It’s good to go away, but it’s good to get back to the lab. On the front burners are:
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Collection development. Starting the week of Jan. 6th, watch this space for posts about recent purchases. This is part of a collaborative experiment in ordering non-fiction; my colleague from the First Floor, Bonnie M., may be posting here as well. Our goal is to order new non-fiction in all subject areas for both our departments, without unnecessary overlap.
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The return of Meebo. I’ve been asked to create a training for its use, so hopefully we’ve made progress on implementation! More details as I learn, and can share, them.
Amidst a flurry of reference questions, I skimmed my newsreader for treasure, and was not disappointed. Observe:
- Are the rumors of Web 2.0’s death greatly exaggerated? I suspect, yes. Just in case, though, I’m ready to continue my subtle traditional library services marketing campaign. If people do get fed up with the web, they’re going to need information guides more than ever.
- Folks interested in medical / wellness issues might want to check out Daily Strength, a social network created and moderated by medical professionals, to help people in need get support. Highly intriguing; from an information literacy standpoint, the fact that the “about” page contains credentials, bios, and contact info for the staff is definitely encouraging.
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A fascinating thread about 2.0 apps for education. The comments thread contains many links to apps you can explore for your library’s needs.
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I regret to report, however, that most of the content at Bookrags is premium content; if it had more free stuff, librarians and students alike would eat this up. But don’t throw out your databases just yet.
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Finally, just for fun, there’s a new online game in town, and it’s set off a debate among gamers that illustrates what they want and how they think. Anybody who wants to sign up with me and kickke it olde-schoole-duel, just let me know. I’ll be futzing with the brand-new female avatar options.
Isn’t it wonderful how every day in library science is a new adventure? Tune in tomorrow to see what new wonders and fresh challenges await…
