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Category Archives: Library Life
Evaluative Report on Learning in #INF206
The learning experience in INF206 this session has been invaluable. Exploring the wide world of social media, Web 2.0 tools and the unique changes and impact they are creating and will continue to have on the information world. They are being embraced or shunned, but are definitely here to stay in changing shapes and formats for the delivery and access of information. As an information professional it would therefore seem pertinent to have a good understanding of how these tools and information sharing works and how best to use it for your organisation, for a world view and to serve your direct clientele.
The three blog entries which I have chosen to evaluate are ones which I gained a certain amount of insight, awareness and knowledge, both professionally and personally.
3 blog entries:
PLN or social networking tools and libraries
Shifts in digital citizens behaviour
Finding authentic information
The first blog activity which really changed my thinking and understanding was the PLN and social networking. This activity included mapping my own PLN, in relation to Jeff Utrecht’s chart(Utecht,2008) which explains the uptake and response to social media, which I could really identify with. It was very visual and well-constructed, showing clearly how the uptake of social media occurs. These stages help to clarify your own personal learning with social media and can be positively helpful. It was comforting to hear the general response of a feeling of being overwhelmed by so many tools, software, possibilities, that many people give up and walk away. Also though, if approached with this in mind, we can then make careful choices of how best social media can serve us and our organisation. Planning and understanding your personal learning with social media is vital and helps maintain a clear vision and a balanced approach to a wealth of new technology.
The next blog entry which clarified some of my thoughts and ideas is the shift in digital citizen’s behaviour. This blog entry stemmed from the video “Did you know 4.0(Shift Happens)”, which documented the aggressive and progressive changes that are happening within the social media world and how we as digital citizens are responding. It seems we have fully embraced the advent of social technology as can be seen in the major shifts and trends from traditional access of information to a rapid growth in access of all forms of information via social software. This can be quite confronting and exciting at the same time; such dynamic shifts can offer great encouragement for change and improvement, but also loss of control and perspective for some. If shifts can happen so quickly, which way will our digital citizens take us next? Are they now driving the information delivery and as information professionals we merely have to keep pace. Policy and procedure will help counterbalance this rush and the immediacy of change and keep information relevant and useable for and by all.
The third blog entry which dovetails neatly to the previous one is finding authentic information. Given the shifts and trends that were outlined from the previous blog, it would be pertinent to say that it is more important now to impress the authenticity of information in a socially collaborative world. Information professionals need to respond and actively collaborate, recognise their users’ needs and preferences, in order to be relevant in this social media world.(Wittenberg,2007.)The activity showed how it is important to access a wealth of information from many new and exciting sources but keep an important check on how relevant and true this information is .Also the importance of impressing the authenticity of sources to information searches .
During the course of study of INF206, I think one could say we immersed ourselves in a range of social software tools, and having to do so, can be incredibly daunting, exciting, interesting, challenging and enabling. The subject being taught in this format and style made non-access and un-connectedness impossible. The actual effort of being so connected can be very overwhelming and the introduction to Jeff Utecht’s PLN chart (Utecht, 2008.) helped crystallise feelings many of the group of learners had been experiencing (indicated by their posts on the Facebook group).It also helped map out the journey that one takes with personal learning and greatly emphasised by the use of social media tools. There is social media /software and then tools to help you manage all your social applications and connections. The implications for information professionals as for an individual can be the same sense of feeling overwhelmed but also excitement of just how connected you can be ,and the inordinate amount of credible sharing of resources that can be made. The right connections can make many a small organisation grow to a large presence in a global sense.
Personally being immersed in INF206 has made me use many social media tools I would have not previously considered; Second Life, RSS feeds, Twitter. I logged in and tried all of the tools that were mentioned in the modules and curiously it made me go and discover other tools which I also liked the look of and tried out for their usefulness. It has developed my understanding how these tools work on a social level but also are highly effective for business, organisation and information. I feel a lot more confident in the set up and use of many of the tools and have a good reasonable understanding of the how’s and whys we would use them. I feel my knowledge has grown and I have become more open to the possibilities that these tools can hold and if the solution isn’t in an old format, it possibly has an alternative in social software which may well be more effective.
I have incorporated tools into the workspace (new library blog) and have become a lot more open to Twitter. I have also gained an awareness of the importance of embracing new social software, as it is the way forward for the profession and in a global sense there is no going back. Predictions take us to moving to more mobile (XPLANE,2009),more accessible and more connected than ever before. I therefore see the imperative need to be connected to as an information professional to best service clientele and be part of a larger global conversation.
I think at the end of INF 206 I have achieved what I had hoped to, as stated in my initial blog post :
“To be more fluent with social networking technologies by the end of INF206.To have embraced the great positive benefits and be able to identify which tools and sites are best used for which purpose and organisation”.
Only I have gained so much more, a greater depth of understanding of how the tools work and how successful and beneficial they can be in the workspace. How easily we all can be so connected and how beneficial this can be both on a personal level and a professional one too. It has made me seek further tools and possibilities to enhance and change the way I do things ,personally and professionally, because I can see a strong movement towards integration of these tools as a natural part of societies fabric. It has been beneficial in actual realisation of how fast and how far social networking tools ,software have come and are progressing(Farkas,2009)and the importance of being part of it, sharing and connecting.INF206 helped cement this awareness , which is especially important for the role of information professional ,where its impact will continue to grow and develop.
References
Wittenberg, K. (2007). Credibility of content and the future of research, learning, and publishing in the digital environment. The Journal of Electronic Publishing,10(1). Available http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=jep;cc=jep;rgn=main;view=text;idno=3336451.0010.101
Utecht,J.(2008).Stages of PLN adoption.The Thinking Stick. Retrieved from http://www.thethinkingstick.com/stages-of-pln-adoption/
Did you know4.0(Shift Happens)(2009).XPLANE.Retrieved from YouTube, http://youtu.be/6ILQrUrEWe8, accessed 20/1/2014.
Farkas,M.(2008).The essence of library 2.0?.Information Wants To Be Free.(1/24/2014).retrieved from http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/01/24/the-essence-of-library-20/
Viewed 10/1/2014.
Finding authentic information within a socially networked world
As the socially networked world expands and revolves around us growing bigger and gaining momentum with every new Tweet. It is important as Information professionals that we are able to retain our role but also evolve and create new roles and definitions for the profession. The finding of authentic information that is credible and relevant still remains the pertinent point of it all. Being able to evaluate the quality of information ,its source and relevance and use it well ,is all part of an information professionals role. Maybe in this highly socially networked world our approach to doing this task will have to change. The socially networked generation have it all at their fingertips and their sources are collaborated by their peers, we as information professionals must be open to these new formats and accessibility and general acceptance that this information is valuable and usable, even if it was previously approached with scepticism. A large proportion of the information at the touch of a button (Google, Wikipedia) is being constantly checked and rewritten and authenticated.
- Firstly Information professionals need to Respond: to their users, their needs, preferences and apply Web 2.0 tools that will suit their user generation.
- They also need to Rejuvenate ,reinvent and be innovative in their role of information professional Which will require them to be fluent in Web 2.0,be tech. savvy and have a good understanding of how social software works and is best used to make it pertinent to the user generation.
- Understand Social media/Listen/Contribute
- Be aware of safety and security concerns for the individual and the organisation. Be informed and up to date on how to tackle this issue and the change response accordingly.
- Find new ways of accessing information and using it
- Authentic? Question but don’t simply disregard what many take as real and important sources of information
References and Related Articles
Yardi, S., Romero, D., Schoenebeck, G. & danah boyd. (2010). Detecting spam in a Twitter network, First Monday, 15(1) http://firstmonday.org/htbin/cgiwrap/bin/ojs/index.php/fm/article/view/2793/2431
Lorenzo, G. (2007). Catalysts for change: Information fluency, Web 2.0, Library 2.0, and the new education culture. (March). Retrieved fromhttp://www.edpath.com/images/IFReport2.pdf
Wittenberg, K. (2007). Credibility of content and the future of research, learning, and publishing in the digital environment. The Journal of Electronic Publishing,10(1). Available http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=jep;cc=jep;rgn=main;view=text;idno=3336451.0010.101
Freeman,W.(2012).Prompting authentic blogging practice in an online graduate course. Computers & education,59(3),1032-1041.
Shifts or Trends in Digital Citizens Behaviour
Trends that are taking place:
The primary connection tool has become a mobile device. More people own a mobile phone and use it as their primary source of connectivity across the web, to interact socially, to search for information they require and to contribute to society’s fabric that is present on the web.
A shift has definitely taken place in accessing news and current affairs online, people will no longer wait for the daily paper, but access news as it is happening across the globe on their digital network.
The shift from traditional advertising from TV, radio, papers and magazines to the ease of seeking out digital advertising on computers and phones and therefore to be able to access and connect with the goods and services they require there.
The sales of hard copy music is down ,consumers are not buying records or CDs ,they have shifted to downloading music and buying only what they want to listen to .Or downloading apps. which will allow them to listen to their favourite tunes(their playlist) and not have to pay. They do not own copies or are able to transfer but must listen on their computer or mobile device (e.g. Spotify).Also an increase in pirate copies and shared music, which is not paid for and royalties will therefore not be given and copyright is breached.
Access of video has also been dealt the same blow, as more gets pirated and shared .Also it is downloaded from You Tube or shared on Facebook for news and information video, rather than accessing traditional methods.
Given these trends, which are growing more rapidly than all the previous forms of information provision, it is imperative to adapt and or create formal policy which will take these shifts and changes into account. The shift in activity is definitely to online and mobile access .Therefore it is important to create policy which identifies and controls this use for the safety of the individual and organisation. Security and privacy of the individual and the organisation can be at risk if these policies for use are not in place. Abuse and mismanagement for clients and resources could then occur. Security and online safety will be a major concern as numbers of digital citizens increase and the age demographic widens.
References and Related Articles
Hockly,N.(2011).The digital generation.ELT Journal,65(3),322-325.
Cohen,J.& Schmidt,E.(2010).The digital disruption: connectivity and the diffusion of power.Foreign Affairs,89(6),75.
Staksrud,E.(2013).Does the use of social networking sites increase children’s risk of harm?Computers in human behaviour,29(1) 40-50
The Rise of the Digital Consumer -http://cosmicrami.tumblr.com/post/4387628129/the-rise-of-the-digital-consumer-how-the-power-shifted
Social Media and Internet use among teens and young adults –
Did you know4.0(Shift Happens)(2009).XPLANE.Retrieved from YouTube,accessed 20/1/2014. http://youtu.be/6ILQrUrEWe8
Vizify
Had to share ,the tool I really love,putting in one place in a great visual template….lovely!
After jumping onto all these different social media platforms,I really needed a way to manage,organise and understand it all.Vizify provides a great template to put all your sharing places in one space,accessible,visable and a bit infectious.Still at play stage,so having fun,will report back when the flaws show themselves ha ha!
“Vizify: Your digital self on one snazzy website
You’ve got reams of social and professional info scattered across all corners of the net–on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and who knows how many other networks. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could somehow consolidate it all–with a few clicks–into one professional-looking website?
This is the charm of Vizify, which stands apart from existing personal site builders with its eye-catching, customized infographics. To set up the site, you just need to connect existing social profiles, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram. Relevant data is then pulled in and automagically arranged into not just a homepage but an entire website, with pages dedicated to your resume, education, social-media activity, and more.
It takes a bit of tinkering to get things looking just right, but the layout and graphics are top-notch. Among the coolest features: a timeline of all of your tweets showing which words you mention most from month to month; an instant graphical resume; and a customized animation illustrating all the places you’ve called home over the years.””
My Vizify site : Jill Jacques
Social Networking Tools and Libraries
I have chosen to look at three libraries in the local Melbourne area, 2 public and a university library. All three use a selection of social networking tools to connect and interact with their patrons. The platforms they use may be the same or similar but the customer demographic is very much varied, so why have they chosen these tools and how do they use them to their advantage and most use.
| Library | RSS Feed | Flikr | YouTube | Blog | |||
| Mornington Peninsula Libraries | @ | @ | @ | @ | |||
| Monash University Library | @ | @ | @ | @ | |||
| Melbourne City Libraries | @ | @ | @ |
All of the three libraries use Facebook and Twitter in a similar fashion, to update, inform, give links to events, special subjects, highlight areas of interest and general news on what is happening in the library. Melbourne City Libraries seemed to have targeted it’s audience well, given the 2,470 Twitter followers, much more than its Facebook Likes. Monash uses a library blog again for imparting news and information, but it does encourage and welcome feedback, as do the other libraries. Using an image tool, Flikr for Melbourne City and YouTube and Pinterest for Mornington is great as it targets people who prefer visual access .It creates and helps enrich the library by providing a visual backdrop and landscape which customers can connect too. Although the demographics of the clientele are very different all the libraries are trying to harness the power these social media tools can provide and connect, converse and collaborate with their customers.
All have made their social software mobile compatible, which enables users to access from wherever they wish and on the go. Also using a variety of platforms widens the range that people like to use and also takes into account the dynamic change of social software and each tools popularity. Social networking allows libraries another dynamic way of reaching their patrons, whether just for information, or to provide study and research needs .Finding the right platform, whether it be for the demographic ,for ease of use or because it is the most popular, is one of the important steps in introducing and using social software in libraries.It also connects libraries with other libraries,for professional information to collaborate on services and to connect to a global presence online.
Related Articles & References
Dickson,A.(2010).Social networking in academic libraries: the possibilities and the concerns.New Library World, 111(11/12),468-479
Odell,S.(2010).Opportunities and obligations for librarians in a social networking age: a survey of Web 2.0 and networking sites. Journal of Library Administration,50(3),237-251
“How Libraries Are Using Social Media”, American Library Association, July 16, 2013.
http://www.americanlibrariesmagazine.org/article/how-libraries-are-using-social-media (Accessed January 20, 2014)
Social Media: Libraries are posting, but is anyone listening?
The Docklands Library
New fly thru of Artists impression of the library and community hub to be built at Docklands,Melbourne…feels real already
PLN Personal Learning Network
Reading Jeff Utetch’s post and then his visual explanation really helps to synthesise the whole Social Media connectivity concept. The five stages of PLN adoption strike immediate response and recognition of the journey of social media/technologies/software involvement.
It is difficult to recognise how to link everything together and to make vital links and connections to be able to share and collaborate.
The five stages and corresponding diagram make clear and easy reference to where one could be on the personal learning network journey.
I think I am at the evaluation stage ,although instead of sense of urgency to find out everything I would probably describe it as a mild state of panic!, but to counteract this is a slide straight over to step 5 Balance.As I have been very conscious of this in my personal family life and it is one thing the whole family adheres too. A definite move away from technology and be active in other activities, to achieve a sense of space and well-being.(I quite happily walk away from technology, but then will flip back to do a full immersion in trying to gain some clarity and perspective. There is much I do not know and trying out all the new social software as tools for #Inf206, has made me realise not all our useful, applicable or work the way you would like them to. As a chef only at best has 4 to 5 knives to get the job done, (even just one will suffice at a push).So we should seek to find the tools that will work for us and help us connect better.
The Once a Teacher blog http://onceateacher.wordpress.com/2009/05/05/pln-your-personal-learning-network-made-easy/ providesa good list of tools that could be useful for a PLN,and apllicable in a library setting.I think it is important to try out as many different tools as you can to find which fit best with you and your workspace and helping you connect with organisations and professionals with whom you can share and collaborate.I think this is the difficult stage when the bombardment of information ,tools and general chatter requires clarity and perspective ,or in some cases ,can be set aside as too much to deal with.
| Category | Value | Examples and Guides |
| Social Networking | Keeping up with personal, more social contacts like friends, family, and former students | Facebook, Myspace |
| Microblogging | Populated with educators from around the world who share best practices and resources in short bursts | Twitter, My guide to Twitter, Plurk, Utterli |
| Professional Profiles | Find other professionals and experts in your field | LinkedIn, Brightfuse |
| Wikis | Community-monitored sites that can function as websites or for group organization and projects | Wikispaces, pbwiki,wetpaint |
| Blogs | Great sources of information such as classroom best practices as well as personal opinions; Blogs monitor the heartbeat of new trends in education and the commenting back and forth leads to many great ideas and relationships | WordPress, (check out my ‘Blogroll’ to the right – they’re my favorites),Blogger, Typepad, Alltop– top blog headlines by subject, Technorati – a blog search engine |
| RSS Reader | RSS means “Real Simple Syndication” – an RSS reader is a tool that allows you to keep up with many of your favorite blogs, all in once place (see this video ‘RSS in Plain English’) |
Netvibes, (My Netvibes),PageFlakes, Google Reader |
| Nings | Communities of people interested in similar topics, with forums and messaging | Classroom 2.0, Future of Education, Ning |
| Social Bookmarking | Share bookmarks with others, see what others are bookmarking; you can join groups and get email updates on new bookmarks | Diigo, Diigo Groups,Delicious |
| Webinars | Live, on-line presentations or conferences, with real-time chat, hosted by experts on specific topics; Great way to learn about new things and to meet new people | Classroom 2.0 Live!,EdTechTalk Live,Elluminate – host your own!, Dim Dim |
| Backchanneling of conferences | When there are neat (and expensive) conferences that you can’t attend, follow conversations and links about the highlights | Twitter search – use acronyms like ‘NECC’ or ‘SXSWi’ |
`JJPLN My Online Personal learning Network
Related Articles & References
Utecht,J.(2008).Stages of PLN adoption.The Thinking Stick. Retrieved from http://www.thethinkingstick.com/stages-of-pln-adoption/
http://chris.pirillo.com/how-much-social-networking-is-too-much/
State Library of Victoria have some helpful online resources for your PLN
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/learn/professional-development/personal-learning-network
How to connect and share your profile…all set up in the educators blog
Get Connected!
Of course with all this talk of collaboration and sharing,its great to get connected with like minded individuals striving for similar goals who may be travelling along the same road or already reached their destination.Find places where your can network and share and help along the way…..
Library 2.0 ..the future of libraries in the digital age
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/getting-started/
Connect to Pinterest and find info your’e looking for and share http://www.pinterest.com/alianational/blogs-on-libraries-and-technology/
Embracing Library 2.0
You Tube Building Academic Library 2.0 – Meredith Farkas
After viewing the You Tube video and considering Meredith Farkas’s advice, she puts forth some pertinent points regarding the use of social software in libraries and how best to use these technologies to your advantage. It is important to remember with the application of web 2.0, we have moved from consumers of the web to participants in the web and it will be imperative to get users and customers to realise this as well to be able to share and collaborate.
Five key points that stood out from this presentation where:
- Know your users, and work towards meeting changing user needs
- Question everything you do and how you do it. Get rid of the culture of perfect
- Communicate with Patrons, become more transparent. Trust your users
- Create partnerships, with other similar organisations
- Be aware of emerging technologies and opportunities and look outside the library world for applications and inspiration.
To evaluate some of these points I will use my local library again Mornington Peninsula Libraries as a comparison. Although initially this was applied to an academic library, with the application of web 2.0 technologies these points apply equally to any library service.
Mornington library service I believe has identified its users and their general demographic and strives to meet their needs. It also needs to reach out and capture new users as well .By being active in social media, this may encourage new patrons to join and use the service. They have opened up lines for communication and collaboration from their users by encouraging feedback and comment. Being on open platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest and sharing their information allows users to connect with the library and information in places where they are. They have connected and created networks with local organisations that are of interest to their patrons, the local historical society, local poetry club and book clubs and have actively created spaces where their clientele can share or comment.
I believe a library blog would be a great addition to the library page and greater connection to the other shire library services in the local and surrounding areas. Some other library services and central Melbourne libraries should be linked for information on what they have on offer, for seniors, in holiday time, for children, which may appeal when patrons travel out of the local area.
References& Related Articles
Farkas,M.(2008).The essence of library 2.0?.Information Wants To Be Free.(1/24/2014).retrieved from http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/2008/01/24/the-essence-of-library-20/
Viewed 10/1/2014.
jazzhandsjill 