The adventures of LASSIE: Libraries and Social Software Dr Jane Secker Centre for Learning Technology London School of Economics and Political Science Manchester Metropolitan University 13 th November 2008

Outline of talk Based on findings from the LASSIE project What is web 2.0 & Library 2.0? A snapshot of library activity related to web 2.0 technologies including: RSS technologies Blogs Social networking Social bookmarking Lessons from LASSIE – IL and web 2.0 Issues to consider for libraries

Based on findings from the LASSIE project

What is web 2.0 & Library 2.0?

A snapshot of library activity related to web 2.0 technologies including:

RSS technologies

Blogs

Social networking

Social bookmarking

Lessons from LASSIE – IL and web 2.0

Issues to consider for libraries

LASSIE Libraries and social software in education Nine month project funded by University of London’s Centre for Distance Education Several project partners Literature review to provide a snapshot of activity Five case studies to explore different technologies Lassie filming on location in Florida. Photo courtesy State Archive of Florida

Libraries and social software in education

Nine month project funded by University of London’s Centre for Distance Education

Several project partners

Literature review to provide a snapshot of activity

Five case studies to explore different technologies

Project partners

The LASSIE literature review Covered three main areas: Libraries and social software (or web 2.0 developments) Libraries as a social space Current issues supporting distance learners Available on the project website, in LSE Research Online, published in Program…

Covered three main areas:

Libraries and social software (or web 2.0 developments)

Libraries as a social space

Current issues supporting distance learners

Available on the project website, in LSE Research Online, published in Program…

What is web 1.0? Web 1.0 - the user as a consumer Web editors created content Limited interactivity Communication via e-mail Dial-up connections Software on PC

Web 1.0 - the user as a consumer

Web editors created content

Limited interactivity

Communication via e-mail

Dial-up connections

Software on PC

What is Web 2.0 Using web as a platform for Communication Interactivity Sharing Storing information User generated content- blogs, wikis, social networks Always connected

Using web as a platform for

Communication

Interactivity

Sharing

Storing information

User generated content- blogs, wikis, social networks

Always connected

Some features of web 2.0 Services rather than software Hosted remotely / not locally Social interaction and communication Inclusion of ‘user generated content’ Tagging Re-usable data Syndication / feed enabled Easy to use….

Services rather than software

Hosted remotely / not locally

Social interaction and communication

Inclusion of ‘user generated content’

Tagging

Re-usable data

Syndication / feed enabled

Easy to use….

What is Library 2.0? From Michael Habib’s Flickr site (Licensed under Creative Commons): http://www.flickr.com/photo_zoom.gne?id=222296001&size=o

How are librarians responding? With enthusiasm and experimentation! Lots of examples of practical applications UK still someway behind the US Staff development an issue Some librarians have seen it as a threat, bandwagon, something to be ignored JISC currently exploring this area with the TILE project

With enthusiasm and experimentation!

Lots of examples of practical applications

UK still someway behind the US

Staff development an issue

Some librarians have seen it as a threat, bandwagon, something to be ignored

JISC currently exploring this area with the TILE project

RSS / news feeds Phil Bradley argues RSS underlies web 2.0 A new way of reading the web Content brought to you via a reader or aggregator Great for keeping up to date Content can be re-used elsewhere The BBC have an excellent overview of what RSS is and how it works

Phil Bradley argues RSS underlies web 2.0

A new way of reading the web

Content brought to you via a reader or aggregator

Great for keeping up to date

Content can be re-used elsewhere

The BBC have an excellent overview of what RSS is and how it works

LSE’s training portal

RSS from a blog RSS from a database

Web 2.0 library catalogues Features include: User reviews and ratings Tagging of items Using loan data to make recommendations RSS capability for example to generate new book lists All linked to overall trend to make library catalogues meet user’s expectations (largely based their use of Amazon)

Features include:

User reviews and ratings

Tagging of items

Using loan data to make recommendations

RSS capability for example to generate new book lists

All linked to overall trend to make library catalogues meet user’s expectations (largely based their use of Amazon)

Hennepin County Library

University of Huddersfield

Aquabrowser

Vu Find

Libraries and blogging Libraries and librarians are starting to embrace blogging Increasingly blogs used for Library news – can target specific audiences LASSIE blog invaluable for reflection, comments, news Requires a more informal written approach?

Libraries and librarians are starting to embrace blogging

Increasingly blogs used for Library news – can target specific audiences

LASSIE blog invaluable for reflection, comments, news

Requires a more informal written approach?

Madison-Jefferson County Public library blog

Blogging in FE Libraries

Worcester: ILS Matters

Libraries and social bookmarking Sites like delicious allow users to share / access their bookmarks Excellent for resource sharing Several libraries have developed their own social bookmarking tools Several libraries using delicious to maintain lists of internet resources Flexible, portable, customisable

Sites like delicious allow users to share / access their bookmarks

Excellent for resource sharing

Several libraries have developed their own social bookmarking tools

Several libraries using delicious to maintain lists of internet resources

Flexible, portable, customisable

LSE’s delicious pages

Using delicious in teaching

Libraries and social networking OCLC report suggested libraries didn’t have a role to play in social networking Despite this relatively high usage of sites such as Facebook by librarians Groups used for professional networking Pages can be created by organisations Many library related applications in Facebook The jury is still out!

OCLC report suggested libraries didn’t have a role to play in social networking

Despite this relatively high usage of sites such as Facebook by librarians

Groups used for professional networking

Pages can be created by organisations

Many library related applications in Facebook

The jury is still out!

Library pages in Facebook

University of Warwick – a case study Library links provide subject specific information for library users RSS feed from library blog to keep page looking fresh Various library related applications on the page including a customised catalogue search They don’t send out too many updates to fans – only really important things Got help and advice from other librarians when setting up the page - experiment rather than spend lots of time planning a Facebook page

Library links provide subject specific information for library users

RSS feed from library blog to keep page looking fresh

Various library related applications on the page including a customised catalogue search

They don’t send out too many updates to fans – only really important things

Got help and advice from other librarians when setting up the page - experiment rather than spend lots of time planning a Facebook page

Facebook survey: October 2008 Carried out a short survey to find out why libraries were using Facebook Results showed largely experimental although some libraries now have over 500 fans! Many library related applications can be added to Facebook pages A good way to promote events and keep users up to date Adding RSS feeds to page and using blogs also popular Findings slightly at odds with recent JISC survey of senior librarians

Carried out a short survey to find out why libraries were using Facebook

Results showed largely experimental although some libraries now have over 500 fans!

Many library related applications can be added to Facebook pages

A good way to promote events and keep users up to date

Adding RSS feeds to page and using blogs also popular

Findings slightly at odds with recent JISC survey of senior librarians

Other useful web 2.0 tools SlideShare – share your powerpoints Flickr –find images you can use under a creative commons licence You Tube – liven up teaching sessions! Google Reader or another feed reader to keep up to date with blogs and other sites with RSS Library Thing being used by some libraries to manage reading lists

SlideShare – share your powerpoints

Flickr –find images you can use under a creative commons licence

You Tube – liven up teaching sessions!

Google Reader or another feed reader to keep up to date with blogs and other sites with RSS

Library Thing being used by some libraries to manage reading lists

What are our students doing? Knowledge of web 2.0 as a concept is pretty much non-existent Some are using RSS feeds, but in my experience not many They are using Facebook, You Tube, photo sharing websites etc. But they are still not being discerning about the web

Knowledge of web 2.0 as a concept is pretty much non-existent

Some are using RSS feeds, but in my experience not many

They are using Facebook, You Tube, photo sharing websites etc.

But they are still not being discerning about the web

Lessons from LASSIE Social software has the potential to reach out to users in new ways Libraries and librarians need to continue to experiment with emerging technologies Currently real enthusiasm and innovation in the library community! Way ahead not clear but social software is important and not just a passing fad Social software has lots of potential in the area of information literacy teaching

Social software has the potential to reach out to users in new ways

Libraries and librarians need to continue to experiment with emerging technologies

Currently real enthusiasm and innovation in the library community!

Way ahead not clear but social software is important and not just a passing fad

Social software has lots of potential in the area of information literacy teaching

Web 2.0 and Information Literacy Many of the tools we have seen assist: Reflection Visual approaches Sharing Convenience Content creation Critical thinking Edited by Peter Godwin and Jo Parker. Facet, 2008

Many of the tools we have seen assist:

Reflection

Visual approaches

Sharing

Convenience

Content creation

Critical thinking

Integrating web 2.0 into IL Digital Literacy Programme RSS feeds, blogging, social bookmarking, iGoogle IL course for University of London distance learners at LSE in Moodle Going beyond Google, delicious IL programme for PhD students taught over 6 weeks RSS feeds, iGoogle, social bookmarking

Digital Literacy Programme

RSS feeds, blogging, social bookmarking, iGoogle

IL course for University of London distance learners at LSE in Moodle

Going beyond Google, delicious

IL programme for PhD students taught over 6 weeks

RSS feeds, iGoogle, social bookmarking

Questions and issues Can libraries / librarians ignore web 2.0 technologies and survive? Do you think Library 2.0 is just hype? Which technologies really do help make librarians do their jobs better? How do we cope with the challenges these new technologies present – including the staff development issues? Is there a role for library schools?

Can libraries / librarians ignore web 2.0 technologies and survive?

Do you think Library 2.0 is just hype?

Which technologies really do help make librarians do their jobs better?

How do we cope with the challenges these new technologies present – including the staff development issues?

Is there a role for library schools?

Thanks for listening! Jane Secker [email_address] Further reading Godwin, P and Parker, J. (2008) Information Literacy Meets Library 2.0. Facet Publishing. LASSIE blog: http://elearning.lse.ac.uk/blogs/socialsoftware/ Bookmarks in: http://www.delicious.com/lse_lassie/