Library Technology Guides

I found an interesting website through Google when I looked up the keywords library and technology.

Library Technology Guides: Key Information in the field of Library Automation

I chose this site because it deals directly with my area of interest (technologies in libraries) and it drew me because it is a seemingly independent analysis of the automation systems that fuel a library's ability to meet Library 2.0 standards.

The site is run by Marshall Breeding, the Director of Innovative Technologies and Research for the Vanderbilt University library. Most of the articles on the site are backed up by analyses completed in peer-reviewed journals and other reputable websites.

This site serves as a definite resource for librarians who want to stay at the forefront of innovation in library technology.

Internet Public Library TeenSpace

I did a general Google search for the keyword library and one of the top hits was the Internet Public Library. One division of the website called TeenSpace jumped out to me since teens will soon make a large portion of adult library users and since they have grown up with computer and technological advances as a norm.

The website is a collaboration of volunteer efforts from professional librarians, the Regents of the University of Michigan, Florida State University's College of Information and Drexel University's College of Information Science and Technology.

The site provides Homework Help, A+ Writing guides, a graphic novels guide, a freqently asked embarrassing questions section, a poetry wiki, a place to procastinate and a directory of teen-friendly websites on a wide-range of topics. I think this is an interesting way to reach teen users and promote library usage.

Multimedia

(Jim Haprian, courtesy of MaintainIT)

This photo of Jim Haprian of the Medina County District Library and the server he has created and maintains for the library and all of its users is accompanied by an audio interview and article on how he manages technology solutions for a community of 200,000 residents at the MaintainIT website.

Citation Pearl Growing Search

For my citation pearl search, I chose to use my initial building block search (see below) in Lexis to find the most relevant hit:

I got 455 hits. My search results are as follows.

The most relevant hit was right at the top. An article published in the Western Mail on 10.18.2007 entitled, "Students don't have to enter the library to use it". I clicked on this link to access descriptors.

Only one descriptor jumped out at me. Electronic publishing. I chose this subject as an additional search descriptor.

My results are as follows:

I got 64 hits. Of the initial hits, 1, 8 and 24 were relevant. I would definitely use anothr database to complete this search or vary my search terms next time.

Sucessive Fractions Search

For my successive fractions search, I chose WorldCat and started with what I thought was the broadest term, services.



The search returned 1.7+ million hits. Far, far too vast.

I added the libraries keyword.

I got 72,199 hits. Hits 4 and 10 were suprisingly relevant to my topic.



I decided to add the search term electronic in order to get more targeted results.

I got 10,141 hits. Still far too many. Hits 1, 2 and 8 were relevant. Still, tweaking the search terms would probably result in more targeted hits.

Specific Facet First Search

For my specific facet first search, I chose to use the LibLit database. All of my search terms were pretty broad as individual terms, so I chose the a database that would intrinsically restrict my search topic. I also chose the search term that I thought was most specific:

· Computers or technology



I got 18, 238 hits. This was far too many to adequately search.

Hits 2, 4 and 7 were pretty good, hits considering. I would still consider this a failed search and move on to a building block or successive fractions search.

Building Block Search

I started my building block search in ERIC with keywords:

· libraries or archive AND
· technology or computers or electronic AND
· delivery or services

I got 2,890 hits. My search results were as follows:

This search was too broad. Only hits 7 and 8 were viable hits. I repeated the search with some of the other key words electronic and delivery:

I got 353 hits. My search results were as follows:

Of these hits, the 2-6 and 8-10 would provide adequate articles on my blog topic.

Library Thing

Here are the tags from my selection: 06/08(1) 830(1) add(1) biblioteca(1) biblioteca 2.0(1) Bibliothek 2.0(1) bibliothek2.0(1) blogging(1) borrowed(1) class(1) handhelds(1) ill(1) information science(1) libinst2(1) librarianship(1) libraries(5) libraries and Internet; Web 2.0; Library 2.0(1) Library(4) library 2.0(17) library science(5) library tech(1) Library Technology(1) lis 633(1) LIS LIbrary2.0(1) nancy courtney(1) non-fiction(6) november2007(1) planning(1) podcast(1) read(1) school(1) screencast(1) service(1) social software(1) social_networking(1) technology(6) tools(1) unt(1) web(1) web 2.0(9) wikis(1) Work(1)

I chose Library 2.0 and Beyond: Innovative Technologies and Tomorrow's User by Nancy Courtney because this really falls in line with my philosophy on developing libraries to anticipate the needs of users. It received a 3.88 out of 4 rating by other Library Thing users.

Here's the link to my Library Thing page: http://www.librarything.com/home/jfenderson

RSS Feed: Librarians' Internet Index

I chose the Librarian's Internet Index RSS feed for my blog.

According to the LII website:

"Librarians' Internet Index (LII) is a publicly-funded website and weekly newsletter serving California, the nation, and the world.

Every Thursday morning we send out our free newsletter, New This Week, which features dozens of high-quality websites carefully selected, described, and organized by our team of librarians. Topics include current events and issues, holidays and seasons, helpful tools for information users, human interest, and more."

This feed seems like a good resource for finding reccomended websites of importance to librarians. With the Internet being as large and vast as it is, it's a definite value to have new, current and fresh web content that has been reccommended by a team of librarians.

23 Things Podcast

I found an interesting podcast on podcast.com entitled 23 Web 2.0 Things for Library Staff. The podcast offers library staff members an opportunity to 'self-discover' many of the technologies that are shaping the way that library services are delivered and that are fast becoming some of the tools and technological advances that library patrons are using.

A detailed blurb from the podcast site says: "The... blog has been set-up as part of DiMenna-Nyselius Library’s “23 Things for Library Staff” project to encourage staff to experiment and learn about the new and emerging technologies that are reshaping the context of information on the Internet today. The objectives of this program are to: encourage exploration of Web 2.0 and new technologies by Library staff. provide staff with new tools (that are freely available on the Internet) to better support the Library’s mission. reward staff for taking the initiative to complete 23 self-discovery exercises. "

I like this podcast because it's one thing to talk about technology, Web 2.0 and how it is changing the face of libraries all over the world and it's quite another to actually use that technology and to discover why this is such an important aspect of librarianship today.

I think it always shows when a professional attempts to market services or technology that he or she knows only theoretically. This podcast challenges librarians to step outside of the theories and put them into practice.

Tame The Web

I found an interesting blog via Google's Blog Search to spotlight here called Tame the Web. It immediately appealed to me because there was a guy on the front page playing Guitar Hero in the library. I think the immediate interest comes from the MTV generation that is embedded deep inside of me.

Here's a quote from the blog:

Justin Hoenke writes:
I’m the teen librarian at the Cape May County Library here in Cape May Court House, NJ.
I put together a “video games on tour at the library” event at our library that’s going on this week and so far it’s been really successful. We’ve had people of all ages coming out to test games at the library…it has been great!
Here are some photos! http://www.flickr.com/photos/capemaycountylibrary/

What a creative and refreshing way to use technology in the library! I know of at least ten kids who would not object to spending an afternoon at the library with this type of incentive. I might even be able to convince them to grab a book on the way out!

Actually, all of the reasons that the infusion of technology and the delivery of traditional library services appeal to can be found in this blog. I truly do see it as a way to reach library patrons where they are most comfortable - or at least where they will be most comfortable in the future.

About This Blog

This blog has been created as a competency for one of my first MLIS classes. I will be exploring the topic of electronic delivery of library services and some of the ways that technological advances are reshaping librarianship. I will be focusing primarily on public and academic libraries.