Tame The Web

The Google Translate Experiment

Two teens from Italy in Portland, ME over the summer. One teen librarian.
What the heck is gonna bring them together?

It’s not a mind blowing idea. But I will tell you this…it works. Here’s our simple story about how we bonded thanks to some technology.

For the first two days, our interaction was limited to “computer” and “yes”. They wanted the computer and I was happy to provide them with access. It seemed to be the one bright point in their time at the library. They could log onto to Facebook and chat with their friends back home. Smiles erupted from their faces and for a brief moment, I was happy that I could give them that little bit of happiness. But the librarian in me kept on brainstorming. How can I extend their happiness? There’s got to be more to America for these teens than just one hour of talking with their friends on the computer.

Enter Google Translate. It started with one simple message:

Ti prego di perdonarmi. Non parlo italiano, ma spero che se io uso questo strumento posso parlare con voi.

Their first response? They decided to forgo the Italian and communicate with me through a smile that went from ear to ear.

Their first use for the Google Translate came to me in the form of a question:

Una grande idea! Puoi aiutarci a imparare l’inglese?

Perfect. I was able to see that the teens really wanted something more out of their trip than just some time in the states over the summer. They wanted to learn English. While I could not be their full time tutor, I could give them a start. We exchanged some basic words and phrases in person, which we then went over using Google Translate to help us understand them a bit better. Ciao, posso aiutarti con qualcosa oggi? was my first attempt at Italian and it has stuck in my head. So, I guess this works…

Flash forward to a few weeks later. The teens are regulars at the library a few times a week. We learn some phrases each time they come in, but thanks to another librarian at my library the teens now have a tutor who speaks fluent Italian and teaches them English in the library. Cool stuff. Thank you Google Translate.

La biblioteca … la lingua universale

-Post by Justin Hoenke, Tame the Web Contributor

Thanks Region 10, Richardson, Texas!

I had a great time at Friday’s workshop with school librarians, technologists and staff from Region 10 in Richardson, TX. I presented a full morning version of “the Hyperlinked School Library.” The slides are here:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/239835/HyperlinkedSchoolLibraryTX.pdf

I appreciate all of the discussion and sharing!

Internet Librarian International Interview

I was recently interviewed for an email blast for ILI2010. Hope to see you in London in October! Here’s the text:

Internet Librarian International continues to provide pertinent resources and support for today’s information environments. With the shifting emphasis on information provision; constantly-evolving methods for delivering it; increased demands from users; and tighter than ever budgets, we asked Advisory Board member, Michael Stephens, for his views on the future for library technologies and more … Read the full Internet Librarian International programme here.

I would have to say the advent of participatory technologies has been the single most important technology development for librarians in the last 5 years. Call it the social Web, social networking, 2.0, mobile technology, whatever, but the importance is four-fold:

– The tools/technologies have allowed people to interact in ways online that go beyond simple one way publishing.

– It’s created a sense of community for many people. Look at all the various communities we can participate in online just in our profession.

– These technologies allowed for the creation of Learning 2.0 from Helene Blowers and the people at Charlotte Mecklenberg Library. My current research focus is on the impact and benefits of “23 Things” and what happens in libraries after the completion of the program.

– I see this as the advent of DIY Culture with technology. Open source solutions have put high end development of content and community sites in the hands of everyone

Amplify these with what location-aware services are enabling for people and physical spaces and you have a powerful connector. I am fascinated by the power there is in adding data and knowledge to geographic spaces, turning a community into a large collaboration space. This will change the way we travel, work and play in ways we probably haven’t even imagined. That’s why I want libraries to be playing an active role in user education about all of these technologies as well as creating vibrant info spaces with them and for them.

My current favourite technology innovation?
I am REALLY enjoying my iPad and all its possibilities. I’ve started reading much more via the iPad Kindle app and iBooks reader. I can use my iPhone 4 or iPad to share via Facebook or Twitter, and I can snap a photo or record and edit a movie for upload to YouTube. I think this must mean that my favourite technology right now is mobile technology access to my life-streams and friends – wherever I happen to be. This speaks to the possibilities for our connected future. As networks improve and devices become more powerful, the opportunities for learning, exploration and connection with friends/family is huge.

As a professor, the potential for delivering course content and interacting with students via a handheld device is very attractive.I can’t imagine the model of driving to a classroom and sitting for 3 hours for a class will be the definitive one much longer. The library supporting the future of learning will have to be just as mobile and just as connected.

Where’s it all headed? My predictions for library technologies in the next few years
We’ll see even more advances with open source, more libraries making the jump to software developed for the common good, and more development of user communities built around library services. I think we’ll also see streamlined services more-focused on user needs and wants – wherever those users happen to be.

Content will continue to shift to a model of direct producer delivery to the end user, cutting out the middleman… I think broadcast has done a good job of diversifying into new methods of delivery. The music industry and even movie business came kicking and screaming. I’m also watching ebooks closely; it just makes so much sense to circulate Kindles, etc. That doesn’t mean libraries won’t have content – they always will. Some of it may be of a different sort. Some of it will be made up of user-contributed content. I look to libraries like DOK in the Netherlands and libraries in Finland and Sweden for a glimpse at what’s possible with user-generated content and creation spaces.

I’m really looking forward to Internet Librarian International for this reason – interaction, networking and discussion about innovative practice in libraries that will point to the future.

Michael Stephens leads the Internet Librarian International workshop: A Roadmap to the Hyperlinked Library onWednesday 13 October. In addition, he presents Transparency in Hyperlinked Libraries; Hot Topics in Innovation; and Library Futures: Views and Visions for the Future of Libraries & Information Professionals at Internet Librarian International on Friday 15 October.

Brian and Michael

Brian and Michael, originally uploaded by pelicanwind.

I was in Texas last Thursday and Friday. One highlight was driving up to Denton to meet up with my PhD advisor, mentor and friend Dr. Brian O’Connor. We had a nice chat about teaching, LIS education and technology while enjoying a stroll around Denton’s courthouse. It was 8 billion degrees though!

More on the Reference Desk is Gone

Jeff Trzeciak provides more information about McMaster University Library’s transformation to blended services:

http://ulatmac.blog.lib.mcmaster.ca/2010/07/22/reference-desk-gone-2nd-post/

(bold emphasis is mine)

In other words, only around 40% are really “research-related” questions. The remaining 60% are largely directional. In a subsequent blog post I reported on the breakdown between in-person, email and IM transactions. These statistics indicate that only 82% of the volume is taking place within one of our buildings. The remaining 18% is virtual.

So, a decline of nearly 2/3 from our high, coupled with 18% of the assistance now being virtual and only 40% being research-related. Sounds like a candidate for transformation if you ask me.

So, over a year ago we got our best thinking staff and librarians together and charged them with the task of “blended services”. They put together a remarkable training program to train the paraprofessional staff to ensure that they were prepared and that our users were still receiving the best possible service. Over the past year or so we’ve moved all three of our libraries to single service points where users can circulate materials, get their ILLs and reserve materials or get assistance.

Since implementing the change the library has also participated in LibQUAL 2010. The results seem to indicate an improvement in the “aspect of service” over our 2007 report. However, the social sciences/humanities library had not yet changed to single service point at the time of the survey in 2010. (Scientists/engineers show a clear improvement). This is just one measure but it provides at least some indication.

There are a number of fine examples of work that our librarians are doing in collaboration with faculty. However, I will focus on one program, Integrated Science (iSci), where one of our librarians (Andrew Colgoni) is “embedded”. Since Andrew is freed from traditional reference desk duties he is able to spend more time (more meaningful time) working directly with faculty and students in the iSci program. He and the program director (Dr. Carolyn Eyles) have written an article on the collaboration. It is this type of collaboration that is the future of our libraries, not our reference desks.

I hope this helps provide the additional background info that some of you requested.

“It always has content I care about.” Flipboard for iPad Personal Magazine

I downloaded the app but trying to add my accounts yields a “server busy” message. Must be a lot of folks trying to get set up. I’m intrigued by this though and look forward to plating with it. Can you imagine where this might lead? Not only can individuals have a social magazine constantly updating at their fingertips, but groups could someday have tailor made versions of Flipboard for their own content – think a class of students or a certain community. Then, add in channels of content supplied by libraries – local info, user-generated digital collections and news. Wow. I’ll wait a bit and keep trying.

The Reference Desk is Gone

Jeff Trzeciak writes:

http://ulatmac.blog.lib.mcmaster.ca/2010/07/15/reference-desk-gone/

After much planning and hard work the last of our reference desks is gone! Our library has completed the transition to “blended services” where library assistants handle most of the transactions at combined service points (circulation, interlibrary loan, research help). Our business library was the first to go in this direction around one year ago followed by our science/engineering library. Finally, I came in this morning to find that the last of our reference desks is now gone!

Between 2009-2010 our Research Help Desk answered 21771 questions. As with many ARL libraries this number is down substantially. In 2005/2006 the desks answered 40934 questions and the number has declined steadily since. Now our users will have the convenience of a single service point and librarians will have their time freed up for interactions with faculty in their labs, offices and classrooms.

Congratulations to everyone who made the transition and thank you to those who supported it!

The bold is mine – this plan for service beyond the walls of the library is an important step toward ubiquitous library service on the campus – and beyond!

Crave Libraries

Crave Libraries, originally uploaded by mstephens7.

Another cool initiative I became aware of at Annual is the Crave Libraries project. Skokie PL’s Toby Greenwalt appeared to give me these two buttons. What a wonderful promotion and way of thinking!

Find out more here: http://www.cravelibraries.com/

But know that the project is just starting. Toby writes:

I’m also going to be drumming up interest in Crave Libraries, a new semi-secret project I’m brewing up with Daniel Nguyen. (A debt of gratitude is also owed to Jason Kucsma, who coined the phrase and has graciously allowed us to run with it. Jason, look me up at ALA, as I owe you a cup of coffee at the very least.) We’re playing a few things close to the vest for the moment, but if you can track me down at the conference I might give you some buttons like the two above.

I’ll be standing by, Crave Libraries folks – I’m intrigued!

Justin and the 8bit tat he got at Annual

Justin and the 8bit tat he got at Annual, originally uploaded by The Shifted Librarian.

One of the highlights for my very brief time at ALA Annual in DC was having lunch with Justin Hoenke, He writes for TTW as a Contributor, blogs at 8BitLibrary and other blogs, and was a 2010 Emerging Leader on Team J. I was the Team J mentor.

Take a look at this: http://blog.8bitlibrary.com/2010/07/08/project-brand-yourself-a-librarian-the-aftermath-part-1/

Justin added a Link (I had it wrong – updated!) tattoo to his collection, which also includes a library logo on the other arm. (See http://www.flickr.com/photos/michaelsphotos/4743185541

What a unique way to spread the word about libraries (and gaming in libraries). It’ll be a great conversation starter for Justin on planes and out in the world.

I must also say I’m so excited to see the young librarians like Justin working so hard at improving service – checkout some of his posts about what he’s done in libraries - as well as making change in our associations and organizations.

To Justin: Well done, Sir!

Leah White on Library Signage

Library Signage, originally uploaded by calicorocklib.

Don’t miss this:

Our desire to avoid confrontation and our inability to understand the user get in the way of providing the highest level of service. Bad signs exist in all types of libraries, victimizing users without bias and leading to some unwelcome encounters. It makes me wonder if a bad sign is truly better than nothing or just making things worse.

Signs can serve several functions but generally fall into two categories: library marketing and communicating library policies. Many librarians and administrators agree that it’s important to communicate that the library is a pleasant and studious institution, but sign-makers go astray when they create signage in an effort to shift blame or passive-aggressively punish users for presuming they have certain rights while using the library. Such negative signage insults our patrons instead of guiding them or communicating policies in a positive and efficient manner. A well-written sign, inviting and creatively designed, can do so much; an insulting sign has the potential to do more damage than good.

Many library users return to libraries because there is something special that keeps them coming back. However, if you welcome them at the entrance with insulting signage, people will think twice about patronizing such an institution. What would happen if we took all those signs away? While the situation would not be ideal, it is still preferable to poor signage. Patrons would consistently need to ask for assistance at service points. While it is nice to have those stats, the time of the staff could be better spent.

Read the whole article here: http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/columns/my-mind/signage-better-none-bad

Leah was a student in my very first LIS701 class in Fall 2006. I am so pleased to see what she’s doing in her career! Well done Leah!

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