Saturday, March 26, 2011

Earth Hour 2011

Dear friends don't forget to switch of your lights at 8:30 PM on Saturday 26th March 2011 for 60 Minutes. Save the energy for the future. All the lights will switch off around the globe for Earth Hour and people will commit to actions that go beyond the hour. Citizens from across 85 countries around 800 cities are participating in it. More details http://www.earthhour.org .


Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Quick Response Codes in Library Services

QR (Quick Response) Code is a two-dimensional bar code in which you can create text (250 characters), a web link (URL), Phone Numbers or an SMS Message (160 characters).  QR Codes can be scanned using any device with a camera and a QR Reading Application, which are available for most SMART Phones, NOKIA, Sony Phones etc.. QR codes don’t only work with phones. Think of them as more sophisticated versions of standard library barcode. Instead of the flat, one-dimensional marker we see on inventory labels, QR codes are two-dimensional (2-D) barcodes. They do require a 2-D scanner. Then readers could scan books to access book trailers, reviews, or suggestions of similar titles.



In library to embed web links to library catalogue and/or other e-resources, so learners could access these using their own mobile devices rather than your own drop-in PCs.Text based information with factual info is one of the simplest ways of using a QR Code.  There are lots of ways you could use this in the library i.e. opening times, contact telephone numbers, etc. And more dynamic codes are possible, ones that automatically send an email or SMS message. A school could implement an email or SMS reference service via QR codes placed around campus. Students with questions could then initiate a reference contact by scanning the QR code with their phones.

# Promote special events or embed as part of an active learning activity in an information skills session library induction.

# Link to library presence on Social Media sites (i.e. Library Twitter feed, Facebook Library Group pages, etc)

# Contact info for the enquiry desk (telephone numbers for renewals, email addresses, etc)

# On the Library catalogue, individual records of books and journal titles available on the shelves include a QR Code. By reading the code, you can save the Title, Author and Classmark of the book you are viewing on the catalogue to help you find it on the shelves (link to catalogue to view example)

# Library Floorplans have a QR Code that links users directly to an MP3 Audio Tour on that Subject Floor. (Downloads are in MP3 format and the file size is around 7.5 Mb)








Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Now, NET certificates at your fingertips

Those qualifying National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted by the University Grants Commission (UGC), will now get their certificates right in their mailbox as the government has made the entire system online in an effort to make the process fast and hassle free.