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Where New Tech Should Libraries Try Next?

Posted by Cliff on from the new-toys-in-the-public-interest dept.

99bottles asks: "I work for a good sized Public Library. The management folks want to have a sit down to discuss what our next tech. undertakings should be. We already offer free wireless, use Voice-over-IP, have self-checkout machines, have dropped Microsoft Office for OpenOffice.org, and are slowly but surely getting Linux to the desktop. It's not like we need to catch up, this is geared toward being unique and at the forefront. One manager believes that a video reference service would be popular, I've tried to convince him that video-phones have been around for decades and no one really wants them. So, I ask you, what would Slashdot readers want to see at the local library?"

5 of 152 comments (clear)

  1. eBooks by Usquebaugh · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Hi,

            softcopies of your books, would take some organising :-) Print on demand of Project Gutenberg.

            Community bookshare sort of like netflix/netbooks but controlled from the library. People give you there lists and you use the library as the exchange point.

  2. My Library by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Would have a server that mirrored popular open source distros plus stuffs like CPAN.

    1. Re:My Library by bnf · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Or how about CD's of linux distributions on the shelves?

      Or recent copies of the O'Reily manuals?

      How about the ability to attach patron comments to card catalog entries?

      An updated homepage or info page that shows up on every terminal in the library that displays library news, a web search box and a library search box.

      Offer the feature of email/phone reminders the day before (or whenever) items are due.

      A 'Library Zeitgeist' page like Google's Zeitgeist'. What people are reading/searching for in the last month or week.

      Have a brown sack lunch & learn about your usage of Linux at the library.

      Host the sourceforge/software for libraries project(s).

      Start referring patrons to wikipedia. Ask them to participate if they are doing serious research.

      Establish a wikimedia server for your town or city as part of your Local History office and devote the Town Historian or some library resources to it.

      Establish a search engine which is specific to your municipalities websites and/or state.

      Establish printers that can be attached to from the wireless network.

      More DVDs, more CDs. Offer [free/cheap] delivery. (I assume you have reserve and renewal on line) and then provide library return boxes as sattelites to each branch.

      also

      Have you asked your patrons or your community this question? They are presumably the tax payers and customers of your library.

      --

      this space intentionally left blank (oops)

  3. RFID by diamondmagic · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Add RFID tags to all the books, and a reciver every 5-10 feet or along the bookshelfs. Add compatibility to the lookup system, to tell users where the book REALLY is, and not where it was last filed. Doubles as a security system.

    --
    Wonder what the public key field is for?
  4. I dunno by dtfinch · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Simple desktop additions:
    * Wikipedia link.
    * Suggestion box email link.
    * Google Print link (Great full text book search).

    Other stuff:
    * Open source CD's (Linux, BSD, TheOpenCD, etc.) available for checkout, or even ISO's available for burning.
    * CDR's, jumpdrives, minor network equipment, and other information media and technology for sale. Nothing expensive though, unless you have good security. The bookstore at my local university carries all this stuff.