Librarian on the Move

Thing 28: personalized home page

2009-06-20T09:24:00.000-07:00

I have a google home page, chosen because I have a gmail account, google calendar and use blogger already. Each of those is a gadget on my page, along with a to-do list, weather, and a collection of reference and news options. I also have a reader to aggregate blogs. I just added a twitter gadget to go directly to twitter and have it open in the home page.
It does make it easy to collect a variety of useful sites and make them easily accessible. I also personalized it with a theme at the top of the page so I can look at a different picture each time I go to the page!

Thing 27: Twitter

2009-06-20T08:45:00.000-07:00

Signed up for Twitter at https://twitter.com/ and am following 11 people. Hibbing Library uses it for daily updates on events, internet outages etc. which seems like it would be useful if people follow a library's tweets! I also added the twitter button to my blog. My user name is marciaanderson

Thing 26: Ning

2009-06-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

I joined Ning, and the NCLC subgroup, and posted a comment. I also added the 23 things Ning badge to my blog. I am already a member of another Ning group started by Maggie Montgomery of KAXE radio on local foods. http://eatlocally.ning.com/
Ning is a great way to socialize around a specific topic and for a small group.

Thing 25: Blogger toolbox

2009-06-15T16:59:00.000-07:00

I added some fun things, including: a "Contact Me" which gives an alias contact email to avoid spam; a "Subscribe" button to allow subscriptions to the blog; a box to use for searching the blog; and a "labels" list to collect all the labels. Now if I just remember to label each post I'll be fine!

I wonder, as I look at tag clouds, labels and other labelling and sorting options, about the usefulness of a controlled vocabulary to make things easier to find. Do I add labels, tags or subject headings?

More things on a stick: Thing 24

2009-02-22T11:09:00.000-08:00

In an attempt to keep up with the ever-changing online world, I signed up to participate in MLA's "More things on a stick" program. I skipped the first "23 things on a stick" session, so I will undoubtedly need to go back and grab some of those things to be able to complete this session.

I started by updating my blog, first started before moving from Oregon to Minnesota in the fall of 2005, and not really used much after about 7 months. (see the dates of the older posts!) I tried a new template, started a web site list, and added other blogs. Adding the other blogs was done by adding a google reader to my igoogle home page, then importing the feeds to the blog. That gives me the feeds in both places. I also added a little to my profile.

Last summer I started a blog for the library, http://grandrapidsarealibrary.blogspot.com/ and we use it for current events and some fun things like photos of costumed staff at Halloween. There is also a google calendar attached to it. Both the blog and the calendar are fed to the Northern Community Internet site, which gives them much more exposure.

Moving toward Library 2.0 using Web 2.0

2006-06-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

Toward Library 2.0
We need to offer services where our users are
The social tools of Web 2.0 are creating conversations
We can use these tools to serve users
We become discoverable

Getting staff buy-in to social tools
Keep staff informed
Use blogs and wikis for planning or new projects
Blog conference plans & reports
Offer training
Sources of info:
Librarycrunch.com
ALA TechSource Blog

5 Factors to consider:
Does it place a barrier between the user and the service?
Is it librarian-centered or user-centered in conception? Ie. Is it born from complaints from librarians about users?
Does it add more rules to your book of library rules, procedures and guidelines?
Does it make more work for the user or the librarian?
Does it involve having to do damage control before you even begin the service? If so, you might want to rethink

Questions:
· What barriers do you want to break down?
· What user groups do you want to reach?
· What technologies might improve service?
· What is the social purpose of the library – in the real world and online?

5 steps you can do now:
Train staff to aggregate RSS
Create an Emerging technology committee
Involve your users
Use web 2.0 tools in the sandbox (a "play" area)
Learn from the gamers

12 steps to Optimizing Technology

2006-06-03T17:31:00.000-07:00

(Actually, there are only 10 listed here)
How do we implement, sustain and report on new technologies in libraries in a 2.0 world?
How do these tools help us? How do they fit into the library landscape?

1. Control Technolust
· Just because it’s cool and sexy doesn’t mean we need it or that it will serve patrons.
· Avoid Technomust: don’t buy it because somebody else has it
· Techno-Divorce: Let go of dead technology. Use pilot projects to make sure something works
2. Plan for your users
· Find new ways to deliver services that meet their needs
· Involve users in planning from the beginning
· Ask them what they want – don’t tell them what they need
· OCLC’s Perceptions study found:
o Top 3 Criteria respondents use for deciding which electronic source to use:
1. Provides worthwhile information
2. Free
3. Easy to use
o Reasons for never using the library website:
1. Didn’t know it existed
2. Other web sites have better information
3. Can’t find the web site
o People want more information self-service and seamlessness
o 51% have used Instant Messaging
o 30% have never heard of online databases.
Pew study on the Millenial generation (born 1978-92) They are:
Team oriented
Immersed in media & gadgets
Use the Social Web
Accept loss of privacy for accessibility
Learning is shaped by technology & collaboration

5 factors to consider

Does it place a barrier between user and service
Is it librarian-centered or user-centered in conception
Does it add more rules?
Does it make more work for the user or the staff?
Does it involve doing damage control before you even begin the service?

Do research!
What are other libraries doing? What works?

(#3 is missing from notes: it may be some of the above!)

4. Communicate Effectively
With staff and users at every step
Involve all in creating new services
Listen

5. Focus on the ROI (Return on Investment)
Cost to benefit ratio
How much will the new technology cost?
Include hardware, software and hidden costs like training, staff time, promotion

6. Become a Trendspotter
Read Blogs and use RSS feeds
Read the professional journals
LITA Top Trends
Chat with colleagues at conferences
Read outside of field
OCLC Pattern Recognition: Scans the landscape for negative and positive trends
What’s happening in the community that will affect the library?
Technology Landscape
Bringing structure to unstructured data
Distributed, component-based software
Open source software
Security, authentication and Digital Rights Management
o Library Landscape
§ Community/Civic Center
§ Retail Expectations
§ Aggregator of community information
§ New formats and delivery
§ Focused on user’s point of view
7. Create Staff Buy-in
o What can we do to insure success with Tech projects?
o Listen, Involve staff, Tell stories about why it’s important, Report & Debrief – no surprises, Manage Projects well, Let them play with new technology, Celebrate Success!
o Manage Projects Well
§ Learn to have effective meetings
§ Remember Parkinson’s Law
§ Establish a point person

8. Training, training training
In-person, online, off-site
Make it part of staff development
Make it part of the culture- up and down
Training Web 2.0
Set up places and tools to play with and explore new technology
Form an Emerging Technology group
Allow time to plan innovation (see Michael’s blog post Are you Dreaming
Try different things!
Don’t be afraid to fail
Use many ways to get to the end result

9. Consider Content
It’s the future
Digital Creation Stations
Mashups and Remixes
User created content may be more important than libraries that create podcasts
Are we ready to help our users create digital content?
What can we offer them?

10. Embrace Change and Learn
Never stop learning
Challenge yourself
If time if the problem, look at other processes and how we allocate time. Can we save time somewhere else?

The 11th and 12th steps were not in the presentation. Maybe the process got easier?

More Web 2.0 tools

2006-05-21T19:15:00.000-07:00

Social Networking sites:
MySpace /Facebook / MSN Spaces
These sites allow users to easily create their own profiles, create blogs, and share photos
Facebook is for students at participating colleges only
MySpace has had a lot of media coverage lately because of the possibility of pedophiles “lurking” and teens using it to “dis” each other or teachers
On the positive side, libraries are creating Myspace profiles and publicizing themselves
Musicians and Authors are also using these sites to connect with fans

Image Hosting/Photo Sharing
Flickr.com: Photos can be stored online and shared with others
Descriptive tags can be applied to each photo
A free account allows 100 photos. A professional account is $25/year
People can create a joint “pool” of photos that all can add to
(On a personal note, I plan to explore using Flickr to share photos of this summer’s family reunion with my cousins around the country!)

Mashing
Combining multiple data sets or applications
API= Application Program Interface
ie using Google Maps plus a list of locations to create a map of whatevers
Talis has a brief discussion

More Communication and Collaboration tools

2006-05-21T18:05:00.000-07:00

Instant Messaging
53 million American adults use instant messaging and its appeal is especially apparent among young adults and technology enthusiasts. (PewInternet Study)
The major IM providers are AOL, Yahoo and MSN Messenger
Libraries are using IM both as internal means of communication and as a means of communicating with the public.

Some libraries are using IM as a type of virtual reference. (Computers in Libraries, April 2006)
Best practices for IM Technology
Use a mult-network IM program (Trillion or Gaim)
Use away messages
Use online sources for answers only if the best answer can be given from them
Don’t panic!

Messaging: VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol)
Skype
o Phone calls over the internet with a high speed connection and the downloadable software
o Skype on users PCs??
o Skype reference?

Wikis: Collaborative content creation allowing multiple editors
It usually has an article page and a discussion button.
It can be open(anyone can edit) or closed (limited number of editors)
Wiki software can be mounted on a server or developed on a hosting site
Wikipedia is the most famous wiki
Pbwiki.com is a wiki hosting site.
Someone has created a wiki of Libraries that Blog

Warning: Interruption!

2006-05-21T15:20:00.000-07:00

Interruption!
I just went to the Story Swap at the Forest History Center and heard some great stories and met some wonderful storytellers. I am now bouncing ideas around with a local story teller and with someone from the Forest History Center about doing something at the library for Tellebration on November 18.
Have an idea? Post a comment!

Web.0 tools

2006-05-21T14:52:00.000-07:00

Web 2.0 tools
On to talking about virtual tools and toys!
Commonalities of 2.0 tools:
Tagging: allows adding keywords or descriptions to content
Commenting: users can add comments to what’s posted
RSS feeds: Content can be “fed” to users via an automated program
Mash up: Combining music pictures data etc from multiple sources

I will put some basic information about each tool here, then try to do more exploring and playing later on.

Blogs are increasingly popular – over 27 million blogs exist.
A blog is:
A software tool
Content management system
Organized chronologically by date (newest entry on top)
Self archives by date
Includes links
Each posting is a unique URL so it can be linked to
Either web-hosted (such as this one on blogspot.com) or local-server hosted
Blogs usually contain:
Dated entries
Mission or goal statement
Catagories for post
Archives
Lists of other blogs the author reads
Navigational links
Contact Info
Frequently updated content
More later about blogs and how libraries are using them.

Podcasting
Audio content (think radio program)
Requires tools to create:
Audacity, iPodder or iTunes
An example is the DNR’s fishing podcast
Podcasts - DNR Newsroom: Minnesota DNR

RSS =Really Simple Syndication

Think of it as automated web surfing. Instead of checking 20 different sites or blogs to see what's new, your RSS aggregator checks all 20 sites and dumps new content into your account. Sites that have a symbol "RSS" or "XML" on the front page can be found by an aggregator. They contain a bit of code that allows them to be searched and new content pulled out.

bloglines.com is an example of a web-based aggregator

More later on these tools and how libraries are using them.

Library 2.0 as change agent

2006-05-21T07:49:00.000-07:00

John Blyberg wrote about the possible areas where using the principles of Library 2.0 can make a difference:

Technology:

Planning is key
Tech worship is a trap
Open Source is an option
Social software creates conversations

Policy

Are we creating barriers?
Have you read your manual lately?
what about our organizational chart?

Programming

Interaction
Building Community
"Outside the Box?"

Physical Space

Think of the most comfortable or useful spaces: What draws you to them?

What are Barriers in our libraries?

Physical space/furniture/equipment? Programming? Policies? Technology?
The Catalog? The Collection The Collection? Services? reference? Communication? Organizational Chart? Signs as barriers? Do we have sacred cows?

blyberg.net � Find the edge, push it

Principles of Library 2.0

2006-05-21T07:35:00.000-07:00

Principles of Library 2.0
• The library is everywhere: Outreach via technology should be the goal of every organization. Librarians need to get out from behind the reference desk.
• The library has no barriers. Make sure that library users can get to information no matter where they are.
• The library invites participation. How can libraries reach out and interact with our users? Do library systems include built-in RSS feeds, tagging and user commenting?
• The library uses flexible, best-of-breed systems. Libraries often make decisions about technology in libraries without much thought as to how systems interact. Are libraries licensing applications that will work for all of users no matter where they are?
• The library encourages the heart. The library will be a meeting place, online or physical, where my needs will be fulfilled and will allow users to create. Libraries need to position themselves to help with finding the answers to how? And why?
Paul Miller, TALIS

from a white paper called "Do Libraries Matter" (in pdf format)
Do Libraries Matter?
Paul Miller's blog is here:
Thinking about the Future

Radical Trust

2006-05-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

Radical Trust

A term “radical trust” is being used to describe a shift toward participatory creation.

“We can only build emergent systems if we have radical trust. With an emergent system, we build something without setting in stone what it will be or trying to control all that it well be. We allow and encourage participants to shape and sculpt and be co-creators of the system. We don’t have a million customers/users/patrons…we have a million participants and co-creators” Darlene Fichter

Blog on the Side - Darlene Fichter

Trusting patrons is a difficult concept for some libraries. Trusting staff is a difficult concept for some libraries. (John Blyberg)

With that radical trust, you can develop the "5 C's"
Community
Conversation
Collaboration
Connections
Commons

LibraryC 2.0

2006-05-20T10:42:00.000-07:00

Library 2.0
The question now being pondered by a lot of people is “How can libraries change to meet the changing needs and expectations of our customers?” The term “Library 2.0” is being used. Here are a few definitions:

From Michael Casey,
LibraryCrunch.com
“Library 2.0 is an operating model tht allows libraries to respond rapidly to market needs. This does not mean that we abandon our current users or our mission. It is a philosophy of rapid change, flexible organizational structures, new Web 2.0 tools and user participation that will put the library in a much stronger position, ready to efficiently and effectively meet the needs of a larger user population.”

From Michael Stephens, Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology
”The principles of Library 2.0 seek to put users in touch with information and entertainment wherever they may be, breaking down the barriers of space, time and outdated policy. It is a user-centered paradigm focusing on knowledge, experience, transparency, collaboration, the creation of new content and encouraging the heart.”

Web 2.0: What is it?

2006-05-20T10:27:00.000-07:00

Web 2.0
Changing web, changing expectations.

The web is changing from being a place to go to find information to being a place to go for instant communication, shared information, and a place to work collaboratively. Cell phones are used not only for voice calls, but also for text messaging and image transmission.

Web pages are no longer static and requiring complex coding by one person. New formats and tools are constantly being developed. Blogs, Wikis, shared photo sites, mash ups, and social networking sites all allow easy creation and publication of content and interaction with people. People are talking to each other! Here's a long list of Web 2.0 applications: 274 Resources on Complete List of Web 2.0 Products and Services �-�Listible!

Inspiration!

2006-05-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

I just attended a workshop by Michael Stephens on "Library 2.0" His presentation got me thinking about possible ways we can increase service to our patrons. Check out his blog including his description of his tour of MN doing these presentations Tame The Web: Libraries and Technology

In his overview of trends, he pointed out that the way people communicate and share information is changing. Email, cell phones, instant messaging, text messaging, blogs, social sites like myspace.com are all becoming the preferred way to communicate. How do libraries continue to be relevant when most people's perceptions of libraries include only the concept of books?

Speaking of perceptions, I was also fortunate to win a door prize of the recent report by OCLC "Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources." Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources (2005) [OCLC - Membership Reports] I'll be wading through that within the next few months. (Is it only a librarian who would get excited about a several-hundred page report as a door prize?)

I plan to do multiple postings over the next few days about some of the trends and some of the web tools that Michael talked about.

Weather as a topic of conversation

2005-11-29T19:25:00.000-08:00

The fickleness of storm systems, and the dangerousness of cold and ice, make winter weather a frequent topic of conversation. It was cold here(teens and low 20's) on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, then on Sunday it warmed up to the mid-30's and misted and drizzled. Since the ground was already frozen, it turned to ice almost instantly. Our alley was almost pure ice. By Monday morning it was really raining, and it turned to snow on Monday afternoon. This morning there was only about 3 inches on the ground, and it is in the upper 20's. My father and brother were planning to drive up on Sunday but had to cancel. They got the freezing rain and ice before we did. I'm glad I had the re-orientation to cold, snow and ice spread over the course of nearly a week rather than all at once! One plans one's life, or at least one's travel, around the forecast.

DSL connection at last!

2005-11-29T19:07:00.000-08:00

We got spoiled, living in Portland with a wireless coffee shop on every other corner!
They are difficult to find at truck stops in Montana and North Dakota!
We got our DSL connection and phone connection late on Saturday, and I just opened my computer for the first time. The rest of the trip went very smoothly. We had warm weather and dry roads all of Tuesday and made it as far as Detroit Lakes, MN. We made the remainder of the trip to Grand Rapids in about 3.5 hours on Wednesday morning, and only encountered snow when we got to Remer, about an hour away. We arrived in time to get a walk-through of the house, then head to the Abstract company office to close. Once the house was ours, we unloaded the cats, the cooler and the week's worth of clothes we had brought, then headed out to buy something to sleep on for a couple of nights. We had movers coming on Friday to unload the truck, so spent Thursday figuring out what goes where, and figuring out priorities for repairs etc.

From the middle of Montana

2005-11-22T12:58:00.000-08:00

We made it from Pasco, WA to Columbus, MT today in a grueling 15 hour marathon. big trucks towing vehicles over mountains really don't go very fast! The 30-40 mph uphill and the 25-35 mph on the steep downhills slow you down considerably. The cats seem to be doing fine. We let them loose in the back of the pickup while we were stopped for lunch and dinner today, and they seem to handle it just fine. The motel rooms are just opportunities to explore new space and find new perches and viewing spots. We've had relatively good roads, and only some mist and fog.

Preparations for winter

2005-11-09T21:14:00.000-08:00

I took my bike to Citybikes and had them put snow tires on it, the knobby tires that came with the bike when I bought it. It helps with the leaf glop on the streets here, even if it will be too cold to ride in December.
I also dug out my Sorels to see if they still fit, and my warm Timberland boots. Now if I can only find my Polarguard parka!

It's for real!

2005-11-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

We signed the real copy of the purchase agreement today, and returned it via overnight delivery. We received the inspector's report on Monday, all 20 pages of it, detailing every piece of rotting wood, every leak and potential leak, all of the bad wiring jobs someone did, and all of the dripping faucets. The house is in great shape! Closing is Nov. 25, or before.

Successful Hunting!

2005-11-05T23:26:00.000-08:00

We have a house! At least, we have an agreement. After a whirlwind tour of 12 houses on Monday, we revisted 4 on Tuesday morning, and called our agent when we were halfway to the airport and asked her to make an offer on one. It's a very large old house, but with a monster in the basement in the form of an ancient oil furnace.
Our low offer was politely rejected, so we moved on to house number two, a much more reasonably sized house. The cats don't really need their own bedrooms! After some negotiations about the removal of an underground oil tank, we reached an agreement, subject, of course, to an inspection.
The listing is here, with pictures.

House Hunting in Grand Rapids

2005-10-29T23:01:00.000-07:00

The next step, aside from packing, is a trip to Grand Rapids to hunt for a suitable house. We're flying out on Sunday am.
We've got a real estate agent.
We've got a list of houses.
We've got a camera.
We've got a notepad.
We'll be off and running on Monday morning on a whirlwind house tour!

Portland House is sold!!

2005-10-29T22:44:00.000-07:00

Our house in Portland went on the market on Friday, October 21, and by Sunday evening we had 3 offers to consider. Hooray for Gerry at Bridgetown Realty!
We accepted one of the offers.
The inspection on Tuesday revealed that we had a shared sewer, one of the problems of owning an old house in old Portland. Today we signed an addendum accepting some of the closing costs and agreeing to clean and do minor repairs to the roof, so the house is really sold!!