Category: Top Technology Trends

LITA top trends [Note: I keep editing this on shuttle buses–hotel room does not have chair, back is killing me, and related issues. But still…] 7th floor historic tower of Hotel Inter-Continental Just little late this time—like 5 minutes while searching for Grand Ballroom. 7th floor not intuitive. Not as grand as Hilton grand ballroom (or GB in conference parlance—very heavy on acronyms—librarianese). But very nice for a wedding. No chairs left, so sat on balcony floor. Two other bloggers in site. Amend—nine laptops in sight and one person really fast on a PDA of some type. And that’s just what boyfriend and I can see on the balcony. [Kind of interesting to compare what I heard to what had been posted in advance on LITA blog…they changed some, and I heard different emphasis. It makes the value of attending ALA clearer. I have been trying desperately not to read…

In which we fight for elevator space.

1. In many smaller public libraries, especially in rural America, the challenge is still to get enough PCs for the public to use and keep them up-to-date. Librarians everywhere should continue to support and applaud efforts by state governments and private foundations, like the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, to help these libraries. I was a bit surprised when a recent survey from the Illinois State Library asked how many computers with 286 and 386 processors we were using. We have not had one for eight or nine years, but they are still out there in small public libraries. Help is still needed. 2. Even libraries that are able to afford an adequate supply of PCs, may have trouble affording commercial databases for their public to use, even though the public is beginning to expect access. Small libraries have to focus on providing general purpose databases that give them the…

I’m tempted to respond in kind to some of the lively posts about Top Tech Trends I’ve read on this blog. But I don’t have much to add about web services, the eternally backwards ILS, or standards-clueless vendors, other than “you post for me.” I particularly enjoyed Leo Klein’s discussion of his MEGO response (Mine Eyes Glaze Over) to traditional “fat client” virtual reference software, and Sarah and Leo’s accolades for lightweight IM clients. Sometimes I wonder what a refrigerator designed by librarians would look like–and how long it would take to chill food. But to get back to my point, in thinking about top technology trends affecting libraries, I tried to step beyond the specific trends I see in society and look at the changes for the last several decades. (In other words, I tried to be Cliff, without the brains or the leather jacket.) In doing so I…

Just so you don’t think my life revolves completely around pizza, ribs and polish sausage, I thought I’d mention a few things that have caught my eye and where I think we’re headed: CMS for the Rest of Us Sure CMS has been touted before but it always came with fine print that read, “some assembly required”. Zope was a poster boy for this. Not only was “assembly required” but you had to learn python to do it. Beyond that, no problem. No problem? My idea of no problem is where you install the thing, set a few preferences and fire it up. Yes, I know I exaggerate but this very blog — the LitaBlog — is a testament to how far CMS has evolved. And WordPress (what they used here) is only one choice among many. Have a look at OpenSource CMS to get an idea of the range…

The Changed Business Landscape Many technology decisions are made in the corporate board room, not the laboratory nor even necessarily in the marketplace. The recent acquisition of Dynix by Sirsi reminds us that the shape of the automation landscape is largely formed by the interests of the behind-the-scenes investors that own the companies involved. While it’s yet to be seen what product offerings might change as a result of this business transaction, the potential impact is large. While we hope that the needs of libraries drive the development of library automation software, we must be aware that there are other factors at play as well. Consolidation Everywhere We see immediate evidence of the consolidation of the library automation business arena. Are more afoot? There will be a fewer number of larger companies developing software. But the remaining companies will have enormous resources. The new SirsiDynix entity, for example, will have…

One of my Top Tech Trends, because I’m too much of a procrastinator to do more.

Bad trends that should be better by now, but aren’t

I am unable to attend ALA 2005 to participate in the live session of TTT, but here are my two virtual cents.

This is a list of my Top Technology Trends for the 2005 ALA Annual Meeting.