[OPLIN 4cast] 4Cast #89: E-Books, Librarian Tools, Customer Service, More Green

[Laura Watkins]

*4Cast #89: E-Books, Librarian Tools, Customer Service, More Green*

February 13, 2008

*1.  E-Books: Point, Counterpoint*

With recent advancements from Google Books Library Project 
<http://books.google.com/googlebooks/library.html>, Amazon's Kindle 
<http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-Amazons-Wireless-Reading-Device/dp/B000FI73MA>, 
and others 
<http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/archives/2008/02/a_milestone.html>, 
some are contemplating the future of the once ubiquitous, ever-humble, 
paper-bound book.

    * HarperCollins Will Post Free Books on the Web
      <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/11/business/media/11harper.html?_r=1&bl&ex=1202878800&en=5b2e43ca6568b375&ei=5087%0A&oref=slogin>
      (The New York Times)
    * The Top 9 Reasons Why E-Books Are So Very Evil
      <http://www.goodreads.com/story/show/10347.The_top_9_reasons_why_ebooks_are_so_very_evil>
      (Goodreads)
    * Publishers Are Braced for the Slow Death of the Book
      <http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/columnists/article3359899.ece>
      (Times Online)
    * Pushing Paper Out the Door
      <http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/10/business/10metrics.html?_r=1&st=cse&sq=paperless&scp=1&oref=slogin>
      (The New York Times)

*2.  Tools, Plug-Ins, & Apps... for Librarians*

Below, a collection of select tools-of-the-trade with which you may or 
may not be familiar:

    * 40 Useful Firefox Add-Ons for Librarians (Parts I, II, & III)
      <http://www.web2learning.net/archives/1509> (What I Learned Today...)
    * The Top 50 Proprietary Programs that Drive You Crazy---and Their
      Open Source Alternatives
      <http://whdb.com/2008/the-top-50-proprietary-programs-that-drive-you-crazy-and-their-open-source-alternatives/>
      (WHDb)
    * Sarah's Top Ten Firefox Plug-ins and Extensions
      <http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/librarianinblack/2008/02/sarahs-top-ten.html>
      (LibrarianInBlack)
    * Eleven Internet Tools to Boost Your Happiness
      <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/gretchen-rubin/eleven-internet-tools-to-_b_84147.html>
      (The Huffington Post)

*3.  Don't Let the Door Hit Your Customers on Their Way Out*

There's always room for improvement when it comes to customer service, 
and libraries are no exception.  Online interactions add additional 
opportunities to serve your users.

    * Kicking Users Out the Door
      <http://www.davidleeking.com/2008/01/31/kicking-users-out-the-door/>
      (David Lee King)
    * A Better Experience Begins With Staff
      <http://www.davidleeking.com/2008/02/12/a-better-experience-begins-with-staff/>
      (David Lee King)
    * "Libraries Are Absolutely *Terrible* Online"
      <http://librarygeekwoes.blogspot.com/2008/02/libraries-are-absolutely-terrible.html>
      (Library Geek Woes)
    * Improving Librarian Behaviors in Chat Reference
      <http://stephenslighthouse.sirsidynix.com/archives/2008/02/improving_libra.html>
      (Stephen's Lighthouse)

*4.  Want Some More Green?*

Not only is going green good for the community and environment, it can 
also be a money-saver for libraries on a budget.

    * Green-Built Library Saving Lots of Green
      <http://www.greenstrides.com/2008/02/05/green-built-library-saving-lots-of-green/>
      (GreenStrides)
    * Software Goes Green, Saves Money
      <http://media.www.thewheatonwire.com/media/storage/paper1134/news/2008/02/20/News/Software.Goes.Green.Saves.Money-3204910.shtml>
      (Wheaton Wire)
    * Cloth Library Bags For Sale
      <http://greeningyourlibrary.wordpress.com/2008/02/04/cloth-library-bags-for-sale/>
      (Going Green @ Your Library)
    * GreenPrint Offers Free Paper-Saving Software
      <http://www.news.com/8301-11128_3-9861268-54.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-5>
      (Green Tech Blog: CNET News)

 

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-- 
Laura Watkins
Communications Manager

Ohio Public Library Information Network (OPLIN)
watkinla at oplin.org
P: 614.728.5251 | F: 614.728.5256
2323 W. 5th Avenue | Suite 130
Columbus, Ohio 43204

www.oplin.org <http://mail.oplin.org/mailman/listinfo/oplin4cast>

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