Hill Library Blog - Library Trends

Hill Library Connections

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:38:00 -0500

The Spring 2009 edition of the Hill Library Connections newsletter is available online: http://www.jjhill.org/about_us/hilllibrarynewsletter_spring2009b.pdf. Read about the library's recent projects, partnerships, and events.

Technology user trends

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:40:00 -0500

Wondering how your business can take advantage of (or avoid using) mobile and social networking technology?

Here are two online resources that cover how technology is being used and who is using it, both via the iLibrarian blog.

First, the Pew Internet and American Life Project recently released its Mobile Difference report, which covers attitudes and behaviors about mobile Internet technology. Among the findings: 39% of Americans have positive and improving attitudes about their mobile communication devices (who doesn’t love their iPhone?). Read the full report online, along with survey questions and responses.

A Consumer Electronics Usage Survey from Accenture reveals that (surprise!) Baby Boomers are the fastest growing group of users of social networking sites. Read more about the difference between Boomers and Gen Y at Micro Persuasion.

How about you? Are you or is your business jumping on the social networking bandwagon? Or are you hoping that Facebook will make like Pownce and disappear from the world wide web?

Last chance...

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 16:02:00 -0500

Register today to see local personal finance hero Chris Farrell at the Hill Library. Farrell will discuss the current financial environment and economic survival strategies.

This event kicks off the Make Economic Cent$ Speaker Series, co-sponsored by the Hill Library, the St. Paul Public Library, and the City of St. Paul’s Planning and Economic Development Agency.

You can view dates, descriptions, and registration information for all five FREE events here: http://www.jjhill.org/spplsignup/index.cfm.

See you tomorrow!

Trend Feed - November 2008 - Library Trends

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:03:00 -0500

2008 Salary Survey & Workplace Study
This annual report looks at average salary levels for special librarians around the world. While available in full only to paying customers, the announcement provides some highlights.
Special Libraries Association
November 2008

Searching with Tags: Do Tags Help Users Find Things?
One task made possible by many Web 2.0 sites is the ability for users to “tag” content with whatever keywords they think best describes it. But, one might ask, what’s the point? This study looks at how user-generated tags help people find things.
E-Prints in Library and Information Science
Margaret Kipp
November 1, 2008

Librarians Want to Out-Google Google With a Better Search Engine
Google’s search function, while a company secret, is probably based on a computer algorithm. To compete, OCLC wants to bring the input of skilled information professionals into the equation. And so begins a project called Reference Extract.
ResourceShelf
November 10, 2008

Group Think: The Turn to Online Research is Narrowing the Range of Modern Scholarship
A new study finds that recently-published academic papers tend to reference newer, online scholarly studies over older, more obscure work. Does the Internet actually narrow the amount of information scholars take into account?
Boston Globe
Rebecca Tuhus-Dubrow
November 23, 2008

Trend Feed - November 2008 - Business Trends

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:01:00 -0500

SCORE Releases New Guide on 10 Simple Steps to Finding Customers… and Delivering the Goods
A new guide – only available in print at SCORE offices – provides advice for small businesses on targeting customers, building brand identity, marketing, creating an online outreach strategy, and successfully fulfilling orders.
Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) Press Release
November 3, 2008

Bullish eMarketer Chops Online Ad Forecast… Still Too Bullish
Optimistic online advertising forecasts are being cut in the face of uncertain economic conditions. eMarketer here announces a reduction of 10% in their forecast for 2009 spending on online ads, bringing that forecast down to $25.7 billion.
Silicon Alley Insider
Henry Blodget
November 25, 2008

Online Networks a Magnet for Job-Seekers
Since the beginning of the year, the number of LinkedIn memberships has grown from 18 million to 31 million. This increase in professional social networking is attributed to an increase in the number of people who have lost their jobs or are nervous about losing their jobs.
Reuters
November 26, 2008

Trend Feed - November 2008 - Technology Trends

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:58:00 -0500

Internet Coming to White Space Near You
The Federal Communications Commission adopted a new set of rules this month that will allow high-speed Internet transmission through television signals. One official describes the potential for this service as “WiFi on steroids.”
Government Computer News
William Jackson
November 5, 2008

Time Spent Online Important for Teen Development
The time teens spend online prepares them – both socially and technically – for life in the digital age, according to a study funded by the MacArthur Foundation. This detailed report looks at attitudes toward, usage of, and benefits of teen technology use.
MacArthur Foundation Press Release
November 20, 2008

Google Changes Search and Raises Questions
This post looks at one of Google’s “most drastic changes to search since they first started out” – the ability to fiddle with search results. If you’re signed into your Google account and run a search, you can rearrange search results and leave publicly-viewable comments on those results.
Phil Bradley’s weblog
November 22, 2008

Hill Library Trends Newsletter - March to October, 2008

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:55:00 -0500

Historically, we’ve put out a monthly newsletter highlighting stories in the library, business, and technology fields that are likely to have significant impact on those fields in the near future. The Hill Library Trends Newsletter, we called it. Over the next couple of months, though, we’re going to fiddle with the format of that newsletter a little. We’ll still keep track of important stories, studies, and news, and we’ll still only report the best to you on a monthly basis, but a couple small things will change. So this first version of that mad experiment comes to you in three separate parts, with highlighted stories included right here on the blog, rather than in a separate pdf file. Hope you enjoy them – and thanks as always for reading!

Hill Library Trends Newsletter - October 2008

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 17:17:00 -0500

It’s been a busy month. If you’ve fallen a little behind in your professional reading and want to catch up on the big stories, consider the Hill Library Trends Newsletter. Our monthly digest of what’s new in libraries, business, and technology is free – and the October 2008 issue is now available.

In this month’s report: The SBA outlines top issues for small businesses, an initiative moves toward Internet access through light bulbs, Google Book Search is reborn following a relatively small lawsuit settlement, and a study shows that email fosters lies.

Hill Library Trends Newsletter - September 2008

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 15:53:00 -0500

In the September 2008 issue of the Hill Library Trends Newsletter, you’ll find a potential revolution for your library catalog, a disagreement over how employees use social media at work, and the collective small business response to the failed economic bailout.

The Trends Newsletter looks at what’s new in libraries, business, and technology by highlighting relevant reports, articles, and blog entries. It saves you time by bringing to light issues affecting these industries today and issues that may affect them tomorrow.

Hill Library Trends Newsletter - August 2008

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:07:00 -0500

The Hill Library Trends Newsletter looks at what’s new in libraries, business, and technology by highlighting relevant reports, articles, and blog entries. It saves you time by bringing to light issues affecting these industries today and issues that may affect them tomorrow.

In the August 2008 edition, find stories on business library best practices, a new online networking site for librarians from OCLC, a run-down of the trouble with social media, and breaking coverage of two new business terms: “Generation V” and “IT Everywhere.”

Hill Library Trends Newsletter - July 2008

Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:11:00 -0500

In the July 2008 edition of the Hill Library Trends Newsletter, learn what libraries can do to encourage funding and public support, find out which market research firm acquired another, and see how the U.S. House of Representatives is looking into the tracking of your activities online.

This monthly newsletter looks at what’s new in libraries, business, and technology by highlighting relevant reports, articles, and blog entries. It saves you time by bringing to light issues affecting these industries today and issues that may affect them tomorrow.

Thanks for reading - and have a happy August!

Hill Library Trends Newsletter - June 2008

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:51:00 -0500

This monthly newsletter looks at what’s new in libraries, business, and technology by highlighting relevant reports, articles, and blog entries. It saves you time by bringing to light issues affecting these industries today and issues that may affect them tomorrow.

In the June 2008 issue, the Encyclopedia Britannica bends to the wiki model, the Associated Press smacks down bloggers with (overzealous?) copyright restrictions, and an international agreement changes the makeup of URLs in a major way. Also, remember when Twitter died last month? You can relax and stop worrying. FriendFeed is here to replace it.

Hill Library Trends Newsletter - May 2008

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 16:46:00 -0500

Some questions raised in the May 2008 issue: What is the first of its kind library machine unveiled this month? When is the best time and day to post to your blog? How do customer service experiences get communicated via social media? How will Gen Y change the workplace? And why is Twitter on its deathbed?

You’ll find the answers to these questions - along with more news on what’s new - here.

Hill Library Trends Newsletter - April 2008

Fri, 02 May 2008 13:06:00 -0500

This monthly newsletter looks at what’s new in libraries, business, and technology by highlighting relevant reports, articles, and blog entries. It saves you time by bringing to light issues affecting these industries today and issues that might affect them tomorrow.

In the April 2008 newsletter, learn how much libraries will spend on content by 2010, how much businesses will spend on technology by 2013, how differently-sized businesses are affected differently by rising energy costs, and how many times students used the term "LOL" in school reports in 2007.

Oh, and feel free to distribute this newsletter if you’re into it – just please point folks back to this blog. Thanks!