I love it when products intended for kids find a secondary niche with adults. I noticed three such electronic products while browsing the exhibits at ALA Annual in Anaheim. Be forewarned, I am going to name specifics products. This is not an endorsement by me or the ALSC. World Book Discover — Our favorite kid-friendly encyclopedia retooled for older users. Imbedded dictionary, atlas, timelines, a very cool multi-language visual dictionary, and tips for conducting research. Most different from their kids’ product: the Life Skills Center. This section includes articles on insurance, money matters, health, employment, and social skills. Brainfuse — Their HelpNow online homework program for Grades 3-12 also has a section called Skills Building for adults. Here you will find a writing lab, knowledge tutorials, and realtime one-on-one skills refreshers for grownups. Adults don’t have to have a specific question when they log in. It’s just skills review &…
Author: Bradley Debrick
Cyberbullying in the public library
Yesterday, I spent a good part of my day writing updates for an outdated Internet Safety brochure for parents. My plan is to add a few paragraphs on social networking sites and a little overview of cyberbullying. I certainly don’t claim expertise in those areas so I started fact finding. To summarize what I found, most every article and website said kids who experience cyberbullying should disengage from the activity, distance him/herself from the bully, and tell an adult. Sounds good. Until it happens at the public library and I am the adult they tell. Then what? Empathize? Ignore? Call the police? I don’t know. I am unprepared for the day an upset child comes to my desk and tells me, in some way, that he/she is being bullied online. Based on my research yesterday, my advice will be to disengage from the activity, distance yourself from the bully, and…
“Tagging” for youth services
I keep thinking about one session I attended at ALA Midwinter. It was called “Tag You’re It: A revolution in patron-library interaction” and was sponsored by the Reference and User Services Association. I keep reflecting on what an excellent tool tagging would be for juvenile readers’ advisory and reference. I’ll try to explain briefly. As it relates to libraries, tagging allows common folk (staff, patrons, students, etc.) to attach subject headings to materials in the online catalog. These tags are supplemental to the Library of Congress headings — both would appear in the item record and both would be searchable. Since tags are user generated, they will be in a language and format that is more accessible. “Pigs” instead of “swine.” “Trains” instead of “railroad locomotives.” See where this is going? LibraryThing and Flickr are both good examples of tagging at work. Kate Sheehan, currently with the Danbury (CT) Library,…
Relax! It’s just a lanyard.
Today is my first full day in Philadelphia. I’m not a seasoned traveler, but I managed to navigate my way through two major airports, the Philadelphia public transit system, and the underbelly of City Hall (there’s a train station there) to get to my hotel. I was proud of myself. I knew it was going to be a good weekend in a great city. Then it all changed. This morning, I picked up my meeting registration packet which included a handy carry-all bag, the meeting addendum, and some flyers for special events. Oh yeah… and a lanyard for my name badge. I can’t figure out the lanyard. I don’t know how to attach it to my badge. Unlike the lanyard I dutifully wear at work, this one is not a loop that goes over my head and holds my photo ID for all to see. This one looks like a…