Virtual Library Notes

Loaning iPads

Lauren — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 21:13:47 +0000

This just in from ALA Mid-Winter - a vending machine which dispenses iPads for loans!

Mediasurfer is offering this self-service machine according to the blog – No Shelf Required post.

The eBook Evolution

Lauren — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 21:18:59 +0000

The Press Democrat recently published an interesting article entitled “The e-book evolution” that speaks of the diverse ecosystem emerging for digital reading in 2012 as electronic devices become more mainstream and become more widely used by curious, tech-savvy consumers.

Cooperfield’s Books now offers customers to browser the print version and if they want to purchase it, they scan the book barcode, then they get a digital copy to load on to their eReader.

Could this be a model for the library?

Kindle Disclaimer

Lauren — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 15:41:50 +0000

OverDrive implemented a disclaimer on our site that warns the patron downloading a Kindle book that they are leaving the library’s digital site AND that the commercial site (aka Amazon) doesn’t have the same privacy policies as the library. The wording for this pop-up window was settled on by OverDrive and Amazon. In case the screenshot below doesn’t display for you, the text is:

Attention Kindle Book User:
By clicking “Accept to Continue” you consent to being linked awayfrom the library’s download platform to a commercial service. This third party service does not have the same policies used by the library for your session privacy or use of your user infomration. If you continue, you are advised to consult the commercial website’s privacy policy for additional information. Click “Accept to Continue”

NOTE FOR KINDLE READER DOWNLOADS:
You may receive renewal or purchase messages from Amazon regarding your OverDrive download of library eBooks to Kindle readers. These messages are not from your local library, and do not affect the terms of your library download. The Library never solicits purchases, or charges any fees for the use of digital material.

Reader Advisory

Lauren — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 23:26:59 +0000

How would you respond to a reader who asked if Guy Gavriel Kay had a new book coming out. Each of the responses below isn’t just about the service we provide. It is about the type of relationship we want to build with a reader.

Which of these responses to the Kay question are you most likely to use? Which do you use most often? Which ones do you think would create a positive relationship with the readers in your community?

When asked about Kay’s next book, you might:

Check resources and provide the answer. which ones would you use?
Ask about other books the reader has read and enjoyed.
Suggest other authors/titles the reader might enjoy based on what you have learned about them as a reader. Use Novelist to find read-a-likes.
Show the resources you used — or other resources that might be of interest to the reader.
Urge the reader to sign up for our library’s Science fiction/Fantasy newsletter or other book oriented newsletters.
Encourage the readers to rate titles that they have read and write reviews for them in the catalog (Ratings are also available in the eMedia Catalog) or share on social media such as FaceBook or Twitter.
Ask the reader if he would like to come to the library’s next Fantasy book club meeting.

Of course, not every library will be able to provide all of these responses, but any of them is an opportunity to build stronger, deeper relationships with our readers. We do not want to be just a place that library users come to pick up the books they put on hold, but, through their interactions with us, we want to enrich their reading and their lives.

New Literature Criticism

Lauren — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 00:01:40 +0000

The following titles are now available in Literature Criticism Online.

Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol 315

Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol 316

Contemporary Literary Criticism Vol 317

Drama Criticism Vol 044

Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism Vol 250

Nineteenth-Century Literature Criticism Vol 251

Poetry Criticism Vol 124

Short Story Criticism Vol 159

Short Story Criticism Vol 160

Freegal Updates

Lauren — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 23:33:01 +0000

Freegal total us today they are going to change the number of songs one can download each week from 3 to 5. Patrons should be see this change very soon.

Also, a new interface is coming soon to Freegal. It will be more graphic driven and new search engine to make finding songs much better. another feature to be added is a If you Like This..

Freegal continues to add the songs from Ioda. In total, they will be adding 3 million songs. The additions start in October and will continue until all 3 million songs have been added.

Watch for these changes occurring before the end of the year.

Your Guide to eReaders and eBooks for Library Staff

Lauren — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 20:18:40 +0000

Print a PDF version of the guide Your Guide to eReaders and eBooks for Library Staff

Follow these steps to help library patrons in-person or over the phone:Ask the patron what brand of eReader or tablet they have.

The Kindle Fire can use the built-in browser to go directly to our eMedia Catalog, checkout and download ebooks. They can also download and install the eMedia Console for Android to get ePUB formatted books. To get the Android app have them use this link http://www.overdrive.com/software/omc/AndroidEULA.aspx
Kindle eReaders require a computer to checkout, download and send to their Amazon account. Once the eBook is at their account they need to connect their Kindle eReader to a WiFi network (not 3G) or use a USB cable and a computer to sync their eBook to the Kindle eReader.
Sony Reader WiFi (PRS-T1) has a built in app to access library ebooks. See the video on eRead Me Vegas to see how it works with our ebooks http://readmevegas.blogspot.com/2011/11/sony-ereader-wifi.html The app is located on page 2 of the eReader.
Tablets use the OverDrive Media Console app

i. iPad, iTouch, iPhones go to the iTunes App Store

ii. Android tablets (basically all other tables) go to https://market.android.com/search?q=overdrive+media+console&so=1&c=apps for the app

5. Nooks, Pandigital, and other brands of eReaders require a computer and Adobe Digital Editions installed on the computer.

i. Use the steps below under number 3 to guide them.

6. Confirm the patron has registered their device with the manufacturer

Kindle with Amazon

Sony with Sony.com
Nook with Barnes & Nobles
iPad, iTouch, iPhone with Apple
Also various tablets or other eReaders with the manufacturer

If the patron has a different eReader than mentioned above go to Compatible Devices http://www.overdrive.com/resources/drc/ to verify the eReader will work with library ebooks.

eReader setup procedures for all devices is available to patrons at our eMedia Catalog under the icon showing below – http://ebooks.lvccld.org

Click on MyHelp!
Select eBooks
Select the eReader device
Click on View My Help
Follow the steps on the Set Up tab for the eReader

Getting eBooks from our eMedia Catalog at http://ebooks.lvccld.org

Find a book to checkout
Select the format which the device uses
Kindle uses Kindle format>/li>
Most other ereaders will use ePUB and/or PDF formats with DRM (Digital Rights Management)
Add to eMedia Bag
Click Proceed to Checkout
Log in using your library card number, library and zipcode
Select a lending period
Click Confirm Checkout
Click Download or Get for Kindlebutton

Non-Kindle devices

Select Open with Adobe Digital Editions
Click OK
Once downloaded, transfer the book from Adobe Digital Editions to the eReader by connecting the eReader to the computer and dragging and dropping the book cover onto the device.

Kindle eReaders

At Amazon Click Get Library Book
Login to your Amazon account
Select to which Kindle device you want to deliver the book
Click Continue
Connect the Kindle eReader to a WiFi network (not a 3G network)
Click on Menu
Click View Archived Items
To read click the Title when it appears on the main page

If the patron has issues checking our ebooks out, check their patron record in III. They must be in good standing and have a valid library card from LVCCLD, North Las Vegas or Boulder City. Henderson patrons need to use the Henderson Library District’s Overdrive catalog.

Handouts for patrons: I have similar document like this one for patrons at eRead Me Vegas under Getting Started. Your guide to eReaders and eBooks (patron version) http://librarianbrain.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/your-guide-to-ereaders-and-ebooks-patrons.pdf or Using eReaders and eBooks from the Library http://librarianbrain.files.wordpress.com/2011/06/emedia-at-your-library-non-lvccld.pdf

For more detailed information on how to install Adobe Digital Editions and get library eBooks, direct the patrons to eRead Me Vegas http://www.readmevegas.blogspot.com/ under Getting Started on the left hand side bar select the eBook Downloading 101 for eReaders.

For patrons with Kindle eReaders direct the patron to eRead Me Vegas http://www.readmevegas.blogspot.com/ under Getting Started on the left hand side bar select the eBook Downloading 101 for Kindle eReaders

For patrons with tablets or mobile devices direct the patron to eRead Me Vegas http://www.readmevegas.blogspot.com/ under Getting Started on the left hand side bar select the eBook Downloading 101 for Tablets and Mobile Devices

If the patron has done all of the above and has a specific issue use eRead Me Vegas-FAQs, Tips and Tricks http://emediatips.wordpress.com/ to solve the problem. If the problem is not listed then send me an email at lvccld@gmail.com and provide the eReader brand, patron name, phone n

Gale Virtual Reference Library Updates

Lauren — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:09:09 +0000

Our new Gale Virtual Reference Library eBook platform is now live.

New features include:

A completely updated, engaging user interface available in more than 35 languages
Improved user-focused navigation and organization
Eye catching book covers and interactive online book experience with two-page view and page flipper
ReadSpeaker text-to-speech technology in 19 languages
Cross-search and browse easily across series
Download PDF articles to an eBook Reader

There is a short video which shows all the new features which I recommend you review so you are familiar with the new interface. Just click on the GVRL image above to go to the video. (Note: it takes a few minutes to load).

New titles just added include:

Contemporary Black Biography, Volume 93
Short Story for Students, Volume 34

Librarians, Plan Ahead for February: Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month

Lauren — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 15:22:59 +0000

January health program ideas are here to support your library’s health programming strategy – brought to you by The Pulse, part of the Gale’s Health and Wellness Resource Center. Is your library focusing on February as National Heart Health Month?

February is practically synonymous with Valentine’s Day and Valentine’s Candy. Unfortunately, that candy can cause problems for children’s teeth, many of which go untreated. In fact, one in six children have at least one untreated cavity and one in five children have not visited a dentist in the last year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Fortunately, February is also Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month and promoting it will be easy and fun with these free resources and with information from Health and Wellness Resource Center.

Quick and Easy: printable coloring pages and other activities for children and teens.
Featured Resources: books for children and their caregivers and links to reliable online information
Book Club: ideas for your Tween Book Club
Tie In: ideas for library programs that will get children and teens brushing
Community Resources: local agencies to contact
Publicity Resources: free resources to help you publicize Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month at your library through social networking sites or traditional printed materials
Fun Stuff: links to fun activities for children

Quick and Easy

Coloring Pages:

At the Dentist
Brushing My Teeth
The Dentist Will Check Your Teeth for Cavities
Finders Keepers - “color the things that will make your teeth healthy” – from the American Dental Association (ADA)
Four Fine Friends
Milk Matters with Buddy Brush – coloring book from the National Institutes of Health
My Smile Kids – toothbrush
My Smile Kids – dental floss
Something’s Missing – insert the missing vowels from dental words – from the ADA
Visiting the Dentist from the ADA

Activity Pages:

Draw a Picture of Yourself with a Big Smile!
Count and Color - from the ADA
Connect the Dots – from the Canadian Dental Association
Be a Dentist! Make Healthy Smiles! - fill in the blank worksheet from the ADA
Dental Word Search – from the ADA
World’s Wackiest Dental Office – find the mistakes
Maze: Help me get to my tooth, so that I can keep it healthy and clean.
Finish the Picture Activity in English and Spanish
Unscramble the Dental Words
Teeth to Treasure! Word Search – from the ADA
Teeth to Treasure! Word Search Challenge – from the ADA
Watch Your Mouth! Crossword Puzzle – from the ADA
How the Body Works – The Tooth – label the parts of the tooth from KidsHealth
Permanent Tooth Development – which teeth have you lost? which ones will you lose next? from the ADA

Brushing Incentives:

Featured Resources

Books

Children’s Dental Health - Picture Books about Dentists and Teeth

Reliable Online Information:

Academy of General Dentistry – Oral Health Resources
American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry – Parent Education Brochures and Quick Tips for Busy Parents
American Dental Association - Oral Health Topics
American Dental Hygenists’ Association – Oral Health Information
Canadian Dental Association – Your Oral Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Center for Health Statistics – FASTATS – Oral and Dental Health
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – Oral Health Resources
Medline Plus – Dental Health
National Institutes of Health – National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research – Dental Health
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Women’s Health - Oral Health Fact Sheet

Book Club

Smile by Raina Telgemeier (Scholastic/Graphix, February 2010). Autobiography/Comic Book, Ages 9 to 13.

From the publisher: “Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth, and what follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there’s still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly. This coming-of-age true story is sure to resonate with anyone who has ever been in middle school, and especially those who have ever had a bit of their own dental drama.”

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl (New York: Knopf, 1964). Chapter Book, Ages 9 to 12.

Not only does this beloved book feature chocolate, but also dentists (Willy Wonka’s estranged father). Use the book to discuss the good side and bad side of candy and to discuss dentists and flossing.

Author Website
Author Profile and Educator’s Guide to the World of Roald Dahl
Click to Look Inside!
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Movie Trailer

Tie Ins

Crafts and Other Fun Program Ideas

Fun, Hands On Science Experiments: Acid Attack, The Power of Fluoride, and Floss Is Boss
Magazine Smiles Collage: Use those stacks of magazines from last year. Kids simply cut out smiles and glue them on cardstock or cardboard to create their own collage
Smile for the Collage: Let your teens or tweens take pictures of smiles, and then help them crop and and manipulate them into a collage.
A Sweet Tooth for You! Make a fun toothbrush Valentine’s Day card.

Healthy Teeth Story Time Fun

Silverlicous by Victoria Kann - “When Pinkalicious loses her sweet tooth, she turns to the Tooth Fairy for Help.” Read the book and then make an easy tooth fairy envelope.
A Trip to the Dentist by Penny Smith – “Sarah, Josh and Rabbit are off to the dentist! Find out how they keep their teeth clean and bright!” Read the book aloud and then let the kids read the book online.

Community Resources

Find a local agency to partner with, a speaker, or other local resources here:

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

District and State Sites
Find Pediatric Dentist
American Dental Association

Find a Dentist
Find Your Local (Component) Organization
Find Your State (Constituent) Organization
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research – Local Dental Schools
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Health Resources and Services Administration – Find a federally funded, low or no cost health center near you.

Publicity Resources

Use these free resources from the American Dental Association alongside your library’s February programming information – newsletter, blog, posters, or fliers – to promote Children’s Dental Health Awareness Month at your library.

Give Kids a Smile Press Kit
Instant Newsletter Articles
Press Release – Create your own press release for National Children’s Health Awareness Month.
Public Service Announcements

Fun Stuff

Add some interesting and helpful interactive links to a library program, your library website, Facebook page, or Twitter feed:

Interactive Web Sites for Children and Teens

Online Coloring from My Smile Kids

Librarians Plan Ahead: January Weight

Lauren — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 14:15:19 +0000

Here are January health program ideas to incorporate into your library’s overall programming strategy – brought to you by The Pulse, part of the Gale Health and Wellness Resource Center. Keep looking for us on the first of each month to find resources for three months out. Still working on fall and winter? Check out October: National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, November: American Diabetes Month, and December: Holiday and Cold Weather Safety Month

With the optimism that the New Year brings, January is the perfect time to work on creating new, healthy habits. Helping your library users set and keep New Year’s resolutions regarding their weight will be easy with these free resources and with information from Gale Health and Wellness Resource Center:

Quick and Easy: printable coloring pages and other activities for children and handy printables for adults.
Featured Resources: books for children and adults and links to reliable online information
Book Club: ideas for your book discussion group
Tie In: healthy eating and staying active story time ideas and also ideas for programs that will get kids and teens moving
Community Resources: local agencies to contact
Publicity Resources: free items to help you publicize Maintain a Healthy Weight Month at your library through social networking sites or traditional printed materials
Fun Stuff: links to interactive information

Quick and Easy

Coloring Pages and Activities for Children:

Fun With Nutrition Educational Coloring Book

Kids on Bikes - “Eating a wide variety of foods gives us energy to work and play.”
Kids Playing Baseball - “Eat healthful foods and stay active.”
Kids Playing Basketball - ”Eat healthful foods and stay active.”
Circle the Healthful Foods That You Like to Eat

Find the Hidden Fruits and Vegetables

Food Groups Activities

I Can Eat a Rainbow

Eat Well and Stay Fit family activity and information sheet in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Portuguese and Haitian Creole from PBS

Lesson and Activity Plans:

Operation FitKids™ - free youth fitness curriculum from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) for grades 3-5 and grades 6-8
Empower Me 4 Life- a fun and practical 8-session healthy living course equipping kids ages 8-12 with new attitudes, skills and knowledge about eating better and moving more — for life.
Energize Our Community: Toolkit for Action from We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition!) a national public education program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help prevent overweight and obesity among youth ages 8-13.
Fast Food Fact Finding from TeacherVision “Using the Internet, children compare and contrast the nutritional value of menu items from different fast-food restaurant chains.”

Printables for Teens and Adults:

10 Tips for Keeping Kids Active During the Winter from Alliance for a Healthier Generation
20 Tips for Getting Your Family On Track from Shape-up America. Also in Spanish
New Year’s Resolution Template in Excel
Portion Distortion Quiz from National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI)
Recipes, Sample Menus, and What’s on Your Plate? mini poster (also in Spanish) from the USDA’s Choose My Plate

Featured Resources

Books

Reliable Online Information:

American Council on Exercise (ACE) Get Fit
American Dietetic Association
American Heart Association (AHA)
National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) Aim for a Healthy Weight
National Institutes of Health – USDA’s MyPlate
Web MD – Exercise Workout and Fitness

Book Club

Chew on This: Everything You Don’t Want to Know about Fast Food by Charles Wilson and Eric Schlosser (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2006). Non-Fiction, Grades 7 to 12.

About the Book, Discussion Questions, Activities, and Take Action! ideas from the publisher
Book Trailer from the publisher and Transcript
Fast Food Fact Finding activity from TeacherVision

Thin is the New Happy by Valerie Frankel (St. Martin’s Press, 2008). Biography, Adult.

From the publisher: Valerie Frankel, like most women, has spent most of her conscious life on a diet, thinking about a diet, ignoring a diet, or failing on a diet. At age eleven, her mother put Val on her first weight-loss program. As a teen, she was enrolled in Weight Watchers (for which she invented creative ditching methods). As a young woman, her world felt right only when she was able to zip a certain pair of jeans. Not wanting to pass this legacy on to her own daughters, Valerie set out to cleanse herself of her obsession. ”Thin Is the New Happy is the true story of one woman’s quest to exorcise her bad body-image demons, to uncover the truths behind what put them there, and to learn how to truly love herself. It’s a poignant, hilarious, and all-out honest account of one woman’s struggle with body image–the filter through which she’s always seen the world–and the way she ultimately overcame it.”

About the Author
Author’s Blog
Look Inside the book
Reading Guide from the publisher
“Posing Nude to Love My Body,” an article by the author appearing in Self magazine

Born to Run: a Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, by Christopher McDougall (Alfred A. Knopf, 2009)

From the publisher: “McDougall reveals the secrets of the world’s greatest distance runners–the Tarahumara Indians of Copper Canyon, Mexico–and how he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of super-athletic Americans.”

Tie In

Get Active at the Library with Dance Dance Revolution (DDR)

Gaming for Fines
DDR Study Break at the library
How to Run a DDR or Guitar Hero Tournament at Your Library
The Librarian’s Guide to Gaming from the American Library Association (ALA) – an online toolkit for building gaming at your library

Healthy Eating Story Time Fun

The only thing more fun than The Runaway Garden by Jeffrey Schatzer is the full color Activity Guide with vegetable songs, coloring pages, activity pages, and more.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle is a story time classic. After you share the story, discuss fruit and nutrition with a Very Hungry Caterpillar Coloring Sheet, a Booklet to make and color, or Story Cards (p. 9).

Community Resources

Find a local agency to partner with, a speaker, or other local resources here:

ACE & AARP – ACE certified professionals offering a 20% discount and free fitness consultation or group session for seniors who are members of AARP
ACE-certified Fitness Professional Finder
Find your local American Heart Association (AHA) chapter
Fitness and Health Club Finder from ACE
Become a Community Partner with the USDA/CNNP Nutrition Communicators Network
Visiting Nurse Associations of America – Find a VNA near you to request a workplace presentation.
Find a We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition!) program in a community near you
Find your local YMCA

Publicity Resources

Use these free resources alongside your library’s January programming information – newsletter, blog, posters, or fliers – to promote both your library’s programs and New Year’s healthy weight resolutions.

We Can! (Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition!) a national public education program from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to help prevent overweight and obesity among youth ages 8-13.

Public Visibility Tools: Media Messages, Print and audio PSAs, Launch Prototypes, Timeline Checklist, Sample Press Release, Sample Proclamation, and more
Complete Toolkit also available.

Choose My Plate graphics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA):

Fun Stuff

Add some interesting and helpful interactive links to a library program, your library website, Facebook page, or Twitter feed:

Free Apps:

BMI Calculator from USA.gov
Calorie Counter and Meals and Exercise Journal from Everyday Health
Y-Finder Find your local YMCA

Interactive Web Sites for Children and Teens

Fit! an interactive website from WebMD – Junior, Kids and Teens
Lunch-O-Matic: a Cafeteria Challenge, online game from PBS
MyPyramid Plan for Your Preschoolers: where parents can create a customized eating plan for their preschoolers.
Zis Boom Bah: where “It’s ok to play with your food!”
Food and Nutrition at BAM!: where kids and teens can “separate food fact from food fiction to look good and feel fabulous.”
Papaya Head: where parents can plan meals, enter and analyze their recipes, find recipes, and create shopping lists based on their custom profile.
My Calorie Counter from Everyday Health