Self-Checkouts

A new and interesting addition that is beginning to show up in libraries is a self-checkout station. Much like a self-checkout at say, a Wal-Mart, a library's self-checkout is a great addition for a couple of reasons.

Some readers may experience social anxiety. This machine will be very useful for these patrons because they can now check out books where they would normally avoid it because of their fear of speaking with the librarian (or in one of my situations, the library worker is rude).

The self-checkout is also useful for patrons who may be embarrassed about the books that they are checking out. Self-help, research on diseases, or even just regular books can be a little embarrassing, so the self-check out can help them be a little more comfortable with the process.

I really hope that this is a trend that will catch on and show up in my area. I would definitely utilize this and encourage others to as well. It definitely would not end up being a burden on a library's budget.

Presentation Software

Presentations are a great way to inform library patrons about the workings of the library. Weekend workshops on use of the catalog or proper treatment of books can be a fun, educating way to teach people. Two of the most popular presentation softwares today are Microsoft Power Point and Prezi.

Microsoft Power Point is basic, and the most widely used as it was one of the first major presentation softwares. A basic tutorial can be found here.

Prezi is a more detailed, interactive presentation software. It allows for more dynamic presentation with movements to keep the attention of watchers. Another plus side is that Prezi is free, though there are more complex versions that can be paid for. A basic tutorial can be found here.

So what's the big deal? As stated at the beginning, presentations are a great way to teach patrons about the library. Rather than just giving a brief lecture, the visuals of a presentation can help people pay attention and retain information easier.

Youtube and the Library

Youtube is more than just funny cat videos and silly pranks. One could feasibly learn anything from Youtube from the vast amount of tutorials available. Libraries can utilize this to their advantage, and the Library of Congress took off with the idea.

The Library of Congress's channel has over 2,000 videos, and these include various things such as a tour of the library, the history of the library, and even videos from events that took place at the Library of Congress. This is great because even people that have no way of visiting the Library of Congress can still experience it through the Youtube channel.

So how can smaller libraries use this? While of course the Library of Congress is huge and has more of a following, smaller more local libraries can still use Youtube in much the same way. If the library is a building with more than one floor, a video could give a tour and show what is on each floor. Videos from events could also be uploaded as well.

Youtube is a fantastic tool to reach people in a more interactive way. Some people also might enjoy videos more, because it shows more of an effort of interaction by the library with users.

Social Media and the Library

Social Media is a great outlet for libraries. There are a few different platforms for a library to use, such as Facebook, Twitter, or even Pinterest. The University of Southern Mississippi maintains a Facebook page for their library which provides different information for patrons to view.

A Facebook page would be the most informative way for a library to approach social media. Whoever maintains the library page can post about special events, changes in operating hours, and receive feedback from patrons.  Photos can be uploaded as well, perhaps to show new editions to the library or images from special events that the library has hosted.

On Twitter, a user can only post a 160 character blurb at a time. Twitter can be used by libraries like a more condensed version of Facebook: Highlights from events, brief reminders and even mention changes to a library's website.

Pinterest is a growing trend among social media. More-so seen as a project board, libraries could "pin" fun book related projects or even find fun every day ideas for the library such as this poem vending machine:

Social Media is a great way to connect to library patrons, and libraries would do well to keep up with the phenomenon.

Photo from: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/433330795372450940/

Hello and welcome! I am going to start this blog off by talking about one of the most basic, fundamental form of technology in the library:

Computers!

Computers have become an everyday aspect of the library. Most libraries have computers available for public use as well as for staff. The library catalog can be added to the computer for easier and less cluttered search than a traditional cataloging system.

Another advantage to having public computers is that people who do not have their own computer are not forced to live without one. People can go to libraries to type up papers for school, check emails, and even apply for jobs online. Of course, libraries should put guidelines and rules into place on the use of these public computers. The San Francisco Public Library has a list of their rules available on their website here and they are a good set of rules to generally go by.

Computers can also be helpful for staff for other than just standard business reasons. Librarians can keep up with what books have been checked out by who, and can even maintain a library website with access to e-books.

Computers are here to stay, and while some people may feel that computers and e-books are bad for books, they are extremely helpful in a library atmosphere.