FRBR! Finally!

Okay, so I've been talking about FRBR for a very long time. FRBR, or Functional Requirements of Bibliographic Records, sounds scary and over-whelming. In a nutshell, it provides the logic to connect multiple editions of a work making for easier customer access to materials. In other words, search a library catalog for the classic "Scarlet Letter." You'll receive dozens and dozens of results, and if looking for an available copy will have to check each item.

Now search Amazon for "Scarlet Letter." Select one of the book entries, and there is a nifty box under the basic title info that links you to other editions of the same title.

Library vendors have struggled with the concept for a long time, and haven't found a good way to implement the logic to make this happen. The wait is over for libraries! Library Thing for Libraries offers an catalog add-on option that will do exactly what Amazon has been doing for a very long time. Check out the Salt Lake County Library catalog for one example.

Now that the logic is in place, the next step would be to add availability notations for other editions, making it easy to know which one to click on... much the same way that Amazon lists the price info. Oh, and integration is good for classic webpacs, but lacking with the newer discovery platforms (Encore, Aquabrowser, etc.)... I'm sure that will unfold as well.

Thanks to Tim Spalding and his team over at Library Thing for this little breakthrough.

Wii coming soon to a library near you!

We have an amazing room at Westerville Public Library for gamers. The room opened one year ago today, and features to large screen televisions mounted to the wall and attached to gaming systems (today a GameCube and Playstation). Simple furniture and a beautiful once-exterior brick wall give the room a hip-loft like appearance.

We loan controllers and games to be used with the systems. They are hugely popular with our teens, but yes we have found adults using the room, too. Usage continues to grow, and we have seen our circulation for teen cardholders increase alongside the popularity of the room.

In the next few weeks, we will be looking at phasing out the GameCube in favor of the oober-popular Wii. It'll be fun to watch our customers dive into the new system.

Two lessons that we have learned are... 1) Sound proofing the room is a good thing if feasible and 2) Plan on investing in controllers. They do not have a long life cycle with this type of revolving use.

If you are looking at such a space at your library, go for it!