Everthing from Evernote to Zotero

Thing 17 is Evernote and Zotero.
Playing with Evernote to scan a business card - which worked except it chose to ignore the 'Wimmera Regional Library' bit and came up with the company name 'Corporation', liked that it would then add those card details to your contact list - easy! (the Evernote Team do seem to pester my email with with 'must have' tips)
I wasn't familiar with Zotero - open-source reference management software to manage bibliographic data and related research material. It can do your citations and bibliographies (think Endnote), organise your files:PDFs, webpages, images, into a searchable tree interface (think iTunes playlists), and syncs your data to your other devices (think Google.docs).
Even though both products have mobile apps, some of their capabilities are really only suited to a pc web browser - I'd like the Evernote web clipper to work on the phone or ipad and easily save text, links and images I come across.
Checked out Zotfile the advanced PDF management tool for Zotero, but the rules and configurations looked a bit off-putting, so I backed out.

When in Benalla

The Thongaphones

Found this interesting sight when crossing over the bridge in Benalla.

The ceramic mural which incorporates mosaics, pottery and tiles, began as a community arts project in 1983, the mural was created in 1985 and the whole project took 27 years to complete, it was officially opened in 2010. The mural is situated on the northern bank of Lake Benalla, (near the Information Centre and Museum in the old Mechanics Institute building). 

Overhead from Benalla City

The Gallery from the mural

It forms part of the Art Gallery's collection - the Gallery is across from the mural on the southern bank.

The structure includes an amphitheatre, viewing platform and two sets of sound pipes (Thongaphones), tuned to a pentatonic scale, they are played with a thong. 

Benalla also has some great painted street murals, including works by Adnate (there's also an Adnate in the Art Gallery), Guido van Helten & RONE.

The 'e' of books n' things

Thing 16 eBooks and eBook apps is related to the previous Thing 15.
It covers some of the challenges faced by libraries providing ebooks 
There is the device dilemma - tablets versus readers for eBooks ; the difficulties of proprietary material ; why libraries don't have all the latest bestsellers in the eBook collection ; patrons with El-cheap-o devices that don't access app sources like Google Play or iTunes ; and well-meaning family who gift elderly parents with eReaders without explaining their use.
We still have a few DRM controlled eAudio titles, and it isn't that obvious they have restricted rights when you're browsing, luckily they are being fazed out.
In the Explore I checked out the LibraryBox 2.0 - a Kickstart Project it is a "combination of a router (a variety of hardware will work), USB drive, and software that, when combined, give you a small, low powered webserver. The webserver acts like a captive portal, and delivers files that are stored on the USB drive". The portable digital file distribution system is designed to share digital information in areas of limited or no connectivity (that can be us).

 In the Thinking Points it was how to display and promote ; the different devices, vendor selections, and file formats of eBooks.

It is vital that the eAudios & eBooks are viewed as part of the larger collection, so hurry on eRC (eResource Central) integration - providing our eContent in the general catalogue, so it can be searched alongside the traditional physical collection - you're looking for a copy of "Brave new world" and don't care if it is in large print, CD or ebook format, you just want it NOW.

Also thinking about the born digital local content and historic content converted to digital.