PG LIBRARY DIGITAL SERVICES: PART 2

MBUG October General Meeting
WEDNESDAY October 8, 2014 – 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Canterbury Woods Auditorium
651 Sinex Avenue, Pacific Grove
FREE to MBUG Members and the General Public

Last month, Pacific Grove librarian Douglas Holtzman presented an information-packed review of the PG Library’s new website (http://www.pacificgrovelibrary.org) and its expanded and improved access to digital collections. But we felt there was much more information to explore, and Doug has agreed to a Part 2 discussion as a follow-up.

At the October 8 general meeting, he will focus more on the new Koha catalog and borrowing system, shared with the Monterey Public Library, which includes several new navigation and notification features for catalog users. He will also provide a very brief overview of the integrated library system (ILS) of which it is a part. The new system can be seen at http://catalog.pacificgrovelibrary.org.

If time, equipment, and connectivity permit, he will then demonstrate checking out an eBook and downloading it to the Overdrive app on an iPad, so bring your devices to follow along. Finally, he will be available to answer questions about specific services, formats, and devices.

Douglas Holtzman has been a public librarian since 1982. He retired last year after 17 years at Monterey Public Library. From 2002 until 2013, he was Assistant Library Director, with responsibilities including the Library’s technology program and Web services. This year he worked for the Friends of the Pacific Grove Public Library as a consultant on the new Library website. He is currently a part-time PGPL librarian, working on the website and catalog as well as at the Reference Desk in the Library.

For additional information and questions in advance, contact Doug at dholtzman@cityofpacificgrove.org.

CHANGES IN PG LIBRARY DIGITAL SERVICES

MBUG September General Meeting
WEDNESDAY September 10, 2014 – 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Hilltop Park Center
871 Jessie Street, Monterey
FREE to MBUG Members and the General Public

At the September general meeting, Pacific Grove librarian Douglas Holtzman will discuss the PG Library’s new website—or online branch. (See it at http://www.pacificgrovelibrary.org.) The site was designed by Boots Road Group, LLC, with input from Library staff, using the open source Web content management system Drupal. His review will include highlights of:

• The digital collections, including eBooks, downloadable audiobooks, magazines, music, and streaming video. The online branch’s collections are available 24 hours a day, in a variety of formats and for a variety of mobile and desktop devices.
• The new catalog and borrowing system shared with Monterey Public Library (pacificgrovelibrary.org). The new system, also open source, is called Koha, from a New Zealand Māori custom, which can be translated as gift, present, offering, donation, or contribution. It includes several new navigation and notification features for catalog users.
• Behind the scenes information about the technologies involved in these services, for example, demonstration of some of the staff interface for the new catalog and borrowing system. As time allows, Doug will discuss selection of open source software for both the website and catalog.

Douglas Holtzman has been a public librarian since 1982. He retired last year after 17 years at Monterey Public Library. From 2002 until 2013, he was Assistant Library Director, with responsibilities including the Library’s technology program and Web services. This year he worked for the Friends of the Pacific Grove Public Library as a consultant on the new Library website. He is currently a part-time PGPL librarian, working on the website and catalog as well as at the Reference Desk in the Library.

For additional information and questions in advance, contact Doug at dholtzman@cityofpacificgrove.org.

KEEPING TRACK WITH EVERNOTE

MBUG August General Meeting
WEDNESDAY August 13, 2014 – 7:00 to 9:00 pm
Hilltop Park Center
871 Jessie Street, Monterey
FREE to MBUG Members and the General Public

At the August 13 general meeting, MBUG member Jeff Helms, electronics technician for the National Weather Service, will discuss capabilities of the Evernote suite of services and software.

Designed for notetaking and archiving, the popular Evernote web service started up in 2008. According to Wikipedia, “a ‘note’ can be a piece of formatted text, a full webpage or webpage excerpt, a photograph, a voice memo, or a handwritten ‘ink’ note.” Files can be attached to the notes, which can be organized into folders and used similar to any file structure, with editing and search capabilities.

Like many online services, both free and premium fee-based services are available. Specific services provided depend on the operating system in use (a wide range of platforms are supported) and whether the program is used as a free-standing download or as an online service.

With an online Evernote account you can sync your notes and access your data from multiple machines and operating system platforms, but still input and edit data when an Internet connection is not available. Conversely, the Internet account can be used when working on a system without the client software.

Helms will be discussing the Evernote functionality, advantages and disadvantages, and security issues. Here is a chance to learn about this method of collating text, websites, images, etc., in one program for ready access from multiple locations. For questions in advance, contact Helms at jeffro270@gmail.com.