The Library is Open

The Library is Open Podcast: Featuring Michael Kucsak We are happy to announce our newest session for The Library is Open Podcast! Today’s session features an interview with Michael Kucsak, Assistant Dean and Chief of Staff at Virginia Tech University Libraries. In this session Michael discuses why the freedom, flexibility and support system offered by ByWater and Koha was the best choice for the University Libraries. He also talks about managing change, setting the stage for a migration, successful communication and other aspects that prepared them for a migration from a propriety ILS to open source. About Michael Kucsak Michael is a graduate of Florida State University’s School of Library and Information Studies. As a professional librarian, Michael has worked for non-profit library consortia, public, private, k-12 and University libraries. He has been a library technology consultant for several different libraries including the State Library of Florida. While in the private sector, Michael became a Six Sigma Black Belt. Today he combines his skills in process improvement with his experience in library technology as the Assistant Dean and Chief of Staff for Virginia Tech. He continues to present around the country on topics that include process improvement in the library, eBooks, and enhanced discovery services. You can watch the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! The post The Library is Open Podcast with Michael Kucsak appeared first on The Library is Open.

The Library is Open Podcast: Featuring Trey Gordner We are happy to announce our newest session for The Library is Open Podcast! Today’s session features an interview with Trey Gordner, Founder and CEO of Koios.  Trey’s goal is to help libraries fulfill their mission in the digital age. In this session of The Library is Open Podcast, Trey discusses Koios, working with libraries, and what is on the horizon. Koios began when Trey pitched a library software idea at Startup Weekend Columbia in November 2014. The idea was a browser extension that checked the library for you from Amazon. A great team came together, built a prototype in just 54 hours, and won the competition. This wasn’t Trey’s first run-in with libraries: he’d been working in and out of them for 5 years, and had just finished consulting with Richland Library on attracting young professionals and technologists. Read more about Koios and how they help libraries. About Koios Koios makes free library resources visible in Google search results. They combine a proprietary technology platform (http://www.readlibre.com) with expertise in search engine marketing and search engine optimization, so that libraries appear side-by-side with Amazon. This increases the use of public resources, engenders support for public libraries, and lowers the barrier to lifelong learning. Learn More Looking for more information about Koios to get your library started? Contact them today. The post The Library is Open Podcast with Trey Gordner appeared first on The Library is Open.

The Library is Open Podcast: Featuring Spencer Smith We are happy to announce our newest session for The Library is Open Podcast! Today’s session features an interview with Spencer Smith, McKinney Public Library. Spencer Smith is currently the Director of Libraries at City of McKinney. As a library leader, Spencer’s goal is to provide top quality service to his citizens. In this session of The Library is Open Podcast, Spencer discusses how his library uses statistics from Koha’s Reports Module to generate collection development at their library. Read more about McKinney Public Library. McKinney, Texas, is unique by nature; as one of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S., McKinney has a current population of nearly 168,000. Incorporated in 1848, the city is located 30 miles north of Dallas and is the county seat of Collin County. McKinney offers rolling hills, lush trees, a historic downtown square and unique neighborhoods and developments. In 2014, Money Magazine ranked McKinney as the #1 Best Place to Live in America. Visit the city’s website at www.mckinneytexas.org. You can watch the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! The post The Library is Open Podcast with Spencer Smith appeared first on The Library is Open.

The Library is Open Podcast: Featuring Michael Sauers We are happy to announce our newest session for The Library is Open Podcast! Today’s session features an interview with Michael Sauers from Do Space in Omaha, Nebraska. Michael Sauers is currently the Director of Technology for Do Space. Michael has been training librarians in technology for the past twenty years and has also been a public library trustee, a bookstore manager for a library friends group, a reference librarian, serials cataloger, technology consultant, and bookseller since earning his MLS in 1995 from the University at Albany’s School of Information Science and Policy. Michael publishes a blog entitled “The Travelin’ Librarian” where he talks about everything libraries,  technology traveling and more! this session on the Library is Open Podcast explores his role at Do Space, their programs, and plans to expand the project. Read more about the Do Space Library here. You can watch the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! The post The Library is Open Podcast with Michael Sauers appeared first on The Library is Open.

The Library is Open Podcast: Featuring Rob Hilliker We are happy to announce our newest session for The Library is Open Podcast! Today’s session features an interview with Robert Hilliker from the Hotchkiss School in Lakeville, Connecticut. Rob is the Director of the Edsel Ford Memorial Library. He joined the School in 2013 and set the stage by rolling out the new ILS for students by switching to Koha. The Edsel Ford Memorial Library provides students with a wealth of research tools — and an ideal place for both individual and group study. Beyond the library’s collection of books and multimedia, students can access a wide range of online databases for research. Each academic department has a designated librarian to help students make the most of the library’s resources, and a knowledgeable staff is available during library hours to provide assistance. Read more about the Edsel Ford Memorial Library. You can watch the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! The post The Library is Open Podcast with Rob Hilliker appeared first on The Library is Open.

  We are happy to announce our newest session for The Library is Open Podcast! Today’s session features question and answer with Kyle Hall, Lead Developer or otherwise known as Lord of the Code for ByWater Solutions. Join us as we discuss the 17.05 release for Koha Open Source ILS where Kyle volunteered as Release Manager. Listen to what is on the horizon and what we will see in 17.05. Kyle received his M.S. in Information Technology from Edinboro University of PA. He has been fulfilling the IT needs of librarians for over a decade at the Crawford County Federated Library System, where his department secured sponsorship for the integration of Zebra into Koha. His work not only included enhancing Koha itself, but also authorship of the Koha Offline Circulation tool and the maintenance of the Koha Virtual Appliance. He is also the author of Libki, an Open Source library kiosk management system. You can watch the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our Library is Open Podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! The post The Library is Open Podcast Featuring Kyle Hall appeared first on The Library is Open.

We are happy to announce our newest session for The Library is Open Podcast! Today’s session features an interview with Myka Kennedy Stephens, Seminary Librarian and Assistant Professor at the Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Myka has been working in libraries for more than a decade and has a strong background in library leadership and open source information systems. Over the last 3 years at Lancaster Theological Seminary Library, Myka has developed and implemented several innovative library services including embedded library services, seminary archives, library systems administration, and open source initiatives. In this podcast we will be discussing moving to an Open Source ILS, how the move opened the door to other Open Source options, and the benefits her library has seen.  You can watch the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! The post The Library is Open Podcast with Myka Kennedy Stephens appeared first on The Library is Open.

The Library is Open Podcast Featuring Lori Ayre and Jessamyn West In this week’s podcast are guests Lori Ayre, Library Technology Consultant at Galecia Group, and Jessamyn West, Librarian and Community Technologist.  Lori works with libraries to optimize their operations and find ways to leverage state-of-the-art technologies to reduce operating expenses without reducing service quality to library patrons. Jessamyn can teach anyone to use a computer and enjoys using free and open source tools to help libraries better serve their patrons. Join us as we talk about Bookpoints, software that helps public libraries manage their summer reading programs. Bookpoints allows library staff to connect more people with summer reading through gamification and an engaging interface. This program helps librarians assess and demonstrate the their programs’ impact using built-in evaluation tools. Bookpoints also efficiently manage and report on their summer program. If you are interested, you can also watch the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! Interested in Learning more about Bookpoints? Check out Reading By Design for more information. The post The Library is Open Podcast Featuring Lori Ayre and Jessamyn West appeared first on The Library is Open.

We are happy to announce our newest podcast for The Library is Open! Today’s session features an interview with Henry Bankhead, Assistant Library Director at the City San Rafael in California. Henry has been working in libraries for more than a decade. His degrees in Art and Library Science have added a creative twist to his career, broadened his outlook, and given him the energy to be a risk taker. Hear his views on embracing change in the library world through the use of open source, as well as his outlook on providing outstanding customer service to the public, colleagues and partners. You can watch the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! Save Save The post The Library is Open Podcast Featuring Henry Bankhead appeared first on The Library is Open.

The Library is Open: Featuring Brendan Gallagher and Nate Curulla We are happy to announce the second of our monthly podcast series titled The Library is Open! It features an interview with Brendan Gallagher, Co-Owner and Chief Executive Officer and Nate Curulla, Co-Owner and Chief Revenue Officer.  Join us as we talk through the journey of friendship, librarianship and starting the ByWater Solutions Company. You can see our pretty faces on the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save Save The post The Library is Open Podcast Featuring Brendan Gallagher and Nate Curulla appeared first on The Library is Open.

Welcome to our new podcast. We are happy to announce the first of our 30 minute monthly series titled The Library is Open! This first session features an interview with Joann Ransom, who was integral in the initial funding and development of Koha, the first web based and open source integrated library system. Hear about the challenges she faced when spearheading this monumental task and learn what she has been up to since, including her world tour of Koha libraries! You can see our pretty faces on the video version of this conversation on our You Tube channel, listen right here, subscribe to our podcast, or all of the above. Enjoy! Save Save Save The post Introducing The Library is Open Podcast Featuring Joann Ransom appeared first on The Library is Open.