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Social Tools: More than just a good time

Social Tools: More than just a good time. Presented by: Jenn Horwath Cynthia Williamson Library @ Mohawk. Agenda. Definitions Social Tools In Action @ Mohawk Strategic Priority Achieved Features/Benefits of Software, iPoodles? Info to Go Lessons Learned. Definitions. Social Tools:

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Social Tools: More than just a good time

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  1. Social Tools: More than just a good time Presented by: Jenn Horwath Cynthia Williamson Library @ Mohawk

  2. Agenda • Definitions • Social Tools • In Action @ Mohawk • Strategic Priority Achieved • Features/Benefits of Software, • iPoodles? • Info to Go • Lessons Learned

  3. 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

  4. 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”

  5. Social Tool: BlogsBlogs in action @ Mohawk • Library newsletter: TheBRAIN_blog (Sept. 2003) • Staff information sharing: BRAIN Trust (Sept. 2003) • Library classes: Research Skills Instruction blog (Feb. 2004)

  6. 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

  7. Social tool: BlogsAchieves Strategic Priorities • Library outreach, communication with users • Information literacy • Cost efficient – free!

  8. http://mohawklrc2.blogspot.com/

  9. http://libraryclasses.wordpress.com/

  10. 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

  11. Info to Go Research 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

  12. iPoodles? • Service drives technology • Only features necessary to service are utilized

  13. 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.

  14. 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

  15. 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

  16. Social Tool: Social BookmarkingStrategic Priorities Achieved • Improved communication, more efficient than email • Easy collaboration; inspiring • Free (closer to beer than kittens) • Communication

  17. 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

  18. FURL

  19. 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

  20. 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

  21. 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

  22. 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.

  23. Social Tool: PodcastingPodcasting in action @ Mohawk • The BRAINcast • Every 2 weeks • Always feature Library or online research tools (catalogue, ebooks, etc.)

  24. Social Tool – PodcastingStrategic Priorities Achieved • Information literacy instruction • Outreach • Expertise

  25. Key features of podcasting software • Audio file • Hosting • RSS feeds • Web page/Blog

  26. http://braincast.libsyn.com

  27. Screenshot of stats in libsyn

  28. 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

  29. 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

  30. Info to Go • Add it to iTunes directory: http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/podcaststechspecs.html

  31. 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

  32. Lessons Learned • Easy to set up! • Don’t expect instant audience or buy-in • Factor in the time for creation and production

  33. 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)

  34. 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

  35. 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!

  36. Front Page of CAM Wiki created using MediaWiki

  37. 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

  38. CAM Wiki created using PBWiki

  39. PB Wiki Forums

  40. Mohawk Portal Group Homepage

  41. 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.

  42. 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

  43. 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”)

  44. Social Tool: Instant MessengerIM 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

  45. Social tool: Instant MessengerStrategic 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]

  46. 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

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