Hacker Spaces: 3D Printing comes to Public Libraries

What is 3D Printing? 3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is the process of making solid objects from digital files. A printer is used to melt down raw materials such as plastics, metal alloys or synthetic silk-like substances. The printer then deposits the raw material onto a platform in much the same way a traditional printer [...]

Vamos Super Chivos! Our Guatemalan Futbol Adventure

Vamos Super Chivos! One of the highlights of the recent Librarians Without Borders service trip to Guatemala was experiencing the madness that surrounds professional futbol. After the working day was done, we had the opportunity to attend a semi-final playoff game, featuring the Xelaju Super Chivos (Super Goats). The Super Chivos play in the Liga Nacional, Guatemala’s [...]

An Evening of Innovation from the Margins

Article contributed by Amanda Halfpenny and originally appeared at Librarians Without Borders blog Please visit her blog at BiblioBlond’s Blog On May11th LWB supporters gathered at the University of Toronto’s iSchool for a social evening of dialogue and learning. Four diverse speakers reflected on the theme of “Innovation from the Margins”, with John Shewfelt , [...]

Non-profits in Action: Making a Difference by Improving Access to Information

Over the past several years, I’ve involved myself in the non-profit, pro-literacy group Librarians Without Borders (LWB).  Seven years after its inception as a small student run group at the University of Western Ontario , LWB boasts over 1000 international members.  It has launched literacy initiatives across the globe.  Apart from our core of dedicated, passionate volunteers [...]

Ottawa Public Library Teens Donate to Help Improve Literacy in Guatemala

Librarians without Borders has received a generous donation from one of the Ottawa Public Library‘s (OPL) Teen Advisory Groups (TAG). Based out of OPL’s Centennial branch, this group of socially conscious teens raised $175 to help support the literacy needs of students a half a world away. Being heavy users and supporters of the Library, TAG members [...]

Central Libraries of Canada, the United States and the World

Over the past 20 years there has been an incredible surge of public library construction.  Dozens of cities across the world have recognized the importance of central libraries as cornerstones of healthy and vibrant communities.  Populations continue to grow; technology improves by leaps and bounds and demands for library services increase with each passing year.  [...]

The Children’s Library of the Future

Children’s libraries have always been in the inspiration business – many a young mind has found their natural sense of wonder nurtured by attentive library staff.   But kid’s imaginations grow quickly.  It isn’t always easy to implement new methods of teaching and new services that will keep children interested.   In 2009 the Aarhus [...]

Shazamfest 2011: The Environmental Music, Sideshow and Everything Else Festival

Over the weekend of July 29th-31st I had the pleasure of attending the sixth annual Shazamfest, perhaps the most diverse and unheralded summer festival in Canada.   While the proprietor, Ziv Pryztyk refers to the event as an open-air music festival, it far exceeds the narrow confines of the term.  The bill includes acts guaranteed to draw out even the most suppressed inner [...]

The Church of Scientology and Library Challenges

The Church of Scientology (CoS) was conceived by science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard (1911-1986). It’s fundamental tenets are based on Hubbard’s “Dianetics” system, a self-help program and body of spiritual practices (Lewis, 2009). The group was first incorporated as a religion in 1953 in Camden, New Jersey and has been embroiled in controversy ever [...]

Librarians Without Borders at the Canadian Library Association

Over the past few days I’ve had the opportunity to enrich my professional career by attending the 66th annual Canadian Library Association conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  The city is vibrant (if a bit foggy) and the conference lineup is stacked with appealing speakers and great info sessions. With so many concurrent sessions it can [...]