Netflix at your library? Why not, it's your money!

Let's face facts: Video is HOT at your library. VHS, DVD, whatever, my local branch library is always triple-packed on Fridays with folks loading up on videos for the weekend. Weekdays are busy as well. For libraries, this is a good thing. Circ. counts up, traffic up, it all looks good on the reports. For patrons, it's also a good deal. Where else can you see first run movies essentially free?

However, why stop at DVD's?

I would argue that your library should offer Netflix for your home...and here's why:

Reading the WSJ this morning, I stumbled across a facinating column by Lee Gomes in which he discusses the merits and the challenges of the Netflix download service. In case you have not heard about this, Netflix offers an option to basically stream first run movies to your PC instead of physically shipping you the disc. Lee goes on to talk about setting up a PC, connecting it to his TV and enjoying the benefits from his couch.

So why can't libraries offer this for their patrons? Why stick with old media to buy, catalog, store, circulate, repair....all of which takes staff time and money. Libraries sign database deals all the time with major vendors...why not Netflix? Restrict access via proxy server and or gateways that are already set up to handle DB traffic that may be in place. Libraries are always talking about the future and Web 2.0 offerings to their patrons, right?

I say...Let's give'em Netflix...and watch the stats soar!


Links:

WSJ

Lee's Column: Think of an Old Film...

Netflix

Controversial....but very, very useful!

Some folks feel threatened, others are glad. As a librarian and historian, access to history is always important. I guess that's why I absolutely love Google Books. In fact, it's one of the few places that heads the top of my list when doing historical research.

For example, I was doing some research on Ernie Pyle recently and just flipped to Google books and started looking up World War II themes, just to see what was there. Here's a short list (with links) of some of the good stuff I found:

"Okay Girls, Man Your Bunks"

Personal biography about life in the WAVES during WW II.

Green Light!: Men of the 81st Troop Carrier Squadron Tell Their Story

Lots have been written about the paratroopers themselves, what with Band of Brothers, etc. However, they did have to get to the drop zone somehow. This book tells you how.

Bombs Away: The Story of a Bomber Team

Written by the great author Steinbeck, this books details the trials and tribulations of flying the heavies during WW II.


Now some of the books are previews but many are the entire book. With the option to create your own personal library as well as links to where the books can be bought, this historical research options cannot be overlooked.

Here's the link directly to Google Books as well as the post about it on Wikipedia. Have Fun!!

Google Books

Wikipedia's entry

EZProxy...alas is gone...long live EZProxy!

Today, I found out EZproxy has been bought out by the library giant OCLC.

For those of you who might have never worked behind the scenes in the library world, you might wonder about this post. For those of you who have, then this might be old news or new news, depending on your situation.So what? Big deal, right? Well, first a little background....

Access to databases is not cheap. Someone has to pay and as a result, databases are usually restricted to those who carry a library card or pay the subscription fee. For library patrons, these costs are paid for by your library. A question remains however:

How do they provide access yet restrict it so that only patrons can use it?

There's a variety of ways, each of which has good and bad points. EZproxy was a good point. As a professional library support person, I worked quite extensively with this software and its creator. It was the best in class and quite easy to configure and use....especially on Linux. Quite stable, I was able to run multiple instances of it on a single Linux box.

I hear this morning from the Dispatch that EZproxy and its author have been acquired by OCLC. I guess that's a pretty good thing as OCLC I'm sure has the resources and personnel to improve the software quite a bit. I hope, however, that it does not lose it's quaint (?) charm as well as easy access to its creator. OCLC seems to think:

"...OCLC will also continue to develop and support EZproxy by working with commercial vendors to create new connectors to authentication systems and online content resources to libraries...."

Source: http://www.oclc.org/news/releases/200690.htm


I'm curious to see how this platform-agnostic (runs on Win and Lin) will be intermeshed into the OCLC software world, which uses Win quite extensively. Let's hope to continue to hear good things about this.

Talk to you later. Look below for some links for more information. Long live EZProxy!!!!

OCLC

EZProxy

There's Gold In Them There Hills

Not being an original native of Ohio, I've come to love Ohio for the good things it has, including extensive library support, lots of historical places and, well, the Buckeyes! However, there is a treasure located in Columbus, that Joe Blundo wrote about in last week's Dispatch. That is the OSU archives.

Being a history major as well a librarian, the thought of archives and being able to explore the material inside, makes for an exciting day. Joe, in particular, points out one thing besides library materials that they do have:

"...The splintered piece of goal post from the 1955 Rose Bowl? That was a keeper...."

For more details, here's some links:

Dispatch article

OSU Archives site

I'll be writing more about these archives soon....there's lots more good information, including John Glenn and the Byrd Polar Archives.

See kids, there are some things you just can't do online! :)

Stay Tuned!

Michener where are you? Wandering the Stacks....

I was curious about Michener the other day, so off I went hunting. I was shocked! After searching some libraries.....I had a hard time finding his work! Granted there were one or two...and I can always grab a reserve, but still, he seems to be an author that should be quite popular on the shelf. Has his time past? Does anybody still read Michener? What title should I start with? Never read Michener? Try Wikipedia to get started:

James A. Michener section

The End of Libraries?

I hear this all the time: " Libraries are gone, dead, kaput...." However, I'm not buying it. I saw a post yesterday on Slashdot (link: http://ask.slashdot.org/askslashdot/08/01/18/0420247.shtml) about the impatience of today's kids and implications for the library. I can't deny that it's good: Google books, Wikipedia, etc. however,there is still something about a library that I can't get online. Being a history major, maybe it's the sense of history. Maybe the fact that there are millions of books in the library that are not online and probably never will be. Maybe I'm a hopeless romantic about books. I'm sure the measure of truth is somewhere in between it all.