building community and collaboration madeleine lefebvre ryerson university, toronto social computing...
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Building Community and CollaborationMadeleine Lefebvre
Ryerson University, Toronto
Social Computing Tools for Learning and Knowledge Sharing
IFLA World Library and Information Congress, Milan, August 2009
Themes
1. The Library on Facebook2. A Wikipedia faculty/librarian collaboration3. Mobile services4. RULA Learning 2.0 program
Outcomes along the way…
2. Working with Wikipedia: a Faculty/Librarian Partnership
Wikipedia is challenged by academics as lacking the rigour and depth of the peer review
process
Yet it is a key component of the “social web” (enabling communities to create, modify, and share content)
And is popular with students!
Working with Wikipedia
• Graduate course assignment in Social Work• Developed and presented by professor and
librarian• Students chose their own topics• Examined scholarly and non scholarly ‐
discourse by critiquing entries and writing their own interventions for Wikipedia
Working with Wikipedia
The Wikipedia assignment encouraged students to think critically about the academic world they inhabit and to consider how marginalized communities might or might not be able to contribute to scholarly conversations
• Library Resources– Mobile Catalogue (available on Library website)
– Patron Record (available on Library website)
– Research Guides• Relevant Information based on faculty and
courses enrolled in
• Mapping Function– Find buildings, offices, labs, facilities,
services, etc…
• Student contributed Apps
In the works
Location Based and Context Aware Services
• Working with Computer Science– Hossein Rahnama, PhD candidate
• Delivers relevant information based on student’s location and profile information
• Uses GPS and Wi-Fi positioning technologies
• Specific to iPhone, iPod Touch, Google Android
Benefits to the Library
• Active participation in design and development
• Providing innovative services to the campus community (not just books and e-journal access...)
• Primary focus on student success
• Fostering collaboration with faculties and departments
• Seen as a neutral ground for launching new services
For more information
See full presentation by Sally Wilson and Graham McCarthy on Ryerson mobile services at
http://ocs.sfu.ca/m-libraries/index.php/mlib/mlib2009/paper/view/35/33
4. The RULA 2.0 Project
• Hands-on opportunity for staff to learn about Web 2.0 tools and services and to see how these tools are impacting libraries.
• An online self-discovery program that encourages staff to explore Web 2.0 through a series of weekly exercises.
• Based on Stephen Abram’s “23 things” and Helene Blowers’ Learning 2.0 program
Objectives of RULA 2.0
• To encourage staff exploration of Web 2.0 and new technologies
• To familiarize staff with Web 2.0 tools that can assist us in fulfilling our mission
• To foster team building, trust and open communication throughout Library staff during a period of reorganization and growth
Evaluation
• 45 librarians and staff “graduated”• Huge interest on campus, and requests to
rerun the program for other departments• Increased profile for the Library – new
branding• Much better sense of community across staff
lines, and learning about personal interests• Fun during the winter months