April 27, 2024

Meet the Tabletarians | Mobile Services

In March 2011, the Boise Public Library (BPL), ID, used $3,300 in Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant funding to purchase four iPad 2 tablets and all of the trimmings. As it turned out, BPL may have been a couple of years ahead of its time. This conversation is now coming full circle. Technological advances continue to make tablets lighter, faster, and more affordable. Vendors have recently launched interfaces that make it possible to use a staff tablet to perform tasks ranging from weeding books to signing up new cardholders. Also, applying lessons learned about these devices during the past five years, many libraries are rebooting or enhancing the way tablets are integrated into roving reference, off-site programs, and other workflows.

SLJ Reviews the Toshiba Thrive

It’s estimated that about 80 percent of tablet computers sold to date have been iPads. But have you noticed how many non-Apple tablets are suddenly out there competing for a piece of the action? Take the Toshiba Thrive, for example. It’s a 10-inch (10.1″ diagonal measure) tablet with a 1280 x 800 WXGA widescreen, multitouch […]