Libraries and social software: an overview Dr Jane Secker Centre for Learning Technology London School of Economics and Political Science ALISS Summer Conference: 13 th August 2008, SOAS

Outline of talk Based on findings from the LASSIE project What is web 2.0? What is Library 2.0? A snapshot of library activity related to web 2.0 technologies including: RSS technologies Blogs Social networking Social bookmarking Some issues to consider for today….

Based on findings from the LASSIE project

What is web 2.0?

What is Library 2.0?

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

RSS technologies

Blogs

Social networking

Social bookmarking

Some issues to consider for today….

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 http://clt.lse.ac.uk/Projects/LASSIE.php

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

Project Overview Literature review of libraries and social software and distance learners (draft and final version) Review of web 2.0 tools and what libraries are currently doing Five case studies using social software to investigate how these technologies might enhance the experience of the distance (and full time) learner? Students were on UoL External Programme Tried to provide real evidence about what works and what is useful

Literature review of libraries and social software and distance learners (draft and final version)

Review of web 2.0 tools and what libraries are currently doing

Five case studies using social software to investigate how these technologies might enhance the experience of the distance (and full time) learner?

Students were on UoL External Programme

Tried to provide real evidence about what works and what is useful

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 more features of web 2.0 Services rather than software Hosted remotely / not locally Social interaction 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

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 – lots of journals now have feeds 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 – lots of journals now have feeds

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

Bibliocommons

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

Worcester: ILS Matters

The LASSIE Blog

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

Sites like del.icious allow users to share / access their bookmarks

Excellent for resource sharing

Several libraries have developed their own social bookmarking tools

Several libraries using del.icio.us to maintain lists of internet resources

Flexible, portable, customisable

Using del.icio.us

Stanford University

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

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

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

CiteULike

LibraryThing.com

Key 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 The wiki way and beta is good!

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

The wiki way and beta is good!

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 us do our job better? How do we cope with the challenges these new technologies present – including the staff development 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 us do our job better?

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

Thanks for listening! Jane Secker [email_address] LASSIE blog: http:// elearning.lse.ac.uk/blogs/socialsoftware / Bookmarked resources from the LASSIE project: http://delicious.com/lse_lassie/