October 2007
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Month October 2007

Entries 10 Total

walking paper scraps: google edition

Oct 12, ’07 11:21 AM

→ Cringely on the future of google
Interesting take on google’s network and hardware expertise.

Microsoft can’t compete. Yahoo probably can’t compete. Sun and IBM are like remora, along for the ride. And what does it all cost, maybe $1 billion? That’s less than Microsoft spends on legal settlements each year.

Game over.

→ 6 GB of gmail storage space by January

→ Google mashes up two of their properties: google earth and youtube.
Find user generated video taken at specific locations. Why not put a tour of your library there?

Comments (1)

i like skitch

Oct 11, ’07 12:36 PM

I’ve been playing around with a pretty great new (mac os x only) screen grab/image editor tool called skitch and I like it. I used it to make this graphic.

Skitch

Things I like about skitch:

  • One click uploading of screen shots to flickr or MySkitch.
  • MySkitch might be a good place to store screen shots that you don’t feel like cluttering up Flickr with. It has one click copying to the clipboard for many different tasks

  • A history of everything you’ve captured or edited with Skitch. Integration with iPhoto.
    • Preferences

Skitch is in invite only beta right now and I have two invites to give away. Send me an email if you’re interested. I have a 5+(!) hour flight ahead of me so it might be a bit before I respond. Oh, and you’ll have to promise to make a graphic for me too.

Comments (3)

walking paper scraps

Oct 10, ’07 7:00 AM

→ Online community for grandparents

→ Do Prostitutes Use the Social Web Better Than Corporate America?

→ In Some Schools, iPods Are Required Listening

→ Gaming the system
Highlights the cognitive process changing aspect of gaming.

In the process of playing a game, people are not afraid to learn (as opposed to use applications). The mindset of play invokes the optimal experience: play invokes flow and brings you into the flow. Game design defines a vocabulary of moves that are internalized by players and this type of “literacy” is going to allow people to utilize complex applications. Video-game players have internalized how simulation works, as a new scientific approach. They can reclaim this knowledge to other fields: players are able to find patterns for example.

Comments (0)

let’s work together to get rid of library fines

Oct 9, ’07 10:58 AM

I don’t often try to get into conversations about libraries with the general public but it still happens. Recently it was déjà vu all over again when I heard:

“A year ago I was using the library all of the time. I’d start going again if I didn’t have to pay those fines I racked up.”

If I had a quarter for every time I’ve heard this, I think I could pay off everyone’s library fines! Seriously!

Fines make so little sense to me that I find it hard to believe libraries are still bothering. I’d really like for there to be a “Let’s get rid of fines” movement, so in the spirit of that I’ve created a page called Anti Fines Here’s a little chicklet that you can display on your website if you’re interested in pursuing this with me.

Here’s what I put on the page so far, but I’m hoping that interested parties will work with me developing some more content.

Why does collecting fines hurt libraries?
Fines are a barrier to providing service.

How will we get our items back into the library?
Consider implementing a “no overdue” policy in which patrons that have even one item overdue (that can’t be renewed) can’t check out any more library materials.

How can I get my library to stop collecting fines?
In most cases you’ll have to show that the money you’re bringing in via fines isn’t worth the staff time it takes to collect them. You could also take a survey of your patrons and see what *they* have to say. The lack of revenue and negative attention drawn to the library should be sufficient reason to stop

Comments (14)

let's work together to get rid of library fines

Oct 9, ’07 10:58 AM

I don’t often try to get into conversations about libraries with the general public but it still happens. Recently it was déjà vu all over again when I heard:

“A year ago I was using the library all of the time. I’d start going again if I didn’t have to pay those fines I racked up.”

If I had a quarter for every time I’ve heard this, I think I could pay off everyone’s library fines! Seriously!

Fines make so little sense to me that I find it hard to believe libraries are still bothering. I’d really like for there to be a “Let’s get rid of fines” movement, so in the spirit of that I’ve created a page called Anti Fines Here’s a little chicklet that you can display on your website if you’re interested in pursuing this with me.

Here’s what I put on the page so far, but I’m hoping that interested parties will work with me developing some more content.

Why does collecting fines hurt libraries?
Fines are a barrier to providing service.

How will we get our items back into the library?
Consider implementing a “no overdue” policy in which patrons that have even one item overdue (that can’t be renewed) can’t check out any more library materials.

How can I get my library to stop collecting fines?
In most cases you’ll have to show that the money you’re bringing in via fines isn’t worth the staff time it takes to collect them. You could also take a survey of your patrons and see what *they* have to say. The lack of revenue and negative attention drawn to the library should be sufficient reason to stop

Comments (14)

walking paper scraps

Oct 8, ’07 9:17 PM

→ Facebook music app will integrate with iTunes

→ Latest on the gPhone from the NYT
Maybe we’ll see it later this year, and for purchase next. They’re not making hardware, only an OS.

→ Churches are using Halo 3 as a loss leader to get kids in the door.
Reminder: when libraries host gaming events, they’re not necessarily doing it (just) to get people in the door. Games are content just like a mystery novel is content. And for now, we’re (at least partially) in the business of providing content.

→ A bookcase that converts into a bed.

Comments (0)

walking paper scraps: happy friday!

Oct 5, ’07 10:29 AM

→ Teens “need” their cell phones
Text messaging is the killer app for teens. Once again I will mention: How are libraries responding to this?

→ The 20 Best Hacker Movies warning: about.com lame voice ad

→ Today’s Web 3.0 Nonsense Blogstorm
O’Reilly on the oft present “What’s Web 3.0?” question. He doesn’t really like the term.

→ The Curious Origins of 9 Delicious Phrases
I bet I’m not the only librarian into etymology. I also bet I’m not the only librarian that would like to see some citations for these explanations.

1. The Cold Shoulder
Believe it or not, there was a time when giving someone the cold shoulder didn’t just mean publicly snubbing them, it actually meant handing them a cold shoulder, as in a cold shoulder of beef. During the Middle Ages, the easiest way to hint to guests that they’d overstayed their welcome was to serve them a heaping mound of cold cow parts. A few platters of nothing but shoulder were supposed to drive away even the most persistent of guests.

Comments (0)

dealing with constraints

Oct 5, ’07 8:23 AM

This restaurant in SE Portland turned a constraint (not enough room for a full size open sign) into an asset (a clever and memorable open sign).

What limiting things can you turn into opportunities?

Comments (1)

walking paper scraps

Oct 4, ’07 2:00 PM

→ Microsoft’s Zune get’s a bit more interesting with 1 million DRM free songs for purchase

→ Date Of Apple Backlash Set For March 21, 2008

Apple has responded to the backlash rumors by announcing the late-October release of a mint green iPod in time for the holiday shopping season, a strategy that appears to have silenced naysayers at least temporarily

→ Cigarette Box Cellphone Jammer
I shouldn’t be giving libraries any bright ideas…

Comments (0)

IM at Park Ridge

Oct 4, ’07 1:59 PM

Brandee Crisp, reference librarian at Park Ridge Public Library, attended one of my IM workshops at the North Suburban Library System in Illinois. She wrote me an email to let me know about the start of their IM program.

We started a soft rollout of Reference and YA in July, and Children’s Services join us in Sept. So far we have had 92 sessions in 3 months. YA is leading the pack, of course, but overall we’re pleased. We’re also using the widgets for those who don’t have IM accounts.

http://www.parkridgelibrary.org/email.html
http://www.parkridgelibrary.org/askil.html
http://www.parkridgelibrary.org/ya/yaindexorange.html

She also told me that the 92 IMs in 3 months was without any advertising (read: additional staff time). I like the idea of a soft launch to get staff up to speed, and then getting more of the library to join in. Congrats Brandee and Park Ridge!

Comments (1)