(Untitled)

[laytheblame]

Last night I went to a presentation for European and Asian library tour that a group of Australian library professionals went on in 2008. It's interesting to note the value that European councils place on the provision of services from libraries, where funding is comparatively 3 times what it is here in Australia

Comments

[acertaintragedy]

1. RFID tracking for books instead of bar codes
2. expansive digital collection that can be downloaded and read at the library (saves on paper trail)
3. super detail inventory tracking interconnected across states that is conducive to resource accessibility
4. book burning groups so i can join one. ha!

[laytheblame]

1. We already have RFID
2. We have an electronic collection of ebooks. This isn't as straight forward as it may seem. Hardware requirements dictate, or restrict, access to electronic media. Also, if your client base aren't likely to utilise such a collection then it isn't necessarily the way forward.
3. If you mean a statewide catalogue, we have a state-wide federated search portal through which you can place interlibrary loan requests. So unlike the national catalogue (Libraries Australia), the Victorian search portal (LibraryLink) is a live connection to all (except maybe 3?) Victorian public library catalogues, so presents correct holdings. The national system is a static, manually updated catalogue of resources. So, ours is better.
4. You can get involved in this if you like: http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/challengedbanned/frequentlychallengedbooks.cfm

[acertaintragedy]

thank you for the link.

i apparently know jack squat about libraries, eh?

[laytheblame]

I actually thought you knew a fair bit, considering you don't know how to read :P