Tame The Web

Brian Kenney writes:

Have you heard of 23 Things, the self-guided program for learning about 2.0 web technology? It was developed by Helene Blowers a couple of years ago at the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and since then has been adopted across the country by public and school libraries, districts, and even entire states. It consists of a number of “things,” or small exercises, that you do online to expand your knowledge of the 2.0 web and social networking, from blogs and podcasts to wikis and Twitter.

For a while now (and prodded by our Technology Editor, Kathy Ishizuka) I’ve realized it would be a great idea if all of us here at SLJ went through a “23 Things” like experience. After all, we are always writing about different 2.0 applications, shouldn’t we experience them as well? Walk the walk, talk the talk, and all of that…So I resolved that we’d do it this summer.

So that’s what we are going to do. But Iwe’re not going it alone; we’ve asked 2.0 guru, Dominican faculty member, and season trainer Michael Stephens to join us for the ride. Beginning Monday, July 21, Michael will author a blog here on SLJ.com that will lead us through the different exercises, offer guidance, answer questions, and even provide a little hand-holding. We’re calling it “All Together Now: A 2.0 Learning Experience.”

There’s no need to sign up–just show up. Again, we’ll begin on July 21 and wrap things up in early September. 

ACPL rules!

Adrian Mixson, Library Director at Hall County Library System weighs in on an article about recent library trends in Governing via the library’s e-link newsletter:

http://www.hallcountylibrary.org/elink/elink_jul08.htm

Dear Patron,

I subscribe to Governing magazine electronically and usually read it shortly after the monthly is released. If you are not familiar with the magazine, it is probably the best publication currently out that addresses the most crucial issues facing state and local government. The June issue featured an article entitled Revolution in the Stacks: to appeal to a new generation some libraries are positioning themselves as places to create content, by Christopher Swope; pshew,  but that is one long Library 2.0 subtitle.

Every new generation of librarians feel they are on the most cutting side of service. Many have yet to fund change so they fail to understand why institutional change can be slow. They have yet to learn that a measured response is much better than being a leader of the pack. They are frequently not held responsible when change is not successful so they risk nothing.

I salute the leaders of the pack. They get us thinking in new ways. Thank goodness for DOK, PLCMC, Georgia Tech, HCPL, Darien, etc. But I would agree that all libraries do not have to live at the bleeding edge of innovation. I urge those folks to follow the innovators and implement change when the time is right.

Here’s the link to Governing: http://www.governing.com/articles/0806libraries.htm

Then:

I have seen a lot of change in 30 years as a practicing librarian. Most of what gets passed off as new customer service ideas is just old ideas repackaged as new.

The ease of creating of digital information, the endless flow of ideas from the “crowd” of bloggers, YouTubers, Facebookers, etc, and the possibility for interaction online locally as well as globally has changed the way many folks do business, interact with government and engage with non-profits (among many others) cause me to disagree. We could never connect in the ways we can now. The mob is smart and it’s not going away.

Then:

Most of the real change comes in how to provide service with new formats. Just think of the challenges in how to store cassette, CD and long playing record versus book. If you ever handled ultrafiche - which put the Bible on a piece of film the size of your thumb - you begin to understand the interplay of lighting, electricity, equipment and patron use with the introduction of a new format. Unfortunately most of us cannot change library space at whimsy.

I’ve seen libraries that have created easily changeable spaces as they look to the future. Hopefully, more will follow suit when the time comes for new buildings or renovation. Planning flexible spaces may be one of the most important things we do as we go forward, including lighting, electricity and patron use. Part of that involves changing the mindset about what a library building is and could be without focussing on not changing because of space/facility.

Librarians have always worried about losing the young adult reader and needing to provide new services and space to keep them coming back. This is not new. I once chased a fellow out of a library for skating about on roller blades. I know if we had made the main stairwell a roller blade park, the kids would have been there. I would have probably bought a coke and sat during lunch watching them jump on the stair rail and skate down. I just did not think this was the creative content appropriate for the location.

I’m reminded of Stephen Abram’s take on skateboards. It isn’t new but boy do I worry about how some teens are treated in some libraries.

Later: (emphasis mine)

There are new ideas about library service and some sound like fun. If you just convince your elected officials to give this library the money, we will be Wii-ing, You Tubing and blogging with the best. But libraries are still the bastions for ideas and they are important, and if at any time you feel that is not so then try reading Azar Nafisi’s Reading Lolita in Tehran. Somewhere on this globe people still die for a good book!

Ideas are important! All kinds - including those shared on a library blog or via a library YouTube contest.Or between strategizing youth at a game competetion hosted by the library. I hope the folks of Hall County respond that maybe some Wii, a blog and such might be useful. I’d especially think the young adult librarians there might find such tools useful.

Maybe the resources that will come from the $1 Million grant from Verizon to ALA for gaming will help folks understand the importance of this trend in libraries:

“In today’s technology-driven world, where learning does not stop at the classroom, the role of libraries in supporting literacy and learning is more critical than ever before,” said Verizon Foundation President Patrick Gaston. “Gaming for learning presents a tremendous opportunity for libraries to further literacy skills in children as well as adults.” 

Maybe allocating just a bit of the Hall County Library budget for emerging digital tools for literacy and some exploration of Web 2.0 might be just the ticket for this library’s staff and ultimately, its users.

I’d post these comments about Mixson’s letter at the elink newsletter site, but I see no way to do so. I think I need some time anyway to ponder these points further. Take a look at the letter, and let me know what you think.

http://blogs.reuters.com/reuters-editors/2008/06/06/has-video-killed-the-blogging-star/

…there’s definitely lots going on with video, but I firmly believe most people spend so much time in their pyjamas they won’t want to be on video most of the time they spend online. It’s hard enough to get people to use their own names in discussion forms, blog and article comments.Someone sent us a link to this Wordpress plugin the other day that allows people to make comments in blogs with videos. It’s kind of neat and perhaps the kind of thing we’ll be seeing more of soon. It’s complimentary to the Web 2.0 activity that already exists rather than something that replaces it. Personally, I think we’re more likely to see video, still photos, and text mingling more effortlessly on the web, rather than a situation where moving images dominate. The multi-media experience is much more effective for interactive story-telling. Text is just too effective and easy to lose the battle.

Don’t miss this conversation with Helene Blowers, part of the Allen County Public Library’s ongoing video series. Her points about unplugging and leadership are spot on.

I was lucky to get to do this as well last December: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzBC8q_hTHY, as did Stephen Abram: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd_7VZF5kyk.

Rock on!

Here’s a 1:00 screencast for utipu.com; it’s that easy to download and fire up.

1. Goto http://www.utipu.com/app/download

2. After download, run executable.

3. Launch and press record.

4. Goto http://www.youtube.com/my_videos_upload and upload your video

All together took about 8 minutes from download to upload. This is an easier way, perhaps, than saying:

“Okayyyy….first click on…“

Sorry. No Mac version -but you probably don’t need one. I imagine this killer app already exists in iMovie? in something else?

TTW: Lee LeBlanc

Well done! This video, that’s been up for awhile but just found its way to me, details the goings on behind the scenes in Technical Services. This is one of my favorite things a library can do with social media - share the library in ways we never could before (without conducting “behind the scenes” tours).

Created at Indiana Library Federation District 3’s conference!

Allen County Public Library’s Sean Robinson writes:

StoryTubes is here! From New York to California, kids in Grades 1-6 are talking up their favorite books. You can too!

Along with your parent or guardian, follow these simple steps:

1. Make a 2-minute video about your favorite book;
2. Upload the video to YouTube; and
3. Come to this StoryTubes website and send in the link to your uploaded YouTube video using the online Contest Entry Form.

Beginning April 1, your video becomes part of a national contest!

Voting mania will then begin and happen each week in May! At the end of each week, one lucky contestant will win $500 in books. Their sponsoring organization (school, library or designated organization for home-schooled youth) will receive $1,000 in books.

Four  Video Categories:

Hair-Raising Tales
From or For the Heart
Of Heroes and Heroines
Facts, Fads and Phenoms

The StoryTubes partner libraries are: Northeast: Middle Country Public Library of Centereach; NY; Southeast: The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County/ImaginOn, Charlotte, NC; Midwest: Gail Borden Public Library, Elgin, IL; Northwest: King County Library System, Issaquah, WA; and Southwest: Pasadena Public Library, Pasadena, CA.

 

Find out more at:  http://www.storytubes.info/

Today in LIS768 at St. Kate’s we explored the YouTube presence of the Matthews Library, including a video that reveals “Five Interesting Facts” about the library.

Ian McKinney at Allen County Public Library writes to TTW:

Report cards came out today so we threw this together.  It’s on our teen blog:

http://acplteens.wordpress.com/2008/01/24/its-time-to-bring-up-those-grades/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GUHLa1qSy24&e

Curtis Rogers, SC State Library, visits the newest Richland County Public Library branch, The Link, in Irmo. He interviews both the branch manager and chief of extension services. The new branch was funded with an LSTA grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services www.imls.gov administered by the SC State Library www.statelibrary.sc.gov

“the administration of the library is concerned with things other than education,” says one student! “I paid for this,” says another. What do you think? How should library administration respond?

Nice!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-DacdfJPwM

I would love to see more directors and other library staff sharing their thoughts on books, etc this way. Is anyone else giving it a try?

Allen County Public Library Director Jeff Krull talks about his memories of the library growing up in he first of a new video series. The video is well-made and Krull’s interests and memories are fascinating. I’d like to see more library directors share themselves this way.

Via Meg:

This Video was done for the “Youtube Contest for Teens” at the Eden Prairie Library. I hope to eventually have a gag/blooper reel coming soon.