Monday, March 24, 2008

New tools for non-profits from Google, as announced on the Official Google Blog:
http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/03/google-for-non-profits.html
The quote from their blog entry on how you can use the tools seems to fit most library's needs, particularly the online donations:

  • "When you're writing a grant application, don't get stuck emailing drafts back and forth. Try Google Docs to collaborate on documents with your colleagues.
  • Cut costs and save time with Google-hosted email at your own domain. Access your e-mail from any computer with an Internet connection.
  • Accept online donations without hassle and with no transaction fees until 2009 with Google Checkout.
  • Apply for free online advertising through our Google Grants program to raise awareness and drive traffic to your website.
  • Start a blog to keep your supporters informed and engaged."

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Another cartoonist, this time also a librarian: Stephanie Piro. Her website is great - you can catch up on her new book news, purchase previous cartoons, even hire her to illustrate your next book:
http://www.stephaniepiro.com/

She also has a CafePress site with librarian/book lover/baby gifts:
http://www.cafepress.com/saturdaychick

She will be presenting on her life as a cartoonist and librarian at the upcoming New Hampshire Library Association spring conference: Innovate in '08 - Library Basics and Beyond http://www.nhlibrarians.org/springconference.html.
I bet it will be a session you won't want to miss! If you do have to miss it, maybe she would come to speak at your next conference...
GAO Report Finds EPA Library Closures Undercut Agency’s Mission http://www.ucsusa.org/news/press_release/gao-report-finds-epa-library-0101.html
This story from the Union of Concerned Scientists also links to testimony by Dr. Fransesca Grifo, director of the UCS Scientific Integrity Program.
A link to previous posts about EPA Libraries on this blog: http://libeducation.blogspot.com/search?q=epa

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

A great cartoon gift idea for your favorite librarian, from Dave Coverly's website - a librarian cartoon that he will sell as a poster: http://www.speedbump.com/librarian.html .
You can check out more of Mr. Coverly's art at Creators.com, where they archive his Speed Bump cartoon series: http://www.creators.com/comics/speed-bump/16095.html.
The Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) is pleased to announce ACRL OnPoint, a new live chat series. Each informal monthly chat session provides the opportunity to connect with colleagues and experts to discuss an issue of the day in academic and research librarianship.
All ACRL OnPoint chats are free and open to the public [bolded text by T.Hartman]. Sessions are unmoderated, 30-45 minutes in length and take place in a Meebo chat room. All chat sessions begin at 1pm CDT. While no registration is necessary to participate, ACRL recommends creating a quick and easy Meebo account for the best experience while participating in ACRL OnPoint discussions. Full details are available on the ACRL Web site at http://www.acrl.org/ala/acrl/acrlproftools/OnPoint/onpoint.cfm.

Join us on March 27, 2008 for the inaugural ACRL OnPoint chat on the newly mandatory NIH Public Access Policy. The discussion of how libraries are leveraging this new policy on campus will be convened by ACRL Scholarly Communication Committee member Karen Williams and Linda Watson, president of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries. Discuss actions your library is taking or could take, such as educating authors, offering deposit services and partnering with your office of sponsored research.

This first chat session is co-sponsored by the Association of Academic Health Science Libraries, the Association of Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance, and the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC).

Future ACRL OnPoint chats include:

April 2008: Section 108 Study Group Report – Discuss the implications of the recommendations and findings of this forthcoming report (expected in mid-March) for academic libraries.
May 2008: Green Libraries – Share ideas about what libraries are, or could be, doing to meet the growing “greening” of college and university campuses.
June 2008: ACRL 101 – Find your path to participation to get the most out of your ACRL membership and discuss ACRL activities at the 2008 ALA Annual Conference with Associate Director Mary Jane Petrowski.

Visit http://www.acrl.org/ala/acrl/acrlproftools/OnPoint/onpoint.cfm for additional information, including future chat dates, full descriptions and chat transcripts. Send ideas for future ACRL OnPoint chat topics to acrl@ala.org with the subject heading ACRL OnPoint.

Thursday, March 06, 2008

A useful screenshot tool in FireFox (this is a guest post from a colleague at my library):

This might be useful for some of you. If you use Firefox as your browser,
you can quickly download a plugin called FireShot that takes much better
screen captures than using CTRL/PRINT SCREEN. Open Firefox and go to:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/5648 Click to download
the Fireshot extension. It will put [a red square with a white 'S'] logo in the top right hand
corner of your toolbar.

Clicking it will take a snapshot of whatver screen you are on and OPEN IT
IN AN EDITOR!!! You don't have to move it to photoshop or anything else
to crop it or change it around. And then you can save it from there. It
takes much, much clearer screenshots, especially when you are using
something where you have typed into a form.


Brian Erb., M.L.S.
Reference and Education Librarian
McGoogan Library of Medicine

-------
Thanks for sharing, Brian. I have already used this add-on when creating worksheets and publicity, and it is slick. -th

Sunday, March 02, 2008

A discussion over at SlashDot should have all librarian's eyes: Can Architects Save Libraries from the Internet? http://slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/03/02/2129226 
Be sure and read the comments - they offer a unique insight into what our users (current and future) think a library should look like and behave.