Online games for librarians:
You can reach a group of online games for Librarians at:
http://www.greenbergcreative.com/archives/library/Archive-04-04-02-Library.htm
The link to the games is below the bottom of a normal-sized screen so keep scrolling.
Thanks to Cindy Schmidt, librarian extraordinaire at the McGoogan Library of Medicine, for pointing out the link to these games!

Interested in creating a community tech and learning center in your library? Microsoft might have a grant for you! As seen on eSchool News Online:
$1 billion to develop tech skills for disadvantaged youth, adults
Grant Title: Microsoft Unlimited Potential Program Organization: Microsoft Corp.
Eligibility: U.S. nonprofit organizations
Value: Up to $1 billion over 5 years
Deadline: July 19, 2005
Microsoft Unlimited Potential (UP) grants provide nonprofit organizations with funding to support technology training programs ranging from learning basic computer skills to using advanced business productivity applications. Donations of cash, software, curriculum, and technical expertise enable individuals to learn about technology and gain the information technology skills needed for employment in the IT field or other industry sectors. UP grants are made through Microsoft's U.S. and international subsidiaries, which work closely with local organizations to identify community-based technology and learning centers (CTLC) where IT skills training is a primary focus. Unsolicited proposals are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Over the next five years, the program plans to donate more than $1 billion in such grants.
Contact: http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/citizenship/giving/programs/up/

The Freirean Approach to Adult Literacy Education: http://www.cal.org/caela/digests/FreireQA.htm
I saw this link in Keith Cogdill's message on the HealthGaps discussion list, posted there because of its potential use in health literacy education. I like the following passage: "
Freire's approach has been called "deeply contextual" (Chacoff, 1989, p. 49) because in it learning to read and write flows from the discussion of themes of importance to adult learners, drawn from their real-life experiences. " This is how I have always worked when encouraging anyone to learn how to locate the information they need. I just didn't know it was Freire's approach first! Locating that 'theme of importance' to me is the most important thing I can do to get ready for a class or presentation. I have always needed to know, pardon the slang, "where they are coming from" in order to determine what path I need to construct to show them the way to the information they need.

UK offering free 24/7 online reference services, from Library Journal story
http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA603048?display=NewsNews&industry=News&industryid=1986&verticalid=151& . The Library Journal mentioned that there are partners in this plan with Canadian and United States libraries, but I wasn't able to see a list of partners easily on the Enquire website.

A new library blog that you will want to check out, created by a former colleague and great librarian in Kansas - :30 Librarian (that's thirty second librarian) http://whitneydt.blogspot.com/ .

4 research reports recently released by the Museums, Libraries, and Archives Council in London, "New Directions in Social Policy": http://www.mla.gov.uk/information/publications/00pubs.asp .

Just published: Data Dictionary For Preservation Metadata http://www.oclc.org/research/announcements/2005-05-20.htm .

Using public access computers will require fingerprint record (?) - story seen on Slashdot: http://www.chicagotribune.com/technology/chi-0505200366may20,1,4613732.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

Value of Libraries - SIRSI report on Value of Canadian Libraries: Impact, Normative Data, and Influencing Funders http://www.sirsi.com/Pdfs/Company/Abram/StephenAbram_ValueCanadianLibraries.pdf
This report has information that stretches across North America. Check out the references for links to recent studies on value of libraries from Florida, South Carolina, as well as school, academic, and special libraries.

Health Information Online - new report from the Pew Internet & American Life Project http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/156/report_display.asp

Dutch Academics Declare Research Free-For-All http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/05/11/open_access_research/
"Scientists from all major Dutch universities officially launched a
website on Tuesday where all their research material can be accessed for
free. Interested parties can get hold of a total of 47,000 digital
documents from 16 institutions [through DAREnet]. No other
nation in the world offers such easy access to its complete academic
research output in digital form, the researchers claim. Obviously,
commercial publishers are not amused." regarding: http://www.darenet.nl/page/language.view/home . (Found thanks to a post from Patricia Anderson on the Medwebmasters discussion list. )

Strengthening Rural Communities, Bread of the World Institute's 15th annual report, particularly Chapters 4 and 5, could be of interest to developers in rural areas around the world and in the United States: http://www.bread.org/institute/hunger_report/2005-pdf.htm . Chapter 5, Strengthening Rural Communities in the United States, includes an interesting map showing "Non-metro counties with net out-migration" from 1980-2000. If you are writing any grant proposals that address the needs of rural areas, this report may be of interest.

Free WAP authoring tool that I learned about: Coffee Cup Wireless Web Builder 2.0 http://www.topshareware.com/CoffeeCup-Wireless-Web-Builder-download-9237.htm . It was mentioned in "Solving the one-to-one computing dilemma" by Jim Hirsch, in the eSchool News http://eschoolnews.com/news/showStory.cfm?ArticleID=5652 (free registration may be required). His view is that most students interact with a handheld device already- phone, pda, etc. - that could be used to deliver content if it was reformatted. My view is that libraries need to pay attention to this as well - our audience is already walking around fairly wired (grin!) - we just need to start using those channels to deliver our information.

Use Flash? Use Adobe products? The two companies have just announced that they are merging: Macromedia and Adobe to Join Forces http://www.macromedia.com/macromedia/adobe_macromedia/ . There are links to the Adobe-Macromedia Acquisition website, the FAQ, and an article "With Adobe in charge, what will happen to Flash?"

Branding is an important part of communicating your message. Your goal is to reach those that need you the most. I found two sites that could be useful to anyone considering how their services are or will be branded. The first includes a pdf of a naming and branding decision tree, from Identityworks http://www.identityworks.com/tools/decision_trees.htm . This tool could be useful during your next board meeting to determine when branding of new programs or services under your organization should occur. The second resource is Analyze Your Brand by AllaboutBranding.com http://www.allaboutbranding.com/index.lasso?page=11,53,75 that includes 30 questions to help you measure your organization's branding strengths. Both of these would be useful for any non-profit interested in their own branding.

Municipal broadband story of interest to you if you have customers that access your services over the Internet. cNet News.Com: http://news.com.com/Cities+brace+for+broadband+war/2009-1034_3-5680305.html
There is also a map showing municipal projects in the U.S., and a link to last summer's story on "How the U.S. can build a national network."

iPods-other uses, including podcasting, are mentioned in the May issue of Health Data Management. http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/html/current/CurrentIssueStory.cfm?PostID=19487 Have you thought of using podcasting to get your message out?