iBraryGuy

Few things keep us info pros as current and connected as our beloved conferences.  From tradeshows to colloquia, there seems to be something interesting going on every couple of weeks.  Staying on top of it all can be more wearisome than the work week itself.  Thanks to Don Hawkins and his blog  The Conference Circuit, we can now keep current without having to leave our desks (except to attend a conference or two ourselves, of course!).

Readers of Information Today will know Don from his monthly conference column there.  Having worked in the information industry for over 30 years, he has come to be a bit of a conference maven.  Don knows where all the good meetings are and knows how to make the most of them.  As a conference blogger, he captures his experiences on the road with great detail, excellent insight, and a god bit of humor.  Through words and pictures, Don brings the industry’s best conferences directly to you.

Don recently covered the Special Libraries Association annual conference in Philadelphia.  It comes to life on The Conference Circuit through a series of very interesting posts and first-hand impressions.  Sure, our ”60 Sites in 60 Minutes” session did not make Don’s blog.  But we will not hold that against him . . . this year. 

So keep an eye on The Conference Circuit for the conferences you can’t attend.  It is the next best thing to actually being there!

As a foodie and home chef, I am almost ashamed to say that I have stopped buying cookbooks.  I used to love and treasure them.  But with so many recipes available online these days, it almost seems a waste to spend the money.  Of course, some are indispensable and I have my favorites with which I will never part (I may have my vegan slow cooker book cremated with me when I go!).  But for the most part, I can find almost any recipe I want these days on the internet.  Thanks to Google’s new Recipe View, recipe searches just got even easier!  Mon Deiu, what would Madame Child say?

Using the new Recipe View is easy-peasy and the functionality works like butter.  [Yes, we are having a good time with this one!]  Simply run a Google search for a recipe name or ingredients.  When you get your list of results, simply go to the left-hand side of the screen and choose “Recipes”.  When you click, your list is culled to only those results that are actually recipes.  Want to refine your search further by focusing on specific ingredients, cook times, or calories?  You can!  Just go back to the left side of the window and use one of the new filters that has appeared.  It is easier than boiling water!

You can read more about Google’s new Recipe View here.  Now get cooking!

The social relevance of search results took on new importance today as Google announced a fresg revamp of its social search features.  To quote the company’s Project Management Director Mike Cassidy on Google’s blog, “[R]elevance isn’t just about pages—it’s also about relationships.”  Google is leveraging those relationships by bringing an even greater social emphasis to its search results.

Google rolled out its social search functionality back in 2009.  Since then, there have been some small changes here and there.  Today’s announced overhaul, however, is a major step in a bold direction.  Starting today, users will get more information from the people that matter to them, whether that info is being published onYouTube, Flickr or even their own blogs and sites.  How will this manifest in the search results?  Well, social search results will now be mixed right into the results list based on their relevance.  Annotations will tell you which of your friends posted the information and where.  Previously, social search results only appeared at the bottom of the screen.  Now, they will take their rightful places on the most valuable real estate on the screen.

Of course, you have to be logged into Google to see this functionality in action.  However, it is worth the extra step.  In fact, even links that your friends may feature publicly on sites like Twitter are rolled into the mix and annotated to show you the social connection between you and the poster.  To facilitate this, Google s making it easier and even more secure to connect your social network accounts.  In the past, you had to create a Google Profile and link your other accounts to it.  Starting today, you can privately connect those accounts directly to your Google account itself.

The new functionality really looks innovative and promising.  Talk about leveraging the knowledge of the people you know and trust most!  A helpful introductory video is available.  The new social search is rolling out in the days ahead.  Keep an eye out for it!

Our profile on Quora:  Here

Have you ever found yourself trying to remember the name of a book you have seen on a TV show or maybe heard about on a radio program?  You can rack you brain trying to recall it.  Sometimes a web search can help.  But more often than not, it is enough to drive a person mad.  Well, hold onto your sanity and let CoverCake do the remembering for you!

CoverCake is a truly sweet idea – a comprehensive, online database of books mentioned in the popular media.  Whether the title was featured on television, the radio, or a popular blog,  chances are good you will find it here.  Not only can you find books, but you can buy them too! 

It is sooo easy to use.  Simply choose your favorite TV show, radio program or blog from the tabs on the main CoverCake page.  Once you do that, you are given the list of featured books.   If you see a book you like, just click on it.  CoverCake takes you to an overview page that not only tells you about the book, but also provides links to check it out at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google and even local libraries.  There are instructions also for those looking for instant gratification for their eReaders.  It’s pretty cool!

CoverCake is expanding its database constantly.  The are also increasing the ways in which users can discover books.  Take a look at those tabs again.  You can browse books from best seller lists, book clubs, and even awards lists.  It’s fast and it’s fun.  They have even released an iPad app to enhance the experience.  What? No iPad?  Fret not!  The company says that eReader versions are on the way!

They say that the devil lies in the details.  We librarians and info-types tend be very detail-oriented.  Yet, keeping track of life’s minutae – you know, those little details that are so easy to ignore – is often a challenge for even the best of us.  Thanks to Daytum, there is now a site and an app for doing just that!

Ever wonder how many times you run to the store in a week?  Or whether you are getting your money’s worth at the gym by working out frequently?  Here’s one . . . how many times this week have you said that certain word you are trying to remove from your vocabulary?  I know what you are thinking.  Why even worry about such seemingly small stuff?  well, you would be surprised just how handy the tiniest details can be and what you can learn about yourself from them.  Daytum makes it easy – and we dare say fun – to track even the most mundane daily statistics.  Simply sign up, decide what you want to track, and then use Daytum to make tracking it a cinch.  For instance, the iBraryGuy team is using it to track our outreach efforts.  We are logging the blog posts we make as well as all the tweets and e-mails we send. It is so easy.

Not only is Daytum easy to use, but the simple elegance of its interface and functionality is stunning.  You can view the data you are tracking in a myriad of ways and change the visualization with a click.  Charts, lists, totals, averages, and items can be displayed quickly and easily.  You can even adjust the timespan being viewed.  It is really quite brilliant!  For you iPhone users, the Daytum app makes updating your statistics on the fly a breeze.

Daytum is the brainchild of Ryan Case and Nicholas Felton.  You data hounds may already be familiar with Felton.  He has been producing his famous “Annual Reports” of his life since 2005!  It is free to sign up to use the site and the iPhone app is free to download.

Give Daytum a look.  You might just be surprised by what you learn about yourself!

Happy 2011!

Welcome to a new year and a new iBraryGuy.  Just over a year old now, we have been listening to your feedback and considering your suggestions.  Our New Year’s Resolution?  We want to bring you more of the news and features that interest you – library and information professionals – throughout 2011.  And we want to do it in a way that is both intellectually engaging and visually pleasing.  We are pleased today to unveil our newest incarnation!

The new iBraryGuy is cleaner and more streamlined to help you get to the content faster and with fewer distractions.  WordPress continues to be our platform of choice as it gives us the most control and functionality.  We have, however, spruced up the template and cut out the fluff.  iBraryGuy remains ad-free!  Come see our new look and let us know what you think.

The new iBraryGuy is not just about looks however.  We are unveiling some new features in the days ahead as well.  In addition to the news and reviews you have come to expect from us, our goal is to bring you MORE in 2011.  Here is some of what you can expect:

1. More News Coverage:  We have chosen Pinyadda as our primary source for sharing information and library industry news.  They make posting the news quick and easy, as well as provide us with a forum by which we can weigh in on what is happening.  So you can expect more frequent news items from the iBraryGuy team daily.
2. More Opinion:  We are excited to introduce the Wednesday Soapbox!  One day each week is now dedicated to not just delivering news and reviews, but also delivering thoughtful and hard-hitting commentary on the latest.  We will be welcoming some guest authors here as well as delivering our own weekly rants and raves.
3. More Event Reporting:  With iBraryGuyOTR (On the Road), you will be able to keep updated with what is going on at major library events around the world.  If you want iBraryGuy to cover one of your events, just let us know!
4. More FUN!:  We all like to laugh once in awhile.  By the time Fridays roll around, we tend to really need a little levity.  We are designating the last day of the standard work week as Friday Fun.  Expect to see sites that will make you smile and hopefully, for a few minutes, forget just how taxing the week may have been.
5. More You:  We work in an amazing industry that is full of fascinating people.  We are not just saying that to butter you up or because we want you to read our blog (and we do!).  We mean it!  We love our librarians and info pros and we want to share you with the world.  Each month, we will be profiling one of you . . . one of our very own.  We call this new series “PROFiLES” and will be launching it this month!  Stay tuned!

The iBraryGuy team is ready and raring to go in this new year.  We thank all of you for your support throughout our infancy and for helping us grow.  If you like what we do, please share our link and our Twitter feed with your colleagues.  Together, we can make 2011 a successful year for all of us!

Best Wishes,

The iBraryGuy Team

Google today opened the latest chapter in the great story on the battle of the eBook stores.  Established eBook retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble are taking note, as Google’s salvo is no small warning shot.  With a massive library, multi-device support, and a series of interesting partnerships, the search giant has launched a full assault on the market.  The new Google eBookstore offers some hot new features, but also has some interesting drawbacks.

First, the game changers . . .

The new Google eBookstore has launched with an impressive catalog of over 3 million titles available for download.  Everyting from classics to modern best-sellers is housed in an easy to search and navigate site.  The interface is sleek and pleasing to the eye!  Purchases are stored on shareable “shelves” in Google’s cloud and are tied to your Google ID.  If you use the Google Web Reader from a PC, netbook, laptop or tablet to access your books, you will actually be reading in the cloud as well.  No matter how many times  you change devices, use the Web Reader and Google will always know exactly where you left off.  Free Web Reader apps are being released for iOS and Android devices as well.

For those wishing to use their own devices, Google’s eBooks are compatible with many of the popular brands available.  The Sony eReader and Barnes & Noble Nook, for example, can take advantage of the available PDF and EPUB formats.  These actually allow you to download the books and store them on your device directly.

Finally, Google’s eBookstore is launching with some rather impressive partnerships.  Indie booksellers  Powell’s, Alibris and participating members of the American Booksellers Association have signed on to sell Google eBooks in their own right.  Loyal customers of these stores are able to buy the eBooks on their sites and still store and access them from Google shelves.  There is hope for the independent bookseller yet!

Now the drawbacks . . .

The launch of the Google eBookstore has come with a few technical challenges for some and at least one glaring omission for others.  First, the omission . . .  Kindle users, your device is not yet supported.  Google is hoping to bring the most popular of the eReaders on board soon, but no timetable has been set.  The picture is certainly much rosier for users of other devices, like the B&N Nook or Sony eReader for example.  However, even there extra are needed.  Users of those devices cannot simply purchase and download Google eBooks on the fly via wi-fi or 3G.  They have to download and install the latest Adobe Editions software on a home computer first.  The eBooks must then be d0wnloaded through the Adobe software and “moved” to the device.  Though potentially easy enough, we suspect it will be a bit of an annoyance to many.  Will it be enough of an annoyance to keep them away from Google’s shop?  Time will tell.

A Big Day for Books

Whether you believe the pros outweigh the cons, one thing that is certain is that today is a big day for books and book lovers.  Google’s books initiatives, at times controversial, has been running for a number of years now and has made great headway in making books more accessible.  The 3 million titles in the eBookstore are but a fifth of what Google actually has digitized.  As more and more of its books become available to online and portable e-readers, Google is certain to become a major player in the eBook market.  Competition can be a very good thing!

Specialized seach engines are certainly creating an interesting niche for themselves.  To succeed, they need to do more than just filter results.  A savvy searcher can do that on his or her own using the right search string on Google or Bing.  No, specialty search engines have to provide an added value.  For the adventurers among us, Goby is the new go-to for exploring places and things to do.

Goby focuses on answering the three key questions that frustrate most intrepid travelers:  What, Where, and When.  Simply tell it where you are going, what you want to do, and roughly when and then let Goby do the rest.  The search engine uses “deep Web” technology to search carefully selected, “pre-qualified” databases and information sites.  Search results are then presented in a more meaningful (read: relevant) way. 

The folks behind Goby not only love to travel, but are an impressive bunch when it comes to harnessing the web.  Goby was co-founded by Mark Watkins from Endeca, Lycos’  Vince Russo  and entrepreneur / MIT professor Mike Stonebraker.  Their goal was simple:

[. . .] to make it as easy as possible to research and plan everyday adventures and free-time activities. Our main goal is to eliminate the need to hop around to lots of different websites and wade through information that’s often incomplete, irrelevant or hard to find.

Their end product – the Goby search engine, however, is sublime.  More than that, it is fun to use.  The “offbeat attractions” category is a hoot!  Who knew there were so many haunted houses in Oregon?  Goby did . . . that’s who!  So before you go, go by Goby!

Is it a faux pas to bring your own dessert to Aunt Pearl’s Thanksgiving feast?  What about calling in advance to let her know that your new love interest is coming to dinner and is a vegetarian?  After all, nothing is worse that having to break bread with an unhappy host – especially when it was something you did that made them a Scrooge.  Luckily, you have an online ally to help make the season bright.  The Etipedia is “etiquette’s home on the web!”

Thanks to the Emily Post Institute, we no longer have to just wonder what that grand dame of good manners would do in a situation.  We can go to the Etipedia and actually look it up!  According to the website,

The Etipedia® is our encyclopedia of etiquette, housing content from all of our published Emily Post Institute materials: books, surveys, videos, podcasts, magazine columns and online articles.

And just who or what is the Emily Post Institute?  Founded in 1946 by Emily Post and her son Ned, The Emily Post Institute has been promoting etiquette around the world for five generations.   What started in 1922 when Emily Post published here seminal book on proper manners, Etiquette, has grown into a family business in which her descendents are still actively engaged.  Good etiquette is in their blood!

The Etipedia can be browsed, using the content tabs on the top, or even searched using keywords and/or phrases.   It is very user friendly.  Emily would approve!  Try searching “food allergies” as a phrase and you will see what we mean.  Did you know that proper etiquette dictates handling food allergies and dietary preferences (e.g., vegetarianism) differently?  Well, now you do!

Thanks to the Etipedia, formal gatherings and family meals no longer have to be frightening.  Simply brush up before you go or bookmark it on your smartphone while you are there.  Just please keep that phone off the table!  Our personal favorite entry is the Top Ten Table Manners.  Memorize them now before the holidays are upon us!