libraries

Libraries and Communities

david_yamada — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 14:08:47 +0000

As 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.

http://www.librarybeat.org/read/show/401

We're a pretty literate city...

david_yamada — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:00:33 +0000

...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.

theszak — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 19:03:13 +0000

Intellectual 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.

theszak — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:02:54 +0000

The 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

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Guide to problematical library use. VirtCat. The Virtual Catalog.

theszak — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:32:14 +0000

Massachusetts 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.

theszak — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:22:54 +0000

Digital 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.

theszak — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 02:07:15 +0000

Many 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.

theszak — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 01:23:06 +0000

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.

theszak — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 13:48:31 +0000

By 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.

theszak — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 07:12:38 +0000

Boston 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.

by Katie Hafner. by Beth Ashmore.

theszak — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:31:22 +0000

Several major research libraries have rebuffed offers from Google and Microsoft to scan their books into computer databases, saying they are put off by restrictions these companies want to place on the new digital collections.

[ photo by Robert Spencer ]
Bernard Margolis, president of The Boston Public Library.

The research libraries, including a large consortium in the Boston area, are instead signing on with the Open Content Alliance, a nonprofit effort aimed at making their materials broadly available.

by Katie Hafner
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/22/technology/22library.html

Critically review your favorite libraries, college libraries, public libraries, branch libraries, reading rooms.

theszak — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 23:23:17 +0000

Review your favorite libraries critically as reviewers critique restaurants, theater, motion pictures and so forth.

How good are the usability features of your favorite libraries?...

Libraries to be reviewed, critiqued.
Orient Heights Branch Boston Public Library?...

The planning, progress and development of the new Chinatown Branch Boston Public Library?...

Massachusetts State Archives?...

Boston City Council Library?...

Our libraries will benefit by back and forth critique, dialogue about featured services.

http://sunshineboston.blogspot.com

thezak — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 02:30:59 +0000

http://sunshineboston.blogspot.com