PulliamWilliamsonOctConf09

High Touch/High Tech: Moving Library Staff Training and Services into the Cloud

WikiCommunicator

Beatrice PulliamHeather WilliamsonOctober ConferenceDartmouth College9 October 2009

Content Slide Title Goes HereHigh Touch/High Tech @ PC

Who We Are - Institutiono Private, liberal arts Catholic institution founded in 1917o Primarily undergraduateo >5000 students o >5000 students o 49 major areas of study and 11 graduate programs

Who We Are - Libraryo Staff: 13 Professional staff, 20

� Most staff have been @ library > 10 years� Majority of staff in tech and access services < 5 years

o Open 117 hours week


Private, liberal arts Catholic institution founded in 1917

49 major areas of study and 11 graduate programs

20 Support staff, ~20 StudentsMost staff have been @ library > 10 yearsMajority of staff in tech and access services < 5 years


Our Library+ Commonso Integrated, Technology-rich Serviceso Multiple Points of Access

� In person� Three desks - Reference, Circ,

� Online� Online� Website and Libguides � Email� IM� SMS (coming soon)

o Academic and Socialo Collaborative Learning Spaces


Library+ Commonsrich Services

Reference, Circ, InTeLeR Station

Website and Libguides

Collaborative Learning Spaces

High Touch/High Tech @ PC

2007: D. Russell Bailey develops PC's Library+ Commons

Commons cross-training model begins with student

Staff introduced to add'l commons concepts at

2008: IT develops Self-Help Wiki

2009: Include attainable technology development in staff goals

Select staff enroll in 23 Things

LibGuides subscription purchased

Staff begin applying 23 Things concepts to library projects

More cross-training ensues

Beta pilot of tiered research assistance begins

Development of public service training modules using

High Touch/High Tech @ PC...

D. Russell Bailey develops PC's Library+ Commons doc

training model begins with student staff

Staff introduced to add'l commons concepts at training

technology development in staff goals

LibGuides subscription purchased

Staff begin applying 23 Things concepts to library projects

Beta pilot of tiered research assistance begins

Development of public service training modules using LibGuides & wiki

Cloud Resources…

“Scalable, virtualized resources provided as a

service over the internet…”, Wikipedia

“The PC age is giving way to a

age” – Nicholas Carr, in

changing of computing

Cloud Resources…

“Scalable, virtualized resources provided as a

service over the internet…”, Wikipedia

“The PC age is giving way to a new era…the utility

Nicholas Carr, in The Big Switch, on the

high touch/high tech @pc...

"The Tragedy of the Cloud?"The Library at University of Victoria, Wellington NZ

high touch/high tech @pc...

"The Tragedy of the Cloud?"The Library at University of Victoria, Wellington NZ

• Visual error message that appears

define :: fail whale

• Visual error message that appears when Twitter has an outage or its server is down due to 'too many tweets'

Visual error message that appears

define :: fail whale

Visual error message that appears when Twitter has an outage or its server is down due to 'too many


Fail Whales....We've all had a few....

2005 - Phillips Memorial Library News Blog on Blogspot(13 Posts 2005-2006)(13 Posts 2005-2006)

2007 - (Relaunch) Library Blog on Wordpress.com (47 posts 2007 - 2008)

lesson :: learned - it can take a village to grow a blog.- evaluation of betas, pilots should be ongoingdon’t be afraid to


had a few....

Phillips Memorial Library News Blog on Blogspot

(Relaunch) Library Blog on Wordpress.com

take a village to grow a blog.evaluation of betas, pilots should be ongoingdon’t be afraid to ditch something that doesn’t work


March 2009 - 23 Things

o Initial ((soft)) goal: build awareness of emerging technologies� Free online training provided by RI's Office of Library &

Info Svcs. (OLIS)Info Svcs. (OLIS)

� Great option for departments with varying staff schedules

� 10 week commitment, but no staff time required to develop training


23 Things

Initial ((soft)) goal: build awareness of emerging technologiesonline training provided by RI's Office of Library &

Great option for departments with varying staff schedules

commitment, but no staff time required to

Tools used for Training

• LibGuides with questionso http://providence.libguides.com/aecontent.php?pi

d=69006&sid=510224• Use Wiki to upload answers• Can monitor progress and areas that need further


• Can monitor progress and areas that need further development

Tools used for Training

http://providence.libguides.com/aecontent.php?pi

Use Wiki to upload answersCan monitor progress and areas that need further


Can monitor progress and areas that need further

ACRL standards as guide• Concerning lifelong learning• Standard Four*: "The information

literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information


effectively to accomplish a specific purpose"

• Flexibility/adaptability to new technologies

• Sharing/Communicating result with others

*Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, ALA

ACRL standards as guideConcerning lifelong learningStandard Four*: "The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information


effectively to accomplish a specific

Flexibility/adaptability to new

Sharing/Communicating result with

*Information Literacy Competency Standards for Higher Education, ALA

Internal Workflow and Communication

• Campus IT Self-Help Wikio Disorganized shared networko Had separate private area created for Access Services

�Model implementation for rest of library


�Model implementation for rest of library� Can be accessed ANYWHERE in the library

o Migrated updated policies and procedures� Plan to put task-oriented tutorials here

� Jing/Captivate/Camtasia/YouTubeo Track and update hardware and software inventorieso Allows staff to collaborate on projects

Internal Workflow and Communication

Disorganized shared networkHad separate private area created for Access Services

Model implementation for rest of library


Model implementation for rest of libraryCan be accessed ANYWHERE in the library

Migrated updated policies and proceduresoriented tutorials here

Jing/Captivate/Camtasia/YouTubeTrack and update hardware and software inventoriesAllows staff to collaborate on projects

Access Services IntranetAccess Services Intranet

Internal Workflow and Communication (cont.)

• Conducting Process Review (NERCOMP 2009)o Microsoft Office Communicator

cloudlike


cloudlike

o Microsoft Outlook Total Workday Control oNOT a conspiracy group! oLeveraging existing Task Function to track ILL requestso Workaround - Too many systems that don’t play well together

Internal Workflow and Communication (cont.)

Conducting Process Review (NERCOMP 2009)ommunicator Server - IT Pilot,


Microsoft Outlook Total Workday Control NOT a conspiracy group! ☺Leveraging existing Task Function to track ILL

Too many systems that don’t play

Task Form to Track ILLs (blank)Task Form to Track ILLs (blank)

Task Form to Track ILLs (populated)Task Form to Track ILLs (populated)

Borrowing Request Tasks at a GlanceBorrowing Request Tasks at a Glance

PC New Book Area LibGuide PC New Book Area LibGuide created by LCA

TIPs for Planning Staff Technology Development

• Get staff buy-in and solicit input for training suggestions• Training should be ongoing. Grow your skills.• Training should be FUN. Give staff time to play with new


• Training should be FUN. Give staff time to play with new technologies

• Teach staff to be "change ready"• Don’t be afraid to DITCH something that didn’t work.

TIPs for Planning Staff Technology Development

in and solicit input for training suggestionsTraining should be ongoing. Grow your skills.Training should be FUN. Give staff time to play with new


Training should be FUN. Give staff time to play with new

Teach staff to be "change ready"Don’t be afraid to DITCH something that didn’t work.

Some Final ThoughtsKeep current with CE opportunities offered by your local, consortial and regional library organizations. Many offer free training opportunities

•Seek out your natural partners on campus! Can be especially important if new technology use requires


especially important if new technology use requires approval…

•Leverage the resources you currently have, and use them in a NEW way

•Offer to “pilot” a new technology/service….good way to grow expertise in house. Evaluation/Metrics should be ongoing…

Keep current with CE opportunities offered by your local, consortial and regional library organizations. Many offer

Seek out your natural partners on campus! Can be especially important if new technology use requires


especially important if new technology use requires

Leverage the resources you currently have, and use them

Offer to “pilot” a new technology/service….good way to grow expertise in house. Evaluation/Metrics should be

Survey Cloud ResponsesSurvey Cloud Responses

THANK YOU!!

Beatrice Pulliam: [email protected] or twitter: beatricepulliam

Heather Williamson: [email protected] Williamson: [email protected]

Presentation: (http://slideshare.net/pulliam/

THANK YOU!!

Beatrice Pulliam: [email protected] or twitter: beatricepulliam

Heather Williamson: [email protected] Williamson: [email protected]

slideshare.net/pulliam/octconf09)