Libraries and social software: an overview Dr Jane Secker Centre for Learning Technology London School of Economics and Political Science City University: 6 th February 2009

Outline of talk Based on findings from the LASSIE project What does Web 2.0 mean for libraries? What are the issues? A snapshot of library activity related to web 2.0 technologies including: Web 2.0 catalogues RSS technologies Blogs Social bookmarking Social networking – Facebook and Second Life Conclusions

Based on findings from the LASSIE project

What does Web 2.0 mean for libraries?

What are the issues?

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

Web 2.0 catalogues

RSS technologies

Blogs

Social bookmarking

Social networking – Facebook and Second Life

Conclusions

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 Outputs Literature review of libraries and social software and distance learners (draft and final version) Five case studies using social software to investigate how these technologies might enhance the experience of the distance (and full time) learner? Conferences and publications The project blog

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

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

Conferences and publications

The project blog

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

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

Web 2.0: the issues Funding / resources Security / privacy implications Staff development issues Isn’t this all about social stuff and irrelevant to libraries? Isn’t it just a bandwagon?

Funding / resources

Security / privacy implications

Staff development issues

Isn’t this all about social stuff and irrelevant to libraries?

Isn’t it just a bandwagon?

Libraries need web 2.0 To stay current - changes in technology and how people use it To make our services more tailored to needs of users and more responsive To compete with the likes of Amazon – user expectations Because it offers new ways of communicating, community building & collaborating

To stay current - changes in technology and how people use it

To make our services more tailored to needs of users and more responsive

To compete with the likes of Amazon – user expectations

Because it offers new ways of communicating, community building & collaborating

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

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

[email_address]

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 Resources can be presented on the web / in a VLE etc

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

Resources can be presented on the web / in a VLE etc

LSE’s delicious pages

Stanford University

Using delicious in teaching

Libraries and social networking OCLC 2007 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 Social networking has potential to reach and engage with users who might not come to the library - virtually or physically The jury is definitely still out!

OCLC 2007 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

Social networking has potential to reach and engage with users who might not come to the library - virtually or physically

The jury is definitely still out!

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

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

Library Services in Second Life

Designing a Second Life Library Blank design sheet Replicate campus buildings or open space? Expectations of our users – preference for talking to a real person Communication methods Technical expertise or buy products? Help with searching, security, copyright, evaluation of information

Blank design sheet

Replicate campus buildings or open space?

Expectations of our users – preference for talking to a real person

Communication methods

Technical expertise or buy products?

Help with searching, security, copyright, evaluation of information

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

Key lessons from LASSIE You can teach an old dog new tricks! Social software has the potential to reach out to users in new ways Libraries and librarians need to continue to experiment with emerging technologies and many are keen! Way ahead not clear but social software is important and not just a passing fad The wiki way and beta is good!

You can teach an old dog new tricks!

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

Libraries and librarians need to continue to experiment with emerging technologies and many are keen!

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 ignore web 2.0 technologies and survive? Can academics / teachers ignore web 2.0 technologies? How do we cope with the staff development (and other) challenges? Which tools do currently use / would like to use in your work or studies? What does web 2.0 offer libraries in terms of teaching / information literacy?

Can libraries ignore web 2.0 technologies and survive?

Can academics / teachers ignore web 2.0 technologies?

How do we cope with the staff development (and other) challenges?

Which tools do currently use / would like to use in your work or studies?

What does web 2.0 offer libraries in terms of teaching / information literacy?

Thanks for listening! Jane Secker [email_address] Further reading Bradley, P. (2007) How to use Web 2.0 in your library . Facet Publishing. Godwin, P and Parker, J. (2008) Information Literacy Meets Library 2.0. Facet Publishing. LASSIE blog: http:// elearning.lse.ac.uk/blogs/socialsoftware / LASSIE bookmarks: http://delicious.com/lse_lassie