RLCC and Web 2.0 Classes

The RLCC will be revamping its class offerings beginning in January 2008. One of the classes that we will be offering is a "Library 2.0" class for staff and a "Web 2.0" class for public. So for the "Library 2.0" class, this will be our opportunity to push the current Web 2.0 services that we currently are working on and it is a means of educating the staff on what these services can do for the library in general. I am working on a handout, to be given out to to the staff and public. I probably will make the handout for the staff a little different than the one for the public. Anyway, I thought I would give a heads up on what is going on in the RLCC.

Library 2.0 Core Competencies

Yesterday a speaker listed the core competencies for a library 2.0 library or group. I thought I would share the list with you since I believe our L2 Crew has these qualities.

Wanna (as in you want to do this)
Initiate
Communicate
Collaborate
Independent
Confident
Entrepreneur

So...pat yourself on the back and keep up the good work!

Shaking in Monterey

Yikes. I just experienced my first earthquake. It was very minor but being on the 7th floor I felt it and it scared the heck out of me. My desk and walls were swaying.

http://pasadena.wr.usgs.gov/shake/ca/STORE/X40204628/ciim_display.html

Using a wiki for the library's intranet?

I have been contemplating this question for quite awhile. So I had to go and hear how one library did just that. After hearing two librarians discuss how they set it up for their library I came away with some new thoughts and questions.

I do think it would be easier for more staff to be able to add and edit content for our intranet. Of course there is still the issue of a learning curve for staff. But it is a way to let those who are actually creating the content to be able to add to the intranet without having to send it in to me or to someone else who has FrontPage and access to the server.

One idea I had was to have a mashup of sorts and have a wiki as part of our intranet. Some of the things used by this particular library is a place for putting up files for all staff to see such as ideas for crafts, teen reads, and tutorials. It would be a good way to keep notes, display exhibit ideas, security alerts with descriptions of problem patrons (they actually put up photos from their security cameras).

One cool idea is a place for staff profiles with photos, background, and contact information.

I think it is something to think about and something to consider.

Does anyone have thoughts on this idea?

Internet Librarian Conference Highlights

Greetings L2 Crew from Monterey.

I am writing from the Internet Librarian Conference where about 1500 people are in attendance. So far, I have heard about many cool things other libraries are doing and some ideas for us to think about. First of all, I have to say we are right in the top mix with what other public libraries are doing and that is thanks to all of you!

In Online Marketing: Outreach and PR most of the suggestions are things we are already doing. Yea! Some sites we need to check to make sure we are listed are: Wikimapia, Blogdigger and in Google under “link:www.bplonline.org”.

To find out what our patrons are saying in social review sites and to respond to any remarks, we need to check such sites as yelp, citysearch, judy’s book, insiderdpages, and local2me.

Another way to reach out is to identify yourself as a librarian from BPL and answer questions posted on internet boards. In fact on Tuesdays, librarians are “slamming” the boards to show that librarians have the answers and it is all free. Some of the boards mentioned: Ask Meta Filter and Answer Board Librarians. We could also list staff members by name who are experts in various free expert finding tools such as allexperts.com, ziki, and illumio.

We need to make sure our wifi service is listed in: wififreespot, wifihotspot, wifi411, wiwinder, jiwire, wi-fi zone. Once we have all our locations hooked up for wifi, we will need to go back and edit these sites.

We need to push our info OUT via email and RSS The best way to get the word out about signing up for email is to acquire email addresses through sign-up sheets at all the events we participate in such as neighborhood meetings, festivals, etc. People are more likely to sign-up that they want to get a newsletter or want to receive our blogs via email by adding their email address to a paper list.

We can list our contact information in online directories such as Askcity, Yahoo! Local, and google maps.

Other things mentioned to push our info out: instant messaging, text messaging, youtube, google video, blip.tv, blinkx, singingfish.

With podzinger it is possible to transcribe audio content. Debbie is looking into a local person doing our transcriptions but if that doesn’t work out, we need to look at this and see if it is a good option to use.

We could look at twitter to see if we see any use for it for us. It could be one way to answer reference type questions.

That was just one session. Whew! I will post more later.

Cool Online Tools From Pcmag.com

Here are some sites that I have found interesting and useful from the Top 100 Undiscovered Web Sites at PCMag.

http://www.makeuseof.com/ writes about any new web applications that it considers cool, useful, and accessible.

bubbl.us is a free website to help you collaboratively brainstorm and organize ideas online. An online meeting of ideas on a subject.

http://www.zamzar.com/ convert files without the need to download software. Ever had a patron come in with a file in Microsoft Works or some other file format and cannot open it on our public PCs? All you get it gibberish??? The next time this happens consider http://www.zamzar.com/. Zamzar supports conversion between a wide variety of different file formats and are adding support for other formats all the time.

Online Collaboration Tools

Here is a great resource for locating online tools to help with project collaboration.

http://mashable.com/2007/07/22/online-collaboration/

The only link in the group that I have used so far is gliffy.
http://www.gliffy.com/

Project ideas and brainstorming

I created a page on our wiki for everyone to list and discuss possible project ideas. If you have any ideas, interests, or thoughts about new projects, this is a great place to discuss them.

TechMixer 4.0

Thought you all might want to know about this event coming up. I went to the last techmixer and it was interesting and fun.

TechMixer 4.0 Unplugged
11.6.07 @ 5:30 pm
Innovation Depot
1500 1st Avenue North
Birmingham, AL

No Suits, No Booths, No Bags

Mark your calendar for TechMixer 4.0, Tuesday, November 6th at 5:30 p.m. This casual event will bring together Birmingham's tech crowd to meet fellow professionals, network, and share ideas.

Join us at Innovation Depot, the newest hotspot for Birmingham tech companies and a great place to throw a party!

Enjoy live music, finger food, and a cash bar while you meet and mingle with other tech-minded professionals in a fun and laid-back environment.

The last TechMixer drew over 600 attendees, so remember to forward this invitation to your friends and colleagues. You won't want to miss it.
As always, there's no cost to attend!
Register To Attend

http://www.techbirmingham.com/default.aspx?id=171

Our future patrons?

Helping to get the word out

In order for administration and the coordinators to keep up with what our L2 Crew is creating, questioning, and exploring, I am inviting all of them to join in reading our blog and our wiki.

So please keep us all informed with the status of your projects via the wiki and continue to bring to our attention the cool new tools, articles, and questions that come up by blogging on our L2 Crew blog.

Thanks!

Wiki for Paraprofessionals

This is just a note to let everyone know that Robert is the process of creating a wiki for the LAIIs so be on the look out for it soon!

Projects, tasks, software and hardware

Hello All.

I needed a way to keep up with our accomplishments so I created a page for reports on our wiki. I hope to start doing this on a monthly basis. The first reports covers the period from our creation as a group through Sept. 30.

I listed all the things I could think of but I know I am missing some. Would you take a look, make additions and/or edits?

http://bplondemand.pbwiki.com/Report+July+18-Sept+30

Thanks!