Here’s an article we found from PopSci.com, looks like pretty amazing tech. What do you think about some traditional library jobs being handled by robots? I for one welcome our robot overlords. Enjoy!

How It Works: Underground Robot Library

Research libraries are facing an unexpected challenge: too many books. Despite digitization, bound collections continue to grow. Some libraries house their stacks offsite, which can create multi-day delays between request and retrieval. Last June, the Mansueto Library at the University of Chicago, which accumulates about 150,000 books every year, introduced a system of robotic stacks capable of holding 3.5 million volumes in one seventh the space required by conventional stacks. The trick: Librarians sort books by size and not by Dewey decimal system. Engineers from Dematic, a firm that builds automated parts and storage-retrieval systems for Boeing, Ford and IBM, designed a five-story underground storage area managed by five robotic cranes. Dematic has built 17 automated library systems worldwide, but the University of Chicago’s is the most complex. The company has three more libraries under construction.

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CHICAGO – “Literacy for All: Adult Literacy @ your library,” a toolkit from the ALA Office for Literacy and Outreach Services (OLOS), is now available as a free print or digital edition.

Developed by the ALA Committee on Literacy and the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services, “Literacy for All” features tips and tools for assessing community adult literacy needs and tailoring a literacy plan to address those needs, as well as examples of successful and replicable library literacy plans and resources for serving adult new and non-readers. The toolkit is available as an eight-page print edition, an easily-navigableWeb edition or as a downloadable PDF file (797K).

OLOS provides a series of outreach advocacy toolkits, including “The Guide to Building Support for Your Tribal Library,” “How to Serve the World @ your library: Serving Non-English Speakers in U.S. Public Libraries,” “The Small but Powerful Guide to Winning Big Support for Your Rural Library” and “Keys to Engaging Older Adults @ your library.” AllOLOS outreach toolkits are developed by experts from the field and contain proven strategies and resources for librarians to enhance library services in their communities.

For more information on “Literacy for All: Adult Literacy @ your library” and other OLOStoolkits, including ordering instruction, please visit www.ala.org/olos.

Special thanks to the ALA Committee on Literacy: Juliet I. Machie (chair), Sandra Dobbins, Andrews, Barbara L. Flynn, Elizabeth Friese, Terri G. Kirk, Victoria Schwoebel, Amanda Louise Sharpe, Patricia H. Smith, Hilda K. Weisburg and Sarah E. McDaniel.

The mission of OLOS is to identify and promote library services that support equitable access to the knowledge and information stored in libraries. OLOS focuses attention on services that are inclusive of traditionally underserved populations and people generally discriminated against based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, language and social class. The Office ensures that training, information resources and technical assistance are available to help libraries and librarians develop effective strategies to grow programs and services for library users.

The ALA Committee on Literacy develops and recommends the Association’s policies related to the promotion of literacy, and develops and encourages the development of programs, educational opportunities, and other resources that assist librarians and libraries in promoting literacy. It also raises the awareness of literacy within the Association and works cooperatively with the Literacy Assembly, the Office for Literacy and Outreach Services and its Advisory Committee and other ALA units on efforts that have a literacy focus. It also develops and maintains partnerships with national literacy organizations.

ala.org

Everyone loves the way books smell. Here’s a fun video that describes why they smell the way they do.

The Wyoming Humanities Council seeks programs for the Humanities Forum.  The forum is a roster of independent contractors who travel throughout Wyoming, speaking on humanities-centered topics.  The format of presentations varies, but they should be 30 to 45 minutes long, followed by focused audience discussions.  The Wyoming Humanities Council pays a $150 honorarium for each presentation, as well as mileage, lodging, and per diem expenses.

The council is especially interested in presentations related to the upcoming Wyoming tour of “Key Ingredients: America by Food,” a Smithsonian Institution traveling exhibit about food and foodways.

The deadline for applications is June 15, 2012. For information on how to apply, see:
http://www.uwyo.edu/humanities/_files/HF_RFP.pdf

UW Libraries is delighted to announce ESPN sports writer Howard Bryant as the guest speaker at the April 26, 2012 Book & Author Luncheon fundraiser. In addition to authoring several sports books, Bryant is a senior writer for ESPN.com and “ESPN the Magazine.” Prior to joining ESPN, Bryant spent two years at “The Washington Post.” He appears regularly on ESPN’s the Sports Reporters, ESPN First Take, and Outside the Lines, and serves as sports correspondent for NPR’s Weekend Edition Saturday. Copies of Bryant’s recentbook, “The Last Hero: A Life of Henry Aaron” will be available for purchase at the luncheon. Two raffle drawings, one featuring 4 tickets to a Colorado Rockies Game, and another featuring 4 tickets to UW vs. CSU Basketball and Football games will be drawn at the event. Admission is $50 and raffle tickets are $20 each. To reserve a seat or to purchase a raffle ticket, call UW Libraries at 307-766-3279. Kindly reserve by April 17.