A Next-Generation Digital Book

The newest form of digital book which can be read on a iPad & iPhone has just been promoted. The TED talk 'A Next-Generation Digital Book ' by Mike Matas runs for 4 1/2 minutes and is well worth a look.

In this talk you will see the new book from Al Gore, Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis and how it can be manipulated in a range of ways. It gives you an indication of the directions in which books are heading.

New Books & Articles..for Libraries & Museums May 2011

Reference reborn : breathing new life into public services librarianship
Diane Zabel, ed,Santa Barbara, Calif. : Libraries Unlimited, c2011. (Hurstville 025.52 REF )

Web 2.0 tools and strategies for archives and local history collections
Kate Theimer,London : Facet, 2010. (Hurstville 027.002 THE)

Museum of Life (DVD)
This fascinating behind-the-scenes look at Londons Natural History Museum tells a story of mysteries, of dinosaurs, of diamonds and of the great discoveries being made every day. As seen on ABC1 (Hurstville DVD Documentary)

If you think any of the following books would be of interest for the professional development collection contact Ann or Sue

Librarians as community partners : an outreach handbook / Carol Smallwood.
Chicago : American Library Association, 2010
Includes 64 focused snapshots of outreach in action, this resource reflects the creative solutions of librarians searching for new and innovative ways to build programs that meet customer needs while expanding the library's scope into the community.

Public libraries going green / Kathryn Miller.
Chicago : American Library Association, 2010.
Going Green is now a national issue, and patrons expect their library to respond in the same way many corporations have. Libraries are going green with logos on their websites, programs for the public, and a host of other initiatives.

Preparing collections for digitization
Anna Bulow,Facet Publishing, 2010
Addresses the growing practice of digitization in libraries,archives and museums.

The Tech Set / Ellyssa Kroski (Ed)
Neal-Schuman , 2010
Ten practical, field guides to today’s hottest new technologies for information professionals- copublished with the prestigious Library and Information Technology Association (LITA, a division of the American Library Association). Find out more about each one of the Tech Set’s 10 titles by clicking the links below:

1. Next Gen Library Catalogs by Marshall Breeding
2. Mobile Technology and Libraries by Jason Griffey
3. Microblogging and Lifestreaming in Libraries by Robin Hastings
4. Library Videos and Webcasts by Sean Robinson
5. Wikis for Libraries by Lauren Pressley
6. Technology Training in Libraries by Sarah Houghton-Jan
7. A Social Networking Primer for Libraries by Cliff Landis
8. Library Camps and Unconferences by Steve Lawson
9. Gaming in Libraries by Kelly Czarnecki
10. Effective Blogging for Libraries, by Connie Crosby

The social work of museums
Lois Silverman,Routledge,2010

Public libraries and the Internet : roles, perspectives, and implications
John Carlo Bertot, Paul T. Jaeger, and Charles R. McClure, editors.
Santa Barbara, Calif. : Libraries Unlimited, c2011.

Getting the Word Out: Adventures in Marketing Our Library
Deb Perry / Indiana Libraries, Vol. 29, Number 2 2011

Developing library websites optimised for mobile devices
Brendan Ryan /Reference Librarian Vol 52, Jan 2011 p128-135

Dollars, Sense and Public Libraries - a landmark study

This study has recently been launched by Public Libraries Victoria Network Inc. Click on this link to access the factsheet & reports .

Some of the key findings are:

1. For every dollar invested in Victoria’s public libraries, $3.56 is the average rate of return in community benefits

2. The majority of Victorians are public library customers
63% of Victorian householders used a public library in the past 12 months.
Public library members in Victoria could fill the MCG more than 25 times over.

3. Library customers receive services valued at $419 per year
Library customers surveyed estimated that if they had to pay for the services accessed at their library, it would cost them an average of $419 per year.

4. Victorian public libraries have something for everyone
Public libraries contribute to meaningful pastimes, lifelong learning and finding information. They provide access to a wide variety of resources including books, DVDs, CDs, PCs and the internet. Libraries are a safe and welcoming place to meet and encourage socially responsible
behaviour.

5. People would pay more… but don’t have the capacity to do so

With library services in great demand, it makes sense to keep investing in public libraries!