Wednesday, June 18, 2008

LOEX of the West 2008 in fabulous Las Vegas

After a little more than a week of being back from the LOEX of the West 2008 conference at the fabulous UNLV, Las Vegas, I have had some time to think about and summarize my experience. Just like I went there hoping for easy wins, I also went thinking I would get some easy answers to my ongoing search for adding engaging activities or games into my library instruction courses that I teach here at Alkek. On both counts I was wrong. As far as winning, I did come out ahead, but only thanks to the awesome roulette and blackjack lessons that we were given at the LOEX reception which took place at UNLV's International Gaming Institute in the Casino Lab. As far as getting quick and easy ideas for games I could use in my instruction sessions, I got ideas to help me think of my own games or tutorials but no easy handouts.

The first Session I attended was A Library of Learning Objects: Teaching Tools to Quickly Tailor Instruction and Meet Class Needs presented by Lori Mardis, Information Librarian, Northwest Missouri State University and Connie Ury, Library Outreach Coordinator, Northwest Missouri State University.

They basically talked about project management and how to think of instruction in smaller parts that you could piece together later for fast complete sessions. They use flash tutorials made by student interns. The tutorials allowed for multiple learning styles to be addressed as well as quick ways to customize instruction sessions. The tutorials could also be used outside of the classroom accessible via the web.

Beating the Odds with the Insider's Scoop: Tips and Tricks from the Library Secrets! Librarian
presented by Jennifer Kelley, Resident Librarian, College of DuPage was a case study of Kelly's implementation of Web2.0 tools, including a blog, and other marketing techniques to increase student awareness of the library and all it had to offer.

I was happy that our library is already doing this as well as engaging in other Web2.0 activities. We have a delicious site, Facebook group, MySpace page, Flickr account and have a YouTube Channel where we post our tutorials and other vidoes. We use instant messaging for reference questions and have two blogs, the Alkek Library News & Research Help Blog and our Information Literacy Blog that you are reading right now! Needless to say, we are very into Web2.0. In fact, three of the librarians here at Alkek, including me, just presented a staff development workshop entitled Web 2.0: What is it and Why Should I Care?

More about LOEX in the next post...
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Thursday, June 12, 2008

Better Late than Never: Summary of Computers in Libraries 2008

Here is my long overdue but hopefully useful summary of the Computers in Libraries 2008 conference in Washington D.C. Overall, I found this conference to be cutting edge and very applicable to our library and instruction team's activities. I have included many links to open source software and to the presenters' information.

1. Monday - Session: Going Local in the Library: Web 2.0, Library 2.0, Local 2.0Link to slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/BizBrary/local-library-presentation-computers-in-libraries-2008
Presented by Charles Lyons, Business Librarian, University at Buffalo

Internet is not as local as you might think. Local web is the joining of the virtual world and the real world. It is about the community you live in and you and your library are a part of it. Ways to advertise library in local virtual world.

Examples:
Local Search Engines allow you to create more of sense of community in the virtual world:
Many more local search engines on C. Lyons slideshow, http://www.slideshare.net/BizBrary/local-library-presentation-computers-in-libraries-2008 ,slide # 13.

2. Monday - Session: Library Web Presence: Engaging the Audience

Presented by Ellysa Stern Cahoy, Information Literacy Librarian,
Pennsylvania State University, Emily Rimland, Information Literacy
Librarian, Pennsylvania State University, Binky Lush, Web Developer,
Pennsylvania State University, Kristina DeVoe, English &
Communications Librarian, Temple University, Derik Badman, Digital Services Librarian,
Temple University

They talked about tools to improve web services and make them
more 2.0 or interactive. Using customizable widgets to make library
services more portable and allow users to put library created widget
anywhere they want.

Librarians did this at Penn State: Made downloadable widgets to
search library catalog, search research guides, and for library
quick links. Very cool! http://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/jumpstart.htm

They used: Widgetbox
http://www.widgetbox.com/ lets you make your own widgets!

Librarians at Temple University purchased LibGuides. Link
to their slideshow: http://madinkbeard.com/library/SubjectGuides.ppt
Customizable research guide pages with interactive functions.
Research or subject guides can be connected by the tabs with course
guides or class outlines be connected with Example:
http://www.libraries.psu.edu/instruction/jumpstart.htm

  • Has meebo chat window

  • Calendar for apts on research
    guide

  • Uses tabs

  • Uses RSS for up to date news
    and research articles from popular subject journals

  • Can add polls

  • Users can rate the guide

  • Users can comment on content or
    co-edit, “community building”, conversation from
    university community. This gives chance for faculty collaboration

  • Can imbed video

  • Search boxes directly on page
    for faster searching


Other tools like LibGuides and in addition to are:

  1. Monday - Session: Fast and Easy site
    tune-ups     by Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian, University
    of Pittsburgh

  • Update copyright date

  • Add photos to contacts/names

  • Replace instances of “click
    here” with the real content. “Click here for
    current articles” should be “Current articles are
    available here.”

  • Create and read microformats.
    Firefox has an add-on called tails
    https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2240. Or Operator
    https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/4106

  • Both let you connect with the semantic web. Allows you to collect electronic
    business cards and connect with other websites like Flickr or Google
    Calender. For more info about Microformats go to
    http://microformats.org

Use 3 question surveys:

1.What is purpose of your visit to our site today?
2. Were you able to complete your task today?
3. If not, why?
4. Ask for their email address.
  • Add forward slash to href
    directory links (?)

4. Monday - Session Learning Commons: The “In” in the CIL
presented by Tom Impri, Head of Media & Computer Services,
University of Nevada at Las Vegas

link to slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/Tombrarian/learning-commons-the-in-in-cil

  • 2nd Life is compliment to physical space
  • More Laptops!
  • Group Study Rooms
  • Movable furniture
  • Rich application suite (Open Source?)
  • White Boards
  • Smart Boards
  • Multi-media production editing
  • Vending machines
  • Practice presentation room
REALLY IMPORTANT FEATURES!
  • Students define the space
  • Variety of spaces (indoor, outdoor, cafe)
  • Comfort
  • Engaging environment
  • Human centered design
  • De-centered-ness
  • Positive emotional experience leads to better learning!
Other important ideas to keep in mind:
  • Active construction of knowledge by the learner - Constructivist/Cognitive theorists
  • GROUP WORK - sharing and learning from each other
  • Space facilitates or hinders learning
  • They leave if not comfortable
  • Need seamless work environments
    • access
    • manage
    • produce info
    • all @ same workstation

Check out The ECAR Study of Undergraduate Students
and Information Technology, (Sept) 2007


5. Tuesday - Session: Mashups for the Nontechies by Jody Fagan, Digital
Services Librarian, James Madison University
slideshow link http://cil2008.pbwiki.com/f/Mashups+for+the+Nontechies_Final.ppt
  • FURL – social bookmarking site like delicious where you can also create a feed of your bookmarked sites so others can subscribe to your feed and stay up-to-date with your bookmarks.


6. Tuesday - Session: The Library Sandbox: Testing Innovative Ideas by Barbara Tierney, Science Reference Librarian,University of North Carolina

She basically read from her book

Transforming Library Service Through Information Commons :Case Studies for the Digital Age, D.

Russell Bailey and Barbara Gunter Tierney, ALA Editions

Academic, public, and school librarians who
are considering an IC or are looking for ways to improve their IC will find a
wealth of information here. More

Case Studies she mentioned:
  • NCSU
  • EmoryUniversity
  • Temple University
  • 20 case studies are listed in the book.

Points to keep in mind when planning a learning commons:

  • Substance over space (?)
  • Learning commons as classroom – this is a very simple view, I think
  • IL as program
  • Evolution from users needs creates tech changes
  • Study spaces into LC conductive to group work, coffee shops, comfort, modular furnishings

(I really like this idea, point)


7. Tuesday - Session: Libraries as Laboratories for Innovation by Matt Gullett, Emerging Technology Manager, Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County

8. Tuesday - Session: Video, You Tube, & Libraries by Karen McBride, Web services
librarian, Des Plaines Public Library and Nick Baker, Reference & Web services
librarian, Williams College Libraries

Basically they presented how to do simple screencasting and upload to youTube. Pretty simple
presentation.

I find the fuzzyness of UTube videos for displaying screenshots
of the library’s website unacceptable.


9. Wednesday - Session: ELearning: IL Instruction & Out-of-the-Box Software by Robert Monge, University of South Dakota; Steve Borrelli, Washington State University; Julie Cavender, Jones Knowledge e-Global Library

Analysis>Design>Develop>Implement
Publish in flash or HTML

Software for creating tutorials Free or up to $6000 :

Books they discussed:

1.
Wednesday - Session: Open Source Solutions to Offer Superior Service by Amy De Groff, Head of Library Technology Services, Howard County Public Library, Ching-hsien Wang, Manager, Library & Archives System Support, Smithsonian Institution, George Bowman, System Adminstrator, Smithosnian Insitution Resea, Smithsonian Institution, Eric Atkinson, Information Systems Department Head, Orange County Library System, Kimberly Babcock Mashek, Information Literacy Librarian, Wartburg College

Link to slideshow http://www.slideshare.net/mlibrarianus/computers-in-libraries-2008-open-source-solutions-to-offer-superior-service

· Open Office.org

· Google Docs

· Opera Desk Now

· Joomia

· Koha

· Finetune.com

· SIRIS Image server

· SOLR Interface Application


11. Wednesday - Session: Integrating Second Life (SL): Courses & Collections by
Craig Anderson, Reference Librarian, Kean University, Krista Godfrey, Liaison Librarian, McMaster University, Troy Swanson, Teaching & Learning Librarian, Moraine Valley Community College, Larry Sloma, Adjunct Librarian, Moraine Valley Community College

  • Integrating
  • Second Life & Google Maps
  • One of them says 3D exhibit is not easy to design
  • For exhibit – intro area is good to orient people that are new to SL
  • Computer on a desk that can link to gallery webpage

POST-CONFERENCE Session: Screencasting 101: Creating Online Tutorials in Less than 30 minutes by Greg R. Notess

Online tutorials are better for many reasons:
  • self-paced
  • video and audio make it interesting
Points Notess made:
  • Should not record full screen - don't need to see what other programs you were running when you filmed
  • smaller screen size better (640X480)
  • to produce video choose Adobe Flash - get more flexibility and features in this format - Flash is streaming format/larger audience acceptance
  • Sometimes it is more efficient to redo entire tutorial rather than edit
  • can get statistics
  • save as a file to server
  • can link sttraight to .swf file and it will play
  • embed video in a web page (Video code embed generator )
  • make tutorials for databases that have little tips that need to be explained
  • Could use dreamweaver to imbed flash or other video file format
  • don't go full screen
  • don't start off talking a lot - no long intro - boring
  • Could use music trac too - then use call outs or bubbles
Some software Notess talked about:
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Friday, May 16, 2008

Of classroom software and assessment

Although it is the May mini-mester and there are relatively few students we are keeping busy with various projects. Next week will be a bit more busy with several workshops for faculty and also for IL librarians as well. I will be conducting a short training (something of a refresher course) on our classroom equipment. We have a SMARTBoard, along with Synchroneyes classroom control software and Senteo clickers. We are all at different levels of comfort with these tools.

I would very much like to hear from anyone who uses any or all of these tools, and any interesting tidbits about using them in the classroom. One of the things we noticed about the SMARTBoard is that because our classroom is good-sized, it can be difficult for visibility with large classes. I myself love to use it with smaller classes, in particular with ESL classes. I have done a desultory search on google for more (Synchoneyes and assessment in particular) but haven't found much in the literature as of yet.

We will be testing the Synchroneyes quiz function this summer hopefully to see if it is better or easier to use for our Freshmen English assessment. We have gotten through two semesters with Surveymonkey, which works pretty well, but is a bit awkward in terms of delivery (the teacher has to send the quiz link to the students). The other consideration though, is the ease of availability of the raw scores/results. Surveymonkey has a download feature that lets you get the raw scores and results along with other information in an excel file. It has also been helpful to be able to print out the surveys in case of technical malfunction, and then enter in the paper responses manually, which is another feature of Surveymonkey.

At any rate, I foresee a future blog post once I know more, comparing one and the other.
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Wednesday, May 7, 2008

An idea for Google notebook, and catching up

I was noodling around and rediscovered Google Notebook again. I had noticed it last year (judging from the date of the little snippet I had saved) and most probably forgot about it. It seems to have been around for a while, and probably people are already using it. It just occured to me as I looked at it again that maybe it might be a good tool to use for an assignment for evaluating websites. Students could be assigned several websites, and they could evaluate each assigned site and make notes in their notebook, and then share them with the class. The only hitch is that the students would need a Google account. I did a quick search to see if anybody else is doing something like this--I found this blog post written by Laura Pressley of Wake Forest University referencing a presentation by Jennie Hunt. I am curious how that class/assignment worked out. I am sure to find more if I look deeper, but in the meantime I am thinking it might be an interesting activity to develop, possibly.

I am considering to test it as an activity with an ESL undergraduate class, that is normally a two part class, and only about 10 students.

Interim/Summer is always a very busy time, because although there are less students, we are preparing projects for upcoming semesters and finishing up old projects. Our team has gone through two semesters of assessing freshman year English composition classes, and so currently we are revising the survey and looking to investigate using either our class management software TRACS or Synchroneyes as possible alternatives to using Survey Monkey. I know there have been gallons of ink spilled on assessment already, and really all I venture to add to this vast knowledge is the observation that reading about how other people do assessment is helpful but there is no better learning experience than putting a project into practice. I think i will save a detailed description for a separate post.

We are also setting up several workshops/trainings for staff which should be interesting. One will be on using our our SMARTBoard, Synchroneyes (classroom control software), and Senteo (clickers). Another will be a Web 2.0 presentation for staff. So, looking up to be a busy May.
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Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Catching up........and Conference Slides

I finally posted my slides from my TLA Netfair presentation on April 17th here:



I am really happy to have gotten a chance to talk about my experiences as a volunteer. I have really enjoyed my volunteer shifts at the Second Life library.

We are wrapping up our semester and I personally am catching up on various and sundry things. And still digesting some of the CIL 2008 stuff.
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Wednesday, April 9, 2008

Computers in Libraries 2008, day two highlights

One of the difficult things about this conference is that so many of the sessions look really really interesting, and I always desperately wish I could be cloned, at least for the few days I am attending.

The first session of the day (for me) was Next Generation Library Interfaces by Marshall Breeding. This was particularly interesting for me because our library had gotten a new OPAC relatively recently, and I had also read the Library Technology Report on Next Generation Library Catalogs he had written. He started out with a sobering statistic from a 2005 study, that 89% of college students go to search engines and only 2% go to the library website when searching for information. He then went on to ask if OPACs were really just computerized card catalogs, and did library websites both meet information needs and also attract interest? In addition to these considerations, he pointed out some flaws of ILS OPACs, namely:
  • not good for delivering e-content
  • text-based interfaces
  • hampered by weak keyword searches
  • poor relevancy sorting
  • narrow scope of content
What I found most compelling and/or prescient was his characterization of the searching experience as "disjointed." In other words, one must know to search in different places for different content, different places for books, articles, etc. He prescribed several things to update OPACs for users--that OPACs must be re-envisioned and traditional ideas of the catalog should be discarded. A new-style OPAC should:
  • integrate print and online resources
  • not force people to use different interfaces
  • better relevancy ranked results
  • incorporate social networking traits
  • bread crumbs
  • spell check and search suggest (do you mean this? like in google)
  • re-make, evolve LCSH, MARC
The next session was on Twitter and Del.icio.us with several presenters--Michael Sauers and Christa Burns presented on Twitter, and Aysegul Kapucu, Athena Hoeppner, and Doug Dunlop presented on Del.icio.us.

The presentation began with the del.icio.us segment, which explained that it is a web-based social bookmarking tool, available from any browser, and how their university (University of Central Florida) uses it to increase access to library resources by creating quick on the fly resource lists for classes and individuals. They made an account for ucflibrary and also uploaded 400 database links, tagged resources for students and classes by name in research consultations and library instruction, and trained librarians to use del.icio.us. They are working on subject specific accounts like art and engineering, and also did a survey to assess student awareness. They found that there may need to be some outreach to students, as their students were not natively aware of del.icio.us.
Our library has been using a del.icio.us site, but it was very interesting to see how this library was using theirs pretty extensively.

The Twitter portion was presented by Michael Sauers and Christa Burns. I am regular reader of Michael Sauers' blog, so I was keenly interested to see what he had to say. I have also used Twitter sporadically in my personal life and so was curious how libraries use it institutionally. A few examples that they gaver were the Ann Arbor District Library, that is using it for announcements, and also the Nebraska Library Commission , that uses it to post questions. They also showed BBC technews headlines. Some of the issues about using Twitter were:
  • too many sms tweets
  • the ephemeral nature of tweets
  • it's posssibly too distracting
  • the need to participate to get any reaction
  • the need to follow and @comment others
  • link to your stuff
  • Don’t take non-responses personally
  • Be patient
  • Avoid addiction
  • Use your name
The next session was on Facebook in Libraries, presented by Laurie Bridges and Cliff Landis. Popular with generation Y, and has applications for outreach, social aspects, information organization, advertising, and virtual networking.He notied it is the most popular site for people aged 18-24 is and more popular than google.Facebook has about 58 million users, and about half return daily.It is also the “stickiest” website—average users stick around 20 minutes and average 32 page views.He talked about Library webpages and how library applications are not social, and therefore not as popular. Some of his interesting conclusions were:
  • that Library catalogs are social networks for ideas
  • Ideas are social
  • The line between intellectual and social space was never there
  • it is never a mistake to give users more options
  • Talk to users
  • Use the tools they are using
  • Broadcast what you are doing
  • Earn your audience
The next two sessions were also very interesting. One was on Video, YouTube, and Libraries. I saw the first half with Karen McBride. It was very much a how-to start doing videos with very simple equipment. I liked that she emphasized that 2.0 video is raw, edgy, and badly lit, and that it is okay not to be perfect. She talked about the various options with cameras, etc.

The next one I attended was about Virtual Reference, and in particular I caught the part of the presentation about American University's efforts in that realm. They started to transition to IM only in 2006, and they talked about how IM service providers weren't just limited to librarians, but also paraprofessionals. They stressed how it built rapport and helped grow the service. They also talked a bit about their marketing efforts, involving graphic design with faculty and staff input and student reaction. They showed some of their branding, as well as other things like valentine's day themed stickers, candy, and imprinted sharpie pens. They also spoke of how they marketed using facebook, the student news, in-class, on campus newspaper, shuttlebuses, etc. I was also very intrigued as they spoke of evaluating and expanding their service further with meebo, VOIP, and sms/texting.
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Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Computers in Libraries 2008 highlights, day one

I am currently attending Computers in Libraries in Arlington, Va. I went last year and found it amazing in terms of exposing me to all the new things out there that people are doing and using with Web 2.0. It really energized me and inspired me to do try many things. I am still processing all the information from the presentations I attended, but I intend to post some highlights of the sessions I attended.

Apart from dealing with the excitement of the night before (my colleague Tara's and my luggage didn't arrive when we did, but luckily it was delivered to our hotel at 2 am.) the first day was very interesting.

The first session I attended was on Going Local in the Library presented by Charles Lyons--and the gist of the presentation was how to use Google, mashups, and other web tools to create local information sources for our users. He pointed out that this localization of web services is becoming quite common, even to the point of social networks being created for a block or an apartment building in a neighborhood. I can see perhaps where in an academic setting, this type of idea could be something like an extension of maybe a facebook group for a particular dorm or class maybe. or even commuter students.

The next session on Mobile Search, was very fascinating. It was presented by Gary Price and Megan Fox, and it was jam packed with information. I had thought of myself as a heavy user of my blackberry but I had no idea what was out there in terms of applications for the phone. I found this session very relevant because as they pointed out, having an internet enabled phone/device allows people to access information 24/7. They also discussed characteristics of how users ask questions with these devices, mostly short "ready reference" types of things. The discussion they had on using barcode readers in phones to get information about objects was really cool. I also learned about "snippets" which are widgets for your phone. I really think this is very relevant information for a growing group of users, and I suspect that it will be the pivot point for the next evolution of library services--not only in the places we can see being affected (txt chat service) but also because it changes user behavior so much, and will in turn shape their expectations.

I also went to the What's new with Federated Search presentation given by Frank Cervone and Jeff Wisniewski, another very relevant session as we are discussing implementing federated search in our library. The main point that seemed to be stressed was the idea that the use/concept of federated search as a standalone product is evolving into a more holistic view of federated search as a component of the new library catalogs. This means that the federated search results include all library content, not just aggregating results from databases. And, when they mean all library content, it literally means getting results from the library catalog, digital holdings (I think that would include items from institutional repositories and also digital collections) and articles. They mentioned some products by name with some features that they felt were "standouts." Worldcat Local (OCLC) for its level of granularity, Encore (III) for the tag clouds (that map to LCSH), Primo (Exlibris) for facets that enhance searching, and also a few other new and interesting products/companies, such as University of Chicago's implementation of the Opera browser (would definitely like to see this) and also Autographix, who they described as being comparable to the main library vendors although they focus on enterprise business and academic libraries.

I think i will stop for now, my apologies if my irregular posting is causing havoc, but I have started drafts the day these things occured, and naturally meant to post that evening, but was caught up in conference doings. At least we have the Airline flight cancellations to thank for this stretch of uninterrupted alone time so that I may catch up. :)
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