Copyright law only applies to the expression of an idea in a tangible form. The expression of the idea could be recorded on paper, computer disk, clay tablet, or any other medium. The idea itself is not copyrightable. An example of this would be if you were to draw what you think a hybrid of a dog and bird would look like. The idea itself is not copyrightable, but the drawing of it is.
Copyright law does not apply to business names. However, if you are interested in protecting the name of your business then consider having it registered as a trademark.
A trademark is any company name, logo, brand, or symbol used to distinguish a service or product from its competition. Other identifying features of a business can be protected by what is called "trade dress," which is any arrangement of colors, shapes, etc. that distinguish a business from its competition. An example of "trade dress" is the choice of colors and their arrangement used by Kodak Film.
For more information on trademarks see:
U.S. Patent and Trademark Office is where you can research trademarks in a database, get up-to-date information on current trademark policy and law, and obtain applications for registering a trademark.
For more information on copyrights see:
Copyright Office -- apply for copyright protection, find current information on copyright laws and other helpful information pertaining to copyright.
Copyright and Fair Use -- research copyright law and fair use.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Review Thursday: Nonfiction
Sugar of the Crop: My Journey to Find the Children of Slaves (2009) Sana Butler
In Sugar of the Crop, Sana Butler tells the story of a generation through the voices of its last surviving members. Her search for the children and grandchildren of African American slaves led her to interview those she was able to locate. Seeking first to know what set her interviewees and their parents apart from modern-day African Americans, Butler discovered a unifying thread of humanity tying together their family histories. At the start of the book, Butler believes her own stable family was somehow different from others with slave ancestors. But what emerges in the course of her book is the extraordinary work ethic and admirable role models in all the families of those she interviews.
Butler’s background as a reporter comes out in her style. The book is written in a conversational tone that comes through in her interviews and in her account of her life as a modern-day African American woman. Her passion and devotion to her task of documenting a slice of history previously unknown and unlikely to be recorded again, shows in anecdotes of driving through the South, shuttling between Kentucky one week and New York City the next. Each interview raises more questions for her – what else didn’t she know, hadn’t she read, hadn’t been reported in popular media. Her process of interviewing and conducting research melds well with the analysis she provides and the broader issues she connects to – how history is written and re-written, how families have changed and stayed the same, and the lasting power of love and of human relationships.
Butler has written a fascinating and well-crafted book, essential for those interested in genealogy and oral history, and African Americans’ part in American history.
In Sugar of the Crop, Sana Butler tells the story of a generation through the voices of its last surviving members. Her search for the children and grandchildren of African American slaves led her to interview those she was able to locate. Seeking first to know what set her interviewees and their parents apart from modern-day African Americans, Butler discovered a unifying thread of humanity tying together their family histories. At the start of the book, Butler believes her own stable family was somehow different from others with slave ancestors. But what emerges in the course of her book is the extraordinary work ethic and admirable role models in all the families of those she interviews.Butler’s background as a reporter comes out in her style. The book is written in a conversational tone that comes through in her interviews and in her account of her life as a modern-day African American woman. Her passion and devotion to her task of documenting a slice of history previously unknown and unlikely to be recorded again, shows in anecdotes of driving through the South, shuttling between Kentucky one week and New York City the next. Each interview raises more questions for her – what else didn’t she know, hadn’t she read, hadn’t been reported in popular media. Her process of interviewing and conducting research melds well with the analysis she provides and the broader issues she connects to – how history is written and re-written, how families have changed and stayed the same, and the lasting power of love and of human relationships.
Butler has written a fascinating and well-crafted book, essential for those interested in genealogy and oral history, and African Americans’ part in American history.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Review: EBSCO History Reference Center
A student comes into your branch looking for material on Women’s Suffrage. Her teacher wants her to use books and magazine articles for her research paper. You readily locate several books using your catalog. Now what? Here’s where the EBSCO History Reference Center stands out. The History Reference Center focuses on the history research needs of 5th through 12th graders. Magazines and scholarly journals covered by this database include American Heritage, American History, Archaeology, Journal of American History, and Smithsonian.
However, this database offers much more than just full text magazine articles. For example, a search for materials dealing with the Fourth Crusade resulted in articles from the following reference sources: Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History, Oxford History of the Crusades, Reader’s Companion to Military History, and the Oxford History of Medieval Europe. Oddly enough, the results also included information from H.G. Wells’ Short History of the World, published in 1922. Trying a search for materials discussing the Trail of Tears brought up additional sources such as Reader’s Companion to American History, the Encyclopedia of North American Indians, and the Complete Idiot’s Guide to American History. If you work at a small or medium-sized branch, the History Reference Center, in effect, expands the size of your reference collection.
But wait, that’s not all! Let’s go back to our student researching Women’s Suffrage. When we search this subject in the History Reference Center, we get a list with the following source types: periodicals, newspapers, reference books, biographies, primary source documents, images, and videos. Now we can easily access primary sources such as Samuel J. May’s 1846 sermon on the enfranchisement of women. We can also view images and video footage.
It’s a good idea to spend some time experimenting with the search interface although it’s relatively easy to use. You can limit your search by grade level or by publication date. You can also limit the results to full text articles or by grade level. You can browse and select subjects to search if you choose. With all these assets, the EBSCO History Reference Center is definitely worth exploring.
However, this database offers much more than just full text magazine articles. For example, a search for materials dealing with the Fourth Crusade resulted in articles from the following reference sources: Berkshire Encyclopedia of World History, Oxford History of the Crusades, Reader’s Companion to Military History, and the Oxford History of Medieval Europe. Oddly enough, the results also included information from H.G. Wells’ Short History of the World, published in 1922. Trying a search for materials discussing the Trail of Tears brought up additional sources such as Reader’s Companion to American History, the Encyclopedia of North American Indians, and the Complete Idiot’s Guide to American History. If you work at a small or medium-sized branch, the History Reference Center, in effect, expands the size of your reference collection.
But wait, that’s not all! Let’s go back to our student researching Women’s Suffrage. When we search this subject in the History Reference Center, we get a list with the following source types: periodicals, newspapers, reference books, biographies, primary source documents, images, and videos. Now we can easily access primary sources such as Samuel J. May’s 1846 sermon on the enfranchisement of women. We can also view images and video footage.
It’s a good idea to spend some time experimenting with the search interface although it’s relatively easy to use. You can limit your search by grade level or by publication date. You can also limit the results to full text articles or by grade level. You can browse and select subjects to search if you choose. With all these assets, the EBSCO History Reference Center is definitely worth exploring.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Review Thursday: The Turnaround
The Turnaround (2008) George Pelecanos
Without a wasted word or hint of judgment, George Pelecanos presents an episode of deadly teenage racial violence and its impact on the six boys involved. The event occurs in the 70’s in an African-American D.C. suburb and is revisited thirty-five years later when two of the participants attempt reconciliation.
Three white teenagers, Alex Pappas, Bill Cachoris, and Pete Whitten, cruise into a Montgomery County black neighborhood, throw a pie and shout racial epithets at three black kids drinking and talking outside a storefront. The white kids, finding themselves on a dead end street, are forced to turn the car around, and the black teens (brothers Raymond and James Monroe, and a thug, Charles Baker) are ready.
The fight leaves Whitten unharmed and free to prosper, Pappas beaten and disfigured, and Chicoris dead. James Monroe, framed by Baker, serves a long prison sentence. Raymond, his brother, escapes jail time and becomes a physical therapist. Baker, imprisoned multiple times, continues his criminal career.
Pappas recovers from his injuries with the exception of scarring around his eyes and eventually takes over his father’s coffee shop. As a gesture in memory of his youngest son who was killed in Iraq, he delivers and donates pies to the wounded at Walter Reed Medical Center. Raymond Monroe, whose son is serving in Afghanistan, works at Walter Reed and recognizes Pappas. The two men form a fragile alliance in order to find some resolution and growth based on the senseless incident from their youth. However, Charles Baker has other ideas. Currently shaking down small time drug dealers, he plans to extort deadly revenge on the two white survivors and their families.
This searing novel is a must read for customers who like books by Richard Price and Andrew Vachss and for fans of The Wire, Homicide: Life on the Street, and The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner City Neighborhood.
Without a wasted word or hint of judgment, George Pelecanos presents an episode of deadly teenage racial violence and its impact on the six boys involved. The event occurs in the 70’s in an African-American D.C. suburb and is revisited thirty-five years later when two of the participants attempt reconciliation.Three white teenagers, Alex Pappas, Bill Cachoris, and Pete Whitten, cruise into a Montgomery County black neighborhood, throw a pie and shout racial epithets at three black kids drinking and talking outside a storefront. The white kids, finding themselves on a dead end street, are forced to turn the car around, and the black teens (brothers Raymond and James Monroe, and a thug, Charles Baker) are ready.
The fight leaves Whitten unharmed and free to prosper, Pappas beaten and disfigured, and Chicoris dead. James Monroe, framed by Baker, serves a long prison sentence. Raymond, his brother, escapes jail time and becomes a physical therapist. Baker, imprisoned multiple times, continues his criminal career.
Pappas recovers from his injuries with the exception of scarring around his eyes and eventually takes over his father’s coffee shop. As a gesture in memory of his youngest son who was killed in Iraq, he delivers and donates pies to the wounded at Walter Reed Medical Center. Raymond Monroe, whose son is serving in Afghanistan, works at Walter Reed and recognizes Pappas. The two men form a fragile alliance in order to find some resolution and growth based on the senseless incident from their youth. However, Charles Baker has other ideas. Currently shaking down small time drug dealers, he plans to extort deadly revenge on the two white survivors and their families.
This searing novel is a must read for customers who like books by Richard Price and Andrew Vachss and for fans of The Wire, Homicide: Life on the Street, and The Corner: A Year in the Life of an Inner City Neighborhood.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Sailor Database Review: Novelist
Novelist is an electronic database available through Sailor, which means that every public library in Maryland has access to it. It covers more than 135,000 books and is a lot of fun to explore.
All you need is a favorite title or author to search for similar titles. Novelist also provides subject heading access. Readers can enter words that describe the contents of a book they would like to read, and Novelist retrieves titles that contain these words in the book's subject headings field. This feature is especially useful when working with customers who do not know the author or title of the book that they are looking for but can describe the contents of the novel. It also features reviews, annotations, recommended reads, author read-alikes, book discussion guides, booktalks, and feature articles.
One of its most notable features is its very comprehensive list of award winning fiction in a diverse range of genres, subject areas, and reading levels. This awards feature is especially useful when working with library customers who are looking for notable or award winning books.
Sections of the Novelist database are also specifically geared to young adult as well as children’s literature.
In addition, users can browse over 1,200 theme-oriented book lists, and 1,000 fiction related Web sites.
All you need is a favorite title or author to search for similar titles. Novelist also provides subject heading access. Readers can enter words that describe the contents of a book they would like to read, and Novelist retrieves titles that contain these words in the book's subject headings field. This feature is especially useful when working with customers who do not know the author or title of the book that they are looking for but can describe the contents of the novel. It also features reviews, annotations, recommended reads, author read-alikes, book discussion guides, booktalks, and feature articles.
One of its most notable features is its very comprehensive list of award winning fiction in a diverse range of genres, subject areas, and reading levels. This awards feature is especially useful when working with library customers who are looking for notable or award winning books.
Sections of the Novelist database are also specifically geared to young adult as well as children’s literature.
In addition, users can browse over 1,200 theme-oriented book lists, and 1,000 fiction related Web sites.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Review Thursday: Children's Books
Masterpiece (2008) Elise Broach.
Marvin, a rather unusual beetle, makes a miniature drawing as an eleventh birthday gift for a human named James. His work is so delicately detailed and exacting that it could substitute for the real thing. That’s the whole problem. The two unlikely friends work together to recover a Durer drawing stolen from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. For those who like rousing art mystery adventures, such as those written by Blue Balliett, this is just the ticket. Add in an interspecies relationship to match Beverly Cleary’s Mouse and the Motorcycle and you have a sure fire winner.
First Dog Fala (2008) Elizabeth Van Steenwyk.
For President Franklin Roosevelt it was “love at first lick” when he met his new Scottish terrier, Fala. From puppyhood through the five years he lived in the White House, whether Fala was chasing butterflies on the White House lawn or running loose in the streets of Washington D.C., he was a dedicated companion during the terrible years of WW II. With the interest in presidential pooches running at a fever pitch, this will be an easy sell. The fact that the reader will learn a good deal about President Roosevelt makes it appealing on more than level.The Black Book of Colors (2008) Menena Cottin.
Raised black drawings on black paper illustrate the color impressions of Thomas, a blind boy who "likes all the colors because he can hear them and smell them and touch them and taste them." The pages facing the illustrations have print and Braille text and there is a Braille alphabet at the back of the book for those curious about trying to read with their fingers. Tactile pictures and richly sensual language combine for a uniquely pleasurable reading experience. Stories in Braille are rare in public libraries; all the more reason to experience a book that embodies a commitment to disability awareness and accessibility.
Review Thursday!
Here at the Maryland Library Associate Training Institute Blog, we'd like to introduce a new weekly feature, Review Thursday. As we want to continue providing access to great resources and information for new(er) library associates and the Maryland library community, we thought a great way to do it would be by providing reviews.
What will the reviews cover? Well, just about everything related to libraries. Right now there will be a rotating selection of reviews each week -- covering new fiction titles, children's books, non-fiction books, and search engine features. This week we begin with children's books. We'll be covering some of the most current titles and features to help you keep up!
But if there are suggestions for additional areas for reviews, please let us know! We'd love to hear from the blog readers. Just click on the "Comments" right at the bottom of the post!
What will the reviews cover? Well, just about everything related to libraries. Right now there will be a rotating selection of reviews each week -- covering new fiction titles, children's books, non-fiction books, and search engine features. This week we begin with children's books. We'll be covering some of the most current titles and features to help you keep up!
But if there are suggestions for additional areas for reviews, please let us know! We'd love to hear from the blog readers. Just click on the "Comments" right at the bottom of the post!
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
I’ve got a lot of customers who need to write a resume. Are there any templates or easy ways to create a resume?
A lot of customers want to use the Resume Wizard in Microsoft Word, which can be an easy way to quickly create a resume if the customer is familiar with using Word. However, if the customer is not familiar with Word, the Resume Wizard can be complicated and challenging to update in the future.
One great place to find a user friendly resume template is on the Maryland Workforce Exchange Web site. Your customers do have to create a username and password in order to use the template, but after that hurdle is cleared, the resume builder should be fairly straight forward. The customer is given boxes to fill in for each section of the resume (work history, certifications, military history, etc.), which is similar to an online job application. After all the information is inputted, the customer has the option to save and display a printable resume or a Word document. In both cases, the formatting has been done for the customer. The Word document can also be saved on a flash drive or floppy disk for future use.
Another useful Web site is Emurse. Customers will have to register in order to use this Web site. It also has the customer fill out the resume as if it were an online job application and provides downloadable resumes in several different formats, including as a Word document, PDF, HTML, or Plain Text. Customers can chose a variety of different formats for presenting their resume. Emurse allows the customer to save up to two resumes for free on the site and create a personalized online resume.
One great place to find a user friendly resume template is on the Maryland Workforce Exchange Web site. Your customers do have to create a username and password in order to use the template, but after that hurdle is cleared, the resume builder should be fairly straight forward. The customer is given boxes to fill in for each section of the resume (work history, certifications, military history, etc.), which is similar to an online job application. After all the information is inputted, the customer has the option to save and display a printable resume or a Word document. In both cases, the formatting has been done for the customer. The Word document can also be saved on a flash drive or floppy disk for future use.
Another useful Web site is Emurse. Customers will have to register in order to use this Web site. It also has the customer fill out the resume as if it were an online job application and provides downloadable resumes in several different formats, including as a Word document, PDF, HTML, or Plain Text. Customers can chose a variety of different formats for presenting their resume. Emurse allows the customer to save up to two resumes for free on the site and create a personalized online resume.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
I’m interested in keeping up with library trends and continuing my library education. Can I do this for free?
Yes, there are a number of ways you can continue your library education.
One of the most important ways is to read the current journals and these are available at the library and in many cases online. Some of the journals published by the American Library Association and others are Library Journal, American Libraries, and Public Libraries. All of these have important articles which help you to keep up with the current news, issues, and developments in the field. More specialized periodicals include Library Administration & Management, The Reference Librarian, and Computers in Libraries.
The American Library Association has an excellent Web site with an Issues and Advocacy section, information on Education and Careers, and Ongoing Professional Development. To keep up with local library issues, the Maryland Library Association also has a Web site with links to local free meetings, panels, and other events. The Special Libraries Association has access to podcasts and articles as well.
Up-to-date books about the library profession are available including such topics as programming for adults, young adults, and children, alternative careers, technology, and collection development.
Finally, don’t forget to network. Talking to colleagues, reading blogs, and attending open meetings are excellent ways to keep up with the profession.
One of the most important ways is to read the current journals and these are available at the library and in many cases online. Some of the journals published by the American Library Association and others are Library Journal, American Libraries, and Public Libraries. All of these have important articles which help you to keep up with the current news, issues, and developments in the field. More specialized periodicals include Library Administration & Management, The Reference Librarian, and Computers in Libraries.
The American Library Association has an excellent Web site with an Issues and Advocacy section, information on Education and Careers, and Ongoing Professional Development. To keep up with local library issues, the Maryland Library Association also has a Web site with links to local free meetings, panels, and other events. The Special Libraries Association has access to podcasts and articles as well.
Up-to-date books about the library profession are available including such topics as programming for adults, young adults, and children, alternative careers, technology, and collection development.
Finally, don’t forget to network. Talking to colleagues, reading blogs, and attending open meetings are excellent ways to keep up with the profession.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
How do I put together a good looking display in limited space?
An attractive book display can be put together in any type of space. Whether you have a large table, a book truck, or the corner of a shelf shouldn’t matter. Once you know where the display is going to be, the next thing you have to do is pick a display subject. Find some attractive books on the display subject t
o see what you have to work with.
Start putting the books in the display area – it’s a good idea to visualize the shape of the display first. A couple of common display shapes are the pyramid and class picture (big books in the middle or at the top, smaller books on the outside corners). Remember, you don’t have to use all of the books at once. It’s nice to have a few extra titles put aside to fill in the gaps as books get checked out. If there are multiple copies of titles feel free to use them – standing up one book on top of the same title can add some height to the display.
Once the books are displayed stand back and look at it. Can you see the titles of all of the books? Is there an eye catching cover that will draw the patron over? Is the display subject clear? You may not get the display right the first time, but that’s part of the fun!
You can find more photos of displays done at both SLRC and other Maryland County libraries on Flickr.
To read some articles about the importance of book displays visit our Delicious page.
o see what you have to work with.Start putting the books in the display area – it’s a good idea to visualize the shape of the display first. A couple of common display shapes are the pyramid and class picture (big books in the middle or at the top, smaller books on the outside corners). Remember, you don’t have to use all of the books at once. It’s nice to have a few extra titles put aside to fill in the gaps as books get checked out. If there are multiple copies of titles feel free to use them – standing up one book on top of the same title can add some height to the display.
Once the books are displayed stand back and look at it. Can you see the titles of all of the books? Is there an eye catching cover that will draw the patron over? Is the display subject clear? You may not get the display right the first time, but that’s part of the fun!
You can find more photos of displays done at both SLRC and other Maryland County libraries on Flickr.
To read some articles about the importance of book displays visit our Delicious page.
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