Talis Gang Welcomes Ex Libris and Google
As host of the Library 2.0 Gang, I was delighted to welcome representatives from Ex Libris and Google to the April 2008 show.
Oren Beit-Arie, Chief Strategy Officer for Ex Libris appears in the April show as one of the regular gang members drawn together to discuss the world of libraries and the technologies that influence them.
Frances Haugen, Product Manager in the Google Book Search Team, joins the April gang as our guest to discuss the recently released Google Book Search API.
Oren and Frances join Tim Spalding from LibraryThing, Warwick Cathro of The National Library of Australia, John Blyberg of Darien Library, and Carl Grant from Care Affiliates in a wide ranging conversation stimulated by the release of the API. A gang episode really worth a listen.
It is always good to welcome guests from organisations with something to say, such as Google. It is especially good to welcome contributions from organisations, like Ex Libris, who realise that open conversation, about the issues that concern the word of libraries, can only be good for all.
I have invited folks from many and disparate people interested in, members of, and suppliers to libraries to be part of the gang. For some reason many in the supplier community are very reticent to be seen to be openly discussing, things of interest to their customers, with library technology opinion formers. Those who listen to the gang will know that it is an open discussion for all to make their point. I will continue to invite all from the international supplier community to join us. Perhaps it would be worth encouraging your supplier, who are obvious by their absence, to join the conversation. Suggestions, offers to join in etc., to librarygang@talis.com.
