The Cloud on the Cover of Pasadena Weekly

Jan Sanders of Pasadena (who, with Glendale, will be beta-testers of the 3M Cloud Library project) made the cover of Pasadena Weekly.

Read the story at:
http://pasadenaweekly.com/cms/story/detail/?id=10602

Congratulations!

New Product: Film Ideas

There is a big push to help Americans become financially literate.  ALA is doing its part by encouraging libraries to develop Financial Well-Being programs.  Film Ideas has released a new Financial Literacy Streaming service that is now available to CALIFA members! 

The Financial Literacy Streaming Service subscription provides an internet based digital stream with a focus on financial literacy skills.  Built around the Emmy winning BizKid$ Series and Life Skills for Young Adults Series, the content provides valuable information on financial literacy, career skills, entrepreneurship, business and more.

Our goal is to provide "learning segments"  that are engaging and engrossing, delivered and navigated on the desktop.  Important benefits include peer-to peer presentations that maintains an ethnically balanced delivery.  The content is well designed to actively engage all viewers by opening new avenues of understanding using a hip, contemporary approach.  A broad host of user oriented resources further enriches.

Key Concepts and benefits:

  * Designed for in-library use and for remote access

  * Content suitable for broad range of ages: youth, young adult, and adult

  * Strong visual support for Financial Literacy concepts with contemporary, Emmy award-winning digital content.

  * Extensive resources: family focused activities, games, links and guides.

  * Ability to create custom playlists

  * All content is also available on DVD format for the library circulating collection

There is a trial on the Califa website at http://califa.org/members_only.php.  You will need your Califa login to access that page - if you need it, let me know.

Message from ALA

The American Library Association (ALA) Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) and the Library & Information Technology Association (LITA) are soliciting nominations for best library practices using cutting-edge technology. 

The application process is very simple and attempts to showcase libraries that are serving their communities with novel and innovative services and provide the library community with some successful models for delivering quality library service in new ways.  The key factors is the use of technology to provide a service and something that can be replicated by other libraries.

A committee of practicing librarians will review all nominations to identify those libraries that are truly offering a best practice or most innovative service.  Libraries or library service areas selected will be publicized via the OITP and LITA websites, highlighted through ALA publications, and featured in a program at the ALA Annual Conference in 2012.  

More information and nomination forms can be found at www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oitp/cuttingedge/2012.cfm

The Brodart book lending machine featured on CNN

An interesting article on CNN on creative new vending machines.  The Brodart book machine is featured.  Califa has pricing, so let us know if you want a quote!


http://money.cnn.com/galleries/2011/smallbusiness/1109/gallery.innovation_vending_machine/?source=cnn_bin&hpt=hp_bn5

Fall AWE Early Literacy Station special

We're happy to let you know that the group order for the AWE Early Literacy Stations will be from November 1 - December 9 this year.  You can find a pdf with complete pricing information and contacts here: http://www.califa.org/uploadfiles/awefall11.pdf

If you remember, twice a year we aggregate orders of this popular product so that everyone gets the best possible price.  We've only not reached the 50+ price point twice in the 5 years we've been doing this, so it's a good time to take advantage of the price breaks.

Potential New Vendor: Lynda.com

We are exploring working with Lynda.com, a company that provides computer and software training videos.  They are only beginning to enter the library market, and this would be one of their first statewide consortial agreements (though they do work with the Massachusetts Library System to provide training for all staff: http://www.masslibsystem.org/continuing-education/lynda/)

Below is an email from Craig at Lynda.com, explaining their offerings and giving the dates for two upcoming webinars.  I am trying to gauge the interest from our members right now, to see if this is something that our members want.  Right now they only offer access to their videos from inside the libraries, but they are realizing that they will have to move to remote access at some point, and are figuring that part of it out.  In the meantime, is this something that would appeal to you as a member?  Please let me know so I can count your interest when we begin negotiating (you aren't committing to anything by showing interest).

Also, please note that if you read this and decide it's really awesome, and you want to move forward right away, if you call them direct, you won't get a discount.  You will need to order through us to get the best price.  Email me with your interest.

-----

It’s not easy for a library to keep in front of the latest technology trends. lynda.com alleviates this challenge by providing cost effective tools to keep staff and patrons up to date on the skills they need to be successful.
With over 1,100 video tutorials catering to all different learning levels, our content range and quality are what make lynda.com the industry leader in online software training.

We deliver 2-7 minute, HD-quality, task specific videos from recognized experts, and we have seen success in increased adoption, user satisfaction and proficiency in some of today's most commonly used and often under utilized software applications.

lynda.com highlights:
    1. Over 1,100 courses with new courses added weekly, including Microsoft, Adobe, Apple, Google and much more.
    2. Highly integrated courses for those going through Microsoft Office migrations with access to lynda.com content directly from the MS Office Ribbon.
    3. No re-purchasing of training for mixed software environments.
    4. Unique training methodology designed for to meet the specific needs of the just-in-time learning.
    5. Solutions that support organization wide initiatives or those within specific departments.
I want to introduce lynda.com, and provide you with the opportunity to learn more. Please join us at an upcoming webinar to learn more about the lynda.com Online Training Library®:

            Wednesday, September 28, at 10am PDT

                                     or

            Wednesday, October 5, at 10am PDT

RSVP for your preferred session by sending me an email at cborchardt@lynda.com, and I will respond with the webinar details.

Or, please explore our library of content with a complimentary trial. No obligation or additional information is required. Just send me an email (cborchardt@lynda.com) and I will set up the trial for you and your team.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Craig

Craig Borchardt

Government Training Solutions Advisor

cborchardt@lynda.com

888-335-9632 x115

805-477-3963 - Direct

New Califa Vendor - FilmIdeas

We are happy to be starting work with Film Ideas, a company that produces streaming videos on financial literacy.  A trial is available at our website - califa.org -->members -->internal documents (log in with your Califa login/pw - email me if you need it).  All our current trial information is there.

Here's a description of the product - I look forward to any feedback you might have.  Also, if you want a quote, let me know.

FI Channels is a sister company of Film Ideas, Inc., located in Wheeling, IL.  Film Ideas has been serving education and other non-theatrical markets beyond 30 years with quality content and engaging resources. 

The FI Channels subscription service version 1.0 incorporates the concept of an internet based streaming service aligned to a continuum of market channels.  As a subscriber, you can expect total satisfaction with our content and service. 

Our goal at FI Channels Streaming Service is to offer content that is enlightening, engaging and engrossing, delivered and navigated with just a click of the mouse on your desktop for sharing and projecting. As an additional option, the well focused content is available on chaptered DVD's for enhanced circulation or flexible check-out.