Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The California State Library Needs Your Library To Complete A Survey About Your Broadband Needs!

July 30,2013
 
 
TO:          California Public Library Directors
 
FROM:    Gerald Maginnity
                Acting State Librarian
 
RE:          Survey on public library broadband needs, due August 30, 2013
 
 
 
In December 2009 the Broadband Summit for California public libraries increased our awareness of the issues involved in acquiring and maintaining broadband connectivity. Even though most public libraries provide basic Internet access, only a small percentage has sufficient high-speed broadband connectivity. Growth trends, and bandwidth demands from emerging services, indicate that public libraries will need high-speed broadband connections that can handle gigabit transmission speeds.
 
In January 2012 the Public Library Director Summit developed ideas regarding what should be supported by the state in terms of funding for libraries. One of its highest priorities was technology infrastructure. With that in mind, The LSTA 5-year plan adopted in June 2012 contains:
 
                Goal V: Bridging the Digital Divide
                California communities have access to technology and broadband connectivity
                through their local libraries so that they may participate in the digital world.
 
CENIC has now made a proposal that would allow all California’s public libraries the ability to join CalREN, the high-capacity Internet network to which most of the state's K-20 educational institutions are connected. Through the efforts of CLA in 2013, the State was made aware of how the CENIC proposal would fill a critical need and subsequently in the State of California 2013/14 budget bill, AB110, the following direction is given:
“The State Librarian shall prepare a needs assessment and spending plan to connect local libraries to a statewide high-speed Internet network.”
 
I cannot stress enough the importance of reaching this milestone in the efforts to secure state level funding for high speed connections. It will be critical that my report to the Governor and Legislature be as complete and informative as possible. Therefore, I am going to ask you to fill out an on-line survey by August 30 that will move us in that direction. While this will be challenging, we will be providing webinars and consultants to help you complete the survey.
 
• A one hour webinar will be offered to walk you and your staff through the survey and answer questions. Webinars are now scheduled for:
     o Monday, August 5, 2013, 2:00pm
     o Wednesday, August 7, 2013, 11:00am
     o Monday, August 12, 2:00pm
     o Wednesday, August 14, 11:00am
     o Details will be released shortly
• Throughout the process consultants Joe Ford and Chris Goodheart will be available to assist you
• Attached is a pdf copy of the on-line survey to help you assemble the data before going on-line. It is also available at:
 
• Once the webinars begin, the survey will be available on-line
 
Filling out the survey does not commit you to anything. It is important to gather the necessary details for the Governor and Legislature in order to portray the current connectivity of California’s public libraries. I am most appreciative of the efforts you and your staff will put forth.
 
Respectfully yours,
 
Gerald Maginnity
Acting State Librarian of California

An original copy of this letter can be found here.

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

LibraryThing Demo Today

Sign up for a LibraryThing for Libraries demo today at 11:00 am.

It's a 30 minute session to learn and ask questions about LibraryThing for
Libraries: Catalog Enrichment, BookPsychic, Book Display Widgets, and Library Anywhere!

http://www.librarything.com/forlibraries/index.php?page=demo

Friday, July 26, 2013

LibraryThing

Califa is working with LibraryThing and can offer discounts to public libraries who are new customers.

They have quite a few products or packages which are listed below along with links to libraries who are using that particular package. They also offer weekly webinars on all of these packages.

If you'd like a quote email Tanya and let her know which packages you would like.

LibraryThing Packages

Catalog enhancement package
•    Similar books. Offer reader's advisory on the spot. Show high-quality "recommended" or "similar" books that can be found at your library—end dead-end searches! Recommendations cover more than 5 million ISBNs.
•    Tag browsing. Enhance your catalog with the power and flexibility of searching and browsing your books by tags. LTFL's 98 million tags are hand-vetted by our librarians for quality — “American history” and “steampunk” are in, “read this summer” is out!
•    Other editions and translations. Link related editions and translations of the same work."FRBR"-ize your catalog with a few lines of HTML. Includes all paper, audio, ebook and translations available from your library.
•    Try it yourself at Spokane County District Library.

Reviews enhancement
•    Patron reviews. Let your patrons rate and review right in your catalog.
•    Already full. Access over 1 million high-quality reviews from LibraryThing.com, share reviews with other LTFL libraries and let your patrons add their own.
•    Widgets. Patrons get a first-of-its-kind library-branded blog widget, allowing them to show their friends what they're reading at the library they love.
•    Social. Patrons can sign in with and post their reviews to Facebook and Twitter.
•    Try it yourself at Logan Library.

Shelf Browse enhancement
•    Shelf Browse uses your call numbers and ties them with cover images to give your patrons the context and serendipity of browsing a physical shelf.
•    Includes a mini shelf-browser that sits on your detail pages, and a full-screen version, launched from the detail page.
•    Use collections to limit Shelf Browse to a certain collection—YA books, AV, etc.
•    If a book doesn't have a cover, we provide a default one, with the title and author printed over it.
•    Works with all shelf-ordering systems.
•    Try it yourself at the Chesapeake Public Library.

Series and Awards enhancement package
•    Series. Tap into over 50,000 series added by LibraryThing members and approved by staff—the most comprehensive and lovingly-maintained series coverage available. LTFL provides a short description of the series and any related series (for example, The Chronicles of Narnia in both chronological order and in publication order).
•    Awards and honors. Includes over 25,000 different awards and honors, from the National Book Award and the Booker Prize to the Salon Book Award and New York Times Notable Book of the Year, or even Oprah's Book Club selections. Spotlight awards of that you'd like to highlight in your catalog.
•    Try it yourself at Chemeketa Cooperative Regional Library.

Stack Map enhancement
•    Stack Map directs your patrons to exactly where an item is held in your collection, with attractive, customizable maps.
•    Stack Map adds a link (with an icon if you choose) to the call numbers in your catalog that opens a dynamic stack map with directions to that particular item.
•    Each stack map also includes a QR code which a patron can scan to immediately pull up that map on their mobile phone, to help them get there.
•    Try it yourself at Virginia Tech University Libraries.

BookPsychic
•    BookPsychic is your patrons’ crystal ball—a personal recommendations service from their library. The more they rate, the better their recommendations become; the more they discover, the more your collection circulates.
•    BookPsychic always recommends items from your library’s collection—books, eBooks, audiobooks and DVDs.
•    Integrates with Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, and LibraryThing.
•    Patrons can log in to save and keep track of rated items.
•    Embed recommendations in your OPAC. Launch from there or from your homepage.
•    Patrons get new book alerts and recommendations when they visit.
•    Links directly to your catalog pages.
•    Give it a try! Get the handout

Book Display Widgets
•    Book Display Widgets let you create virtual book displays for your library's homepage. Show off your library’s collection with eye-catching display widgets.
•    Put them anywhere—on your library’s home page, Facebook, blog, or catalog.
•    Fill with popular titles, new titles, series, awards or tags—it updates on its own. Or create your own list from a web page, RSS feed or list of ISBNs.
•    Includes many attractive preset types, including animated carousels, bookshelves, grids and more; fully customizable with CSS.
•    Create one widget or several. Track and report views and clicks.
•    Links directly to your catalog pages.
•    See a sampling of BookDisplay Widgets on our Showcase Page. |  Get the handout.

Library Anywhere
A mobile catalog and homepage for any library, up and running in minutes.
Mobile web (which works on any phone) and native apps for iPhone (and all iOS products) and Android phones.
•    Search the catalog, place holds, see checked-out books, and more.
•    Showcase hours, branches, and events with a customizable homepage.
•    New items are added the moment they enter your regular catalog—no uploads or reindexing necessary.
•    Comes with an "accessible version" that provides a fully Section 508-compliant version of your existing catalog.
•    Integrates seamlessly with OverDrive.
•    Use your phone's camera to scan barcodes on books to see if the library has a copy.
•    LibraryThing for Libraries customers get integration of tags, reviews, recommendations, series, awards, and other editions.

NEW: Custom Branded Apps! Get the power of Library Anywhere along with custom colors and branded apps, downloadable under your library's name in the app stores.

» Click to watch a screencast about Library Anywhere. |  See the handout.


Thursday, July 18, 2013

Internet Librarian



If you are planning on attending Internet Librarian this year Calfia members get a discount on registration

Plus our own Heather Teysko will be on a panel to discuss the progress of Enki!!

Internet Librarian is October 28 – 30, this year in lovely Monterey California.
For the discount, enter 13CAL in the priority code box.

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Califa's 5th Annual Vendor Fair

The fifth annual Califa Vendor Fair will be held at the Santa Clara University Library again this year on August 29, 2013!  We have a great selection of vendors (and more are still being confirmed) including the 3M Cloud Library, Baker and Taylor, Library Ideas (Freegal and Freading), Peek a Book, and many more.

As usual, the day will be split up into 40 minute demo slots, during which time you may pick from up to 7 demos going on at once.  Get in-depth answers about new products, updates about products you currently have, and find out how other libraries are using the products you're considering.

The event is free for Califa members ($20 for non-members) and includes breakfast, lunch, and parking.  Sign-in starts at 8:30 and the first demos start at 9:30am.  The day will be complete at 3:30.

Learn more and register here: http://califa.org/vendorfair2013.php

Or, if you know you want to register, you can do so here: http://bit.ly/iWvBDR

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Skillsoft Books24x7 is hosting 2 webinars for Califa members.

We all know continuing education is necessary today in order to stay current with the latest developments, skills, and new technologies and to advance in one’s career. And this information is something librareis have always been great at providing. So here is a resource that may benefit your patrons.

Skillsoft Books24x7 is a reference database for public and academic libraries which features 32,000 eBooks, streaming videos, and case studies covering business, IT, engineering and wellness topics which have been developed by industry-leading learning experts.

Sign up today to find out about Skillsoft Books24x7.

Monday, July 8, 2013
Time: 11:15 am, Pacific Daylight Time (San Francisco, GMT-07:00)
Meeting Number: 744 472 373
Meeting Password: califa
1. Go to https://skillsoft.webex.com/skillsoft/j.php?ED=213207107&UID=1450300762&PW=NMWZhNzU5ZTNm&RT=MiM0
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: califa
4. Click "Join".

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Time: 1:15 pm, Pacific Daylight Time (San Francisco, GMT-07:00)
Meeting Number: 742 798 480
Meeting Password: califa
1. Go to https://skillsoft.webex.com/skillsoft/j.php?ED=213207497&UID=1450304897&PW=NZWRhOTE3OGI5&RT=MiM0
2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: califa
4. Click "Join".