Librarian X

My review of the new book Cloud Computing by Michael Miller is up at the Tech Static.  If you haven’t checked out TS yet, it’s a new blog focusing on technology book reviews for librarians, edited by Rachel Singer Gordon of The Nextgen Librarian’s Survival Guide fame.  Useful for collection development or if you’re just interested in technology books.

Review – Cloud Computing

My article Open-Source Software in Museums is now available (via free open access) at Library Student Journal.  My thanks to Amy Buckland for all her work as LSJ publisher!

Author Cory Doctorow is planning to start a “matchmaking” service between schools and libraries that would like to receive free copies of his new novel Little Brother and individuals who want to give them.  He mentioned in his podcast last week that he often gets e-mail from readers who enjoyed the free e-editions of his books and want to pay him but not receive a physical copy.  This way sales will still support his work via his publisher, and theoretically the book should reach a lot more than two readers per sale.

I’m sure it’ll show up on Boing Boing or Craphound as soon as the matchmaker system is up and running.

I’m having an article published in the Library Instruction Round Table newsletter (well, the next two; it’s in two parts).  It’s a short discussion of why we’re experimenting with podcasting, how we’re approaching it as an instructional tool and a bit about the technology we’re using.

It’s too short, really, and just scratches the surface, but I thought I’d post it here anyway. At some point when I have more time I’d like to write a longer one that goes through the process from start to finish.

Anyway, I’ve stuck it on my Projects page for those of you who can’t find LIRT News on your newsstand: Creating an Instructional Library Podcast.

I realized recently that I’ve been collecting subscriptions to a number of blogs by MLIS students or new professionals. I find I’m particularly interested in reading work by people at a similar point to me in their careers. I get a lot of good ideas and inspiration that way. (If an MLIS student can be recognized as a mover & shaker, surely some of us have ideas worth listening to.)

I didn’t actually realize how many I was subscribing to until I went to compose this post. Some of these I’ve been reading for months or years, and some I just added last week. My “New Librarians” subscription folder consists of:

heidi go seek
informing MUVEs
The Inspired Library School Student
Infogeek
Into the Stacks
Jan Dawson, 7/8 librarian
Life as I Know It
New Librarians Blog
nirak.net – Musings of an LIS Student
The Vital Library
What I Learned Today…

I think I’ll make I have made a “New Librarians” blogroll heading just for these. Share the link love. And if you can recommend additions, better yet.

My Place of Work has a very cool project going. They’re scanning rare public domain items in the collection and selling print-on-demand copies via Amazon:

Emory University Digital Library Publications

This is a real benefit of POD publishing: making hard to find books easily available. My one criticism is that I can’t find anywhere this information is available via our catalog! Seems like they should add a note to these books in the catalog so remote users know that there’s an option for them to obtain these items.

(What happens to the money? No idea — I’m sure they’ll buy a new building made of solid gold, or give us all massive raises or something.)

My article “Open Source Software in Museums” has been accepted for publication by Library Student Journal.  Woot!