Tinkers, Printers, & Makers: Makerspaces in the Library

Thanks to everyone who attended our makerspaces presentation yesterday at the Anderson branch of Lincoln City Libraries. Here’s our presentation, resources list, and proof that there is still a use for Workdbook.

Posted in Libraries, Presentations, Tech Tagged with: library, makerspaces, presentaton

The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play

The Brian Sutton-Smith Library and Archives of Play has launched a Tumblr page to highlight their collection. Check them out @ http://libraryandarchivesofplay.tumblr.com/

Posted in Libraries Tagged with: archive, library, play, toys

Lawrence Public Library Grand Opening slideshow

Posted in Libraries Tagged with: kansas, library

The best WiFi login screen I’ve ever seen

Two weeks ago was back at the Topeka Shawnee County Public Library for NEKLS Tech Day and I just remembered one more thing I wanted to mention: their completely amazing, easy to use, WiFi login screen.

The screenshot on the right is from my phone but the one for a laptop was just as simple: Their logo, a link to the policy, and one giant easy to tap button, which made the log on process so non-annoying that I immediately thanked David King for it. He told me that this new design had been getting a lot of great comments and I now publicly add mine.

Posted in Internet, Libraries Tagged with: library, login, Mobile, tscpl, wifi

Dick Cheney Vice Presidential Library Opens In Pitch-Dark, Sulfurous Underground Cave

But did it have to be in Nebraska?

SUMNER, NE—The Richard B. Cheney Vice Presidential Library and Museum officially opened to the public on Wednesday, housing a variety of exhibits honoring the legacy of the former vice president on display in a vast, dark, sulfurous cave thousands of feet below the surface of the earth.

According to officials, the subterranean library will permanently house the archived records and artifacts of Cheney’s vice presidency and will include more than 2.7 million photographs, thousands of razor-sharp stalactites, 4 million documents offering a legal basis for torture, scalding-hot green smoke wafting out of the cave walls, an original manuscript of the Patriot Act, hundreds of sick and hungry cave bears, and 15,000 audio recordings from Cheney’s private meetings.

via The Onion.

Posted in Fun Tagged with: dick cheney, library, onion

William Gibson at the NYPL

Includes a reading from his next novel!

Posted in Books Tagged with: author, library, nypl, science fiction, william gibson

Guantanamo prison library books for detainees

An interesting Tumblr blog…

Posted in Libraries Tagged with: books, cuba, gitmo, guantamo, library, prison

How about putting a slide in the library?

From the Architect:
The basic request of upper and lower spatial organization and the shape of the site promted a long and tin house with fluctuating facade which would allow for more differentiated view. The key was coming up with a multi-functional space which is a large staircase, bookshelves, casual reading space, home cinema, slide and many more…

Read the full article & see more photos @ Contemporist.com.

Posted in Libraries Tagged with: architecture, building, library, slide

Toronto’s One Book turned into live AR game

Today is the launch of KTR 451, a game I developed for the Toronto Public Library. Drawing on the themes and characters in Fahrenheit 451 (the TPL’s One Book this year), it’s a simple alternate reality game — part scavenger hunt, part audio drama — and people in Toronto can play it by calling the phone number above. There’s three missions, one per week, until a live event on April 22nd.

Read the full article @ NoMediaKings.org.

Posted in Libraries Tagged with: augmented reality, canada, game, library, toronto

Stuffed Animal Sleepover

This is one of the few children’s programs that made me wish I worked in a public library. Children bring their stuffed animals to the library, do a story time in their pajamas, and then leave their animals behind for a library sleepover. In the morning typically there are wonderful photos of what the animals did overnight. However, Lawrence Public Library in Lawrence, KS recently did one better and created a video during the event. I present it to you here in all its Internet meme glory.

Posted in video Tagged with: funny, library, meme