I was both flattered and excited to be interviewed on the T is for Training podcast. I first met the host, Maurice, when he and I both attended a session at a conference and I cyberstalked him by sending him a Twitter message saying that I was sitting right behind him.
We looked back on 2009, looked forward to 2010, and looked *way* forward to the future of technology and how it’s going to impact libraries. There was, of course, lots of talk about training, instruction, classes, and the perils of the audience’s eye-roll.
Having never listened to audio interviews of myself before, I discovered that I apparently really enjoy the word “really”. I hope you enjoy the podcast. Really.
Posted by Cliff on January 8th, 2010
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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.
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.
- Install Dropbox on the computers you will be using regularly.
- Install FireFox Portable into your Dropbox folder.
- 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!
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!
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!
