Missouri River Regional Library

Every month MaintainIT and WebJunction collaborate to provide a 30-minute webinar related to public access computing and MaintainIT Cookbook content. I just finished "dress rehearsal" for tomorrow's webinar, starring Robin Hastings... and I can tell this is going to be one of the best webinars yet.

An interesting thread on publib last week covered a discussion around web 2.0 and how it's used in libraries. I think Sara Weissman from the Morris County Library (NJ) said it best when she mused, "What are the patrons getting out of any/all of this?" Sara continued, "the most effective channels to/for our patrons, to date, are an events listserv (995 subscribers, no postage!) and electronic reference via good-ole web form/e-mail."

I've never forgotten something Eric Brooks--a tech department of one from Placer County Library System (CA)--said to me when we sat down to chat at his library last year.

We're all busy, and there's all sorts of things to keep us even busier, so when I find any tips on saving time, using time, and enjoying time (vs. being overwhelmed by lack of time), I take note. Bobbi Newman, the Digital Services Librarian at the Missouri River Regional Library, keeps a blog worth watching, and recently she posted about how she finds the time to keep up with web 2.0 technology. I particularly liked her first tip...

As promised last week, we've got more quotes and advice on the communications conundrum. This time, we've got some advice for library tech gurus who occasionally have to struggle to make themselves understood. Following are some ideas from librarians and library techies across the country. Look for these quotes, along with other tips and techniques in the next Cookbook!
Do you:

Last month, I asked libraries to share how they are supporting social computing, and we heard from Robin Hastings, the Information Technology Manager at the Missouri River Regional Library, who shared what she and her staff are doing at their library.