Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Open Source Integrated Library Systems In Public Libraries, Tony Brooke

School of Information Student Research Journal

One of the most fundamental decisions a library makes is choosing an integrated library system, or ILS. A public library can remove unwanted outside influence and save money by switching their ILS to free and open source software, or FOSS. This article is an examination of the progress made by FOSS ILSs to become not only contenders against proprietary systems, but also an appropriate choice for financial, functional, and philosophical reasons. Included is a timeline of published evaluations, the milestone of 14% adoption, a summary of the current landscape, and example implementation cases. A functional analysis shows why a public …

State News

The Southeastern Librarian

Recent developments from SELA member institutions.

The Bonds Of Organization: Zine Archives And The Archival Tradition, Rachel Woodbrook, Althea Lazzaro

Journal of Western Archives

There is a current movement amongst zine archives toward collaboration and the standardization of policies and practices. As a relatively new area of archival collecting, zine archives are progressing through core archival issues at a rapid pace; this progression provides an opportunity for them to redefine traditional archival practices in relation to their specific needs.

The community-based nature of their collections compel zine archivists and librarians to include their unique audiences in the mapping of traditional practices onto the organic structures of their largely grassroots organizations: they are translators and interpreters between archival theory and this grassroots practice. Ideally, this …

Whose Job Is It Anyway?, Lori Ayre

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Going “All-In” For Deep Collaboration, Valerie Horton

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Review Of “Can Library Use Enhance Intercultural Education?”, Jimena Sagàs

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Review Of Beyond The Silos Of The Lams: Collaboration Among Libraries, Archives, And Museums, Beth Thomsett-Scott

Collaborative Librarianship

No abstract provided.

Maine’S Btop Information Commons Project: The Building Block To Statewide Digital Literacy Efforts, Janet Mckenney

Maine Policy Review

Although Maine is a rural state, it has had success in keeping pace with technological changes since the rise of the Internet 20 years ago. In this section, authors describe some of these successes and the challenges faced by both consumers and libraries in the new digital environment. Janet McKenney discusses the recent BTOP [Broadband Technology Opportunities Program] federal grant that has increased the number of computers, workstations, and videoconferencing units in Maine libraries and is providing training and online learning resources to unemployed, low-income and senior citizens, along with assistance to local librarians to increase their technology skills.

A Shared Approach To Managing Legacy Print Collections In Maine, Matthew Revitt

Maine Policy Review

The Maine Shared Collections Strategy is a collaborative library project seeking to create a model for the long-term preservation and management of legacy print collections.

Good Libraries Make Good Citizens, Charles Stanhope

Maine Policy Review

No abstract provided.

Are Libraries Necessary? Are Libraries Obsolete?, Linda Silka, Joyce Rumery

Maine Policy Review

Libraries are under siege. They face competing demands not only from different people but also from the same people at different times. Some assert that libraries must continue to strengthen their role as physical centers at the heart of their communities. Others argue that the future of libraries is at the leading edge of the revolution in digital information technologies. The authors introduce this special issue of Maine Policy Review on libraries and information. They provide an overview of the importance and complexity of the issues underlying these varying visions for how Maine libraries should serve their communities in the …

The Maine School And Library Network, Thomas L. Welch

Maine Policy Review

Although Maine is a rural state, it has had success in keeping pace with technological changes since the rise of the Internet 20 years ago. In this section, authors describe some of these successes and the challenges faced by both consumers and libraries in the new digital environment. Tom Welch describes the development and importance of the Maine School and Library Network [MSLN], a pioneering effort that has brought inexpensive high-speed connectivity to all schools and libraries in Maine.

Maine Library History, Melora Norman

Maine Policy Review

From the earliest small private and university libraries of the 1700s to today’s high-speed Internet-connected institutions, the history of Maine’s libraries mirrors the development of the state and provides a sense of the concerns people had for access to information and education. Melora Norman describes the development of various kinds of libraries in Maine and the opportunities and challenges they have faced over time. She notes that the 20th century was a time of increasing professionalization and standardization in Maine’s libraries. During the late 1990s through the present, libraries have been changing dramatically as they shift from a focus on …

Libraries And Book Publishers, Maureen Sullivan

Maine Policy Review

Although Maine is a rural state, it has had success in keeping pace with technological changes since the rise of the Internet 20 years ago. In this section, authors describe some of these successes and the challenges faced by both consumers and libraries in the new digital environment. New technologies and new forms of digital media pose challenges both for publishers and libraries, as discussed by Tom Allen and Maureen Sullivan in their articles on e-books. Allen presents the publisher’s perspective on this potentially disruptive technology, while Sullivan examines the issue from the perspective of libraries and their historic mission …

Maine Libraries: A History Of Sharing And Collaboration, James Jackson Sanborn, David Nutty

Maine Policy Review

The high degree of collaboration among all types of Maine libraries is a unique and defining characteristic of the Maine library community. This article explores the history of sharing and cooperation among Maine’s libraries, identifies several ongoing collaborations and current projects, and explores some of the underlying factors that support this culture of collaboration. An argument is made for policies that would further collaboration through better coordination and funding of cooperative library activities.

Libraries + Irw = Big Read Success!, Jan Coates

Maine Policy Review

Jan Coates presents a case study of how Island Readers and Writers collaborated with local libraries in the Mt. Desert Island (Maine) area to encourage reading and community engagement through two "Big Read” events.

Libraries In The Community: Changing Opportunities, Stephanie Zurinski, Valerie Osborne, Mamie Anthoine-Ney, Janet Mckenney

Maine Policy Review

When libraries first began, books were scarce and expensive. We live now in the Information Age. Public expectations about information are rapidly evolving. To remain relevant, libraries are expanding on sociologist Ray Oldenburg’s “Third Place” concept – public spaces which are “anchors of community life and important places for civic engagement”. Libraries have always offered a place for the community to come together. Now, libraries are becoming destinations by offering experiences ranging from the traditional story-telling to creation spaces and business incubators. Even with all the changes occurring in the world, libraries will remain the glue that holds the community …

Public Libraries And The Immigrant Community, Steve Podgajny

Maine Policy Review

This short article describes programs and services to the immigrant community by Maine libraries.

Family Place Libraries™, Deanna Gouzie

Maine Policy Review

This article discusses Family Place Libraries™ which are part of a national initiative that has redefined library service to children by expanding the traditional role of the library and recognizing that libraries play a crucial role in helping to build healthy families and community.

Digital Literacy And Public Policy Through The Library Lens, Marijke Visser

Maine Policy Review

Virtually every aspect of our lives now has a digital dimension. Our first interaction with an employer is online; our education occurs online; we collaborate online with colleagues in different countries in real-time; and we keep in touch with friends and family online. It is essential that everyone has the skills necessary to be part of this digital reality. Libraries play a pivotal role in supporting the development of digital literacy skills of their patrons and are a key partner in digital literacy activities in communities across the county.

Libraries And The First Amendment, Melora Norman

Maine Policy Review

Melora Norman reviews the history and challenges faced by libraries in dealing with citizen first amendment rights to freedom of speech, freedom to receive information, and privacy.

When Disasters Strike: An Interview By Linda Silka With Joyce Rumery And Tom Abbott, Joyce Rumery, Thomas Abbott, Linda Silka

Maine Policy Review

Joyce Rumery and Tom Abbott in this interview with Linda Silka describe their experiences when they helped libraries devastated by Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, and how Maine libraries might prepare for disasters.

Embracing Into: Library Plans And Campus Collaboration To Serve An Increased International Student Population, Shannon L. Farrell, Catherine L. Cranston, Jeffrey Bullington

Collaborative Librarianship

Universities are using private recruitment agencies to fast-track internationalization initiatives and realize tuition-based revenue increases. Colorado State University (CSU), with this dual aim of increasing the proportion of international students on campus and generating income via out-of-state tuition, signed a contract with INTO, a British organization that works to recruit international students to attend partner institutions from countries across five continents. International students, although not a homogenous population, as a whole do bring unique challenges. Our study examined how both campus and the library could prepare for the expected large influx of international students. Seeking to understand the INTO model …

State News

The Southeastern Librarian

Recent developments from SELA member institutions.