COLLEEN ROBLEDO Web Developer | Librarian | Researcher | Genealogist

EveryBlock, the Django-powered hyperlocal news and data site, has included feeds of items recently added to the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County online catalog.

Mecklenburg county (North Carolina) residents can find out about the newest books and DVDs added to the more than 20 branches in that library system.

This site, launched in January 2008, continues to impress me with its rapid inclusion of different localities and data.

The Mid-Continent Public Library system, based in Independence, Missouri, dedicates its new Midwest Genealogy Center in just a couple weeks, on Saturday, June 21, 2008.

The new center includes 52,000 square feet of space, an extensive database collection, and even self-serve digitization machines.

Non-residents may purchase a library card at any of the branch locations, which grants usage to all remotely-accessible library databases.

The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration (NARA) announced yesterday a 5-year partnership with The Generations Network (TGN), parent company of Ancestry.com, to digitize selected NARA records.

TGN will provide the staff, hardware, and software, and will make the digitized records available online to Ancestry subscribers. Access to those records will be available for free, from within any NARA facility, and NARA will receive digitized copies of all records.

Today's Los Angeles Times has a really nice piece today about George Lucas's Skywalker Ranch. Times staff writer Geoff Boucher gained a rare look inside the property during his 4-day stay on the ranch. Be sure to check out the accompanying photo slide show.

Boucher even delves into the Lucasfilm Research Library -- a personal and professional dream for this Techie Librarian, who grew up in a Star Wars obsessed household.