SirsiDynix Southern Ca User's Group 2007

SirsiDynix Southern California's User Group Meeting - Newport Beach Library on 5/17/2007.

Stephen Abram, Vice President of Innovation at SirsiDynix gave an informative presentation about the future of technology in libraries. He repeated much of what had been said at CLA and Internet Librarian conferences - that social networking was the biggest thing of the moment. He mentioned Portal technology JSR168, RSS Feeds, Open URL, GPS, Beebo, Library 20.ning.com, Second Life, My Safe Space, Techlife 14, Library Thing, Mozes, Now Public. He stated that for every $ 1 dollar invested in the library that there are $ 6 dollars returned on the investment.

Jeane Spala, West Coast Sales Manager spoke next and gave the users' group a sneak preview of Rome. It looks like it will be based on Sirsi's Unicorn Works product and Horizon 8.0 is being scrapped. They hope to put some support in the new Rome product for Horizon clients but most of the software will likely be based in Unicorn. One drawback of the Unicorn product is that it doesn't allow customization of user screens like Horizon does.

come Playaway, come Playaway, come Playaway with me...

The HBPL Media Center is now offering a new type of audio book called a Playaway. These are audio books in the form of a portable mp3 player device. The device plays only the prerecorded book and no mp3 files can be added. Each time someone checks out the Playaway, library staff insert a new battery and the device goes out for 3 weeks. The patron has to supply his/her own earphones or they can buy some from the Media Center.