libraries meet the grid: librarians in cyberspace virginia allen beth avery

LIBRARIES MEET THE GRID: Librarians in Cyberspace

Virginia Allen

Beth Avery

Information Spaces

RSS Feeds

BlogsWikis

SocialNetworks

Virtual Reality

Online Community

What is Online Community

• People who connect– Through time– Through space– Using the Internet

• Also called Social Networking/media/computing

• All are invited• New paradigm

What is a BLOG?

• Blogs are free, Personal web pages

• Displayed in reverse date order (like an online journal).

• Updated at various intervals

• Other people can post comments to them but can’t change the content.

• All have text, some also can have photos, audio, video. Some accept posts from mobile phones and other mobile devices.

• Each post has unique URL

Library Blogs

• Why start one? What do you want to accomplish?

• Talk to other librarians who have implemented successful blogs.

• Remember the software is constantly changing. Do you have the staff to handle it?

The Good

• WYSIWYG editor – Easy to do

• Can be multi-author

• Can have multiple blogs

• Comments by others

• Free software available

• Gives your web site a human touch

• Easily share information

The Bad

• No categories

• Must use external search engine

• Can be slow

The Very Bad

What is a WIKI?

• A Web site that allows users to add and update content on the site using their own Web browser

• Comes from the Hawaiian phrase, "wiki wiki," which means "super fast."

The Good

• Collaborative editing – everyone contributes

• Share expertise

• Continuously growing

• Searchable

• Can create without knowing HTML

• Easy way to create documentation

• Create new “articles”

The Bad

• Loss of content or mis-information added• Community needs to constantly monitor

RSS Feeds

• Really Simple Syndication, Rich Site Summary

• XML format designed for easy distribution and updating of headlines to personal Web pages, news readers and aggregators

• Widely available:

Why Do I Want One?

• Solves the problem of going to many sites individually each day.

• Saves time.

• Don't have to visit each web site – do through RSS viewer

Social Networks

• Users create their own profile

• Can include pictures

• New way dimension of interaction

• Can create your own friends list

Social Networks

• My Space

• FaceBook

• Frienster

• Xanga

• Bebo

Good Things

• Creates an increased sense of community

• Expands social connections

• Inexpensive way to communicate

Bad things

• Privacy issues – how much do you reveal?

• Is the Cyber image true?

• Who is looking at your profile?

• Who belongs? Perception it's an individual thing, not institution

Virtual Reality

• Second Life – A project of The Alliance Library System and librarians around the world.

What is Second Life

• 3-D Virtual Environment• Place to learn, teach, create community• Growing community • Owned by residents

New Media Consortium CampusNew Media Consortium Campus

AVATARS»

» » Philosophy Rebel

Hawt Librarian

Library of Congress in Secondlife Library

You're Invited

• Second Life Library/Info Island• Grand Opening• October 12-14, 2006• http://67.19.231.213/v4/login.asp?

r=67955673&p=0 for audio

THANK YOU!

• Virginia Allen – virginia.allen@lamar.edu• Beth Avery – bavery@western.edu