2008-08-26

Kindle the Flames of Booklessness

Interesting article from Vancouver: writer Mark Bauerlein reviewing The Dumbest Generation



I asked my son, "Why doesn't your college library have one of our self checks?" His reply was, "Nobody takes out books." Luckily, he's not dumb, I will hastily add. Thank providence that typical US libraries are not yet affected this way, (unless you have feedback to the contrary) and that we also make the allCIRC(tm)

Get the book here.

Breathtaking QTVR of Venetian Libraries

I'm one of those people who feels that the Internet is intended to be a multimedia experience, ultimately. It's sort of the opposite of the convergence idea that cable TV operators had when they first started CableLabs. The TV does not display text well, everybody reads at differing paces and the interface was to unanimously dumbed down to provide any real interactivity. With HDTV larger screens and the public's familiarity with mouse gestures and keyboard shortcuts, it could happen now, but cable TV still does not get it. My dream: to be able to pause TCM and go to IMDb to figure out who an actress or director was. Are they close? No.

Enough ranting. The whole multimedia thing has led to this- me guiding you to these QTVR images of The Marciana Library in Venice. If you've never viewed QTVR, just drag your mouse up and down, left and right to look inside the views- shift zoom in and ctrl zooms out. (I've even done a few) If you useta look at QTVR and figured it was gimmicky, you haven't looked lately - expert photographers documenting spaces with better and better equipment.

Anway the link is here and at the image below:



Hey, a nice break from the usual Buy our products line huh?

2008-08-15

Don't Fence Me In



Dale Ricklefs, the director of Round Rock Public Library in a recent discussion told us that after instituting Our FlashScan MAX units (shown below in the cool back to back "kiosk" positioning) she instructed her tem to spend time out on the floor introducuing the public to our easy-to-use units. As a result, circulation through these relatively new machines has gone to 30% of all transactions. She agreed with me, and we have seen this happen, that if the staff is not coached to buy in to the advantages of having a self check, and resistant to the idea, self check will not thrive, no matter how innovative the technology.

In environments where staff understands that self check contributes to Patron privacy and efficiency, and does not replace them (a preposterous idea!) self check usage jumps, and librarians find themselves assisting patrons with more meaningful problems other than handing them a book, in a library that is neater and better run.


2008-08-11

Wow. Wowewowwuwawa Wow.


Our 907D units at Pike's Peak Library District - Workhorses!

In 2007 1.8 million transactions went through our machines at the Pike's Peak Library District:
4932/day
411/hour
7/minute
~1 in 3 transactions went through a FlashScan unit.

That is not chopped liver, baby!

2008-08-08

Some New Pix





Well, I'm goin' out west where I belong
Where the days are short and the nights are long
Where they walk and I'll walk
They twist and I'll twist
They shimmy and I'll shimmy
They fly and I'll fly
Well they're out there a'havin' fun
In that warm California sun.

Small Mammal Can Vanquish Small Insect



Here's a question:
How do you want your self check? Small mammal style?

We were looking at this article:
Local library has cockroach problem
and we jokingly said to each other, "Why don't we offer to build them a self check with a bug zapper that only turns on when a patron isn't using it?" But then we realized, hey - that's what we're about ......

When the dinosaurs were for the most part rendered extinct, it was the small mammals that thrived and developed as the preeminent next phase. They were able to move quickly, fit in places that a large slow, difficult to maneuver, animal couldn't, and most importantly - they evolved to the environment around them. LAT looks at you (libraries and librarians) as its environment and our evolution is dependent on the demands you put upon us. Just as you change for your patrons, we change for you. This is evident in the development of the allCIRC and the MAXine.

So next time you need an purple self check that shoots tranquilizer darts at only patrons with excessive fines, call us - we'll make it.

Or next time you need a self check that will microwave a toll house cookie during a transaction - call us.

Or if you just need the best self check, call us.

(856-566-4121, BTW)

2008-08-07

Uncontrollable Theft



I laughed at the headlines:
"Man gets book thrown at him for library theft"
"Library fine speaks volumes"

But hey, here's that rare bird - and I mean rare - a real rara avis, a guy who identifies himself in the theft process, and it caught up to him. All the EM tape in the world would not have stopped him.

....and now he's been weeded from society's stacks!

"Denver Public Library last year estimated its losses at $35,000, while Douglas County reported that Pilaar had $11,000 worth of overdue materials, mostly pricey coffee-table books and DVDs"

How to Kill Your RFID Chip

These unfortunate realities exist, and motivations for libraries to utilize RFID must extend beyond common theft control. While this author is a generalist, and some of his info is flawed, step 4, where the actual "killing" is all too easy, is quite clear and confirmed by some of the commentors.

Link at pic:

2008-08-06

You think you're library is busy now?


A recent report by the Queens Public library had the following excerpt:

Public library usage is expected to rise dramatically in the coming months. Traditionally, people turn to public libraries during hard economic times for free entertainment, free after-school child care, to help with employment, for free access to the public use computers and to help them save money by doing things themselves, such as home and auto repairs. Queens Library saw a 16 percent jump in circulation and attendance immediately following Sept. 11, for instance.

Considering the price of food, gas, electricity and most everything else on the rise, get ready for some very, very busy times.

2008-08-01

Lil' Tiny Librarian Supports Constitution



It must have been quite a dilemma owing to the fact that the case was about a missing girl, but Judith Flint of Kimball Public Library in Randolph VT helped the Police not have their case thrown out, while protecting her, and her library's, liability.

The question really is: Don't the police there understand even the most rudimentary legalities? Why would you so flagrantly defy legal rules just so you could lose in court? While the case ended tragically, (the girl in question murdered by her uncle) the evidence would have not be submissible. It's a life and death situation, and standing fast for the warrant must have been difficult and she was inappropriately placed in that role- but it was the right thing to do.

Another question remains: Why does it take 8 hours to get a warrant in life and death situations? How preoccupied are the judges?