ProfDev 06/04/06

How to deal with library disasters
librarian.net discusses ways to cope with tornados and other library disasters.
Lots of useful advice and links to various libraries disaster plans.

Library Websites and plain english
Jessamyn at librarian.net links to a site intending to help library web developers decide how to label key resources and services in such a way that most users can understand them well enough to make productive choices.
A lot of food for thought here even though there is an obvious USA focus to the site.
Also concerning library websites a presentation at USA PLA looked at best practice in library website content.
And over on the TALIS blog Richard Wallis isn't happy with the term OPAC!

Making libraries teen friendly
Libraries have competition among teens as a place to hang out, so we need to make sure that our buildings, programs, and services are enough to draw this user group to our libraries. A report on sessions held at the USA PLA conference.

'...the most important barriers libraries need to address'
some notes from a session run by Michael Stephens of the Tame the Web blog.

• Too many policies
• Irrelevant oragnizational chart
• Remote users are not served
• The Catalog isn't like Amazon or Google (which our users USE!)
• Too many sacred cows in reference departments
• Librarians do not market themselves or their services well
• Many libraries don't have enough computers to meet user demand
• Library staff need more training (and need to learn how to learn)
• Libraries need more innovative programmin

Love your library, forget the books
At the launch of the 'Love Libraries' campaign , David Lammy had to face strong criticism for library closings and falling book stocks.

Good school libraries: making a difference to learning
This new Ofsted report, which identifies 'factors which help to produce good libraries in primary and secondary schools', can be downloaded here .

Supporting reader development with learners
Essex County Council Libraries have produced a guide for staff who are just starting to work with adult emergent readers, it is available via The Literacy Trust .

Evening classes to double charges
In order to fund job training for low-skilled workers, the cost of evening classes will double over the next four years as subsidies are cut.

Online, but out of touch
'Councils have made real progress in making services available online, but a new report says most host websites need a radical overhaul before they can start delivering.'
And to see how to do it properly take an inside view at the Clackmannanshire council's website which features in the top 20 sites in this year's Better Connected report.

National Archives to put Titanic records on the net
'The National Archives' entire historical database of passengers who embarked on sea voyages from Britain's shores between 1890 and 1960' is to be put online by the 1837online.com website.

Stealing beats borrowing
Commentary on the high rate of theft in the UK's public libraries.

The books that move men
What do men read to get them through life? You will find this article informative and scary (if you're a man).
(Thanks to Karen Thornton for this little gem)