Connect With Your Users: Communicate Using Social Software Tools 113 th Vermont Library Conference May 15, 2007 Rob Favini NELINET, Inc

An Hour and 15 WITH Questions??!!! Blogs Wikis RSS

Blogs

Wikis

RSS

The Blog Defined A blog (short for web log ) is a website where entries are made and displayed in a reverse chronological order. Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of most early blogs. Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog viewed 5/9/07

A blog (short for web log ) is a website where entries are made and displayed in a reverse chronological order. Blogs provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. The ability for readers to leave comments in an interactive format is an important part of most early blogs.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog viewed 5/9/07

What’s Blog-y? Text Images Links Comments in response to a posting Subscription Audio (podcasts) Video (vlogs or vodcasts) No code skills needed

Text

Images

Links

Comments in response to a posting

Subscription

Audio (podcasts)

Video (vlogs or vodcasts)

No code skills needed

Blog v Static Web site Blog easy to add content no FTP required Ability to subscribe (content goes to users automatically) Web site go through gatekeeper to add content need special software or skills (Dreamwever, FrontPage, or hand-code) users have to come to site

Blog

easy to add content

no FTP required

Ability to subscribe (content goes to users automatically)

Web site

go through gatekeeper to add content

need special software or skills (Dreamwever, FrontPage, or hand-code)

users have to come to site

State of the Blogosphere Technorati, April 2007 Over 70 million blogs 1.4 blogs per second 100 times bigger than 3 years ago 1.4 million postings per day; 17 posts per second 100 most popular sites: 22 are blogs http://technorati.com/weblog/blogosphere/

Over 70 million blogs

1.4 blogs per second

100 times bigger than 3 years ago

1.4 million postings per day; 17 posts per second

100 most popular sites: 22 are blogs

The Library Big Picture Large number of our users look to blogs for information Blogs are, in practice, communities of interest Blogging helps to change the perception of the library

Large number of our users look to blogs for information

Blogs are, in practice, communities of interest

Blogging helps to change the perception of the library

How Are Libraries Using Blogs? Links and commentary about subject resources Links to articles/announcements: newspapers, journals, publications, reviews, Web sites… Communicate library/community news Access the OPAC!

Links and commentary about subject resources

Links to articles/announcements: newspapers, journals, publications, reviews, Web sites…

Communicate library/community news

Access the OPAC!

Library Blog Examples Darien Library www.darienlibrary.org / HPER Librarian, Springfield College www.babsonlibrary.org/hper Plymouth State Univ., NH http:// www.plymouth.edu/library/opac / Uthink: Blogs at the University of Minnesota http://blog.lib.umn.edu/

Darien Library

www.darienlibrary.org /

HPER Librarian, Springfield College

www.babsonlibrary.org/hper

Plymouth State Univ., NH

http:// www.plymouth.edu/library/opac /

Uthink: Blogs at the University of Minnesota

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/

Independent Librarian Voices (One Day @ ALA Seattle) Tame The Web (Michael Stephens) http:// tametheweb.com / David Lee King http:// www.davidleeking.com / Shifted Librarian (Jenny Levine) http:// www.theshiftedlibrarian.com / Library Man (Michael Porter) http:// www.libraryman.com/blog

Tame The Web (Michael Stephens)

http:// tametheweb.com /

David Lee King

http:// www.davidleeking.com /

Shifted Librarian (Jenny Levine)

http:// www.theshiftedlibrarian.com /

Library Man (Michael Porter)

http:// www.libraryman.com/blog

Blog Software: Youth Oriented LiveJournal http://www.livejournal.com Free! MySpace http://myspace.com Free! Bebo http://www.bebo.com Free!

LiveJournal

http://www.livejournal.com

Free!

MySpace

http://myspace.com

Free!

Bebo

http://www.bebo.com

Free!

Blog Software: In Between Vox http://www.vox.com/ Free! Blogger http:// www.blogger.com Free!

Vox

http://www.vox.com/

Free!

Blogger

http:// www.blogger.com

Free!

Blog Software: Professional WordPress http:// wordpress.org / http:// wordpress.com / MovableType http:// www.movabletype.com / TypePad http:// www.typepad.com /

WordPress

http:// wordpress.org /

http:// wordpress.com /

MovableType

http:// www.movabletype.com /

TypePad

http:// www.typepad.com /

What is a Wiki? Collaborative Web publishing Collection of never-finished documents Uses simplified hypertext markup Requires no knowledge of Web languages Users have to learn a handful of software-specific codes Anyone can add/delete/modify Can be restricted (login required)

Collaborative Web publishing

Collection of never-finished documents

Uses simplified hypertext markup

Requires no knowledge of Web languages

Users have to learn a handful of software-specific codes

Anyone can add/delete/modify

Can be restricted (login required)

What’s Wiki-y? Wiki is… collaborative Community oriented A way to create documents a knowledge base always in flux infinitely editable internally linked a bit chaotic

Wiki is…

collaborative

Community oriented

A way to create documents

a knowledge base

always in flux

infinitely editable

internally linked

a bit chaotic

If it walks like a wiki… Articles Edit Talk/Discussion History Search Categories

Articles

Edit

Talk/Discussion

History

Search

Categories

The Most Famous Wiki of All Wikipedia ( http:// www.wikipedia.org ) Goal: “…to put the sum of all human knowledge in the form of an encyclopedia in the hands of every single person on the planet for free.” — Jimmy Wales, cofounder and chief executive; http://www.bizreport.com/print/7945

Wikipedia ( http:// www.wikipedia.org )

Goal: “…to put the sum of all human knowledge in the form of an encyclopedia in the hands of every single person on the planet for free.” — Jimmy Wales, cofounder and chief executive; http://www.bizreport.com/print/7945

The Wiki Philosophy Trust always works One has to trust to collaborate People trust works produced by people they don’t know Neighbors on the stoop Soft security—rely on the community

Trust always works

One has to trust to collaborate

People trust works produced by people they don’t know

Neighbors on the stoop

Soft security—rely on the community

Objections Perception that anyone can edit any thing No copyright, no control, no authoritative guidance Soft security—community values History revision Require users to log in It’s a disorganized mess Recent changes Search Categories RSS feeds

Perception that anyone can edit any thing

No copyright, no control, no authoritative guidance

Soft security—community values

History revision

Require users to log in

It’s a disorganized mess

Recent changes

Search

Categories

RSS feeds

Wikipedia Put to the Test Stephen Colbert And Wikiality

Stephen Colbert And Wikiality

Problems Solved by Wikis! Internal communication (intranet) Subject guides/pathfinders Reference how-to guides Local topic guides Project management Policies and procedures Meeting minutes repository Library Web site – multiple authors

Internal communication (intranet)

Subject guides/pathfinders

Reference how-to guides

Local topic guides

Project management

Policies and procedures

Meeting minutes repository

Library Web site – multiple authors

Library Applications Subject/research guides Project planning Policy manuals Resource listings Training resources Web content management system Professional development To-do lists Partial listing from Library Technology Reports , Vol 42, No. 4 (July/August 2006)

Subject/research guides

Project planning

Policy manuals

Resource listings

Training resources

Web content management system

Professional development

To-do lists

Partial listing from Library Technology Reports , Vol 42, No. 4 (July/August 2006)

Examples: Staff Wiki University of Minnesota Libraries http:// wiki.lib.umn.edu/Staff/HomePage Antioch University Staff Training & Support http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/antioch_university_new_england_library_staff_training_and_support_wiki/ UConn Libraries’ Staff Wiki http://wiki.lib.uconn.edu/wiki/Main_Page

University of Minnesota Libraries

http:// wiki.lib.umn.edu/Staff/HomePage

Antioch University Staff Training & Support

http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/antioch_university_new_england_library_staff_training_and_support_wiki/

UConn Libraries’ Staff Wiki

http://wiki.lib.uconn.edu/wiki/Main_Page

Examples: Subject Specific Princeton Public Library Summer Reading Club http:// booklovers.pbwiki.com / Oregon Libraries Library Instruction http:// instructionwiki.org/Main_Page New England Music Libraries Association (NEMLA) http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/nemla_directory_of_music_libraries_draft/ Ohio University Library Business Subject Guide http://www.library.ohiou.edu/subjects/bizwiki/index.php/Main_Page

Princeton Public Library Summer Reading Club

http:// booklovers.pbwiki.com /

Oregon Libraries Library Instruction

http:// instructionwiki.org/Main_Page

New England Music Libraries Association (NEMLA)

http://www.seedwiki.com/wiki/nemla_directory_of_music_libraries_draft/

Ohio University Library Business Subject Guide

http://www.library.ohiou.edu/subjects/bizwiki/index.php/Main_Page

Examples: Fun Nancy Pearl’s Book Lust Wiki http://booklust.wetpaint.com/ Tupperwiki http:// tupperwiki.pbwiki.com

Nancy Pearl’s Book Lust Wiki

http://booklust.wetpaint.com/

Tupperwiki

http:// tupperwiki.pbwiki.com

Wiki Software There’s A LOT of wiki software available…A LOT! Compare different software packages http://www.wikimatrix.org/

There’s A LOT of wiki software available…A LOT!

Compare different software packages

http://www.wikimatrix.org/

Wiki Software PMWiki http:// www.pmwiki.org / MediaWiki http://www.mediawiki.org/ wiki/MediaWiki EditMe http:// www.editme.com / Seedwiki http:// www.seedwiki.com/wiki/seed_wiki/seed_wiki PBWiki http:// pbwiki.com /

PMWiki http:// www.pmwiki.org /

MediaWiki http://www.mediawiki.org/ wiki/MediaWiki

EditMe http:// www.editme.com /

Seedwiki http:// www.seedwiki.com/wiki/seed_wiki/seed_wiki

PBWiki http:// pbwiki.com /

RSS: A Simple Definition A way to feed content to a large number of people from an online publisher, i.e. the Wall Street Journal, a blog, library acquisition department

A way to feed content to a large number of people from an online publisher, i.e. the Wall Street Journal, a blog, library acquisition department

RSS Terminology RSS feed RSS aggregator Centralized aggregator Personal aggregator Readers RSS syndication

RSS feed

RSS aggregator

Centralized aggregator

Personal aggregator

Readers

RSS syndication

XML Makes it Possible XML – Extensible Markup Language Describes what content is, not what it looks like (HTML) Enables RSS aggregators to categorize and deliver content

XML – Extensible Markup Language

Describes what content is, not what it looks like (HTML)

Enables RSS aggregators to categorize and deliver content

The Basic Concept Web-based Content Aggregator/ Reader Desktop: Email or Browser

Producer and Consumer Getting Library Information Out to Users Managing Personal Information Intake

What are People Doing With this in Library Land? University of Reno, Nevada www.library.unr.edu/new/newbooks.html Innovative Announces New RSS Feed Capabilities for Millennium www.iii.com/news/pr_template.php?id=256 ExLibris: ALEPH 500 create custom RSS feeds www.exlibrisgroup.com/newsdetails.htm?nid =456 ) NELINET www.nelinet.net/edserv/index.htm

University of Reno, Nevada

www.library.unr.edu/new/newbooks.html

Innovative Announces New RSS Feed Capabilities for Millennium

www.iii.com/news/pr_template.php?id=256

ExLibris: ALEPH 500 create custom RSS feeds

www.exlibrisgroup.com/newsdetails.htm?nid =456 )

NELINET

www.nelinet.net/edserv/index.htm

RSS Readers Bloglines http:// bloglines.com / Google Reader Need a gmail account http:// www.google.com /reader FireFox LiveBookmarks http:// www.mozilla.com/firefox/livebookmarks.html

Bloglines

http:// bloglines.com /

Google Reader

Need a gmail account

http:// www.google.com /reader

FireFox LiveBookmarks

http:// www.mozilla.com/firefox/livebookmarks.html

Like We Have Time for Questions!

Contact Information Rob Favini Program Director Educational Services NELINET, Inc www.nelinet.net [email_address] 508.597.1938 800.635.4638 x1938

Rob Favini

Program Director

Educational Services

NELINET, Inc

www.nelinet.net

[email_address]

508.597.1938

800.635.4638 x1938