At Cape Fear Community College’s Humanities and Fine Arts Center last week, futurist Thomas Frey told the audience of library supporters, “A library is a library … until it isn’t.”
College libraries are lending out some surprising gadgets
Florida university library lends drones to students.
Justin Ellis is an instructional-technology associate at the Georgia Institute of Technology’s library. He thinks of himself as the gadget guy. He manages a program at the library that lets students and professors check out a growing catalog of computers, cameras, and other electronics—a selection more akin to a Best Buy store than a lending library.
Continue reading… “College libraries are lending out some surprising gadgets”
The next chapter for libraries
Futurist Thomas Frey said a library should be a forum for exchange of ideas.
Libraries of the future could become community go-to places where you can hire a car, cut out a neat-fitting dress on a 3D printer, show a movie that you made, or thrive in the company of others.
Continue reading… “The next chapter for libraries”
Calgary’s Snøhetta-designed public library will be the Apple Store of libraries
Library designed by architectural firm Snøhetta.
Shaunacy Ferro: Hanging out at the library might just become cool as Calgary, Canada has plans to build a new lending library. The library will be designed by Snøhetta, an architecture firm. The library will have a 240,000-square-foot center and will be more than just a repository for plastic-protected books. Twice as large as Calgary’s existing public library, it’s designed to be both a circulating public library and a community gathering space, a combination bookstore/computer lab/cafe/event space/social hub that provides a pathway between two disconnected neighborhoods. (Photos)
Continue reading… “Calgary’s Snøhetta-designed public library will be the Apple Store of libraries”
Introducing the Library Vending Machine
Library vending machine in China.
By Zach Hyman: There seems to be sufficient demand and interest in China for enabling people to check out books 24 hours a day. The not-so-cheap library vending machines have taken root across both urban and rural areas, each with a very different set of needs and each bearing vastly different reputations for serving their citizens. (Pics)
Continue reading… “Introducing the Library Vending Machine”
Public libraries are shoving books aside to create community-centered coworking spaces
Dozens of reading rooms have been reincarnated as de facto coworking spaces.
By Anita Hamilton: Jonathan Marino has just arrived at his tech startup in D.C.’s Chinatown neighborhood at 9:45 on a Monday morning. Marino is a 30-year-old director of content for Map Story which aims to be the Wikipedia of interactive maps. He greets his two interns with a huge smile, joins them at an open table tucked inside a glass-walled pod, and fires up his laptop. Hunched over their computers, the group looks like any other early-stage startup, with one key distinction–their “office” is merely a meeting area inside Washington, D.C.’s main public library.
Evolving libraries still need people
The Greater Victoria Public Library allows patrons to check out passes to the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria and the Royal B.C. Museum.
The dawn of the Internet spawned predictions of the demise of libraries, made irrelevant by technology that puts infinite amounts of information at almost everyone’s fingertips.
Continue reading… “Evolving libraries still need people”
Ideas Box – a ready-made library for humanitarian crisis victims
Ideas Box
Easy access to information is something most of us take for granted. In some parts of the world however just being able to browse a few books is nearly impossible, especially for people who are refugees or victims of a humanitarian crisis. Immediate living necessities including clean water, food, shelter clothing and medical care in these situations are the primary concern. (Video)
Continue reading… “Ideas Box – a ready-made library for humanitarian crisis victims”
Google Glass available to students and faculty at Yale University
Google Glass
The Yale University Library, in cooperation with the Instructional Technology Group (ITG) and the Student Technology Collaborative (STC), has added the futuristic eyewear, Google Glass to its collection of media devices at the Bass Library. The eyewear has unofficially been dubbed “Yale Bass Glass.” The device will be loaned to faculty and student groups during the spring semester who can use it to explore the potential of Google Glass in enhancing classroom instruction and the research experience.
Continue reading… “Google Glass available to students and faculty at Yale University”
The library of the future is Chattanooga’s public library
The Chattanooga public library’s fourth floor.
Forget what you know about the library of the 20th century. The library as a warehouse of information is an outdated concept. The library of the 21st century is a community workshop, a hub filled with the tools of the knowledge economy.
Continue reading… “The library of the future is Chattanooga’s public library”
New roles librarians play in the digital age (Infographic)
Seattle Central Library
Technology has had a lasting impact on libraries. They were once thought to be going the way of traditional bookstores, but libraries have rebounded and are thriving in a technology fueled world. With the help of innovation, re-imagination and vision, libraries are embracing new technologies while creating dynamic community centers filled with life. They are no longer a house of dusty books and card files; they are centers of creativity, research and collaboration… and they are free.
Continue reading… “New roles librarians play in the digital age (Infographic)”
Norway digitizing all of its books and will make them free to read online
National Library of Norway
All of the books in the National Library of Norway’s collection will be digitized. They will process the text to make it searchable and make them available to read online.
Continue reading… “Norway digitizing all of its books and will make them free to read online”
