Where New Tech Should Libraries Try Next? 152
99bottles asks: "I work for a good sized Public Library. The management folks want to have a sit down to discuss what our next tech. undertakings should be. We already offer free wireless, use Voice-over-IP, have self-checkout machines, have dropped Microsoft Office for OpenOffice.org, and are slowly but surely getting Linux to the desktop. It's not like we need to catch up, this is geared toward being unique and at the forefront. One manager believes that a video reference service would be popular, I've tried to convince him that video-phones have been around for decades and no one really wants them. So, I ask you, what would Slashdot readers want to see at the local library?"
Where New Tech Should Libraries Try Next? (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Where New Tech Should Libraries Try Next? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Where New Tech Should Libraries Try Next? (Score:1)
Re:Where New Tech Should Libraries Try Next? (Score:2)
eBooks (Score:4, Interesting)
softcopies of your books, would take some organising
Community bookshare sort of like netflix/netbooks but controlled from the library. People give you there lists and you use the library as the exchange point.
Re:eBooks (Score:1)
Re:eBooks (Score:1)
Re:eBooks (Score:3, Interesting)
Three hundred pages of digital ink, bound together as a book. And four hundred together, and two hundred, and so forth. When a patron requests a book, plug in the digital ink book of the appropriate size, download the pages (a la Amazon.com's scans), and give him the book.
Digital ink doesn't require power or other messing with so long as the pages are constant. And if you want, you can have a small watc
Re:eBooks (Score:2)
Then the rest of us could reap the rewards as well, with a new mature e-ink display available on the cheap for our own private libraries....
Re:eBooks (Score:2)
the obvious missing thing at libraries these days (Score:5, Insightful)
So you've got so much fancy technology now that you don't know what to do next? Take that as a sign.
More books. C'mon, it's not _that_ hard to figure out, is it?
Clean out the obsolete computer technology books in your library, while you're at it - they're just taking up room, and they're not of use to people looking for something on the latest technology. Is there really a need for a 1960's book on Fortran?
Damn, I'm all worked up now - I need some chocolate.
OH, another thing - spend money on comfy seating. The new Seattle library is ridiculous about that.
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
You never know when you'll need something like that for reference. It may not happen often (or ever), but the day could very well come.
Other than that, I'd have to agree with your point. Books are a nice thing to have in the library. :)
1960's Fortran (Score:1, Interesting)
However, I'd like to at least partially disagree about getting rid of the old 1960's Fortran books. I realize that there is limited space, and there are priorities, but I think part of a library's function should be to serve as a historical archive.
I happen to find unit record equipment (pre-computer punch card machines) and early computers to be a fascinating topic, frankly much more interesting than what's going on in 2005. It
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:3, Interesting)
Is there really a need for a 1960's book on Fortran?
Since differential equation solvers from that era, written in Fortran, are still in use, yeah, I think it would be great if I could use the interlibrary loan to borrow a Fortran text if I ever have to understand the guts of those routines. So I hope some library somewhere is preserving these.
Besides, where but in Fortran can one experience working with trinary logic conditionals? I still remember those three-tailed decision diamonds.
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:1)
SQL for instance... Must account for a value being Null.
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
A great anecdote of the SPL: I recently wanted to browse a mechanic's labor guide to see if my auto mechanic was being straight with me. These are insanely expensive, and your average person would never get enough use out of one to justify the cost. Yet everyone occasionally could use access to it. Perfect library material, right? Well, SPL doesn't have a single one. Not one: any year, any publisher. Bellevue, on the other hand, has a not-quite-so-impressive main
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:5, Insightful)
I grew up ... not poor, but without enough money to buy books nearly as fast as I could read them. I'm where I am today because of a library full of books and it kills me to walk into my local library today and see barely a quarter of what I had as a kid.
I blame the professionalization of libraries. Just keeping lots of books on the shelves (and helping kids find what they need) was good enough for the elderly female volunteers of the past, but beneath the dignity of a librarian with an MS in Library Science. So the library becomes a cross between an Internet cafe and a homeless shelter.
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
And what's with the silence? Who really _reads_ books at the library anymore? Now who reads books at their local coffee shop? I'm not saying that libraries should start having live music, but some piped in music instead of the oppressive silence would be fantastic.
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
It's just as possible the people with any say at your local library have no degree. Degree makes no difference here, approach the peers who have influence.
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:3)
Spending a local library's budget on books? What an odd concept.
My local library has (I kid you not) a big screen TV and several game consoles. *sigh*.
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
Isn't that what libraries are all about? Smoothing the difference between the haves and have-nots?
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
I guess that's where you're wrong.
Library meetings don't go: "hey, we have some money left, let's go buy some books." these things are budgeted.
My point is that libraries provide acces to information and I salute them for keeping up with modern times.
The main thing I like about modern libraries is that they provide free internet access.
I believe that in a good democracy every citize
books (Score:2)
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:3)
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
In defense of not carrying popular computer books (Score:5, Informative)
Many libraries can't or don't want to bother with the costs associated with these kinds of materials, so they either don't carry them, have them scanned for online e-book checkout, or have them only on a limited access basis.
Public libraries in particular are usually founded with a mandate to promote community literacy and are less likely to carry highly technical specialized materials. They tend to focus their collections on best-sellers (which is also commonly stolen) and recreational reading programs, not only to keep illiteracy rates low but also to make sure that their services are used enough to justify their existence.
If you want to see more technical books at your public library, and you have the means to do so, I highly recommend offering a donation of up-to-date books (or just cold hard cash). Don't give them the outdated stuff, they're more likely to toss it than actually get it processed and shelved. Better yet, convince a publisher like O'Reilly to make the donation.
Also, don't bother with request forms or suggestion boxes- speak to a real live librarian and make your case known.
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
Oh, and I agree with all your points, btw. Including the one about chocolate. I just finished dinner, and all I have in the office are these stupic wintergreen mints. Chocolate would finish off the meal so much better. But I digress...
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
Nah, not really. If someone needs to learn some ancient form of Fortran from the 60s for their job, then their employer is more than welcome to buy something off eBay for them. But if I'd used some Windows 1.0 example, I'm sure the Slashdot crowd wouldn't have uttered a peep about that.
Oh, and I agree with all your points, btw. Including t
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
I'm a librarian for a public library, and one of the things I do is purchase books for our computer center collection. I'm always on the lookout for ideas on what else we should purchase.
So... what topics do you tend to look for?
I admit my forays into purchasing books on things like Snort haven't resulted in a whole lot of circs yet, but
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
Javascript books, Flash books, Photoshop, Illustrator, etc. The application books specifically age VERY quickly after just 2 years or so, and you have to time it well with some things, like PHP. Lots of books we
Re:the obvious missing thing at libraries these da (Score:2)
My Library (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:My Library (Score:3, Interesting)
Or recent copies of the O'Reily manuals?
How about the ability to attach patron comments to card catalog entries?
An updated homepage or info page that shows up on every terminal in the library that displays library news, a web search box and a library search box.
Offer the feature of email/phone reminders the day before (or whenever) items are due.
A 'Library Zeitgeist' page like Google's Zeitgeist'. What people are reading/searching for in the last mont
Re:My Library (Score:2)
Not everybody has broadband, and many times the mirrors are jammed when a major new release comes out.
A developer tools/old architecture section. (Score:1)
2. A section for 'retired architecture', so that I could, in 1000 years time, be sure that I could go to a Library with some media I found in grandads grave, rent some juice, and fire up the ol' memories
This
Re:A developer tools/old architecture section. (Score:2)
A section for 'retired architecture' probably belongs more to a museum than a library. I don't think librarians' skill sets extend to the kind of mickeymouse procedures needed to keep an Apple ][ single-sided single density floppy drive working, or the periodic cleaning a Trash-Eighty keyboard requires.
OTOH, a library could develop and maintain a database of hobbyists and businesses who are willing to recover data stored in obsolete formats.
How about just simple service (Score:4, Insightful)
I really hate that my library is spending money on computers, wireless, network access... How about spending the money on books, magazine subscriptions, and other things that a library needs to have.
And frankly - if you still have money left over, why not give it back to your taxpayers instead of finding random ways of spending it
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Re:How about just simple service (Score:2)
As opposed to how long the computers will be good (what 3-4 years ???) - or the wireless access points will still function (who knows). All of these tech toys sure seem like a bunch of frivolous waste to me - Frankly I'd rather allow people the choice of buying beer, saving for their education, or anything that THEY b
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Re:How about just simple service (Score:2)
If you would like to donate money to a run down relic of a local library feel free - me I would rather have the access at home, and the books that are important to me shipped from Amazon when I need them - frankly, I get better service in both cases, and it doesn't cost nearly as much either (oh wait - you probably are sitting there not paying any tax
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Re:How about just simple service (Score:1)
Actually, I learned to touch-type on a Royal manual typewriter. In High School.
Touch typing on the ASR-33 teletypes in the computer room wasn't really that much of an option, seeing as they were upper-case-only.
Computers cost $5 at yard sales these days. There are zero, zippo, no kids at this point in time who don't have access to a computer if motivated.
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Re:How about just simple service (Score:2)
Excuse me?
I work in Newark, NJ. Talk about poor neighborhoods -- kids have PLENTY of money. Most have two or three jobs, and for many of the poorest families, most of their utilities and rent is paid for by the government, so their money is free for them to spend on sneakers and pu
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Re:How about just simple service (Score:1)
Libraries should not be stuck in the dark ages (Score:2)
However, ANYTHING which can generally inform or entertain the public belongs in a library are good. When I research, I want to have access to large quantities of relevant information &
To use English when posting here? (Score:2, Insightful)
- Its, it's
- Their, They are, There
- Where, What
Perhaps using What instead of Where on a post about technology in Libraries would be a good start.
Re:To use English when posting here? (Score:2)
Re:To use English when posting here? (Score:2)
free legal downloads (Score:5, Insightful)
things people actually use (Score:4, Insightful)
They also had a room set aside where you could eat while you read/work, which would often fill up with groups of people working on things even when the rest of the library is empty.
As for more technology, I agree with the other posts that say stop wasting money.
RFID (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:RFID (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:RFID (Score:1, Interesting)
Actually, this is exactly the reason that libraries want RFID for their books.
The potential threat to civil liberties (being able to scan the bookbag of a target after they have left the library) is one of the reasons that many libraries haven't implemented it yet.
Re:RFID (Score:3, Informative)
However, the RFID system doesn't work as well as the hype would have you believe. With certain items, you can have a receiver 10" (yes, inches)from it and it won't be able to pick up the tag. So before you start pestering your local library to enable a more complex RFID system, let us get the bugs worked out of the current on
Where? (Score:2)
TAL (Score:3, Interesting)
-Colin [colingregorypalmer.net]
Re:TAL (Score:1)
Really (Score:3, Insightful)
pr0n! (Score:1, Troll)
A foriegn language book section (Score:3, Insightful)
open source library management (Score:1, Insightful)
f u cn rd ths u dn't nd lbrry (Score:2, Funny)
Repeat ad nauseum (Score:1)
On a serious note, (Score:2, Interesting)
One thing that could be cool in regards to video reference would be actual video footage that can be used for other stuff, for example if one is making a video production and wants to include footage of the shuttle landing, or various riots or other footage, it would be nice go to the library, find all the video footage you want, burn it to DvD and then go home and use it. I guess it would be more of a stock footage reference
I dunno (Score:4, Interesting)
* Wikipedia link.
* Suggestion box email link.
* Google Print link (Great full text book search).
Other stuff:
* Open source CD's (Linux, BSD, TheOpenCD, etc.) available for checkout, or even ISO's available for burning.
* CDR's, jumpdrives, minor network equipment, and other information media and technology for sale. Nothing expensive though, unless you have good security. The bookstore at my local university carries all this stuff.
Re:I dunno (Score:2)
Don't forget public domain and (CC) content.
What extra value does your PAC offer? (Score:2)
Your web-PAC should make Library Elf [libraryelf.com] obsolete. I shouldn't be tempted to give a 3rd party my lib card number just to get timely emails of when my holds are in, and how soon everything I have is due.
Rant on Libraries: (Score:2, Interesting)
-- Stay open until midnight on friday and saturday night.
-- Let me borrow the book as long as I want. Like netflix. Or 1 year.
-- Have a 24 hours pickup/dropoff walk-up counter: I go online, I ask for a book by ISBN, the interlibrary exchange does its thing, and the book is delivered at the location in 24 hours (not 4 weeks), then I get an email: your book is ready. Give me 36 hours to drive by over there and pick it up, on my way home from work, at 9:45 PM, on Tuesday.
-- Have more books
Re:Rant on Libraries: (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Rant on Libraries: (Score:2)
If you don't go don't whine
The rippoff that is tech books is surpased only by school text books
I don't live in America or France
Cheers!
E-INK devices (Score:3, Interesting)
It is very much in the early adopter stage. It is hard for a regular US consumer to get a device. I think I might have my SO pick me up a used Sony Librie when she's in Japan. Very cool stuff.
Handicap Accessibility and Printing Services (Score:5, Informative)
-Get at least one video magnification machine. I think they're called "MERLIN" or something similar. You hold a book under the machine's camera and an enlarged image of the text appears on the monitor for seeing-impaired patrons. Failing that, have a well-maintained collection of magnifying glasses.
-Get some good, rugged headphones and equip all the computers with some good text-to-speech software. This is also good if your library has a literacy program so your non-reading patrons can actually use the internet.
-On the non-technical side of things: Use automatic doors, elevators and low shelving, or at least have the librarians offer a free paging service for handicapped patrons. A good collection of braile books is a good idea too.
The other very useful tech for libraries is a good up-to-date station for printing services. Copiers of all shapes and sizes, a fax machine, networked printers, scanners, memory-card readers and above all people with the know-how to maintain them (they'll break more than anything else). Also a typewriter would be a good purchase if you don't already have one available for public use.
If there's ever the technology to remotely shut down other people's cell phones- get that too.
Re:Handicap Accessibility and Printing Services (Score:1, Interesting)
OMG Yes!!! But don't stop there!
There's a branch near me that has done a lot of good stuff. A dozen large magnifying lenses, opaque projection viewer, audio book listening stations, large print section, low shelves for those portions of the catalog, et cetera.
Almost all of it is in the basement. That was bad enough. But the elvator broke this week. And even when it is working, the risks to handicapped patrons during an emergency are significant enough to suggest an ADA lawsuit.
Without knowing firsthan
good point (Score:2)
What I'd like to HEAR. (Score:2, Interesting)
Longer hours (Score:5, Insightful)
In San Jose, California, we have a new downtown library [sjlibrary.org] that's hooked up like you wouldn't believe. It's not open enough hours for the public to truly use it well, though. Fortunately, the library is jointly owned by the nearby college, and the college funds additional hours during the school year. Extended hours at the library are quite convenient because most downtown parking in San Jose becomes free [sjdowntownparking.com] after 6pm!
Unfortunately with government projects it's often easier to get money for new construction/projects instead of maintenance. New toys are sexy, and sexiness gets votes.
If the funding for your library is with strings attached, and those strings have to be spent on new computer technology, I suggest these:
* Free Wi-Fi everywhere in the library and as far into the surrounding areas as your access points can reach, if you don't already have this.
* CD-burning kiosks that burn CD's full of public domain books, from the Gutenberg Project and other sources.
* Similarly, DVD-burning kiosks that burn DVD's full of public domain videos/movies, from the Prelinger Archives and other sources.
* Book-on-demand printing presses for public domain books, something like this [archive.org]!
Good luck with your funding!
Tablet PC's (Score:2, Informative)
Oh, and make sure you have enough tablet pc's
MythTV (Score:2)
Self Check-in Check-out with RFID Tags (Score:2)
Re:Self Check-in Check-out with RFID Tags (Score:2)
Make More Material Accessible from the Internet (Score:2)
The biggest problem with most libraries today is that users have to visit the library to access most of the material. Obviously this is a requirement if people want to access hardcopy materials, but it shouldn't be necessary for softcopy materials. Considering that may publications are now available on CDROM, it would be great if this could be accessed from home (perhaps restricted to users who have valid library cards). There is also a lot of historical and community information that can be easily made
Re:Make More Material Accessible from the Internet (Score:2)
I didn't intend to suggest that they start scanning in their hardcopy collection. Obviously that has legal concerns. But there is probably a lot of material that could be made electronically acessible.
Take a look at the library that I mentioned in my original message. They have information about local history, government,... even information about how to apply for a patent. And nobody has to physically visit the library to access this material.
Slightly off Topic (Score:2, Insightful)
what I want to know (Score:2)
What do libraries do? (Score:2)
Books, and ways to find them.
While I'm fairly lenient on the definition of "book" (it is 2005, after all), I see reason for a public library to turn itself in to some sort of trendoid wannabe cyber-cafe. This is a repository of knowledge. Keep it that way. Make it really easy to use and you will serve your patrons far better than any of the other suggestions people have put forward.
...laura
Re:What do libraries do? (Score:2)
Virtual Reference (Score:2)
Re:Should Not Be (Score:3, Funny)
Re:OpenOffice (Score:2)