” It seems like at a lot of schools, the IT department controls every technology choice. Rather than educating faculty members on how to create wikis and blogs and use other cool technologies in the classroom, they keep faculty on a tight leash.” Meredith Farkas “One key justification for using virtual reference software rather than instant messaging software, shared with me at the state conference last week, is that many city IT departments don’t allow IM software. Which leads me to conclude: 1. Many city IT departments are too godlike, 2. Many libraries are unable to effectively work with IT […]
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http://www.techsource.ala.org/blog/blog_detail.php?blog_id=87
When Chris Jowaissis points something like this out in a session, in an IM to me and notes it on the Technobiblio Blog, it’s one to keep on your radar: http://www.opencroquet.org/ From the bit I’ve read, it’s the beginnings of what may become a 3-D collaborative online environment. Imagine, if you will, a cyber library think tank populated by all of our colleagues. There we might create and enhance learning, services and future initiatives. Wowza! The LiB is right: I’ll need to get a stylish avatar to move through these new spaces!
5 Factors for Library Web Site Redesign This week, as part of Chicago Public Library’s Scholars in Residence Program, Stephen, Jenny and I spent time discussing strategies and planning for a public library Web site redeign. I pointed the group we were with to this press release: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/9/prweb285788.htm that I linked to a few weeks ago concerning what factors large public libraries face in a redesign. I also presented this brief list: #1 Your web Site is a Cyber-Branch: Your Web site should be viewed as your location in cyberspace, the ___nth branch if you will. It should be staffed […]
While I was in Chicago, things really ramped up on the SJCPL Gaming front. I am happy to announce here at TTW that my library is implementing a gaming tournament program as well as a complimentary online presence allowing interactivity between the game organizers and the gamers we seek to serve. First: Read the Lifeline post about Gaming! “P” lays out what’s happening. “Starting in January of next year, the Main Library will be the site for video game tournaments featuring Mario Kart: Double Dash, Nintendo’s infamous multiplayer racer. Gamers will be able to play against each other using one […]
Overheard at CPL, concerning a libarian helping another librarian understand her teen: “I left the ‘Born with the Chip’ article on her desk…” 🙂
I could sit and listen to Stephen Abram (and Jenny Levine) talk libraries all day! Here are some of my favorites from our time together at CPL: Abram-isms: “The next step in libraries is what are we going to do to ‘trick’ our new users to use the library.” “Technology needs to take a step back, like utilities, like heat and light, and let the services and people come forward.” “You must have a vision of the future, or you will always be stuck in the present, over and over again.” “DVDs and CDs will be extinct by 2012.” (See […]
Here’s a clearinghouse entry of a couple of articles you may want to add to your reading pile: Heard people banter about AJAX and how a lot of Web 2.0 apps are using it? A great post by Jesse James Garrett is here: http://www.adaptivepath.com/publications/essays/archives/000385.php And what of Folksonomies and Metadata? Checkout “Metadata for the Masses” by Peter Merholz at http://www.adaptivepath.com/publications/essays/archives/000361.php Pondering the future of the Audio/Visual department? http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.04/start.html?pg=2
Via Sherri I am tickled that they are piloting and being so up front: “During Fall semester 2005, Ask Us Now! will pilot a new enhanced real-time reference component using AOL Instant Messenger (AIM). If you do not have the AOL Instant Messenger installed on your computer, we recommend that you use the “classic” Ask Us Now! service. Help us evaluate instant messaging with AOL’s IM software! The University Library is conducting a pilot of IM for answering your library- and research-related questions.” I hope the students, staff and faculty use the service and the library reports out on their […]
http://library.coloradocollege.edu/cal2005/ My IL05 Bonjour IM buddy Steve Lawson, who writes “See Also” is doing a presentation at the Colorado Association of Libraries Conference. He writes about it here: http://library.coloradocollege.edu/steve/archives/2005/11/teach_an_old_bl_1.html This is an excellent use of a weblog with CSS enhancement as a presentation. Steve..my socks are offcially knocked off! Add Steve Lawson’s blog to your aggregator – it’s a good one!