Using Technology to Enhance
Your Services & Extend Your Reach
Multi-District Workshop for Citizens & Monessen Libraries
May 1st, 2009 -- Belle Vernon, PA
Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28438417@N08/3273899493

Choose a candy before going to
your seat
Do NOT unwrap it
Leave the candy in front of you
until instructed otherwise
Thanks!

 Library 2.0/Web 2.0 (overview)
 Utilizing 2.0 sites to serve library users
 Improving Adult Programming with 2.0
 2.0 Freebies
 Gadget Petting Zoo

A Social, Collaborative Web where sharing
and transparency are key
Defined by trends and sites such as:
Blogs/RSS — Wikis — Podcasts —Tagging —
Flickr -- de.licio.us — Facebook — Meebo —
Twitter—Blip — craigslist – eHow
LibraryThing

 The Read/Write Web
 Participatory and Social
 Information consumers and contributors
are often one in the same
But what does this really mean?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NLlGopyXT_g

Website Traffic Graph
comparing myspace.com, youtube.com and flickr.com

Tim O’Reilly’s Concise Explanation
Source: http://www.oreilly.com/pub/a/oreilly/tim/news/2005/09/30/what-is-web-20.html

Virtual Applications
Mash-Ups
Recombinations
User-Generated Apps
Perpetual Beta
Online Storage
Online Office Suites

Wikis
Folksonomies
User- Based Tagging
The Wisdom of the Crowds
Bottom up Classification
Schemes
Photo by dotpolka Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dotpolka/7938665/

Term coined by Michael Casey on his
blog Library Crunch (10/05)
Viewed as a “disruptive idea”
Requires radical trust and innovation
Willingness to accept constant state of
change as the new normal
Not just technology – also customer
service and a new way of doing
business
Photos by Ashley Baz source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28438417@N08/3273899493

K.G. Schneider’s Concise Explanation
Source: Library 2.0 Cookbook at http://www.slideshare.net/tonywh/library-20-18639

A model for constant and
purposeful change.
Empowers library users
through participatory, user-
driven services.
Seeks to improve service to
current library users while
Be willing to take a U-Turn
also reaching out to
Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/73662475@N00/2431359497
potential library users.
Source: Casey, Michael E. and Laura C. Savastinuk. Library 2.0: A Guide to Participatory Library Services. Medford, NJ: Information Today, 2007. (page 5)

Sailing the 7 C’s:
Connections

Communication

Collaboration

Cooperation

Change

Contribution

Community

Photo by: Wili Hybrid source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/62223880@N00/2692420732

What prevents a library from
being transparent?
Barriers. Roadblocks. Inability to
change. The culture of perfect.
The transparent library contains
three key elements: open
communication, adapting to
change, and scanning the horizon.
Attribution: Michael Casey & Michael Stephens -- Library
Journal, 4/1/2007 Online at: http://www.libraryjournal.com/
Photo by Inversefunction Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fluxus/8864477/

Blogs written by library staff
Twittering news updates and programs
Flickr accounts showcasing events, etc.
Presence on social networking sites such as Facebook
RSS feeds and Comments/Tags in the Catalog
Podcasts and Screencasts
Wikis for reader’s advisory and subject guides
Reference service by IM

AADL’s web site is
set up as a blog
Multiple staff
members
contribute
Comments are
welcome
Content is
current, relevant
and open

The PPL Flickr
account
showcases
programs, and
events, acts as
an archive for
PR posters and
so much more.

Librarians are creating
Apps for catalog search
and reference help.
Libraries are setting up
profiles to attract users.
Librarians are using it
for discussion and work
within the profession.

RSS feeds push the
library’s content to
the user.
Feeds not just for
blogs, but for
events, new
books, and alerts.

Podcasts can
highlight special
events and
performances or
include interviews
with authors, etc.
Screencasts can
give user friendly
tours of databases
and services.

A wiki is used
by SJCPL to
update their
subjects
guides easily
and quickly.

Microblog quick
updates and
program
announcements
via Twitter

Expand
How do you define programming ?

High Tech, Low Cost
Extend your programming reach
with technology:
Interactive blogs and wikis
Podcasting
Technology Talks
Video and Photo Contests
Gaming Nights
Student Film Festival
Customized Social
Network

Virtual Poetry Program
•Recorded and published a poet per day
for National Poetry Month in 2007
•Our own community and visitors from
across the globe listened and commented
•Attendance at the library’s monthly poetry
readings went up significantly as a result
•Local poets received great PR and
requested we do it again in 2008
Podcasting for Free (or close to it)
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 Proof is in the Numbers
Poetry Podcast 2007:
12,615 visits as of August 14
4,994 visits in April 2007
32 visitors per day on average since the
blog went live in April 2007
31 posts total with 59 comments
Poetry Podcast 2008:
5,320 visits as of August 14
359 visits on April 28 2008 (best day ever)
125 visitors per day on average during
National Poetry Month 2008
35 posts total with 95 comments
For more details on the PPL Poetry
Podcast Blog visit:
http://slideshare.net/janieh

Create an Interactive Adult Summer Reading Club for Free!
Princeton Public Library used a wiki to capture reviews in 2006 (we now use the
review feature in our online catalog).
Many libraries have set up book review blogs and post reviews from members
throughout the summer
Steal this next idea – a video contest on YouTube!

Video Review Contest
YouTube Channel: Free
Prizes – donations may be
possible, if not the cost is
relatively low:
Flip Video Camera $150
MP3 Players $50-$75
Benefits:
Great PR Tool
Interactive
Encourages Creativity
Promotes new Technology
Fun!

Student Film and Video Festivals
•Designed for high school and college
students up to age 24
•Guidelines and call for entries posted
via library web site and press release
•Students submit completed films
•Committee of volunteers screen and
selects film
•Films are viewed, often with
filmmakers present, over several nights
•Cost can vary from close to free to
$500 or more depending on amount of
PR and if prizes or t-shirts are given to
participants
•Susan Conlon won the VOYA MVP
award for creating this program
For detailed Information See:
http://www.princeton.lib.nj.us/teens/media/

Photo Contests
Not Just for Kids
Examples:
•reading favorite book
•PPL’s “Red Bag” photo
•Where is Thommy Ford?
Create a set on flickr.com
for free or post directly to
your web site
Digital cameras can be
purchased for around $100
to use for contests

Create community, online
conversations, virtual
programs and promote
library events and news by
leveraging the power of
Ning.com to create a
customized FREE social
networking site for your
library.

Created and hosted by bluemountains.net

 Search via tags and text for Creative Commons
pictures posted to flickr
 Creative Commons licensing allows you to use the
photos based upon user specifications (ie:
attribution, non-commercial, etc.)
http://flickrcc.bluemountains.net/
FlickrCC

Create, Share, and Store \"to do\" lists for everything

from your Christmas shopping to daily task list
 Lists are stored online and accessible from any
computer via your account
 Share your lists with others via RSS
 Save for future reference – great for packing lists
http://tadalist.com/
Tada List

Both allow you to send and share very large files

without freezing up email or taking down a
network!
No registration required

YouSendIt will hold the file for 30 days and send an

email to the recipient
Senduit lets you determine how long the file stays

live (up to 30 days). Provides you with a download
link.
http://senduit.com
http://yousendit.com
Senduit/YouSendIt

Senduit

Senduit

Senduit

Senduit

Online photo editing in your browser

No program installation required

Import pictures from your PC or online

Some features require premium subscription

Integrates seamlessly with flickr

http://www.picnik.com
Picnik

Picnik

Picnik

Picnik

Polling and Scheduling made easy

 No need to create an account
 Schedule a meeting and be assured you have the
best possible date
 Easy to update
http://doodle.ch
Doodle

Quickly converts files from one format to another

 Eliminates need for conversion software
 Convert text, image, video, and sound files (large
array of file extensions available)
 Conversions emailed for downloading
http://www.zamzar.com
Zamzar

No account required

 Just like a hotel wake up call
 Eliminate worry about missing flights, morning
meetings, etc
 Schedule regular reminder phone calls with a free
account
http://www.wakerupper.com/
Wakerupper

Motto: See how the experts do it

 “Experts” in a variety of areas post short how-to
videos
 Viewers can comment and rate
 Easy to share and post videos
http://www.monkeysee.com/
MonkeySee

A great place to host videos

An alternative to YouTube

Allows large file uploads

No commercial content allowed

Respect is required

http://www.vimeo.com
Vimeo

Gadgets! Gadgets! Gadgets!
Source:http://www.flickr.com/photos/48393303@N00/291107648

Work email: jhermann@princetonlibrary.org
Gmail: janieh@gmail.com
Twitter/Flickr/Slideshare: JanieH
YIM: janielianne
Meebo/GTalk: JanieH
Facebook: Janie Hermann in NJ
Blog: librarygarden.blogspot.com
Find Me!