The ICDL was initially created by an interdisciplinary research team at the University of Maryland in cooperation with the Internet Archive. Members of the team include computer scientists, librarians, educational technologists, classroom teachers, graphic designers, and graduate students from the University of Maryland's (UMD) College of Information Studies (CLIS) and the UMD Human-Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL), a leader in children's interface design.
Other important contributors to the research are the members of the College Park Kidsteam, a group of six children, ages 7-11, who work regularly with the adults in the Lab. The approach used is called cooperative inquiry, a unique partnership between children and adults to develop and evaluate computer interface technologies that support searching, browsing, reading, and sharing books in electronic form.
The ICDL is now the principal activity of the independent not-for-profit ICDL Foundation, which continues to work closely with the University of Maryland by providing generous support for ICDL related research in the Human Computer Interaction Laboratory and the College of Information Studies.
Here you find-
Fast facts, Videos, Digital Process
The ICDL Foundation's goal is to build a collection of books that represents outstanding historical and contemporary books from throughout the world. Ultimately, the Foundation aspires to have every culture and language represented so that every child can know and appreciate the riches of children's literature from the world community. The International Children's Digital Library Foundation (ICDL Foundation) is to support the world's children in becoming effective members of the global community - who exhibit tolerance and respect for diverse cultures, languages and ideas -- by making the best in children's literature available online free of charge. The Foundation pursues its vision by building a digital library of outstanding children's books from around the world and supporting communities of children and adults in exploring and using this literature through innovative technology designed in close partnership with children for children.
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Monday, September 30, 2013
The International Children's Digital Library - A Library for the world's Children
Bookless Public Library Opens In Texas
An all-digital public library was opened on 14 September, 2013, as officials in Bexar County, Texas, celebrate the opening of the BiblioTech library. The facility offers about 10,000 free e-books for the 1.7 million residents of the county, which includes San Antonio
On its website, the Bexar County BiblioTech library explains how its patrons can access free eBooks and audio books. To read an eBook on their own device, users must have the 3M Cloud Library app, which they can link to their library card.
The app includes a countdown of days a reader has to finish a book — starting with 14 days, according to My San Antonio.
The library has a physical presence, as well, with 600 e-readers and 48 computer stations, in addition to laptops and tablets. People can also come for things like kids' story time and computer classes, according to the library's website.
A county official compared the concept to an Apple store, in a report on the library's plans by NPR's Reema Khrais in January.
And Reema reported that the idea of a bookless library has been tried before — perhaps a bit too early. That was in 2002, when Arizona's Santa Rosa Branch Library went digital-only.
"Years later, however, residents — fatigued by the electronics — requested that actual books be added to the collection, and today, enjoy a full-access library with computers," Reema said.
Sarah Houghton, a.k.a. the tech-savvy blogger Librarian in Black, who directs the San Rafael Public Library in California, told Reema that it will take more than 100 years before all libraries are paperless. But she added that 10 to 20 percent of libraries could go bookless in the next decade.
Some libraries have struggled to adapt to an era of digital options and budget cuts. In the Washington, D.C., region, the Fairfax County (Va.) library system's decision to destroy a reported 250,000 books drew the ire of residents — and an editorial from The Washington Post.
Source: http://www.npr.org/
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Sunday, September 22, 2013
Human Library
http://humanlibrary.org/librarian-services.html
The Role of the Librarian
The Role of the Librarian
Being a librarian in the Human Library is a little different from what a librarian normally does, and yet still very similar in some ways. The librarian plays an important part, both as a facilitator of loans, and as the one responsible for keeping the books in check. Events are usually staffed with volunteers and real librarians when in a public or private library setting.
The Librarian service
Its the task of the librarian to explain the concept of the Human Library to interested readers, that approach the counter. They have to make sure that new readers are familar with the guidelines and they issue the Library Card. Once the initial procedures are out of the way, starts the really interesting part. Since its the librarians task to help the reader identify his or her own prejudice through dialogue and a few leading questions.
The Library ledger
All loans are registered in the ledger. This is to keep track of loans, make reservations and see the statistics at the end. Also to keep the time schedule for loans, so that readers are not disappointed, when their book did not make it back in time. Usually there are no late charges applied, just a verbal warning.
Reader follow-up
Once a reader is done with a book and brings it back to the Library, the librarian will then typically ask if the reader would like to try loaning another title. When the reader has completely finished reading, they are asked to fill in a reader evaluation form (available from the resources page of the organisers section).
(Upd. 07/10/08)
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Library as social space
http://www.thehindu.com/features/education/library-as-social-space/article5128842.ece?homepage=true
The HinduIllustration by Satheesh Vellinezhi
Libraries everywhere are reinventing themselves to attract more students.
I vaguely remember my college library. The memories that have remained are of being intimidated, bored, confused and uncomfortable, and even of being scared of earning the librarian’s reprimanding glance. Maybe it was just me, or it was the context of it being ‘long ago’ — a time before libraries woke up to the fact that they are not just places for storing books but also service organisations.
“‘If someone steals my book, I am only happy because that person wants to read it,’ is a quote I’ve read and like,” says Dr. S. Venkadesan, Director, Learning Resource Center, Indian School of Business (ISB), Hyderabad. This is the kind of attitude makeover that libraries across the country need to undergo, he feels. At a time when universities are cutting budgets and space for libraries, it is imperative to diversify the purpose of this knowledge repository to make it indispensable.
“The meaning of learning should not be restricted to just books. A library’s catalogue should be diversified to include multimedia and even games like in the library of the Hong Kong University that has a gaming room with a large screen,” he emphasises.
Venkadesan and his peers voiced similar ideas, concerns and solutions at the Librarians’ Day celebration organised by Prin. L. N. Welingkar Institute of Management Development (WeSchool), Mumbai. The speakers representing libraries of universities, corporates and independent organisations, centred their discussions on incorporating technology into the library practices and increasing footfalls, physically and virtually.
Ambience
Libraries everywhere are reinventing themselves as social spaces too, which seems to be doing the trick of getting more people to actually visit one. And this begins with attractive design and amenities.
“Come, visit us, eat in our round–the–clock cafeteria and our lovely courtyard where you can relax with a book and coffee,” reads the British Council, Chennai’s library webpage invitingly. Similarly, Amity University’s library has a Café Coffee Day outlet. Such facilities that go out of the way to get you to read can only be encouraging.
But a library should be a place of serious study, you say? Then straight-back chairs, a straighter posture and caffeine–free atmosphere are only killing the will to study longer.
ISB, Hyderabad, has made its library a perfect place to study but by being a lot less restrictive. You can bring along your coffee or whatever it is that you wish to drink, stay on till two in the morning and till 4 a.m. on exam days, no need to bother about a dress code or the right posture.
“You can put up your feet on the table for all we care. And statistically speaking, the number of books that have been damaged by spilt coffee or water are negligible,” reveals Venkadesan. He also adds how some university libraries abroad have lounge chairs especially for students to take a quick nap between their study sessions!
Some like the Biblioteca de Santiago, Chile, go all out to reach out to the public. They have vending stations in the subway, Biblioboat — a library on boats; Bibliobike — a library on a bicycle, open-air market-lending points, plus there are no prohibition signs in the library — “Everything is possible in the Library,” reads its website.
Even a fine ambience can work wonders rather than having mono-chromatic hard wood interiors. In the West, the Downtown Denver’s Public Library, for instance, also doubles up as a high-profile art centre by showcasing sculptures, murals and other art work that attract art lovers and tourists alike.
The Rotterdam Public Library has an in–house movie theatre which also hosts festivals showcasing the work of local and student filmmakers, and the National Library, Singapore, houses The Drama Centre, a performing arts centre with a theatre.
Ajay Pagare, manager, Library, Kotak Mahindra Bank, added events like author readings, competitions, exhibitions, hobby workshops and ‘Bring your children to the library’ Day to the list of suggestions to make a library more interactive and welcoming.
These ideas serve to stress the point voiced by Prof. Harsha Parekh, Ex–Professor and HoD, Department of Library and Information Science, S.N.D.T. Women’s University, Mumbai, “The success of libraries today depends on initiatives that go beyond the individual library.”
Echoing that, Sri Venkateshwara College of Engineering, Chennai, has an arrangement with the libraries of Indian Institute of Science, Indian Institute of Management and the Bangalore University, wherein faculty and students can visit and use the resources offered at any of these institutions’ libraries by just flashing their college ID cards.
Technology-enabled
Libraries may have assumed secondary status vis-à-vis the Internet as sources of information, but the former still scores higher on credibility of information. “Not all information is easily available on the Internet, especially scholarly information,” says Prof. Parekh. “But going the tech-way, libraries now have made available access to e-resources.”
E-journals, e-readers, audio books, podcasts, online catalogues, wi-fi, web pages, recommendations, alerts and apps — the adoption of technology is now more than ever. Multi–media rooms with access to numerous audio and video resources are a regular feature in most libraries.
An article on Pew Internet on innovating library services highlights just how much libraries in India need to catch up on the tech-adoption front: “The Skokie Public Library in Illinois, U.S., offers a digital media lab, a space with content creation tools that allow patrons to create and share video, music, photography, and design projects. Additionally, the Skokie media lab has a green screen wall for video projects.
The Cuyahoga County Public Library, Ohio, U.S., has a smartphone app which features a Digital Books and Media channel that makes locating and downloading e-books and e-audiobooks from the library’s collection a lot easier.
More on technology, the National University of Singapore Library Express has set up a book borrowing and returning machine at University Town.
Despite all these innovations, technology only remains a tool, not a solution. If attitudes of libraries — librarians and management — do not change, no amount of technology can help libraries feature as an option in an information-seeker’s mind.
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