Method 11, Survey Says!

This module was about online survey tools. There are many out there, ranging to the cheap and limited to the expensive and powerful.

Although my eyes started to glaze over, which I tend to do with mindless statistics, once I saw a nice screencast tutorial about how you can create your own form this discovery lesson became more interesting. There can be a lot of prep work creating the right kind of questions as well as making sense of the responses after. There are helping hands to guide in both directions with many online articles and screencasts.

Looking around our online page, my library has a basic “how are we doing/please send feedback” form on the main home page. The campus often solicits responses to how a department or service is performing and to seek input to a proposed change. I have participated in a few over the last several years but have not been involved in either creating or analyzing them. In the library administration office, where I initially worked upon entering employment here, I have noticed they now use online forms to count those attending holiday luncheons. There was also an instant polls conducted after our annual new student library orientation; again, I was not involved but perhaps the first year students were able to answer with not only library computers but also their smart phones. So, there are a number of survey possibilities with various degrees of sophistication and application for each specific need. No more paper questionnaire routed by inter-department envelopes!

 

Method 10, Meet You Online

Again, many of the links were old and did not work. It is interesting how obsolete our online culture becomes after several years. Yet, YouTube videos seem forever.

One working blog post was about a library using Skype, a computer-to-computer video conference program, in Reference. But it ultimately failed since most patrons were more interested in multi-tasking and having to focus one-on-one was not something most wanted to do. Yet, it was a hit with international patrons who could check in with relatives, both sides having signed up for the free account, as well as families connecting with military personnel serving overseas. Skype and other similar programs require both sending and receiving sides to purchase a small video camera and a headphone/speaker if both are not included on both computers. 

There was YouTube interview with the librarian who set up a “Skype An Author” program. Another showed elementary students visiting with a writer whose book the class was reading. Similar YouTube suggestions on the right side of the site is valid testimony that other writers have jumped on that particular bandwagon. This is a great way for a writer to not only promote their work but also a chance for them to connect with readers. Another link showed a Skype kiosk just past the front doors in a public library, with a helpful menu on how to use it. 

This type of cost-effective technology could also save time. Although I have not used any online meeting or conferencing tools myself, it sounds like a convenient way to connect across the miles. If travel budgets are cut, this would be a good alternative from everything from information sessions with campus health insurance representatives to tutorials with library software companies.

Method 9, Tell a (Digital) Story

This discovery lesson was about telling a story using photos, music, and text. I created a 30 second video project with Animoto. You can view it on the right side of the blog.

Even though I have used Windows Movie maker (see previous post here), this was a bit different. To get the free Animoto account, I could only use that short format and was limited to only a few photos and text. There was slots for both and you could re-arrange them until you were happy. I wanted to look through more of the music options but ended up choosing the default since it seemed to go with my theme.

The theme I chose, "Leave the Library" was an imaginary prompt for weary students to push aside their studies and get out of the building and get a breath of fresh air. A break with a change of scenery can refresh your mind. Using photos I had taken on the nearby walking trail, I linked photos and text together.

I was surprised how limiting even choosing text was. But, I discovered how to add sub-text and shorten my narrative to get my message across. And, I was dissappointed how the program cropped my photos without mercy.

Then, it didn't take too long to embed it on this blog. In the layout menu, I selected a gadget that accepted the html copied code. Ta-da!

Method 8 Capture Your Computer Screen

 

This module was about screencasting. And because I’m doing this three years later, some of the article links don’t work.

But, I get the gist of the idea. Screencasting can become a teaching tool by using your computer screen to go through the steps, highlighting your every mouse move. The courses at Lynda.com use this technique in their many instructional subjects.

Looking around our academic library web page, I couldn’t see any screencasting either for a newbie or experienced student or faculty but I did find an audio recording of a conference presentation by a librarian who  demonstrated the power of a software program. It did look somewhat like a screencast but without any fancy presentation of areas highlighted as described in this discovery exercise.

I can see where this would be beneficial to have librarians use screencasting either geared to general information or tailored to specific courses. Reference staff might also use it to illuminate and explain those same questions they are asked over and over.

Method 7 - Next Gen Presentations

This method boldly went to the newest presentation programs. Forget Power Point. That’s old school.

 

First up is Prezi, a pretzel-twisting experience that will suck in your audience or leave them spinning and dizzy. It has its proponents and opponents. But, if done without too many swirling and sweeping curves can create excitement and intrigue. Reminds me of a new device television and movies used that was first dizzying and confounding—the rapid sped-up showing of multiple still shots or photographs so fast you could not discern individual photos; yet, it is commonplace now.

 

It would be easier to have a drop-down menu of some question you have rather than having to see the whole range in the Prezi program. But, it has lots of visuals and a swooping in and out like a movie camera so maybe it will be a hit with library patrons.

 

Since I’m doing this exercise much later after the initial offering, many of the links on Method 7 page don’t work anymore. But, I see Google Docs mentioned and present day has caught up; our library and campus already uses Google Docs routinely.

Method 6 eBooks & eReaders and Libraries

Last fall, I skipped ahead to read this Method 6 about eReaders. I was so curious about them but never thought I’d want one.

But guess what I’ve had for almost seven months now and really enjoy? Yup, an eReader. Kindle Fire, to be exact. I had promised myself I’d think about one if they came out in color—no black and white for me. When Barnes & Noble and Amazon both as well as Wi-Fi compatible models, I wanted to see them in person. Keep in mind I don’t have a smart phone or other fancy mobile device…more of a simple pay-as-you-go cellular phone. So, these little devices were wonders to me.

But now I’m much more comfortable reading or sending send e-mails, updating or commenting on Facebook, surfing other art blogs, conducting Google Searches, playing card games, and even—gasp!—buying and reading books on my Kindle Fire.

But, it sounds like eReaders aren’t quite so fun for libraries. On one of the links, there was a podcast on YouTube called “Libraries are Screwed.” In these techno times, the codex—the book, the monograph—is in an outmoded form. Digital is all the rage. But copywrite and library loan of digital books is cumbersome if not confusing and inconsistent. Most publishers won’t allow digital sharing since they want their piece of eBook sales. DRM (Digital Rights Management), the restriction of "one copy, one user" inhibits wide-spread circulation of a title.

That isn’t to say that there will not be a software breakthrough in the future or some agreement between libraries and eReader distributors across the many and varied device platforms. Project Gutenberg offers thousands of free e-books because the copyright has expired. I searched for Walden by Henry David Thoreau http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/205. The HTML version could be read online but the text was blocky, single spaced, and without paragraph lines.

Searching our local public library, I found they have eBooks powered by OverDrive and good help through their online pages. For my Kindle Fire, I found this site: http://help.overdrive.com/article/0430/How-to-read-eBooks-borrowed-from-the-library-with-Kindle-devices-or-Kindle-reading-apps

Looks like you can download books directly to your Kindle Fire once you download appropriate software. Here is the Amazon link: http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200747550

But many titles were “checked-out” since only one copy is available. Older classics with no restrictions on copy or availability would be quicker to download.

Once today’s problems between eBooks and libraries are solved, more patrons can enjoy the range, accessibility, and downright fun eReaders promise.

Method 5: Tag, You’re It!

Since I’m continuing this online class quite a while after the initial offering, there are some methods I have since discovered on my own. This is the case for learning about social reading sites.

Goodreads is one of the several profiled allowing you to add books you have read, are currently reading, or wish to read and to compare your list with others in the community, both friends and strangers. Recently, I connected my Goodreads profile to another social media, Facebook. Since I often find Facebook rather vacuous, I recently added some Facebook friends to Goodreads and also linked my Goodreads account to Facebook so my reading updates appear. When I re-read an old favorite book, an out-of-state Facebook friend commented that my choice looked interesting and she had ordered a copy!

 Although I have read all my life, I haven’t kept track of every book I’ve read. Nor have I kept a consistent list of them. A few months ago, I discovered dedicated books to keep such records. Instead of buying one, I created one from a blank sketchbook but I admit to falling behind. It is much quicker and easier to list your reading habits online. The more I use Goodreads, the more I learn. I’ve added their book montage widget to my art blog, read reviews of old favorites, seen which books my friends are reading, discovered others had read and commented about some my own reviews.

Three videos from Library Thing for Libraries really got my attention. One showed how the site help libraries create a “Library Anywhere” presence on mobile devices. Another explained how libraries can use statistics from that to track patron usage. Another described patrons using phone apps to scan a book’s bar code, get a match, and then locate it at a local library.

As rapidly as technology advances and connects, the more tools libraries have to reach their patrons. Social reading sites are great tools.

Beyond Two Stepping, Method 4

Employment 2.0

This method explains that public libraries are getting more and more patrons in their doors and at their computers looking for jobs online.

Some of the new online resources are very interesting, especially ones where you can upload your resume and add photos, hyperlinks, charts, and graphics. This blows the old standard resume out of the water!

I don’t think this is pertinent for the library I work at, since it is an academic one, but it is good information for the students who attend classes here for their future job searching.

Method 3 - Here's the Map embedded!

View Larger Map

Method 2-Customize Your Window to the Internet

After looking around the options and difference between iGoogle or Netvibes, I couldn't see a lot of differences. And, to be perfectly honest, I did not find this topic very interesting.

The sites that did use it looked good, however, with a mix of text and visuals. Is that the appeal? Lots of different tabs, colors, options. Lots of various information for various individuals.

I especially liked the link to the Dublin public library. I skipped around the articles and links and wondered about a reason to use either for a library home page, especially if a library already had one. Google seems to have their hands into so many things; even my library switched over last year to Google Mail from Outlook.

Method 1 "Dust Off That Blog"

Hmm...since I wasn't prompted to write a blog post after Methods 1 & 2, I didn't. Thus, I'm catching up now that I've already posted Method 3. Oops.

This method was fun. I went for a more sophisticated look with the dark brown map background but kept the same title and photo in the banner area.

Although I saw the movie "Avitar", I really did not know much about them or how to use them until I began exploring this exercise. IT was a blast to create a cartoon image from so many choices--from hats to skin color, from clothing to props, from backdrops to animal parts! I saved the avitar as my new profile photo.

One thing that has been updated since the last time is that I cannot compose this post in Word and paste it into Blogger. What's up with that? It's very annoying.

Beyond Method 3

http://maps.google.com/maps/place?q=library+near+Enniscrone,+Ireland&hl=en&cid=4337910485558599477

This is the map I created (not really my library) for Method 3. The concept is fascinating and it shows what a cool tool Google Maps is. After finding this little local library with a search, I really love being able to see the actual buildings and landmarks from the ground perspective in the street view.

The tool was pretty easy to use, but I thought the actual map would pop up on this blog post. Had difficulty getting the link function in Blogger to work; it took several tries. A map is a great idea for a public or private library.