LibraryThing for Libraries

There is an article in the May 21st issue of Library Hotline that talks about the Danbury Library in Connecticut using LibraryThing to offer tagging, user reviews and book recommendations via their online catalog.

http://www.librarything.com/blog/2007/05/librarything-for-libraries-in-danbury.php

This is being done through a service called LibraryThing for Libraries: http://www.librarything.com/forlibraries/. It’s not free but pretty reasonable. They do not proclaim to be entering the automation business. But it seems to me like they are offering something that all the automation vendors should be offering in their online catalogs.

From the LibraryThing Blog:
“LibraryThing was built on library data, and we’ve been graciously invited into the library conversation. We are charging for LibraryThing for Libraries, but our prices are in an entirely different league from what libraries are accustomed to pay for their online catalog software. And as these catalogs add “social” features, LibraryThing for Libraries will exert powerful downward pressure on prices. Ultimately, the industry needs a newcomer to take a huge slice of a smaller market. We’re not going to be that company, but we can push the trend along.

Check it out!

 

TV on the Web

Television and the Internet are slowly creeping toward each other as these technologies merge.  Eventually you’ll be able to watch mainstream broadcast TV and Internet content on a single monitor.  While you’re waiting, there are some pretty cool bleed-over technologies to tune into:

 

Blip.tv  is a video sharing/social networking service that does YouTube one better.  Where YouTube collects single, simple video clips, Blip.tv videos are mini “ TV series.”  Anyone can create a show, post it, and advertise it to others through a “trailer.” You can search for shows by popular tags, and subscribe to favorite shows via an RSS-feed-like process. 

In a model more familiar to library audiences, “MyLibraryDV” offers existing TV programs as downloadable video for patrons to watch on a home computer.  This video-on-demand service from Recorded Books is in partnership with public libraries.  Here in South Carolina, Anderson County Public Library  is offering this service.  DVD-quality popular programs such as America’s Test Kitchen, Rick Steves’ Europe, Antiques Roadshow, and some feature-length films are offered.  Programming is somewhat limited – no prime time shows and few current movies are available – but it’s a start and may be of interest to your community.For either of these services, a broadband connection and a fast graphics processor are needed for optimum viewing at home.

Finally, just so you’ll be in the know about another video development that your patrons will be following:  “Machinima” animated films are made by taking graphic characters and elements from online games and virtual worlds, such as Second Life and World of Warcraft, and creating story lines and video content around them.     Here’s an explanation of machinima.   Wikipedia also has a good article which includes a listing of current Machinima offerings.

 

“Current” soon becomes “yesterday” in this new world of video.  Catch on soon!

 

Have you twittered today?

Have you wondered about the new social tool Twitter, but haven’t had a chance to find out what it’s all about?  Is it just a new flash-in-the-pan web tool, or something truly useful for work or personal pursuits?

 

 Created by the developer of Blogger, Twitter is mobile software that lets you broadcast and receive little messages, via your cell phone or computer, to or from multiple friends.  For a concise, clear explanation of Twitter — how it works, and why people are using it, see Newbie’s guide to Twitter    Here’s a map showing real-time twittering around the globe. 

Although much of the current use and content of Twitter messaging is pretty trivial, the best thing about Twitter is the ability to set it up as an aggregator to catch your favorite RSS feeds.   Twitter is true mass communication.  Give it a look and if your library customers are using it, leave a comment here!

 

Books forever free…forever wild

That’s the way the creators of  “BookCrossing”  describe the phenomenon that they hope will “make the whole world a library.”    BookCrossing is a social software application that encourages reading, sharing books, and commenting on them.  Members “release” a favorite, loved book by leaving it in a public place.  The book is marked and labeled with instructions.  The finder of the book will, it is hoped, log in to bookcrossing.com and journal about where and when he or she found the book.  The finder will then re-release the book for others to find.   

The idea is to share the good karma of good books, passing along the pleasure of reading.  The web site contains chat and email features where members can meet and discuss the books they love. Over half a million people are members of BookCrossing. Operating since 2001, the service now signs up about 300 new members every day. More than 3,750,000 books are currently roaming out “in the wild.”  If you find one here in South Carolina, let us know!

 

Social Networks A New Concept?

Kathy Sheppard and I were talking about social networks and how they are being used in todays world. She commented that her Dad was into amateur radio, a social network from the 20th century. Amateur radio was a wonderful way to meet people from all over the world and it has been around for about 75 years. In order to get “online” individuals would have to pass certain tests by the FCC, but once the tests were completed and the equipment was purchased, thousands of people spent all of their free time talking to people all over the world. Friends that you would never meet in person were in contact via amateur radio on a daily basis. Amateur radio and real time IM are very similar — so I guess social networking is not as new as we thought!