utilizing emerging technologies in libraries

Emerging Technologies in LibrariesLinnea JohnsonGSLIS Technology GroupAdjunct Facultylinnea@simmons.edu

Let’s use this as our launch pad

•http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ILQrUrEWe8

Some Questions To Consider

•What does this mean for libraries?•How should we be evolving, if at all?•How do you identify the technology fads?•What is here to stay and will make an

impact?•How do you ensure that you have a

presence where your patrons are spending time online?

GSLIS Technology Group

•Mission:▫To provide GSLIS students, faculty, and staff

access to current and innovative technological applications, resources, and tools via community spaces, training opportunities, and hands-on learning

▫Emphasis on non-proprietary software and open source options

▫Being a central part of the GSLIS curriculum and pedagogy by seeking out community feedback

Community Spaces

•Tech Lab▫http://gslislab.simmons.edu

•Media Lab▫http://gslis.simmons.edu/podcasts

•Usability Lab▫http://gslis.simmons.edu/usability

Hands-on Instruction Opportunities•25-30 free workshops for the GSLIS

community:▫Dreamweaver▫Advanced Wiki Gardening▫FileMaker Pro▫Zotero▫Usability Testing▫CSS▫Debugging▫Developing Web Applications▫Second Life ….. And more

• http://gslistechlab.eventbrite.com/ (online signup)

Free Social Networking Tech Tools for Libraries

•Twitter▫Communication with patrons

•Facebook▫Fan page with latest library news and

contact info•Flickr

▫Digital collection repository▫Encourage use of tagging

More free tools

•Second Life▫Virtual library tours▫Instruction Sessions

•Delicious▫Method to share bookmarks and resources

•Meebo ▫IM reference

Twitter

•Micro-blogging web site•140 characters maximum for each tweet •News aggregator

Libraries who tweet•American Library Association (ALA) -

@amlibraries•ALA LITA (Library & Technology

Association) - @ALA_LITA•Canton Public Library - @CantonLibrary•Skokie, IL Public Library - @skokielibrary•Alaska State Library - @AKStateLibrary

More Libraries•Providence, RI Public Library -@provlib•Library of Congress - @librarycongress•School Library Journal - @sljournal•Boston Public Library - @BPLBoston

•Full list available here: http://lindybrown.com/blog/2009/01/libraries-on-twitter-updated-list/

Innovative use of Twitter for MHS• Massachusetts Historical Society• John Quincy Adams kept a diary during journey to Russia in

1809▫ https://twitter.com/JQAdams_MHS

• Read more about project:▫ http://www.masshist.org/adams/jqa.php

• Story was highlighted in major news outlets▫ NY Times -http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/06/us/06adams.html▫ Mashable -

http://mashable.com/2009/08/04/john-quincy-adams-twitter/ ▫ CBS News -

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/08/04/tech/main5213337.shtml

▫ ABC News video – http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8347849

Possible Other Uses for Twitter

•Reaching out to patrons•Posting library events•Communicating with other libraries, both

local and around the world•Gaining suggestions to improve services

and offerings•Other ideas?

Flickr• Libraries on Flickr:

▫ Smithsonian Libraries http://www.flickr.com/photos/smithsonian

▫ Library of Congress http://www.flickr.com/photos library_of_congress/

▫ Lansing Public Library http://www.flickr.com/photos/lansinglibrary/

▫ Library at Metropolitan Museum of Art http://www.flickr.com/photos/watsonlibrary

▫ Many more: http://www.webjunction.org/768/resources/discussion/

25751472

Budget freezes, tech continues to evolve•Focus on low cost, high impact tech

options•Can social media efforts be worked into

reference or circulation desk shifts?•Survey the community, ask what your

patrons want.•Be technology trend spotters.•Evaluate useful tools and know what can

be discarded as simply “bright and shiny”

Questions?

•Thanks for listening!

•Please feel free to get in touch with me using any of the channels listed below.▫linnea@simmons.edu▫http://www.twitter.com/leonnea▫P-204W▫Enroll in one of my future LIS 488 classes!