Technical Services Tools Redux ALAO, 10/30/2009

Becky Yoose, yoosebj@muohio.edu

General

What to look for when scouting for new tools:

• Cost o How much will it cost to use the software? o “Free” means that the software is free. Installing and

maintaining said software will still cost you money. • Technical specs and maintenance

o Who will be responsible for troubleshooting or upgrades?

o For certain types of software, what are the pros and cons of using a local server vs. hosted server?

• Technical skills needed to operate o Can the majority of staff confidently use the tool? o How much training will the staff need to master the

basics of the tool? • Licensing

o What are the restrictions set by the license? • Does it address the problem?

o Are you implementing this tool because of an existing problem or for other reasons?

Places to look for new tools:

Library-specific • Librarian in Black

o http://librarianinblack.net/librarianinblack/ • Planet Code4Lib

o http://planet.code4lib.org/ • What I Learned Today

o http://www.web2learning.net/ General

• Computerworld o http://www.computerworld.com/

• Google Apps o http://googleapps.blogspot.com/

• Mashable o http://mashable.com/

• O’Reilly Blogs o http://oreilly.com/blogs/

Communication

Problems:

Incorrect information, missing information, and bureaucratic procedures in updating information

Solution: Wiki Intranet

Tool: PBWorks (free, hosted), http://pbworks.com/ Features

• WYSIWYG editor – similar to other rich text editors staff use everyday

• Free hosting – server and software maintenance no longer the responsibility of the department

• Security – offers private, password protected wiki options for sensitive information

• Document manager – folder/file system for macro scripts, excel files, and more

• Plugins – allows for use of widgets and plugins, such as an instant translator and an embedded Google Calendar

Uses • Polices/procedures • Staff information • Staff calendar (Google Calendar) • File sharing • Resource bookmarking • Training • Application/macro documentation and updates

Other tools Wiki matrix, http://www.wikimatrix.org/

• Lists available wiki software • Choice wizard to help you determine which wiki

software is appropriate for your situation

Technical Services Tools Redux ALAO, 10/30/2009

Becky Yoose, yoosebj@muohio.edu

Training

Problems:

Un-uniform training materials, gaps between training and doing actual task, lack of training documentation

Solution: Tutorials

Tool: Wink (free, download for Windows/Linux), http://www.debugmode.com/wink/ Features

• Capture screen in two ways o Input driven (keystrokes, mouse clicks) o Timed capture

• Post-capture editing o Insert and edit text boxes, shapes, navigational

guides, images, internal and external links • Capture audio during screen capture or post-capture

editing • Create customized templates to use for multiple

tutorials • Output tutorials in different formats

o PDF, Flash movie, HTML, .exe files, and postscript

Examples of Wink tutorials • Import macros into Macro Express

o http://tinyurl.com/yfpqbnj (Slide Show) o Covers downloading macro files and importing

them into ME • Accessing an item's records

o http://tinyurl.com/yfvannh (PDF) o How to access an item's order, item, and

bibliographic records Other tools

Jing, http://www.jingproject.com/ • Static and video screen capture • Store captures to disc or host them on screencast.com • 5 minute limit on video, limited editing features

Automation

Problems:

Repetitive actions on computer by humans leaves greater chance of error and is more expensive in the long run

Solution: Automation

Tools: Macro Express ($40/cpu), http://www.macroexpress.com/ AutoIt (free), http://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/ (both Windows only) General Features

• Automate workflows that involve multiple programs • Replicates repetitive keystrokes • Automate simple decision making logic processes

Macro Express Features • Record actions to create a macro on the fly • Wizard for simple macro building • Two different macro script editors to choose from • User and “non-techie” friendly

AutoIt Features • Very flexible and powerful, capable of more complex

scripts than Macro Express • BASIC-like syntax, also similar to OML • Compile scripts into standalone .exe files • Regular Expressions support • Create own Graphical User Interface

Flash Demos and Example Scripts • Macro Express

o http://www.screencast.com/t/QBzGbsbkp o Demo Scripts (.mex file) at

http://tinyurl.com/yla75rh • AutoIt

o http://www.screencast.com/t/THTw1n9ty o Demo Scripts (.zip file) at

http://tinyurl.com/yff3fta