Following blog stats

I have successfully weaned myself from looking at our blog statistics (StatCounter, Feedburner, and Hot Stuff 2.0) on a daily basis; because I am interested in how readers find us, where readers are located, and what interests them, I do still review them weekly if for no other reasons than to reset blocking cookies so my personal posts do not add to the count and satisfy my curiosity. This evening I noticed several returning links from Cairo, Egypt that appeared to originate from my personal author page on a web site I am unfamiliar with, uFollow. With curiosity engaged, I followed the link.

"uFollow is a free service that helps you keep track of your favorite bloggers and columnists. Once you create an account you can add authors, sources, and channels to the stream of articles that you receive. uFollow currently tracks more than 10,000 bloggers and columnists from over 1,000 of the world’s leading blogs, magazines, and newspapers." -- About uFollow

It was odd to see a personal author page complete with a vaguely familiar biography. A quick review of the 2010 Computers in Libraries site revealed the biographical information was from my speaker page (and not a reference citation in sight, tsk). Also on the about page was a blurb stating uFollow is a division of Hindawi Publishing; "Hindawi Publishing Corporation is a commercial publisher of peer-reviewed journals covering a wide range of academic disciplines" and in 2007 entered into a partnership with Sage Publications (Hindawi, about us). They also have offices in New York city and Cairo, Egypt.

After spending time this afternoon discussing proliferation of online personal information and importance of knowing what's "out there" as it applies to individuals, it was wonderfully ironic this information came to my attention today. I signed up for an account, which may be the desired response, and added myself to my author shelf. Regardless, it's an interesting venture I may explore further.

CIL2010: Final Thoughts

I can report without reservation, I enjoyed my first Computers in Libraries conference. There were a plethora of online resources available before, during, and after the conference, including the CIL 2010 Conference site, CIL 2010 Infotoday wiki, and LibConf blog. I admit to shameful under-utilization of the wiki and blog prior to the conference, but have returned view keynote speaker videos and presentations posted after sessions. Here are a few of my final thoughts about the CIL 2010 conference.

Session organization

Conference tracks were useful; I had opportunity to attend sessions in all but one (actually, had I copied the session room number correctly I would have hit them all) and each had something unique to offer. It was helpful to have a wide-variety of interesting topics, especially since my job covers a bit of everything but traditional bibliographic instruction. There was never a time I "settled" for second choice or went to a session because nothing else interested me.

Individual sessions
I learned something useful, was introduced to new resources, or had opportunity to reflect and discuss relevant topics in every session I attended. If I was familiar with a tool, how someone else integrated it into their library provided reinforcement. During several sessions, discussion after the presentation provided as many resources as the session itself. This morning I started compiling my list on delicious for reference @ http://delicious.com/dschrecker/CIL2010.

I am particularly interested in learning more about QR codes and am going to investigate uses a bit further. Mr. Coyne provided links to academic libraries using QR, as well as a starting point for creating the codes. It could be a fun way for me to highlight my wall of picture book covers, placing codes on particular covers, or to insert in LibGuides to use for bookmarks and marketing when classes come to the IRC, or to add to my summer course session of emerging technologies for education (a cool way to use phones in school for treasure hunts or ....). Critical thinking was another session worth investigating further.

Conference venue
What a perk to have tables and power outlets available in each break-out room! Thrilled with taking my new netbook to the conference, I appreciated being able to extend battery life while blogging and taking notes. Rooms were standard for conferences; some were wide, some were long, some had great views, some had impeded views (those poles!), and one had an overflow room. I did attend one session in an overflow room and found it odd to see and hear a presentation without a live person in the room. Even though I felt at home with large round barriers in odd places, AU library has a similar "pole issue" and we build shelving and arrange our collections around them, there were times I had to choose between a view of the presenter and a view of the screen (I took the screen).

Internet Availability
It was nice to have free Internet/wi-fi during the day; working on various conference program committees I know how expensive it can be to offer attendees uninterrupted service throughout the life of the conference. However, I found it disconcerting when my connection shut off at the end of each final afternoon session. When talking to people after presenting on Monday, I attempted to locate my LibGuide to discuss, illustrate, and expand on a query. After receiving cannot connect messages, I realized it was not my typing or fingernails, the connection was gone.

An aside: It annoyed me to have to pay each evening for Internet in my room. I find it inconceivable a Hyatt Regency did not offer guests free online access.

Speaker stuff
Computers in Libraries is a conference I had read about, heard great things about, but never had opportunity to attend. To be able to present was - and in still is - exciting. There was consistent email communication from the conference committee (reminders, updates, deadlines) and they patiently answered each of my questions. There was attention to detail; email from the person introducing session speakers, online technology requirement forms, and a personalized speaker portal.

Computers in Libraries 2011
The final LibConf blog post titled, See You At CIL 2011, by Don Hawkins.

"At the close of the Exhibit Hall, Tom Hogan announced the final attendance: 2,115. Thanks to everyone who attended and contributed to the success of CIL 2010."

"Now our thoughts are turning to CIL 2011, which will return to the former CIL venue: the Washington Hilton."

CIL2010: Leaving DC

Regan National is a busy place; I can see the Washington Monument beyond the tarmac outside the window at Gate 35. In the last hour two planes carrying World War II veterans have arrived to see the WWII memorial for the first time. Their arrival was highlighted by balloons, flags, music courtesy by a military brass quartet, and cheerful applause of grateful travelers. It has been touching and exciting to witness (and participate) in the fanfare. I have a half-hour until boarding for Columbus. I will once again be shuttled to the plane from an auxiliary gate instead. It was odd hearing the announcement for passengers to go down the stairs and turn left to go to Philadelphia. Pretty sure they meant to board the plane for Philadelphia ...

CIL2010: Building Communities & Engaging Clients

Social Networking in a Work Group
Nancy Linwood DuPont

Information and computing technologies, the IT and research (library) branch, as such they are able to work with Social Networking to help keep people together and to properly use the networks. While they found people acting responsibly, there were definite cultural and generational differences.

(Slide content) Need to create a community: Build a global community and demonstrate the business value of social networking for communication.

(Slide content) Librarians role: Help implement best practices in Knowledge Management and Define taxonomy and structure for the community.

Pilot project (50 people) indicated there were needs for computer upgrades, training problems due to geographic areas and skill sets of users, and a lack of joint projects to facilitate building the communities. They did not see what purpose it served, "what's in it for me?"

Project is still in place, but changes have been made including identification of team projects, smaller roll-out, and an upgrade to software being used. What they learned (slide content):

• Teams need to have a business need to form collaborative communities
• Work groups need commitment from leadership

Marketing Journal: An "ant's eye" View of Library Marketing
Mimi Vollstedt, Law Librarian, U.S. Department of Justice
Melanie Michaelson, Law Librarian, U.S. Department of Justice

Project inspired by the movie Julie and Julie, they kept a journal through a year's worth of marketing in their DOJ (9) libraries. They wanted to "get the word out" as in some cases their patrons do not even know where the library is - or who the librarians are. Each library serves a different purpose and is charged with different reference duties; each division has it's own intranet. There are technology issues due to concerns with proprietary information.

1. Marketing vs Promotion
   Flyer's, table tents, handouts, bookmarks, info wrapped in Hershey's Kisses, and post-it notes to promote their library. After researching, they learned they were doing only 1/2 the job. They created a brand: Marketing+Outreach=Promotion or M.O.P. Committee and spent time branding and working with staff and patrons/users. It is a hidden marketing, finding a way to promote the library inside and outside the library.
   
2. A New Mindset
   Learning who users are and what they want as well as marketing to staff. Provide opportunity for staff to contribute to the M.O.P. Committee
   
3. Pull Information into the Library
   Get to know your targets! They determined a target would be new hires and train them in library use, something they would take with them throughout their careers. Started with a quick growing division and asked to do a presentation for them. Librarians needed to learn what the attorneys were doing before promoted what they could offer. Created a virtual pathfinder (internal) to help guide users.

Understand your competition, why use the library and not Google? They broke the task into smaller "chunks" and "stayed focused on what works for you."

Efforts are continuing to pull information "in" to the library; posters for National Library Week were already created. They are looking at digital efforts to collect more information. Why? They are looking to build the role of the librarian and move beyond the traditional reference desk.

CIL2010: Using Technology Creativity & Partnership for Success

Bridging the Digital Divide - or
How Quick Response Codes Can Give Your Readers a 6th Sense
Paul Coyne, VP of Innovation, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Quick Response (QR) Codes:
How you can use, why QR Codes, and real-word examples.
What are QR Codes = Quick Response Codes

How it works? With the phone and software:

• take a picture of the code with your phone
• phone will decode
• software will present information

Create your own QR Codes:

• find a mobile code generator
• choose a QR code generator
• select the content type you need
• enter your code

QR codes in Libraries

• Make it innovative & easy to use
• Huddersfield University in UK - added codes to signs in the university library, initiate reference calls to the librarian, link to catalog
• University of Bath - created a mashup with catalog and inserted QR codes for titls that include directions to the item with the book in the catalog.
• Brooklyn Public Library - all 60 branches have QR codes in promotional materials and flyers, codes are individual to library
• CIL 2010 - a directory of CIL 2010 bloggers is available on the bulletin board. Photograph the QR code and visit the blog (direct to URL)

QR Codes in Publishing (slide content)

• Can extend the life of print content for the mobile audience
• updated information
• reviews and ratings
• links to similar content
• more titles by an author

Emerald Publishing is using QR codes to provide information about articles and resources. Can engage the user and student with more resources since the content was printed."QR Codes bridge the gap between the physical and digital world."

Bright Ideas in Dark Times
Louise Alcorn, Reference Technology Librarian
West Des Moines Public Library

Challenges facing libraries include budgets, staff reduction, and public library usage has significantly increased due to the same recession constraints.

Challenges = Opportunities
"Libraries shine in tough economic times." Every challenge can be an oportunity for marketing available library resources. Some areas open to creative response (slide content):

• technology
• collection development
• programming
• partnerships

Note: Attended this session in the "overflow room"

CIL2010: Training in the Cloud & Mobile Labs

Stark County District Library's Technology Training Program:
Necessary Equipment & Developing Effective Curriculum for Community
Delores Rondinella, Technology Training Coordinator
Stark County Public Library

Begin with the basics, growth doesn't happen simply with purchase of equipment. Purchase with needs in mind and cross-usage of equipment.

"Build a strong foudation with sturdy bricks." (slide content)

• Marketing
• collection development
• delivery services
• necessary curriculum changes (quality vs quantity)

Take time to learn what is needed - not what you want to teach with technology training. Take time to work with the community and verify the need for additional library technology support, no replacement, of what is currently being offered by other entities. Continued training sessions, but narrowed focus (slide content):

• senior surfers
• regular classes
• teen tech services
• job skill series
• pop computer culture

IT department was key for the success of programs. In answer to training requests, a unique profile for training was created allowing programs to go forward and still meet the IT requirements. Mutual respect and trust was key to ultimate success of the programs and services provided.


Training in the Cloud: 30 Things in 20 Minutes
Maurice Coleman, Technical Trainer, Harford County Public Library
Bobbi Newman, Digital Branch Manager, Chattahoochee Valley Library System

Session site: http://sites.google.com/site/traininginthecloud/

Scheduling:
30 boxes - calendar
doodle

Curriculum Development:
wikispaces
delicious - social bookmarking
mindmeister and freemind

Resource Sharing:
Custom start pages - pageflakes & netvibes
Feed my inbox
blogs- blogger, wordpress, etc.

File Sharing:
dropbox
drop.io

Communication:
twitter - you can remix twitter
friendfeed - set up rooms specific to subject

Anytime Classroom Space:
Ning - public or private
Jing

Live Class Space:
Skype
tinychat
dimdim

Evaluation:
Poll Everywhere
online surveys - SurveyMonkey, Zoomerang

Archiving:
Slideshare
Audacity - see also TalkShoe for podcasting
Wink - screencasting
UStream
24!= 30

Web Applications:
Google Apps
Zoho Apps

Video Sharing:
YouTube
Blip TV
TeacherTube
Vimeo
UStream

See also:
Zotero
YuuGuu

CIL2010: Critical Thinking

Critical Thinking: Getting to the Right Decision
Rebecca Jones, Dysart & Jones Associates
Deb Wallace, Managing Director, Baker Library Services Knowledge and Library Services, Harvard Business School


Critical thinking is not about being critical, it's about making good decisions. Making good decisions is not always about being smart, it's about learning how to problem solve. Critial thinking is not an academic exercise!

• Identify & avoiding traps that foil our decision making
• Expose and identify the traps and landmines
• What Harvard's experience has been.

What we often do; make is simple - or - make it too complex.

It is important to demonstrate clarity and communicate clearly. (Slide content) Critical thinking is really about decision-making and problem-solving, open mindedness, and productive dialogue. You can't make decisions alone or in a vacuum, what you do will effect someone else. The decisions we make are increasingly complex.

Good Critical Thinking (slide content)

• raises the right questions
• focus on the real problem
• gather & asses relevant information
• develop well-reasoned conclusion & solutions
• test against relevant criterion & standards
• recognize and assessing assumptions, implications & consequences
• communicate effective

We are challenging the situation, not the people involved. There is a need for open-mindedness and reason within the thinking process. Re-think what has been thought nto reflect what we think now; move beyond the short term fix to the long term strategy (slide content).

• framing: identify the frame through which you are looking
• status quo: defining what it IS and what it IS NOT - ask outsiders
• anchoring: past statistics & trends, order in which we get information distorts judgement
• sunk cost fallacy: investment you have already made, stop if it doesn't fit any longer

"Reaching clarity means wading through confusion."

Harvard Business School Experience

Keep the mission very visual. The business school mission states, "We educate leaders who make a difference in the world." The library mission follows, "We support Harvard Business School's mission by enabling the creation and exchange of ideas, expertise and information."

Critical thinking is not critical in message, but is critical to what you do every day. The goals are "enduring" - the strategies used to meet these goals may change for continued success. Build individual capabilities, everyone needs to think! Free people to think in different ways and provide opportunity to motivate beyond the status quo by thinking critically.

Exercising Good Judgement (slide content):

• capability development
• develop best practices
• road maps
• performance management
• project management

All day - every day (slide content):

• customer service standards
• service delivery
• customer relations
• exceptions management
• strategic alignment
• employee engagement
• balanced score cards
• job descriptions / work design

Satisfaction is not always a top-down exercise, it is also the responsibility from the bottom-up and middle management. Current job descriptions, job design, and expectations allow for modeling of critical thinking, dialogue, and engagement; it sets standards and limits along with an opportunity to contribute.

Leave the conversation open, allow for disagreement, critical thinking and the ability to think.

CIL2010: Crafting an Online Persona

Crafting an Online Persona
Defining Who You Are, in an Anonymous, Online World
Craig Anderson, Kean University
JP Porcaro, New Jersey City University

Trying to get the librarians at own University to be more involved; there is trepidation concerning anyone seeing their work and information. The we are ways to be online and "control" what individual audiences see and read (insert Billy Joel, "The Stranger" lyrics). We can be the same person everywhere, just filtered.

See: 10 Privacy Settings Every Facebook User Should Know
http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/02/facebook-privacy/


Branding Yourself

(See web site created by user, 8bitlibrary.com) Have a clear idea of what you are, what you want, and how you want to present yourself online. Think about your online accounts as professional development, everything you post should be part of your personal brand. The image you portray should be consistent with your image.

There are instances when what is appropriate for one person is not for another. Athletes and celebrities would have a different threshold of appropriate than teacher's and librarians. While it may not be "fair," it is a consideration. Time and distance are also contributing factors, photos of celebrities and alcohol verses the recent cover of School Library Journal featuring librarians toasting may have different connotations. Some people found it offensive, others wondered why it was an issue.

Responsible Citizenship

When online, we should model behaviors and usage of the digital world. As "responsible citizens" we should be online; being online is something librarians need to consider part of there role and responsibilities.

(Session Question) How closely are we monitoring online identities in concert with employers? Do employers understand how are identities are our own?

(Discussion) You need to present yourself professionally and be forward thinking enough to ride the possible turbulent wave of privacy and employer dissatisfaction. This should not be taken lightly, when online - especially as a librarian - the identity you present needs to be professional.

(Question) Institutional privacy or more conservative universities do not /would not appreciate the digital persona.

(Discussion) It is not always appropriate for everyone to have their facebook page in an email signature file. But we need to move forward with respect for the persona.


Institutional persona vs Personal Persona - Open Discussion

There is a great deal of discussion surrounding the problem of personal and professional. You can create groups within facebook and block people from seeing different areas and still keep one profile.

Employers are posting job opportunities in social media applications. If you are not managing your account correctly it may be detrimental to the potential employee. Not being online does not automatically make you "safe."

You are also in some ways judged by the people you have "friended." You can not control your "friends," and this can play a role in the big picture of who you are and what you think. Manage your account, spend time deleting or weeding your "facebook wall."

As you build your brand, you are making it clear to others who you are and "what you are about." Political and social implications are serious. This online identity follows you, online does not go away. As professionals we will be moving to other positions and jobs, these elements build on your personal identity. What we are doing online will remain.

Be constantly thinking and advocating responsible digital citizenship. Set up an "ego feed," use Google Alerts to be notified when things are published online.

CIL2010: Keynote Speaker David Ferriero

David Ferriero, Archivist of the United States
Interviewed by Paul Holdengraber, New York Public Library

"Join the 10th Archivist of the United States for a conversation about libraries and the information ecology. Recently appointed by President Obama, our speaker has a depth of experience with academic libraries both at Duke University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and he was most recently the Director of The New York Public Libraries. Hear his thoughts about information fluency, digitization and preservation, as well as the challenges and opportunities for libraries, archives and other information enterprises." -- CIL Program

See LibConf.com, Tuesday Keynote, David Ferriero, AOTUS, by Don Hawkins.

CIL2010: LibGuides: Web Tools to Enhance Information Fluency

Thank you to everyone who attended our session this afternoon! It was exciting to share how Ashland University Library is utilizing LibGuides in non-tradional ways for course instruction, support, collaborative projects, and presentations.

I enjoyed talking to one-on-one with those who had questions after the official question period concluded, especially considering we were keeping you from the open reception in the exhibit hall. I met two Clarion University alumni, a doctoral student who worked in AU library a few summers ago, as cataloging librarian who is struggling with ways to present guides more efficiently, and librarians who are excited with the potential LibGuides offer.

I discussed with one librarian the resource guide library recently created. This unpublished guide contains resources we frequently use on LibGuides; main page resources (library blog feed, chat widget, and library welcome), a widget collection (chat boxes, catalog search, A to Z), a test box to sample items being considered for new guides (embedding the Prezi), and one we are looking forward to using soon, a project for our home page - the Guide List box. Unfortunately, discussions after the session exceeded the free wi-fi access in break-out rooms and I was unable to illustrate the box type. Below is the information I wanted to highlight:

Add a new box + Links to Guides List

The Guide List box allows you to display a list of links to guides, subjects or profiles from your LibGuides system.

The guide selection can be made on dynamic criteria such as a tag assigned to the guide, a subject affiliation, etc. As new guides are published that match your criteria, the box will automatically update to include those new guides automatically.

You also have the option to manually select your list of guides, allowing you full control over which guides and links are included in the box.

Thanks again for your participation. Feel free to contact me with any residualquestions or to chat about LibGuides.

CIL2010: LibGuides, Do they help?

LibGuides: Do they Help?
Kristina DeVoe, English & Communications Librarian, Temple University
Derik Badman, Springshare, Inc.

Background: Temple University has been using LibGuides since 2007, they were the second library to sign up for the service. The course included in DeVoe and Badman's study had a research component in place; students were required to create an annotated bibliography. One group of students were shown how to access and use a LibGuide created for their assignment and embedded in the course management system. A second group received the same instruction sans mention of the LibGuide. Both groups had like access to the library web page and it's resources. Instruction focused upon two specific ACRL information literacy standards.

• ACRL Standard 2
• ACRL Standard 4

Data collection: Bibliographies were submitted via blackboard (course management). It was an actual second submission beyond the course assignment requirement. The rubric created detailed seven criteria with a four point achievement level (28 points in total available); it was integrated in Blackboard. Each submitted bibliography was graded by two librarians (blind review). Average score for those not given the LibGuide was slightly higher than the others. Evaluating credibility of the author was lowest score.

Face to face meetings with the librarian was ranked as one of the most important factors for completing their assignment. Access to the guide of a librarian garnered virtually the same response. One-third said the reference desk was key, but another third did not want to the library at all.

What they learned:

• Terminology is key; consistency and naming play a roll (research guide, subject guide, resource guide).
• Face to face still matters.
• Students value relevant but can not articulate it.

They are moving forward with this assignment and will be tweaking and focusing the study and assignment for next term. PowerPoint slides will be available on CIL's speaker presentation site.

Note: This presentation was part of the LibGuides: Web Tools to Enhance Information Fluency?

CIL2010: Information Literacy: Life Cycles & Economic Benefits

Information Literacy: A Driving Engine for Economic Success
Barbie E. Keiser, Unesco

A current work/project in progress, this presentation is based upon study determining what nations, schools, and individuals could do for information literacy. Research Agenda included:

• Characteristics
• Evidence
• Necessary elements and contributory factors

Benefits (Presentation Slides):

Citizenry that can actively participate in government decision-making and ability to make use of e-government opportunities. Easy access to industry from abroad and informed potential form of investors.

Value Analysis (Presentation Slides):

Media-literate and informed voters, more productive government workers. Increased trade and foreign direct investment.

Larger, growing countries tended to have more information literacy standards and evidence thereof in place. Countries doing well financially had similar results. What makes regions attractive? They looked at educated population, demographics, real disposable income, and immigration/emigration rates as the population determined where to target the information literacy program.

Did having a successful library college/university program in the country make a difference in the success of the project? Information technology and Internet users were key to the study, growth rates have been significant in the last few years for many regions.

The Library Lifecycle
Derek Badman, Springshare Inc.
Nathan Flinchum, Roanoke Public Library

The traditional library lifecycle, why don't the students know more? How can we work together to foster literacy at all levels - school, public, and academic. Looking at library use (slide information)

• Childhood - passive use of materials
• Teens - school libraries, used when told to not want to
• College - bibliographic instruction for assignments
• Adults - public library use for job search & technology help
• Family - go back to the library for books ...

Talking about literacy; "literacy means knowing how to communicate by using all the representations that information can take. - Neil Gershenfeld

There are many kinds of literacy's involved - being literate across many medias! Patrons can be more than passive users of the library. Think of them as "active creators" instead of consumers. Move forward and change lifecycle.

• Childhood - provide earlier education
• Teens - create in an environment that is beyond grading (fun)
• College - participatory, research and make something new (mashup)
• Adults - teaching basic skills, but do more allowing creation of community content
• Family - teaching parents adjust to what their children can do

Create a safe area, somewhere to work in a pleasant environment with the tools necessary to support the literacy and lifecycle of literacy. Highlight the content that the community creates; it helps to make users "curators of content."

CIL2010: What Administrators Need to Know About Technology

What Administrators Need to Know About Technology
Roy Tennant,, Senior Program Analyst, OCLC

TechEssence.info:
The Top Ten Things Library Administrators Should Know About Technology

1. Technology isn't as hard as you think it is
2. Technology gets easier all the time (example Bitnami.org - cloud bundle)
3. Technology gets cheaper all the time (example, http://www.macmall.com/p/Fantom-Drives-External-Hard-Drives/product~dpno~7532251~pdp.ejchfbh)
4. Maximize the effectiveness of your most costly technology investment - your people
5. Iterate, don't perfect
6. Be prepared to fail
7. Be prepared to succeed ("get that marketing machine working")
8. Never underestimate the power of a prototype (Roy Tennant's Prototyping site)
9. A major part of good technology implementation is good project management
10. The single biggest threat to any technology project is political in nature

The original top ten was posted on the TechEssence blog, September 12, 2009. The following pointers (out-takes from session) come from comments from blog readers:

1. Ask not only how you'll move onto it, but how you'll exit.
2. Administrators need to know that just because a staff member can support a certain type of tech doesn't mean they can support all tech.
3. Allow your staff time and resources to experiment - even if nothing comes of it. Innovation comes with risks.
4. Never depend on technology alone to save your library.
5. It's not scary; the youngest people on staff aren't automatically techno-geeks.

What do you think administrators should know about technology?

Comments from attendees - the crowd responds (conversation snapshots):

1. Technology is easy, people are hard. The time it takes to help people understand is more difficult than what they may be doing. Support is key, conceptualization.
2. People don't always want to use the technology. It is not age specific, it is more adaptability and inclination for the technology to be used. Older staff members may know more than younger; technology is not gender or generation specific.
3. Stay focused on user services - not the herd mentality. Just because "all the other libraries" have it does not make it automatically applicable to every library.
4. Benchmark best practices, ask someone how the technology worked for them. Do your research before implementation.
5. There's a need for mutual respect between administration and technologists. There needs to be collaboration.
6. Consult the people who work directly with the users to find out what their needs might be. Don't leave the front-line faculty and staff out of the equation when discussing the technology.
7. A little bit of knowledge may be a dangerous thing. Have faith in the technology staff. Tell them what you want, how can you make it happen? Or, can you make it happen?
8. Ongoing need for technology training. Using the technology only once does not provide enough in the way of skill sets to move with the new program/software.
9. Technology in and of itself is not the answer to everything. You need people to facilitate the technology and work with patrons/users.
10. Coach your technologists, help them to be good time managers and have great project management skills.

CIL2010: Real Time Collaboration Tools

Real-Tine Collaboration Tools
Karen Huffman, Senior Applications and Database Administrator
Dan Alford, co-presenter and student
National Geographic Society

Google Apps: Docs & Sites, Mail, Calendars

National Geographics moved over to Google Apps, working with a cloud solution for a server that may be accessed at any time. They were specifically interested in having something in place with their disaster plan (the National Geographic offices are near the White House and after 9/11 the point was brought home this was worth exploring).

• Real-time collaboration
• Mashup of internal and external
• "Automatically builds in our disaster recovery/business resumption plan"
• Market place to enhance apps

Students in Karen's class is immersed in using Google App tools. They were required to use Google Docs, Google Calendar, Google Email, and Google Sites throughout the term. Course projects provided opportunity for students to take their tools into schools, in this case a charter school in DC, for real life experiences.

Skype, FreeConference Call, Pamela for Skype

Virtual discussions and conversations for knowledge. Recording sessions and offer other opportunities for people to meet together without physically having to be there.

Virtual Classrooms - Digital Collaboration Tools

Opportunity for face-to-face and virtual classroom conversation. There are financial issues with Webex are related to the number of people and length of time. DimDim is more cost effective, but there are limits. Saba (icon driven), Articulate, Adobe Connect, and Mikogo are higher-end. Often these higher-end products have free trial downloads.

Key Takeaways (final slide)

Plan: Build Your vision
Keep a perspective, communicate a plan, understand costs

Do: Grow Your Competencies
Play in a lot of sandboxes, visualize possibilities, take risks

Teach: Grow Other Competencies
Change is uncomfortable, don't underestimate the need for training, offer flexible formats

For more information and links to resources discussed during the presentation, view Karen Huffman's CIL bookmarks on delicious @ http://delicious.com/khuffman/2010cilcollaboration.

CIL2010: Digital Commons @ ILR

Digital Commons @ ILR
Building Digital Communities with Digital Collections
Jim DelRosso, Web & Digital Projects Manager
Catherwood Library, Cornell University

Building communities in your libraries, to build a sustainable collection we need to have integrated communities around them.

• what we can learn about the physical communities around actual library
• how we can build social communities around digital collections

Email, chat, IM allow us to work with patrons; this is a basis for building more. These three things build upon each other creating the foundation for digital collection (overview).

1. Interest in the collection
   What do they want? What do they need? How do they differ and how do we address those needs? This is often addressed in person as a reference interview, but if we use it when building a collection it moves toward assessment and creating ownership of the collection. It provides value and "outcome- based assessment." How patrons are going to use the collection.
2. Ownership in the collection
   User-created content works to allowing patrons to have a stake in ownership for the collection. User-sponsored content on a larger scale than to have them simply request what they want to have. User-organized content allows them to put them in an order useful to them. The repository, DigitalCommons @ ILR allows users to upload their own content (even though they are doing the physical uploads with an inclusion of focus on scholarly content).
3. Investment in the collectionHow do you know they are invested? Better use of digital collection including tagging, views, and comments within the collection. There seems to be an increase of interaction with librarians - and best of all - interaction among themselves. "The investment looks a lot like a community."

What about tagging and folksonomy? Tag clouds vs meta data. The Powerhouse Museum Collection in Sydney, Australia; anyone can tag and anyone can remove the tag. Use of tagging may lead to a more browseable collection.

Consider also, that digital collections benefit from the same type of collection development policy that the physical collection abides by. It's important that the digital collection also fulfills the mission and vision of the library. Being digital does not keep it from being subject to the same type of quality management.

This is a discussion we have had in the past as the catalog evolves and provides opportunity for user interaction. There is often angst concerning tags being "correct" - or reflective of the system in place for cataloging our collections. However, there is opportunity to do more with the digital collections, information portals, and even our blogs.

We are doing this on a small level with LibGuides. As we create new information portals (guides) tagging is done by the author. Users are able to browse the guides via tags, subject, most recent, most popular, and even finding a librarian who has created a guide you enjoy. Many guides are open to comments, though there is the option of moderation along side the user investment in the collection.

An interesting aside, this presenter used Prezi! Check the title link and additional post information about the session.

CIL2010: Opening Keynote

Lee Rainie
Director, Pew Internet & American Life Project
Monday Keynote Video Online LibConf.com

"As information permeates all aspects of our lives, Rainie shares research and predictions about the impact of internet and mobile connectivity. He understands the library and information community and provides his top tips and strategies for taking advantage of the research to plan and implement key services and programs for libraries and information services." - CIL Program

Fully intending to publish a blog post later in the day, the opening keynote is the only time I used paper and pencil to takes notes. As fate would have it, my notes did not survive the day. I very much enjoyed Mr. Rainie's keynote address, take a few minutes and view it via the link to the LibConf blog.

CIL 2010: Welcome

A short welcome from the president of Information Today, Inc. included a few interesting facts about conference attendees.

• 1555 registered attendees
• 192 speakers & moderators

With walk-in registration, they expect to top 2,000 before the end of the conference. Additionally, there are 47 states represented, only Alaska, Hawaii, and Idaho are missing, and a number of countires. When concluding his opening remarks, we were challenged to think of instances that illustrate the following quote about technology.

"Technology is a queer thing. It brings you great gifts with one hand and it stabs you in the back with the others." C.P. Snow

Examples should be included with conference evaluations; a gift card is at stake.

CIL 2010 @ Computers in Libraries

I arrived at Regan National airport this afternoon and after deplaning on the tarmac and being shuttled to the main airport (odd, but obviously not unusual for this airport) was thrilled to have access to the Hyatt's complimentary hotel shuttle. In less than fifteen minutes we pulled up to the newly renovated hotel.

The hotel was ready for the onslaught of CIL attendees; check-in was quick, cheerful, and painless. After dragging my suitcase to my room, there was time to find the conference registration area and pick up my badge and materials.

Tomorrow's keynote will be Lee Rainie, Director, Pew Internet & American Life Project, "Information Fluency & Imagining the Internet." There are several Monday sessions that have caught my interest, my list includes Digital Commons: Building Digital Communities Using Digital Collections, Trends in Search & Search Engines, What Administrators Need to Know About Technology, and possibly the session featuring Google Wave.

I am considering a short exhibit trek and taking a few minutes to check links and obsess a bit before my presentation at 4:15 pm instead of participating in one of the 3:15 sessions. In the conference areas during scheduled conference times, there will be wireless available for participants - a definite plus and necessity for a computer conference. I have to admit to being a bit peeved I had to pay for a day pass to use the Internet in my room. I find it hard to believe a hotel of this size and stature does not offer free connection. On the plus side, there is a nice flat screen television in my room! I am definitely looking forward to tomorrow, conference day one.

CIL 2010: Back up plans

In the old days (heh-heh-heh) presentation back-up meant saving your PowerPoint on a CD or floppy disk, printing a copy for use on an Elmo, or even making a transparency (in the age of the dinosaur). What followed was a bit of angst surrounding handouts to take for attendees. How many could fit in your suitcase? How many were enough? How many were too many?

I am thrilled to report my presentation is online and available for the world to view as a LibGuide. My handouts? Thanks to a reminder from a colleague, I made cards for attendees in lieu of any paper handout. I'll be taking the newest rendition with me on the plane Sunday.


Online does not mean lack of preparation for those "just in case" scenarios; I've exported my guide to a USB flash drive and downloaded the Prezi introduction. I also have a bright and shiny new HP netbook that will be a traveling companion. I may try a bit of live blogging; realistically it will be end of the day blogging accompanying online teaching and email. Regardless, I am looking forward to my first CIL conference.

CIL 2010: Prezi Introduction

I put finishing touches, at least for now, on my CIL presentation this morning; I'm satisfied with the content and as mentioned in a previous post, using LibGuides for my session is a slam-dunk. Once I opened the door and began thinking about Prezi as an option for an introduction, the more convinced I became that a quick and engaging introduction would be valuable.

The free Prezi account was calling my name.

Using the text from my abstract, I started crafting a more visual introduction. I watched the short video tutorial, several times, and began by choosing a canvas. The easiest part was clip art and screen shots, the most difficult determining a feasible layout plan for the canvass. A significant amount of trial and error time later, I was ready to finesse the frames and set up the product.

After setting up the show and viewing, I learned using the zebra to move frame placement (they turn 360 degrees as well as increase and decrease in size) also moves the text attached to the frame. I went back to the Prezi Academy Learn Center and reviewed. Third time was indeed a charm and my finished product was ready to embed.

The embed instructions were clear, but the process seriously flawed. I embedded it here and was only able to view a link to the project on the Prezi server (sorry if you noticed disappearing posts earlier). I embedded it as script and as a video in LibGuides to no avail. I went back to the Prezi support pages and searched. As a last resort, I searched the community forum and found a year old post detailing a single line of adaptable code to embed my Prezi. The link works!



Next, I'll test it in LibGuides with fingers-crossed.