Step 1: Accept that you can’t keep up with everything

Step 2: Determine what topics are most important to your continuing education

Step 3: Choose your “filters”

Filters: Professional journals What journals do you get at your library in print? What journals are available through the databases you subscribe to? LIS Repositories ( E-LIS , DLIST , etc.) Many journals freely available on the Web.

What journals do you get at your library in print?

What journals are available through the databases you subscribe to?

LIS Repositories ( E-LIS , DLIST , etc.)

Many journals freely available on the Web.

Journals available for free online Library Journal D-Lib Ariadne Educause Review School Library Journal Cite and Insights ASIS&T Bulletin First Monday …and more!

Library Journal

D-Lib

Ariadne

Educause Review

School Library Journal

Cite and Insights

ASIS&T Bulletin

First Monday …and more!

Filters: Blogs Blogs on just about every subject Cataloging Instruction Technology Distance learning School librarianship etc.

Blogs on just about every subject

Cataloging

Instruction

Technology

Distance learning

School librarianship

etc.

Filters: Webcasts More and more free Webcasts offered: OPAL – Online Programming for All Libraries SirsiDynix Institute Blended Librarian Online Community InfoPeople

More and more free Webcasts offered:

OPAL – Online Programming for All Libraries

SirsiDynix Institute

Blended Librarian Online Community

InfoPeople

Filters: Podcasts Podcast = MP3 audio content syndicated with RSS. Listen via computer, CD, MP3 player Examples LibVibe Talking with Talis Library Geeks InfoSpeak IT Conversations

Podcast = MP3 audio content syndicated with RSS.

Listen via computer, CD, MP3 player

Examples

LibVibe

Talking with Talis

Library Geeks

InfoSpeak

IT Conversations

Filters: People Networking locally Networking online Blogs IM Online communities Electronic mailing lists WebJunction Wikis

Networking locally

Networking online

Blogs

IM

Online communities

Electronic mailing lists

WebJunction

Wikis

Step 4: Find tools to help you keep up

Tools: RSS RSS is format for syndicating content on the Web. Based on XML Enables you to view content from different sites on a single page. Many Web sites have RSS feeds these days if they have information that is updated regularly (examples: CNN , NY Times , Burlington Free Press ).

RSS is format for syndicating content on the Web.

Based on XML

Enables you to view content from different sites on a single page.

Many Web sites have RSS feeds these days if they have information that is updated regularly (examples: CNN , NY Times , Burlington Free Press ).

RSS Aggregator Used to read RSS feeds.

Used to read RSS feeds.

Getting started Choose an aggregator (Web-based or desktop) Find RSS feeds for your favorite Web site (look for or ) Subscribe to those feeds in your aggregator Start reading!

Choose an aggregator (Web-based or desktop)

Find RSS feeds for your favorite Web site (look for or )

Subscribe to those feeds in your aggregator

Start reading!

Tools: Social bookmarking Web-based bookmarking system Users create descriptive tags for items rather than putting them in folders People can see your bookmarks and you can see theirs Tags make Web sites more “re-findable” You can search by tags to find interesting things other people bookmarked

Web-based bookmarking system

Users create descriptive tags for items rather than putting them in folders

People can see your bookmarks and you can see theirs

Tags make Web sites more “re-findable”

You can search by tags to find interesting things other people bookmarked

Social bookmarking services del.icio.us blinklist furl Connotea CiteULike

del.icio.us

blinklist

furl

Connotea

CiteULike

Getting Started Choose a social bookmarking service Download a toolbar widget for quick bookmarking When you are on a page you want to bookmark, click on the widget Enter the tags you want to use to describe and submit bookmark Browse other people’s tags to find cool stuff

Choose a social bookmarking service

Download a toolbar widget for quick bookmarking

When you are on a page you want to bookmark, click on the widget

Enter the tags you want to use to describe and submit bookmark

Browse other people’s tags to find cool stuff

Step 5: Foster lifelong learning @ your library

Fostering lifelong learning Give librarians time during work to attend Webcasts Make Webcasts an event at your library Subscribe to professional journals Have monthly professional development meetings Have a yearly professional development event Discuss library issues with colleagues

Give librarians time during work to attend Webcasts

Make Webcasts an event at your library

Subscribe to professional journals

Have monthly professional development meetings

Have a yearly professional development event

Discuss library issues with colleagues

Meredith Farkas Distance Learning Librarian Norwich University [email_address] http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/ AIM: librarianmer Thank you!