An article by PhD Student Kyle Jones

Check out the new article Kyle Jones co-authored for American Libraries titled
"WordPress as a Library CMS." 

In it, he outlines some of the best features of WordPress that libraries can capitalize on, including the fact that it is free, open source technology.   WordPress separates the duties that often make website update and maintenance so frustrating:  adding content does not require build tech skills, so anyone can create an account and keep a library's blog, calendar, and events up to date without being tied to Dreamweaver or learning CSS!

Day Against DRM

Today marks the first Day Against DRM.

Digital Rights Management is technology that prevents users from copying, ripping, and remixing their digital media.  It can act as a barrier between content and the users who own or access it.  Librarians have every reason to be aware of this issue and active in addressing it.  Sarah Houghton-Jan, the Librarian in Black, has more.

The Next Generation of the Digital Book

With technology advancing as it is, what changes can be made to the traditional book to best capitalize on the new opportunities and abilities of such technologies?  This is a question that researchers and developers have been working on answering - with some newly released successes!  Software developer Mike Matas has recently released his first interactive book, meant to be accessed from an iPad. 

What is an interactive book, you might ask?  It's a book that takes advantage of the touch capabilities and the multimedia features inherent to the iPad to provide a different and varied reading experience.  His version of Al Gore's most recent book, Our Choice, incorporates swipe technology, video inserts, and much more!  Matas recently gave a TED talk about the book that is an interesting watch for anyone interested in the development of e-books.



What do you think?  Is the fully interactive and hyptertextual book the way of the future?

Current SLIS student's YA Lit for Adults reading program in the news!

Toni Streckert, a current SLIS student and the Outreach and Teen Services Coordinator at Monona Public Library is in the news this week! 

Monona Public Library

Streckert, a self-described "book pusher," noticed adults who were looking for tight, fast, well-written reads in the YA section-- not the adult fiction shelves.  Since she has a great appreciation for YA lit--"they have some of the most exciting, concise writing"-- she started recommending titles.

Her innovative YA Lit for Adults Bookclub has garnered lots of attention locally as a great place for adults to confess their love of Young Adult literature and get new perspectives and book recommendations. Librarians, school teachers, parents, and lovers of literature who were drawn to the genre come to Monona to talk about a new book every few weeks and share their opinions.

Unwind by Neal Shusterman for May 17th

 The next meeting is on May 17th, and the group will read Unwind by Neal Shusterman. 

Check out the full article here:
Book clubs appreciate grown-ups' newfound attraction to teen lit
OR log onto Monona Public Library's website to sign up for the next meeting!

UW SLIS alum Lillian Wallis leaves massive gift to Hennepin County Library

Lillian Wallis

Who says the good die young? 

Lillian Wallis, who graduated from the UW School of Library and Information Studies in 1950 died at 85 in September, 2010 after a long life of travel and library service.  But what might have been a sad post on the loss of a great librarian who really believed in how libraries could serve and enrich a community has turned into a much more fitting elegy:  celebration!

Lillian, who retired as technical services chief from Minneapolis Library in 1987, willed the bulk of her estate-- $646 thousand dollars-- to Hennepin County Library.  In typical librarian fashion, she organized her life and her finances in such a way that her legacy and impact on her community will continue long after her death.  Her gift stipulated that the money should be used to buy popular titles that circulate.  Brava, Ms Wallis!

Read the full article from the Star Tribune here: 
Librarian leaves $646K gift for Hennepin bookshelves

The zombpocalypse as a teachable moment

McPherson College has created a zombie survival guide to teach incoming students library and information literacy.  Arm yourself heavily and check it out!

ALA calls on Congress to restore support to libraries in FY2012 budget

Check out the eponymous article here:
ALA calls on Congress to restore support to libraries in FY2012 budget.

This press release, of April 15th, is about the deep cuts to library services that the new federal budget bill, H.R. 1473, could make.  The bill includes a $28 million cut to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), and shuffles the Improving Literacy Through School Libraries program (which is the only federal program for school libraries) off on the Department of Education to determine funds for school libraries. 

ALA is making a case to Congress as the budget process moves forward.  ALA President Roberta Stevens  says:
“These cuts in funding hurt people throughout the United States who depend on libraries. We are putting our nation at a disadvantage as we compete in a world that realizes and values the importance of being educated and informed.”