Saturday, November 5, 2011

So, there's a lot going on right now...

It's such a cool time right now...

I've pretty much finished purchasing items from our BTOP PCC grant. (Just a few final things like nook covers and a new switch for the network.) NOW, I get to do all the fun stuff like creating in-house procedures and training. I am definitely looking forward to the training - the staff is literally chomping at the bit to get their hands on our new Nooks, iPad and Kindle....

I'm getting more into screencasting and video making... We'll soon be able to offer instructions on many of our services right from our website, making the library accessible 24/7.

And then, fundraising. There is a big push at MPL to focus on our debt shortfall in this next year - and here I am, trying to raise extra funds for Overdrive. Looking heavily into the new Amazon Prime and Kindle deal to see if this can be of benefit to our library...

Many other things going on - but must go now and bring coffee home. It is Saturday morning, after all!

Thursday, September 22, 2011

SW Days 2011 - Session 1: Videooohs and Ahhhs, Paul Betty

http://www.youtube.com/edu - reliable information from Ivy League and other unversities and colleges.

Playlists in YouTube (and then subscribing to channels)... For instance, on a Harry Potter fansite, they could create a playlist of all the HP trailers, and place that on their site. You can rearrange your playlist at any time, and even add special notes to videos in the playlist.

In filter and explore, you can search other people's playlists on your same topic - one way to find new related videos.

To play only certain portions of a video - (start at a desinated point in the video)

add to the URL: #t=03m22s

Looping a video - add & loop=1

A thirdparty option for creating playlists: embedr - ex: http://libguides.regis.edu/ED205

Can be a little slow at times...

Video Content Creation: Screen Capture (desktop)

Jing = instant screenshots and screencasts!!! FREE!

When you use jing, you automatically get a free screencast account (free hosting for the jing screencast)

Jing + Screencast.com http://www.techsmith.com/jing/ (a free version of camtasia)

Screenr - Screen Capture in the cloud - screencasts for Twitter. You can add captions throughout the video.

Screencast-o-matic.com, another screen capture in the cloud.

Both of these let you download in MP4 format (a good choice moving forward).

HTML5: the

Friday, August 26, 2011

eRate Success Stories

DeLilah Collins, Co Dept Ed
Mary Vernon, Marmot Library Network
Sheila Henry, Rocky Ford Public Library
Mindy Kittay, Anythink - Rangeview Library District
Sandy Messick, La Junta Woodruff Memorial Library

Every dollar counts... it's money in your pocket!

Mindy has been doing this for awhile, and her hardest part is coordinating with IT for new purchases, kind of looking into a crystal ball!

Sandy doesn't have that problem, as they are a smaller library, and she is the entire department!

anythink is integrating their tech plan into their strategic plan...

What is the hardest part of eRate?

Sandy says that is is ALWAYS hard at the beginning. she is continually confused with allowable cost, and how to work it in to her future budget. the forms can definitely be intimidating, but the forms are simpler than they were even a few years ago.

Mary says that it is hard to predict the future, and that a real tech plan is necessary.

Mindy has multiple years going on at once, and it's hard to keep track of.

Any advice for new eRaters?

Sheila says that getting your schools info asap has made everything so much easier.

Mary says to get your things turned in early if possible.

Mindy says to document, document, document. She keeps all emails together in one place. All forms in another binder - there CAN be an audit process.

Sandy has folders for everything for each year, and a list of important numbers. She keeps good relations with the finance department, because they will have to get her their billing statements, etc.

Funds for eRate Manager, used by the State - it keeps track of everything for her and can generate the BEAR form for her. there are different tools available to help you manage your information.

Mary collects the bills throughout the year, and applies for everything all at once.

Christine Kreger noted that the eRate year is different from normal library years (Jan-Dec) - eRate is July through June, and your tech plan MUST be for a whole eRate year, or they can deny your funding.

DeLilah mentioned that if you have RFPs, just do them at the same time that you do your Form 470.

Training this fall - dates not scheduled yet, she will be working with the BTOP trainers to train her to train!! she will come to our area, but it would be appreciated if there were multiple libraries in attendance... Durango doesn't do it, Dolores hires a consultant. Bayfield does it - call Joannie and ask if Cortez does it.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

What's New with E-Rate - DeLilah Collins

CRN - consultants registration number
SPN - Service Provider Number

For priority 1 services, you don't need a tech plan; however, you need on for priority 2 (such as building new infrastructure, etc.

Eligible Services

Leased dark fiber eleigble for discount. Support as priority 1 from any provider. On your property.

Web hosting
Add blogfing and discussion boards are now eligble

GPS of any kind are not eligible.

CIsco smartnet - some of these warranties, etc are eligible.

For CUPS, you must have a internet safety policy, as well as educational items that cam go in the actual policy - you DON'T have to teach classes.

Read paragraph 20 regarding how an entity that doesn't already have this policy, and what must be done to use it for CIPA (public meetings, etc).

Gifting

You cannot accept ANY gift from a service provider. Also, no trainga, either. The training must be hosted by a non-provider.

Collins_d@cde.state.co.us 303.866.6850

The BEST Keynote - Jim Duncan

The economy is like a bucking bronco - libraries are have to put on our spurs and jump on!

Libraries are the 1 of 3 places in a community that offers internet connectivity to users.

Over 30 million visits in Colorado Libraries last year.

We'll be talking a lot about Technology planning - some people love planning... some are more.. instinctual. But planning helps in all aspects of projects.

"Chance favors the prepared mind"... visioning, thinking, planning.

The best conference is like a brownie - some will take a bit, some will nibble crumbs, and some won't like chocolate-y goodness.

We're not serving faceless masses... the only way for lib to stay relevant is to meet the demand at the individual level.

What is is with libraries that differentiates us from other entities. We work with people. with ever person comes a story.

Ask your members - What's Next?!? The library can help you get there.

BEST Conference, August 25 & 26, 2011


I'm here in Breckenridge, CO and raring to go! Several friends and esteemed colleagues are here, and I'm about to head down to check-in/registration.

I'll be live blogging the event, so you can get my [quick] notes here!