Vermont Cataloging Roundtable Fall Meeting

We’re pleased to announce the Vermont Cataloging Roundtable Fall Meeting on Thursday, Nov. 8th from 9:30am-12:00pm at DOL Midstate Library!

This revival meeting will be somewhat informal, but we are looking for topics to discuss and issues to address. Please reply to the list with ideas, or feel free to email Amber Billey and/or Helen Linda  directly.

If you haven’t already, join our GoogleGroup:

https://groups.google.com/forum/?hl=en&fromgroups#!forum/VTCAT

And visit our website:

http://vtcat.wordpress.com

Look forward to seeing everyone in November!

e-Vermont Internet Basics Toolkits and Webinars

As many of you already know, materials from the e-Vermont Community Broadband Project are now openly available to everyone (beyond the 24 e-VT towns) through thehttp://e4vt.org website.

Part of my role with this federal grant project was assembling and creating Internet basics toolkits to help citizens and staff in adult learning centers, public libraries, senior living facilities, and other community learning centers. You can find the Internet Basics for Beginners and Teaching Internet Basics Toolkits listed here:

http://e4vt.org/programs/e-vermont/toolkit  as well as a library of openly available webinar recordings here:http://e4vt.org/programs/e-vermont/newsevents/webinars 

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Two Free Webinars Offered Next Week

These two free webinars will be offered next week: Introducing the Book as iPad App and Bridging the Digital Divide with Mobile Services. Please click on the webinar title to register. If you can’t attend at the scheduled time, the events will be archived.

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Google Donates 100 Computers to Vermont Public Libraries and Adult Education Sites

Effort supports public computing at 42 libraries and adult education sites

Montpelier, VT – Google has donated 100 computers and funding for software to Vermont public libraries and adult education sites.

Vermont State Librarian Martha Reid announced the gift, which is valued at nearly $25,000 combined.

“Our local libraries have become the hubs of connectivity in many communities and we are very pleased with this public private partnership,” said Governor Peter Shumlin. “This puts power in the hands of Vermonters seeking free access to the Internet and all the benefits – for education, employment opportunities and more – that offers.”

The donation, part of a larger effort by Google to donate surplus equipment from their offices, includes desktop computers and flat screen monitors, keyboards and mice, all completely refurbished and loaded with the latest software operating systems. None of the computers is more than three years old.

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VT Library Tech Club and Tech Unconference

Greetings. I’d like to take this opportunity to invite anyone with an interest to join what we’re calling the VT Library Tech Club. It’s intended to be an informal group to discuss technology in libraries, to ask questions, share experiences, and collaborate within the state. We’re not assuming a particular level of experience with technology, just an interest in the topic. We’ve created a Google Group to give us a venue for communication – it’s located at https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/vt-library-tech-club . Or, if you have any questions, or would like to join, please feel free to get in touch with me at jmuse@colchestervt.gov .

In addition, I’d like to mention the Library Technology Unconference, which is taking place on Thursday, September 13th, from Noon-4:30 pm, in Berlin:

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New Advocacy Tool – Mobile Commons

ALA has now made it easy for all of us  to respond to  email alerts that are sent out asking us to call our legislator on behalf of the most recent bill or action..  Text!

Here’s what to do:

Text “library” to 877877. You will receive a message back asking for your address. Send that info back.  From now on, when there’s a legislative alert from ALA relating to library and information issues they will send you a text.

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FREE Koha Demo from ByWater Solutions!!

Hello everyone,

I’d like to invite you to join Nicole C. Engard, Koha Documentation Manager and VP of Education at ByWater Solutions for a free Koha 3.8 introductory demo webinar. If you’re considering and open source ILS or just curious about Koha please join me!

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Vermont State Parks Pass and Oh Ranger! App

The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources just announced a free Vermont State Parks App:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/oh-ranger!-parkfinder-vermont/id509618668?mt=8

As Parks Passes start to go out, this would be a wonderful thing to promote with the passes for library members with smart phones and tablets.

It might even be a great time to promote certain apps that have to do with the great outdoors, like the Audubon Guide Apps, which are a little pricy but I use them all the time myself and that purchase supports local business (Green Mountain Digital).

http://www.greenmountaindigital.com/

What are your favorite reference apps that you tell patrons about?