Change is constant. Attention spans are not. The Hill Library Trends Newsletter tracks trends in the library, business, and technology spheres – and provides monthly updates relaying reports, stories, and news likely to change these industries in the near future. We keep obsessive vigilance so you don’t have to. The newsletter is free, and the October 2008 issue is now available.

In this issue, the SBA outlines top issues for small businesses, an initiative moves toward Internet access through light bulbs, Google Book Search is reborn following a relatively small lawsuit settlement, and a study shows that email fosters lies.

The James J. Hill Reference Library is a private, nonprofit business research library dedicated to helping small businesses grow through wise decision-making. Learn more about the Hill Library with the Hill Library Blog, where we highlight business research reports, sources, and techniques.

And congratulations to LISNews on nine years! That’s… intimidating. :)

YourLibrarySite(TM) Now Offers SOPAC Integration.

The library website development team at YourLibrarySite.com (a website development initiative offered by CraftySpace, LLC) is currently integrating Social OPAC functionality with the Palos Verdes Library District's website (PVLD.org). YourLibrarySite is using John Blyberg's SOPAC2 Drupal module to integrate PVLD's ILS with their website. This integration empowers library patrons to review, tag and rate biblio records without leaving PVLD's website, and to view the content created by other patrons.

An innovative further step allows libraries to optionally share their patron input with other libraries, thereby creating a richer environment for all involved. This sharing also allows newly created SOPAC communities to "prime the pump" by displaying patron-created content from already established SOPAC communities.

About YourLibrarySite and SOPAC2:

Last year at the Internet Librarian 2007 conference, Joseph Muennich (one of the partners from YourLibrarySite) met with John and began discussing how best to enable social integration of an ILS within a library's website. (If you aren't already familiar with John, you may want to check out his blog at Blyberg.net). This year, John invited CraftySpace, and a small group of other library-focused developers, to a technology summit sponsored by the Darien Public Library (http://www.darienlibrary.org/). Participants learned about SOPAC2, and what it adds to the open source library community. CraftySpace is using this information upgrade the PVLD.org to a Drupal 6 site with SOPAC2 integration.

YourLibrarySite will be offering SOPAC2 trainings on the West Coast in the near future. For information, contact paul@yourlibrarysite.com or visit http://yourlibrarysite.com .

For a detailed explanation of SOPAC, see http://www.blyberg.net/2008/08/16/sopac-20-what-to-expect/ and http://www.thesocialopac.net/

YourLibrarySite provides website packages and web development services to Public, Academic, and Special libraries. YourLibrarySite uses the Drupal open source CMS platform and is a well established participant in the Drupal open source community.
_________________________________________________________________

Paul Berger
YourLibrarySite.com
1659 Oak St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541 485-7220 Direct
877.878.1794 Toll-free
paul@yourlibrarysite.com

We are pleased to announce that the Library of Virginia has become the fifth state to join the Plinkit Collaborative. Plinkit is software for libraries to use in creating smart, new web sites for their patrons. It was a co-recipient of the 2008 ASCLA Leadership and Professional Achievement Award at ALA in Anaheim this year. Colorado, Illinois, Oregon and Texas are already members.

Plinkit stands for "Public Library Interface Kit." Plinkit is built using Plone, an open-source content management system. Library web sites are created and edited right through the web, using built-in text editors and other powerful features that make it easy for library staff to keep their content current. The Plinkit platform allows small libraries with limited funding to develop a professional looking web site that gives patrons quick access to catalogs, databases, calendars, information and events.

"Virginia is pleased to offer this hosting service at no charge to our library systems,” said Elizabeth M. Lewis, Director of Library Development and Networking at the Library of Virginia. “Plinkit helps fulfill a longstanding goal to improve accessibility to Internet resources including the statewide database project, Find It Virginia. In the current economic climate, maximizing all resources is essential.”

Created in Oregon in 2006, the goal of the Plinkit Collaborative is to pool funds in support of software development, training, documentation, and marketing activities. For more information, visit www.Plinkit.org or email jshaffner@BCR.org.