The end of one year is always a good time to start thinking about things you'd like to see changed in the next. I've started thinking about tech developments I'd like to see in libraries in the near future. And as I'm looking at some upcoming presentations on library futures, I'd love to hear what you'd like to see.
Location, location, location - We've been seeing more and more happening in location based mobile apps over the past several years. There's Foursquare, where you could check in. Now, Foursquare tells you about what's going on nearby. Google has Google Now, providing information on where you should be and how long it will take you to get there based on current traffic conditions. Passbook on my iPhone alerts me whenever I'm within a few blocks of a Starbucks. Wouldn't it be great if my phone would let me know when I'm near a public library? And if I'm near mine, I'd love to be reminded that there's a book on hold waiting for me. Or how about an alert that a library program is coming up that day? Are there any other library location services you'd like to see?
Foursquare
Google Now
Passbook
Library card phone app - I would also love to be able to check out books and use other library services with my smart phone. I've had apps that would keep track of store card loyalty cards, but not library cards. I have an app that lets me pay for Starbucks drinks and goodies with my phone (this is also the one that alerts me when I'm near a store). The ultimate for me, would be to be able to check out books from the library using an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip. But even being able to store my library card barcode on my phone would be a big advantage over having to haul cards around.
Augmented library maps - How often have you walked into a library and found yourself somewhat disoriented. Not knowing what's available, you're not even sure where you want to start. Do you need to get a library card first? Should you get an idea of the resources available so you know whether or not you want a card at this time? Google has been working on Indoor Maps. Reportedly you can provide them with a floor plan and they can integrate it into their maps. You can also walk around with a camera and provide photos. I think this is only available for Android at the moment. So I tried looking up some of the places listed as having indoor maps on Google but wasn't able to figure out how to get inside. TWiT does off a walkaround of their studios in Petaluma. But it was actually pretty confusing. I got trapped in one corridor. Still I can't help but think how nice it would be to see some maps and visual tours of libraries made more accessible. I expect this will be even more useful as devices like Google Glass come on the market.
Google Indoor Maps for Museums
What do you think of my Top 3 for 2013? What would you like to see?
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
Friday, July 6, 2012
Lifelong Learning in Libraries
A friend of mine was recently bemoaning the lack of memorization in education today. She stated that she thought it was quite useful to have had to memorize the Preamble to the Constitution, poems, the Gettysburg Address, etc. I didn't comment one way or the other at the time. I'd supposed memorization was a useful skill but I'm not sure it's as useful for the 21st century where we all must be ready to adapt and thrive in environments of continual change. I'm intrigued by the prospect of memorizing a Shakespeare sonnet only to have the order of stanzas change every few weeks or perhaps occasionally find the nouns in a different language. That seems to be the times we're living in.
This morning, I finished listening to a podcast interview with Helene Blowers on Bibliotech. Helene was one of the developers of the Library 2.0 23 Things training that many libraries used a few years back to introduce librarians and library staff to social media tools. One of the key concepts in 23 Things was that librarians and library staff people needed to take time to play with new technologies. Unfortunately, the concept of playing while on the job was never going to be popular with many in library administration or in our funding bodies. Surely, if you're playing, you're wasting tax payers money.
So, what is a better way to look at the types of learning we need to encourage in libraries? Experimentation? In the podcast, Helene talks about the fact that library staff don't need to and shouldn't expect to be experts in all the new technologies. But it is important that they be willing to approach new devices and questions their patrons bring from a perspective of shared discovery. I may not know a whole lot more than you do about this tablet or e-reader, but let's see if we can figure it out together.
It struck me this morning that the memorization approach or even writing down specific steps of how to get from a to b to c might actually stand in the way of experimentation and discovery. And isn't that our standard approach to technology training? We show people the steps. It may help one feel a mastery of Gadget A, but what happens when someone brings in Gadget B, or even an updated version of Gadget A? We'll probably feel lost and confused and possibly frustrated and angry. I expect those feelings are frequently behind the expressions of "I hate technology" that I hear all too frequently in the library field.
Helene pointed out that her daughter was learning in a different way so that things like Facebook updates didn't upset her. Whereas I hear nothing but complaints whenever Facebook makes a change. Change is much more threatening to people who view learning as mastery rather than exploration.
So, how can we encourage leaning for its own sake instead of strictly for a goal, e.g., certification? Helene and the podcast hosts all felt that the rewards they'd provided for their 23 Things programs were largely unnecessary. Since these programs were voluntary, most of the library staff who attended truly did so for the love of learning.
But what about those who are old style learners and want to feel mastery? Can we find ways to reward experimentation? Just trying different options? For attempting to answer a question, even if they ultimately have to refer it on to someone else? We only really fail when we don't try.
I certainly don't have the answers here but I'd love to hear about what you may be trying in training programs at your libraries. Successes AND failures!
This morning, I finished listening to a podcast interview with Helene Blowers on Bibliotech. Helene was one of the developers of the Library 2.0 23 Things training that many libraries used a few years back to introduce librarians and library staff to social media tools. One of the key concepts in 23 Things was that librarians and library staff people needed to take time to play with new technologies. Unfortunately, the concept of playing while on the job was never going to be popular with many in library administration or in our funding bodies. Surely, if you're playing, you're wasting tax payers money.
So, what is a better way to look at the types of learning we need to encourage in libraries? Experimentation? In the podcast, Helene talks about the fact that library staff don't need to and shouldn't expect to be experts in all the new technologies. But it is important that they be willing to approach new devices and questions their patrons bring from a perspective of shared discovery. I may not know a whole lot more than you do about this tablet or e-reader, but let's see if we can figure it out together.
It struck me this morning that the memorization approach or even writing down specific steps of how to get from a to b to c might actually stand in the way of experimentation and discovery. And isn't that our standard approach to technology training? We show people the steps. It may help one feel a mastery of Gadget A, but what happens when someone brings in Gadget B, or even an updated version of Gadget A? We'll probably feel lost and confused and possibly frustrated and angry. I expect those feelings are frequently behind the expressions of "I hate technology" that I hear all too frequently in the library field.
Helene pointed out that her daughter was learning in a different way so that things like Facebook updates didn't upset her. Whereas I hear nothing but complaints whenever Facebook makes a change. Change is much more threatening to people who view learning as mastery rather than exploration.
So, how can we encourage leaning for its own sake instead of strictly for a goal, e.g., certification? Helene and the podcast hosts all felt that the rewards they'd provided for their 23 Things programs were largely unnecessary. Since these programs were voluntary, most of the library staff who attended truly did so for the love of learning.
But what about those who are old style learners and want to feel mastery? Can we find ways to reward experimentation? Just trying different options? For attempting to answer a question, even if they ultimately have to refer it on to someone else? We only really fail when we don't try.
I certainly don't have the answers here but I'd love to hear about what you may be trying in training programs at your libraries. Successes AND failures!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Information or spam?
I ran across these multiple entries from WebJunction on Facebook today. Actually, these weren't the only entries. There were 3 more before and another 3 after. I did post the one comment that I hoped they didn't mind if I used this as an example of ineffective use of social media.
So what's wrong with this?
The sheer volume of messages certainly comes across like spam. It obviously comes from an automated system that collects posts and spews them out to social media sites at some specified time - around 6am PT so people will catch the updates as they log in in the morning.
The posts are clearly designed for Twitter not Facebook. You see the abbreviated URLs and the @ response tags as well as the # subject tags. These have a purpose in Twitter but are gibberish in Facebook.
It's a pity because I'm sure some of this content would have been of interest to the 1,353 people who've bothered to like them on Facebook. Being a visual person, one of the things I like about Facebook over Twitter is that URLs will generally include a graphic and the initial sentences of the story. And if given slightly more information, I might have been interested in some of these stories. Granted, WebJunction does have more followers on Twitter - 2,530. So perhaps that's why they clearly prefer the Twitter format.
I don't mean to pick on WebJunction, really I don't. This was pretty common a few years ago. I actually blocked Twitter from my Facebook updates because I found it so annoying. But this is proof that there's always a way around. So it's a perfect example of how you really shouldn't try to cut corners with social media. Had they taken the time to share just a few of these posts on Facebook in a Facebook-friendly format, they might have generated some comments - people sharing their own insights and experiences. It could have added to the conversation instead of the overall noise level.
I've come to the conclusion that different types of social media appeal to different people. We need to be conscious of that as we decide how to get our message out. I think Twitter enthusiasts enjoy the sheer volume. Twitter isn't really about interaction. It's about scanning large quantities of information and passing it on. And there's certainly nothing wrong with that. I'm feeling slightly more friendly toward Twitter since I discovered Flipboard on my iPad. It slows down the barrage and makes it into a nice magazine type feel with photos and introductory paragraphs from stories.
But I think Facebook is more about the social interactions. People like to comment on stories, like them and share them, perhaps stop and read the other comments. I really feel cheated of that when I see Twitter posts.
Perhaps we can't do it all but need to choose our medium. WebJunction may choose to focus on Twitter if that's more their style. I don't think we need to be all to everyone. I suspect their Facebook friends would be very happy with a brief update every now and then and perhaps an opportunity to connect.
Which social media sites do you spend the most time on? Are these also where you post the most or comment or interact with friends? Where do your members spend the most time? It's not just about us but where those we seek to engage are as well.
The sheer volume of messages certainly comes across like spam. It obviously comes from an automated system that collects posts and spews them out to social media sites at some specified time - around 6am PT so people will catch the updates as they log in in the morning.
The posts are clearly designed for Twitter not Facebook. You see the abbreviated URLs and the @ response tags as well as the # subject tags. These have a purpose in Twitter but are gibberish in Facebook.
It's a pity because I'm sure some of this content would have been of interest to the 1,353 people who've bothered to like them on Facebook. Being a visual person, one of the things I like about Facebook over Twitter is that URLs will generally include a graphic and the initial sentences of the story. And if given slightly more information, I might have been interested in some of these stories. Granted, WebJunction does have more followers on Twitter - 2,530. So perhaps that's why they clearly prefer the Twitter format.
I don't mean to pick on WebJunction, really I don't. This was pretty common a few years ago. I actually blocked Twitter from my Facebook updates because I found it so annoying. But this is proof that there's always a way around. So it's a perfect example of how you really shouldn't try to cut corners with social media. Had they taken the time to share just a few of these posts on Facebook in a Facebook-friendly format, they might have generated some comments - people sharing their own insights and experiences. It could have added to the conversation instead of the overall noise level.
I've come to the conclusion that different types of social media appeal to different people. We need to be conscious of that as we decide how to get our message out. I think Twitter enthusiasts enjoy the sheer volume. Twitter isn't really about interaction. It's about scanning large quantities of information and passing it on. And there's certainly nothing wrong with that. I'm feeling slightly more friendly toward Twitter since I discovered Flipboard on my iPad. It slows down the barrage and makes it into a nice magazine type feel with photos and introductory paragraphs from stories.
But I think Facebook is more about the social interactions. People like to comment on stories, like them and share them, perhaps stop and read the other comments. I really feel cheated of that when I see Twitter posts.
Perhaps we can't do it all but need to choose our medium. WebJunction may choose to focus on Twitter if that's more their style. I don't think we need to be all to everyone. I suspect their Facebook friends would be very happy with a brief update every now and then and perhaps an opportunity to connect.
Which social media sites do you spend the most time on? Are these also where you post the most or comment or interact with friends? Where do your members spend the most time? It's not just about us but where those we seek to engage are as well.
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