Library Technology News

The library mobile app company Boopsie for Libraries introduced multilingual functionality at the end of June. It's an app that public and academic libraries use for their mobile needs and it allows patrons to "search the library's catalog, locate branches, ask a librarian questions, view a calendar of events and check out books on their mobile devices with just the click of a button."

Library news and ergonomics and slides

This article about crowdfunding is a pretty good answer to the question in one of our previous posts about funding libraries. There are a few other options besides kickstarter.com and it's interesting to see what results people got or didn't get.

Here's a great online course from the University System of Georgia all about library ergonomics that gives more information about what happens when you use your body incorrectly, and makes you pay attention with sporadic quizzes throughout.

You've all seen the library slide by now, right?

Finding Your Voice

In late June, I came down with an obnoxious summer cold. After a couple of days, I completely lost of my voice, and couldn't speak above a whisper for the better part of 5 days. For a motor-mouth like me, this was a big deal. It was tolerable at home (although the cat wasn't convinced I was really one of his people). It was weirder at work: I couldn't change my voice mail greeting, had to answer the phone whispering "This Jey. I have laryngitis", and couldn't take part in informal over-the-cube-wall chats. But it was worst going out in public. I avoided to going shopping, even to the grocery store, and used self-check-out so I wouldn't have to try to talk.

In other words, it was an isolating experience, and made me feel conspicuous and uncomfortable. It gave me more empathy with those who, for reasons of disability, language, etc., have barriers to communication in their everyday lives - especially when those barriers aren't going to go away like my laryngitis did.

It also made me think about the importance of finding and using your voice, whatever it is. It may be speaking, writing, singing, painting, cooking, or gardening. It may be acting as the enthusiastic leader or the energetic follower. It may be speaking up for those who can't speak for themselves, or bringing up the difficult topics when no one else will.

And it may be acting as the positive person who brings encouragement and hope during tough times.

We all have opportunities to find and use our voice in our libraries and our personal lives. We're lucky to work in a field that values diverse voices.

I'm looking forward to seeing many of you and hearing your voices at the SSD conference next week!

Seeing through a visitor's eyes

Sometimes first time visitors to my library comment on how beautiful it is and I smile, say thank you or some such and immediately think of all the ways the architecture is unsuitable to a library setting. There's the dim lighting over reference desks and much of the stacks. The open, circular staircase in the center of the building which allows sound to travel from first floor to the floors above, sound that can be cacophonous with crying kids and loud cell phone users. The shortened open third floor allows sound to spill over into sections of the second floor disturbing those patrons who are studying or reading; and of course second floor noise carries up to the quiet areas on the third floor.

Well, the other day my perspective changed when before the library opened a coworker beckoned me out to the public area on the second floor and pointed to the windows at one end of the building. There I saw what I hardly pay attention to, something visitors notice, and it filled me with joy. Spring green trees framed in the morning light by the stained glass windows that reach straight up from second floor to third. It was breathtaking.

Over the next few days I looked around at the rest of the library differently. I stood in the circular tiled rotunda looking at the smooth polished wood framing the curves of the central stairs, up, up to the far domed skylight on the 4th floor. From the magazine area on the second floor I saw the rich red wood of the third floor ceiling, curved in a wave pattern. The two oversized carved chairs - usable art pieces. I'm with the patrons - I think it's all beautiful.

Ms. Wann's wardrobe by SSD

Last weekend, I was wearing an old LSSRT t-shirt (SSD's predecessor) while I took my laundry off the clothes line. As usual in warm weather, my laundry included a couple of LSSRT or SSD t-shirts. That night, I slept in one of my collection 3x-size SSD t-shirts.

From the very first one (green, with a beautiful golden design by Maresa Kirk) to the most recent one (dark blue with the SSD logo in white), SSD t-shirts make up a surprisingly large percentage of my casual wardrobe. Since I've been in LSSRT/SSD from the beginning, it's fun to think about where the organization was when the t-shirt I'm wearing was produced, and how much we've accomplished since then. (The picture above shows the 1996 conference t-shirt; the picture below is the new book bag, which will premier at the 2009 conference)

We won't have a new t-shirt at the conference next month, but we will have a new book bag for sale. We'll be using the profits to establish an accessibility fund, so that we can make sure SSD events are available and accessible to all who would benefit from them.

So a new book bag will join my collection (2 SSD book bags so far), and I know the money will be going to a good cause.