App Reviews

I started out with Wired Magazine's App Guide ($11). Love it and I have a goal to try at least one app from every section for the Android. However, Wired's Guide doesn't have any children's games/apps. I remembered that the School Library Journal reviews apps and technology, so I stole the most recent print copy from the children's librarians at my branch (Oct 2012) and I'll be listing the ones that I'd like to try below. Online, the column name is "Touch and Go" and is archived under the Blogs and Columns link

I also eavesdropped on a conversation two children's librarians were having regarding the Scholastic Warehouse sale they had attended. So I attended it and picked up a flyer for storia , the e-reader for Scholastic Books which comes with 5 free books and which received an editor's choice award from Children's Technology Review. CTR participates in a few awards presented at the yearly Consumer Electronics Show and the annual Bologna Children’s Book Fair(!), so, I think I've finally found my resources.

Book Apps I wish to check out in the future:

• The Going to Bed Book by Boynton and app created by Loudcrow interactive
• All of these- SLJ's top 10 apps of 2012
• The SLJ 2012 Halloween Book Apps Review. 

Other Apps to Check out

• Tate Modern Art Terms - currently only for iPad

Tech to check out

• https://www.remind101.com/learn_more
• http://www.codecademy.com/ JavaScript coding for kids
• (and while I'm at it, be sure to look at SLJ's 2012 top 10 tech for School libraries)

Listening to ALA Midwinter Tech Trends

Over 900 "attendees" logged in today 10am Pacific time for the free, online Tech Wrapup from ALA Midwinter 2012 to listen to three panelists talk about the trends they were most impressed by. I joined in to learn about the following...

• Jason Griffey- noted two machines. One was a dock/bay for iPad checkout. At $25,000 and not including the iPads, many attendees response was ouch! Jason also showed us 3D printers and the idea that "Digital Becomes Physical." Read more at Jason's blog Pattern Recognition
• Marshal Breeding was highly interested in the small software. He saw trends leading to the launch of a new categorization of products (which he's calling "Library Services Platform") to support the "management of print, digital, and electronic resources" and "shared data models" (such as Resource Description and Access). His point is that many of these developments will not be supported by current library ILS, but more libraries are moving toward cloud based environments.
• Sue Polanka had a lot of information that was of interest to me. Quickly:
• EBSCO dropping additional ebook fees, libraries will now just pay for the items; 
• Ebrary launches iOS app to support download option to user's personal iPad app; 
• OverDrive talked about 2011 use data with the main point being that use has doubled. Look for the Library Journal Patron Profile for great data. Sue suggests looking at public library's ebook hold/check out ratios as compared to physical items hold/ check out ratios. 
• Was looking at Unglue.it- an open access ebooks crowdfunding model to encourage authors to release books via creative commons. 
• She ended with a few reference book items, including a lifetime achievement Darmouth award to the Statistical Abstract of the United States published by U.S. Census Bureau, which has lost funding for future publications. 
• Check out Sue's Blog No Shelf Required for more details about the above.

Very interesting, glad I read my email notification. #libday8