MSB Librarians Meeting

I went to an In Service meeting of the MSB at Globe University in Woodbury. I had the opportunity to share information from the Pals Reference User Group Workday. I talked about Library 2.0. I explained the Web tools that libraries are using to attract patrons and to provide more efficient reference services with the use of the Web 2.0 tools.
I pointed out that librarians at MSB are applying these Web tools. Some of the MSB librarians are participating in the 23 Things on a Stick

Thing 23: Final Thoughts

It is wonderful that I finished with the 23 Things on a Stick. I cannot believe that I achieved it. But the steps were so detailed and most of the time the web applications that I selected had user friendly interfaces. I really thank the organizers of this program for the big impulse that they gave me to learn Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 tools. It was such a big learning process for me and this learning was so intensive. Now I know the many web tools on the Internet. And with Library 2.0 tools I will help the patrons at the library even more. I am very sure that from now I will be in touch with what is new in the web tools and I will learn them.

Thing 22: What Did I Learn Today?

I am glad to participate in 23 Things on a Stick. I have learned so many Web 2.0 tools. This learning process has been fun for me. What a lot of new stuff for me! I feel more confident than the first day that I started. I can say that I sometimes struggled with some of these tools, but I have accomplished it.

I am sure that I will be back to check again some of these Library tools to maintain my blog. I will keep in touch with other blogs and I also will keep up with my RSS reader. Now that I know the social networks, I will be connected with library groups, and library 2.0 groups, and I will continue improving myself by attending Webinar sessions.

Thing 21: Beyond My Space: Other Social Networks

In this Thing 21 I read the documentation suggested. I joined the 23 Things on a Stick Ning. I read the postings of other members and left a comment in one of them. Then I added the Ning badge to my blog.

I checked out different social networks. The Teacher Library Ning is an interesting education site, and The Craftster is a hobby social network. I will get back to these social network resources and work with them again.

Thing 20: Library and Social Networks

I took a look at Facebook and MySpace. I prefer to work with Facebook. I set up my account and my network. Then I joined the MSB and Library 2.0 groups. I found students at MSB and librarians participating in 23 Things. Also I found participants in 23 Things from Australia. That was interesting. I found a friend from the Mayo Clinic group and I sent her a message. I will check my profile in Facebook more frequently.

This social network as a web tool for libraries is an option to be in contact with the young and teenagers. In addition, it is a way to openly post exchange of ideas between librarians and patrons. Also, librarians can be in touch with colleagues through these social networks.

Thing 19: Podcast

This Web 2.0 tool is an audio or video broadcast over the internet. I took some time to listen a local podcast: On the road with Minitex by the reference staff. This is a topic that I am interested in right now. Also I visited the directories and the one best I liked was podcast .com. I prefer this directory because it was easy and very user friendly. I searched by some subjects and a list of podcasts showed up. Then I chose the ones I wanted from the list. I subscribed podcast.com to RSS to my reader to access this link more frequently.

Thing 18: You Tube and other online videos

This is the first time that I have worked with You Tube. This is a very good resource to use in libraries as a visual support.

Thing 17: ELM Productivity Tools

The Electronic Library of Minnesota consists of library databases available online for Minnesota libraries. In this Thing 17 I did my search in Gale Database, but when I tried to set up my RSS to my reader it gave me an error message. I will try this later.

Then I tried with EBSCO database. I created my account. I did all the steps successfully; I created my personal folder in Academic Search Premier, and I sent the contents to my e-mail at work. Also I saved it to my flash drive. Next I tried the Net Library. I found the e-book, and opened its content. I made the note there. This Net Library database allows you to share it, so you can work in collaboration with other colleagues. Finally I went to Pro-Quest Newsstand Complete; I searched in this database for full text in the Washington Post. I marked my selection and from my search tab I created a web page. I e-mailed to myself the html file and I saved the text document to my flash drive too. In the Academic Library of Minnesota School of Business, we use these databases. They are a very helpful Web 2.0 productivity tool for Reference service librarians and as a research resource for students and instructors.

Thing 16: Student 2.0 Tools

Certainly, the Web 2.0 tools presented in this Thing are very helpful for students to do research. The University of Minnesota Assignment Calculator and the Research Project Calculator are now being used by academic libraries. Both calculators are a set of steps that calculate the time to accomplish assignments and projects, and they present the option for e-mail reminders.

The Assignment calculator could be useful for public libraries and media center libraries to help students with their assignments. The Research Project Calculator can be used by librarians in the elaboration of library projects.

Both the Assignment Calculator and the Research Project Calculator help to manage the time and the use of resources. Also they provide supportive materials that could be useful for libraries, such as an instructional planning guide, student planning guide, plagiarism detection and proofing assignments.

Thing 15: Online Games and Libraries

I agree that libraries should provide games for patrons, because young people and teenagers are around electronic devices, such as Xbox, Super Station, etc. They also play games over the internet with players over the world. The libraries need to attract this new generation that is growing up as technology develop. That’s why a change in the way that libraries provide services is inevitable.
In reference to the online game Puzzle Pirates, it is hard for me to be a game player; I cannot see myself playing games, but I certainly respect that someone else likes them. And I think that it would be a new option for libraries to have an electronic game section with the aim of providing a cool area for the game player lovers.
In relation to the Second Life library, after I read the links and watched some videos. I can say that they are nice and well elaborated. It is an artistic creation of the imagination, and hard work. But I don’t think that I am going to be for it right now; I know that this Second Life world is right there on the Net, and maybe I will try it later.
In summary, the virtual library or online libraries are possible because we are going in that direction. Most libraries have access to online sources of information, databases, books 24/7, e-books, e-journals. In addition, with the use of Web2.0 tools, libraries are producing more updated library services to the demanding online community that is emerging.

Thing 14: LibraryThing

In this thing 14 I created my account in the online catalog Library Thing; now I have my own record of books that I have read. I started to add the books by title. Then program finds the title and brings up the picture cover of the book and additional information. I also created my widget of random books of my library and place it in my blog. I have the option to invite friends to my library thing.
This online catalog is a very good tool to use in libraries, because librarians can inform the patrons about the new books. With the option of sharing the Library Thing, the patrons can place their comments about the listing. Exactly this is the use that the Minnesota School of Business Library is doing with the Library Thing.

Thing 13: Online Productivity Tools

In online productivity tools, first I worked to customize my home page. I decided to work with Yahoo Home Page because I already have an account. Then I took advantage of the features that My Yahoo provides me and I set up my personal assistant that includes my email, bookmarks, weather, etc. Secondly, I created my online calendar, and if I want to I can share it. Also I added a module for notes to my home page . Everything with my home page was seamless. I am going to keep this Yahoo home page as my personal home page. In addition I went to the backpack tools and I didn’t want to create a new account. I found in My Yahoo the features that are enough for me.

I realize that these online productivity tools would be nice to use in libraries as a web home page. At this moment the academic library where I am working has a very nice home page made with fabulous links and a neat presentation which are made by specific personnel. Also, I use a Microsoft Calendar at work, which was set up when I got my e-mail.

I learned with these online productivity tools how to organize my information in one place and how to use and manage it from any online computer. It’s amazing.

Thing 12: Did you Digg?

The social media sites allow the readers to select what kind of information, news or stories they are interested in. Today I have been spending a lot of time going to the sites and I have a concluded that they provide similar information services to the readers. Through these social media sites the readers can select what topics are appropriate for their use. Digg provides a lot of news, videos and images. This site allows you to leave comments and also it has the option of sharing. Mixx also shows a lot of popular photos, news, entertainment and tech stories with a link to share them and you can vote for it. I like this link because you can set it to deliver the news directly to your bookmark. These social media sites could help my productivity at my work or in my personal interests. Especially good are Reddit and Newsvine. They provide the information in a way that I can select easily the topics of my preferences. Reddit offers a link to choose by subject (such as science, entertainment, gaming etc.), and then you can select through it. And Newsvine is a more conventional window and it is a friendly site. In the tools bar you can select what kind of news you would like by subject, such as sports, politics, science, and also you can select national, international and regional news. Also, if the readers want, they can sign up for this site.

Thing 11: Tagging and Del.icio.us

I created my del.icio.us account and placed my tag in my browser. That was easy and fun and I am starting to use it, so I did a couple of the bookmarks. I tagged and described it. I believe that using this social bookmark site will be helpful to keep links of the sources in research by students and instructors. Also, the del.icio.us is a great bookmark for librarians to post a link to sites by tagging. This application lets the user organize and categorize the favorites by using specific keywords that easily direct the patrons to the topic of their interest.

Thing 10: Wikis

Wiki is one of the most well-known web communication tools. It has been used for a long time in the library where I work. I have access to Wiki tools, and usually I read the information posted on it. We use it to share information between librarians. Also I recently went to training where I opened my own PB Wiki account. However, I have spending more time learning the Library 23 Things for my blog, but I know the usefulness of Wiki in the libraries to share information and news with librarians in different campuses.

Thing 9: Online Collaboration Tools

The web 2.0 collaboration tools are great to work in group on a determined project. One feature is that it allows you to create online documents or upload them from the computer. Then you are able to edit, format, and save it. Also it let you share the document by permission with other persons, and they can modify it at the same time.

After I look at the ZOHO Writer which I consider a little complicated and it seems to me more appropriate for people who need more features to do their documents. I decided to work with Google Docs because I found it to be a user friendly interface. It was very easy to use. Actually I uploaded a document that I previously wrote in Microsoft Word, and then I started to do changes in fonts and formats and then saved it. As a practice I shared my web document with my other e-mail account and then I got a link to open the document in that e-mail account. That was great!

Thing 8: Share Your Creations

It has been a little hard to fix the slideshow books in my blog. On the other hand, my experience after working with Picture Trail is that it has easy steps to follow. The book pictures that I used are from amazon.com and from the library web site.

Thing 7: Web 2.0 Communication Tools

In this Thing 7 the web 2.0 communication tools are based on the new technologies of networks by computer or phone devices, and more specifically as a way to use e-mail, IM, text messages and web conferences in the library to provide information and reference services to the patrons.

In my own experience I have been using e-mail since 1998. First, I started with a hotmail account, and then I created a yahoo account. I keep yahoo e-mail because I feel comfortable using it. Recently I opened my Gmail account to be able to create my blog. At the same time that I have my personal e-mail, I have been using e-mail at work. It is a very good tool to communicate work related issues with co-workers. I can say that one advantage when I use e-mail is the reduction of paper.

Another tool that I love to use is the text messaging or Short Messaging Service (SMS) over the phone. I can communicate quickly with other people and get answers right away for a low price. I usually send text messages to my children. Now, I have learned that I can use this tool at the library to provide quick answers to the patrons.

The instant messaging (IM) is also a good web communication tool with people who are connected at the same time. I have used this talk with friends. Also, I use it at work with Microsoft Office Communicator which provides instant messaging with co-workers. I use this tool to talk with the other campus librarians. It is a quick and very informal tool. The use of instant messaging at the library will save time for students who want fast and informal reference service.