Tags Mick Jacobsen

25 posts

Synergy Vision Statement

Elsie Martinez, Meg Edwards, Elizabeth Nelson, Marcie Shaffer, Lauren Offerman-Vice, and I were given the opportunity to consider and write a vision statement during Synergy 2009: The Illinois Library Leadership Initiative. The group consisted of special, academic, and public (adult and youth) librarians from all over the state of Illinois.  After much thought, writing, discussion and debate we arrived at a vision statement we were pleased with.  Please take a few minutes to view the video we designed to present the Vision Statement. Synergy Vision 2009 from Mick Jacobsen on Vimeo. TTW Contributor: Mick Jacobsen

Being at the Point of Need

One of the most important, if not most important, aspects of screencasting (yes, it is another screencasting post, I swear I have other interests see the Summer Reading series at LISNews) has nothing to do with designing or producing, but where it is placed. Screencasts, to be most useful, have to be at a point of need. Placing screencasts, chat widgets (thanks David Lee King), or other tutorial at the point of need seems so self-evident (a priori) that I don’t believe I need to make any arguments for it. More important are some of the techniques, hypothetical and production, […]

Screencasting to an Audience of One

For a patron to learn that our library has just the resource they were looking for, followed by a helpful tutorial by a librarian, only to realize a day later that they can’t remember exactly how to access it worries me. Many patrons quickly forget the title of a recommended resource, let alone how to find it on a library’s website. This is very true when I am on the customer side of service desks.  Perhaps they will recall the name of the resource and even how to find it, but will not be able to replicate the search.  Worst […]

ALA Presentation on Screencasting

I was given the opportunity to be on a panel discussing screencasting for the RUSA MARS Hot Topics Panel at ALA.  The slides will not make much sense in and of themselves, so I am making my  speech notes available as well.  Thanks to everybody who made the long walk to the far corner of  South McCormick Place to watch us. Public Library Screencasts View more presentations from mjacobsen. – TTW Contributor Mick Jacobsen

The Tech Static

Sad news, Rachel Singer Gordon’s Tech Static is calling it quits.  Tech Static is/was an outstanding resource for reviews of technology books.  Anybody who has collected Dewey 000s knows just how difficult it is to find credible, reliable, and well written reviews of computer books. This is especially true for those who collect that area but do not have a formal background in technology, like me. I am also disappointed that we let the Tech Static die. Not enough people stepped up when Rachel asked for help. Perhaps you were like me and  had it on your to do list […]