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Social Tools: More than just a good time
Presented by:Jenn Horwath
Cynthia WilliamsonLibrary @ Mohawk
Agenda Definitions Social Tools
In Action @ Mohawk Strategic Priority Achieved Features/Benefits of Software, iPoodles? Info to Go Lessons Learned
Definitions Social Tools:
Web as platform Encourage collaboration, information sharing
online and in real-time User-created content (many-to-many
communication)
Strategic priorities: Agreed upon by library lead team Essential services that fulfill mission of Library
Strategic Priorities SupportingExploration and Use of Emerging
Technologies
“Learning enhancement: the library will leverage relevant and emerging technologies in the creation of evolving service options”
“Be involved, proactive and responsive within the rapidly changing information and knowledge economy”
“Use technology for maximum advantage” “Improve communications”
Library newsletter: TheBRAIN_blog (Sept. 2003)
Staff information sharing: BRAIN Trust (Sept. 2003)
Library classes: Research Skills Instruction blog (Feb. 2004)
Social Tool: BlogsBlogs in action @ Mohawk
Key features of blogging software
Easy to update: Many staff members can contribute Can post frequently b/c it’s quick & easy
Broadcast functionality included (RSS) Instant CMS: includes archive, search
functionality, recent post listing, etc. Comments feature included
Social tool: BlogsAchieves Strategic
Priorities Library outreach, communication with
users Information literacy Cost efficient – free!
http://libraryclasses.wordpress.com/
Info to Go
BRAIN_blog Use free Blogger.com Post to it every 2 weeks Functionality used: archive, links, comments
activated but not actively encouraged Try it: http://www.blogger.com
Info to GoResearch Skills Instruction blog Use Wordpress.com (also available:
Wordpress.org – downloadable) Why 2 different blogs? Can add files in
Wordpress – Blogger no longer supports this function.
Try it: http://www.wordpress.com
iPoodles?
Service drives technology
Only features necessary to service are utilized
Lessons Learned BRAIN Trust fizzled – too many places to look BRAIN_blog & Research Skills Instruction blog
worked – use technology to match priority instead of other way around
BRAIN_blog visits have risen 23% since last year – from 150/month at inception to over 300 month.
External vs. Internal hosting: examine your IT support first.
Social Bookmarking in Action @ Mohawk
Information services staff use FURL to recommend websites to add to the library collection
Shared del.icio.us account for Net Generation study
Social Bookmarking SoftwareKey Features:
Easy to add website with comments and clippings
FURL allows standard subject headings Add tags and/or ratings (or not) FURL catches duplicate posts Del.cio.us allows posts without a login,
easier to maintain more than one account
Social Tool: Social Bookmarking
Strategic Priorities Achieved Improved communication, more
efficient than email Easy collaboration; inspiring Free (closer to beer than
kittens) Communication
FURL
Staff “Furl” website, include a suggestion for subject area; comments about why site is useful; clipping (from website or other recommendation)
CM Librarian receives email when FURL account is used
CM Librarian can easily see what needs to be vetted, leave messages for cataloguers
Cataloguers can easily see what needs to be done
FURL
Del.icio.us
Jenn and I share a Del.icio.us account to collect research on Net Generation (findings coming to a session near you somewhere, sometime!) Post interesting websites and documents
to our Netgen study Del.icio.us account Web research is all in one place Include comments and reasons for
posting
Info to Go
Its 1-2-3 to set up a FURL or del.icio.us account
Share passwords Training sessions for “reluctant”
adopters Lead by example
IPoodles? Why isn’t one of Mohawk’s portal
groups sufficient? No logging in & finding a folder
One click FURL feature makes it really easy to recommend a website, no cutting & pasting, no remembering to send it some time
Why not just email? Recommendations not stuck in CM Librarian’s inbox but in an archive for everyone to see
Lessons Learned
FURL easy to use; easy to learn, much better staff use than the Reference wiki…Why? It’s easier?
Ongoing, training and encouraging required.
Social Tool: PodcastingPodcasting in action @
Mohawk The BRAINcast Every 2 weeks Always feature
Library or online research tools (catalogue, ebooks, etc.)
Social Tool – PodcastingStrategic Priorities Achieved
Information literacy instruction Outreach Expertise
Key features of podcasting software
Audio file Hosting RSS feeds Web page/Blog
http://braincast.libsyn.com
Screenshot of stats in libsyn
Info to Go
First create audio: Audacity (free!), Adobe Audition,
GarageBand, Pro Tools, etc. Then choose hosting solution:
Internal – your own servers External – Internet Archive, free and for fee
options Create your RSS feed:
Poderator, Feedburner, Roll your own
Info to Go Use all-in-one solution:
Hosting, RSS feed creation, blog/web site, recording (some)
Libsyn, Ourmedia, Odeo, Podomatic
Add music and sound effects: Podsafe Music Network Freesound Open Media Directory Uhort More
Info to Go Add it to iTunes
directory: http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/podcaststechspecs.html
iPoodles?
Technology drove the service at the outset - “how can we use podcasting?”
But…one more access point for tutorials can’t be a bad thing
Expertise gained can be used in college conferences and to assist faculty
Lessons Learned
Easy to set up! Don’t expect instant audience or buy-in Factor in the time for creation and
production
Social Tool: Wiki
According to Wikipedia, “A wiki is a website that allows the visitors themselves to easily add, remove, and otherwise edit and change available content...”
Strategies met: Collaboration Improved strategic collection development Build a faculty liaison aid Free (more like kittens than beer)
Wikis in Action @ Mohawk
Two wikis Used in-house, not for public (yet) Collection and Access Management
Sharing policies, collection profiles, new title lists, weeding statistics
Reference Schedules, reference questions, issues &
debates
Key Features: Mediawiki
Mediawiki - Needs server & some programming skills for set-
up Highly “customizable” No programming skills to build and edit but not
easy at first Problems:
We needed I.T. for server & set-up Lack of control over format and access. Had to ask I.T. personnel to add pictures!
Front Page of CAM Wiki created using MediaWiki
Key Features: PB Wiki
Decided to go it on our own and use PB Wiki We control access, not I.T. Good first wiki, templates & help available Easy to edit (relatively speaking for non-techies!) Easy to add pictures, upload files History. Its easy to revert to old pages. Use it to
store statistics! New CAM wiki
CAM Wiki created using PBWiki
PB Wiki Forums
Mohawk Portal Group Homepage
Info to Go
Media Wiki:If you have a server and
some programming skills, try Media Wiki, its free, robust.
PB Wiki:If you don’t have a server,
try PB Wiki, web-based, templates available, good help forum, easy starting place.
IPoodles?
Why isn’t an in-house group sufficient? no control over what goes
where, what appears & what doesn’t
only members, can never be public
Lessons Learned
Regrets, I’ve had a few….. It’s about collaboration, don’t keep it to
yourself Remember “perpetual beta” Training and encouraging Collaboration vs. collectivism
(“wikiality”)
Social Tool: Instant Messenger
IM in action @ Mohawk Use Trillian and monitor Yahoo!, MSN and
AOL (began Feb. 2005) Offered 8.30am – 9pm M-F, S&S 9am-5pm Monitored by staff at less busy e-Library desk Buddy name: braintogo Promoted by signage, web site, campus
newspaper. Uptake has been slow – 41 transactions (vs.
60 in virtual reference service) from Sept. – Dec. 06 – a slow rise in usage
Social tool: Instant Messenger
Strategic Priorities Achieved Reference service anytime, anywhere Focus on our users – students are
comfortable with this technology See: Pew studies – How Americans Use
Instant Messaging and The Rise of the Instant Message Generation [74% of teens with Internet access have used IM]
Key features of IM service
Set up buddy name on Yahoo!, MSN, AOL
Monitor many accounts from one interface (Trillian)
Easy for all staff to use Free! Logs transactions Meet the students where they are
Info to Go
Create identities: Yahoo! http://messenger.yahoo.com/ MSN
http://get.live.com/messenger/overview AOL http://www.aim.com/ Google: http://gmail.com
Info to Go
Free software client to monitor all accounts: Trillian: http://www.ceruleanstudios.com/ GAIM: http://gaim.sourceforge.net/ Meebo:
http://www.meebo.com/index-en.html Set hours of service and staffing Promote
iPoodle?
Another service point
Impetus to use what the students are using
Improvement to current service as more access points
Lessons Learned
Promote, promote, promote! Keep aware of new services Don’t expect usage stats to skyrocket –
(VR stats > IM stats)
Social Tool: Roll Your OwnKey features of Ning.com
Developers share their apps Can create or steal any one of a range
of social tools (photo sharing, bookmark sharing, forum, etc.)
Need to know CSS, HTML, PHP in order to customize
Key features of Ning.com
Social Tool: Roll Your OwnNing in action @ Mohawk
Suggestion Box/User Forum Users can ask a question or answer a
question Can see what users are thinking about Staff can intervene and answer or
delete questions Top questions are listed
Ning in action @ Mohawk
http://librarysuggestionbox.ning.com
Social tool: Roll your own
Strategic Priorities Achieved
Outreach to users User support
Info to go
Ning: www.ning.com (free login)
Zoho creator (databases): http://creator.zoho.com
iPoodles?
Technology drove service!
But…good testing ground
Lessons learned
Just launched on Jan. 5th, 2007 Even though it’s free, time isn’t
free! Think about how much time it takes to set up the service.
Social Tool: Bloglines/RSS Reader
Key features of Bloglines/RSS
Can add RSS feeds for blogs, journals, etc.
Keep up to date with late breaking news in library field Can make your list of feeds public Easy for staff to add RSS feeds
Social Tool: Bloglines/RSS
Strategic Priorities Achieved Staff training & education
Professional development
Bloglines in action @ Mohawk
http://www.bloglines.com/public/LibraryMohawk
Bloglines in action at Mohawk
Created library account so any staff member can add feeds
Added folders for library journals, library blogs, education journals, new titles (ProQuest), new web resources
Staff members can read only – don’t have to add RSS feeds if they don’t want to
Info to go Create a free login at www.bloglines.com Add feeds Let staff know the URL.
Lessons Learned
Just because you build it doesn’t mean they will come
Too many places to look means they won’t look
iPoodles?
Honestly thought it would be good use of technology!
Parting thoughts
Side benefit: Sharing with community about experiences with social tools Mohawk Connections Conference:
podcatchers, social bookmarking. In class: blogs, bloglines, RSS feeds
Take risks but be prepared for failure
Parting thoughts
Internal vs. External hosting: depends on your situation and IT support
New applications take a while to catch on among users (blog, chat, etc.)
Next steps
Second Life Myspace Explore other IM software (Meebo,
GAIM, Unyte) Explore use of Librarything Explore use of Flickr
Want to Know More?
Jenn’s Web 2.0 links: http://del.icio.us/electriclibrarian/web2.0 Cynthia’s blogroll: http://www.bloglines.com/public/crwbookgirl Librarian in Black’s Using Blogs in the Library:
http://librarianinblack.typepad.com/librarianinblack/2007/01/using_blogs_in_.html Librarian in Black’s Social Bookmarking for Readers Advisory:
http://librarianinblack.typepad.comlibrarianinblack/2007/using_social_bo.html Michael Stephens’ Librarian 2.0 Description:
http://tametheweb.com/2007/01/into_a_new_world_of_librarians.html Michael Habib’s Academic Library 2.0:
http://mchabib.blogspot.com/2006/08/academic-library-20-concept-models.html Digital Maoism: http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/lanier06/lanier06_index.html
In Print:
Farkas, Meridith. Balancing the Online Life. In American Libraries, Jan 2007, vol. 38, issue 1,
p. 42-45.
Trexler, Sally. Social Bookmarking with Del.icio.us. In Information Searcher, 2006 vol. 16, issue 3, p22-27.
Transformative sharing with Instant Messaging, Wikis, Interactive Maps, and Flickr. In Computers in Libraries (cover story), Jan. 2007, vol. 27, issue 1, p. 7-56.
