Country Librarian

A pathfinder on Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) - man, I hope I spelled that right - has been created through the joint efforts of several librarians in Alberta. Heavy on CanCon (Canadian content), but also has pertinent U.S. and international links.

Are libraries an urban service? The authors of this opinion piece say no, and I heartily agree. To me, the underlying purpose of public libraries is access for all, including those in rural areas. Therefore, libraries can hardly be a service reserved strictly for urban residents.

After much hemming and hawing, I've decided to try my hand at blogging. I appreciate the many blogs that currently exist and hope not to duplicate what's already available. Specifically, I hope to include news and ideas that take into account the obstacles and opportunities that living in a rural setting provide. It just so happens that Webjunction, an online community supporting technology and training for library staff, sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, OCLC, and other partners, is focusing on rural libraries for the month of March. Look for research reports, a message board to share ideas, and stories of how other libraries have used technology to improve service. See also WebJunction’s monthly newsletter, Crossroads. The March issue also focuses on rural and small libraries.