I missed posting about this a couple of weeks ago, but be sure to listen to The Laughing Librarian's first MP3 (with more to come)!

"A rap song about libraries! Our first BibDitties offering is 'Pictures at the Library,' by obnoxious white guy Emiless. Of all the websites with MP3s, this is certainly one of them now."

• Capital Cost and Impact Fee Calculator
  "Thomas J. Hennen Jr.writes: 'I have recently developed a tool to calculate the potential costs for a new building or for impact fees. The tool uses an MS Excel spreadsheet and 'slider bars.' I am 'beta-testing' the tool, and would appreciate publibber responses. The tool is partly an outgrowth of my cover story article in the March 2003 issue of American Libraries article: 'Performing Triage on Library Budgets in the Red.' " [LISNews.com]
   
• Launch A Google Search from within Excel
  "Need to find an answer to an Excel problem? This add-in provides a user form that allows you to quickly  tailor your search to various newsgroups or websites from within Excel. (Thanks to John for the link.)" [Binary by Accident]

This post from the blog Just What Does a Librarian Do? illustrates why I think libraries should give blogs a try. They really do help you add content, rather than forcing you to focus on the process of adding content (which is usually such a barrier).

"I quickly added two links to the weblog I maintain for the school to which I am liaison. I like the weblog because it allows me to push out all the wonderful new resources I hear about that I wouldn't otherwise be able to be adding to resource guides. There's just too much. So far it doesn't seem like that many people actually read the weblog, though plenty of folks are aware of it and are excited about the idea. The links I added today came to me via the Internet Scout Report and BoingBoing. I did some quick research looking into RSS feeds, something for the future. I also realized that if I add a google search to the weblog it will become an effective research tool, for me at least. So when patron questions come up, I could do a quick search of the weblog to see if I had ever posted any relevant resources there. Good idea."

Hemophilia

"This case has 146 individually hand cut pieces of red rippled glass, and 10 pieces of brushed aluminum cut from a door kick plate....

This case took 62 hours and 19 minutes to build during the span of three weeks. I received 9 nasty cuts, 5 burns and I consumed 464 oz. of Mountain Dew while creating this case. The Dew also works wonders on soldering-iron burns." [via Lockergnome's Bits and Bytes]

The Illinois State Library has posted the new LSTA grant offerings. The question now is if I can pull things together quickly enough to submit applications!

"The offerings are:

• Back to Books, The Three R's: Reading, Research, Reference
• Opportunity Knocks Once More
• BIG: Building Innovative Grants
• Digital Imaging
• Economic Challenge
• Value of Libraries: Building on Our Strengths.

Grant applications will be accepted effective immediately through July 31, 2003.

Please direct your questions to the Library Development office at the Illinois State Library, 800.665.5576."

Andrew Wooldridge asked me if I know of any resources for K-12 that teach programming. I don't offhand, but perhaps you do? If so, please share. Thanks!

Hey, the They Might Be Giants movie, Gigantic, will open in Chicago in June! Yay!

"Check the store for five different and striking posters for Gigantic. Featuring new designs with images of the Johns and a certain Kansas newspaper man, it's the perfect way to show your indie cinema cred."