Web Services
in Understaffed & Underfunded
Libraries
Bohyun Kim
kimb@fiu.edu
Digital Access Librarian
Florida International University, Medical Library
http://www.bohyunkim.net/blog
http://www.twitter.com/bohyunkim

About Me

Challenges for
Solo Web Services Librarians

Web services can mean
so many things

Website LMS
Intranet
E-Resources Reference
EZproxy
Social
IT Media
Repository Systems
Web Library
Tutorials Computer
Librarian Lab
Mobile Staff
Training
Link
Resolver Instructional
Technologies

Web Services
=
Anything tech‐related?

Web
=
Platform for all

Understaffed / Underfunded
is
a relative term

Depends on the kind and the
scope of work expected

Common Challenges
• Lack of staff
• Lack of resources
• Lack of time
• Expectations vs. Resources
• Politics
• Scarce R&D time
• Need to learn new stuff all the time

Various Issues
• Working with various IT groups
• Innovation under tight control
• Network security
• Server setup
• Hardware management
• Web design
• Programming

Tips for Web Librarians
• General
• Specific
– Website
– Intranet
– Tools for library staff
– Tools for library users
– Social media

Identify issues
Environmental Scan

Environmental Scan
• Learn about your environment
– Who does what, how, and where
• Research on your organization
– e.g. Univ. IT, School IT, Computer Labs, etc.
• Find out what is happening now
– Univ. website makeover, new CMS, etc.
• Potential colleague groups
– IT/Web folks, Librarians, Lab managers, etc.

Current Awareness
• Participate
• Volunteer
• Network
• Initiate
– Tools: Wiki, Ning, Twitter, Wiggio…

University Twitter Directory

University Web Group

Work with IT
they have power

Tips for Web Librarians
• General
• Specific
– Website
– Intranet
– Tools for library staff
– Tools for library users
– Social media

Library on the Web
Dynamic Dynamic Dynamic

ISSUE:
Website Updates
slow & heavy control

SOLUTION:
Automatic Updates

Example
• News updates from blog postings
• Resource links from Delicious
• Embedded Google Calendar for events
• Google Form for quick processing

Tips for Web Librarians
• General
• Specific
– Website
– Intranet
– Tools for library staff
– Tools for library users
– Social media

Intranet
• Tools that are easy and simple to use
• Tools that help everyday tasks
• Immediate benefit
• Free Tools: PB Wiki, Ning, blog
• Example:
– Blog + Email notification for new postings

Tips for Web Librarians
• General
• Specific
– Website
– Intranet
– Tools for library staff
– Tools for library users
– Social media

Web Tools for Staff
• Google Docs
– Simultaneous editing
• Google Form
– Quick and easy solution to web forms
+ simultaneous record keeping
• Intranet Toolbar : Conduit
• IM : Office Communicator
• Hands‐on training => Wide adoption

Tips for Web Librarians
• General
• Specific
– Website
– Intranet
– Tools for library staff
– Tools for library users
– Social media

Web Tools for Users
• LibX
– Library resources on a web browser
• Citation Manager
– Refworks, Zotero, Endnote, etc.
• Web conference tools
– Dimdim
• Other
– Delicious

Tips for Web Librarians
• General
• Specific
– Website
– Intranet
– Tools for library staff
– Tools for library users
– Social media

Social Media
Content & Interaction

Social Media
• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Flickr
• Delicious
• What do your users use?

Plan to Do What is Possible
• Instructional technologies
• ERM
• Computer lab
• Digital repository
• …
• Prioritize
• Trial and Error
• Iterate

Thank You!

Questions?
Thoughts?