15 Technologies for Libraries ---Free, but at what cost to your soul?

Great --more stuff I feel like I should know how to use and that make me feel like I'm doing everything some old, hard, 2010 way.   I read Ellyssa Kroski's post about 15 new technologies for libraries. http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/15-free-technologies-libraries/

Actually, some of these I have used. Some I've heard of. Others are brand new to me.

Here is the list of fifteen technologies and my take on them:

 THE FIFTEEN:

1. Poll Everywhere---Ask a question --get people to text or tweet or internet their vote. The results are immediately displayed in a chart for all to see. Turn every learning moment into a popularity contest! Have not used it.
    
2. Animoto----Used it!! Both primitive and slick. Easy peazy to use, but the free version gives you hardly any recording time.

3. Mail Chimp ---Because using ordinary e-mail for e-mail campaigns is so backward. Mail Chimp has templates---and chimps!  Have not used it.

4. Zoho Creator ---Lets you custom build apps. Right --like you know how to do that!

5. PBWorks ----I have used this to keep track of all the sh### I read on librarian blogs. A knowledge management tool.

6. Coral -----An Electronic Management System for ERMS, or Electronic Resources Managers. Once I was one, and I had to dance the ERM tune. Now I'm not. Ha! So I could care less.

7.   Dropbox ----Yeah, yeah, yeah. We know. Useful tool. I was using it daily for personal stuff, like storing photos and word files. Not into that file-sharing aspect of it though. File sharing leads to unpleasant things, like doing work.  

8. Wufoo ----Aren't we SICK of cutsie app names by now? Does EVERYTHING digital has to come with a nonsensical name with multiple vowels that sounds like it belongs in a Dr. Seuss rhyme? I mean, the novelty of this is long gone, and I for one would find it refreshing to see a plain ol name like "Web Form Maker." Because that's what this app does. It makes web forms. No, I haven't used it.

9. Twitterfeed---Tweet your blog, or blog your tweet, or however it goes. Because a social media identify is like a bad flu. You only know that you have one when it comes out both ends. Haven't used!

10. Protopage ----Intriguing---a RSS reader alternative I didn't know about.  Looks better to me than Feedly, which I found obnoxious, and which has one of those annoyingly treacly names. I have much preferred CommaFeed, which I've been using since Google Reader pulled up stakes and left town. CommaFeed has a quiet, practical display which doesn't waste my time or eyeballs with some of the crap displayed on Feedly. Protopage is probably busier than I want, but I will have to check it out. Right now I'm loyal to CommaFeed, for being sane and anti-hype.

11.  Adobe Voice ----Now here's something!  Record yourself talking and they provide photos for you to add. I'm skeptical the photos are worth a darn, but as someone who loves to record herself attempting poetry, humor and performance art, this one has exciting possibilities.

12. Survey Monkey ---Put the word "monkey" or "chimp" in the name of a and people will want to use it. This does work pretty well, though. We have used it for our library surveys, though we had to purchase the Pro version to have all the features we wanted.

13. Optimal Sort ---something to do with information architecture and card sorting. Wha? Hell no I haven't used it.

14. Jing ----I used this several years ago ----seemed like support for it had floundered, so I moved over to Screencastomatic. Maybe Jing is better now, and worth another look.

15.  Free Screensharing and Free Conference Call ---Bleh. Only thing worse than people making conference calls are people making conference calls with spiffy new web tools. But I like the matter-of-fact name!

October is Library 2.0 Time!

Here is a list of the recordings from the 2014 Library 2.0 conference.

I've bolded the ones I want to watch:

Jennifer Abbott	RECORDING	Improving Digital Services Through Database Development
Stephen Abram	RECORDING	7 Tactics to Gain Big Savings through Collaboration: Can we bravely take risks?
Ayyoub Ajmi	RECORDING	Google Glass at the UMKC Law School Library
Barbara Alvarez	RECORDING	Business Services for Public Librarians
Balázs Arató	RECORDING	E-services in a hungarian academic library
Andrea Baer	RECORDING	Conceptions of Research: Implications for Information Literacy Instruction
Cintia Bastos	RECORDING	Library Reading Program for Reluctant Readers
Estelle Beck	RECORDING	The influence of the Learning Commons on the university libraries’ missions
Samantha Adams Becker	RECORDING	On the Horizon: Pressing Technologies, Trends, Challenges for Libraries
Erika Behling	RECORDING	Let’s Get Visible! (Visible!): Visible Thinking in Library Instruction
Judit BÉRES	RECORDING	Bibiotherapy - Bibliotrápia
Laura Birkenhauer	RECORDING	Evolving Approaches to Professional Development: Continuing Education for the Unemployed or Underemployed Librarian
Amanda Bjorling	RECORDING	Meeting the Diverse Needs of High School Learners through Online Learning
Elizabeth Borghi	RECORDING	LIS Skills Beyond The Library
Phil Bradley	RECORDING	Alternative search engines; why Google simply isn't enough.
Christine Bruce	RECORDING	Information Experience: New approaches to theory and practice
Raymond Pun	RECORDING	WeChat, Library Chat: Exploring New Mobile Services for Students in China
Patrice Bryan & Darcy Coffta	RECORDING	Schools' Vortex: Innovative Library Makerspaces
Mara Cabrera	RECORDING	Reality & Virtuality: Research expectations, responsibilities, and technologies in the dissemination phase of a 4-year study
Mardene Carr	RECORDING	Mobile Technologies and Libraries: Match Made in Heaven or Marriage Gone Wrong?
Tina Chan	RECORDING	A Study of Gimlet Use in Reference Transactions
Tina Chan	RECORDING	Kickstart Your Publishing: Writing Reviews
Roxanne Clement	RECORDING	School Library Digital Learning Spaces
Closing Social	RECORDING	Closing Social
Rachel Collier	RECORDING	3D printing at the Reference Desk
IdaMae Craddock	RECORDING	From Maker Space to Learning Commons
Amy Croft	RECORDING	Get it Together' Study Nights - Initiating a new user-centred service in an academic library - Amy Croft Senior Librarian / Campus Library Manager
Sherry R. Crow	RECORDING	Aren't all kids the same? Looking at cultural differences in motivating students to seek information
Eszter Csorba-Simon	RECORDING	A Baranya Megyei Könyvtárellátási Szolgáltatási Rendszer működése/ The Operation of the Service System of Library tendings
Julienne DesJardins	RECORDING	Get Noticed: Create Compelling Images that Spark Engagement
Dóra Egervári	RECORDING	Information literacy and adult education in Hungary
Ashley Eklof	RECORDING	BiblioTech, Year One
Nancy Faget	RECORDING	Virtual Internship: Where in the World is Great Science being Done?
Nancy Faget	RECORDING	Cool Tools to Visualize Information
Rita Fekete	RECORDING	Open access and the academic libraries
Matthew Follett	RECORDING	Engaging Students with eBooks and Classroom Connections
Donna Frederick	RECORDING	Do you have what it takes to manage an eBook library?
Katie Garcia	RECORDING	The Freshman Flip: An Exploration
Loida Garcia-Febo	RECORDING	Libraries as a Safe Heaven in Times of Conflict
Sherry Gick & Matthew Winner	RECORDING	When Sherry Met Matthew: Finding Your Educational Soulmate and Helping Kids to Rule the World
Brigitta Goerres	RECORDING	Libraries: A Destination of Learning
Hilda Gomez	RECORDING	El Poder de los Cuentos Digitales
Emily Gover	RECORDING	Be Mindful of the Gap: Understanding Information Literacy Struggles Between High School & Higher Education
Chris Hagar	RECORDING	Supporting the humanitarian effort during disasters: Opportunities for LIS students as digital volunteers
Jonathan Hernández	RECORDING	Internet censorship, privacy and freedom of expression: new challenges for LIS professionals.
Susan Hildreth	RECORDING	Libraries as community learning partners - STEM, Maker and Badging!
Valerie Hill	RECORDING	Embedding Librarians in Digital Culture
Sandra Hirsh	RECORDING	Working in a Global Environment – Success Strategies for Today’s Information Professional
Richard P. Hulser	RECORDING	Driving digital destinies through multi-institutional collaborations
Uta Hussong-Christian	RECORDING	Whiteboard Visualizations: Evidence of Learning in Student-Centered Library Spaces
Csuka Dalma Ilona	RECORDING	Demand for access to higher education and public opinion about LIS
Alexandra Janvey	RECORDING	Creating a Successful Online Portfolio
Brigitta Jávorka	RECORDING	Personal Information Management in the library - Személyes információszervezés a könyvtárban
Amy Jiang	RECORDING	Expanding library technology services to support and enhance students’ technology skills
Linda Kalejs	RECORDING	Building capability: an holistic approach to MOOC development
kYmberly Keeton	RECORDING	The Special Library Express: An Open-Dialogue about Library Express Stations Being Created in Local Community Centers and Cultural Arts Complexes in the United States
Sara Kelso	RECORDING	Get Published! The Best Advice for Students Submitting to Peer-Reviewed Journals
Tibor Koltay	RECORDING	Data literacy (Adat-írástudás)
Marc Kosciejew	RECORDING	Personal Data Rights in a Digital Age: Ownership, Control, Privacy, and Anonymity
Edina Kovács	RECORDING	Open access and archive policies’ current opportunity and situation
Jennifer LaGarde	RECORDING	Imagining Library Spaces of the Future, Today
Jason LeDuc	RECORDING	LibSat: Getting Ahead of Your Customer Satisfaction Issues
Jason LeDuc	RECORDING	Taming the Quantitative Data Monster with LibPAS: What? Who? Where? Why? How?
David V. Loertscher	RECORDING	Co-Teaching Path to Excellence in the Learning Commons
Michelle Luhtala	RECORDING	Flipped Learning and the Essential Tools to Get you There
Lili Luo	RECORDING	Enhancing Librarians’ Research Skills: A Professional Development Program
Melissa Mallon	RECORDING	Promoting Critical Thinking Through Authentic Learning Activities
Clare McKenzie	RECORDING	Building professional relationships with the International Librarians Network
Eve Melton	RECORDING	Shifting Medical Library Strategies amidst Healthcare Transformation
Phil Morehart	RECORDING	Inside New Library Design
Rebecca Morris	RECORDING	Channeling Energies in Library Digital Storytelling
Peter Morville	RECORDING	The Architecture of Understanding
Peter Murray	RECORDING	Making Open Source Work for You
Ana Ndumu	RECORDING	Cultural Literacy as Information Literacy at HBCU Libraries
Heidi Neltner	RECORDING	Your Stakeholder Connected Librarian Toolkit
Marton Nemeth	RECORDING	A summary from a student point of view about the Digital Library Learning Programme
Marton Nemeth	RECORDING	ELDORADO-A national user centred library service development project in Hungary - Marton Nemeth
Judy O’Connell	RECORDING	Leadership in a connected age: change, challenge and productive chaos
Ji Hak Paul Park	RECORDING	Building a library mobile site in three weeks - Ji Hak Paul Park, Web services librarian
Kathleen Phillips	RECORDING	Usability and You: Website usability testing your library's virtual presence
Attila Piros	RECORDING	Questions of Automatic Analysis of UDC Notations / Az ETO jelzetek automatikus elemzésének kérdései
Lauren Poelvoorde	RECORDING	Interactive eStorytimes for Kids
Kelly Rembert	RECORDING	Marketing on a Budget
Pam Sandlian-Smith	RECORDING	Creating Experience Libraries
Sarah Schmidt	RECORDING	Facing a Rising Tide: Using Blackboard to Navigate a Flood of New Information Literacy Instruction Needs
Dr. Daisy Selematsela	RECORDING	Perspective on the evolving roles of information professionals within the South African National System of Innovation (NSI)
Amy Shaffer	RECORDING	Creative Good: How Creative Collaboration in the Library can Generate Global Impact
Man Shu	RECORDING	DigiBook MakerSpace in Chinese Public Libraries
Michael Stephens	RECORDING	Finding Balance: Reflective Practice and the Profession
David Stern	RECORDING	Harvesting and organizing many types of web materials using capture software
Barbara Stripling	RECORDING	Building a Learning Community Through a Library Learning Commons
Patrick Sweeney	RECORDING	How to Win Elections and Influence Politicians
Roy Tennant	RECORDING	How to Be a 21st Century Librarian
Ellen Tise	RECORDING	Access to knowledge - reality or fantasy in the digital age
Sue Toms	RECORDING	Listening to the Library: What should be our role in providing and promoting audiobooks to patrons?
Joyce Valenza	RECORDING	Welcome Session
Joyce Valenza	RECORDING	Closing Session
Joyce Valenza	RECORDING	Librarians and Social Capital
B.Vijayalakshmi	RECORDING	User Centered Community Service Models
Revathi Viswanathan	RECORDING	Knowledge Enhancement through Emerging Technologies- Need of the Hour in Digital Era
David Weinberger	RECORDING	John Henry in the Library: Algorithms vs. Humans
Debbie Weissmann	RECORDING	Gamifying for Librarians
Larry Wilson	RECORDING	The Media Center as a Production Center
Jia Yang	RECORDING	Exploring the Use of Information Visualization for Library
Melda N. Yildiz	RECORDING	Developing Transdisciplinary Lesson Plans and Integrating Information Literacy Skills for K12 Classrooms
Michelle Zaffino	RECORDING	The Future: In the Stacks Book Recommendation App

Free images from cool places!

It's been a long time since I posted. The long, cold winter we had made me revert to my frozen ways of the
past.

But I am BACK, and I had to post this item about a rich resource of sites where you can get a lot of free,  high resolution earth images:

http://oedb.org/ilibrarian/guide-little-known-image-collections-millions-free-hi-res-images/

My activity on Pinterest

Finnish Libraries Now!

Hooray for Finns! They are way into books and big fans of their libraries.

I am re-posting this - got this image and information from the Designer Librarian's blog.  She said she could see through the windows of this library in Turku, lots of people sitting inside, in the middle of the day, JUST READING.  Heaven.

For more of a look at libraries in Finland, check out the Designer Librarian's blog and the site Finnish Libraries Now! 

Thanks to the Designer Librarian for hipping me to this.

A mock ad for a workout video for librarians from 1987. Weird and hilarious!

Library 2.0 webinars I've watched January 2013

These can all be found on the Library 2.0 website. The recordings of the 2012 conference sessions are available for viewing. I always have a long list of sessions I want to watch! Below is the first batch I've watched. Some of my notes on these are rudimentary. As I go back over and review them again, I may update them with more information. For now, I'm just trying to keep track of what I watched, and the jist of what it covered.

Research on the go: Preparing Libraries to be Mobile Friendly. Towards the end it seemed more geared to school librarians, but there were some interesting note-taking and citation tools presented that could be useful to anyone. Want to try some of the note-taking and mind-mapping tools she presented: popplet, mind-blowing, posterous, evernote, easybib, linolt, show me.

Best Practices in University Embedded Librarian work. Very practical and good webinar with lots of detail and ideas for what embedding actually means and what it looks like. Valuable screenshots of a library embedding itself within the course management system. I took screenshots of the screenshots and made my own power point out of them so I could review them later.

Guide on the side: Easy tutorial creation for busy librarians 
I wasn't aware that "Guide on the side" was a product until I watched this. Will have to explore this further.

Building a Medical Library Knowledge Base Using LibAnswers
Another product I was not aware of --LibAnswers

Life After Meebo: Evaluating Virtual Reference Services for Your Library in the Post-Meebo Virtual Environment.
Gave some cool examples of the way incoming virtual reference questions look to the librarian. Will have to review my screenshots, because I can't remember more right now.

Online Vs Face to Face Information Literacy Instruction
Examples of online information literacy instruction and how to assess them

Toward a Sustainable Embedded Librarian program
Library had success with embedded librarian program, but found it took too much time and could not keep up with the demand of growing classes that needed it. Their solution was to purchase LibGuides and use that to more efficiently create embedded content and modules.