Library Instruction to Go: Podcasting at the Kresge Library

Jennifer Lammers Zimmer

Sally Ziph

May 5, 2007

LOEX, San Diego, CA

Library Instruction to Go

• About the Kresge Library

• Podcasting Pilot Program

• Creating a Podcast

• What Our Students Think

• Questions

The Kresge Library

• Part of the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan

• Serve a population of 3500 students plus faculty and staff

• Instruction done mostly in a classroom setting

Podcasting Pilot Program

• Started in Summer of 2006

• Wanted to explore this medium for delivering instruction

• Had an example in the Dental School

Podcasting Pilot Program

• Equipment purchased 15” MacBook Pro

• Audio-inputs• 512MB RAM

Plantronics Headset

• Software purchased QuickTime Pro License Podcast Maker

Creating the Podcasts

• Scripts written by librarians on a variety of topics

• Scripts are edited to follow the Kresge Dash format

• Audio track is recorded first• Screen shots or informational text is

added next• Theme music added to beginning and

end• Episodes run 4 - 23 minutes

Our First Podcast

• QuickTime Pro used to record the audio

• PodcastMaker used to add the enhancements,create XML file for the RSS feed and upload podcast to the web server

• First podcast created in 2 days

Podcast Maker

Podcast Maker - Adding Chapters

Creating the Podcasts

• Discovering GarageBand All-in-one software for creating the

podcasts Record audio in segments or ‘clips’ Add images on the Podcast track Add theme music for intro and exit on

Jingles track Export podcast in the correct format for

immediate use Podcast creation takes 2-3 hours

Working with GarageBand

Working with GarageBand

Working With GarageBand

• Enhancing the Podcast with images and links

Working With GarageBand

Video + Podcasting = Vodcasting

• Wanted to try video to see if this method was better accepted

• Worked with the Computing Services department to videotape

• Editing was done on a Windows machine using Adobe Premier

• Screen capture movies made with Camtasia and added after the recording

Video + Podcasting = Vodcasting

• This process was NOT fun• Major problem area was file

format compatibility between Premier, Camtasia and iMovie

• Final product took 3 months to complete

Working With iMovie

Exporting the Vodcast

Ross on iTunes Uitunes.bus.umich.edu

Kresge Dash on iTunes U

Viewing the Podcast in iTunes

Viewing the Podcast in iTunes

Subscribing to the Podcast

Viewing the Podcast in the Browser

What Our Students Think

• 10 students asked to listen to 10 minutes of an audio podcast and 10 minutes of a video podcast

• Asked to fill out a brief survey• Given $10 gift certificate to

Borders for participation• None of the students viewed the

podcasts on an iPod

Podcasting: It’s Flippin’ Sweet!

• Video podcast squeaked by in class instruction as first choice

• All stated that they would listen to another podcast or had listened to another podcast

• Liked the chaptering and the ability to view any time they chose

• Aided students in identifying when they would need librarian assistance

We Want More!

• Students want podcasts that go more in-depth into a topic or resource

• Wanted basic library orientation podcasts focused on their particular student status (MBA, BBA, Evening MBA)

• Tutorial on difficult databases such as Choices 3

• Sound bite topics such as the SWOT analysis

• Software specific episodes, such as RefWorks or Excel

Make it Better

• Video was a bit jumpy for some viewers

• Video quality was not as good as viewers were used to

• Podcasts need to be more visible, none of the students knew these existed before being asked to do the survey

Pod is My Co-Pilot

• Continue to create audio podcasts for short topics

• Longer episodes may incorporate video

• Continue to use this format as a method to enhance the library’s instruction program

Questions?

www.bus.umich.edu/kresgelibrary/help/podcast.htm

• Jennifer Lammers Zimmer jamm@umich.edu

• Sally Ziph sweston@umich.edu