    Jingzhen Xie wants to know how your DVD collection is organized for browsing – If an entire section is checked out, how does that affect the remaining items?
• Topic   »    I know it is not Friday but…    ♦   Rachelle Miller with the    Troy-Miami County Public Library in OH brings us a new humor thread on patron expectations – How blonde are your patrons?
• Topic   »    PINs   ♦    Cindy Hayes    at the  Jefferson County Library  MO  seeks input regarding library account security – Does your library require PIN (personal identification numbers) to access computers locally and library accounts remotely?  How secure is your data?
• Topic   »    legal form database     ♦    Lisa Gunter requests recommendations for blank legal forms databases – Sue Kamm recommends Nolo and Michael recommends Gale
• Topic   »    Circulation Managers    ♦    Jessica with the Thomas County Public Library System wants to know if your Circulation Managers circulate – or do they simply manage from afar?  – Consensus appears to favor a split between desk and management.
• Topic   »    Extended Service Agreement for Security Gate System-worth it?   ♦    Stephen Sarazin  at the  Aston Public Library PA is reviewing the cost of keeping a service agreement in place for security gates –  John Richmond offers this caveat on location
• Topic   »    Paraprofessional Certification   ♦      Bridget Krejci   with the G. E. Bleskacek Family Memorial Library in WI is seeking paraprofessional certification with recognized value to library employers – Jim Casey recommends  ALA-APA as a resource.
• Topic   »    public library union contracts?   ♦    Sharon Commons is investigating effective working union contracts in place at public libraries – Cab Vinton recommends the Labor Contracts Database  from Berkeley
• Topic   »    Computer timer software used     ♦    Shawn Pierce from the   Marjorie Walker McCrary Memorial Library in AR  seeks software recommendations to limit the time patrons spend on library computers – Recommendations include: Cassie from Librarica ,  Time Limit Manager from Fortres ,  Libki  and Sam PC Manager from Comprise Technologies.
• Topic   »    Libraries no longer using barcode strips    ♦     Diane Neverman   with the Peoria Public Library System   in AZ wants to hear from libraries using 3M RFID that no longer use bar codes – relying exclusively on RFID
• Topic   »    Robert’s Rules of Order    ♦    Phalbe Henriksen  at the  Alexander County Library in NC highly recommends these videos by Robert McConnell Productions as effective tutorials for Robert’s Rule of Order
• Topic   »    which Speaker System to use    ♦    Paul Ericsson  with  Bemidji Public Library in MN would like opinions from PubLib readers on use of the Peavey Escort 3000 system to support a flexible seating meeting room with space for well over 100 people
• Topic   »    Unscheduled School group visits to Pub. Lib.    ♦    Charlene Swansen from the   Mancos Public Library District in CO wants to know how other libraries enable unscheduled visits by teachers with their classes – School Libraries are being closed – How do you think  Public Libraries  should handle unscheduled visits ?

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