Funding

Have an Idea to Improve Access to Information in Your Community? The Knight News Challenges Wants to Fund It #knc

November 18, 2010

You invent it, they fund it. Simple as that. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is running a grant competition called the News Challenge. The News Challenge awards up to $5 million for innovative projects that use technology to transform the way communities send, receive and make use of news and information. Applicants must only follow three rules: Use digital, open-source technology (so many of us are already using open source technology) Distribute news in the public interest (hey everything we do is in the public interest!) Fit into one of four categories (Look at number 2, it practically shouts information literacy or news literacy. And number 3, digital media labs anyone?) The four categories – emphasis added by me Mobile: Seeks projects that use mobile devices to produce, deliver, consume, share and otherwise engage with news. The category reflects the fact that the mobile phone, with 5 billion units in use, has become an important tool for news. Authenticity: Looks for projects that help people better understand the reliability of news and information sources. We’re hoping to identify promising ideas for helping citizens negotiate our oft-chaotic media world. How can we help news users better evaluate the validity

Library Fund Raising Using Text Messages

April 1, 2010

By Bobbi Newman

Library Fund Raising Using Text Messages

A couple of weeks ago I had a conversation with a colleague at work about using mobile fundraising for the library. It is an easy way for patrons to support the library. Send a text message donate $5 or $10 whatever. No need to go home and get the checkbook or get online and enter your credit card information. Even better its instant, no worry that they’ll forget before they get a chance to make that donation. Last week I came across How Text is Changing Philanthropy and it seemed like a good time to revisit the issue. Of course the best and most recent example of text fund-raising is the situation in Haiti. The Red Cross raised over 30 million from texts alone. Why can’t libraries use this? Hang a sign in the library, put a message on the home page, but a link on the OPACs, its fast, its easy its simple. It might reach a whole different demographic than our tradition fundraising methods, people who might never have donated otherwise. Text-based fundraising is all about immediacy. You don’t need to wait until you get home and turn on the computer. Simply enter a five or six-digit code

Geek the Library

June 23, 2009

By Bobbi Newman

Monday OCLC kicked off their Geek the Library campaign with Iowa (my home state!) and Georgia (my current state!). What is Geek the Library? Its a community-based public awareness campaign. The idea is to increase public awareness of libraries and the important role they play and the funding we so desperately need. People can share what they are passionate about using geek as a verb Geek\Verb. To love, to enjoy, to celebrate, to have an intense passion for. To express interest in. To possess a large amount of knowledge in. To promote I love (or is that geek?) the potential of this campaign! When they get the gear up I’ll be first in line for a shirt and coffee cup! Right now they are testing the campaign in Georgia and Iowa, with plans to kick off nationwide in 2010. I’ll be interested to see how it plays out. The site looks slick and being a geek is cool in many circles now, I’m sure it will be a hit with librarian. Will it raise public awareness and more importantly funding for libraries? I hope so. For the public they have show your support page. I do with they had made

Technology for Tight Budgets

March 3, 2009

By Bobbi Newman

Times are tight, and likely to get tighter, if you’re looking to save money talk with your IT department. They may have some helpful solutions. Take a look at the University of Missouri’s IT department suggestions – Technology for Tight Budges. Many of these can be used by libraries and other businesses looking to save funds. Investigate the Technologies Available to Stretch Your Budget MeetingPlace Audio/Web Conferencing SharePoint Online Collaboration Tools IT Training — In the Classroom and Online Captivate e-Learning Authoring Tools Voice over IP (VoIP) Go Green, IT! Power Down and Virtualize Server Virtualization Videoconferencing TelePresence Smartphone Technologies Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Share on FriendFeed Buzz it up Share on netvibes share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tumblr it Buzz it up Subscribe to the comments on this post Print for later Tell a friend

The Laptops are Here!

May 6, 2008

By Bobbi Newman

The laptops are here! I snuck in early this morning to sneak a picture of one of them. Dont’ tell Robin! Yes all 15 are red, they were on clearance from Gateway. We also purchased an instructor laptop that is blue, it’s a bit more powerful. Even better, it came with a free digital camera! I’m hoping we’ll have more pictures of programs and events on MRRL’s Flickr account now! The laptops are for a Grant we received for a Mobile Technology Teaching Lap. We’ll be using them to teach patrons basic computer classes like email, Internet safety in addition to classes about blogging and facebook! Bookmark on Delicious Digg this post Share on FriendFeed Buzz it up Share on netvibes share via Reddit Share with Stumblers Tumblr it Buzz it up Subscribe to the comments on this post Print for later Tell a friend

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Have an Idea to Improve Access to Information in Your Community? The Knight News Challenges Wants to Fund It #knc

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