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Technology Planning

Design, Technology Planning
TechAtlas for Libraries gets updated
August 7th, 2007 | Permalink | Comment?

TechAtlas for Libraries version 3.2 was released today. We have a great group of planners, programmers and testers in Seattle and Ohio who have been working fast and furious at their computers to make these changes and make sure things work smoothly – thanks, everyone!

By the way – TechAtlas is free software that helps libraries (like yours) create technology plans and manage technology. Exciting stuff, right?

But wait, you ask…”Didn’t you just release TechAtlas version 3.1 last month?” Yes we did – and there is much more to come! There is a very ambitious list of TechAtlas improvements for the next year and we are hoping to release these updates monthly. Sometimes these improvements will be small, like fixing links or buttons and other changes will be more noticeable – and hopefully for the better. Many of these improvements are driven by requests from our users. We have received great feedback about the functionality of TechAtlas and we have been listening. It’s never too late to share your thoughts and even a wish-list for TechAtlas improvements, just send a message to techatlas@webjunction.org.

You can read about the changes in version 3.2 on WebJunction and you can get a free TechAtlas for Libraries account here.
Library Management, Library Services, Sustainability, Technology Planning
fresh, hot competencies
July 23rd, 2007 | Permalink | Comment?

I noted over on the CE Buzz blog the recent sizzle over competencies for library staff. How timely that WebJunction’s Learning Webinar series is spotlighting competencies in this week’s presentation: Core Competencies for Library Staff. With guests Sarah Houghton-Jan, author of Technology Competencies and Training for Libraries, and Karen Strege, project director for Western Council of State Libraries, there should be a rich flow of information on the topic.

Follow the instructions for getting online. And I hope to see you Wednesday!
Tech, Technology Planning
Computers in Libraries (not the conference)…
July 5th, 2007 | Permalink | Comment?

TechAtlas is a free tool that libraries can use for technology planning and technology management. We think it’s pretty cool software and we’re excited that so many libraries are using it (you can too, http://webjunction.techatlas.org). One of the features in TechAtlas is that libraries can maintain an inventory of the equipment that they own. And because we like number crunching and data analyzing, we made a graph to look at how libraries have changed operating systems on their computers over the past 5 years*.

If you love looking at data, you can look at the actual percentages broken down by year.

Happy Retirement: Windows 95/98 and NT have been mostly retired, but there a few hanging on.

New Kid on the Block: Windows Vista is starting to make an appearance in the library scene, which is great. Libraries are moving ahead with new technology and keeping current.

What’s your library’s plan for upgrading and replacing equipment? Is Vista in your future? Check out WebJunction’s forum on Operating Systems if you have questions or want to know what people are talking about.

*We looked at data from 4,756 libraries and over 67,000 computers.
Tech, Technology Planning
Cooking with computers
June 28th, 2007 | Permalink | Comment?

TechSoup’s MaintainIT Project has published their much-anticipated Joy of Computing Cookbook, a wonderful collection of resources for librarians charged with looking after public computers. While prepared specifically for those working in small and rural libraries, the content of this “cookbook” is so rich that anyone supporting public computing services in any type of library will be sure to find something of value.

Just be cautious about taking the cookbook metaphor too far – my own experiments with the edibility of computer hardware have produced disappointing results…
Meet Ups, Technology Planning
See you in Albuquerque?
March 9th, 2007 | Permalink | Comment?

We’re hoping to meet some WebJunction members at the upcoming joint conference of the Mountain Plains Library Association and the New Mexico Library Association, going down at the Albuquerque Convention Center next week.

A couple of folks from WebJunction World HQ in Seattle will be joining our Community Partners from Arizona, Kansas, and New Mexico. You can find us in booth numbers 57 and 58 (one booth alone will not do!) in the exhibit hall.

Better yet, please consider joining us for a presentation on Overcoming the E-Rate Hurdle on Friday, March 16 from 1:30-2:30 pm. For those of you who can’t make the presentation, the MPLA folks have been kind enough to post our materials to the conference handouts archive.

But if you are going to be in Albuquerque next week, we hope to see you there!
Advocacy, Design, Library Services, Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Sustainability, Technology Planning
Community Meeting(s)
March 1st, 2007 | Permalink | 4 Comments

What gives? Why haven’t you seen more BlogJunction posts this week? Two words:

1. Refresh!

2. Meetings!

Well, that might be a slight over simplification, but we really have been kicking up some dust ’round WebJunction way lately, both in relation to current projects and in relation to the planning of future projects. Sweet, sweet planning, how we love you (I really mean that btw).

Have you heard any of us say lately that this is the most exciting time ever to work in/with and/or for libraries? The buzz is palpable around the office, the main WebJunction site, the Community Partner sites, and most importantly in lots of libraries all over the place, the very libraries that are the reason we exist in the first place. Sure, I sound like a cheerleader, but I promise you it is genuine and well deserved excitement.

Now, just so you know we are working hard in our many meetings to get the things you need us and want us to get accomplished actually accomplished, I offer you a bit of a visual riddle. Perhaps the riddle might soften the blow of fewer blog posts this week? Sadly, I can’t really jump out there and say the answer to the visual riddle provided below. Still, it might be fun to hear your speculations about this image. What the heck were we doing in this meeting anyway? Rest assured we do know! *snicker* Even though *we* know, it might fun to hear what you might guess. You’ll play nice with this one, right? Here’s the picture (click it for a link to a larger size if you need it):

Anyone care to speculate?
Technology Planning
A new beginning for TechAtlas
February 6th, 2007 | Permalink | Comment?

After many months of negotiations, we are pleased to announce that WebJunction has recently signed an agreement to acquire the TechAtlas technology planning software from our friends at NPower. This isn’t just a purchase of the product, but rather a change in ownership for TechAtlas. WebJunction will be taking over the source code, the database, the works!

We’ll have more to say about this in the coming months, especially after the TechAtlas servers are re-located from NPower’s facilities in Seattle to OCLC’s data center in Ohio (so that they can sit side-by-side with the WebJunction servers, and form a sort of hardware community). But in the meantime, rest assured that WebJunction has every intention of further enhancing TechAtlas to better meet the needs of our members. Stay tuned for more details!
Online Learning, Technology Planning
Rural In Focus Webinar: Wild about Wireless!
January 17th, 2007 | Permalink | 2 Comments

Each month the Rural Library Sustainability Project is presenting a webinar focused on a particular topic of importance to the work of sustaining Rural and Small libraries. Join us next on January 30, 9:30 AM PST/12:30 PM EST for Wild about Wireless! Are you thinking about providing wireless access for your patrons? What are the technical requirements? What are the security considerations? Hear from rural libraries that have successfully implemented wireless access for the public including special guests Chris Peters from the Washington State Library and Sharon Moreland, director of the Tonganoxie Public Library in Kansas. Information on�joining the webinars, upcoming topics, and all archived sessions are available at�Rural In Focus.
Technology Planning
TechAtlas new features webcast archive
November 30th, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?

For those of you who missed the TechAtlas 2.3 new features overview webcast this past Wednesday, we have archived a video (and audio!) recording of the presentation on WebJunction’s TechAtlas Online Learning Materials page. On that same page, you’ll find a link to a brief document listing the new TechAtlas features that we reviewed during the webcast.

Thanks for everyone who did participate in the webcast – we received many good questions and comments from the participants, and we appreciate it!
Library Management, Online Learning, Tech, Technology Planning, Weekly Tips
WebJunction Weekly Tips
November 28th, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?

*Technology Planning Made Easy

Writing a technology plan doesn’t need to be hard. Use free software, like the recently upgraded TechAtlas, to make your life easier.

*Keep Your Library Sustainable

Working hard to keep a small library sustainable? You are not alone!
Resources developed through our Rural Library Sustainability Program can help.

*Setting up your learning environment

Having trouble carving out time to take a course or keep up with what’s new in the library field? Implement new strategies and you’ll be learning in no time!
Technology Planning
Thunderbirds are go!
November 20th, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?

Well, not the Thunderbirds exactly, but TechAtlas version 2.3 did launch successfully this past Friday. The upgrade process went smoothly, and everything seems to be working great.

A lot of work went into this latest update to the TechAtlas software, and we especially want to thank those TechAtlas users who provided suggestions and feedback on how we can improve these tools. We weren�t able to implement all of the good suggestions in this latest update, but WebJunction has big plans for additional work on TechAtlas over the next few years – watch this space for more details (coming soon)!
Technology Planning
TechAtlas 2.3 overview webcast
November 8th, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?

On Wednesday, November 22nd, WebJunction will be offering a free webcast providing an overview of new and enhanced features in the latest version of the TechAtlas software (version 2.3). The webcast will begin at 1 p.m. EST (10 a.m. PST) and will be one hour in duration.

We will be using the Microsoft Live Meeting web conferencing service. The audio portion of the conference will be available via Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) or a toll-free phone conference. VoIP is recommended if you are unable to tie up your phone line for an hour!

While this webcast is free, space is limited, so please sign up in advance if you would like to participate. You can register from WebJunction’s TechAtlas Online Learning Materials page.
Online Learning, Technology Planning, Weekly Tips
Weekly Tips: Empower Your Learning & Tech Staff Calculator
October 2nd, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?
- What’s the best way to ensure you learn something new? Empower yourself to make learning a priority!
- Try this handy technology staff calculator.
Technology Planning, Weekly Tips
Weekly Tip: tech inventory made easy
September 6th, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?

Do you want an up-to-date inventory of your library’s technology but don’t know where to start? By using the technology inventory tools in TechAtlas you can just do it! Check out Technology Inventory Made Easy – it’s our tip of the week!
(This is the first in our new “weekly tips” stream, available on the site, by email or RSS. What do you think?)
Technology Planning
August 16th, 2006 | Permalink | Comment?

Thanks to the more than 150 WebJunction members who registered for our summer series of TechAtlas webcasts.� We wrapped up the series earlier today with a presentation on Using the TechAtlas Staff Skills Survey.�

For those of you who weren’t able to join in, we have archived video recordings and other related documents from all of these sessions available on WebJunction’s TechAtlas Online Learning Materials page.

While we don’t currently have any additional TechAtlas webcasts scheduled, we’re thinking of offering some additional sessions later in the year.� If you have suggestions for particular topics (related to TechAtlas!) that you would like to see covered, please let us know!

�

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Technology Planning

Design, Technology Planning

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Tech, Technology Planning

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Meet Ups, Technology Planning

Advocacy, Design, Library Services, Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Sustainability, Technology Planning

Online Learning, Technology Planning

Library Management, Online Learning, Tech, Technology Planning, Weekly Tips

Online Learning, Technology Planning, Weekly Tips

Technology Planning, Weekly Tips