Allegany County Library System Director's Notes

Reading about eReading this week May 20, 2013

johntaube — Mon, 20 May 2013 17:14:06 +0000

Discoverability: NYPL redesigns website so customers can discover “things you didn’t even know you were interested in”

Urban Libraries Council: Libraries, Publishers and Public Access to E-Books

Publishing everywhere : PBS MediaShift starts publishing ebooks;

Wait, What? Sync your Goodreads to LibraryThing

News organizations have responded to changes in readers’ habits by moving beyond the newsstand and toward the bookshelf, zeroing in on ebooks as a new revenue source and a way to explore genres not typically found on front pages or home pages. What news organizations are learning from their ebook efforts

Connecticut House of Representatives Unanimously Passes Bill to Study Library Access to Ebooks, Legislation Now Moves to State Senate

the number of publisher-owned online communities is set to more than double over the next two years.

“a library that works for me”: our New Library Strategic Plan

johntaube — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:54:46 +0000

We are excited to announce that our new strategic plan was approved by the Library Board last week. The goal of the plan is that by 2018, everyone will know the Allegany County Library System as “a library that works for me.”

The Allegany County Library System will provide resources to expand the opportunities available to every customer and be a supportive contributor to a community that reaches its potential.

Take a look at the plan and share any questions or ideas you may have. Thanks to everyone who helped draft the plan and to everyone who makes Allegany County Great!

Web Site of the Week: U.S. Army Center of Military History

johntaube — Thu, 16 May 2013 14:16:34 +0000

The U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH) is a directorate within the office of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army. It provides a vast range of services designed to support the historical research efforts of different sections and organizations within the Army. First-time visitors may wish to start at the Medal of Honor area, which provides some detailed information about this most celebrated award, along with its recipients. The Force Structure and Unit History Branch area provides information about the various units and divisions within the Army, including those that no longer exist. The Army Museum System area provides detailed information about the various museums around the United States that cover the vast military history of the different states. The Artwork & Images area contains hundreds of artistic images that include dramatic paintings of key military excursions, along with thematic photographic collections like Army Libraries Through the Years and Buffalo Soldiers on the Eve of World War II. Visitors shouldn’t leave without looking over the The Green Books series. This series covers all aspects of the Army’s involvement in World War II; titles include “The War in the Pacific,” “The Middle East Theater,” and “The Technical Services.” [KMG]

From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2013.

http://scout.wisc.edu/

Reading about eReading this week May 13, 2013

johntaube — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:21:16 +0000

Hachette Book Group: Good Deal or Not?

Responding To Threats, Aereo Asks Court To Block “Do-Over” Suits In New Districts Ahead Of Boston Launch

Publishing Everywhere: Ernst & Young Releases “Mobile Banking,” a Free Financial Services E-Book

Web Site of the Week: Science: Video Portal

johntaube — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:55:03 +0000

The folks at Science magazine craft a wide palette of audio visual materials, many of which can be accessed through their video portal. In the Featured Videos, visitors can learn about some recent explorations into education reform, deep sea explorations, and the Higgs boson. Scrolling down the site, visitors will notice that the videos are divided into seven sections, including Engineering, Environment, and Medicine. It’s easy to see how these videos could be effectively used in a number of classroom situations to complement existing lectures and presentations. New users might do well to start with the “Alya Red: A Computational Heart” video and the rather thoughtful “California Meteorite Rush.” [KMG]

From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2013.

http://scout.wisc.edu/

Reading about eReading this week May 6, 2013

johntaube — Mon, 06 May 2013 15:29:22 +0000

Separated At Birth: Library and Publisher Metadata

Entire Hachette eBook Catalog Will Soon Become Available to All Libraries

E-Books, Libraries and Democracy – NYTimes.com

More on the Hachette Story - “New ebooks will be released simultaneously with the print edition and sold for an unlimited number of single-user-at-a-time circulations at an initial price three times the primary physical book price. One year after publication, the purchase price will drop to one and a half times the primary book price. The primary book price will be defined as the highest-price edition then in print.”

Entering a New Phase

E-Retailers Now Accounting for Nearly Half of Book Purchases by Volume, Overtake Physical Retail

E-Book Tarnishes The Reader-Book Relationship -NPR

Kindle For iOS Will Now Turn Your Favorite Books Into Audiobooks

Book Publishing After the JOBS Act Revolution

Parents Value Libraries’ Digital Technologies and Programs, Pew Research Shows

ReDigi Plans to Launch a Used eBook Marketplace Soon, Still ReSells Used Digital Music

“Here’s why this story is so hard to write: it’s always the same. Media incumbents use their positions to raise prices and limit choice. Start-ups employ new approaches, often enabled by an innovative technology, to disrupt the market and serve limited constituencies with more cost-effective options. Incumbents cry foul, litigate and disparage.”

—-Rinse. Repeat. Aereo, choice and lessons for publishers

Web Site of the Week: Women Who Rock Oral History Archive

johntaube — Thu, 02 May 2013 17:31:11 +0000

The University of Washington Libraries has created this ambitious and culturally compelling digital collection of “Women Who Rock.” The collection brings together “scholars, musicians, media-makers, performers, artists, and activists to explore the role of women and popular music in the creation of cultural scenes and social justice movements in the Americas and beyond.” The site includes oral histories, photographs, and films. It’s a good idea to start with the Oral Histories area to learn about thirteen fantastic women who are artists, writers, and performers from the Pacific Northwest and beyond, like Medusa and Maylei Blackwell. The Photographs area contains over 370 photos documenting the lives and experiences of these women. It’s a remarkable set of materials, and more documents will be added over the coming months. [KMG]

From The Scout Report, Copyright Internet Scout 1994-2013.

http://scout.wisc.edu/

Reading about eReading this week 4/29/2013

johntaube — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:05:11 +0000

The Genius Of Google Fiber

German Court Nixes Selling Used E-books

Rand McNally Publishes eBook of Classic Road Maps

Kindle Owners’ Lending Library has grown to over 300,000 books.

App Users Outnumbered Internet Users in February

Accessibility Upgrade: EPUB, Libraries, and Ebook Accessibility

An Open Letter to James Patterson on Bravery, Optimism, & the Future of Books

OverDrive’s Upcoming API Will Allow Ebook Checkout Directly from OPAC

The 7 key features of an online (Book) community: They all contribute to the personal experience of the shared space

Video: The State of E-Lending in Canada (Conference Presentation) pilot to go live in Fall 2013

Web Site of the Week: Scientific American: 60-Second Science

johntaube — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 15:50:00 +0000

Science in a minute? Sure, why not! Scientific American is offering up these bite-sized offerings that give a brief intro to a range of science-related topics and investigations. New, minute-long offerings are added every weekday, and recent additions have included “Fly Cells Divide by the Clock,” “Twitter Reveals Language Geographic Distribution,” and “Bed Bugs Bollixed by Bean.” Visitors can sign up to learn about new additions via their RSS feed or iTunes. These short audio blurbs could easily be used in any number of classrooms to keep students engaged. It’s a great resource and one that can be used with a range of learners. [KMG]

http://scout.wisc.edu/

Reading about eReading this week 4/22/2013

johntaube — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:23:52 +0000

Simon & Schuster Launches Library Ebook Pilot

The three forces that are shaping 21st century book publishing: scale, verticalization, and atomization

How To Change the Future of Publishing Now, Even Though It’s Too Late

Order and Liberty: The DPLA Launches