News

BiblioCommons “Social Discovery System” for Libraries Goes Live in Oakville, ON
BiblioCommons’ revolutionary system is set to replace user-facing OPAC functionality in Canada, allowing for faceted searching and easier user commenting and tagging. Libraries serving more than half of Canada’s population are expected to adopt the product, and it is also stirring interest in U.S. libraries as well. Gail Richardson, Oakville PL’s acting director of online services told LJ, “People don’t want a library that acts like just a glorified card catalog online. They want a catalog that’s as good as Google and Amazon.” » » »

LexisNexis Marketing Library Express for PLs
Lexis Nexis is making a play for the public library market with the release of Library Express, a scaled-down version of LN Academic that the company’s Tim Fusco describes as “comparable” on the news and business (but not the legal) side, with 600 domestic and foreign newspapers and transcripts of news shows. The product also features business materials such as Company Dossier, giving PL business users access to company news and financial information. » » »

ECPA Names The Word of Promise Audio Bible Christian Book of the Year
The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association dubbed The Word of Promise™: New Testament Audio Bible released by Thomas Nelson, Inc. the Christian Book of the Year at its recent 2008 Christian Book Awards. The award judges the title’s excellence as well as incorporating a sales component to determine public interest. The 20-CD set is a scripted dramatization of the New King James Version. » » »

Blatant Berry: The Impossible Job
Library management is hardscrabble at best. Directors and administrators often face pressures and challenges on multiple fronts from overzealous boards, local politicos, other staff, and the public. The astute manager, claims Berry, “uses quantitative measures when making the case, qualitative measures when trying to convince, and PR and persuasion when all else fails.” » » »

Blogs

Wyatt's World

Summer Reading Suggestions— History by the Books

• The Romanov Bride by Robert Alexander (Viking)
• Pelican Road by Howard Bahr (Macadam Cage)
• The Gift of Rain by Tan Twan Eng (Weinstein Books)
• Stealing Athena by Karen Essex (Doubleday)
• Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland (Touchstone)

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Review

Africa Unite: A Celebration of Bob Marley’s Vision

color. 89 min. Stephanie Black, Tuff Gong Pictures, dist. by Palm Pictures LLC, 76 9th Ave., 11th fl., New York, NY 10011; www.palmpictures.com. 2007. DVD $24.98. int affairs

In February 2005, several hundred thousand people from all over the world gathered in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, to celebrate late reggae legend Bob Marley’s 60th birthday. Sponsored by the Bob Marley and Rita Marley foundations, the 12-hour concert extravaganza featured performances by three generations of Marleys, as well as by renowned artists such as Teddy Afro, Bob Andy, and West African singer Angélique Kidjo. » » »

—Rob Sica, Eastern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Richmond

Highlights

The Disconnected
There are roughly 3.8 million men and women nationwide between the ages of 18 and 24 who are neither in school nor employed but regularly use libraries for the Internet, email, and related activities. Queens Library's Kathy Degyansky (also appearing in a web-exclusive video) says PLs are positioned to "touch the lives of these adults" and that "librarians have a role to play in providing services that can help the disconnected" with securing jobs, furthering education, and even emotional support. Find advice on how to spot dropouts and those with low literacy skills, as well. » » »

The Transparent Library: Check Your Ego at the Door
“Egos complicate procedures and keep good people down. Egos squash good ideas and can take the best of an organization and turn it on itself,” say the Michaels (Casey and Stephens), who advise losing yours if you want to successfully lead a project, department, or other staff, and give tips on fostering other workers’ talents that will benefit you and the library in the long run while keeping everyone happy and feeling connected. » » »