By Mary Kelly and Holly Hibner
Book blogs are everywhere. One of the best features of technology is when readers can share with other readers. The love of books is shared by so many people across the web. These websites are great for everything from collection development, new releases, genre favorites and discussions. However, literary types tend to get a bit stuffy. We prefer something less precious and more about the greater landscape of entertainment. Preferably with a bookish touch.
Marissa, whose interest in crafting was piqued by Pinterest, gets a great sense
of accomplishment in learning new skills and has even begun to sell her creations on a craft website and in a local shop that carries unique handmade items.
Erica Domesek, founder of PS I Made This and a judge on The Learning Channel’s Craft Wars, sees this as a strong trend among younger consumers, saying, “People are interested in making their lives more beautiful, more fun.” Homemade crafts offer a welcome respite from the proliferation of impersonal, mass-produced goods.
As crafting grows in popularity, thanks to enthusiastic sharing of craft ideas on social network sites and a renewed desire for handmade artistry, community members are looking for resources that can support their interests.
Read moreResources that Help Crafters Cultivate, Connect, and Create
By Tanisha Howard-Hall
Does anyone remember, the singing group New Kids on the Block? Well, I can’t sing but I am the new Customer Care Consultant on the block! I am new to this role but not new to Gale. I was first introduced to Cengage Learning and Gale as the Web Marketing Intern. I recently graduated with my MBA with a concentration in Marketing. As the Web Marketing intern, I worked on a variety of projects and quickly learned how dedicated Gale is to serving its library partners.
Read moreGale Customer Care Could be Your Key to Success in Boosting Usage
Create meaningful outreach programs to targeted segments of your community
Discover the insights you need to make (and measure!) an impact with Analytics On Demand, a new data solution that helps libraries quickly and easily learn more about their users and communities.
Take marketing action! Watch a short video to learn how the apps can help your library.
Read moreNew Marketing Action Analytics On Demand Apps for Patrons and Non-Patrons
Analytics On Demand is moving off the Alteryx server and will undergo some look and feel enhancements. The new site will be available today, December 3, 2014. With this change, we’re also adding free bonus apps and a collaboration site for users.
Read moreNew Access Point and Enhancements for Analytics On Demand
By Ryan Lee Price
The 305 cubic-inch engine in the Koenigsegg One “megacar” is capable of producing 1,360 horsepower from its gas-powered V8, propelling the 1,360-kg car to a top speed of 280 mph in 20 seconds. That’s a lot of power, and one can’t help but to imagine 1,360 horses hitched to the front of the $1.5 million car attempting to pull it up to 280 mph. However, in either guise—engine or horse team—1,360 horsepower represents the work of a lot of horses, and to understand how the term has been applied to cars, we have to go back about 100 years before cars were even invented.
By Laura Damon-Moore
Effectively reaching out to your community can be tricky. On October 31, Laura Damon-Moore, Co-Founder of Libraries as Incubators Project, shared her expertise on community outreach for the weekly Gale Geek. Laura was unable to do the usual live Q&A because her webinar was prerecorded; however, she still answered listeners’ questions… see below!
I was bummed not to be able to be there “in person” for our conversation last Friday, but I’m pleased to be able to continue to share some insight on community outreach with Cengage-Gale’s readers today.
I’m going to expand on some questions that I received after the conversation on Friday, in hopes that others will find my responses useful.
How do you use the community based mentors or volunteers IN your library to support programming?
By Sally Dewey
As the Electronic Resources Manager, an important part of my job is promoting the resources we buy. I’ve actually had this job (under one title or another) since CD-ROM networks were around—back then we were just trying to alert the user in the building that we had something beyond books on the shelf. Then, in 1997, with web-based databases it was about the Library being the patron’s Information Home Page 24/7, or “Where it all Clicks.
Today, as public libraries are battling to stay relevant, we want to want to attract, snag, and entice patrons into discovering the wealth of resources we make available online. Why would we want to do that? To battle patron ignorance.
By Ken Detzner
The public library is a place of learning, a hub for educational resources, and a community center. Children discover new worlds as they’re read to, young adults learn new skills and librarians assist patrons needing educational or business support.
Not only have libraries historically proven to be beneficial to the areas they serve, a recent Return on Investment study conducted by the Haas Center for Business Research and Economic Development, University of West Florida, provides the hard numbers demonstrating the economic value of public libraries. The overall Return on Investment that libraries offer, the business and educational support that is provided, and the essential services provided show that libraries are not only places of learning, but add economic value to their local communities.
By Karen Wang, via The Friendship Circle Special Needs Resources
Everyday, 4.2 million Americans visit a library. Are you one of them?
Almost every town in America has a public library, but many families of children with special needs shy away from libraries, often for behavioral reasons. These are the families who could benefit the most from the library!
Read more10 Ways Your Child With Special Needs Can Benefit From a Trip To The Library