Category Archives: Public

General, Public

GRRL has a new catalog

mushroom photoContrary to popular belief, change CAN be a good thing! At the beginning of this month, the Great River Regional Library premiered a new catalog system. This new catalog has a responsive design, meaning it adapts to the format of whatever device you are viewing it on. This makes it mobile friendly!

When searching on the new catalog, you may find that you get more results. These are broken down into different topic areas, and even by format (so you know which are DVDs, eBooks, etc). There is also an autocomplete function that brings up suggestions based on what you are typing, so your search may go even faster.

And not to worry, they are continuing to run the original catalog for a time while people get accustomed to the transition. Have you used the new catalog yet? Be sure you offer helpful feedback to GRRL as you test out this new exciting tool.

 Image credit: https://unsplash.com/ (Manuel Barroso Parejo), licensed under CC0 1.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

Need makerspace ideas or gadgets?

Tecnologia - Technology (2)By now, you’ve probably heard about makerspaces. (If not, catch up here). Here at CMLE, we think they are pretty exciting. All the opportunities for hands-on learning and creation! But it’s easy to find the endless possibilities slightly overwhelming. Wondering where to start? CMLE has done that work for you! We’ve published a great deal about makerspaces, and want to share our wealth of knowledge! See below for ideas and inspiration, tools to use, and where to find makerspaces.

 

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/pkdbtf9, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0
Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

How do YOU save the users time?

IMG90862Have you heard of LibrariesInLife? I am not quite sure what to name it, but OCLC Next recently did a bang up job of proposing a way using Twitter to get conversations going about how you and I save our users time. They write clearly about the convenience imperative…and venture that in today’s fast moving world, that convenience trumps everything else. Today’s dilemma for librarians is about how to “free our users’ time.” They go on to propose that Ranganathan’s Fourth Law of saving the time of the reader, should now be first! Makes sense to me….I witness this all the time when friends or family want to read a book but do not want to wait for it through the public library. With one touch, they simply buy the eBook online and the transaction is over! It is hard to argue with that kind of convenience.

Take five minutes to read the full post to better understand what this conversation is all about.

On Twitter, join in the conversation with hashtags #LibrariesInLife and #OCLCnext. Can’t read one more thing? Listen to  Lynn Silipigni-Connaway in this video as she describes this work.

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/qhnqv3o, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist, Special

#CatBooks: Title rewrites with cats as audience!

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/mmw5y8x, licensed under CC BY 2.0This installment of Just for Fun, reminds you to smile!

Nothing goes together better than cats and books. Read on for some edits of popular titles made just for cats!

The Lord of the Strings from @_wintergirl93

The Color Purrple from @Wieneraaron

The Perks of Eating a Wallflower from @MilesToGo13

If You Give a Mouse a Cookie: A Comprehensive Guide to Luring your Prey from @rick_wittkopp65

One Hundred Years of Catitude from @KahluaSin

The Power of Meow from @heyitsjessyoung

Read the whole article here (includes some great visual aids)

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/mmw5y8x, licensed under CC BY 2.0
Academic, General, Public, School Media Specialist

MN library included in 2016 Library Building Awards

carved BookDo you ever just want to see some really cool libraries?

Then feast your eyes on these! The American Institute of Architects has announced the seven winners of the 2016 Library Building Awards. All designed by US-licensed architects, these buildings highlight how libraries are adapting to serve the ever evolving needs of their communities.

One of the winners is close to home, the Hennepin County Walker Library. The design was made to be similar to the surroundings in the Uptown neighborhood. Check out their Flickr album showing the building process and finished product!

Many of the other winners of the award have included sustainable features in their buildings that make them eco-friendly. They also aim to be more accessible to their communities. In Kansas, the Lawrence Public Library Renovation and Expansion project has met this goal – after re-opening, visits increased by 55%!

 

Image credit: http://tinyurl.com/pofwmxw, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0