Blog

Multipurpose public access computers in public libraries are often used by patrons who can't afford a computer and/or Internet access, who need help using computers, who wish to gain experience with computers and business software, or who are away from home and need to use a computer or the Internet for business or school. Internet-only, or Express computers provide a useful service, they do not address the full range of needs facing public library patrons.

Having written one of the chapters, I've been anxious to see how this book is being received. Here's the first review I've seen so far by Konomi of RFIDBuzz.

I've been working on the issue of staffing IT departments in libraries. There's a wide range of how it is done ranging from having an in-house IT group (or person) to using the County or City IT Department (which probably considers the library a low priority) to outsourcing with a local tech support company to asking the Reference Librarian's grandchild to come in to help once in a while.

I just learned about the origins of card catalogs. Did you know they came to be because after the French Revolution, the new French government had a bunch of books they needed to sell or burn or put somewhere so they decide to inventory them.