Welcome to the second Links and a Latte post! This is a posting series to share 4-5 links of interest that can be quickly consumed over a quick break. They’ll be technology, web, and library-related most of the time. Grab a cup of coffee, tea or other favorite beverage (I’ve got my Chai Latte today), and enjoy this quick round-up of interesting links.

  1. TEDxRainier: Chrystie Hill: Libraries Present and Future [TEDx]: This is actually a 12-minute video of a talk given by WebJunction’s Chrystie Hill on the present and future state of libraries. It is worth your time to watch her talk. This is actually a good video to show your patrons and community members. Librarians know most of what Chrystie says, but do our communities draw similar connections? A few soundbites: “With access to content, space, and service, the library helps individuals become effective members of their community, and when the library provides that opportunity for anyone, it becomes an opportunity for all,” “Meeting our users exactly where they are wherever they are,” and “When everything is online, why come to the library at all?”
  2. In an Open-Source Society, Innovating by the Seat of Our Pants [NY Times]: A brief discussion of innovation, the Internet, and the future of, well, everything. Anyone else see library’s natural fit into his description? How do we leverage our role in the future of innovation in our communities?
  3. The Power of Play in Learning [Mind/Shift: How we will learn]: From one of my favorite blogs, an interesting discussion on the power of play in learning at all age levels. The discussion ends with the statements, “The best way to prepare for the emergence of the future is to learn how to be comfortable with uncertainty. To be comfortable with uncertainty, one must remain fluid, receptive and creative — in a word: playful.” Do you learn better through play or through structured lessons? As a side note, the book Play mentioned in the story has already been ordered for the NEKLS collection if you’re interested in learning even more about the power of play.
  4. Great Websites for Kids director [ALA]: The next time a parent asks for recommended website for kids, if you’re looking for websites kids can use in your library, or if a teacher is asking for website on a particular topic, point everyone to this website. According to the site, “Great Websites for Kids is a compilation of exemplary websites geared to children from birth to age 14. Suggested sites are evaluated by the Great Websites for Kids Committee using established selection criteria. The committee is made up of members of the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association.” It’s an excellent site for sure!
  5. Kansas Government Information [State Library of Kansas]: As another legislative session starts, point your patrons to this helpful site from the State Library of Kansas. It’s usually updated once a week and includes helpful links to a current topic of interest in Kansas government. The past week’s post is about the start of a new legislative session.

That’s it for this Links and a Latte post! What are you reading online? Share it in the comments.

Photo Credit: “Espresso Self!” by Flickr user Josh Liba under a Creative Commons license.