We Interrupt this Broadcast...

We are about two months into our new video program: The Monday Minute. Hosted on You Tube - the Libraries' now has a channel on You Tube. While this blog will remain up - I am leaving it indefinitely inactive. Find us on You Tube for up-to-date library information:

To those who followed us on this blog...Thank You. I hope you will find the new video channel equally interesting. - Todd

Monday Minute 8/10/2009

The Library is fortunate to have a group of creative folks who continue to find ways to use Web 2.0 technology. We have blogs, facebook pages, instant messaging...and now we have added a Monday Minute. The whole thing is a little strange, but it is an interesting way to disseminate library information in a matter of 60 seconds. Here is the first go on this thing...we shall see how it goes...

The opening frame is funny...my editor is going to have to work a little harder!

How Much is Your Library Worth?

For several years a Library Value Calculator has been kicked around on the Internet. The South Carolina State Library has created one for South Carolina library users. From the State Library:

How much do you pay out-of-pocket for the services your local library offers - $5, $10, or $15, or more? You might be surprised by what you find out by using the State Library’s new Library Value Calculator.

Library patrons can now visit the South Carolina Library Value Calculator and find out how much the library services used during a month equal in real dollar amounts. The calculator was adapted from the original Library Service Calculator provided by the Massachusetts Library Association. Visit http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/library-use-calculator and see how much your library’s services are worth to you!

View-Master 3D Travel Sets

View-Master 3D Travel Sets are coming to an end. The disk with small positive images transported the viewer to all kinds of locations around the world. As a cost cutting measure Mattel is stopping the production of the travel series of viewable disks. I guess Google images has taken over.

As a kid I must have looked at the View-Master's "Seven Wonders of the World" disk a thousand times. While I have not looked at a View-Master disk in years...the idea of losing the travel series is slightly unsettling. The format was stable and the images were unbelievably clear. The 3D effects were cool, and you could travel back in time or around the world with a View-Master and good back lighting. Like Polaroid instant film...some cool things must come to an end.

Federal Stimulus Package

The stimulus package has been debated and analyzed. There is some confusion on how the money will be spent, and how resources will be allocated. www.staterecovery.org is a single source for informtaion on the depth of the package, and outlines how resources will be spent State by State.

jamboread! 2009

March is almost here and that means jamboread! planning is well underway. Jamboread! is Saturday, March 7th. Go here to receive the latest information: jamboread! .

Today is the Day

Inaugural ceremonies have been around since the beginning. Some ceremonies have been lavish and some quite simple. Not only is there a ceremony, but we also have a parade, multiple balls, and of course a speech.

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has a comprehensive database organizing all you need to know about swearing in ceremonies and all the related activities.

Link: http://inaugural.senate.gov/index.cfm

Live from the North Pole!

The North Pole is the center of attention these days. From Santa to Global Warming. This is the link to NOAA's page of North Pole imagery. There is an index of web cam activity and related graphics. The next link is from National Geographic. These are great photos.

NOAA's link is located here: NOAA Link

National Georgraphic has some cool photos of expeditions to the North Pole, and those are located here: National Geographic North Pole photos .

C-SPAN Bus is Visiting on December 16 @ 1:30

The C-SPAN Campaign 2008 Bus is visiting the Headquarters Library on Tuesday, December 16. The bus will be in the Headquarters' parking lot from 1:30 to 3:30. (Click on photo for more information).

The C-SPAN Campaign 2008 Bus is a mobile TV studio and production vehicle that has been traveling the country since 1993. Since that time C-SPAN has been going to high schools, colleges, state capitals, campaign events, and many, many other locations to discuss the media, election, C-SPAN, TV production and public affairs with students, teachers and citizens.


For the past year and a half, they have been attending major campaign events in states across the country, in addition to continuing education and public outreach efforts at schools, colleges and other public forums. While the campaigns are now over, the bus is going to continue in its current capacity until inauguration day January 20th.

TIME/LIFE Magazine Photo Archive

Whether you like it or not - Google is at it again. Google has archived Time and Life Magazines' images.

Broken down by decade you may search photos from the 1860's...Civil War or 1960's...Space Race. You are able to search by category as well...People, Places, Events, Sports, and Culture.

According to the site, there are millions of images in the Life photo archive. Click here: LIFE .

Library Trustee Publishes Book

Library Trustee, John T.E. Cribb, has published "The American Patriot's Almanac". This is co-published with William Bennett the former US Secretary of Education. The article is located here: LINK

Google's Googling the Flu

From Time Magazine (November 24, 2008 - page 13):

Engineers at the California-based search giant are at it again, and this time they are after your germs. By tracking where, when and how many people are Googling terms like congestion, muscle ache and thermometer, a new service at google.org/flutrends hopes to better detect regional outbreaks of influenza. The service has even outsmarted the CDC by exposing hot spots 10 days before the agency did.

The site www.google.org/flutrends is kind of cool. There are charts and graphs, and some other cool stuff. According to the data, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia are already dealing with moderate reports of the flu.

While this is interesting...Is anyone concerned that Google is tracking your search criteria?

Two New Offerings in Our Nation's Capitol

Now that the election is finally over...you may find it interesting that two other things of historical significance are taking place in our Nation's Capitol.

One - The Capitol Visitor Center opens on December 2. Details are here.

Two - The Star-Spangled Banner Gallery at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History opens on November 21. Details are here. For an online exhibition you can visit the Star Spangled Banner's online gallery - here.

The Facts - Just The Facts

The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania manages a website called http://www.factcheck.org/ . As November elections approach we hear plenty of "facts and figures", but what is accurate?

While I can't speak for this site in its entirety - I can say that the University of Pennsylvania has made an effort to sort through what is accurate and what is inaccurate.