Watch this presentation on Trends in Teen Communication and Social Media Use

Pew Internet/Girl Scout Joint Webinar on Social Media

View more presentations from Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project.

1960s comic book advert found

This 1960s comic book advert was found extolling the virtues of public libraries. Especially poignant as public libraries around the world struggle for survival. ~Boingboing website

Coming Soon: Silverlicious!

From the New York Times bestselling series by Victoria Kann, Silverlicious follows Pinkalicious as she loses a tooth, but not just any tooth! She has lost her Sweet Tooth!!! What will she do? Check out the book trailer below and be sure to put a hold on Silverlicious to find out!

How Libraries Can Use Foursquare to Bolster Visits and Participation

Foursquare is another way to market libraries and to educate patrons. It is a location based mobile network, or geolocation social network, and was founded in March 2009. With over five million users in 2010 (by comparison, Facebook has more than 550 million members), Foursquare grew 3400%.

Foursquare in Space
On Oct. 22, 2010 International Space Station Commander and NASA Astronaut Doug Wheelock checked-in from space using Foursquare. He unlocked the NASA Explorer badge that was created especially for him!

Foursquare From a User’s Perspective
•    Download the free app for your smartphone
•    You can activate the program any time you visit a location
•    Foursquare uses your phone’s GPS receiver to pinpoint your position and then lists nearby locations
•    Check-in and the app updates your status
•    If you update your status enough times at the same location you can earn badges and become “Mayor”
•    It’s more fun when you add friends!
•    Read and leave “tips” (messages) about experiences at the location

Foursquare From a Library’s Perspective
•    Builds community with your patrons
•    Encourages visits and participation from patrons
•    Interacts with patrons on a different level
•    Can create “specials” (prizes) to reward check-ins and “Mayorships”, i.e. totebags, mugs, coupons, post winner’s name with their book suggestion on chalk or white board for a week, free DVD check out, etc.
•    Can leave tips for patrons to discover new services and resources

Set-up
•    Do not set up your library as a Foursquare user, instead create a free user account for yourself, then claim or add a venue for the library
•    Once you claim your library, it may take Foursquare a couple of weeks to reply and give you complete authority
•    Claiming your venue allows you to see a full set of real-time data about your customers, and you can create “specials” to reward check-ins

Have fun with it and don't forget to  
       ADVERTISE,
               ADVERTISE,
                       ADVERTISE!!!
               

Murder in the Magic City 2011 at Homewood Public Library

Murder in the Magic City is a mystery conference for fans of all sub-genres of mystery novels. Our next event is Saturday, February 5, 2011. Our conference consists of panel discussions and presentations by our Guests of Honor. Lunch, coffee and doughnuts, sodas, and a "goody bag" are included in the registration fee. In addition, we have a basket auction each year for charity. Baskets consist of at least one book and items related to that book/theme. For 2010, we raised over $900 for the important Crime Lab Project.

Why the "Magic City"? When Birmingham was founded around 1871, it grew so fast that people said it happened "just like magic". Currently, Birmingham is Alabama's largest city. There are lots of fun things to do here. We have a fantastic Museum of Art, and the Civil Rights Museum is great to visit. Of course, no trip to Birmingham would be complete without seeing Vulcan, our naked statue, made even more famous by the late mystery writer, Anne George. Who knows, you might even see our American Idols, Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks.

For a complete list of what's going on in Birmingham, visit the Birmingham Convention and Vistors Bureau website.

We are delighted to announce our 2011 Guests of Honor:

Chris Grabenstein and Nancy Means Wright

Also scheduled to appear:

Vicki Delany
Vicki Doudera
Mary Anna Evans
Rosemary Harris
Sue Ann Jaffarian
Thomas Lakeman
Vicki Lane
James Macomber
Rick Reed
Sara Rosett
Joanna Campbell Slan
Keith Thomson
C.J. West
Jeri Westerson

Tickets are now on sale! Go to the Murder in the Magic City website to print out a registration form.

Our basket auction to benefit The Crime Lab Project will take place again this year. Be sure to bid on your favorite mystery-themed basket and support this very worthy cause. For more information, click here.

Sponsored by: Southern Sisters, Sisters in Crime, Sisters in Crime Birmingham, Homewood Public Library, Jonathan Benton, Bookseller. ~Murder in the Magic City website