Webcast Recaps--Technology on a Shoestring: Big Tools for Small Budgets; and Spring Book Buzz 2009

Dodie Ownes -- Library Journal, 4/13/2009 10:09:00 AM

Technology on a Shoestring: Big Tools for Small Budgets

Demand is huge for low cost solutions to patrons' technological challenges. Evidence? Over 300 attendees in the virtual classroom for Technology on a Shoestring: Big Tools for Small Budgets, a 60-minute information packed webcast sponsored by Polaris Library Systems and Library Journal.

Moderator and Polaris director of MIS Bob Riley led tag team panelists Christopher Bell and Phil Goerner, both school librarians, through a series of no cost and low cost web-based applications that library staff need to know about in order to calmly and quickly solve common patron problems. Using flash video format (.flv) clips created and shared with two of the featured applications (Zamar and Drop.io) to help illustrate functionality, Bell and Goerner also offered examples of use in their own libraries.

Voicethread, a collaborative multimedia application, drew oohs and aahs from many attendees as Goerner's clip demonstrated its versatility and ease of use. Goerner really showed the love for Delicious, which he declared as indispensable to his day to day work at Silver Creek High School in the St. Vrain Valley School District (CO). Cindy Romaine, from Romainiacs Information Research in Aloha, Oregon shared that "while you are presenting, I have been adding the websites and your comments to my del.ci.ous account!"

Bell's segment on Ning prompted attendees to compare it to Facebook, or FriendFeed. "Ning is a much more controlled scenario—by allowing in and inviting," he responded. "It can be password protected as well. It is also more robust for the media necessities in sharing." Louise Alcorn, a reference technology librarian from West Des Moines Public Library, IA, filled the panelists in on FriendFeed, chatting in that "fyi, Ning is more of a permanent(ish) portal, FriendFeed is more of a multi-software feed environment in real time."

Other applications covered by Goerner and Bell include Skype, a free VOIP service; Google Suite and Zoho, and a finally, a plug for ChunkIt, a web browsing tool that Bell has installed on all the workstations in the media center at Castle View High School (CO), where he is head of technology and director of e-media.

Attendees were enthusiastic in both their questions and answers. Jody Osicki from Saint John Free Public Library in Saint John, New Brunswick pointed out that there is "no need to use Zamzar to save video clips from YouTube and elsewhere if you have the most recent RealPlayer update—it allows you to save clips from those sites and more as .flv files just by hovering your mouse over them, waiting for the RealPlayer "Download This Clip" button to appear, then clicking on it." Angela Weinroth from Waters Edge Elementary School, Boca Raton, FL, stated "So far, I have had discussions about two of your topics just this morning! It will be good to be able to share the info with others."

Moderator Riley was able to throw close to a dozen questions out to Goerner and Bell before the webcast concluded. Thanking all the attendees, Riley asked for inspiration from them for future webcasts and product ideas, which can be sent to greatidea@polarislibrary.com

Technology on a Shoestring: Big Tools for Small Budgets is now archived at Library Journal and is available for viewing, 24/7.Watch the LJ webcast site for more information on upcoming webcasts dealing with reader outreach, do-it-yourself resources, and integrated library systems.

Spring Book Buzz 2009

Close to 300 eager attendees were online for Library Journal's Spring Book Buzz 2009 on Tuesday, March 10. Sponsoring publishers Random House, W.W. Norton, HarperCollins, and Kensington presented 60 titles in the one-hour webcast, rivaling auctioneers and racehorses for speed! Each publisher representative booktalked their titles enthusiastically, noting important authors, read-alike connections, and cover shots, and provided brief summaries. Co-sponsor Baker and Taylor provided an online order form to make it simple for attendees who are ready to buy. While every spring title looks like a winner, each house had a few favorites:

Jen Childs, Random House
Hot House Flower and the 9 Plants of Desire, by Margot Berwin. (Pantheon) "This is from a first novelist, and is generating a ton of in-house buzz. Rights have already been sold in 11 countries. It's Eat, Pray, Love meets The Orchid Thief ...Julia Roberts has bought the option movie rights and plans to star in the movie."

23 Hours: A Vengeful Vampire Tale, by David Wellington. (Three Rivers Press) "Vampires are so in—I have to say, I am terrified by this cover, and I'm a vampire fan. All you need to do is display this, and vampire fans will be dying to sink their teeth into it."

The Girl Who Played with Fire, by Stieg Larson. (Knopf) Sequel to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.… This is the type of book you simply cannot put down once you start, so please make sure you have plenty of time before you start it!"

Louise Brockett, W.W. Norton
Home Game: An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis. "From the author of business and sports bestsellers Liars Poker and Moneyball…this is without a doubt the the most hilarious, entertaining, and candid acount of parenting ever written by the male of the species."

The Increment, by David Ignatius. "From the author of the thrilling bestseller Body of Lies, and we're getting nothing but raves from everyone that's read it, including NPR editors who can't wait to get him scheduled for their shows. The thriller takes readers inside the most volatile secret of our time, the Iranian nuclear program."

Nelson Mandela: The Authorized Comic Book. "This is first comic book to treat Mandela's life…and makes use of previously unused archival material and presents his story up to the present. The illustrations are by several noted young South African artists."

Virginia Stanley, HarperCollins
Larry's Kidney, by Daniel Asa Rose. (William Morrow) "This is a very unusual and true tragic and comic look at medical tourism…. Funny, heartwarming, and spiced with madcap adventure. We are thrilled to have his first big breakout book on our list."

Love Begins in Winter, by Simon Van Booy. (Harper Perennial) "A collection of six stories that offer intimate scenes of tragic loss, redemptive tales of unlikely connection, and breathtaking moments that never really end. Simon Van Booy appeared at ALA Midwinter and absolutely blew everyone away."

The World According to Bozo, by Larry "Bozo" Harmon. (It) "Harmon was the Forrest Gump of clowns. Charming, friendly, wise, and full of laughter…always animated by that Bozo spirit. There is never a frown behind the smile, just another laugh, another smile, another story."

Lesleigh Irish Underwood, Kensington
Celebutards: The Hollywood Hacks, Limousine Liberals, and Pandering Politicians Who are Destroying America, by Andrea Peyser. (Citadel) "The quotes on this book have been outstanding, coming in from everyone from Bill O'Reilly to Sean Hannity to Donald Trump. This book has tremendous blog and website mentions, and we continue to get great reviews on it."

Malice, by Lisa Jackson. (Kensington) "I read this in manuscript, and was just scared to death…Jackson gives you the twists and turns that only she can write."

The Nightingale, by Morgana Gallaway. "This book had quite a bit of buzz in-house, and was an Indie-bound pick. This is an incredible birds-eye view into the life of women and how that has changed in war-torn Iraq."

These picks are just a few of the fantastic fiction and nonfiction titles presented in the Spring Book Buzz webcast. To get the scoop on all these titles, links for publisher blogs, and more, visit the LJ webcast archives and view Spring Book Buzz 2009 today.