A day in the Life of the ALIA President....

Follow Jan Richards, ALIA President, while she blogs about a day in her life, the challenges she faces at work and the balancing act between her 'real' job and ALIA

For more information - http://www.alia.org.au/blog/?p=145

Twitter hash #libday4

Library Community Rallies to Aid Earthquake-Stricken Haiti | American Libraries Magazine

Library Community Rallies to Aid Earthquake-Stricken Haiti | American Libraries Magazine

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Top Trends of 2010

Be first! Top trends for 2010
What will be the hot trends in 2010? These sites pull out the crystal balls:

* SMH’s Top 10 business technology trends:
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/enterprise/top-10-business-technology-trends-for-2010-20091214-krx0.html

* Pete Cashmore’s social media trends:
http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/12/03/cashmore.web.trends.2010/index.html

*Wall Street Journal’s top 5 trends in the home – will they affect how you provide services to patrons?
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-five-top-trends-well-see

*Trends in living networks:
http://rossdawsonblog.com/weblog/archives/2009/12/the_top_10_tren.html

* For the visual learners amongst you, an amazing and complex world trend map:
http://rossdawsonblog.com/weblog/archives/2010/01/trend_map_for_2_1.html



Vancouver's Public Library in Canada

Now it is Katoomba Library's turn!!!

On Saturday, the heavens opened up and the water came flooding in....
Here are some photos of the aftermath of the deluge!
Saturday night and Sunday were spent mopping up and drying out the carpet.....

What is a Vook?

WHAT IS A VOOK?

A vook is a new innovation in reading that blends a well-written book, high-quality video and the power of the Internet into a single, complete story.

You can read your book, watch videos that enhance the story and connect with authors and your friends through social media all on one screen, without switching between platforms.

Vooks are available in two formats: As a web-based application you can read on your computer and a mobile application for reading on the go. With the web-based application you don't have to download programs or install software. Just open your favorite browser and start reading and watching in an exciting new way. You can also download and install the mobile applications through the Apple iTunes store and sync them with your Apple mobile device.

For a video demonstration click here

Repeat Screening of Dr Who episodes.....

Dr Who fans should circle your TV guides. ABC2 is repeating the two-part episode, "Silence in the Library" and "Forest of the Dead" on Monday 18 and Monday 25 January, 9.30pm.

Some of the interior shots were taken on the old Swansea Central Library in Wales, including the domed reading room.

"The Doctor and Donna arrive, in the 51st century, on a planet-sized book repository simply called "The Library". Though the Doctor has received a message for help on his psychic paper, and though the Library's computers claim over "a million million lifeforms" are present, they find the Library deserted. A Node, a statue with a strangely realistic human face, warns them to beware the shadows... just as the lights begin to go out around them...."
http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Silence_in_the_Library
(WARNING: Contains spoilers!)

E-Book Reader Update

ALIA investigated e-Book readers as a possible Christmas present but decided the technology wasn’t quite ready yet.

2010 should see the technology mature so now is the time to start investigating.
eBook readers resource contains detailed articles on readers at http://ebookreadersresource.com/.

eBook reader review has a simple to understand rating system at
http://ebook-reader-review.toptenreviews.com/

but it is US-based so doesn’t consider Australian conditions.

In the meantime, there are plenty of sites that offer free PDF downloads compatible with ordinary PCs and portable devices.

Here’s just a few which offer both technical and recreational titles:

Digital Book Index (US centric) contains 145,000+ titles from the public domain including many universities
http://www.digitalbookindex.org/about.htm

Free e-Books (titles are uploaded by the authors)
http://www.free-ebooks.net/

Project Gutenberg (out of copyright books)
http://www.gutenberg.org/

Project Gutenberg Australia (no evidence of ownership)
http://www.gutenberg.net.au

Book boon (UK text books written for the site)
Subjects include IT and management.
http://bookboon.com

I got published!!!

Good Reading Magazine asked for anyone to write in with books they have enjoyed but didn't make the best seller list.....I impulsively wrote this in and got published!



It says:
Vicki Edmunds of Springwood NSW recommends Future Homemakers of America by Laurie Graham. This book died a quick death here in Australia but I really enjoyed the characters and the recipes interspersed. A sleeper!

Here is the link to Good Reading magazine but you have to subscribe.....

Click here for Good Reading Magazine

Springwood Library Storm Damage

Springwood had an amazing storm yesterday. The Library was inundated by rainwater. Here is a video that one of the Customer Services staff took.....



Here are photos of the damage to the books, equipment, carpet, ceiling tiles.....
The staff are doing a major cleanup today and hope to be open again tomorrow.