Cool tools: Ikea display stands

Sometimes cool tools can be low tech (and inexpensive), as evidenced by these great display stands I found at Ikea for .99 each (search Tolsby on ikea.com).

I'm using them right now for several things, as you can see in the photos. 

Last week I used them as table numbers for the book pass activity (see previous post).  The numbers are clip art that I re-printed in color this morning to spiff them up a bit.

The students of one of our Spanish teachers are getting ready to do a big Dia de los Muertos project in the library, complete with a large altar to Frida Kahlo and smaller, individual altars to relatives and personal heroes.  I put related pictures in the display stands and will set these on library tables to compliment their projects.

Finally, I'm working on a new display, Read Any Good Movies Lately? After poking around on IMBD, I discovered that we have almost all of the books that correspond with the top 40 or so books-to-upcoming movies on their site. I'll display the books themselves, the IMBD list, and a handout of the books.  I'm including the display stands with 4 x 6 color copies of the book covers so the display won't be bare if (hopefully when) the books are checked out.


What other uses have you thought of for these low tech cool tools?

Cool tools: The Parish library mobile app!

The Parish libraries are 'app'ening places this week with the exciting rollout of our brand new mobile library app!

Patrons click a button on our website (see above) which takes them to a hosted URL.  Once they add the link to their home screen, they are ready to access the following library services from their smartphones:

*text a librarian

*email a librarian

*access the digital library powered by Overdrive (also new!)

*search our online catalogs

*follow our blogs for book recommendations and library happenings

*access online databases

Check out the Parish mobile library app below!

Cool tool... ifttt

I am crazy about ifttt (If This, Then That), a cool new tool shared with me by my tech pal, David Ashby.

This great tool allows you to set up automated "if, then" tasks using Twitter, Facebook, text, email, Diigo, and scores of other services you already use every day. [Note to the folks at ifttt if you're out there: How about Blogger?]

You can set up replies when someone follows you on Twitter, have favorite Tweets emailed to you, and send your RSS feeds to Diigo, to name a few of thousands of possibilities.

Recipes are ifttt tasks that you can make to share with others, and hundreds of recipes are posted for your use on the ifttt site.

Here's a demo video of how ifft works.

For more ideas and tools from David, check out his blog, Tech Tools for Schools.

Cool tool for conference connections

Our great Texas Library Association conference is right around the corner.  Two of the best things about conference are reconnecting with old friends and making new acquaintances of librarians, publishers, and authors.

When you attend TLA or other conferences, be sure to take a stack of business cards to exchange with these folks. You may also want to download a fab app called WorldCard.

WorldCard automatically creates a new contact in your smart phone from a picture that you take of a business card.  Among other useful features is the ability to connect with your contacts on social media sites such as Twitter if that info is provided.

Now that's a cool tool for making conference connections!

Cool tools for libraries--Doodle

Stop me if you've heard this one, but Doodle is great.

Doubtless you've tried to schedule a meeting with several attendees.  You start the hunt by emailing your group with possible dates to meet.

Sally can come to the first two, but none of the others.  David is only available the last date, but not at the time you specified.  The emails fly, as does your patience.  Eighteen emails later, you have a meeting date.

Eliminate all this with Doodle.  Go online, set up a free poll (no registration is required), and email the link to your attendees.

Each person indicates which dates he/she is available to meet.  Now that's a cool tool!

Cool tools for libraries OR there's an app for that

If you live on an iPhone, you may already know about Gale's cool tool, Access My Library.  With this free app, you can access the Gale databases of your school and public libraries.  Now that's cool!

Do you know of similar apps?

Cool tools for libraries...pdf to Word converter

I may be the last person to know about this, but I just discovered a free tool that is going to make my work life easier.  Have you seen PDF to Word? 

Simply upload a PDF document, choose a file extension, add your email address, and voila!  You will quickly receive an email with the converted document in Word format.  Nice.

Cool tools for libraries...QR codes

You know about Stickybits (see older posts), and I'm betting you'll find cool uses for QR codes in your library as well.

QR (quick response) codes are two-dimensional barcodes that have been around in Japan since 1994. You can generate your own codes on such sites as Kaywa and then read these barcodes with your smartphone.

Text and URLs may be attached to QR codes.  They're not quite as flashy as Stickybits, but the QR codes themselves are awesome looking and are beginning to pop up in U.S. advertising. 

Start to look for QR codes on movie posters, ads, and in magazines.  Scan them with your phone using an app such as Inigma, and generally you'll be taken to the URL associated with with product.

I learned about QR codes at the recent TASLA conference, and several great ideas for library use were generated by folks in our group.  How can you use them in your library?

• Post them around your campus to advertise for your upcoming book fair.  The code can bring up text with dates for book fair.
• Generate interest in your reading program such as Read it Forward or One Book.  Text associated with the code can offer pertinent information about your event.
• Print QR codes on labels and place them inside the covers of books so that the code takes you to the author's website.
• Put a QR code on your business card.  When the code is scanned, it can link to your blog or website.
• Host a scavenger hunt around the library or school with QR codes providing clues when scanned.

Have you scanned the QR code above?  If so, I hope you are Shelf Consumed!

Twitter me this

It seems there are three camps of people in regard to Twitter.

1.  Huh?
2.  Why would I want to know what Ashton Kutcher ate for breakfast?
3.  Twitter is awesome.

While I don't particularly care about the breakfasts of the stars, I do love Twitter.  Why?

1.  It's fun.
     Where else can you have tweeps?
2.  It's fast. 
     Doesn't take long to read or post 140 characters or less.
3.  It's social.
     Open 24/7.  Responses are quick.
4.  It's a great educational networking tool.
     I follow other persons in our district and other librarians around the state.
5.  It's up-to-the minute.
     I knew the brand new Newbery and Caldecott winners before they were posted on the ALA site.
6.  It's informative.
     I follow TLA, ALA, publishers, authors, and various libraries.

Have an iPhone?  You can read or post from your phone.  The app I like the best is a free one called TwitBird, but that's personal preference.

When I first signed up for Twitter, I tweeted (silly word, I know) about vacation plans and our grandkids.  Later I decided to keep my Twitter posts more library and work-related.  I am especially happy with this decision in light of the Library of Congress announcement that they plan to digitally archive every tweet.  Wow.  Boggles the mind, huh?

There are also practical applications for Twitter in the library.  Add a Twitter feed to your blog and you can tweet to your blog right from your phone.  Book Club is cancelled this week.  Remember to buy your book for the upcoming author visit.  Have you read the latest book in this series?

Concerned about students following you?  You may also be interested in the story from this week's AL Direct, "If You Tweet It, They Will Come."

Not sure yet? I'd encourage you to set up an account and lurk a while. Follow a couple of professional organizations, bloggers you read, librarians you know, and authors you enjoy.

Hope to tweet you soon!

Cool tools for libraries...rain gutter bookshelves

Whew!  Yesterday's post on concerns about books was sooo heavy that we need something light and fun today, hence rain gutter bookshelves.

Consider adding some face-out shelving in a corner of your library, in the story area, or behind the circulation desk.  Rain gutters make great inexpensive shelves that allow you to display books with the covers facing out. 

Research shows that book covers are a major factor in how books kids choose books for pleasure reading.  Why not give them a chance to SEE those covers instead of just the spines of books?

The photo is from my house in the room we redid for our two grandsons. Plastic rain guttering is widely available, inexpensive, and easy to install (Trust me on this one--we're not too handy at my house).

I can't take credit for the idea.  I first heard about it from read aloud guru Jim Trelease, author of The Read-Aloud Handbook.  Hopefully you know about the greatness of this book, but if not, that's another post for another day!

Cool tools for libraries...prezi

Are your presentations boring?  Library orientations drool-inducing?  Booktalks not getting results?  Need to jazz up that research mini lesson? 

Try prezi... And if you do, please share your ideas for use here!

I'd like to make Cool Tools for Libraries a semi-regular post.  If you have a cool tool, please comment on the blog, Tweet, or send an email.  Thanks, library friends.