Smartphone ownership is quickly becoming the norm. According to the Pew Research Center’s “Technology Device Ownership: 2015” survey, released last fall, almost 70 percent of U.S. adults now own a smartphone, up from 35 percent in 2011. And 45 percent now own a tablet, up from ten percent in 2011. The 2015 Allstate/National Journal Heartland […]
Whizz! Bang! Pow! Making an Impact with Digital Signage | The Digital Shift 2015
By on November 5, 2015
If you were put in charge of the digital signage at your library, would you know where to start? Laurel Eby, web wervices librarian at San José State University’s (SJSU) King Library, was tasked with implementing three digital signs. “In the beginning I had no idea what I was doing,” Eby said in her “Whizz! Bang! Pow! Making an Impact with Digital Signage” presentation for Library Journal and School Library Journal’s online conference The Digital Shift: Libraries Connecting Communities, held October 14. “What should I put on the signs? How big were they, anyway? And how long could I reasonably expect students to stand there staring at them, reading content on them?”
Tamir Borensztajn and Deirdre Costello on Eye Bytes, Cognitive Load, Effective Outreach, and other aspects of the Digital Shift
By on October 1, 2015
On October 14, Library Journal and School Library Journal will host their sixth annual virtual conference, “The Digital Shift: Libraries Connecting Communities.” EBSCO Information Services is a Platinum Sponsor of the conference, and LJ reached out to Tamir Borensztajn, VP Discovery Strategy, and Deirdre Costello, Senior User Experience Researcher, to participate in this series of interviews addressing libraries’ evolving role in using the latest technology to connect patrons to the information, tools, and services that they need—and to one another.
Queens Library Develops Innovative New Tablet Platform Using Superstorm Sandy Donation | TDS14
By on October 7, 2014
When superstorm Sandy hit the east coast in October 2012, the Queens Library (QL) in New York was among many northeastern library systems affected. QL persevered, continuing to offer crucial services in storm-ravaged communities while rebuilding damaged branches. The system also managed to turn a generous corporate donation into an innovative new platform for tablet computers, enabling a tech lending program that has since continued to grow.
Michigan State Launches SearchPlus for Ease of Use, Interdisciplinary Research
By on August 28, 2014
In an effort to cater to the growth of interdisciplinary research while also simplifying the search experience for undergraduates, the Michigan State University Libraries (MSU) this month debuted Summon from ProQuest as its first web scale discovery service. Branded as SearchPlus by MSU, the discovery layer will offer students and researchers a single entry point for searching the majority of the library’s resources.
Greenburgh PL Installs Audio Induction Loop for Hearing Impaired
By on July 22, 2014
Using funding provided by a local chapter of the Hearing Loss Association of America, New York’s Greenburgh Public Library this spring installed an audio frequency induction loop (AFIL) in its multipurpose room. AFILs enable public address systems and other AV equipment to send audio transmissions directly to hearing aids, eliminating background noise for hearing impaired visitors.
Anticipatory Discovery and One-Click Server Installs Among LITA Top Tech Trends | ALA 2014
By on July 14, 2014
Anticipatory and contextual discovery, open hardware, one-click server installs, mobile-first design, institutional digital assets management, and even biohackerspaces were some of the topics discussed this year at the Library and Information Technology Association’s (LITA) Top Tech Trends panel, held June 29 at the American Library Association (ALA) 2014 Annual Conference.
Library Simplified Works on Three-Click Access for Library Ebooks | ALA 2014
By on July 8, 2014
Library ebook transactions remain too lengthy and complicated for patrons, especially in comparison with consumer ebook transactions, James English, product manager for the Library Simplified project at the New York Public Library (NYPL) said during his “EPUB: Walled Gardens and the Readium Foundation” presentation at the National Information Standards Organization (NISO) Book Industry Study Group (BISG) Eighth Annual Forum, held June 27 in conjunction with the American Library Association (ALA) 2014 Annual Conference. The group is working to make an open, commercial-grade ereader for libraries that would greatly simplify this process.
Innovative Interfaces, Bibliotheca Announce Strategic Partnership
By on March 27, 2014
Innovative Interfaces Inc. (III), developer of the Millennium ILS and next-generation Sierra Services Platform among other discovery and automation solutions, this month announced a partnership with Bibliotheca, the global RFID, EM/RFID hybrid and barcode-based library solutions supplier. Both companies describe the partnership as a strategic alliance that will enhance the integration of their respective software and hardware products.
ER&L Conference Sees Rapid Growth
By on March 26, 2014
The ninth annual Electronic Resources & Libraries (ER&L) conference this year hosted more than 650 attendees from 40 states and six countries, representing a spike in attendance of more than 20 percent compared with 2013. Online viewership of the conference’s sessions rose significantly as well, with more than 50 U.S. academic libraries registering for ER&L Online.
