The staff at the Orange County Library System have been pretty busy. You might remember them as the folks who created virtual snowmen for their patrons. That was just the beginning of the fun and interesting services they're offering now, though.

This one is pretty freaky-deaky. I've noticed the SitePal ads on Technorati in the past, mostly just taking a moment or two to make the avatar say something goofy and moving the cursor around to make the head turn left and right and left and right and... you get the idea.

Now, however, I can do that with Mary Anne Hodel, the Director at Orange County LS! She has upped the ante on directors' blogs by adding an avatar of herself made by SitePal. Check it out for yourself at her Library Leader blog, where last month she also announced that OCLS is now using text messaging to communicate with its patrons! I *think* they are the first public library in the U.S. to do this, yes?

Equally exciting is the news about OCLS' gaming program. They offer more standard fare, such as a circulating collection and even a MySpace page just for teen gamers, but check this out:

"Don't have a gaming console of your own? Well, we've got that covered as well. If you are a library cardholder who is 17 years old or younger you can play at three of our branch locations; Main, Herndon, or West Oaks. Just bring in your library card, check out 2 tokens, and play using our 'gaming pod.' Each 'gaming pod' includes a Playstation2 console and a 'game of the day.' Bring a friend and play together. It’s just that easy!"

"Did you know that gaming at OCLS is expanding? Recently we received a grant from Electronic Arts to fund our Extreme Technology for Teens project. With this funding we will be expanding our gaming pods and game nights to all 15 of our locations. Each location will receive a Sony [sic] Wii and Microsoft XBox 360 for their gaming pod and gaming programs. Not only will we be providing gaming consoles but also gaming events that will focus on making careers out of the field of gaming. By showcasing schools and businesses we hope to show our teens what types of careers are available to them in the future."

And as if all that wasn't enough, they offer some really interesting classes you don't normally see from a public library:

• Google Earth - "Get directions, interactive maps, and satellite/aerial imagery of the World! Learn basic navigation and search techniques within Google Earth and Google Maps user environments."


• How to Free Up Space on Your Computer - "Learn how to free up space on your computer hard drive using the system tools."


• Word for Kids - "This class covers the Microsoft Word toolbar, page setup, margin adjustments, horizontal text alignments, character formatting (bold, italicize, underline, font and size adjustment), headers and foote..."


• Powerpoint for Kids - "Learn how to create, format, and enhance a Microsoft PowerPoint slide show using animations and sound."


• Online Digital Photo Albums - "Learn Online Photograph Album Concepts. Learn how to use online software to upload photos using one of the free online photo album services. Attendees must have a valid email address."


• Creating Organizational Charts Using Microsoft Office for Small Businesses - "Use diagram features in Mircosoft Office to create organizational charts."


• Windows Movie Maker for Kids - "Learn to edit video using Microsoft XP's built-in application."


• Publisher Flight for Kids - "Learn basic publication concepts and terms. Design and decorate a paper airplane."


• Podcasting for Small Business - "Learn how to subscribe, listen to and create your own podcast."


• Spyware, Prevention and Removal for Small Business - "Learn about Spyware and how to remove and protect your PC from the latest threats."


• And more!



Just when I thought there couldn't be anything else to make me say wow, I clicked through to the it: informed teens blog. I'm intrigued that kids can submit game reviews, but I'm even more excited about the design and language of the blog itself. It's full of action, it's proactive, and now it just needs to be a little more interactive.

This has to be one of the most interesting library systems to watch right now.

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