Crowdsourcing ideas about libraries in 2009: A Twitter story
One informal, Twitter-based crowdsourcing experiment yielded useful results this week. During the start of a conversation with a group of librarian’s, NITLE’s research director quickly Tweeted (posted to Twitter) a general query for feedback on a big question:
What are the most important emerging technologies, or issues, for American libraries, going into 2009? Summoning Twittersource! 8:33 AM Dec 3rd from web
Before the day was out, twenty-nine responses were Tweeted, publicly. They covered a series of ideas, responded to each other, and quickly constituted an intercontinental conversation among very interested librarians, faculty, and staff (This was extracted from Liberal Education Today, 2008).
Check out the twitter posts at Liberal Education Today.
The Way we Lived Flickr project, is a great example of libraries connecting with key social media partners . To find out more information about this project, please read the following Newsweek article.
Archivists at the Library of Congress need your help, and Flickr’s, to identify these photos.
A koan for our digital age: if a picture is worth a thousand words, what is the right word worth? The Library of Congress aims to find out. The venerable old institution has teamed up with Flickr, the popular social-networking and photo-sharing site, to create “Flickr Commons.” By putting 3,115 of its archival photographs on the site, the LOC hopes Flickr’s community of users will apply tags—usually one-word descriptions—to them. The photos are already online at the library’s Web site, but the LOC hopes Flickr’s 23 million members will tell them something about the images they don’t already know. “It’s akin to bringing the mountain to Muhammad,” says Matt Raymond, the LOC’s director of communications. “It’s an excellent way to use the technology” (Braiker, 2008).
To read full article, please click here.
Adolph B. Rice Studio.(1960, March 4). Street lights, Jefferson Avenue at night. Library of Virginia, Prints and Photographs. Retrieved November 22, 2008 from http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_virginia/2899348024/
Who just text you? oh my librarian…
Finally… libraries are starting to let patrons keep their cell phones on.
What types of mobile services are available in libraries?
What types of patrons would use mobile technology?
Texting a librarian is easy to do and cost effective (depending on your phone plan). The type of patrons who would use this service would largely be young and/or tech savvy people (age 13-40), but basically anyone who owns a cell phone is a potential library mobile user.
Challenges and opportunities:
Integrating mobile technology into libraries is still relatively new and there is a lot more work in this area of social media. For instance, mobile technology is advancing quickly (i.e you can download books on your cellphone) , so there is still a lot to learn about how mobiles can be used more effectively in libraries.
Case study: Chambers library
Chambers library (University of Oklahoma) has jumped onto the mobile bandwagon and reaching out to their target market -students. When visiting their website, however, Chambers Library homepage does not mention that they have mobile services. Yet, if you click on their ask a librarian link, info on texting is available. Chambers Library text messaging information is well placed, easy to use and it is connected to other Web 2.0 services such as IM and email. In addition, they did an excellent job of marketing their service to students and the public though the use of videos and press. Please review this video, to find out more about Chambers Library text message services.
Chambers Library needs to make their text messaging service more prominent on their homepage and advance their mobile services (i.e instructions on how to download Worldcat on their phone). It would be interesting to see academic libraries, like Chambers partnering with mobile phone companies and creating innovative mobile applications. Lastly, patrons who don’t text on a regular basis, would most likely not use this service–yet Chambers library could provide instruction on how to text a librarian on their website and/or info desk, so users have the ability to experiment/learn more about this technology.
Additional References:
Breeding, Marshall. SMS offers libraries new talk tool
Fraust, Bradley. (2006). Why mobile technology should be important to libraries
Two things I wanted to share with you all…
Check out this link regarding the disposable film festival–a film festival using mobile technology. This is an example, of the direction mobile technology is heading and how it can possibly be used in libraries. For example, get patrons to shoot thier own mobile videos and post it on the library website (i.e tell your favorite library story).
The Disposable Film Festival
RIP: REMIX MANIFESTO--A great film I just saw at the Whistler Film Festival. I think all librarians should watch this film- to understand some of the key issues regarding MASHUPs and youth culture.
Social networking , Facebook and Libraries
Is it polite to poke a librarian?
Building and maintaining social networks is essential in both the public and private sector and using facebook can be a great networking tool for librarians.
But…
I don’t think online social networking sites are as functional as people declare them to be and may not even be the right space for libraries to be apart off-that is if they don’t update their status daily and connect with users regularly by posting interesting discussions/pictures. If they do great, but the reality is most don’t and the result is libraries being just another number on a patrons friends lists. For example, a library FB account can have 1000 friends, but if they don’t engage with them, they are not networking and using this tool effectively. Yet, if a library has only 200 friends and strongly connected to their users, they are nurturing their social network and have a valuable marketing tool in their hands. In sum, it takes work to be on facebook and if a library doesn’t have the capacity to update their account regularly-this energy may be better put somewhere else such as their website and/or focus on other social media tools like twitter.
Facebook and the University of Winnipeg Library
Most libraries have created facebook groups (not profiles) that users can join and check on a regular basis. For example, the University of Winnipeg library has a facebook group, which provides basic info on the library, applications and a link to its UWinnipeg libguide. The users leave wallposts, but to be honest they are not very interesting and I wonder if they get replies back from the library?
My favorite function of the UWinnipeg FB group is the pictures they provide and their Worldcat application (i.e. search for book via FB). Yet, to be honest, if I wanted to search for resources on worldcat, I would just go the library website and not log onto facebook.
The university webpage has links to other social media applications such as IM and RSS feed, yet there is no information on how to join their facebook group. The library needs to create a facebook profile (not a group) and promote that they have an account for students to join (i.e. Your library is on facebook– be our friend please). The potential here is to be networked into the university student population and write status updates that are relevant to them. For example, “Need resources for your paper due next week? Come see us”, this type of status update would be noticed by students and possibly encourage them to visit the library. Moreover, having an account where people feel comfortable sending you a message and chatting with you via facebook- tools that integrate into the the UWinnipeg IM and email tools.
Very few libraries, however, use facebook in this way. Instead they create a group, post some links and hope people join. Speaking as a user of facebook, I am part of over 50 groups and never check any of them regularly-as they don’t engage me and I have stopped joining new groups because of this.
My personal rant on social networks:
I have been apart of numerous social networking sites from friendster to myspace and now facebook. There are numerous other sites, but I lost my password and I forget my user name. My point here is that, facebook may be a thing of the past shortly, as new social networks are being created as we speak. The key for librarians is to be part of these new developments and join them as they are created. They can also have a role in teaching users how to create social networking accounts/profiles and let them access facebook/myspace in their libraries.
Reference:
David Lee King–Facebook and Libraries
Secker, Jane. (2008, January). Case Study 5:Libraries and Facebook
Blog: Social Networking Sites for Engaged Library Services
LibrarianInBlack.net. Social Networking for libraries a bust?
Is my favorite new blog –talk about using social media tools to their full advantage.
The blog is written by Sarah Robbins (aks Intellagirl) and she is just plain awesome.
“I’m a researcher, an academic, a writer, a speaker, a marketer, a mom, and a geek. I spend my time blogging (see links on the blog roll to the right), researching, and traveling to speak to groups about Second Life, virtual worlds, and web 2.0 technologies and general digital coolness. I’m also a digital coach helping people make the most of the technologies available to be more productive and more creative.” (Intellagirl, 2008).
Check it: Intellagirl
Create your own content, record and distribute…
I don’t own a television and I listen to podcasts almost everyday. It seems like I am not the only one, as downloading podcasts and vodcast seems to be a regular actively for many internet users. The popularity of them, is due to them being so easy to use and distribute–all you need is a MP3 recorder and/or digital video. The cost is relatively cheap ranging from $20-$80, or free with most new computer software applications.
A podcast is, simply put, an MP3 recording posted to a blog, which allows it to be broadcast through an RSS feed. Do the same thing with a digital video and you’ve got a vodcast (Abram, 2006).Many people attach podcast and vodcast to blogs; it’s also a great educational tool for universities and media sites such as the CBC (i.e. I am a regular subscriber to CBC Ideas).
Libraries use podcasts/vodcast in a variety of ways:
The most interesting tool is audio books as podcasts, making it very easy for users to listen to books , library presentations and online book talks. The key for libraries creating successful podcast/vodcast is connecting to users and creating content that fits everybody’s listening needs.
New York Public Library
I am currently addicted to the New York Public Library webcasts, audio and video site called NPYL Live. The site provides a range of different shows from teen podcasts, book talks and “how to” seminars and exhibitions—the NYPL then successfully attracts a range of users. My favorite vodcast this month was Design by the Book video series- I suggest watching it when you have the time. I have also subscribed to their itunes service, so every time there is new show on their site, its automatically put into my itunes files.
The NPYL live site link can be found on the NYPL homepage and it’s connected to various other social media tools (i.e. facebook, blog and their RSS feed). The great thing about the NYPL site is that its easy to use, and attracts all types of users ( young/old/patrons/nonpatrons). All a person needs is a computer with the capacity to download. If you don’t know how to download, the library provides information on how to do this via their site. Lastly, I visit their website every week and it’s constantly updated with new content.
Creating podcasts and vodcasts for libraries is easy to do; a library just needs the capacity and time to create podcasts/vodcast—which is a challenge for many. Yet, the beauty of podcasts/vodcast is that the library can form partnerships with others in their community and the library can inturn become a local broadcaster on a range of innovative topics. Alternatively , they can connect with larger libraries such as NYPL and share resources with them.
Resources:
Podcasting-Library Success: A best Practices Wiki
Stephens Lighthouse: Podcast and libraries
Blogging about blogging...
“Blogging has become not just fashionable but mandatory in today’s business world” (Robert Harbison, Western Kentucky University Library)
Creating a blog is easy to do and a great tool to connect with library staff, patrons, community and fellow bloggers. The key to having a site that people visit regularly is writing about engaging topics and updating your blog regularly. In sum, know your audience and write content that is relevant to them.
I personally find a lot of information from reading blogs-yet my favorite blogs seem to be written by disgruntled librarians and not paid staff. Yet, I am in absolutely in love with The British Library Blogs: Engage with our experts (BLB). While I read the BLB, I imagine that I live in London, work for the library and just checking out what my colleagues are up to. But I digress…
Why do I love the BLB?
Because its just not one blog, its seven blogs wrapped into one. The blogs are written by curators and experts on a range of topics, such as: Talking Liberties, The Patent Search Blog, Harold Pinter Archive Blog, Digital Lives, Archival sounds and Breaking the Rules. My favorite blogs are Archival Sounds and Breaking the Rules blog on curating, books and arts. The content is diverse and there is something for everyone. The BLB is also a great marketing tool for the library, as it engages a large percentage of BLB target audience.
I found the blog, while I was searching though the libraries online gallery, which led me to the Breaking the Rules blog, which than brought me to the main BLB blog site. Yet, the BLB site can be found on the NYPL homepage. If you happen to miss their homepage link, the library does an excellent job of providing various links to the blogs within the website –so if you missed the link on the homepage , you will be sure to find it elsewhere on the site.
The feature that I just starting using is their RSS feed option-this way I can find out about new content and posts regularly. I highly suggest, anyone who enjoys this blog to add this application. The library has also successfully integrated tagging, audio and social bookmarking, which is connected to the blog and extremely easy to use. I am in social media library heaven!
References:
How to Blog Design Style Guide
Good, Robin: How To Blog: A Beginner’s Blog Publishing Guide
I am in love with this ad campaign!
I know this is a little of topic, but I had to share this! Libraries need to start marketing their services/tools by creating more innovative ad campaigns like this one.
“Metadata is now in the realm of the Everyman” (Kroski, 2005)
People are increasingly using social bookmarking sites and tagging to organize their own/other people’s content on the net. In a sense, people are now creating their own classification system that is essentially categorizing and organizing the Internet.
And guess what? It’s working without expert cataloguers…
Libraries need to accept this new cataloguing system and participate with online cataloguing communities. How? Let users determine their cataloguing needs and we as librarians can assist them.
Tagging, folksomines and social bookmarking…oh my!
User based tagging, folksomines and social bookmaking tools are intertwined, and essentially all specialize in organizing public data on the internet. Some examples include:
Let em tag libraries
Academic libraries are starting to create their own tagging systems such as Penntags (Pennsylvania University Library) and MTagger (Michigan University Library). Although, both of these academic libraries created these sites two years ago, they don’t promote it very well and I found it difficult to find it on their homepage (you can find it under ask you librarian link).
Tagging and bookmarking is easy to use, yet for people who don’t know anything about tagging/bookmarking, they may need a workshop and/or a 101 instruction document. For instance, Penntags and MTagger assume students know how to tag and navigate though their site-but those who don’t know how to use these tools, will ultimately not participate. Academic Libraries such as Pennsylvania and Michigan need to take ownership over these tools and teach users how to use them. Oh the jobs social media creates!
Academic and public libraries need to open themselves up to tagging, as it thriving and being widely used on the internet. For instance, 28% of adult internet users have tagged or categorized content online such as photos, news stories or bog posts” (Madden, 2007). Libraries using and creating their own tagging/bookmarking sites will help them have a stronger participatory role in how these tools are developed and applied in the future. This, then, opens up new opportunities for librarians to teach patrons how to use these useful internet tools, by teaching workshops and integrating it them into their own systems.
References
Madden, Educuse–7 things you should know about social bookmarking (PDF)
Rethlefsen : Tags help make Libraries Del.icio.us
Furner , Jonathan. User tagging of library resources: Toward a framework for system evaluation
Kroski, Ellyssa. The Hive Mind: Folksonomies and User-Based Tagging
Social Media and Libraries 
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