Our panel of expert presenters will be using your questions to guide the December 2nd Library Computer Networking Q&A.

In the mean time, take a look at the great resources on Networking and Security in the latest MaintainIT Cookbook:

• Introduction to Network Security
• Identifying Vulnerabilities and Risks on Your Network
• Creating Security Policies
• Selecting and Configuring a Firewall
• Introduction to Broadband and Wide Area Networks
• Monitoring the Performance of Your Network
• Internet Access and ISPs
• Wide Area Networks (Internetworking Your Library Branches)
• Bandwidth Management
• Further Resources for Networking and Security
• Tools for Networking and Security

Think of this as your opportunity to “call in” and get your toughest questions answered from Libraryland’s equivalent of the “Car Talk” guys!

While grants have explicit start and end dates, the work we do at TechSoup to support libraries does not. TechSoup’s MaintainIT Project was funded by a 3-year grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that ended last month. It’s hard to believe that three years have passed, but March 31 just came and went, because nothing really changed for us behind the scenes of MaintainIT. And nothing much will, really…We’re continuing to support libraries and we’ll continue to share stories from libraries, so please stay in touch.

And we here at WebJunction would like to invite you to join the celebration as we honor the over 400 Cookbook contributors, share lessons learned from the project, and to let you know that the Cookbooks are alive and well on WebJunction. In addition to all three MaintainIT Cookbooks, WebJunction is home to the Cookbook Contributors Group, the collaborative group who uses and updates the Cookbooks.

You’re encouraged to join the group if you’re responsible for buying, supporting or maintaining your library’s technology, so you can continue to share your experiences, solutions and challenges with others. And we’re excited to provide a number of ways for folks to update and build upon the Cookbooks over time.

Please join tomorrow’s virtual celebration, where you’ll get top technology tips from library technology experts, hear what MaintainIT Project staff learned from their many conversations and library travels around the country, and learn more about how you can keep the Cookbook community alive on WebJunction.

In these tough times, there’s little more important than recognizing the efforts of so many people committed to sustaining strong and relevant technologies in our libraries, who have taken the time to share their experience and expertise so that all libraries might benefit. Here’s to all who have stopped “reinventing the wheel”!

Register for the webinar »

Implementing an Online Helpdesk using Event Tracker: April 16, 3:00 PM Eastern

TechAtlas for Libraries is a set of free online tools to help libraries with the technology planning and the management of their computer inventory. Event Tracker is a tool within TechAtlas which allows users to create an online “help desk” so they can track all of the requests and solutions to computer troubles in the library. When a staff member reports the problem using the web-based form, TechAtlas notifies the designated technical support staff by e-mail. After the problem has been resolved, there is space in Event Tracker to include the solution. This creates a knowledge base that can be referred to later if the same problem occurs. It also helps you to stay on top of all the technology tasks that need to be completed in the library.

Register for the webinar »

MaintainIT Cookbook Virtual Celebration: April 22, 2:00 PM Eastern

Come join a celebration of the thousands of librarians who made TechSoup’s, MaintainIT Project a successful reality — from the 400+ librarians and tech support personnel who spent their valuable time sharing stories, to the countless contributors and volunteers who used the content, contributed to the events, and created a community of librarians learning from each other. Please join this virtual event, where you’ll get the top technology tips from library technology experts, hear what MaintainIT Project staff learned from their many conversations and library travels around the country, and learn how you can keep the rich Cookbook content and community alive on WebJunction.

Register for the webinar »

Technology Competencies in Your Library: April 29, 2:00 PM Eastern

Does your staff have the technology skills they need to do their jobs? How do you know? One way that libraries are looking to answer these questions is by establishing technology competencies. Competencies help to define the skills needed for general or specific job duties. At WebJunction this month, we’re highlighting our new technology competencies new technology competencies and offering a free webinar to discuss how libraries are using competencies with staff. Learn from presenters Lori Reed from the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (NC); Phyllis Winfield and Kim Gales, Worthington Libraries (OH); and Kris Roseburg, St Johns County Public Library System (FL) as they share their strategies and experiences implementing competency programs. Bring your own experiences and questions about creating a competencies program at your library and we’ll also point you towards resources that can help make your program a success.

Register for the webinar »

The cookbook covers six sections and includes a related set of tools for each chapter (collected as the “toolkit” also available in downloadable version):

• Planning and Decision Making covers the ins and outs of creating a technology plan tied to strategic priorities and goals.
• Communication and Partnerships delves in the fundamentals of day-to-day technology communication from a “techie” and “non-techie” perspective. It also includes some important guidelines for working and collaborating with key stakeholders.
• Buying and Deploying Technology goes through some of the core actions and decisions you need to consider when planning deployments, installations, and upgrades.
• Maintaining and Sustaining Technology offers important insight into the daily management of public computers.
• Networking and Security covers some of the basic standards and practices for ensuring your library’s network security.
• Innovation highlights the true value of today’s libraries and the role in serving as the center of new community conversations via a much higher level of user interactivity and experiences.

Please use the comments field available at the bottom of each cookbook article to add other links or suggestions for enhancing the cookbook. Your valued input will keep this outstanding resource up-to-date and relevant to maintaining technology all libraries. The Planning for Success Overview provides links to each article as well as the downloadable PDF versions of both the Cookbook and Toolkit.

Thank you again to all the MaintainIT contributors!

Wednesday October 29

Gaming in Libraries 11 am Pacific: Lori Reed will be facilitating a one-hour follow up webinar to this month’s 30 minute WJ/MaintainIT session about Gaming in Libraries. You can view the archive for the earlier session here and join her tomorrow when she’ll share a sneak peek at the Planning for Success which includes a chapter on gaming. Whether you are a gaming pro or novice please join in and contribute to the discussion. The more people who attend and share–the richer the learning experience will be for all.

Tasty Tidbits from the New MaintainIT Cookbook: A Free Introductory Webinar
20 Samples in 20 Minutes:
9:30am-9:50am Pacific Register
10:00am-10:20am Pacific Register

Thursday October 30

Recycling and Refurbishing Old Computers: A Free Webinar for Libraries
9:00am-10:00am Pacific Register
1:00pm-2:00pm Pacific Register

Monday November 3

Web 2.0 Collaboration Tools and Libraries
11:00-12:00 pm Pacific Register

Thursday November 6

Discussing Technology with Library Shareholders
11:00-12:00 pm Pacific Register