tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4845946566982180792009-12-23T14:56:51.409-05:00Jottings about new ideas, things I'm pondering, and trends in the library field.Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-35032529740543933152009-12-23T14:38:00.006-05:002009-12-23T14:53:42.960-05:00

LJ reported that The King County Library System (KCLS), WA, just opened an unstaffed 300-square-foot Library Express, in partnership with the Redmond Ridge Residential Owners Association.The service residents wanted most: to pick up their holds close to home. Now they swipe their library cards, enter, find their material and check it out. There are computers in case they need to use the catalog.

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-10138102352393706022009-12-23T08:15:00.003-05:002009-12-23T08:42:01.991-05:00

Alex Beam's December 22 column for the Boston Globe was entitled "Unbound but Not Unbeatable". Beam reads widely and he's the kind of reader librarians can love. His taste is peripetetic and his reading choices are not available for download on any device. Examples: Paul Torday's novel Bordeaux (2009) or Richard Holmes's Dr. Johnson and Mr. Savage, published in 1993. He also pointed out that, "

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-88582930345642534432009-12-15T15:55:00.002-05:002009-12-15T16:01:41.746-05:00

The future direction of services now provided through CMRLS was charted at a December 14 planning meeting. Participating were the boards of the six MA regional library systems, representative Regional staff, and MBLC staff. Linda Braun facilitated the day.A clear majority of participants believed the best model was one organization with six regional service points, or hub and spokes. The hub will

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-23624217995455386702009-12-11T16:07:00.003-05:002009-12-11T16:11:49.102-05:00

I’ve been following Dan Kennedy’s blog, “Media Nation”. Kennedy is a professor at Northeastern, a TV talking head, and he thinks deeply about the future of media. He’s convinced that the future of what we call regional newspapers is hyper-local. The big conglomerates will aggregate the world news; the place for reporting by the local media is very local.I think that’s one of the futures of

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-35422091841492284882009-12-04T13:41:00.002-05:002009-12-04T13:45:15.372-05:00

Here's an update on planning for Regional mergers:In November, all Regional staff met to prioritize services.On December 14, there will be a planning meeting involving all members of Regional Boards, MBLC liaisons and Director Rob Maier, and key regional staff. The meeting will be facilitated by Linda Braun, and the desired outcomes are:Further prioritization of services, especially beyond the

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-45347612549492479042009-11-18T11:27:00.002-05:002009-11-18T11:30:27.389-05:00

At our first virtual directors’ roundtable, the topic of patron self-check as a means to free up some staff time in circulation was a hot topic. Libraries of all sizes are beginning to investigate options that help take the heat off staff working under pressure.Self check is one. There are a variety of ways to accomplish self-check. If you are a C/W MARS member, that’s where you’ll start. If

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-34600782842120139712009-11-13T10:39:00.002-05:002009-11-13T15:50:36.992-05:00

CMRLS has always been a quiet support working to help your library serve its customers. We worked to help libraries shine, but CMRLS has been transparent. Now our transparency means that your library users are unaware of the role Regional Library Systems play in your library.We need your help. There will be opportunities to advocate for funding for Regional Library Systems, and we’ll be most

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-48231980287756204402009-11-02T15:08:00.004-05:002009-11-02T15:16:18.717-05:00

Along with about 1,000 others, I attended the dedication of the brand-new Townsend Public Library, Senior Center, and Meeting Hall on Saturday, October 31. A gift of the Sterilite Corporation, the new building complex shares a campus with two schools. Truly a "third place", the library is positioned to become the heart of the community.Literally opening doors among three important community

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-23040448521726534542009-10-22T15:32:00.001-04:002009-10-22T15:34:12.110-04:00

The CMRLS board has been taking a look at what services could be sustained in FY2011 with a 28% budget reduction. We regard this a hypothetical budget for a transitional year. It will be discussed at annual meeting but not voted upon.You can preview the budget at http://www.cmrls.org/about/annualmeeting.htm and you can come hear about our transitional planning process at our annual meeting on

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-23324895504039373302009-10-20T15:41:00.001-04:002009-10-20T15:42:28.521-04:00

MBLC Director Rob Maier joined the CMRLS board for an October 20 meeting to talk about upcoming Regional consolidation. In an open dialog, he indicated that he is an active participant in a planning process that will begin in November. Though he is open to recommendations that could range from one to three Regions, he acknowledged that it is highly unlikely that any workable scenario would

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-9413589868282820752009-10-17T11:05:00.003-04:002009-10-17T11:09:50.135-04:00

Yesterday at a statewide delivery meeting, we reached concensus about exploring one unified, automated delivery system. Lots of steps to go. But it's great to have stakeholders in networks, libraries, and regional library systems moving forward together.Moving forward together for as long as it lasts. Consolidation of regional library systems may happen on about the same schedule as unified

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-12390158788834523512009-09-22T15:08:00.003-04:002009-09-22T15:10:09.442-04:00

This message was mailed today to Regional Library System members by MBLC Director Rob Maier:To: Members of Regional Library SystemsLast week at a regular meeting with regional administrators I began a conversation about reductions in the state budget that are being proposed for fiscal year FY2011 (July 1, 2010 – June 30, 2011). The Board of Library Commissioners has been given a budget cap by

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-30869961070649955672009-09-01T09:06:00.002-04:002009-09-01T09:15:23.646-04:00

If you were a child or raised a child anytime during the last 26 years, chances are you remember Reading Rainbow, a PBS show for kids about books. LeVar Burton, its host, led every episode as a reading adventure and ended each one with "But you don't have to take my word for it."The show ends on Friday, according to NPR, due to lack of funding and a shift in educational priorities -- away from

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-8070948498835495852009-08-17T14:30:00.003-04:002009-08-17T14:44:07.271-04:00

An article by Bobbie Johnson in the Guardian (8/14/09) posits that Wikipedia has maxed out its growth. Research by Ed H Chi, a scientist who works at the Palo Alto Research Center in California, showed that contributions have slowed and the complement of editors has stabilized into a small, elite group. Elite editors' edits have a 1% chance of being reverted, while the work of people who

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-38489640722497972502009-08-11T15:52:00.005-04:002009-08-11T16:02:31.458-04:00

Roderick Kramer wrote an article called "Rethinking Trust" in Harvard Business Review (6/2009). Through his research he's validated common sense conclusions about how and why we trust. Kramer says we're not all that smart about who we trust, and we tend to use surface clues like similarity to ourselves. We make mistakes (witness the Bernie Madoff scandal).The author issues seven rules to help

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-53759859923650547032009-07-23T10:03:00.005-04:002009-07-23T10:07:34.134-04:00

CMRLS hopes to conduct some modest mini-grant projects this fiscal year to directly benefit members. Public, academic and school libraries have taken advantage of these projects in the past.Library directors and school librarians, please respond to this very short 2 question survey to let us know what might help your library in this tight year. Respondents will be entered in a drawing to receive

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-55559106800004580002009-07-15T16:25:00.003-04:002009-07-15T16:31:19.364-04:00

At ALA, I heard Joan Frye Williams and George Needham talk about revitalizing the library experience. Here are my major takeaways:Our obsession with privacy has led to anonymity. We don’t really see users. Would you use a doctor or hairdresser who insisted on keeping their names private? Or acted as if they had no idea of your prior interests, needs or preferences?The library experience belongs

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-42345855281641527012009-06-26T15:07:00.003-04:002009-06-26T15:15:57.266-04:00

We're looking for members' opinions and ideas for the upcoming years. There are three ways you can get involved:1) Come to a member meeting where we'll discuss the best ways to help our libraries and their staff. There are meetings planned soon in Groton, Gardner, and Milford. Learn more in the June 15 Centralities.2) Join an advisory group to help us plan for 2011. They'll meet this summer.

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-80974705080506127272009-04-28T15:49:00.001-04:002009-04-28T15:51:15.851-04:00

I recently asked to meet with some people from the Southern Worcester County Workforce Investment Board (WIB). They had been thinking about public libraries while some of us were thinking about them. There’s fertile ground for collaboration, since their jobs are to provide services that job seekers in libraries need. Libraries are open when One Stop Career Centers are closed and there are just

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-66984567350541733582009-04-07T16:11:00.003-04:002009-04-07T16:29:01.339-04:00

"What do you read, my lord?" asked Polonious. "Words, words, words...." answered Hamlet, suggesting that the words had little meaning. Did Hamlet live in the twenty-first century?I'm a word lover. The word creep we live with makes me unhappy, and technology has to take a big chunk of the responsibility. What's harvest mean? To crawl and gather electronic data electronically. Ingest? To

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-7432703522837685652009-02-23T15:14:00.003-05:002009-02-23T15:19:09.150-05:00

In the Bubble Room Alison Circle noted that Devon, England libraries are running a campaign called “Buy none, get eight free." Steven Abrams’ Lighthouse blog offered a compilation of return on investment studies and tools, the MA Library Association’s among them. And my favorite tech guru, R. David Lankes, asserted at a January meeting, “It may be the economy that’s putting wind in our sails –

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-92068408846460691002009-02-03T15:57:00.001-05:002009-02-03T15:57:45.921-05:00

Are you a potential Massachusetts Library Leader?The MBLC and the Regional Library Systems are pleased to announce the 2009 Library Leadership Institute. The Institute will take place July 27-30, 2009 at Wheaton College in Norton, MA. Applications, Letters of Support, and Institutional Agreements are due Friday, February 27, 2009. All are submitted online via the Library Leadership

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-159806261371911742008-12-24T09:03:00.005-05:002008-12-24T09:21:24.852-05:00

Anyone who’s had the pleasure to work with Worcester Law Librarian Suzanne Hoey knows that she’s not only a spitfire, but a really smart spitfire. She and her staff have weathered over a year in the courthouse wilderness, since all of the other Worcester District Court functions evacuated to smart new digs across Main Street. Space for the law library there was nixed by a previous Governor. The

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-35564937615214716342008-12-02T12:24:00.001-05:002008-12-02T12:25:46.863-05:00

Two bits of news create an interesting focus on rights to information and terms of service.The mom who harassed a teen on MySpace before the YA’s suicide was prosecuted by the federal government for “unauthorized access” – or creating a phony account, a violation of the MySpace terms of service. Lori Drew was convicted of a misdemeanor (Boston Globe, 11/26/08). Cyber-bullying is a dreadful act,

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-484594656698218079.post-5119055820204307152008-11-04T13:07:00.001-05:002008-11-04T13:08:34.070-05:00

If the political world was busy getting out the vote (GOTV), so were we at CMRLS. 90 of us appeared for the November 4 annual meeting. It was also Election Day, a coincidence not lost on anyone. Lots of participants had come from polling and reported long lines. A couple even said they didn’t have time to wait to vote and would return later. The results of the CMRLS vote were reasonably

Carolyn Noahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03440926006855331810noreply@blogger.com0