LILRC 18th Annual Conference on Libraries and the Future

Brave ‘New Media’ World

LILRC held its Annual Conference on Libraries and the Future on Thursday and Friday, October 29th & 30th, 2009.

Thursday night’s event took place at Long Island University, C. W. Post, ‘Top of the Commons’ with keynote speaker Sara Nelson (pictured below), Books Director for O, the Oprah magazine, Author, and former editor-in-chief for Publishers Weekly.

Friday programs took place at NYIT, deSeversky Center and included guest speakers Lee Rainie, Terrance Huwe, and Siva Vaidhyanathan.

Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet & American Life Project

Surviving in the New Information Ecology

Lee Rainie’s fast-talking, humorous, and insightful presentation kicked-off Friday’s programs with a discussion on the Pew Internet & American Life Project’s latest research findings and why they suggest that libraries can play a role in people’s social networks in the future.

Tweeters in the room posted in response to Lee and other speakers throughout the day at #lilrc2009.

Terence K. Huwe, columnist, ‘Computers in Libraries’; Director of Library and Information Resources, Institute for Research on Labor & Employment, University of California, Berkeley

Publishers “in” Libraries: New Agents, New Roles, New Challenges

Terrence K. Huwe followed Lee, with an in-dept look at publishing, exploring libraries need to embrace new roles and challenges–in particular the role of libraries as publishers.

Siva Vaidhyanathan, Associate Professor of Media Studies and Law, University of Virginia

Googlization of Everything

Siva Vaidhyanathan concluded the LILRC Annual Conference program presentations with a discussion on Google, media, and much more (powerpoint slides coming soon).  Afterward, a reception took place featuring the 8th Annual Poster Session participants including:

Susan DeMasi, Suffolk County Community College

Radical Relief: The Federal Writers’ Project and the Ten Thousand Stories They Told

Nancy Foasberg, Queens College

Circulating Pixels: Will e-book Readers Constrict or Expand Users’ Access to Information

Tinamarie Vella

Using Web 2.0 Tools to Enhance Research Services

Special thanks to:

Long Island University and NYIT, deSeversky Center for hosting this year’s event.

Conference Sponsors:  BALDESSARI & COSTER LLP, LIU Palmer School of Library and Information Science, Nassau County Library Association and the Suffolk County Library Association.

The LILRC Annual Conference Committee, LILRC Board of Trustees, and Connie Litcher.

Surfing the Net: Google to the Next Level

How much do you know about Google?  Today’s session kicked off with attendees participating in a Google Fun Facts Game, which tested their knowledge on Google.  Our winners were awarded a Google yo-yo, from guest speaker Diana Bitting.

Diana energetically–and at times humorously–provided participants with examples of useful everyday information tools.  These Google special search features allow users to easily check the time, make mathematical calculations, define words, convert units of measurements and much more.  Other topics included iGoogle, which can be used as a “ready reference” tool for library staff through customization and gadgets available.  Lastly, how to create a Google Custom Search Engine was discussed.  Did you know that non-profit, government, or educational organizations can create a custom search engine that will show search results without ads!

Here are Diana’s resources for further exploration on Google and the tools available:

• Google for Web Search Features (http://www.google.com/help/features.htm)
• iGoogle (http://www.google.com/ig)
• Google Custom Search (http://www.google.com/coop/cse)
• Google Guide (http://www.googleguide.com)

Special thanks to the Brentwood Public Library for hosting this event.