Library Technology Awareness Resources

The resources below were compiled as part of my research while writing The Neal-Schuman Library Technology Companion: A Basic Guide for Library Staff (forthcoming from ALA Neal-Schuman, 2016).

Websites and Blogs
Twitter
Electronic Discussion Lists
Periodicals
Continuing Education, Conference, and Trade Show Opportunities
Find Libraries Near You To Visit

Websites and Blogs

Alertbox.
A weekly email with usability and web design tips from usability guru Jakob Nielsen.

CNET.
This site includes lots of technology information, product reviews, how-to documents, and advice. It is the place to start when you are planning to buy computers or other technology items.

Current Cites.
This free, monthly e-mail contains annotations of information technology articles and other items written by a team of librarians and library staff. It provides an easy way to scan the professional literature for technology-related publications.

Digital Libraries.
Digital Libraries is a blog written for Library Journal by Roy Tennant, a senior program officer for library research at OCLC. He writes about all manner of developments in library technology and how they impact libraries, offering his experienced perspective alongside useful links.

Disruptive Library Technology Jester.
The tagline for this blog reads "We're librarians, we're disrupted, and we're not going to take it anymore." It is written by Peter Murray, assistant director of the Technology Services Department at LYRASIS. Peter uses the blog to explore change in libraries and the technologies they use, both incremental and disruptive.

Inkdroid.
Inkdroid is written by Ed Summers, an information technology specialist and programmer at the Library of Congress. He covers a diverse blend of technology topics, ranging from really involved programming discussions to broad technology introductions.

Keeping Up With . . .
A monthly current awareness tool for trends in academic libraries. Many of the topics covered have a technology connection, such as patron driven acquisitions, net neutrality, and augmented reality, that would speak to a library audience beyond academe.

Library Technology Guides.
"The Library Technology Guides website aims to provide comprehensive and objective information related to the field of library automation," according to the website. It is an excellent source of library systems-related reports, articles, and trends. It includes a directory of library system vendors.

LISNews.
LISNews is a blog of library-related news happenings that includes discussions which grow out of the individual postings. You can sign up for e-mail updates of new postings.

Macworld.
This site provides news, tips, and reviews of Apple products and software.

ODLIS: Online Dictionary of Library and Information Science.
An up-to-date dictionary of terms relating to library and information science that includes a number of entries relating to technology, compiled by Joan M. Reitz.

ResourceShelf.
ResourceShelf is a daily updated library blog of "resources and news for information professionals" that presents excellent focus on industry trends and developments in online searching for all library types.

Seven Things You Should Know About . . .
Created as part of the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, these short monthly pieces provide informative introductions to a variety of technologies (from MOOCs to projecting from mobile devices to the evolution of the textbook) along with possible educational uses for them.

Swiss Army Librarian.
Brian Herzog authors this blog, which is mainly focused on the work of a public library reference librarian but tends to wander into all sorts of technology directions.

Tame the Web.
Tame the Web is a blog written by Michael Stephens, assistant professor in the School of Information at San Jose State University. He shares guest posts, student projects, interesting discussions, and commentary on the latest developments in library technology.

TechSoup for Libraries.
The site includes "cookbooks" on IT maintenance planning and technology planning created as a project to compile information on how public libraries support public access computers. TechSoup offers free webinars on various technology issues. There is also a blog that covers recent developments in and discussions of public computing issues.

Top Tech Trends.
A biannual discussion of technology and library users by the Library and Information Technology Association's Top Technology Trends Committee. These discussions take place at the American Library Association's midwinter and annual conferences, and are captured at this web site for your review.

WebJunction.
WebJunction includes a section on technology in libraries that holds useful documents on equipment and planning for technology that may be helpful.

The Wirecutter.
A site that provides reviews and recommendations for many technology items. It is not specifically library-focused, but many of the items included are ones used in libraries.

ZDNet.
A very similar site to CNET, it provides another excellent source for product reviews and buying guides.

Twitter

So, follow the accounts preceded by the @, and search for discussions with the hashtags (#). This is just a starter set to get you going. Try out new hashtags to see who might be talking about a topic of interest.

@ALA_TechSource - ALA's technology publications source
@bohyunkim - Bohyun Kim
@buffyjhamilton - Buffy Hamilton
@copystar - Mita Williams
@creativecommons - Creative Commons
@davidleeking - David Lee King
@griffey - Jason Griffey
@heyjudeonline - Judy O'Connell
@jessamyn - Jessamyn West
@librarianmer - Meredith Farkas
@libraryleadpipe - Lead Pipe open access journal
@lorcanD - Lorcan Dempsey
@make - Make: Magazine
@makerbridge - MakerBridge portal for library makerspaces
@mbreeding - Marshall Breeding
@Philbradley - Phil Bradley
@ranti - Ranti Junus
@ThatAndromeda - Andromeda Yelton
@varnum - Ken Varnum

#3dprinting
#alattt - LITA Top Trends Committee
#libraries
#library
#librarymakerspace
#librarytech
#makerspace
#OER

Electronic Discussion Lists

AUTOCAT. (subscription information and archives)
AUTOCAT is a discussion list for library staff members who catalog and perform other technical services-related work. It involves discussions of technologies as they connect to these tasks.

Code4Lib. (subscription information and archives)
An excellent resource for discussions and applications of programming and coding in libraries. Offers extensive job listings for technology positions in libraries.

Create. (subscription information and archives)
The Creation and Makerspaces in Libraries list serves as a place to discuss making-related activities and technologies in libraries.

Liblicense-l. (subscription information)
This discussion group focuses on the licensing of digital content for libraries. It ranges into discussions of open access journals and other key topics related to publishing and access.

LIBRARYMAKERSPACE-L. (subscription information)
A list for library staff members interested in developing and running makerspaces in libraries. Typically has a lot of discussion of 3D printers and 3D printing, but also covers policies for makerspaces and other topics.

LITA-L. (subscription information and archives).
The mailing list for the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) division of ALA. The list presents a good blend of workshop/conference/job announcements along with interesting technology articles and discussion of questions from list members.

LM_NET. (subscription information and archives).
While this list focuses on school librarians and school library issues, many of the discussions have a strong technology focus (particularly electronic resources and educational technology). Be warned: this is a highly active group.

NGC4LIB. (subscription information and archives)
This discussion group offers an ongoing conversation on the development of new library catalogs.

SLA-DITE. (subscription information).
The mailing list of the Information Technology division of the Special Libraries Association (SLA). It is a general purpose list to seek technology recommendations or to discuss new technology trends and developments.

Web4Lib. (subscription information and archives).
This is a very active discussion list that focuses on Web-related technologies in libraries but also discusses other issues including public computer setup, library website design, scanning, and search engine developments, to name but a few regular topics.

Periodicals

American Libraries.
This magazine, published by the American Library Association, includes the excellent Dispatches from the Field column on technology topics along with regular technology-related feature articles.

Cites and Insights.
This monthly online publication includes in-depth coverage of technology trends written by author and technology guru Walt Crawford. His observations and analyses of recent publications are a must-read.

Computers in Libraries.
Features articles on applications of computer technologies in libraries and reviews of technology products.

Information Outlook.
A publication for SLA members that includes the technology column Info Tech as well as occasional technology-related articles.

Information Technology and Libraries.
This journal focuses on the applications of information technology in libraries.

Library Hi-Tech.
This publication features articles on emerging technologies in libraries.

Library Journal.
This periodical offers feature articles on technology topics, it includes a number of technology-related columns (e.g., "InfoDocket" and "The Digital Shift") and regular reports on digital collections and sources.

Library Technology Reports.
Extensive reviews, studies, and testing of various examples of library technology items, from embedded librarianship to Web scale discovery services.

Macworld.
Apple computing devices and software is the main focus of this periodical.

Make: Magazine.
A periodical that covers making activities of all kinds and reviews technologies available for makers and makerspaces.

Online.
This periodical includes articles, reviews, and product information on databases and other electronic library resources. It also includes coverage of broader library technology issues, such as e-books.

PC Magazine.
This periodical focuses on computing devices, software, and peripherals.

School Library Journal.
A publication for school librarians that includes technology-oriented articles and product reviews.

Wired.
Wired covers a broad swath of technology topics.

In addition to the titles mentioned, there are three excellent resources for finding technology information published in other library-related periodicals. Two are periodical indexes: Library Literature and Information Science Full Text (EBSCOhost) and Library, Information Science, and Technology Abstracts, or LISTA (EBSCOhost). The other is The Informed Librarian Online, a unique resource for scanning the monthly output of some 312 library and information-related periodicals. The free version of the service provides a monthly e-mail update to new issues with links to selected items. A premium subscription service provides full access to the tables of contents for the periodicals and adds access to a selection of full-text articles, a searchable archive of past issues, and a search interface to all linked periodical issues.

Continuing Education, Conference, and Trade Show Opportunities

American Library Association: Affiliate & Chapter Planning Calendar.
This calendar, part of the American Library Association website, lists conferences and meetings sponsored by ALA and its chapters and affiliate organizations, all linked to more information on chapter and affiliate websites.

Information Today: Events Calendar.
Information Today offers a calendar of major conferences and events in the library and information-seeking world with an international focus.

Library Conference Planner.
Although there is no comprehensive national or international directory of library continuing education or professional development events, this website by Douglas Hasty can be very helpful. It lists a large number of national and international conferences to consider, along with the dates for their next meetings.

List of Library Associations. Wikipedia.
A lengthy list of international library associations organized by continent.

List of Library Associations Specific to American States. Wikipedia.
Library associations are organized in alphabetical order by state with links to their websites.

Special Libraries Association: Calendar.
This calendar displays professional development opportunities offered by the SLA and its chapters.

Find Libraries Near You to Visit

Find a Library: National Center for Education Statistics Kids Zone.
Identify public libraries and branches by choosing a state and then a city or town.

PublicLibraries.com: State Libraries.
This webpage offers an alphabetical list of links to state library websites. Most state libraries maintain directories of libraries in their state that can be searched by location or zip code.

WorldCat: Find a Library Near You.
This webpage presents a search tool for locating libraries that are members of OCLC or that have registered (at no charge) with WorldCat.

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