Information Overload is the Devil Sarah Houghton-Jan Digital Futures Manager for the San Jose Public Library author of LibrarianInBlack.net This presentation will be at LibrarianInBlack.net

Sarah Houghton-Jan

Digital Futures Manager for the

San Jose Public Library

author of LibrarianInBlack.net

This presentation will be at LibrarianInBlack.net

What does “Information Overload” mean to you?

“ We have become far more proficient in generating information than we are in managing it, and we have also built technology that easily allows us to create new information without human intervention.” ~Jonathan B. Spira

“ In an online world of small pieces loosely joined, librarians are among the most well qualified and highly motivated joiners of those pieces.” ~ John Udell – “Remixing the Library”

Top 5 Barriers to Dealing with Information Overload 1) Lack of time (or perceived lack)‏ 2) Lack of interest or motivation 3) Not encouraged/threatened by management 4) Not knowing where to start 5) Frustration with past attempts

1) Lack of time (or perceived lack)‏

2) Lack of interest or motivation

3) Not encouraged/threatened by management

4) Not knowing where to start

5) Frustration with past attempts

10 Tips for Dealing with Information Overload

#1: General Organizational Techniques

Inventory your inputs Inventory your devices Think before sending/subscribing Schedule yourself (including unscheduled work and tasks)‏ Use downtime Stay neat Keep a master waiting list

Inventory your inputs

Inventory your devices

Think before sending/subscribing

Schedule yourself (including unscheduled work and tasks)‏

Use downtime

Stay neat

Keep a master waiting list

#2: Filter Your Input

Weed, weed, and weed again Teach others communication etiquette (and stick to it)‏ Schedule unplugged times Unplug at will

Weed, weed, and weed again

Teach others communication etiquette (and stick to it)‏

Schedule unplugged times

Unplug at will

#3: RSS & Twitter Overload Techniques

Limit your feeds and following Use lists to organize feeds & Twitter friends Use RSS when applicable Use RSS to send you reminders

Limit your feeds and following

Use lists to organize feeds & Twitter friends

Use RSS when applicable

Use RSS to send you reminders

#4: Interruptive Technology Overload Techniques

Phones, text messaging, IM, Twitter Use these technologies when appropriate Check when you want to Don't interrupt yourself Use your status message Lobby for IM or Twitter at work

Phones, text messaging, IM, Twitter

Use these technologies when appropriate

Check when you want to

Don't interrupt yourself

Use your status message

Lobby for IM or Twitter at work

#5: Phone Overload Techniques

Use the phone when appropriate Turn it off Keep your number private Let it ring Work = work, home=home

Use the phone when appropriate

Turn it off

Keep your number private

Let it ring

Work = work, home=home

#6: Email Overload Techniques

Stop “Doing Email” Start scheduling email scanning time Use email when appropriate Deal with email by subject Keep your inbox nearly empty Filter your messages Limit listservs Follow good email etiquette Delete and archive Work=work, home=home

Stop “Doing Email”

Start scheduling email scanning time

Use email when appropriate

Deal with email by subject

Keep your inbox nearly empty

Filter your messages

Limit listservs

Follow good email etiquette

Delete and archive

Work=work, home=home

#7: Print Media Overload Techniques

Just because you can touch it, doesn't mean you should keep it Cancel, cancel, cancel (CatalogChoice.org)‏ Weed what you do have

Just because you can touch it, doesn't mean you should keep it

Cancel, cancel, cancel (CatalogChoice.org)‏

Weed what you do have

#8: Multimedia Overload Techniques

Choose entertainment thoughtfully Limit television viewing Schedule entertainment time Use your commute to your benefit

Choose entertainment thoughtfully

Limit television viewing

Schedule entertainment time

Use your commute to your benefit

#9: Social Networking Overload Techniques

Schedule time on your networks Pick a primary network and point other sites toward it Limit your “in-network IM”

Schedule time on your networks

Pick a primary network and point other sites toward it

Limit your “in-network IM”

#10: Time and Stress Management

Use your calendar (!)‏ Take breaks Eliminate stressful interruptions Look for software help Balance your life and work to your own liking, not your boss's or spouse's

Use your calendar (!)‏

Take breaks

Eliminate stressful interruptions

Look for software help

Balance your life and work to your own liking, not your boss's or spouse's

Further Resources “ Being Wired or Being Tired: 10 Ways to Cope with Information Overload” by Sarah Houghton-Jan (from Ariadne )‏ "How to Stop Your Inbox Exploding" by Cory Doctorow Information Overload: We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us by Jonathan B. Spira

“ Being Wired or Being Tired: 10 Ways to Cope with Information Overload” by Sarah Houghton-Jan (from Ariadne )‏

"How to Stop Your Inbox Exploding" by Cory Doctorow

Information Overload: We Have Met the Enemy and He Is Us by Jonathan B. Spira

Questions? Sarah Houghton-Jan web: www.LibrarianInBlack.net IM: LibrarianInBlack Skype: LibrairanInBlack Facebook: facebook.com/librarianinblack Twitter: twitter.com/TheLiB email: [email_address]