IM in the library

It's finally Friday and I'm heading to the cape for some restorative camping. But before I go I have some SCSU housekeeping to take care of…

My class has been talking about blogs, wikis, IM, basically all the things that I'm completely immersed in at my job. It's been fun and, of course, educational. We're talking a lot about how these and other web 2.0 applications work, and how and why libraries should use them, but I'd still like to hear some testimonials, if you will, from librarians who are currently using these tools in their libraries. I know here in Duxbury the reference wiki I set up has been a tremendous success. It met our expectations and even had a few bonuses that we were not expecting. I've started to archive previous months reference questions, mainly because I'm a little funny that way (I won't use the "A" word), and also because even though we didn't keep the paper version of the reference questions list I feel like at some point I'll be able to turn this electronic version into another kind of tool for us.

Back to the class…one of our assignments for this week was to get some experience using IM. We used the Meebo IM aggregater, one of the more popular IM tools. I already had a Meebo account set up (dmbgarvin, in case you want to add me to your friends list), thanks to a workshop I attended at SEMLS a few months ago. Lately I've been trying to get a few other staff members on board with the concept in preparation for our launch of IM Reference, hopefully by the start of the schools year.

For anyone who doesn't know what Meebo is, it's basically a single IM account that you set up one time with any and all IM screen names you have. It will allow you to talk with anyone else with a Meebo account, even if you are an AIM person and your friend is a Yahoo person. Great tool, really; it pulls the IM community together and enlarges the circle of communication.

So, the class was supposed to "check in" via IM with Rebecca, the distance education librarian at SCSU and one of the instructors for the class. Then, she wanted us to join the ILL599 chat room she set up on Meebo specifically for the class. I popped in three or four times and every time I was the only one there. Which wasn't really surprising to me, it's a fairly small class and there were no designated hours. I have group chatted before and find it to be a little hard to follow.

Where do I see IM in libraries…..reference definitely, circulation maybe, YA librarians probably, although it could be distracting. IM chat rooms, not really. What I don't like about the rooms are the questions and comments that hang without being answered, or conversation threads that are overlapping numerous other conversation threads. I'm way too linear for that! I think if a bunch of people (I'm thinking young people here) are just "hanging out" it can be fun, but if it's a tool to share information I'd rather see a one on one situation. The name is very fitting – Chat Room – it's a great place to chat, but not to have any kind of serious or meaningful interaction.

So those are my thoughts of the day on instant messaging. Have a wonderful weekend everyone, I'm off to pitch a tent, roll out my sleeping bag, and catch up on some reading!

Common sense tech ideas

Yesterday I spent six hours at Bryant University in Smithfield, RI for NELA’s program on IT in the library. It was billed as a training session for IT trainers. Gary McCone and Grace Sines from the National Agricultural Library were the presenters. The session was loaded with information, too much to recap in one blogging session so I’ll stick to my two favorite ideas. First, have a list of core competencies for the entire staff. Second, have a staff IT wiki. Actually their idea is to have a Tech Talk page on their intranet, but my library does not have an intranet, so I thought a wiki would work just as well, maybe even better because of the collaboration possible with wikis.

Having core competencies just makes good sense. Each department could come up with a list of what computer skills are necessary to perform the job well and to be able to troubleshoot minor computer issues. Things like changing the printer and scanner ink cartridges, knowing that re-booting is frequently the answer to a problem, and resetting the wireless modem could be taught to the employees in the departments that have to deal with these issues. Gary and Grace suggested some kind of incentive to get staff to get excited about learning these skills. Rewards for completing the training could include small prizes or a staff party. Obviously some libraries will have a more difficult time than others getting staff to want to learn these skills. I’m lucky to work in a library without much technophobia. For the most part, the staff is, if not proficient, at least willing to learn.

The second idea is very exciting to me and I wonder why it isn’t more widely used. Setting up a staff wiki for tech tips would be easy to do and would be an excellent resource. When a computer issue comes up the problem and solution could be recorded on the wiki. Tech tips could also be periodically posted, or the wiki could even be used as a manual of sorts. Employees could add comments or questions to the wiki. Through the use of tagging, it could be searchable. It seems like it would be a good first resource for computer problems, especially for those times when the IT contact people are unavailable.

Library 2.0 - are we there yet?

An interesting question was posted on the discussion board for my class this week….where does your library stand between 1.0 and 2.0? It is a worthy question for everyone.

Here is what the DFL currently offers in terms of technology: wireless internet for public access, a docking station for laptops, online databases and catalog that are remotely accessible, a wiki for the reference department, on-line readers advisory service with a link to the catalog, external drive for floppy discs, semi-regular classes for email training, Book A Librarian program for one on one computer instruction, e-mail reference service, and possibly a few other things I’m forgetting.

This is what is in the planning stages: Flickr accounts for the adult, YA & children’s departments, IM reference, and revamping the webpage to make it more dynamic.

And then my wish list: digitizing the vertical file and archives and linking them to our webpage, a library Facebook account, text reference, and adding a scanner for public use (we get a lot of requests).

I’ve always thought our library was on the progressive side. We are fortunate to have a director that is forward thinking and willing to take chances. But even though we are offering quite a bit of the newer technology to our patrons I still feel like we could be doing more. At the MLA conference last month I sat in on Marshall Keys’ talk. He ended with an example of a library that is as 2.0 as any library can get. What struck me as odd and sad was that the audience laughed. I think there is still a general view that this “stuff” is trendy and will go away. This is the wall we have to get past. We can play catch up and answer our patrons’ requests, or we can be a step ahead of them and put ourselves in the position of teaching the latest and greatest innovations. Isn’t that where we should be?

Timing, as they say, is everything…

A strange confluence of events has found me in a graduate class at SCSU called Web 2.0, (as opposed to the class I initially registered for - a kind of long and very boring story). It's all about blogs, wikis, RSS, etc., and how they can be used in library settings. It really is perfect timing for me…I'm so immersed right now in getting my library "2.0'ed" and I'll be able to swap information back and forth between my job and my class, and hopefully be of some benefit to both institutions. The final assignment for the class will mesh perfectly with some real-life ideas the director of my library and I are trying to get up and running before next school year.

So, if you are one of my classmates, please read through the previous posts for my background and why I have a blog already. I also look forward to reading yours, and for all of us to share information. I think this is the kind of experience I was hoping for (see last post) and I am anxious to see it in action.

If you are one of my few loyal followers please bear with the school postings for the next five weeks. Who knows, some of the information may be helpful to you too; after all, we’re all learning new things all the time, and sharing what little knowledge I have is the point of this blog. And please feel free to add your comments as well, maybe you can teach all of us something!

Back to the assignment: I've been following library blogs for a while now.
Stephen’s Lighthouse was the first one I got turned on to. I haven’t paid much attention to that in a while, but I have RSS feeds set up for my current favorites, which include LibrarianInBlack and Librarian.net.

I find Librarian.net to be the most compelling and informative. Jessamyn West is the author of the blog. She is a library consultant based in Vermont and she frequently poses interesting ethical questions along with silly, goofy observations and current library news. In January I attended a workshop she presented in Massachusetts and became totally intrigued with the whole web 2.0/library 2.0/social networking craze that I immediately went home and set up a Flickr account. Since then I’ve added more social networking elements to my life, most of which I think we’ll be discussing in the weeks to come. Jessamyn travels frequently to give workshops and talks and freely posts about her experiences. I find her voice very casual and refreshing. She is also open to questions from people like you and me, and encourages everyone to be her “friend”. I highly recommend visiting her blog to learn more about web 2.0 and to see how well all of the tools of social networking can enhance our lives personally and as librarians.

Now what?

Something has been bothering me for a while now....

I've got a Flickr account, a Facebook page, a Meebo account, a Del.icio.us account...I text with my cell-phone, still use my email, am writing a blog, take graduate classes on-line...I am clearly socially networked. So, now what?

There have definitely been advantages to all of this. I don't have to send pictures out to my family and friends anymore; they have all been given the Flickr address and instructions to hook it up to an RSS feed. By now they know to look on the site for photo updates.

Facebook was fun to set up, but after a few games of Scrabulous (I am starting to suspect this is the high point of Facebook) and looking up some interesting librarian groups to join, what do I do with it? Seems to me it's just one more thing I have to check on every day - I don't want to miss saying thank you to a new piece of flair or a gift from a friend! Maybe I've joined the wrong groups, but I was hoping for rousing, thought-provoking conversation, networking across the world, a consortium of ideas. And, even though I'm now a little more involved in the lives of some people I only knew casually, I'm not feeling like it's worth all the hype.

Social networking is leaving me feeling a little anti-social and creepy if you want to know the truth. Am I not being friendly enough? Do I have to introduce myself to people? How do I do that without feeling desperate or like a stalker?

I was hoping by putting so much of myself out there people would find me, or we would find ourselves in the same place, and networking relationships would happen. I feel a little like I've spent a lot of time getting dressed but there's no one at the party. I was expecting more interaction and more sharing to come slightly more effortlessly. (Maybe I should start a new group on Facebook for people who feel like Wallflowers 2.0!)

Who is the accidental techist?

I am the accidental techist.

Let me explain...I was hired into my current postition as Reference Librarian due, in part, to my willingness to experiment with technology. Please understand, I have no background in technology, no natural aptitude for it, and like many of you I am sure, a printer malfunciton can find me under my desk near tears. But for some reason the director had faith in me, something I have been trying for six months now not to lose. Recently I have been going to various technology centered workshops and have noticed that there are many, many librarians out there like me. We survive by a combination of faking it, sheer luck, and believing in ourselves.

If you are an IT person then this blog is not for you. Unless you need some entertainment. In that case follow along, but try not to fall out of your chair laughing. If you care to help, please do so. However, my goal is for all of the non-techie librarians out there to come together in this place to share success stories, commiserate, help each other, amuse each other, and support each other. Let's share our knowledge and our ideas. In our own language. I promise not to use any words that will make your head spin or your eyes cross. And you can trust me, because I don't know those words!

Am I the best person to administer this blog? Probably not. But going along with my naive willingness to experiment with technology that got me to this place, and what I see as a need for someone to step up and throw themselves out there at risk of embarrassment, here I am.