libraries
Libraries and Communities
By david_yamada - 4/8/10 - 9:08 amAs Boston considers the closing of libraries in the midst of a recession, it may be useful to remind ourselves of the broader contributions of libraries to our neighborhoods:
Former American Librarian Association president Sarah Long
When I was president of the American Library Association in 1999-2000, I chose, "Libraries Build Community" as my theme because I felt strongly that the library always serves a special place in the community. It's not only a place to find information and knowledgeable librarians, it's also a place to be with other community members. Think of the library as a community's living room. . . . I chose, "Libraries Build Community" as my presidential theme because the library is the community's information hub and a place to gather, but also because of what happens inside libraries. Children come to story hour and adults come to programs. Library meeting rooms are places to vote or are used for local legislators' town hall meetings. In the information age, the library is so much more than a collection of books.
We're a pretty literate city...
By david_yamada - 4/21/09 - 3:00 pm...at least when we're not obsessing over tabloid murder dramas:
A university president has maintained on ongoing research project, attempting to rank America's Most Literate Cities:
This study attempts to capture one critical index of our nation’s social health—the literacy of its major cities (population of 250,000 and above). This study focuses on six key indicators of literacy: newspaper circulation, number of bookstores, library resources, periodical publishing resources, educational attainment, and Internet resources.
Boston currently ranks 8th. Some might quarrel that it's not higher, and the absence of cities such as NYC lead one to question the statistical measures used, but it's fun to peruse: http://www.ccsu.edu/amlc08/ [link corrected]
Intellectual freedom programming and materials for our public library reference desk department about IF and grey literature.
By theszak - 1/23/09 - 2:03 pmIntellectual Freedom Committee
Massachusetts
IF Programming. IF Materials. Grey Literature.
Please look into developing intellectual freedom programming and materials for our public library reference desk department in Cambridge about intellectual freedom and grey literature.
Deflecting. Delay. Denial.
Our Reference Desk Department deflected, delayed, denied access to our municipal public documents.
Information policies. Presentation of services.
Cambridge Public Library on Broadway will be closed after January 31st.
By theszak - 1/9/09 - 1:02 pmThe Cambridge Public Library
http://www.cambridgepubliclibrary.org/announce.htm
We expect to welcome you to the beautifully renovated and expanded Main Library this autumn.
To prepare for our move the Library located at 359 Broadway (Longfellow School) will be closed after January 31st.
All branch locations will remain open.
The Central Square Branch will have extended hours starting February 2nd.
Updates will be made available at every branch location.
http://www.cambridgepubliclibrary.org/announce.htm
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Guide to problematical library use. VirtCat. The Virtual Catalog.
By theszak - 3/7/08 - 9:32 amMassachusetts Board of Library Commissioners is getting feedback, comments, concerns and suggestions about the VirtCat, the Virtual Catalog
Problematical library use. Digital Restrictions protest photos. Boston Public Library.
By theszak - 2/13/08 - 12:22 amDigital Restrictions protest photos. Boston Public Library
http://www.flickr.com/photos/makoshark/sets/72157600127273939/show/with/2255532118/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/makoshark/
MAKOSHARK IS STRONG
Problematical Library Use. Interlibrary Loan ILL. Boston Brookine Cambridge Somerville.
By theszak - 2/12/08 - 9:07 pmMany people haven't yet used interlibrary loan readily available at our branch public libraries for books, audio and video not on the shelves within the immediate Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville and other Massachusetts' libraries systems.
Better software is being developed for tracking what titles library users/customers/consumers ask for.
Alternately new book suggestions, audio suggestions and video suggestions can be submitted for local branch libraries' collections.
Hints, tips and pointers for more effective use of interlibrary loan...
Branch Boston public libraries
Problematical Library Use. Interlibrary Loan ILL. Boston Brookine Cambridge Somerville.
By theszak - 2/12/08 - 8:23 pmMany people haven't yet used interlibrary loan readily available at our branch public libraries for books, audio and video not on the shelves within the immediate Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Somerville and other Massachusetts' libraries systems.
Better software is being developed for tracking what titles library users/customers/consumers ask for.
Alternately new book suggestions, audio suggestions and video suggestions can be submitted for local branch libraries' collections.
Hints, tips and pointers for more effective use of interlibrary loan...
Branch Boston public libraries
by John Markoff. Boston Public Library. Scanning Boston documents. Digital archives.
By theszak - 2/3/08 - 8:48 amBy John Markoff
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/27/business/library.php
The Boston Public Library is also interested in scanning local Boston and Massachusetts documents and is in the process of creating its own digital archive.
Problematical library use. How to cite Boston Public Library catalog entries with the URL.
By theszak - 1/29/08 - 2:12 amBoston Public Library President Bernard A. Margolis
Massachusetts
http://bpl.org/general/seniorstaff.htm
Dear Bernard A. Margolis,
Problematical library use.
Please arrange it so that permanent URLs for entries in the BPL catalog at http://bpl.org
can be referred to for letting other library users/customers/consumers
know about a book's catalog entry.
