Alliance’s Trail to Learning-Casts and Syndicated Sites (ATLAS)

Yesterday, Alliance Library System (ALS) introduced ATLAS (Alliance’s Trail to Learning-Casts and Syndicated Sites) in an online program and launched the site: http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/. The ATLAS project was funded through a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) Grant, from the Illinois State Library, a division of the Office of Secretary of State, through the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

There are a lot of interesting aspects to this grant, but I have been intrigued by the podmap. The podmap is designed to link podcasts not only with a searchable database but with an interactive map. As podcasting expands and becomes more prevalent in libraries, this podmap has the potential to serve as a directory for locally produced and relevant audio, image, and video files. Currently, the Alliance Library System has no directory of podcasts, standardization of access, or way to notify users that new podcasts are available from our libraries. This may also foster collaboration and innovation by making them accessible in a single place.

Lori Bell, ALS’s Director of Innovation, was instrumental in developing this grant, and I believe there are many applications for podmaping at ALS and throughout the state. More information about the grant is available at: http://www.atlaspodcasts.org/about/.