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Cliff June 10th, 2009

The Library Technology Reports series has a soft place in my heart–it has been my own personal “Library Technology for Dummies Everyone.” From my first introduction to basic Web 2.0 concepts, to technology competencies for libraries, to the emerging trends in catalogs, this series has provided me with the understanding necessary to explore the potential of these technologies and how they should be implemented. Even better, as my technological experience has grown, I’ve continued to find interesting and valuable tips in every report.

Robin Hastings has joined the long list of illustrious writers for this series with her report Collaboration 2.0. She is the Information Technology Manager for the Missouri River Regional Library in Jefferson City, Missouri, and she has a long list of presentations and publications that further validate her expertise in the realms of cloud computing for libraries. In this report, Hastings walks readers through the basics of online collaboration and cloud computing, followed by a description of the Library Society of the World, to show an example of cloud computing in action. Next, she provides explanations of the different styles of technology-aided collaboration, as well as a host of Web 2.0 tools that can be used to foster collaboration. Last, examples of groupware (collaborative software suites), examples of collaborations, and further resources are given.

As with other LTRs I have reviewed, Collaboration 2.0 is a clear, concise, and easy-to-read introduction to the concepts presented.  Hastings looks at Web 2.0 tools from the perspective of someone looking to foster ease of communication and project-based work in libraries.  Tools such as Facebook and Delicious, traditionally used for social purposes or personal productivity, take on a new light when viewed through this lens.  I don’t want to give away all of the richness of the report, but a couple of features are worth pointing out.

When introducing the collaborative tools, Hastings provides information about (and links to) the Terms of Service for each. This is valuable information to provide in a report such as this, especially for busy librarians.  There are those of us (myself included!) who may not pause to realize that the wiki tool WetPaint claims a Creative Commons license for all displayed content–including your content! The ToS summaries provided in the report enough to warrant taking a look at the work! Hasting’s summaries can be further complemented by subscribing to the Electronic Frontier Foundation’s recently released Terms of Service Tracker.

The report has few omissions, and those that exist are clearly explained. Hastings only provides a short introduction to the social/psychological concepts behind collaboration; readers expecting to find pointers on encouraging buy-in from team members, managing conflict in collaborative groups, or best practices for getting administrative approval should look to the report’s resource lists for more on these topics. Also, since the writing of this report, several tools have emerged or evolved that should be added to the list of available tools. Dropbox has emerged as a synchronizing and sharing tool that can prevent team members from having to mail documents back and forth, while still keeping documents on their hard drives and maintaining a cloud copy at the same time. Zotero has recently added group libraries, making it a great addition to the report’s list of bookmarking tools.

Hastings had a unique challenge in selecting from the innumerable Web 2.0 tools available, and choosing only those that met the needs of librarians working in a collaborative environment. Yet she did so well, provided concrete examples of these tools in use, and clearly explained the benefits and problems associated with each tool. I recommend this report to any libraries looking to streamline their internal and external collaborations. As these tools for collaboration continue to grow and change, I honestly hope that we see another report from Hastings, following up on the success of this one.

(FULL DISCLOSURE:  I am mentioned in the report, since Ms. Hastings put out a call for collaborative usage of Web 2.0 tools, and I supplied a story that was included.)

• Dance , Paganism , academe , personal information management , reviews , technology
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Cliff June 2nd, 2009

I had a great time at the conference, presented It’s All About the User, met a lot of cool librarians, and had some inspiring conversations! Thanks again for a great time!!!

• Libraries
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Cliff May 16th, 2009

Zotero recently released the beta of version 2, which allows users to remotely backup their libraries to the web.  Unfortunately, users have to own (and know how to use) WebDAV space to back the library up.  This version also does not sync attached files.

Thankfully, there’s an easy way around all of this using Dropbox, everyone’s favorite automatically syncing backup storage service.

1. Install Dropbox on the computers you will be using regularly.
2. Install FireFox Portable into your Dropbox folder.
3. Install Zotero on Firefox Portable.

That’s it!

Now when Dropbox syncs, it will automatically syncronize your Zotero library (including all the attachments) to the web and all your computers.  When you get up from work, close down Firefox Portable, but leave your computer on so it can finish backing up to the web.  By the time you get home, your home computer will be all synced up and ready to pick up where you left off.  Just open up Firefox Portable at home, and your Zotero library will be there!

Caveat:  Because Zotero stores files in a directory and file structre that is unreadable to humans, you won’t be able to access your Zotero files or attachments directly from Dropbox’s web interface.  So if you go on the road, make sure that you either have your laptop with you (with Dropbox installed), or else transport important files seperately from Zotero.

Let me know how this works for you!

• technology
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Cliff May 6th, 2009

I had a great time in Ft. Myers for TechLearn2009 last Friday, and heard some great talks on literacy and brain science, how to invest in learning, e-branches, and much more.  I was delighted to give the opening and closing keynote speeches, LEARN and TECH, both shown below.  A great big thank-you to everyone there for making me feel welcome, and especially to Lee LeBlanc for inviting me!

• Libraries , presentations , technology
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Cliff April 7th, 2009

I mentioned on Twitter that I use Dropbox and PortableApps together, and I was surprised that other folks weren’t doing this. So I figured I’d share here, too.

My FirefoxPortable, ThunderbirdPortable, and PidginPortable program folders all fit easily into my Dropbox.  I have the Dropbox client installed on my home desktop, home laptop, and office desktop.  When I stop using one computer to move to another (like when I come home from work), I make sure to close these programs.  By the time I get home, all of the files have synced, so I can now see all the Firefox windows I had left open, all the Thunderbird emails I saved at work are available, and my Pidgin chat logs are there to be searched.  This has allowed me to ditch my jump drive altogether!

Caveats:  I don’t have the client installed on the Reference Desk computer, since it is a shared computer and that would give everyone access to my files.  I also have to remember to close the programs as I change computers, as it will create “conflict” files in Dropbox otherwise.  I can tell you from experience, it’s a lot easier to remember to close programs than it is to keep up with a thumb drive!

Give it a try, and let me know if you encounter any other tech tips I might find helpful!

• productivity , technology
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Cliff February 17th, 2009

Facebook has yet again made a move for its users’ content.  This time, changing their TOS to assert that they own copies of any third-party content, as well as removing the clause that states that the granted license expires upon the termination of your Facebook account.

Facebook users have already started moving to fight back.

By the way, if you have not already figured it out, this is Facebook’s modus operandi.  In the still of the night, they swoop in and make broad changes, removing privacy and laying claims to your rights and contnet.  Then Facebook users rise up in an organized manner.  Then what happens?  Facebook makes some concessions to roll back a few of the changes.  A few people leave Facebook.  A ton more people sign up to replace them the next day.

You know what they don’t do?  They don’t go back to the “previous” state of Facebook.

This is the perfect power-grabbing scheme–lay claim to a bunch of your user’s rights/content/privacy/soul, and then when they complain, “give” some of it back.  But not all of it.  You’ll see this same method of power-grabbing in politics, business, religion, education, and anywhere else there are more than two people gathered.

For more on this, just watch the blogosphere in general–this story will be everywhere for the next few weeks.  Also, read Dr. Amanda French’s analysis of Facebook’s TOS in comparison to other social software sites.

Although I won’t turn around and delete my account tomorrow, I will continue to be careful in what I upload to various websites.  I suggest you do the same.

Pessimistically yours,

Cliff

• Facebook
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Cliff February 16th, 2009

I did this book, entitled “The Journals of Cambrin de Soto” (hence the big “C” on the cover) for my awesome, hilarious, and talented friend Jenica.

Thanks to Jer for taking some of those photos!

• me
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Cliff January 15th, 2009

I had a great time speaking to the North Georgia Associated Libraries group!  The crowd was great and very responsive:

I got to speak on gaming and libraries, something that I had not spoken on before.  Although we do gaming at MPOW as part of our marketing and outreach services, I had never delved into the topic.  Once I got started, I learned a lot and started making some connections between different ideas.  For example, I will occasionally play with social norms, doing such things as breaking the boundary between public and private space, speaking in non-gendered terms, etc. (you know, just for fun!).  These and other ideas are explored in my presentation:

Some of the resources that I talked about that weren’t linked in the presentation include Jason Griffey’s work on ARGs, and various TED videos, including Susan Blackmore on temes and Kevin Kelly.

• Libraries , presentations
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Cliff December 23rd, 2008

As a Reference Librarian, I’ve been thinking about cataloging a lot lately.  My biggest fear was confirmed while having lunch with a friend, who is wrapping up her MLIS degree with my alma mater, Florida State University.

She joined one of our library’s catalogers and I for lunch to discuss her internship at my library, where she will be learning cataloging under his direction.  While we were in the middle of disucssing  the challenges of cramming the whole scope of cataloging into five months, I brought up RDA.

She had never heard of it.  I asked about her understanding of FRBR.  “What’s that?”

I knew for a fact that she had taken an introductory class on the organization of information, as well as a class on indexing and abstracting.  So I guess somewhere in there, I expected her to learn about these emerging standards.

Imagine the look of horror that spread across her face when we explained what they were.  “But what if I had gone into a job interview and someone had asked about RDA or FRBR?”  Exactly.

MLIS programs should be at the leading edge of exploring emerging trends in our field.  They should be preparing their students for the rapid change that we experience in libraries, and equipping them to evaluate and make tough decisions regarding formats, standards, and techniques of description

I’m not picking on FSU alone here.  In my time at VSU, I’ve served on and/or chaired several search committees.  The number one reason that candidates aren’t selected is that they lack experience, or reveal their ignorance in an interview.  It is my opinion that since librarianship is a practical science, it should be practiced by its students, at least in the form of a mandatory internship.

And no, I’m not talking about folksonomies and tagging here.  Although they are fun and very useful, they are no replacement for standards-based high-quality metadata.  I would never want my library’s catalog to look like my personal photo collection–with spotty tagging and organization at best!  Reference librarians, library staff, other catalogers and users all make use of high-quality cataloging metadata for locating the specific items that they need.  All it takes is a single mistake in a cataloging record to ensure that an item is lost to its user forever.  Catalogers:  take it from a Reference Librarian–what you do is important.

So, my plea is this:

If you teach in an MLIS program, stay in touch with librarians to know what your students should be learning to be prepared for the real world.  Look at the entry-level job ads that are being posted, and ask if the average graduate of your program will leave with the skills necessary to do that job.  Look at the advanced-level job ads that are being posted, and ask if your students are being instilled with the intellectual curiosity and passion that will lead them in that direction.  Make internships required for all your students, so they can at least get a taste of what librarianship is really like.

If you are a cataloger, constantly strive to improve what you do, and stay in touch with the cataloging community.  Think about the long-term effects of your description choices–after we’re long gone, our bib records will remain, either informing or misleading the next generation.  And please pass along your skills and passion to the next generation by offering mentorships and internships.

If you do it for no one else, then do it for our users.  After all, they are the ones who truly suffer if tomorrow’s catalogers are unskilled, and that perfect resource can’t be found.

• Libraries , User-Centric Service , rant , teaching
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Cliff December 5th, 2008

I had a great time at the WVLA conference!  I met some great librarians, had some awesome conversations, and got to do a short version of It’s All About the User at the awards luncheon (which always includes my silly opening video/joke):

The Greenbriar was super-swanky, I had some great fancy meals, and I got to meet some cool vendors (yes, I did say that) in the “secret” Congressional bunker where the office space is.  Thanks to everyone for showing me such a great time, and I hope to visit again soon!

• presentations
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