Writing Local

Library Technology changes all the time.  New apps, new widgets, wiki's, blogs, and, of course, new Trojans, viruses, and malware appear with the frequency of political advertisements.  In order to make sense of all these canges without going crazy librarians need some trusted sources of information.  Here are ten I'd recommend.

 http://www.howtogeek.com/

The How-To Geek site is full of easy to understand information about very aspect of computer use from keyboard cleaning to hard-drive rehab, all in language any circ-clerk can understand.  Email   subscriptions available, free.

http://www.snopes.com/

Snopes.com helps a librarian keep up with real technological advances and threats by validating the real and debunking the myth.  Like when you get an email from a co-worker that frantically warns you will fry the server if you open any email with the word "listserv" in the subject.  Really?  Look it up at Snopes.com.

http://superuser.com/

Superuser is a combination wiki, blog, forum, and Digg/Redit social news website that aggregates content from contributors world-wide.  Free for the casual user.  Site moderators are elected for reliability.  All open source.  

http://www.reddit.com/

An addictive compendium of curiosities uploaded to the Web site by registered users.  The "news" is usually strange and wonderful, but there are many forums for all manner of technological previews, advances, apps and solutions.

 http://www.librarytechnology.org/

A gigantic archive of library technology resources including links to full-text articles for system managers, library tech products and  reports on library tech systems in use.

http://www.open-ils.org/

An Open Source software system provider for libraries.  Web site features a road map for conversion from proprietary to open source software.Impossible?  

Check out the number of libraries already converted.

http://lifehacker.com/

A life skills site for the dedicated Geek.  You can learn everything here from how to clean your bike chain to how to hack your iPhone away from the clutches of att.  Along the way lots of good tech tips for library Geeks.

http://www.alatechsource.org/

Technology arm of librarians' mother ship, the ALA.  Blog, archives of articles, access to publications, and workshops.  

http://www.koha.org/

LibLime Koha differs from Evergreen in that it is entirely web-based so there is no software to download. LibLIme technicians manage all updates, backups and general systems maintenance.

http://www.mozilla.org/about/?utm_source=gsnippet&utm_content=aboutlink&utm_campaign=s170210

Anyone who has ever had to use Internet Explorer loves Firefox.  There's always something new to learn.  There's always a new way Firefox makes life easier and more enjoyable for librarians.  Explore.