Friday, May 23, 2008

Mango Languages Review Completed

Thanks to all the libraries who participated in our review of Mango Languages. The review is now complete, and can be found in the Product Review area of the Clearinghouse on the Califa website.

Or you can just go directly to it, here.

The average composite score was a 3.02 out of 4. Some of the comments include:

There was a lot of vocabulary, and currency exchange phrases reflected present day currencies, for example. I think if you worked your way through a course, you’d be very comfortable when traveling in a country where that language was spoken.

and

I think that anyone who has gone through all the lessons for a particular language would be at ease when traveling in a country where that language is spoken. The biggest drawback is often beginning with sentences that do not seem to apply to the main topic or title of the chapter. For example, when a chapter is entitled “Setting the Table”, does “This blouse is too tight around the shoulders and back,” seem relevant?

Check out all the comments and scores at the review, and let us know if you have any questions.

Friday, May 16, 2008

Wireless Mobility AT&T FOCUS Lunch+Learns

Jackie Siminitus, AT&T Library Advocate, sent us the following invitation to pass along to our members.

California library technology leaders are invited to one of two FOCUS Lunch+Learns scheduled for California: San Francisco on June 17 and Anaheim on June 26.

The events are dedicated to enterprise mobility and the virtual workplace. As we've all heard, wireline and wireless technologies are converging. Handheld devices are able to do more and more each day.

Jackie would like to host a table of librarians so mobility specialists can get an earful of how libraries use or would like to use telecommunications within their library and the community they serve. To reserve a "Librarians' Table," email Jackie.

AT&T FOCUS events are open, so librarians should directly register at http://www.thefocus.org/ -- go to "Local Chapters" then "Lunch+Learns."