Social Software in Libraries Workshop
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The document discusses various social software tools that can be used in academic libraries, including wikis, blogs, RSS feeds, social bookmarking, and customized search and home pages. It provides an overview of what each tool is and how libraries can implement and make use of these tools, such as using wikis for collaboratively developing guides, syndicating content with RSS, and encouraging social bookmarking. The document also covers best practices for planning, implementing, maintaining and promoting social software in academic libraries.
Social Software in Libraries Workshop
- 1. Social Software in Academic Libraries Meredith Farkas
- 2. Wikis
- 3. What is a wiki? Content management system Allows people to collaboratively develop a website without any tech-savvy Wiki=quick (in Hawaiian) All community members can add to or edit the work of others
- 4. Wiki structure and syntax A tale of two wikis... Library Success Wiki Computers in Libraries 2008 Wiki
- 5. Wikis vs. Blogs No one owns content Anyone can edit other people’s work No specific organization (hyperlinks) A person owns their post Only author can edit their work (others can comment) Organized in reverse chronological order
- 6. Perpetual work in progress Good for collaborative group work Posts are permanent Good for disseminating info/starting a dialog Wikis vs. Blogs
- 7. Why wiki? Easy to use Web-based Anyone can make changes Version control Findability Many free and open-source options
- 8. Why not wiki? Too open (trust issues) Disorganized Vandalism and spam Wikis aren’t for everyone. If control is a major issue with the site you’re developing, a wiki may not be the right tool for the job.
- 9. Community wikis Roc Wiki (Rochester, NY) Davis Wiki (Davis, CA) Arbor Wiki (Ann Arbor, MI) A good start: Mac Library Experience A great start: Stevens County Rural Library District Wiki (WA)
- 10. Subject guides Ohio University Library’s Biz Wiki Norwich University Research Guides
- 11. Wiki is intranet for information sharing Most are behind the firewall or are password protected. Albany County Public Library Staff Wiki Memphis Public Library Wiki
- 12. Collaboratively-developed manual Print manuals are really hard to update Antioch University New England Library Staff Training and Support Wiki North Metro Technical College Library
- 13. Wiki tips: Software Popular options for a wiki hosted on your server MediaWiki PmWiki Twiki DokuWiki DekiWiki
- 14. Wiki tips: Software (cont’d) Popular options for wikis hosted by the software company PBWiki WetPaint SeedWiki Wikispaces Wikia
- 15. If you want control, no ads, etc., host the wiki on your own server If you don’t have server space, need the wiki for a small, time-limited project, or don’t want to maintain new tech, go with a hosted wiki Check out the WikiMatrix when thinking about which software to use Wiki tips: Software (cont’d)
- 16. Wiki tips: Seeding the wiki No one wants to add to an empty wiki Also, people don’t know what to add Add some content to the major categories before going live Creating an organization scheme will prevent orphan links and chaos
- 17. Wiki tips: Education Wikis need lots of info for novice users What is a wiki What can you do with this wiki How to edit the wiki FAQ Whom to contact for more help Training is important
- 18. Wiki tips: Content development Do lots of marketing Focus on the functionality, not the tool If possible, offer trainings Partner with groups/people related to your mission Don’t do it all yourself! Give the wiki a grassroots feel, make it welcoming
- 19. Wiki tips: Management Security Should you require registration? Dealing with spam Bad Behavior plugin Monitor the wiki several times per day Get to know and love RSS Find lots of dedicated helpers!
- 20. How to deal with content you don’t like Guidelines Limit to on-topic posts Take a note from the Wikipedia’s policies and guidelines or the Library Success Wiki Get a group of volunteers to patron a public open wiki If you need to delete something - use discussion area to explain why things were deleted
- 21. Let’s create a wiki!
- 22. RSS
- 24. Without RSS Visit every page separately Never know when a page will be updated Remember URLs for each page
- 26. What is RSS? Format for syndicating content on the web Makes the content portable so it can be syndicated Based on XML - content separated from presentation.
- 28. What is RSS? Often used for content that is updated RSS content is dynamically updated as soon as the content on the original page is updated.
- 29. Without RSS
- 30. With RSS
- 31. What types of content have RSS feeds?
- 39. Ways to get RSS-enabled content
- 41. Email
- 42. SMS
- 43. Syndicated on a website
- 44. RSS aggregator Application used for displaying multiple RSS feeds Two types Web-based aggregator Desktop aggregator
- 45. Why should librarians care about RSS? Allows patrons to receive our content how and when they want. Allows us to put the same content on multiple pages and have it updated dynamically. Allows us to put dynamically updated content from other providers on our site.
- 46. Ideas for using RSS in libraries
- 47. Pull content in
- 49. Bring content to courseware
- 50. New book feeds
- 51. New book feeds
- 52. Creating a virtual reading room
- 53. Let’s mix and display some RSS feeds!
- 55. What is Social Bookmarking Just like regular browser bookmarks, but web-based and using tags instead of folders Tag - descriptive metadata You can assign multiple tags to anything you bookmark Your bookmarks can be public or private
- 56. Social Bookmarking Options del.icio.us Furl Connotea CiteULike StumbleUpon
- 57. Libraries Using Social Bookmarking The College of New Jersey University of Michigan Health Sciences Library Springfield Technical and Community College
- 59. Custom Search Allows you to search multiple hand-chosen websites in a single search Examples: Google CSE Rollyo
- 60. Personalized Home Pages Like “portals” in the 1990s. Create customized “start pages” for different constituents Popular home pages Netvibes Pageflakes iGoogle
- 61. Widgets Little gadget that offers some functionality on the page Examples: MeeboMe LibraryThing widgets Widgets are portable Can go on start pages, in Facebook, on any website, etc.
- 62. Planning for Social Software
- 63. Choosing a Project Avoid technolust Know your population Weigh your options through play Understand the culture of each technology
- 64. Selling ideas Have plenty of hard data Have a prototype Encourage staff to “kick the tires” Offer training for staff Be patient
- 65. Selling ideas to IT Involve IT in planning Know your stuff Build relationships and find champions
- 66. Maintenance Do you need a policy? Do you need maintenance procedures?
- 67. Partnerships Partnering with organizations with common goals Learning Support/Writing Center Academic Computing Student Life Industry, media, etc.
- 68. Promotion Marketing Website All over campus Local media Faculty – build into a course Focus on functionality Training
- 69. Assessment How do you assess? Usage statistics? Surveys Most libraries aren’t doing any assessment of social tools