Author Archive

What I’ve Learned from SPLAT

My SPLAT term ends in January, which got me reminiscing about my experiences over the past three years. And, though I’m sad to move on (life keeps getting busier, I find), I’m excited to see the new ideas and innovations SPLAT will continue to provide to Idaho libraries and librarians. Before I go, though, I’d

The Pew Reports Are Strangely Fascinating

I hope I’m not the only one who thinks that the Pew Reports have some very interesting information (if so, I have to thank the Pew researchers for doing this all just for me!). They have done reports on library use and on technology before, but their latest survey is about social media and the

Reminder #347 – Give Webjunction a Try!

Okay, so this might not be the 347th time someone has advised you to use Webjunction – though Shirley B. does a great job of monthly, if not weekly, encouraging – but it is definitely a great resource for Idaho libraries of all sorts and sizes. Look, I know what you’re saying to yourself right

Symbaloo

I have talked bookmarking tools before (see my post on Diigo), but I stumbled across a cool one – one with a graphic interface – and decided I needed to share. Symbaloo lets you create a “mix”, or a group of links, on virtually any topic, and then share them with others. You can even

JobScout for Job Seekers

We have all had those patrons who are looking for work but whose computer skills are not quite where they need them to be. Just filling out an application or uploading a resumé can be frustrating for some. It can also be frustrating for Librarians when people need help at what I call the the

A Good Book + A Fun Walk = Storywalk!

If you’re looking for a fun, creative way to get your Library out into the community, you might try a Storywalk. Developed by the Vermont Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition to promote outdoor activity for kids, a Storywalk is a combination of an engaging story, a scavenger hunt, and a walk around town. The basic design

Omeka is O-mazing

Do you have a special collection of items, especially multimedia, that are languishing inside a box somewhere? Want to find a way to allow more people to notice them? Publish them on the Internet! Though the solution seems simple enough, it’s not as easy as it looks. If you want to make your items visible

Get Your Grovo On!

Want to try out a great new web tool but you’re not sure how to begin? Or, have you let a cool new app languish on your smartphone because you’re not sure how to use it? Well, give GROVO a try. This site offers quick (60 second) tutorials for a ton of different subjects –

Find Great Books with Goodreads

I don't use a lot of social media (I won't bore you with all the reasons here), but one of the sites I actually do love is Goodreads. Goodreads is a great site for readers, helping participants keep track of what they read and to find suggestions through other readers.

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Thanks (or Maybe Not) for the E-Book Memories

I saw this article a while ago,and was at first tempted to dismiss it as another one of those studies that just show things are changing (I mean, things do change - that's not exactly new). But then I kept thinking about it as I used my e-reader, and I realized that maybe there