Desktop News - Issue 157

Desktop News
Issue 157	Friday, April 16, 1999	03:02:48 PM
For a bi-monthly wrap up of NOLA news and information, be sure to check out NOLA Notes! To receive The Desktop News in your email, go here. (You must be using Netscape, Internet Explorer or an HTML-based email program to use this service)

The End of Stealthing?

Most web users have mistyped a common URL (say mifrosoft not microsoft) and ended up at an unintended, usually "adult", web site. If you spend any time on the reference or circulation desks you've likely seen patrons make this mistake also. Stealthing, the act of registering domain names that are common misspellings or typos of popular sites such as Microsoft, Netscape, Whitehouse, etc., has been a popular practice on the Internet for the past three to four years (due in large part to the dramatic increase in the popularity of the web). It looks like times may be changing. If a ruling handed down by a Virginia court stands, stealthing may not happen much on the Internet in the future. The court, citing possible trademark issues, decided to put a stop to this practice. The true impact of this decision remains to be seen but expect to hear more in the near future.

Want to know more?

Items of note

1999 CE Survey is now available online!

"The smart ones ask when they don't know. And, sometimes, when they do."
Malcolm Forbes

Yes, we again ask for your input to assist us in planning for the upcoming NOLA Continuing Education Programs for Fall/Winter, 1999 and Winter/Spring, 2000. We have some informative, interesting program ideas, but, as always, we would like to tailor our programs to specifically meet your needs as members. I encourage you to complete the survey, and have your staff complete their own survey as well. Paper formats have been shipped to your library, if you would prefer to complete a paper survey and return to the NOLA Office.

This will be your final opportunity for this calendar year to provide us with your input and ideas for future continuing education--please complete by Friday, March 23rd so that the results can be tabulated and to allow us to begin planning for our Fall workshops.

Vacation Fever

"Travel not only stirs the blood...It also gives strength to the spirit."
Florence Prag Kahn

Fresh back from my (much too short) vacation, I took some time to ponder the importance of vacations. Realizing that I'm already looking forward to my next one, I realized that the reasons for my "vacation fever", as I call it, is that many times we don't take the time for those things that "stir the blood" and "give strength to the spirit". We simply do not take time for vacations and trips with those we love. And, even when we do, we frequently do them like we do the rest of our life--rushing, feeling pressured, and frantic. Vacations should mean a change of pace, a gentleness with ourselves, a time of rest and renewal, and a time to stretch ourselves and encounter new people, new lands, new ways, and new options. The very newness opens the possibilities of expanding our spirits and flushing out the stagnant particles in our brains! We owe it to ourselves (and those around us) to take vacations. As you are planning your summertime vacation, remember to take some time to smell the flowers, feel the sun on your back, and enjoy some quality time with your family and friends. Enjoy!

Send a greeting to your library friends ( or dentist )....

I recently had a friend from libraryland, Terri Lawless from Portage County District Library, send me a greeting for National Library Week. I have sent many greetings from Blue Mountain before, but did not realize that they had a special message for librarians. So if you want to send any of your library friends a message this week go to http://www2.bluemountain.com and go under "select a holiday" until you find "librarian's day." Of course, you can also go under "select a category" then to "professions" and send one to your cosmetologist or dentist.....

TV Time OR Be prepared.....

As I write this it is the end of the second day of National Library Week and I just finished my second evening program. And, two nights in a row, the TV cameras/crew arrived. (Okay - we must have slow news days in Lima.) Last night was no problem - I had a celebrity read-a-thon and the news story was rather mild. But tonight was the kids and internet program (the Connect in the theme "Read, Connect & Learn") and I was of course asked all those hot questions about kids and the internet that makes one very uncomfortable.

One of the best tips I ever received from a PR guru was to prepare/practice outloud ahead of time if you are going to be interviewed for a TV spot and try to come up with stock answers for "hot" questions. And never answer an interviewer's negative question by repeating the negative -rather instantly turn it around into a positive response. But tonight I was not prepared because it never occurred to me that the TV crew would come to the library two nights in a row. Thankfully, I had just last week browsed through the "Librarians Guide to Cyberspace for Parents and Kids Workshop" and I could recall some stock responses. So my suggestion for any of you who think you might get questions from a reporter sometime on the Internet - be prepared by browsing through "Child Safety on the Information Highway" (which I handed tonight to the reporter in print form, but can be found online at http://www.isa.net/isa ) or investigate the workshop mentioned above at http://www.ssdesign.com/prtalkshop/cyber/tipsheet.html

NOLA Regional Library System 4445 Mahoning Ave Warren, OH 44483	Phone: (330) 847- 7744 Fax: (330) 847- 7704 Email: [email protected]
Copyright � 1999 by NOLA Regional Library System. Send comments to Webmaster. Revised: 04/16/99 03:02:48 PM URL: http://www.nolanet.org/tdn/issue157.htm