The newest TECH SET® offers 10 guides to today's best library technologies

CHICAGO—Winner of the 2011 Greenwood Publishing Group Award for the Best Book in Library Literature, The TECH SET®#1-10 was praised by Library Journal as an essential reference “for anyone charged with determining or implementing the next generation of patron services." The TECH SET® #11-20, published in collaboration with Library and Information Technology Association (LITA) and available through Neal-Schuman, is the next collection in the series. Edited by Ellyssa Kroski, these 10 volumes by the field’s hottest tech gurus provide practical instructions and advice on everything from planning and development to marketing and metrics. Each title in the series is a one-stop passport to an emerging technology, with tips for creating, collaborating, connecting and communicating through cutting-edge tools and techniques. They are available as a set or individually:

• THE TECH SET® #11: “Cloud Computing for Libraries,” by Marshall Breeding

Equips readers with the information and hands-on advice needed to evaluate the many opportunities to take advantage of cloud computing, including applications that empower users to move away from the constraints of a locally supported infrastructure.

• THE TECH SET® #12: “Building Mobile Library Applications,” by Jason A. Clark

Guides readers through planning, developing and launching mobile library applications, enabling libraries to reach their users wherever they are.

• THE TECH SET® #13: “Location-Aware Services and QR Codes for Libraries,” by Joe Murphy

Covers location-based services and applications such as Foursquare, Facebook Places, Gowalla, Bizzy, Google Wallet, augmented reality programs and QR codes, guiding libraries through each step of the implementation process.

• THE TECH SET® #14: “Drupal in Libraries,” by Ken Varnum

A comprehensive roadmap to the decisions and tasks needed to develop and launch a Drupal-powered site, with advice on marketing, best practices for project management and development and measuring the success and impact of the site once it launches. Drupal is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) that many libraries use to create well-designed, easy-to-use and manage websites.

• THE TECH SET® #15: “Strategic Planning for Social Media in Libraries,” by Sarah K. Steiner

A scalable, step-by-step plan for creating and maintaining a successful library social media strategic plan, including how to segment an audience, select a target audience, use focus groups and poll patrons, conduct a SWOT analysis to provide internal strength and support and create a mission and vision plan for using social media.

• THE TECH SET® #16: “Next-Gen Library Redesign,” by Michael Lascarides

Techniques and best practices used by today's forward-thinking libraries, including website clean-up strategies, how to incorporate social media into a library website, how to create and offer interactive and collaborative subject guides, promoting library staff with public profiles and using crowdsourcing to create a collection with user input.

• THE TECH SET® #17: “Screencasting for Libraries,” by Greg Notess

Including examples using both free and commercial software, covers every detail of creating engaging screencasts and publishing them on the Web, from planning to software and microphone selection, with step-by-step instructions on making a quick screencast for students, making a quick tech support screencast, creating an individual tutorial with audio, creating a quick demo for email reference and library promotion, and producing a basic database tutorial.

• THE TECH SET® #18: “User Experience (UX) Design for Libraries,” by Aaron Schmidt and Amanda Etches

Provides advice and best practices for UX design principles, practices and tools to engage with library users online and build a library’s best Web presence. User experience (UX) characterizes how a person feels about using a product, system or service.

• THE TECH SET® #19: “IM and SMS Reference Services for Libraries,” by Amanda Bielskas and Kathleen M. Dreyer

Offers information on the technological aspects of providing real-time answers to library users’ reference questions through SMS and IM services, covering how to assess the needs of your library, choosing the right system, how to get staff buy-in to implement a new program and change the culture at your library, as well as organize and implement a staff training program.

• THE TECH SET® #20: “Semantic Web Technologies and Social Searching for Librarians,” by Robin M. Fay and Michael P. Sauers

Provides the knowledge and skills necessary to implement semantic Web technology, helping readers learn how to start and track trends using social media, find hidden content online and search for reusable online content, crucial skills for those looking to be better searchers.

Kroski, editor of THE TECH SET®, is manager of information systems at the New York Law Institute as well as a writer, educator and international conference speaker. Author of“Web 2.0 for Librarians and Information Professionals,” she is a frequent presenter on new tech trends, digital strategy, and libraries. She is an adjunct faculty member at Pratt Institute and blogs at iLibrarian.

The Library and Information Technology Association (LITA), a division of ALA, educates, serves and reaches out to its members, other ALA members and divisions, and the entire library and information community through its publications, programs and other activities designed to promote, develop, and aid in the implementation of library and information technology.

Neal-Schuman purchases fund advocacy, awareness and accreditation programs for library professionals worldwide. Contact us at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionsmarketing@ala.org.

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