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One of the fastest growing trends today is combining data and functionality from several sources to create new services that provide a unique user experience. They’re called mash ups. Think Google Maps. Yahoo Pipes. Facebook Plug-Ins. Libraries are doing Web mash ups as well: Meebo Instant Messaging. Library Lookup. Bookburro. And, in a way, they’ve been doing all kinds of mash ups for years. Think story hour, open-shelf access, cafes, book lockers.
Since November 2006, OCLC has been engaged in a public library advocacy research project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, to evaluate the potential impact of a nationwide library support campaign. What we found out may surprise you.
Moving discovery and delivery to the networkDespite steady advances in information access technologies, fragmented search and discovery systems in libraries have challenged information seekers’ abilities to find the resources they need. WorldCat Local breaks down silos and aggregates collections with a simple, locally branded interface