Overdrive and MP3s: Why Can't We All Just Get Along?

Yoy and double yoy! My major Midwest library got the word today: iTunes and Overdrive just don't play nicely together. iTune's auto synch function must be disabled to successfully download MP3s onto an iPod.

Now I face a stark decision: do I manually synch my iPod from this day forward, or do I give up on my library's creamy MP3 goodness? It's the most important decision in my lifetime... with the possible exception of Obama v. McCain. OK, maybe not that important. But I gotta play around with it for a while so I can explain it clearly to customers.

Thing #23: Closing Arguments

Learn & Play has been quite a ride!

• It was fun. Thing #5 Flickr was the #1 cool Thing, followed by Thing #10, online image generators (I can see myself playing around with those a lot .
• It was educational. I've gained a new appreciation for the depth and variety of Web 2.0 technologies.
• It changed me. As I watched the election analysis on CNN this week, much was made of Obama's brilliant strategy to involve young voters via the social Web. Obama's Web site was more than a place to share his values and raise money - it opened opportunities for supporters to meet and get involved. Visitors organized their own meetings and events online. It struck me that's exactly what Web 2.0 is all about: empowering people to communicate and connect. I'm rethinking all the Things I thought I'd never use. Maybe I absolutely have to use them.

Learn & Play was well conceived and executed IMHO, although the idea that we could do it all in 20 minutes a week was off by wide margin. Not to worry, we all took as much time as necessary.

Thanks to Digital Services, Organization Development, and everyone everywhere (as Vocera says) who made this possible or participated. It was great! When does the next discovery exercise begin?

Public Libraries: Bargain Beacons of Democracy

How much would you pay for all human knowledge? But wait - don't answer yet!

I ran across this wonderful blog post by Tom Barlow at WalletPop about the value of public libraries and the awesome educational/entertainment bang we get for our buck. For $31 a year, the price of dinner and a movie - or a movie, anyway - every American has unlimited access to the universe of ideas. It's the democratic ideal made real.

To quote novelist E.L. Doctorow:

The three most important documents a free society gives are a birth certificate, a passport, and a library card.

Damn straight.

Overdrive MP3s Arrive

On Monday 11/10/2008 moldi.org, the Overdrive Web site for a consortium of libraries in central Ohio, will add 177 audiobooks in the DRM-free MP3 format. At last! iPod compatible audio!

I'll be at Main Library's Overdrive download station bright and early to load up my trusty 5th gen 80GB iPod. Many of the initial MP3s we purchased are classics (read: public domain) of literature. I plan to download Das Kapital in honor of the commie socialist Barak Obama's decisive victory over the mud-slinging mavericks.

I haven't dipped into Marx since my college days. When I crank up the Sennheisers, comrades, I'll either wax nostalgic or drop off to sleep. Or both.