Nice move, ALA

George Eberhart from ALA just sent me a message, noting that the American Library Association has opened up access to American Libraries magazine and the weekly AL newsletter. In his e-mail, he noted three big changes:

1. The weekly e-newsletter, American Libraries Direct, is now available to anyone who wants to sign up for it, not just ALA members. The sign-up form, as well as the FAQ, is at http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/aldirect/aldirect.cfm .

2. American Libraries has launched its own blog, AL Inside Scoop, http://www.al.ala.org/insidescoop/ . Editor-in-chief Leonard Kniffel offers an insider’s view of goings-on at ALA headquarters and what hot topics ALA staffers are talking about in the hallways. Associate Editor Greg Landgraf offers his perspective from “the lower floors” of what many see as the ALA ivory tower.

3. Login is no longer required to view the current issue of the American Libraries print magazine online (in PDF format), or to view the archives, which date back to the January 2003 issue. Go directly to http://www.ala.org/ala/alonline/alonlineebrary/alonlineebrary.cfm . First-time viewers will need to install the ebrary reader to view issues. To download, go to http://site.ebrary.com/lib/ala/Download . Firefox 3 users installing the reader for the first time will need a workaround, http://www.ebrary.com/kb/users/ff3install.jsp, to make the ebrary reader work with their browser.

This is a gutsy and timely move by our professional association. Congratulations to Leonard, George, ALA Executive Director Keith Fiels, and the member leaders and staff of ALA who helped make this a reality!

Thanks

Hope everyone made it home safe from Philly. We left immediately after the Blog Salon to beat the snow. So if I didn't see you or talk with you very long--please know I wanted to spend more time together!!

We drove all night and got home about 4 am. Whoooo fun.

I am way behind on loading photos to Flickr. Other people haven't been.

Lots of announcements at Midwinter--not the least of which was OCLC's own news. Welcome Chris! I admit, I only know of EZ Proxy through some implementation support writing that I helped with a long time ago for NetLibrary. Even way back then, it sounded like it was a great product to help libraries authenticate users quickly and easily.

I have heard fretting about "what happens now" that the one-man band has joined the orchestra....

We make music, of course.

But I understand the concern. It's valid--I've worked on enough library budget data to know how tight things can be for most institutions.

And that's where going to ALA always brings it back into relief for me--that I am privileged to rub shoulders with some super smart people who are dedicated to making the world a better place. I sing the praises of library cooperation.

Software Developers Salon

Not that I am encouraging you to attend events other than OURS, but Roy just sent out a note about an event for Library software developers and other interested parties at ALA Midwinter. Come to the blog salon and then head over there:

OCLC Developer¹s Network Meet and Greet
Sunday, January 13, 6:00 ­ 8:00 pm, Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Grand Ballroom, Salon I Join this informal get-together to learn about the OCLC Developer¹s Network.
Meet your colleagues and learn about OCLC Grid Services and our collaboration environment.

Tell them what you want or where OCLC is going wrong. Roy says they can take it.

YouTubing

Just as "Google"became a verb, so has "YouTube", I think. Just google the phrase "let's youtube." (Isn't that a sentence that would make a grammar purist wince?)

So, we've YouTubed. Our media production manager, Rich, took the many hours of film from the Symposium at ALA MidWinter (many because there was more than one camera) and edited it all down to just under three minutes, and loaded it to YouTube. I am biased of course but I think it's good. And I think OCLC is the first library-related company to have a video on YouTube...

U.S. Library Bill of Rights

Hands up, US readers...how many of your places of work have the Library Bill of Rights displayed somewhere in a public area in your library?

Second question. Are the non-librarians on your staff familiar with the Library Bill of Rights?

We got to musing on the visibility of these Rights when the small team working on our forthcoming report wondered among ourselves...have you ever seen the Library Bill of Rights displayed in a library? And the answer was, "no."

Why not, we wonder? As the document states: "...the following basic policies should guide their services." Shouldn't the people served in libraries know what the service promises are?

If you have the Library Bill of Rights displayed (or your country's equivalent), please let me know! And if you don't, tell me why not. Also, they haven't been amended since 1996. Do they need to be?

I do think it a bit odd that "libraries" stand in for "librarians." (That's a synecdoche for you non-English majors) It's as if doctors' codes referred to hospitals' responsibilities to patients--which they don't.

One criticism I have read about libraries' codes of ethics is that the individual practitioner is not explicitly held accountable (more on codes of ethics in a future post). Certainly, there are no librarians in the US LibraryBill of Rights.

In case you've forgotten, these Rights are:

I. Books and other library resources should be provided for the interest, information, and enlightenment of all people of the community the library serves. Materials should not be excluded because of the origin, background, or views of those contributing to their creation.

II. Libraries should provide materials and information presenting all points of view on current and historical issues. Material should not be proscribed or removed because of partisan or doctrinal disapproval.

III. Libraries should challenge censorship in the fulfillment of their responsibility to provide information and enlightenment.

IV. Libraries should cooperate with all persons and groups concerned with resisting abridgement of free expression and free access to ideas.

V. A person's right to use a library should not be denied or abridged because of origin, age, background, or views.

VI. Libraries which make exhibit spaces and meeting rooms available to the public they serve should make such facilities available on an equitable basis, regardless of the beliefs or affiliations of individuals or groups requesting their use.

Adopted June 18, 1948. Amended february 2, 1961, and January 23, 1980, inclusion of "age" reaffirmed January 23, 1996, by the ALA Council.

New blogger

So I have a big list of blog topics brewing--currently the list is at 8 and it keeps growing!

Some of my catch-up topics that I'd planned to blog and are now old news :

• Apple iPhone (already lots of chatter out there in blogland)
• Windows Vista (a somewhat lack of enthusiasm here? Article from FT about the end of an era)
• ALA MW 07 rocked (I will post photos here and to Flickr. I know...sometimes that pesky day job gets in the way. Oh wait, you're saying that blogging IS part of my day job? Oh, and then there's that... (Fun Symposium pics from other people...) Tags to search on are OCLC_symposium, ALA_MW_2007, MW2007, ala2007
  (and Michael, I agree with you--I don't like underscores in tags either)
• Speaking of tags, hey hey we were able to upgrade to the new blogger tonight finally. They have been teasing me for quite awhile that I could try it out...but I couldn't post to IAG from the new system. So going forward we'll be able to integrate all the "DUH" elements like tagging and labeling posts. It will make us much easier to find good tidbits. Interesting--I wonder if we'll naturally fall out along authorship lines, as well? This will be an interesting exercise if we go back and classify all 991 posts! (And yes, I have brought up the idea of a Controlled Vocabulary but dunno how Web 2.0 it is...but for a multi-person corporate blog--anyone have recommendations to share?)
• Americans for Libraries Council (ALC) has released a fantastic new site called Act for Libraries. It's meant to promote ideas, research, action and investment to strengthen America's libraries. (Sorry Alane, I think they mean U.S. America, not North America). Lots of good videos and mini-case studies there. You will be inspired here! (Plus I met some of their staff at MW...shout out to Chris and Bruce!)
• Urban Libraries Council (ULC) has also just released an awesome-sounding report, Making Cities Stronger (PDF). Although I admit. I swiped Liz's copy from the WJ HQ when I went to go visit, and I have not actually cracked it more than page 2 yet. The title alone makes me want to read it cover to cover. It is right up my alley!

Not old news, but Michael Gorman (yes, THAT Michael Gorman) is hosting The Chronicle's Brown Bag discussion tomorrow (Feb 1 at noon EST). This news make make your blood boil or you may be relieved to know that we bloggers have not hacked him to itty-bitty-digital bits (yet). The topic is rather large and vast--they would appreciate your questions and comments, I am certain:

The Changing Role of Academic Libraries in the Information Age

Finally, welcome QuestionPoint to the OCLC family of blogs! They've been blogging for the QP user group for some time now--but they decided to flip the switch and let anyone read it. Rock on! (Of course I read this with some amusement, because we have an internal discussion going on about blogs and product blogs, legal necessities, etc. and I had just told two other services to "please hold off starting your blog quite yet" because our internal "Blogfather" (no lie, this is what we are calling him) was still scratching around with some possible policies. So...good things come to those who wait, right?

Speaking of waiting, you've had to wait for me, to get all this juicy info! Thanks for waiting...