Twitter is a social networking site I am not ashamed to check routinely throughout the [...]]]> “Social is just one part of what we do. We think of it as an information utility,” he said, describing Twitter as a personal news service as much as a social network. (Twitter is much more than social: co-founder Dorsey)

Twitter is a social networking site I am not ashamed to check routinely throughout the work day. I primarily use it to follow other librarians and people/organizations in similar fields. It’s a great way to find out about tech news, conferences, job postings, interesting websites and articles, etc.

Twitter feeds to follow (my recommendations):

• Mashable: Independent news covering tech, social media and web culture
• Open Access Hulk: Open Access news as delivered by the Hulk
• mgeist: Keep up with Canadian copyright by following Micheal Geist’s Tweets
• sparkcbc:Feed for the CBC’s tech news radio show Spark
• LISNews.org: News for librarians updated regularly
• Awfullibbooks: Find out about new posts to the weeding-wonders blog Awful Library Books
• librarianmer:Librarian, writer & avid blogger Meredith Farkas’ tweets
• AMSciForum: Open Access advocate & scholar Steven Harnad’s Twitter
• SPARC NA: Feed for the Scholarly Publishing & Academic Resources Coalition
• Very Short Story: Not really library-related but still great Twitter sized fiction

Directories of Library Twitter feeds to follow:

• ALA Twitter feeds: Follow the activities of a variety of American Library Association units
• American & International (including Canadian) library feeds: Many examples of libraries using Twitter for promotion, outreach and overall communication with users

However, you can view all of the proposed sessions online. I find this to be a very interesting feature, for it provides an insightful view into the different [...]]]> It is now officially too late to submit a proposal to the next Canadian Library Association National Conference taking place in Halifax, Nova Scotia May 25-28, 2011.

However, you can view all of the proposed sessions online. I find this to be a very interesting feature, for it provides an insightful view into the different topics that have Canadian librarians’ attentions these days.

My submission can be found here. (Please ignore the formatting errors/typos that seemed unavoidable when using the system CLA has in place to collect submissions. What ever happened to good ol’ email?)

I hope to have the chance to attend and participate next Spring. It would be my first CLA conference and a great excuse to go home for a visit. Plus, I am very excited to start producing work that acknowledges the fitting marriage of Open Access and Information Fluencies.

Fingers crossed…

The following are just some of many software and Web applications available on the Internet that are [...]]]> Chances are that if you’re looking for work in a library setting, you’re going to be asked about your experiences with new technologies and your thoughts on how those technologies can be successfully integrated into library services.

The following are just some of many software and Web applications available on the Internet that are a) easy to learn, b) free,  c) highly relevant to libraries, and d) pretty fun to play with, all things told.

Web 2.0

Starting with the obvious, Web 2.0 applications are in heavy use by lots of libraries that are looking for ways to connect with their patrons and provide their users with new and effective ways to conduct their research. Some of the most useful applications include:

Blogs (e.g., Blogger, TypePad, WordPress): Updates, news, staff communications… blogs aren’t a new thing by any means, but they haven’t lost their utility.

RSS Feeds (e.g., Google Reader): Stay up to date on blogs, news and various other types of updates on the Internet by having notifications sent to a feed reader on topics of interest… and teach your patrons how to do the same.

Social Bookmarking (e.g., Delicious, CiteULike): This is a way to share Internet bookmarks. I took a class on social software and libraries where Delicious was particularly useful. Everyone in the class tagged their bookmarks about Web 2.0 with the course code (LIS9763) so we could all share sites relevant to the course. Added bonus is that this lets users access their bookmarks from anywhere, not just their personal computers.  (CiteULike is solely for sharing scholarly references with others; it’s definitely a useful site to use and to show faculty and students.)

Twitter: A great way to promote things like library services and special events.You can even include a Twitter presence on a library’s homepage and use Twitter Feed to automatically make a “tweet” whenever you add something new to any blogs your library maintains.

Wikis (e.g., Wikimedia, PBworks, Wetpaint): These are particularly useful for collaborative projects that involve multiple authors and/or resource sharing. On a related note, I’d recommend learning the back end of Wikipedia since it’s a very helpful information literacy learning tool.

Software (free trials)

Most software products offer 15-30 day trials where you can test things out before purchasing them. Particularly since the ability to create content like online tutorials is a highly marketable skill right now, it’s very wise to spend some time learning as much as you can about these technologies.

Camtasia Studio: This is one of the most popular tools used to create online tutorials. It’s screen capturing software that is relatively easy to edit; if you’ve ever used Windows Movie Maker, it’s quite similar. I personally am not a huge fan of screen capture since it limits the possibilities for interactivity and experiential learning, BUT… it gets the point across. (There may also be copies of this floating around in the world of BitTorrents, but you didn’t hear that from me.)

Elluminate Live: If you’ve ever attended a webcast, chances are you’ve already used this software. Elluminate brings participants together from anywhere in the world to participate in a web conference that can include audio, video, chat, PowerPoint and the recording/playback of sessions.

Lectora: Create stylish, interactive online lessons/tutorials with relative ease. The trial is only 15 days and there is a bit of a learning curve, but thus far I am very impressed with the professional quality of this product.

LibGuides: Lots and lots of libraries are using this tool to create research help guides. I find some to be way too cluttered with information, but all in all, this program is very useful to anyone with some basic knowledge of proper information architecture/usability.

SoftChalk: I love SoftChalk! I wish there was more flexibility in modifying the HTML, but all in all, this product is pretty fantastic. You can create online tutorials with built in quizzes and widgets (for things like video clips) without any advanced knowledge of Web design.  The best part is that you can keep whatever you create during the trial period, meaning you can create a tutorial, upload it to SoftChalk Connect, and add it to your portfolio, no strings attached… although, of course, you will suggest your institution purchase this product in return.

Survey Monkey: Want to know what your students know? What they learned after a session you taught? What patrons think about a new library service? Where staff want to hold a holiday party? This tool is great for all things online survey. And the best thing is, you can make a free account where you can create surveys of up to ten questions.

Open Source Software

In short, open source means free and enabled by community support. These products can sometimes be a bit clunky, but they’re also great for libraries (or by extension, patrons) looking for cost effective solutions that meet their computing needs. A few of my favorites include the following:

Content Management Systems (e.g., WordPress, Drupal, Joomla): While these options require a user to pay for server space, the systems themselves are free and utilized by lots of libraries (particularly Drupal in larger libraries and WordPress in smaller ones).

GIMP: This photo editing program does many of the same things as Adobe Photoshop. I personally like Photoshop better for its more advanced options, however, GIMP does the trick.

Linux: This family of operating systems are the gateway into an open source universe where everything is free and Windows is proven obsolete, sort of. Ubuntu is the most popular. Such systems may lead to some compatibility problems and users may have some trouble adjusting to a different interface, but… it’s also an extremely affordable option for libraries facing financial difficulty.

Moodle: This is the open source equivalent to course management systems like WebCT/Blackboard. I’m not very familiar with it, but I have heard great things and a number of libraries are currently converting over to this system, which speaks for itself.

Mozilla Firefox: This is the best, most secure Web browser by far. My favorite feature is Adblock Plus, which blocks advertisements therefore blocking annoyances and the many viruses that tend to linger in the javascript of shady ads.

Open Office: All the things you get from Microsoft Office Suite for $0. It doesn’t run as smoothly, but it does the job and the file types are all MS Office-compatible so you can share files with others.

Pidgin: This is a universal chat service that can be utilized effectively for online chat reference.

Zotero: This is a reference management system that can be added on to Firefox. I don’t particularly like the organization of groups that users can create and share with others, but it’s still a pretty good program, especially for those who do not have access to RefWorks.

Learn More…

• The EDUCAUSE Resource Centre:  An extensive library of publications, presentations, blogs and podcasts on how technology and libraries intersect.
• Information Wants To Be Free: Meredith Farkas’ blog is a great place to learn about how new technologies and libraries intersect. Also check out her 2007 book, Social Software in Libraries: Building Collaboration, Communication, and Community Online.
• Social Software and Libraries (course sites for summer 2009, winter 2009, winter 2010):  These are accessible course sites for a MLIS class offered at Western. Search through the readings and students’ insight to get a sense of trends concerning libraries and Web 2.0.

Tomorrow’s webcast is happening from 3PM-4PM (EST). It’s entitled: Everything Librarians and [...]]]> About a year ago, I attended my first Blended Librarian webcast. I was impressed. These free, virtual events happen every few months and bring information science professionals from all over the place together to discuss  topics pertinent to librarianship, technology and information literacy.

Tomorrow’s webcast is happening from 3PM-4PM (EST). It’s entitled: Everything Librarians and Instructional Technologists Wanted to Know About Each Other and Never Bothered to Ask: An Open Forum

To register, visit: http://blendedlibrarian.org/events.html

In unrelated news, I am happy to report that I will (tentatively) be interning 1-2 hours per week for the AskON online research help service come September. I was also able to attend two days of WILU at McMaster last week, which was soo fantastic it deserves its own post sometime in the near future.

Topics like copyright reform, net neutrality, intellectual property and access rights might be complicated, sometimes intimidating, and occasionally dry. However, the issues surrounding these topics are central to librarianship and how [...]]]> I was more excited than usual to find a copy of Feliciter in my mailbox today. The topic featured in this issue: Information policy.

Topics like copyright reform, net neutrality, intellectual property and access rights might be complicated, sometimes intimidating, and occasionally dry. However, the issues surrounding these topics are central to librarianship and how resources are disseminated and used, and if misunderstood or abused, can lead to problematic legal ramifications for patrons, librarians and institutions alike. Specifically, these issues effect how things like research is defined (be it for personal or professional gain), what materials are used by faculty in the classroom, how academics go about sharing their published works,  what materials can be photocopied or accessed and shared electronically and who is accountable for the misuse of materials under current copyright policies.

To learn more about copyright matters, check out some of the following helpful resources:

- As mentioned, the latest issue of Feliciter Vol. 56 No. 2 (2010) covers lots of topics central to copyright issues.

- Search Engine This podcast, formerly available through the CBC and now hosted by TVOntario, is about how politics and culture is shaping how we in Canada use the Internet. Older podcasts are available for free through iTunes by clicking here. * I’m a big fan of this one!

- Dr. Michael Geist’s blog. Dr. Geist is the Canada Research Chair of Internet and E-commerce Law at the University of Ottawa. His blog provides a great way to stay on top of copyright policy and reform in Canada as well as internationally.

- Canadian Copyright: A Citizen’s Guide. This incredibly accessible text by Laura J. Murray and Samuel E. Trosow is currently on my nightstand and provides a great introduction to copyright in Canada and how it applies to the sharing of information in a variety of mediums and instances.

- Fair Copyright in Canada and Librarians for Fair Access to Content are both Facebook groups that provide lots of information  well as access to like minded individuals concerned about copyright matters.

- Good Copy Bad Copy This video deals primarily with music production and piracy, but also addresses broader issues of copyright and culture. * I like this one a lot too.

What is it, exactly? Well…

According to Transliteracy.com, “transliteracy is the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks.”

Bobbi Newman has put together a slide show presentation that [...]]]> Transliteracy is an emerging buzzword.

What is it, exactly? Well…

According to Transliteracy.com, “transliteracy is the ability to read, write and interact across a range of platforms, tools and media from signing and orality through handwriting, print, TV, radio and film, to digital social networks.”

Bobbi Newman has put together a slide show presentation that illustrates this meaning and the concept’s important relationship with librarianship:

My only problem with this, and the established concept of “information literacy” for that matter, is that each posit linear, positivist theories of how people should access, understand and use information. Both concepts are defined independent of cultural specificity and the idea that one does not simply become “literate” but rather must continue to accustom one’s self as the channels through which information travels change and transform.

With this criticism in mind, the term “fluency” has crept in attempting to compliment, or perhaps replace, “literacy.” 21st Century Fluencies have been defined in varying ways to describe proficiencies people use to interpret information across various media types.

Semantics aside, however, developing new means of helping library patrons find, use and understand information across the print and digital landscape is an important, exciting area for further investigation. And I’ve got some ideas of how to go about this. Stay tuned…

Program details will be available in the coming weeks and months at http://www.openaccessweek.org.

Last October, a significant number of academic libraries in North America took part in Open Access Week, promoting OA publishing initiatives through hosting [...]]]> Save the date: October 18-24, 2010

A date has now been selected for International Open Access Week 2010. *hooray*

Program details will be available in the coming weeks and months at http://www.openaccessweek.org.

Last October, a significant number of academic libraries in North America took part in Open Access Week, promoting OA publishing initiatives through hosting guest speakers and information sessions, showing videos promoting OA, putting up pro-OA posters, and giving away OA t-shirts and pins.

If you’re not familiar with OA and the important value it can bring to librarians, scholars, students and the general public, take a look at the following video, Open Access 101, produced by SPARC (the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition) and posted by Karen Rustad on Vimeo:

Also check out the Directory of Open Access Journals to view nearly five thousand scholarly OA journals to date in a wide variety of disciplines.

Over the next month, stay tuned for much more on OA here on my blog as well. Lots of stuff is in the works as I prepare for my poster session presentation taking place at noon on Friday, February 26 at the OLA Super Conference.

Since I graduated university, I have been particularly craving [...]]]> I have started a “Continuing Education” topical category on here. My motivation is to encourage learning beyond the walls of universities (which are particularly hard to jump over if you’re not working at or attending one), and the restricted gaze of popular media on the Internet.

Since I graduated university, I have been particularly craving lectures. I love to see credible experts talk in-depth about their research findings, insights and opinions. One of my favorite Web sites I use to fill this void is FORA.tv. It’s like YouTube– but with longer videos and a higher IQ. Much of the content is Americentric, but still engaging, insightful and interesting.

A few talks relevant to library and information science include:

Filmmaker Michael Moore on Capitalism: A Love Story (Moore speaks to how he believes that illiteracy and advertising are killing newspapers; not the Internet. Interesting food for thought.)

GLUT: Mastering Information Through the Ages

Implications of the Google Book Search Settlement

The Future of Social Media with Gerd Leonhard