The Casting Couch:Podcasting and Screencasting

CLAUD Summer Meeting / Exchange of Experience Day

22 June 2007Southampton University

Kara JonesResearch Publications Librarian

University of Bath

Podcasting

• Creation of audio files, usually as MP3s

• Uploaded to the internet

• Downloadable onto a PC, MP3 player, iPod, phone, etc.

• Using free software called Audacity

• Branded as ‘Libcasts’.

Why Podcast at Bath?

• Redevelopment of level two

• New induction tutorials – self-guided

• Meet all user needs - flexibility & portability

• Innovative

• Cheap & easy

• Low impact of staff time

How we did it

• Equipment & software

• Content & style

• Promotion

Equipment & Software

Equipment – not much!• PC or laptop• Mp3 player for testing• Microphone

Software• Free! • Audacity (http://www.sourceforge.net)• Conversion file (to create MP3s)

Audacity

Content & Style

• Topics

• Suitability of information

• Intros & outros

• Language

• Music

• Speaking

Promotion

• Library webpages

- Libcasts webpage

- At point of need

• Newsflash on the University homepage

• RSS feeds

• Design a catchy logo

The Finished Product!

Measuring Success

0

50

100

150

200

250

Sep-06 Oct-06 Nov-06 Dec-06 Jan-07 Feb-07 Mar-07 Apr-07 May-07

Libcasts index page

Level 2 audio tour

Level 3 audio tour

Level 4 audio tour

Level 5 audio tour

Disability services

Oakfield Library welcome

Screencasting

• Recording screen movements using software called Camtasia.

• Create movie files with instructions for various library resources.

• Placed throughout the library website at the point-of-need

Libflicks

• Using Camtasia software from Techsmith.com

• One day training, cascaded back to library staff.

• Task group decided on specifications, again using the wiki.

Guidelines for Libflicks

• Libflicks should be short (3-5 minutes)

• Point of need placement

• Include audio - clearly spoken, no 'umms'

• Include info on webpage about how long the screencast is and perhaps consider using time stamps that show change of topic.

Tips & Tricks

• Film first, narrate later.• Length of show should be ‘reasonable’• Consistency of style• Don’t overdo the gimmicks but use:

– Transitions, captions, callouts, music, narration, zooms

• Your eyes can't be in two places at the same time so don't have text to read and the cursor demonstrating things at the same time in different places of the screen.

Questions?

• Audacity: http://sourceforge.net/projects/audacity/

• Camtasia: http://www.techsmith.com/camtasia.asp– (see also Macromedia Captivate)