Podcasting at Princeton We’re Down with OPP A panel presentation sponsored by the NJLA IT Section NJLA Annual Conference 2008 Panelist: Janie Hermann Program Coordinator/Technology Training Librarian Princeton Public Library, Princeton, NJ [email_address]

Why a Poetry Podcast Blog? PPL has longstanding tradition of celebrating National Poetry Month U.S. 1 Poets have a monthly invite at the library Many excellent poets on campus and in the community

PPL has longstanding tradition of celebrating National Poetry Month

U.S. 1 Poets have a monthly invite at the library

Many excellent poets on campus and in the community

Why a Poetry Podcast Blog? Definite “start and end” time to the project by tying it to National Poetry Month Poetry lends itself well to the “podcast a day” format we envisioned for our first major foray

Definite “start and end” time to the project by tying it to National Poetry Month

Poetry lends itself well to the “podcast a day” format we envisioned for our first major foray

Podcasting on a Shoestring The Princeton Method: Purchase USB Microphone ($32.95) Record and edit using Audacity (free) Host files at the Internet Archive (free) Post podcasts on a WordPress blog (free) Staff Time ( varies greatly)

The Princeton Method:

Purchase USB Microphone ($32.95)

Record and edit using Audacity (free)

Host files at the Internet Archive (free)

Post podcasts on a WordPress blog (free)

Staff Time ( varies greatly)

Podcasting on a Shoestring Staffing Considerations: Creating podcasts can be time consuming, depending on the scope of the project Do not underestimate time needed to edit and create clean files Possible to use well-trained volunteers

Staffing Considerations:

Creating podcasts can be time consuming, depending on the scope of the project

Do not underestimate time needed to edit and create clean files

Possible to use well-trained volunteers

Project Timeline January – assemble project team, work with PR Department to publicize the “call for poets” February – invite selected poets for recording, schedule recordings, devise workflow, establish and design blog March – record as many poets as possible, begin to prepare files for upload, start PR Blitz via listservs, message boards, press releases, posters, etc April – continue to record poets, prepare files, publish a poem a day, notify poets when they are the “poet of the day”, maintain blog May – monitor statistics and rest

January – assemble project team, work with PR Department to publicize the “call for poets”

February – invite selected poets for recording, schedule recordings, devise workflow, establish and design blog

March – record as many poets as possible, begin to prepare files for upload, start PR Blitz via listservs, message boards, press releases, posters, etc

April – continue to record poets, prepare files, publish a poem a day, notify poets when they are the “poet of the day”, maintain blog

May – monitor statistics and rest

Nuts and Bolts Number Staff Involved: 4 during implementation phase 2-3 during production phase Average Time spent per post: 10-20 minutes to record 3-5 minutes to take photo 15-30 minutes to edit recording 15-20 minutes to upload files and assemble post 5-10 minutes on email communications

Number Staff Involved:

4 during implementation phase

2-3 during production phase

Average Time spent per post:

10-20 minutes to record

3-5 minutes to take photo

15-30 minutes to edit recording

15-20 minutes to upload files and assemble post

5-10 minutes on email communications

Audacity <http://audacity.sourceforge.net/> Audacity is a free, audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and other operating systems. Audacity can: Record live audio. Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs. Edit MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files. Cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together. Change the speed or pitch of a recording.

Audacity is a free, audio editor and recorder for Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and other operating systems.

Audacity can:

Record live audio.

Convert tapes and records into digital recordings or CDs.

Edit MP3, WAV or AIFF sound files.

Cut, copy, splice or mix sounds together.

Change the speed or pitch of a recording.

Statistics Poetry Podcast 2007: 11,449 visits as of April 29 4,994 visits in April 2007 32 visitors per day on average 31 posts total with 51 comments Poetry Podcast 2008: 3647 visits as of April 29 359 visits on April 28 2008 (best day ever) 125 visitors per day on average 32 posts total with 73 comments

Poetry Podcast 2007:

11,449 visits as of April 29

4,994 visits in April 2007

32 visitors per day on average

31 posts total with 51 comments

Poetry Podcast 2008:

3647 visits as of April 29

359 visits on April 28 2008 (best day ever)

125 visitors per day on average

32 posts total with 73 comments

Lessons Learned Establish clear guidelines and goals Assign responsibilities and deadlines for each phase of -- ensure that there is a clear workflow Recording “live” requires a decent microphone and more editing time Be prepared to re-record segments and sessions Word of mouth PR works great, but also need to be proactive Be prepared for “down time” Have a back up plan

Establish clear guidelines and goals

Assign responsibilities and deadlines for each phase of -- ensure that there is a clear workflow

Recording “live” requires a decent microphone and more editing time

Be prepared to re-record segments and sessions

Word of mouth PR works great, but also need to be proactive

Be prepared for “down time”

Have a back up plan

Future Direction Bring our podcasts in-house Create a branded presence and permanent home on our web site Dedicate staff and budget time to podcasting, vidcasting and screencasting Children’s Book Festival is next!

Bring our podcasts in-house

Create a branded presence and permanent home on our web site

Dedicate staff and budget time to podcasting, vidcasting and screencasting

Children’s Book Festival is next!

Other Podcasts to Explore PLCMC Reader’s Club http://www.plcmc.org/readers_club/podcasts.asp Sunnyvale Public Library Podcasts http://www.librarypodcasts.org/ LibVibe: Library News http://libvibe.blogspot.com/

PLCMC Reader’s Club

http://www.plcmc.org/readers_club/podcasts.asp

Sunnyvale Public Library Podcasts

http://www.librarypodcasts.org/

LibVibe: Library News

http://libvibe.blogspot.com/

Contact Info: Email: [email_address] Gtalk/Meebo/Twitter: JanieH YIM: janielianne Slides will be hosted on SlideShare.net: http://www.slideshare.net/janieh

Email: [email_address]

Gtalk/Meebo/Twitter: JanieH

YIM: janielianne

Slides will be hosted on SlideShare.net:

http://www.slideshare.net/janieh