It may be the end, but it’s really just the beginning – Evaluative Report

Part a) Provides evidence, through three OLJ postings, of the advancements I’ve made in becoming an effective information professional in a socially networked world, and the knowledge I have gained, through meeting the five learning objectives:

Whilst I had used some social networking (SN) technologies in my personal life prior to INF506, it’s only since studying the modules, reading selected recommended resources, immersing myself in various learning tasks, and entering into discussions via SN sites, that I have fully grasped the importance of social networking in the workplace, and become aware of how it is fast becoming an integral part of many aspects of our lives as we create, share, interact with, and re-use information online (Hay, 2010).

As I believe my OLJ entries demonstrate, I am also now familiar with a far wider range of SN technologies, and their applications in various settings, including public libraries. Why libraries should use social networking (OLJ1) provided the opportunity to examine how three public libraries are exploring new ways to interact, engage with, and support their user communities, and attract new users, by using a range of SN tools, including publication and micropublication tools (blogs and Twitter), sharing tools (the social media sites YouTube and Flickr), and SN sites (Facebook and MySpace) (Cavazza, 2008). In this way they are embracing the library 2.0 ethos of trying to meet users changing needs via Web 2.0 technology (Casey & Savastinuk, 2007).

The libraries are using SN in different ways to support their user communities and meet their needs. One library in particular, AADL, has created opportunities for its users to customize content (Casey, 2005) by enabling them to tag catalogue items and post reviews, in addition to its numerous blogs inviting comments. This concept of user-tagging is also examined in a separate posting, which looks at the benefits to an institution of harnessing the wisdom of the crowd, and in particular, its use by cultural heritage institutions to support their digitisation programs through the photo-sharing site Flickr Commons. The common theme being used by the three public libraries and the cultural heritage institutions is that instead of waiting for users to come to them either physically or via their website, they are using SN to go to where the users are (Miller, 2005), helping to promote and increase awareness of the institution. What works for one institution may not work for another, however, and libraries should ensure that any tools are installed because they relate to user needs, as also discussed in my A-Z of social networking posting, and not because they’re the latest innovation (Farkas, 2008).

I’ve had the opportunity to explore a number of SN tools new to me, and in entering a whole new world, part I (OLJ2) I examined the virtual world platform, Second Life. Via an avatar, I learnt how effective such a virtual world can be in enabling people from across the globe to meet, interact, share information, collaborate and learn from each other. It was particularly useful, as I documented, to examine how some of the features could support the information needs of employees and patrons in a learning environment in the real world, in this case an academic library, and to then actually experience how well the visual context element of a virtual world works for interacting and being part of a group (Zhang, 2007) when meeting conference attendees at the Joykaydia Unconference 2010 launch, although trying to control an avatar in a social situation is not without its problems. It has been immensely satisfying to explore a SN tool, of which I had no previous knowledge, and understand ways in which, as an information professional, I could apply it in future.

Whilst SN has enabled people to communicate and share information like never before, it has been important to realise that this hasn’t come without a cost. The whole issue of privacy, for example, can have huge repercussions as now anyone can post comments and opinions about virtually anyone and anything on the Internet (Fraser & Dutta, 2008). Being a member of the INF506 Facebook group, a socially networked community that has shared resources and opinions, has supplemented the course modules, and helped greatly in my understanding of a number these issues, which I have attempted to distill into my social media policy (OLJ3) entry. Ranging from the very topical Facebook privacy settings debate, to blogging etiquette, my new found knowledge in this area will benefit me greatly as an information professional.

I believe I have met the learning objectives of this course, as demonstrated above, not only by successfully working through the modules, but by being part of a group that has taken the principles of social networking to heart and enabled us to learn from each other.

Part b) How have I developed as a social networker as a result of studying INF506 and what are the implications for my development as an information professional?

When I left the workplace over five years ago, many of the social networking (SN) technologies and tools we know today were only available in niche markets, if at all, so when I rejoin some day soon as a newly created information professional, and meet the SN explosion head on (and 540 millions Facebook users certainly is an explosion), I’ll at least feel better-equipped to meet the challenges of this Web 2.0 world, with the insights I’ve gained into how SN can enhance all areas of the workplace, along with the numerous issues that surround it.

Like many SN users, I’d previously only used a limited range of SN in my personal life mainly because my friends were on it, and because I wanted to network and re-connect with people (De Rosa, Cantrell, Havens, Hawk & Jenkins, 2007). Through this course I’ve had the opportunity to explore and trial a number of useful new tools and technologies (including Second Life, blogging, photo-sharing, being a group member on a SN site, slide-sharing, Pageflakes, and user-tagging). In common with so many libraries who are having to change and adapt in this Web 2.0 world, I too, as a tail-end baby boomer, am adapting and embracing the opportunities (and challenges) that SN has to offer, and believe I have developed considerably as a social networker. I’m well aware, however, that this is very much on-going and that I must continue to invest time and effort into becoming more familiar with a wide range of SN applications.

The social experience of actively participating in Facebook discussions, sharing information via tweets and highlighting useful resources through social bookmarking on Delicious, has contributed greatly to my enjoyment of the course and again my development as a social networker. Being ‘social’ in social networking and participating and sharing (Cavazza, 2008) is key, and I agree with Amy Bax (2009) that SN ‘is only as valuable as the amount of effort you want to put into it’. I believe our postings successfully demonstrate the benefits and knowledge that can be gained by connecting a group of people with a shared interest to create an online community and providing them with various tools with which to share links or other information, have conversations, and to collaborate, i.e., the 4C’s of Web 2.0 (Mootee, 2008).

Becoming a better social networker will help me become a better information professional. The benefits of using Twitter, for example, (Breeding, 2009) to quickly send and receive information, along with the ability to stay abreast of developments in certain fields by following those whose opinions you respect; and the use of a virtual world as an educational tool (The Horizon Report, 2007), and a means of networking, have been a revelation to me, and I hope that I can now capitalise on this new found knowledge in a professional capacity by using and promoting these tools on an ongoing basis. Continuing to explore and use the tools should give me confidence to join groups and network better, to join the conversation by commenting on posts and blogs, and in turn, to share my knowledge (Nielsen, 2008).

In hindsight I needed to manage my time better which would have allowed me to complete more immersive OLJ tasks thereby furthering my development even more. It was easy to be distracted by the copious number of links and resources recommended by the group. Remaining focused and being selective are qualities I must develop, and this will helped by the creation of an online personal learning network. This would include making better use of RSS feeds from trusted blogs and websites, and concentrating on developing social networks that will be useful both professionally and personally, to supplement my current social bookmarking activities (Smith, 2008; Utecht, 2008).

As an information professional I know that I need to continue to explore and experiment with SN, so I can be in a position to evaluate the suitability of various tools for particular user groups, as I am now well aware that not all will be appropriate for all situations (Harvey, 2009; Wee, 2010), and it’s what will satisfy the users that is important when offering an information service. Thanks to the course I’ve a better overall awareness of some of the implications of the widespread use of SN and the various issues surrounding certain tools, including the need, for example, for organisations to have a social media policy, but dependent on the field in which I eventually work, I’ll need to concentrate further on certain aspects if I’m to be fully effective in my role.

I’m impressed and excited by the opportunities offered by SN for individuals and organisations to inform and be informed, to teach, to network, to share, to connect and re-connect, and feel part of a community, however I’m also conscious of the need to still maintain relationships in the ‘real’ world with face-to face meetings and telephone conversations (Steckerl, 2007), and I hope that as an information professional I can find a good balance between the two in satisfying user needs.

References

Bax, A. (2009). Importance of social networking. Retrieved from http://www.gaebler.com/importance-of-social-networking.htm

Breeding, M. (2009). Social networking strategies for professionals. Computers in Libraries, (October). Retrieved from http://www.librarytechnology.org/ltg-displaytext.pl?RC=14260

Casey, M. (2005). Working towards a definition of Library 2.0. Retrieved from http://www.librarycrunch.com/2005/10/working_towards_a_definition_o.html

Casey, M., & Savastinuk, L. (2007). We know what Library 2.0 is and is not. Retrieved from http://www.librarycrunch.com/2007/10/we_know_what_library_20_is_and.html

Cavazza, F. (2008). Social media landscape. Retrieved from http://www.fredcavazza.net/2008/06/09/social-media-landscape/

De Rosa, C., Cantrell, J., Havens, A., Hawk, J., & Jenkins, L. (2007). Sharing privacy and trust in our networked world: A report to the OCLC membership. Dublin, Ohio: OCLC. [ebook] Retrieved from http://www.oclc.org/reports/pdfs/ sharing.pdf

Farkas, M. (2008). The essence of library 2.0? Retrieved from http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/01/24/the-essence-of-library-20/

Fraser, M., & Dutta, S. (2008). Throwing sheep in the boardroom: How online social networking will transform your life, work and world. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Harvey, M. (2009). What does it mean to be a Science Librarian 2.0? Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship, (Summer). Retrieved from http://www.istl.org/09-summer/article2.html

Hay, L. (2010). Social networking for information professionals [Session 1 1201030 Online Study Guide]. Retrieved from Charles Sturt University website: http://interact.csu.edu.au/portal/site/INF506_201030_W_D

Miller, P. (2005). Web 2.0: Building the new library. Ariadne, 45, 30 October. Retrieved from http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue45/miller

Mootee, I. (2008). Web 2.0 and the 4 C’s. Retrieved from http://www.futurelab.net/blogs/marketing-strategy-innovation/2007/10/web_20_and_the_4_cs.html

Nielsen, L. (2008). Five things you can do to begin developing your personal learning network. Retrieved from http://theinnovativeeducator.blogspot.com/2008/04/5-things-you-can-do-to-begin-developing.html

Smith, B. (2008). Creating an online personal network. Retrieved from http://www.slideshare.net/bethanyvsmith/creating-an-online-personal-learning-network-presentation

Steckerl, S. (2007). Survival guide: Online social networking. Retrieved from http://web.fumsi.com/go/article/use/2346

The New Media Consortium & the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. (2007). The Horizon Report, 2007 Edition. Retrieved from http://www.nmc.org/pdf/2007_Horizon_Report.pdf

Utecht, J. (2008). Stages of PLN adoption. Retrieved from http://www.thethinkingstick.com/stages-of-pln-adoption

Wee, W. (2010). INFOGRAPHIC: Guide to the social media marketing landscape. Retrieved from http://www.penn-olson.com/2010/03/15/infographic-guide-to-the-social-media-marketing-landscape/

Zhang, J. (2007). Second Life: Hype or reality? Higher education in the virtual world. Retrieved from http://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/emerging-technologies/second-life.html

Entering a whole new virtual world, part II

One of the ideal characteristics of a Librarian 2.0 that came out of a FB group discussion was ‘courage’, and it was courage that took me to the launch party of the Jokaydia Unconference 2010 earlier today in Second Life (SL). Daunted at first, as my avatar manipulation skills still leave a lot to be desired, and lacking in confidence regarding my ability to converse about SL and its applications in the ‘real’ world, the other attendees soon put me at ease and I was able to use voice and text chat with the group and listen to some interesting discussions on using a virtual world platform in universities, even if at times it was a little distracting to have to follow the conversation via text and voice simultaneously. It was amazing to be talking with people as far away as Scotland and Sydney, as if we were all in the same room, which we were in a way, and it’s this ‘visual context’ that virtual worlds offer that can be such a benefit, for example, to distance education students, creating a sense of actually being in a real class together (Zhang, 2007).

Here I am  at the launch party (back to camera, middle of the shot)

As SL has developed over the last 6 years, it has become more attractive to educators (more than 100 educational institutions had signed up by 2007, (Joly, 2007)): because as (Kirriemuir, 2009) reports, there is no requirement for an additional server, an established community of ‘experienced practitioners’ is on hand, and a number of previously-created objects and structures can be obtained cheaply or free. But creating an effective virtual classroom is not too be taken lightly as overall it can be costly, not only in monetary terms, but in terms of time and human resources required to both set up and then maintain the facility (Joly, 2007).

References

Joly, K. (2007). A second life for higher education? University Business, (June). Retrieved from http://www.universitybusiness.com/viewarticle.aspx?articleid=797

Kirriemuir, J. (2009). Choosing virtual worlds for use in teaching and learning in UK higher education. Retrieved from http://virtualworldwatch.net/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/VWW-Choosing-Virtual-Worlds-Oct-2009.pdf

Zhang, J. (2007). Second Life: Hype or reality? Higher education in the virtual world. Retrieved from http://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/emerging-technologies/second-life.html

5 key points for a social media policy

David Olsen has just reported on a recent Australian survey finding that 1 in 5 people would refuse a job that bans Facebook. Workers who often work at home after hours want in return to access social media (SM) at work. If used responsibly SM shouldn’t be a major issue, and, as Dane Larson writes in a blog regarding the benefits of SM in the workplace, it encourages teambuilding, communication and collaboration, but it’s where a SM policy is now a real must for organisations.

I believe the following points are key in developing a policy regarding employees use of Web 2.0 tools and spaces for work and personal use whilst at work:

1.  Set expectations for behaviour – Boundaries should be set on what employees can and can’t do, and how they should behave, whether using SM for work or personal use in the workplace (Fleet, 2009); Hartshom, 2010), and the consequences of violating the policy. They need to be responsible for what they write (Lauby, 2009a), and respect others, including writing about colleagues only with their permission (Anderson, 2009). Copyright must be respected, including links to sources cited in a blog (Kroski, 2009).

2. Complying with organisation’s existing policies – This includes non-disclosure by employees of an organisation’s confidential information, in addition to anti-harassment policies, company ethics etc (Fleet, 2009; Lauby, 2009b, regardless of what type of SM is being used, and when and where it is being used (Flynn, 2009), as well as prohibiting the downloading of any illegal software or materials whilst in the workplace or using an organisation’s computer or network (Lotito, 2010).

3. Protect personal information – employees should be reminded to protect their privacy (Defren, 2009) and not disclose any information that might jeopardise their safety, or be used against them in any way.

4. Be transparent – employees should write under their own name and reveal their affiliation with their employer if their post mentions the organisation, or matters relating to it (Defren, 2009). A disclaimer should be added stating that the views expressed are the author’s own and not necessarily those of the organisation (Kroski, 2009).

5. Keep it short and simple – the policy needs to be easily understood by all employees (Dand, 2009), and as web 2.0 technology changes rapidly, be easy to update on a regular basis.

References

Flynn, N. (2009). The e-policy handbook (2nd ed.). New York: American Management Association.

Useful resources

Kodak’s social media tips: Useful document for organisations outlining the major types of social media, with social media tips from Kodak’s ‘chief blogger’ and the Kodak social media policy. Retrieved from http://www.kodak.com/US/images/en/corp/aboutKodak/onlineToday/Social_Media_9_8.pdf

IBM social computing guidelines. Retrieved from http://www.ibm.com/blogs/zz/en/guidelines.html

Why libraries should use social networking

I have selected three public libraries that have embraced Web 2.0, Worthington Libraries (WL), Ann Arbor District Library (AADL), and Mosman Library (ML) to demonstrate Reasons why libraries should use social networking:

• To share information – WL and AADL post job vacancies on Facebook pages. All three share photos on Flickr of library events. ML uses webcasts through the Vimeo platform to share author talks. AADL makes use of podcasts to share library talks and author interviews, and posts news, services and events in the local community on its community blog.
• To promote events and services – WL promotes news, events and library services through Facebook and Twitter. AADL uses Facebook primarily to promote events, but it has numerous blogs that include services, events and exhibits, and library news. A presence on social media sites can also attract potential new users through serendipitous browsing who might otherwise be unaware of the library and what it offers (Houghton-Jan, Etches-Johnson & Schmidt, 2009).
• To engage with users – all three post blogs that encourage user comments. This can lead to conversations, which in turn can provide valuable information about what users want (Burkhardt, 2009). AADL also encourages user to tag its collections and provide book reviews, giving users a sense of ‘ownership’ (Springer et al., 2008, pp. 35-36). WL has a number of children’s storytime videos on YouTube to help engage with the youngest members of their community.  Facebook, Twitter and blogs can also be used to good effect to solicit feedback from users.
• To communicate – provides additional means of being in touch with patrons. Instant messaging and Facebook are how many young users in particular now communicate, so go where the users are (Burkhardt, 2009). WL has teen Facebook page, as does ML although neither has many fans (ML only 6, though a lack of library promotion of this site may have a bearing!). WL also uses MySpace to host its teen site, which includes a teen blog. WL offers a mobile interface for both its website and OPAC, as well as instant messaging.
• To provide user-education – AADL has a research blog, which aims to provide information on a wide range of research tools.

References

Burkhardt, A. (2009). Four reasons libraries should be on social media. Retrieved from http://andyburkhardt.com/2009/08/25/four-reasons-libraries-should-be-on-social-media/

Houghton-Jan, S., Etches-Johnson, A., & Schmidt, A. (2009). The read/write web and the future of library research. Journal of Library Administration, 49(4), 365-382. doi: 10.1080/01930820902832496

Springer, M., Dulabahn, B., Michel, P., Natanson, B., Reser, D., Woodward, D., et al. (2008). For the common good: The Library of Congress Flickr pilot project. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/flickr_report_final.pdf

Further reading

Burkhardt, A. (2010). Social media: A guide for college and university libraries. College & Research Libraries News, 71,(1), 10-24. Retrieved from http://crln.acrl.org/content/71/1/10.full.pdf+html

Dempsey, L. (2009). Always on: Libraries in a world of permanent connectivity. First Monday, 14(1). Retrieved from http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2291/2070

Rogers, C. R. (2009). Social media, libraries and web 2.0: How American libraries are using new tools for public relations and to attract new users – Second Survey November 2009. Retrieved from http://www.statelibrary.sc.gov/docs/social_media_survey2009.pdf

Harnessing the wisdom of the crowd

The two courses I’m currently studying (INF517 Digitisation and this INF506 Social Networking course) have most satisfyingly come together through the social media site Flickr, and in particular, a designated space known as The Commons, where a number of esteemed cultural heritage institutions, including the Library of Congress, and the National Maritime Museum, are uploading photographs from their digital historical image collections. They are turning to this social media platform to share selected photographs with the massive Flickr membership, thereby increasing awareness of their collections, but also to engage users with the images by encouraging participation in social classification – creating metadata by adding their own tags to describe the image, in addition to comments (Springer et al., 2008, p. iii). Other users can assign their own tags, collaborating to build a number of keywords ‘in the actual language of users’ to facilitate easier browsing and retrieval (Matusiak, 2006, p. 289). In many cases, the institutions have little information about the images, or a lack of time and resources to provide metadata, therefore drawing on the collective expertise of users, has enabled them to correct and update descriptions, and increase the likelihood of retrieval (Springer et al., 2008, p. iii).

So how are other libraries ‘using the crowd’ to enhance their collections? The National Library of Australia’s Australian Newspapers Digitisation Program uses crowd-sourcing to great effect with 9000+ volunteers involved in correcting electronically translated text. Rose Holley, the program’s manager, in her many hands make light work report finds that users are motivated by the ‘knowledge that they were helping other people’ and by ‘being able to make a small but effective contribution to the big picture’, demonstrating how a growing community of users have welcomed the opportunity to directly interact with the library’s resources and collaborate on a large-scale project. Here’s Mosman Library’s video of Rose discussing this program:

Many public libraries now offer a facility for user tagging, although a suitable tag for one user could offend others  as Mount Prospect Library has discovered. A library needs to tread a fine line between ensuring offensive tags are removed, but not over policing thereby discourage users from contributing. Jonathan Furner wrote an excellent paper on user tagging of library resources which discusses user tagging in some detail, including its benefits, considerations libraries should make before offering enabling users to share their tags, and criteria for evaluating the success or otherwise of this Library 2.0 tool.

And of course I shouldn’t forget to mention wikis, most notably wikipedia, which rely on a collective group collaborating to create and edit content on a vast scale. The more that participate, the better the wiki becomes (Fraser & Dutta, 2009).

References

Fraser, M., & Dutta, S. (2009). Throwing sheep in the boardroom: How online social networking will transform your life, work and world. Chichester, West Sussex: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Furner, J. (2007). User tagging of library resources: Towards a framework for system evaluation. Paper presented at the World Library and Information Congress: 73rd IFLA General Congress and Council, 19-23 August, Duban, South Africa. Retrieved from archive.ifla.org/IV/ifla73/papers/157-Furner-en.pdf

Matusiak, K.K. (2006). Towards user-centered indexing in digital image collections. OCLC Systems & Services: International Digital Library Perspectives, 22(4), pp.283-298.

Springer, M., Dulabahn, B., Michel, P., Natanson, B., Reser, D., Woodward, D., & Zinkham, H. (2008). For the common good: The Library of Congress Flickr pilot project. Retrieved from http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/flickr_pilot.html

Further reading

Wyatt, N. (2009). Redefining RA: The ideal tool. Library Journal, (15 October). Retrieved from http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6700362.html?industryid=47126

Tay, A. (2009). Libraries and crowdsourcing – 6 examples. Retrieved May 16, 2010 from http://library20.ning.com/profiles/blogs/libraries-and-crowdsourcing-6.

Post-assignment musings…

Well one down and one to go. Just pressed the button and send Assignment 1 off, which is both a good and a scary thing as a) I’m relieved it’s done and out of the way, but b) I’ve the usual post-assignment niggling doubts about what I’ve written and whether it’s really up to scratch. I believe my paper, ‘Using social media to connect with prospective students and the lessons Qatar-based campuses can learn from their US counterparts: A case study (and a rather long mouthful) could have been  better if I had been able to look at both prospective AND current students, as was the original intention, but I simply couldn’t get it down to anywhere near the required word count… But what’s done is done, and time to move forward on my social networking learning curve.

I have to say that despite initial reservations, I am enjoying using Facebook as a vehicle for interacting with my INF506 classmates and feel it works better than the Interact forums. It’s definitely more social and personal which is a good thing for distance learners who all too often can feel very isolated and alone. Even just having a little thumbnail image of each member really helps. The majority of the group seems to have come together very well through the Facebook postings and there seems to be more willingness to share good articles, post tips, and generally provide support, than I’ve experienced in other courses. Yes, the 4cs of collaboration, conversation, content creation, and community are certainly alive and kicking, and it’s great to be actually experiencing a concept that we’re studying.

Some of the Library 2.0 things I’m having more of a problem with, simply because a) I’ve never working in a library or information agency, and b) I haven’t actually worked outside of the home for 4 years, so I’m having to fall back on everything I’ve read and studied over the past 3 years, to try and put myself in the shoes of a Librarian 2.0. I guess this is where Second Life could be very useful as I could meet and chat with all sorts of Librarians and Information Managers. I’m so impressed with Carole in our group, who appears to have really taken off with Second Life and had some amazing encounters and interactions. Methinks it’s time I got back in there…

Putting the A-Z of social networking for libraries to work

How can AnnaLaura Brown’s A-Z of social networking for libraries be applied to a library I know to help it embrace a Library 2.0 ethos?

Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar Library currently serves 300 students, faculty and staff,  plus approximately 300 public patrons. The collection of nearly 50,000 volumes started in 2005 will increase by approx 10,000 annually until maximum capacity of 125,000 is met. Its online catalogue is shared with the university’s main campus library. Marketing and promotion tends to rely primarily on word of mouth. The current library website is functional but offers little in the way of Web 2.0 technologies, and no social media. So where to start to help this library embrace a Library 2.0 ethos to connect more fully with its users?

D- Direction. Before installing or applying any social networking (SN) tools, the library needs to be clear about how they will help it meet its goals. Will a Facebook fan page help attract new patrons, for example? What is also vital if it wants to embrace Library 2.0 is that the focus is user-centric, so it’s important to establish what the community wants and expects from interactions with its library before then installing the appropriate SN tools to help satisfy these user needs (Casey & Savastinuk , 2007).

Z-zeal. Now it needs to get all the library staff involved and excited about Web 2.0 and social networking. Offering the 23 Things program would be a good start.

Y- Youth. With a Higher Education Research Institute survey finding 94% of first-year university students visiting SN sites in any given week, the library must seriously consider using social networking to go where the users are. As Sophie Brookover notes in Library Journal.com, connecting and interacting with students by using tools with which they are very comfortable, demonstrates an awareness of and participation in trends that matter to them.

B- Blog. Regular blogs from library staff on various subjects, eg., new title reviews, promoting new databases, and tips on searching, would provide an excellent way to communicate and share information with users. Social media consultant Victor Lavrusik observes that inviting users to comment starts conversations, an important component of Library 2.0.

G-Good Reads. A simple way of creating content and sharing information to provide an added service to readers. Even better, collaborate with users and get them to write reviews!

With just these 5 letters the library can take its first steps on the path to becoming a Library 2.0.

Entering a whole new virtual world, part I

Well apologies for the silence, having been way too immersed in the first assignment, but at last it’s time to return to the blogging fray and my continued exploration of Web 2.0 technologies, and in particular social media.

Venturing into a virtual world, Second Life in this case, has been quite an experience. It takes a while to get the hang of an avatar and moving about in a completely different space but I can see how it can easily become addictive (though not too addictive one hopes). Initially skeptical about how my alter ego running around in an alternative universe could have any bearing on life as an information professional, I soon realised the range of features that can support and enhance learning experiences. What’s key to me is the ability to interact and talk in real-time to others in the ‘in-world’, as it’s known. This enables groups to have online meetings, and make and watch presentations, without anyone having to leave the comfort of  home, or worry about how they look in real life – great for those that may normally feel self-conscious about interacting with a group. Imagine being able to attend a conference held on the other side of the world without having to even get out of your pyjamas?! Great for professional networking and development too as you can join groups with a shared interest. And as John Helmer points out in his comprehensive overview of Second Life, you can boldly go where you haven’t dared before, with little risk of embarrassment in the real world if it doesn’t all go to plan.

Having a second life isn’t without its frustrations, and simple things like learning to sit down, or change clothes without revealing all, have to be mastered, so there is a steep learning curve (Zhang, 2007). Problems with bandwidth can also affect sound quality making it difficult to interact with others on occasion.

Recognise me? Here's my avatar...

An academic library can use Second Life to support both employees and users. Numerous library-related conferences are held around the world, and librarians, if they are lucky, might get to attend one or two, but with Second Life, several librarians from the same institution can attend numerous virtual conferences, network, and even present papers, at little or no cost, and taking up far less time than an overseas trip (not to mention being far more environmentally friendly). For a library supporting distance learning, Second Life also offers the potential for e-learning with virtual tutorials and lectures, as well as training sessions on a variety of information-seeking skills.  It also enables students to connect and interact, creating a sense of community and enhancing the distance learning experience. This YouTube clip offers an excellent overview of the educational uses of Second Life.

References

Zhang, J. (2007). Second Life: Hype or reality? Higher education in the virtual world. Retrieved from http://deoracle.org/online-pedagogy/emerging-technologies/second-life.html

RSS feeds – gotta love ’em

Task: Find two (2) additional examples of ‘RSS in action’, and develop a 350 word post on how RSS can enhance a library or information service’s ability to meet the information needs of its users.

Two good examples of ‘RSS in action’ are Georgetown University and The Washington Post.

An organisation with many varied departments, such as Washington DC’s Georgetown University, or an information service, such as the Washington Post newspaper, have so much information (that changes regularly, particularly in the case of a news organisation) to share with users that it can frequently be overwhelming for the user. By offering RSS feeds for particular departments or categories it enables the user to be selective and choose the areas for which they wish to receive regular updates. The user is in control of what new information they want to receive, and when they want to receive it. As RSS feeds always include links back to a Web site, it will increase traffic to the website, thereby benefiting the RSS publisher.

RSS feeds provide summaries of articles enabling the user to decide whether to download the full article or not, saving surfing/browsing time.

The user can decide when to access their RSS reader and see what news updates are available from their selected RSS feeds, negating the need to regularly check individual websites for updates, and avoiding email overload from websites informing the user of any news or blog updates. By subscribing to a certain feed, the user can get updates on it immediately. The user doesn’t even need access to an email account and the feeds will also always come in a style that the user’s computer can read.

Another advantage to the user is that RSS feeds are almost always free of charge so no paying to be on a mailing list. The user also doesn’t need to worry about being taken off a mailing list either without their knowledge as they control which lists they want to receive updates from and whether to unsubscribe at any time. Also important is that RSS feeds are very private and secure. No personal information needs to be given out when signing up for a feed. And finally RSS feeds can’t get blocked by spam or email filters.

So in a nutshell, using RSS feeds can definitely enhance an information service’s ability to meet the information needs of its users!

Worldstart provided useful information for compiling this post.

Wow, this is much much bigger than just Facebook!

Feeling pretty daunted I have to admit as I finish reading Module 1 and come to realise how huge social networking and social media has become without me somehow noticing. Yes I have a Facebook page and a LinkedIn profile, (but mainly because everyone else I know seems to have one and it’s a great way of tracking down long lost school friends  – though also makes you realise why they were long lost…) but there is SO much else out there. No wonder everyone is now constantly checking their mobile or netbook – they’re not wondering if they have the odd text message or email but they’re getting their Twitter feeds, downloading their favourite blogs, watching movies, living another life… Makes me think that there might come a time, in the not too distant future, when no one actually talks (in the old fashioned ‘open your mouth and words come out’ way) to anyone else, they’ll just tweet, post, tag or blog instead!!

What seems to be key is organising what information you want to receive and what information you want to share, otherwise you’d just drown in it all. Having not understood what all the fuss was about Twitter, for example, a recent International Herald Tribune article set me straight on a few things, including searching for tweets on particular topics of interest and creating lists. Now it might actually be useful. I just need to find the time to actually create these lists…

And on another matter, I’m still not sure how a virtual world such as Second Life is going to improve my life, though presumably all will be revealed in due course! As long as it doesn’t become all-consuming as demonstrated by the tragic story of the South Korean couple who let their baby starve to death whilst they become obsessed with raising a virtual child. How sad is that?