Friday, June 22, 2012

It was a Cloudy Day yesterday

This weekend the American Library Association is having their annual conference in Anaheim.  Last year about this time I posted images of a competition that involved librarians and bookcarts.  
Who know what will take place this year?

Yesterday things were hopping at the Central Library.  Beth Walker, Principal Librarian at Pasadena Public Library
and Mayor Bill Bogaard spoke about the debut of the 3M Cloud Library eBook Lending Service.  The name is long, but idea is simple.  The library now has available the technology to allow patrons to download library materials to computer, iPad, iPhone or other "smart devices". 

 You can reserve books just as you would hardback books.  In a touch of magic and technology the books "disappear" after two weeks.  Pasadena and Glendale are among the first 10 cities in the nation, and the first two in California,  to debut this new technology.  There'll be more than 1,400 titles from which to choose.

 Folks from 3M were at the debut able and willing to help folks get started.  They're long gone but the link below will help you get connected to the Cloud.  If that doesn't do it, there are some very cool librarians in our city who would be more than willing to give you a lesson in magic.

4 comments:

  1. Oh, wonderful. The word "book" is certainly getting a new definition. The only downside I can see to this policy is the two week limit. Not everyone reads a book that fast. I wonder if it will get people to read faster?

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  2. Or perhaps reading one book at a time? I don't know we'll see.

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  3. Such a cool service. Thanks for filling us in, Roberta!

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  4. One of the best services that is provided in Pasadena, and in Glendale near as I can tell, is our library staff and system. Rather than being cautious about technology they're busy trying to find the balance of looking to the future, while weighing rates of change. Not an easy thing to do.

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