I have enjoyed the creative possibilities the mash ups and image generators offer and see no reason why I wouldn't choose to use at least one for the various advertisements and programs I generate over the course of the year. Not only are they very easy to use, the added personalization would be far more interesting and eyecatching than many of the "canned" images from which I currently choose. While I am not so sure the students on campus would be particularly interested in a photo of me, there are definitely popular professors and campus figures who would be fabulous faces to use! This would even allow for opportunity to pull other departments into library activity and create an increased feeling of campus unity!
Showing posts with label web tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label web tools. Show all posts
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Thing Five, using mashups
I found this lovely photo using the very fun Retrievr mash-up. What a great way to find images that include desired color scheme or shape and movement. Not to mention a fun and serendipitous little exercise.
Another fun mash-up is Tagnautica. I love browsing and often hear people lament the loss of the serendipitous find because of the move away from the library stacks and into the digital realm. I went from "tea" to "trees" in five clicks and had a blast browsing through the results!
The caption mashup was also fun and would actually be a great tool to use in our library. Adding captions to photos of librarians to advertise for events or provide helpful reminders (Please return materials to the shelving carts, example) would be an interesting and easy way to personalize our services.
Thing Four, Photosharing
Photo sharing was a wonderful discovery. I live a great distance from my family so we have been using Flickr for almost a year now to share vacation photos and slice of life pictures. We appreciate the privacy settings Flickr allows and have found this photo sharing technique keeps us closer and prompts some fun discussion, both real time and virtual.
I had not, however, thought of using this tool in the library setting, but the Clemens Library proves there are some fun ways to share visually with their patrons. Their "bookshelves" actually remind me of two things our library does on site.
One, we have a "new books” shelf that we keep at the entrance of our library in a reading nook. It may be fun to translate that into the digital realm so that distance students (and busy professors) who don't regularly visit our library can keep an "eye" on the new acquisitions. Two, the photos also remind me of elements of our monthly display. Our library briefly expounds on a topic and then highlights resources that viewers can use to learn more. This month's topic is fair trade: digital tools would be a great way to get the information out to a larger population! I even found a wonderful photo of a Ghanaian Primary School that I was able to post in this blog as an example of images that could augment our displays.
I will definitely be more aware of how photo sharing can help visually augment our library's displays and activities. As I sit here I am even reminded of our library social events and how Flickr could be a great way to advertise, organize and, document these programs.
I had not, however, thought of using this tool in the library setting, but the Clemens Library proves there are some fun ways to share visually with their patrons. Their "bookshelves" actually remind me of two things our library does on site.
One, we have a "new books” shelf that we keep at the entrance of our library in a reading nook. It may be fun to translate that into the digital realm so that distance students (and busy professors) who don't regularly visit our library can keep an "eye" on the new acquisitions. Two, the photos also remind me of elements of our monthly display. Our library briefly expounds on a topic and then highlights resources that viewers can use to learn more. This month's topic is fair trade: digital tools would be a great way to get the information out to a larger population! I even found a wonderful photo of a Ghanaian Primary School that I was able to post in this blog as an example of images that could augment our displays.
I will definitely be more aware of how photo sharing can help visually augment our library's displays and activities. As I sit here I am even reminded of our library social events and how Flickr could be a great way to advertise, organize and, document these programs.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Thing Seven, 2a.
For the sake of a speedy co-worker I skipped ahead to Instant Messaging. It is, I will admit, difficult to talk to oneself in the virtual world.
The two of us spent a very brief seesion experimenting with Google talk. While it was simple enough to install I cannot say that I was terribly impressed with its functionality. At one point we completely lost one another; not a great situation if you are chatting with a distressed (or cranky!) student. Additionally, I found that I had a hard time contining my work and keeping track of chatting developments. I felt it might become challenging to pay attention to the user and perform research simultaneously. Perhaps my difficulties had a bit to do with my distate for multi-tasking, but I had expected a better notification system.
While I would be really interested in trying IM for reference I would like a chance to play around with some different providers. I would also be interested in hearing how other libraries deal with streamling their choice of tools considering the broad number available and the fact each student may prefer a different one.
The two of us spent a very brief seesion experimenting with Google talk. While it was simple enough to install I cannot say that I was terribly impressed with its functionality. At one point we completely lost one another; not a great situation if you are chatting with a distressed (or cranky!) student. Additionally, I found that I had a hard time contining my work and keeping track of chatting developments. I felt it might become challenging to pay attention to the user and perform research simultaneously. Perhaps my difficulties had a bit to do with my distate for multi-tasking, but I had expected a better notification system.
While I would be really interested in trying IM for reference I would like a chance to play around with some different providers. I would also be interested in hearing how other libraries deal with streamling their choice of tools considering the broad number available and the fact each student may prefer a different one.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Stumbling upon a thought...
The opportunity to blog, the very fact that I am being more intentional about my professional reading and processing the information so that I can eventually reflect in this format, is going to be very valuable to my growth as a librarian. While I will not be so vain as to entertain the idea that someone may actually be interested in my thoughts, I do assert that it will improve my ability to provide service; people do care about that.
Now, onto the actual reflection. While reading "Reinventing the OPAC" I bumped into an ACRL article, "Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries," that says it better than I could:Library staffs in general must become more agile, more highly attuned to, and more aggressive in proclaiming just how different the world of knowledge has already become.
I find it very exciting to be in this profession right now because there is so much change. It is exciting, and stretching, to realize that I have to stay current because current is constantly changing. The intentionality this brings to my work can at times be intimidating, but it is opportunities like 23 Things on a Stick that provide a chance to mindfully further my understanding of the opportunities available to help me provide better service to the students, faculty, and staff I serve.
If I acknowledge that the world of information is changing I am also acknowledging the fact that the students with whom I work may very well approach the research process in a way foreign to me. That said, I should expose myself to the tools they are using all the while thinking about ways they may be integrated into the searching process. It doesn't sound feasible to me at first blush, but could an image in Flickr jump start an answer to a reference query? I'll never know unless I try the product and stay open to the possibilities!
Now, onto the actual reflection. While reading "Reinventing the OPAC" I bumped into an ACRL article, "Changing Roles of Academic and Research Libraries," that says it better than I could:Library staffs in general must become more agile, more highly attuned to, and more aggressive in proclaiming just how different the world of knowledge has already become.
I find it very exciting to be in this profession right now because there is so much change. It is exciting, and stretching, to realize that I have to stay current because current is constantly changing. The intentionality this brings to my work can at times be intimidating, but it is opportunities like 23 Things on a Stick that provide a chance to mindfully further my understanding of the opportunities available to help me provide better service to the students, faculty, and staff I serve.
If I acknowledge that the world of information is changing I am also acknowledging the fact that the students with whom I work may very well approach the research process in a way foreign to me. That said, I should expose myself to the tools they are using all the while thinking about ways they may be integrated into the searching process. It doesn't sound feasible to me at first blush, but could an image in Flickr jump start an answer to a reference query? I'll never know unless I try the product and stay open to the possibilities!
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