New Vendor: Paragon Micro/EDU

We're very excited to be able to offer Microsoft products, as well as a lot of other manufacturers' products, through Paragon Micro.

Paragon Micro/EDU is a Global Technology Reseller focused on the needs of hardware, software and professional services to our learning communities that include Libraries, Schools and Museums. Through our partnership with Califa we are able to offer group purchasing agreements for their member libraries with leading manufacturers such as HP, Dell, Lenovo, LG, Microsoft and many more.

You can find out more about Paragon at their website, or follow them on Twitter or Facebook. And let me know if you would like more information.

Updates from Morningstar

We just posted the new 2010 Morningstar Investment Research Center brochure on our site. Check it out and let us know if you want a quote.

Vendor Fair 2010

We are thrilled that we will again be able to host our Vendor Fair at the Santa Clara University this summer. The date has been confirmed for September 1, 2010, and the vendors were notified on Monday, with several already confirming their attendance.

For those of you who attended last year, I promise that the event will be even better this year! The first thing to make it better? It's free for Califa members!!! We have increased the cost to vendors slightly so that we don't need to charge our members. And rest assured, the food will be just as good this year as it was last time. We also looked carefully at all the feedback forms last year, and will make many of the improvements that were suggested.

Check out our website for updated information - I just began posting info to califa.org/vendorfair2010.php

Hope to see you all on September 1 for another great day!

AWE Early Literacy Station Order Time

It's time for the Spring AWE Early Literacy Stations aggregated order. Twice a year we work to aggregate the orders of all Califa members, so that everyone can get the least expensive price, whether you purchase 1 unit or 30. The total units are added up, and whatever threshold we're at for the entire group will be the price per unit that you'll pay. Check out the flyer with the pricing here, and let me know if you have any questions.

Bookbrowse and Boopsie

First, Bookbrowse is offering free May and June access for any members who subscribe for July 1. There is no deadline, but the earlier you commit, the more free time you'll get. There are informational webinars coming up on April 13 and April 21. Check out their website for more details, and registration information.

Second, Boopsie, the company that makes mobile apps for libraries, has already set up a few of our members. They will be presenting a 90 minute webinar on April 22 at 11:30am that both covers information about the product, and will also feature current Califa customers sharing their own experiences setting up the Boopsie application. Henry Bankhead of Los Gatos Public and Lare Mischo of Seattle Public will both be available, and will be presenting their own library apps, and giving helpful hints and tips for those considering the Boopsie product. Email me back to register, and include your name, library name and email address.

BYKI and ePrep trials

Just a reminder that until April 20, you all have free access to two new products from Recorded Books - BYKI Online Language Learning and ePrep video test preparation. To check out these resources, go to califa.org, then Members and then Internal Documents. The login information is behind a login page. If you don't know your Califa website login and password, email me and I'll send it to you.

Congrats to Seton Medical Center

Congrats to the Seton Medical Center, and our own Board member Geri Bodeker for placing third in the 2009 Medical Libraries Association Creative Promotions Award contest. The winning libraries were inspired by the 2009 theme, "Fishing for Quality Health Information: Ask Your Medical Librarian". Read about Seton's winning entry here.