Author: mprentice

Check out this video review of the LITA 2008 National Forum, “Technology and Community: Building the Techno Community Library”, held October 17-19 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Included are general session speakers Michael Porter and Tim Spalding, session presenters Dinah Sanders and Nicholas Schiller, Conference Chair Dale Poulter, and LITA President Andrew Pace.

Nominations are invited for the 2009 Frederick G. Kilgour Award for Research in Library and Information Technology, sponsored by OCLC, Inc. and the Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of the American Library Association (ALA). The deadline for nominations is December 31, 2008. The Kilgour Research Award recognizes research relevant to the development of information technologies, in particular research which shows promise of having a positive and substantive impact on any aspect of the publication, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information or how information and data are manipulated and managed. The Kilgour award consists of $2,000 cash, an award citation and an expense paid trip to the ALA Annual Conference (airfare and two nights lodging). Nominations will be accepted from any member of the American Library Association. Successful nominating letters will address how the research is relevant to libraries; is creative in its design or methodology; builds on…

Library webmasters, usability teams, and administrators will want this authoritative reference on usability. In Making Library Web Sites Usable, a LITA guide to be published by Neal Schuman on February 11, 2008, authors Tom Lehman and Terry Nikkel show library webmasters, usability teams, and library administrators how to turn confusing, unappealing Web sites into the kind of friendly, efficient information gateways that students will choose. With clear, non-technical language, Making Library Web Sites Usable breaks down what usability assessments are, why they are important for libraries, why libraries should do them regularly, and what the most common challenges are. They also explain all of the necessary how-tos, whats, and whys for the most common assessment techniques and how to interpret results, document findings, and effectively communicate results and recommendations. Usability-in-action success stories from Purdue, the University of Virginia, and Wright State University libraries; the Clinton Macomb Public Library in Michigan;…

Help shape the future of LITA’s website! LITA is looking for an energetic, creative and experienced Web Manager. The LITA Web Manager is responsible for the content and services available on the LITA website. The Web Manager makes policy recommendations to the Board on issues such as page appearance, standards and technologies used on the site, and the use of outside contractors. LITA staff are responsible for routine site maintenance and work with the Web Manager and ALA ITTS staff to implement changes. This volunteer position receives a $1500 stipend or will be reimbursed for travel and lodging expenses up to $1500/year. They also receive free press registration to attend the ALA Midwinter meeting and Annual Conference! The application deadline is Monday, January 7, 2008. More information, including how to apply, can be found on the LITA Website: http://www.lita.org/ala/lita/newandnoteworthy/litawebmanager.cfm