Technology has transformed libraries. There are digital libraries, electronic collections, online databases and catalogs, ebooks, downloadable books, and much more. With free technology such as social websites, newspaper collections, downloadable online calendars, clocks and sticky notes, online scheduling, online document sharing, and online…

Information professionals need to be reachable through email (through cell phones, laptops, Treos, and BlackBerries) and customers' questions have to be answered in "real time," meaning that once the question is sent, an answer is expected that moment. A library in a Google environment allows this to happen. It also allows the information…

People do not want to talk about failure, and technological innovations that do not work out are especially difficult for librarians to discuss. Technological failures are expensive in terms of money and time lost, and they are often minimized by library directors in their annual reports in favor of reporting more positive outcomes. Today's…

Podcasting is a term derived by combining iPod with broadcasting. During 2006, when the idea of podcasting was still in its infancy, this author [an information systems librarian at the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) in New Zealand] began to consider how this new technology could be used by librarians to provide instructional sessions. She…

The library profession has made big advances in advocating for information literacy. High-profile initiatives, such as ACRL's comprehensive strategies, have helped attract the attention of teachers, administrators, and policy-makers. The University of California Academic Senate recently endorsed information literacy as a vital issue. In this…

This article discusses how, in the new world of the information age, libraries must seek to bring relevant services to their technically savvy patrons. This includes designing a library that can serve not only the geographic community, but also the virtual online community. Software used to create online communities is known as social software and…

Over the last decade, many of Kelvin Smith Library's (KSL) content delivery services have gone digital, and some, such as enhanced course reserves products, are new to the market. The best digital library services have given KSL options and integrated solutions that allow it to do more than it thought possible just a few years ago. As with many…

According to the National Association of the Deaf, there are approximately 28 million deaf and hearing-impaired people in the U.S.--roughly 10 percent of the total population. This hearing-impaired population may be even more isolated than the visually impaired community. Although technology is making it easier for libraries to provide effective…

This Helping You Buy survey is the next in an annual series of surveys that have been compiled by Pamela Cibbarelli in past years. This bird's-eye view should serve to both highlight some general distinctions and to underscore the commodified similarities of a wide range of library automation systems.

From blogs to wikis to podcasts to personalized e-mail alerts, there are now more ways to reach people than ever before. However, even with these new outreach pathways, success still depends on knowing your audience and having the ability to see beyond the "buzz" of technology. Best practices for outreach should emphasize a personal touch in the…

A special feature in the previous issue acknowledged the magazine's 25th anniversary, and current columnists as well as former contributors were asked to think back over their work and to share favorite covers, articles, and memories. Since I have been writing for CIL for nearly 18 years, I had plenty of past columns to review. It was interesting…

This article describes the conception, implementation, and current status of Rakim open source software at Midlands Technical college in Columbia, SC. Midlands Technical College (MTC) is a 2-year school in Columbia, S.C. It has two large campuses and three smaller campuses. Although the library functions as a single unit, there are separate…

Describes experiences in providing real-time online reference services to users with remote Web access at the Bowling Green State University library. Discusses the decision making process first used to select HumanClick software to communicate via chat; and the selection of a fee-based customer service product, Virtual Reference Desk. (LRW)

Gopher and other early implementations of the virtual library are being superseded by the World Wide Web concept of "the global village library." Public libraries are implementing institutional Web pages, patron access to Internetwide e-mail, interagency programs, and Web training. Legislative issues and implications for the future are…