May 13, 2007
by James Harmening
This week, I want to delve into the wonderful world of library Web sites.
Northern Illinois University just won the 2007 Electronic Lincoln Prize. If you are interested in Abraham Lincoln, this is a must visit Web site.
After visiting the Lincoln Library in Springfield last month, this Web site brings back great memories. If you haven’t taken the trip, it is wonderful! If you can’t make the trip, then visit the award winning Lincoln Web site at http://lincoln.lib.niu.edu/.
Because I am drawn to music, I was drawn to the Songbook part of this Web site. It is amazing how the campaigns had songs and themes that I think are missing from recent presidential campaigns.
Another great library resource is the University of Illinois Library (www.uiuc.edu). You can discover many links and do research to find books and information through this Web site. I was interested in the News section, take a peek.
If you want to see great technology in action, check out Northwestern’s Web site http://www.library.northwestern.edu/. Want to research Einstein, then take a peek here. It also offers exhibits and information for a wide variety of topics.
Another great feature of this library is the fact that it has an RSS feed. This allows you to be “informed” when a new item is placed on the Web site. It is like an audio e-mail or a podcast that is pulled down to your PC if you are interested in a certain topic.
Another feature that is becoming more and more popular on Web sites is the ability for the general public to text message “live” with someone from the library staff. Click a button and someone will be with you “online” to answer your question. This is a really great feature and many companies have been using this technology for a while.
I spoke with a librarian via the chat system and was still able to “surf” the Northwestern Web site while we talked. Carol was the provider.
The granddaddy of all libraries is the Library of Congress. Www.loc.gov is a great site and our federal dollars are doing a bang up job. The exhibitions section is wonderful as it take you through the cultures and history of our country. Are you interested in the Declaration of Independence? See photographs of documents that were used in drafting it. See pictures of a lithograph of the Declaration Committee. This library is a great resource for teachers, but is also available to the rest of us.
I would be remiss if I didn’t point out that most of the libraries in the readership area have good Web sites. Want to see what is happening in the summer? Check the Web site. Want to see what authors are coming by your library, bookmark it and make it a frequent stop on your list of things to do. You can even take advantage of programs in surrounding community libraries. Check out www.orlandparklibrary.org, www.evergreenparklibrary.org, www.homewoodlibrary.org, www.lib.oak-lawn.il.us, or any of the other libraries that are in your area.
A great way to search for your library is to use “village/City Public Library” on Yahoo or Google. You might have to put Illinois in the search terms, too. I ran across a great library for Homewood … Arkansas.