It's Good to Share: Collaboration Made Easier with Web-Based ToolsAhlam Saleh, MD, MLSPatricia Weiss, MLISHealth Sciences Library SystemUniversity of Pittsburgh

Copyright 2009 Health Sciences Library System, University of Pittsburgh

Web 2.0: The Social Web“Architecture of participation”The best applications become more useful for all as more and more people use them more and more frequently.Examples: eBay, Wikipedia, Amazon

Web 2.0 Social Media TypesSocial networking sites(MySpace, Facebook): Users develop relationships.Blogging and microblogging sites (Blogger, Twitter): Users can author or read/comment on news, topics, opinions.Social bookmarking sites (del.icio.us, Flickr, CiteULike): Users post and share URLs by labeling them with “tags” (short descriptors). Web-based productivity tools (Google Docs): Users collaborate ubiquitously to create things and get stuff done.

Tools We’ll Look at TodayGoogle Docs Creating word processing, spreadsheet, and presentation documentsWetpaintCreating/sharing a wiki (collaborative Web site)del.icio.us Social bookmarkingCiteULike Social bookmarking/citation managementRefWorks, Zotero Citation managementMyNCBI Saving/sharing PubMed referencesDropbox Ubiquitous file sharingDoodle Scheduling meetings, poll taking

Tools We’ll Look at Today (2)All are Web-based.Most are not tied to software loaded on a specific computer (except Zotero, Dropbox).All offer a basic level of service that is free (except RefWorks – University subscription).Some can be searched by anyone, but all require the user to create an account for wider functional access.

ReferencesLinks to all applications mentioned in this presentation are at:delicious.com/hsls/collaborativetoolsSlides for this presentation are at:tinyurl.com/its-good-to-share

Scenario 1.You are in the process of developing a committee plan with a colleague from another institution.Older tools: Email attachmentsWeb 2.0 tools:Google Docs (docs.google.com)Another product: zoho (www.zoho.com)

How it WorksSign up for a Google account.Start a new document, spreadsheet, presentation or Upload an existing fileExamples of file types supported:.html, .txt, .doc, .rtf, .odt , ppt, .pps, .xlsOffice 2007: .docx, .xlsx, but not .pptxOption to share a file with another userMultiple files permitted in an accountOrganization by folders

How it Works (2)Collaborators may work on same file simultaneouslyReal time editing is color coded so you can see who is editing whatVersions of file saved over the course of editing Chat window available for spreadsheetsOutput options:Export to MSWord, MSExcel, MSPowerPointPublish as HTMLConvert to PDF

LimitationsNo reference management product integration (EndNote, RefWorks…) Can upload PDFs but no option to editLimitations with features of documents/spreadsheets/presentationsMay have formatting glitches

Scenario2.You are a course director leading a group of colleagues in developing a new curriculum.Older tools:Microsoft Office + emailHTML editor + emailWeb 2.0 tool: WikiWetpaint (www.wetpaint.com)Another product: PBWorks (pbworks.com)

What is a wiki?Wiki = collaboratively developed Web siteUseful when a group of contributors needs shared access to a collection of documents they are developing together or for other collaborative tasks. Most famous wiki is Wikipedia

HSLS Nursing Instruction Wiki on wetpaint.com

Editing in Wetpaint

Ongoing conversations: Pagethreads, replies, watches, notifications

More Wiki Social AspectsMembers invite others to join.Roles—who is allowed to do what (creator, administrator, moderator, etc.)Each member automatically has a profile.Wetpaint wikis can be public or private (password protected).Each page has a complete history showing who added or changed what and when.

Members invite others to join.

Roles—who is allowed to do what (creator, administrator, moderator, etc.)

Each member automatically has a profile.

Wetpaint wikis can be public or private (password protected).

Each page has a complete history showing who added or changed what and when.

Scenario3.Your group is researching the accuracy of information about Community-Associated MRSA available to the public. You start by collecting MRSA information on popular news and health Web sites.Older tools:Web browser bookmarks (as in Internet Explorer Favorites)Web 2.0 tool: Delicious (del.icio.us)

del.icio.us:Like regular bookmarks, but made to shareTags = One-word descriptors you assign to bookmarks to help you organize and remember themGot a site to bookmark? Go to del.icio.us. Create an account or log in.Click onEnter URL, Title, and Tags. (Notes are optional.)

LimitationsUnlike MEDLINE indexing (“MeSH”) terms, tags in del.icio.us (and most of Web 2.0) are not standardized.User 1: film, User 2: movie, User 3: flickDon’t expect collegial stimulation. Anyone and everyone can (and does) use del.icio.us for personal projects, professional work, and/or fun.

Scenario 4.You and your colleagues are collecting articles for the bibliography of a paper you are co-authoring.Older tools:EndNoteWeb 2.0 tools:CiteULike (www.citeulike.org) A “free service to help you to store, organise and share the scholarly papers you are reading.”Another product: Connotea (www.connotea.com)

As with del.icio.us, share your bookmarks by sending out URLs. Clicking on desired tag in your library displays link in browser address window.Group = Collection of users creating shared libraries of links. Create a group for you and your colleagues.You can attach a PDF to a bookmark, but you can’t share it. Others will/won’t be able to use it based on their own institutional access.Going Social in CiteULike

LimitationsAs with Delicious, tags are non-standard.Unlike EndNote, CiteULike cannot add formatted citations and a bibliography to a document.

Scenario 5.You are working on a literature review with a colleague on another network and you are both collecting references.Older tools: EndNote + email (between colleagues)Carrying your EndNote library on a flash drive to make it portable (and then only on computers with EndNote installed).Web 2.0 tools:RefWorksAnother product: Zotero (www.zotero.org)

How it WorksHSLS subscribed productSign up for an individual accountIndividual account = DatabaseWithin your account/databaseOrganize references into folders

Sharing/CollaboratingOption #1: Invite colleague to view a folder or your entire database of references.Option #2: Create separate account, share login + password with collaborators.

Screen Shots

Screen Shots (2)

LimitationsOption to share folder by invitation does not permit others to share your references.

Zotero (www.zotero.org)Reference management softwareFreeAdd-on extension to Firefox browserComputer specific applicationAdd on extension to Portable Firefox Makes references portableNewest version: 2.0 in betaGroups capabilitySync capability

MyNCBICollections (set of saved citations in PubMed)Private or public (shared) settings

MyNCBI (2)

Collaborative Candy: Easy-to-Use Extras

Dropbox (getdropbox.com)Desktop application – download to computerWorks like a shared driveCan install “dropbox” on multiple computers using same login for access to the same contentsImplications: Shared email account neededAlso Web versionLog into account on Web site

DropboxDropboxDesktop version

Dropbox (2)Web version

Dropbox (3)2GB storage limitOnly one dropbox (account) per computerShare various file typesPremium storage/security- payOther productsBox (www.box.net)drop.io (drop.io)Zoho Docs (docs.zoho.com)

Doodle (doodle.com)

Summing it all up…First considerations“Does the technology address our needs?” “Will all members be able to access and use it?”CaveatsDevelop a local backup routine and use it regularly. Avoid careless selection of user names or passwords.Think before clicking! Protect against malware by being suspicious and using common sense.