The Idea Lab is the SPLAT team’s new resource for librarians across the state. It is an opportunity to explore and test new ideas without having to sacrifice a tight budget on something new. Currently it is stocked with Maker Space ideas, the hot new trend in library services. As the SPLAT team has travelled

I have long believed that Linux could be more widely used in the library, especially on public access computers. It’s another thing to actually experiment with a Linux OS on public access computers. Would there be push-back from patrons and staff? A few months ago I had the opportunity to actually try it. My library

We’ve all been there. The computer that dies or becomes infected with spyware, printers no longer printing, power failures, equipment damage due to power surges, or the internet goes down. I’ve dealt with all of this the last few weeks at the library. The initial reaction is to panic which invariably makes the problem worse.

Personal devices are the hot new consumer electronic trend right now. Some show really great promise at solving certain medical problems. Others just further propel people toward increased internet connectivity and socialization. These devices present problems for libraries in many of the some ways that tablets, ipods, and laptops do. There is the increased bandwidth

I was actually anxious to get my hands on the Coby Kyros tablet in the gizmo garage and give it a try. These tablets are android based and retail for around $100 or less. I wanted to see if these inexpensive tablets can do just as good a job as a more expensive iPad, and