Free Printable Paper
Hundreds of papers you can download and print for free. We've got graph paper, lined paper, financial paper, music paper, and more.
http://www.printablepaper.net/Monday, April 28, 2008
Amazon Blogs
Did you know that Amazon.com has lots of Blogs?
It starts with Amazon Daily. Amazon Daily is a blog—short for "web log"—that contains posts by editors from all over the company. Whether you're a die-hard fiction lover, a gadget geek, an avid collector of classic films or just a fan of what we sell, you'll find all sorts of entries that will interest you. Amazon Daily's home page contains all editorial posts (sorted so the most recent entries appear at the top); in the sidebar, they're sorted by topic, so you can browse one concept at a time instead of taking all of it in at once! Each post gives you the opportunity to provide private feedback to the editor as well as leave public comments for other customers to see.
They also just launched a new one focused on gadgets called enduserblog. www.enduserblog.com
From the bowels of Silicon Valley to the peaks of, um, Asian chip manufacturing plants, Amazon.com's Electronics editors scour the earth for the latest and greatest gear to bring to our customers. Keep checking back here for new product announcements, specials deals, and a whole lot more.
Another one consists of podcasts called Amazon Wire. Amazon Wire is created by the Amazon editors and features interviews and exclusives with your favorite artists and authors. We'll spotlight our favorite features and guests, and entertain you a bit along the way.
But they have others devoted to books and to toys, music, cars, movies and TV, cooking, video games, the green scene, plus many others.
It starts with Amazon Daily. Amazon Daily is a blog—short for "web log"—that contains posts by editors from all over the company. Whether you're a die-hard fiction lover, a gadget geek, an avid collector of classic films or just a fan of what we sell, you'll find all sorts of entries that will interest you. Amazon Daily's home page contains all editorial posts (sorted so the most recent entries appear at the top); in the sidebar, they're sorted by topic, so you can browse one concept at a time instead of taking all of it in at once! Each post gives you the opportunity to provide private feedback to the editor as well as leave public comments for other customers to see.
They also just launched a new one focused on gadgets called enduserblog. www.enduserblog.com
From the bowels of Silicon Valley to the peaks of, um, Asian chip manufacturing plants, Amazon.com's Electronics editors scour the earth for the latest and greatest gear to bring to our customers. Keep checking back here for new product announcements, specials deals, and a whole lot more.
Another one consists of podcasts called Amazon Wire. Amazon Wire is created by the Amazon editors and features interviews and exclusives with your favorite artists and authors. We'll spotlight our favorite features and guests, and entertain you a bit along the way.
But they have others devoted to books and to toys, music, cars, movies and TV, cooking, video games, the green scene, plus many others.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
County and City Data Book 2007
The County and City Data Book 2007 is a greta place to find out almost anything about counties and cities in the US.
Compiled since the 1940s, the County and City Data Book incorporates demographic and economic information about the United States from Census Bureau surveys, as well as information from other government and private organizations. The data cover topics such as population, housing, vital statistics, health care, social programs, education, labor force, wholesale and retail trade, and weather.
Geographic areas covered in the County and City Data Book include states, counties, cities with populations of 25,000 or more, and places with 100,000 or more residents.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Who moved my Cheese????
Rats, during my hiatus to rest my torn ACL, the YMCA switched out all their Nautilus equipment! The new stuff will probably be fine but I liked the old stuff and was comfortable with how it worked. Now I have to learn a whole new set of gauges and knobs. Now I have reason for tearing my ACL, it was to have change foisted upon me instead of me foisting change on others. Fair is Fair and it made me chuckle and reawakened my empathy for how difficult change can be.
thanks
thanks
Self Check out - comments wanted
What do you think of the idea of putting a self check out machine at each circ desk so that patrons could scan their own cards and items for checkout?
It would require lots of public training and patrons would still need to get help to pay fines, etc.
It could be a stand alone machine or it could be a standard pc with a web interface and scanner.
Think about how much better customer service woudl be if only one staff at a time was needed at the circ desk and the other could rove the floor assisting patrons and re-freshening our book displays, best sellers and new books sections.
let me know what you think from your perspective and how you think the patrons would like it ? thanks
It would require lots of public training and patrons would still need to get help to pay fines, etc.
It could be a stand alone machine or it could be a standard pc with a web interface and scanner.
Think about how much better customer service woudl be if only one staff at a time was needed at the circ desk and the other could rove the floor assisting patrons and re-freshening our book displays, best sellers and new books sections.
let me know what you think from your perspective and how you think the patrons would like it ? thanks
Self Pick up of Holds - comments wanted
What do you think of the idea of moving toward self pick up of holds? In other words, put a hold pick up shelf in the public area and when a hold arrives for a patron, you notify them, then put the item in a bag such as this one and then place item the public holds pick up shelf.
The patron would pick up their hold, take it to the circ desk, check it out, return the bag to the circ staff for re-use.
What are your ideas and concerns from a staff and patron perspective?
Monday, April 14, 2008
Entice them to stay or let them go?
One aspect I have borrowed from the retail environment is that the "longer people stay in the building(or store) the more they are likely to buy (or borrow) something." So we have worked toward making all of our locations inviting, interesting, and welcoming.
But at a session at PLA last month, the presenters from San Jose California and Envirosell reported that 93% of library patrons entered and left the library within 30 minutes.
Maybe we should spend our efforts making it easier for the public to find what they need. Wouldn't that be better customer service?
Another statistic, the Richmond Public Library in British Columbia reports that 76% of their patrons prefer to help themselves and do not seek help from library staff.
What do you think we should do?
But at a session at PLA last month, the presenters from San Jose California and Envirosell reported that 93% of library patrons entered and left the library within 30 minutes.
Maybe we should spend our efforts making it easier for the public to find what they need. Wouldn't that be better customer service?
Another statistic, the Richmond Public Library in British Columbia reports that 76% of their patrons prefer to help themselves and do not seek help from library staff.
What do you think we should do?
Monday, April 7, 2008
Turning the Page: Building your Library Community
Regina, Joni, and Jennifer joined me in last week at a conference sponsored by PLA and the Gates Foundation called Turning the Page: Building your Library Community. It was full of useful sessions on how to become a better advocate for the library.
The opening speaker was Kevin Carroll, who spoke of his Red Rubber Ball. Unfortunately, we were unable to get down in time to hear him. But his book "talks about finding your passion, whatever that is, and finding a way to turn that into your life. For many of us looking for our passion, this book serves as a reminder to never give up, no matter how silly it might seem to others. Don't take your ball and go home...Find it and play with it as much as you can!" (the book is on order for our libraries) Kevin also lists some of his favorite books at his web site. What do you think about resigning from your job as an adult?
Lots to think about and we will come back to this as we develop our "library story". The important thing to remember is that we do great things every day and touch people's lives in ways we may not even be aware of.
Thank You
The opening speaker was Kevin Carroll, who spoke of his Red Rubber Ball. Unfortunately, we were unable to get down in time to hear him. But his book "talks about finding your passion, whatever that is, and finding a way to turn that into your life. For many of us looking for our passion, this book serves as a reminder to never give up, no matter how silly it might seem to others. Don't take your ball and go home...Find it and play with it as much as you can!" (the book is on order for our libraries) Kevin also lists some of his favorite books at his web site. What do you think about resigning from your job as an adult?
Lots to think about and we will come back to this as we develop our "library story". The important thing to remember is that we do great things every day and touch people's lives in ways we may not even be aware of.
Thank You
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