Clearinghouse of Professional Information

Technology Planning

This section lists resources that may be helpful to libraries as they plan and manage computer technology projects, library automation and Internet connectivity projects.

OLS – North provides assistance with Technology Planning through its Library Development Service. Technology Planning is assigned to Rebecca Larocque our Library Development Advisor, Technology who can be reached by phone or by e-mail at .

Topics include

General Resources | Adaptive Technology |  Digitization and Preservation | Internet Connectivity | Images | Programs | RFID | Standards (including Z39.50) | Sustainability | Systems | Trends |  Web 2.0 | Website Design  | Wireless

	indicates an item written by SOLS staff		indicates an item written by OLS-North staff
Clicking on certain topics will open a new window, if the link is to a topic included in an other Clearinghouse page

General Resources

• 24by7 TEKdesk (OPLN) An Ontario Public Library Network initiative. 24by7 TEKdesk provides computer support for all Ontario Public Libraries in concert with SOLS and OLS-N.
• "32 Tips to Inspire Innovation for You and Your Library" Part 1; Part 2 and Part 3 by Stephen Abram, MLS, SirsiDynix vice president of Innovation in Sirsi OneSource, volume 1 issue 7 and volume 1 issue 8
• CTCNet Center Start-Up Manual. Community Technology Centres Network. Read before starting a CAP or a library computer center
• Dotto Tech Award-winning television host Steve Dotto show how to make the most of technology. The show appears on Bell Globemedia's national CHUM network and on Canada's independent educational channels. Clips from previous shows can be seen on the website and past seasons can be borrowed on DVD at many public libraries
• HTML Code Tutorial
• Innovative Internet Applications Intended primarily for the library community, this is a sampling of new and interesting uses of the Web by public, corporate, academic, and school libraries. Provides best practices models of both traditional and non-traditional library service provision using Internet technology. (Wilton Public Library)
• Library Technology Guides « Website aims to provide comprehensive and objective information related to the field of library automation. This site has no affiliation with any library automation company. Whether you are in the process of selecting a library automation system, or just want to keep up with developments in the field, Library Technology Guides is the place to start.»
• OLITA: Ontario Library and Information Technology Association (OLITA) Toolkits on Internet Access, RSS, Wireless
• Public Internet Access Links to sites selected by OLS on this topic
• Standards and Guidelines for Digitization Projects (.pdf)   (The Canadian Culture Online Program). This document outlines technical requirements that digitization projects must meet and offers guidance on technical issues.
• Stay Connected Toolkit (Gates Library Foundation) A toolkit of activities designed to help libraries engage local communities in their technology programs and enlist their help in sustaining them. In addition to specific steps on how to gain financial, political and technical support in your state and community, the kit also includes 'good ideas,' examples of successful programs created by libraries.
• Technology Planning (WebJunction)
• TekDesk e-learning Thanks to a grant from the Trillium Foundation, all courses and events are FREE for Ontario Public Libraries located in centres with populations less than 20,000. Due to funding parameters, courses are available to all other libraries for a suggested donation. Invoices are available.
• TekDesk Tutorials    Word, EXCEL, Outlook etc
• Top Technology Trends for libraries (ALA - Library and Information Technology Association)
• WebJunction.org "A portal designed to help library staff make the best use of emerging digital opportunities. It was launched May 12, 2003 by OCLC Online Computer Library Center, with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The resources on WebJunction are practical and down-to-earth and address real problems that librarians face every day. Most important, at WebJunction you can identify and communicate with your peers about topics that are important to you." LJ

Adaptive Technology

• Pennsylvania's Assistive Technology Lending Library Newsletters
• Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): actively working to make the Web more accessible through technology, guidelines, tools, education and outreach, and research and development.
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (W3C) These guidelines explain how to make Web content accessible to people with disabilities. The guidelines are intended for all Web content developers (page authors and site designers) and for developers of authoring tools. The primary goal of these guidelines is to promote accessibility.

Products

These products have been selected as examples only. Their inclusion here is not an endorsement.

• Adaptive Computer Products
• Browsealoud Will read websites out to you and highlight words as they are read out
• DigiMemo Pad Place a letter-sized notepad on the DigiMemo and write on the paper with the digital inking pen. The DigiMemo will record anything written on the pad in its built-in storage device.
• Kursweil Educational Systems
• New Augmentative and Alternative (AAC) Devices
• ReadPlease  Text to speech software
• Vendors specializing in technology for the blind (New York Institute for Special Education)
• ZoomText  Magnification and reading software for the vision impaired.

Digitization and Preservation

• Digital Collections Links to sites selected by OLS on this topic

Images

• 25 Free Stock Photo Sites
• Borrowing Images from the Web. (Tech Soup) Know when you need to ask permission and when you don't
• Where to Find Free Images and Visuals (Tech Soup) Sites and search engines for finding high-quality free pictures

Internet Connectivity

• Connectivity Presentation - A 2003 presentation by Barbara Franchetto, SOLS Director of Resource Sharing, on the Connectivity Project managed by SOLS on behalf of the Ministry of Culture. For more on this project, see our Connectivity section in Resource Sharing
• Connectivity Survey - A summary of the results of a survey conducted by SOLS, looking at the impact of the Internet Connectivity project on libraries and library patrons. For more on this project, see our Connectivity section in Resource Sharing

General resources and Definitions

• Before You Buy Internet Service from an ISP
• Broadband definition & technologies overview (Gconnect. ADSL Business)
• Broadband Week. Web journal on advanced technologies for video, voice, and data Services
• Choosing the Best Internet Connection. (Techsoup)
• Ebiz Enable Industry Canada's technology guide, including links to Internet
  connectivity information
• Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing
• How Stuff Works
• NetLingo Thousands of definitions that easily explain the Internet and the online world of business, technology, and communication.
• Radio Frequency Identification Technology resources (RFID).  (3M) See RFDI 101: In recent years, many large and small library systems have installed RFID systems. They identify four reasons for making what can be a significant investment.
• Types of Internet Connections (Webopedia.com)
• Types of Internet Service - SOLS comparison of the different internet services (ADSL, Cable, T1, Dial-up, etc.) in terms of speed, costs, and technical requirement
• Webopedia Online dictionary and search engine for computer and Internet technology definitions.

Finding an ISP

• Canadian ISP.com Internet service provider locator A website that allows you to search for an Internet service provider (Dial-up, ISDN, DSL, Cable, Satellite, Point to Point and Wireless) anywhere in Canada. Customers can post reviews, and ISPs submit their own services
• Canada 411 Find a Business - Enter Internet Products & Services in the "I am looking for" box and tick on "Category". Enter your municipality in the "City" box. Click on the Find It button. There is frequently a link to the ISP's web site or an ad. Note that some companies listed may only offer web site hosting, development, etc. and not internet access.
• How to choose an ISP - Industry Canada website (Industry Canadda)
• Listings Ontario portal - Click on Ontario. Find the link for your area in the left hand panel. Under the subject “Computers” there is usually a link for “ISPs
• List of ISP's: The Definitive Buyer's Guide - Heavy on the advertising but allows for searching ISP's by area code. The isting indicates whether the ISP offers ISDN, DSL, etc

Routers

• How Routers Work (How Stuff Works)
• Routers (Wikipedia)

Satellite communications

• How does satellite Internet operate? (How Stuff Works)
• Satellite Internet acces (Wikipedia)
• Satellite Communications (Webopedia.com)

Usage statistics for your website

• Free Hit Counter and Statistics (FreeStats)
• eXTReMe Tracker
• GoStats.com Web site stats

xDSL (ADSL, SDSL, HDSL, VDSL)

• DSL vs. Cable Modem Comparison - Q&A - General Questions and Answers
• Digital Subscriber Lines (Wikipedia)
• How DSL works (How Stuff Works)

Programs

• Community Access Program (Industry Canada): connecting Canada's communities to the information highway.
• E-Learning For Prescott: Community Capacity Building Through Telecommunications. (.pdf) By Laurie McArthur, Adaptive Technology Resource Centre, University of Toronto, September 19, 2004. The successful Bell Canada Foundation application was a request to fund the implementation of information technology supports in the library to: a) support patrons with disabilities; b) support literacy after school; c) explore tele-teaching for health, business and the environment; d) reinforce software that is available within the 5 schools in the community
• Smart Communities. Industry Canada

RFID - Radiofrequency Identification Technology

• Guidelines for Using RFID Tags in Ontario Public Libraries” (June 2004) (Information Privacy Commission of Ontario)
• Librarymation  An example of a supplier of the The Lib~Chip™ RFID solution is exclusively produced for use for library material
• Policies on RFID
• Radiofrequency Identification Technology: is there reason to mistrust it? (2006) (.pdf) (Commission d'accès à l'information) A very good overview of the technology, the applications, the issues
• RFID Design
• RFID Experimentation Kit (ThinkGeek) RFID Experimentation Kit with over a dozen types of RFID tags, a USB based RFID reader and instructions for tons of RFID projects.
• RFID in Libraries (Edmonton Public Library)
• RFID at the Kingston Public Library (.pdf)

Sustainability

• Keys to Sustaining Your Community Technology Center: Sustaining a program during tough economic times (Tech Soup) Useful links to other resources at the end of this article
• Managing Technical Volunteers. TechSoup.

Standards

• ILRT Z39.50 Resources Directory. Institute for Learning and Research Technology
• Z39.50 Services. Library and Archives Canada

Systems

• Automated Systems Marketplace 2007: An Industry Re-defined. Vendors profiled (LJDigital) by Marshall Breeding (LJ Digital 4/1/2007)
• Biblio Mondo  Multilingual automated system, Canadian office in Montreal
• RFP Writer's Guide to Standards for Library Systems (.pdf) National Information Standards Organization (NISO) identifies critical standards in the areas of Bibliographic Formats, Record Structure, Character Sets, Exchange Media, Serials Identifiers, Binding, Circulation Protocols, Barcodes, Interlibrary Loan (ILL), Electronic Documents, Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), Information Retrieval, Metadata, and Web Access. For each standard, the applicability to libraries is described, sample RFP language is provided, and compliance assessment issues are discussed.
• Library Automation Systems Vendors on the WWW. (rev. Feb. 2007)
• Library Automation System Vendor List (2007) (Texas State Library and Archives Services)
• Library Computer and Network Security: Introduction (Infopeople) Creating a secure public access workstation is a process made up of many discrete procedures.
• Lib-Web-Cats: Library Web Pages, Online Catalogs, and System Profiles, a resource of over 4,000 libraries worldwide. (Vanderbilt U)
• Ontario Library Consortium (OLC) OCL consists of 25 library systems: 11 county and regional municipality and 14 medium-sized public libraries located in southern Ontario. It includes over 200 branch libraries and 20 headquarters, serving approximately 10% of the Ontario population. The group is using Sirsi-Dynix technology

Trends

• ALA Tech Notes  Short, Web-based papers introducing specific technologies for public librarians
• Blogs and the Use of Blogs in Libraries (OWLSweb) Libraries are beginning to use blogs to share information about new materials or services, and as a way to encourage feedback from their patrons
• Everything You need to Know About Web.2.0 (TechSoup)
• IM in Libraries  (OWLSweb) Instant Messaging.  These resources have been selected to help you learn more about IM, how it is being used in libraries, and what IM tools and services are out there
• Learning 2.0  An online self-discovery program that encourages the exploration of web 2.0 tools and new technologies. The Learning 2.0 program was designed by Helene Blowers, PLCMC Technology Director, with the support and assistance of several staff and is loosely based upon Stephen Abram's article, 43 Things I (or You) might want to do this year (Information Outlook - Feb 2006) and the website 43Things.
• Podcasting OWLSweb) Many mainstream sites offer podcasts as a regular part of their web content
• Twitter for Librarians: The Ultimate Guide
• What is Web 2.0 ? (O'Reilly Media)

Web Site Design

• 50 Questions to Evaluate the Quality of Your Website (from Search Engine Journal)
• A Few Good Web Hosting Providers (TechSoup) What to consider when deciding where to host your site
• Accessible Webpage Design: Resources  University of Wisconsin
• Graphic and Web Design Toolkit (Tech Soup)
• NetMechanic Checks websites for links, html validity, etc.
• Open Source Web Design - Site where users can download and use various web site designs.
• Optiview. A partly free website that will optimize your graphics.
• Project: NEW - Web design tutorial - Aimed at the new web designer or the web designer new to working with web standards
• ReallyBig.com Over 1000 links, everything for anyone constructing a website!
• RFP Library (Tech Soup) Selecting the right technology service or vendor can be challenging and costly. Fortunately, you don't have to do it unprepared. Use these resources o learn about the request for proposal (RFP) process and to find examples of RFPs that show what other organizations have done
• Simple Design Tips for Non-Designers
• Style Sheets for Citing Internet & Electronic Resources:Humanities (MLA & Chicago), Scientific (APA & CBE), and History (Turabian), UC Berkeley - Teaching Library Internet Workshops
• 10 Places to Find Free Images Online and Make Your Content More Linkable
• Web Design Group Founded to promote the creation of non-browser specific, non-resolution specific, creative and informative sites that are accessible to all users worldwide. To this end, the WDG offers material on a wide range of HTML related topics. We hope that with this site as a reference, you will be able to create Web sites that can be used by every person on the Internet, regardless of browser, platform, or settings.
• Website Usability: Making Library Websites More Likely to Get Used  (Infopeople)
• Writing for the WWW: A Primer for Librarians By Erck H. Schnell, Ohio State University

Web Standards

• World Wide Web Consortium Was created in October 1994 to lead the World Wide Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability.

Wireless

See also our Public Internet Access page under Wireless Access

• How Wireless Networking Works (How Stuff Works) Including wi-fi
• Securing Public Access PCs Without Shutting Out Users: serve users without sacrificing safety, privacy, or sanity, by Jessamyn West,  January 26, 2006 This article, originally published on Web Junction, was written for librarians, but the advice is appropriate for any organization with public computers, including CTCs
• Sauers, M. « Four Commandments for Writing Policies for Public-Access Wireless Networks.» Computers in Libraries v. 26 no. 3 (March 2006) p. 16-18, 20   (Wilson Web)
• Should Your Library Go Wireless? Resources for Deciding.  A pathfinder by an electronic resources librarian
• Wi-Fi (Wikipedia)
• Wireless Community Networks. A Guide for Library Boards, Educators, and Community Leaders (Texas State Library) This guide offers a beginner's look at the process of using radio frequency wireless technology to connect the computer networks of two or more local public organizations—school districts, public libraries, municipal and county offices, and others.
• Wireless FAQ - General Q&A
• Wireless LAN Standards
• Wireless Networking in Libraries An interesting social space for wireless libraries on Web Junction. See the wireless library logo.