L&LR staff blog

Joss has beaten me to blogging this, so rather than think for myself I’m just going to quote him in full.

Yesterday, I submitted a proposal to Talis under their Incubator fund. If successful, I would have the pleasure of working with Paul Stainthorp, E-Resources Librarian at the University of Lincoln, and Casey Bisson,  Information Architect at Plymouth State University. The bid is to develop an idea which I’ve posted about before, based on Casey’s work on Scriblio and our adventures with WordPress MU, in particular, JISCPress.

Anyway, rather than re-iterating the bid here. You can read it in full by clicking here.

Comments are very welcome. Thanks.

Following up on my last RefWorks post.

On Monday I had a phone conversation with Stephanie Faulkner, client services manager for RefWorks-COS. We discussed my desire to increase our ‘reach’ (currently 5.6% of the University are active users), and Stephanie went through some ideas, based on what the top 50 worldwide RefWorks-using institutions have found successful.

I’d appreciate your comments on these 10 ideas:

1. Let’s aim at getting 10% of the University (c. 1100 people) active on RefWorks by the end of the coming academic year - according to Stephanie, big U.S. schools have no problem achieving that, with smaller specialist institutions getting even wider reach. Should we also set ourselves a more ambitious target for – e.g. – H,L&SS, where there’s already more of a culture of using ref. management software?
2. Over the outgoing year, we had 1,739 hits on RefShare – obviously more people than expected are using RefWorks to share their references with others (it’s not a feature that I tend to dwell on in training, but there’s clearly huge potential for use by lecturers, research groups, and for student group work). Let’s capitalise on this evident interest by using RefShare ourselves (*ahem*) and by selling it a bit more in training.
3. We could make use of RefWorks’ own recorded webinars, YouTube, and more of our own screencast content to provide alternatives to face-to-face training.

4. Stephanie shared some in-depth usage stats with me – figures that aren’t available through the standard admin interface. More than 1,000 new users joined RefWorks last calendar year at Lincoln – and nearly a third of those accounts are still being used. By all accounts, that’s a very good rate of adoption and of retention. And 2009 looks like it’ll be better still – 876 new accounts already, with good repeat usage, and we’ve not even hit the Octover/November ‘peak’. The faculties need to know that the demand exists out there amongst their students – is now the time for us to propose that all level 1 students should be taught it?
5. Or, how about approaching the S.U. and/or student reps to see if they’d be willing to act as on-the-ground advocates for RefWorks?
6. The ability to attach documents to items in your RefWorks account. I’ve actually been sitting on this new(ish) feature of RefWorks for some time, because of copyright concerns – which I’m fairly sure now are groundless. Assuming that is the case, I think we should launch the RefWorks Attachment Feature at the start of semester A 09/10. If nothing else, perhaps we’ll be able to revitalise a few lapsed users by drawing their attention to a new & useful tool.

   RefWorks users now have the ability to organize and store images and documents within their personal database. This new feature allows users to attach non-bibliographic information to their references, much like attaching files to an email message. The incorporation of this feature allows users to upload files to existing references stored within their RefWorks database.

7. Would all L&LR staff be willing to put a hyperlinked RefWorks ‘ad’ in their email signatures – perhaps just over the course of a short blitz campaign? This is one technique that’s led to uptake in account creations elsewhere. 
   

   (Image: fairly poor example of email signature ad campaign!)

    

8. Similarly, RefWorks will create for us (given a couple of weeks’ notice) a custom, hperlinked University of Lincoln banner ad to appear at the top of our users’ RefWorks accounts – where currently RefWorks advertise some of their own new features. I think this is a good opportunity – so what feature should we advertise? 
   

   (Image: advertising space...)

    

9. Nearly there… RefWorks have announced (though only to administrators, and on their Facebook group) that they’re developing a new, improved interface, to be launched at the end of 2009. Apparently it will provide a cleaner, more modern look & feel, easier menu options, buttons for key features, and area for institutions’ own promotion. The new interface has apparently been developed through an “extensive review process with a combination of criteria including a thorough analysis of user workflows, a collection of user surveys, and end-user review sessions for design validation” and will run alongside the ‘old’ (i.e. current) version of RefWorks for an “extensive period, allowing ample time for transition”. Here’s another perfect opportunity for us to promote RefWorks and maybe attract some new users.
10. Finally, your own idea(s)……………………………… please leave comments below!

I’ve just spent an extremely useful morning in the Friary Learning Centre at Lincoln College, talking to learning centre staff about “Practical Library 2.0“.

I was very pleased to have been invited to talk to colleagues there, and to give a demo (entitled “Library 2.0h no, not again…“) of how library workers can use [mostly] free tools and technologies to create useful, practical enhancements to their catalogues, web pages, and services.

As an aside, I gave a similar talk/demo last week as a guest at the meeting of LiSN (the Lincolnshire Information Services Network), a knowledge-sharing group of library workers representing most of the university, college, public, and specialist libraries in Lincolnshire.

Below is a list of some of the tools I used in my demo: this is my fundamental Library 2.0 toolkit as it stands… what else would you add?

1. RSS

Surely RSS is the one web standard / technology (and the one Web 2.0 acronym – whatever it’s been decided that ‘RSS’ actually stands for this week) that all library workers should be encouraged to get to grips with as early as possible? It underpins just about everything else in this list, and yet it still seems to be a tool that’s only partially appreciated at best.

Anyway, here’s a video introduction to RSS (from TeacherTube) which is as good as any other I’ve found…

2. Google Reader (reader.google.com)

What can I say? It’s the first thing I check when I log on: before my email, before MyFaceTwitSpaceBook / whatever, and it’s usually the last thing I look at before I go home. I was sceptical about it before I signed up (in my ignorance), but it’s fundamentally changed the way I use the Web, very much for the better.

I didn’t even have time this morning to talk about Google Alerts, or about using Google Reader as a feed ‘blender’. Or the fact that there are plenty of other feed readers out there, and – who knows? – there may be one even better than Google Reader.

3. WordPress (wordpress.org)

We use the WordPress  μ (mu = multi-user) free, open-source blogging and web publishing platform at the University of Lincoln (see: blogs.library.lincoln.ac.uk for a selection of our Library blogs).

4. Feed2JS (www.feed2js.org)

A great tool for turning any valid RSS feed into a bit of code that can be embedded in any web page (as long as you have the keys to edit the page!). You can use the centrally-hosted service at feed2js.org, or you can install it as a service on your own site (which can help to make it faster).

5. Delicious (delicious.com, although I prefer their ‘old’ URL of del.icio.us)

Social bookmarking plus tagging = exploiting the “wisdom of the crowd” to find the gems in an increasingly sprawling, confused World Wide Web. And a delicious list can be exported as an RSS feed and embedded into a page (using feed2js, above): I think it’s probably the easiest way of maintaining a list of useful web links for a subject, requiring close to zero web design expertise or effort.

6. CiteULike (www.citeulike.org)

This is a relatively new site to me; probably because I’ve been concentrating on developing and promoting RefWorks at the University I haven’t had a lot of time to explore free alternative reference managers. CiteULike doesn’t seem to be as fully-featured as RefWorks, but the interface is a lot cleaner, and it’s got RSS feeds in one click. Verdict: bears further investigation.

Bibliographic / reference management + RSS = the future of libraries, no?

7. LibraryThing (www.librarything.com)

I don’t know why all librarians aren’t on here. I like this and this and this and this and this and this and this.

And this (books from my personal wishlist):

8. University of Huddersfield Library Catalogue (webcat.hud.ac.uk)

The birth of the 2.0PAC, going on in the Wild West (Riding) as you sleep.

9. Mashed Library (mashedlibrary.ning.com)

I’m very much looking forward to next Tuesday…

F.A.O. all staff in L&LR at the University of Lincoln.

I’ve ‘pushed the button’ on quite a big change for the way L&LR staff post new messages to our three blogs. The main result of the change is that we’ve been brought within the main University blogging platform. Our old blogging interface [image below] is now defunct.

The old, now-defunct blogging interface.

And here's the look of the new platform.

This post explains [below] how you can get started using the new platform. Please note that your old password for the blogs is no longer valid – also that the web address to log in and post to the blogs has changed.

But first – why the change?

• The new platform offers the potential for building a much greater readership of our blogs. It plugs in to other blogging activity going on at Lincoln and brings us closer to the centre of the University.
• We benefit from the social-networking aspects of the “BuddyPress” extension to WordPress blogging software which forms part of the new platform. BuddyPress has been described as “a Facebook for the University of Lincoln” – a description which may excite or depress you! :-)
• The new blogging platform is based on a newer, updated version of WordPress software, with more powerful features, and which is hopefully easier to use.
• Because it uses the same installation of WordPress blogging software as all other University blogs, there’s no need for us (me!) to manage the software separately – that’s less work to do, and fewer add-ons and user accounts to keep up to date.
• The new platform is attached to your standard University account, so you don’t need a separate password any more. One less to remember…

~~~~~~

Here’s what you’ll need to do to start using the new blogging interface:

1. Go to the following address (and save it in your bookmarks – N.B. this link replaces the previous login link):
   • http://blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/
2. You’ll see the login page. Log in with your normal, University username and password (don’t use any passwords you’ve used for the blogs until now – they’re history!)
3. Hit ‘log in’. You’ll see the message “There is a problem with this website’s security certificate“. Click on “Continue to this website”. (This message will disappear, in time).
4. Using the toolbar at the top of the page, highlight “My Blogs”. A drop-down menu will appear.
   
5. Highlight the name of the L&LR blog you want to post to (at the minute, we’re running three blogs). If you can’t see the blog to which you want to post, please let me know and I’ll give you the correct rights.
6. Then click on “New Post”.
7. This will take you to the author’s interface for the blog you selected – equivalent, but different, to the admin interface on the ‘old’ Blogs·Library·Lincoln platform.
8. Don’t forget to add tags to the post you’re creating, to insert images as appropriate, and to follow these blogging tips.
9. Any questions? Please ask me for help, or take a look at the “New here? Read this…” message on the new blogging home page.
10. It’s also worth taking 5 minutes to update your Profile (under ‘My Account’ at the top of the page). You can add a photo / image, change your profile name (from e.g. “dbeckham” to “Dave B.” or “David Beckham (Football Librarian)” – however you want your name to appear on your blog postings in future, and add additional information about you & your work within the University.
    

That’s it! I still need to do some work with C.E.R.D. to ensure that traffic to our blogs is being directed to the correct address [and also to close down our old blogging software], but our readers can continue to access our blogs in the way they’ve always done (directly on the Web at blogs.library.lincoln.ac.uk, via RSS feed, email subscription, or through the in-page feeds on the University website and the Portal), but we get the benefits of being part of the much wider University blogging community that’s being built up at blogs.lincoln.ac.uk.

Again – any questions about the change, please talk to me!

Paul S.

The following details outline the organisation of an event in June.  If anyone else is interested in helping with organisation or on the day please let Oonagh Monaghan know at omonaghan@lincoln.ac.uk

Steering group:

Helen Farrall (CERD), Pat Hughes, Oonagh Monaghan, Lesley Thompson

Publisher/supplier communications:

Di Walker, Vicki Winchester-Fraser

Helpers on the day:

Alice Frear, Marie Nicholson, Daren Mansfield, Cheryl Cliffe

Event: Supporting the learning experience: a joint event by Library and Learning Resources and CERD

Location: EMMTEC building (foyer and lecture theatre)

Date: 23^rd June 12noon-2pm (starting with buffet lunch)

Format:  Exhibition style in foyer and 10 minute presentation programme in the lecture theatre

Participants:

Exhibitors to include: publishers, suppliers, CERD,  Library and LR (ASLs – Paul, Alison, Acquisitions), Computing Services, Student Services, LiSN group)

Presentations to include: CERD (Helen for LD@L and possible others), ASLs with topics to include e-resources (Paul?), RefWorks (Alison?), Student Services?, CS?, publishers/suppliers

Funding:

Joint funding for refreshments from LLR and CERD budgets

Potential sponsorship funding from publishers/suppliers for event publicity

Timescale:

Publisher/supplier contact emails (emailed by Di and Vicki and recorded on spreadsheet)

1^st Week beginning 30^th March

2^nd Week beginning 20^th April

3^rd Week beginning  4^th May

Week beginning 18^th May – start publicity campaign and organise refreshments and logistics

The following email is/has been sent to suppliers/publishers:

The Library and Learning Resources department (http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/lr/index.htm)  and the Learning Development Co-ordinator from the Centre for Educational Research and Development (CERD) (http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/cerd/) at the University of Lincoln are hosting an internal event for academic staff from the University with the aim of promoting various resources, services and projects.  We would like to invite database suppliers and publishers who would be able to set up stands in an exhibition style format and/or demonstrate their databases etc.  We also have the facilities in a lecture room for a programme of 10 minute presentations.

The event is scheduled for the 23^rd June starting at 12 noon for lunch and ending at 2pm.  It will be held in the EMMTEC building on the main campus at the University in Lincoln.  Details of the space are at http://www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/businessservices/index.htm

Participants will be able to arrive before 12 noon to set up displays in the foyer area.

The event would offer you the opportunity to promote your services and materials to academic and library staff here at the University of Lincoln.

We would also like to ask participants if they are interested in sponsoring the event in return for promotion in all the marketing materials we produce running up to the day.

Joss introduced me to Yammer today… it’s a ‘microblogging’ service, similar to Twitter or the Facebook ’status update’, but designed for work – it looks like an interesting way for groups of dispersed colleagues to keep in touch with what the others are up to in a non-threatening way!

There’s a small (6 users!) but growing University of Lincoln presence.

• Web address: http://www.yammer.com/

Paul

At the beginning of July I attended the BBSLG (British Business Schools’ Librarians Group) annual conference, hosted by Leeds Met and Leeds University and held at the Metropole hotel in Leeds.  The subject this year was space, including library space, learning spaces and even “head space” (stress).  There were talks by Philippa Levy (Sheffield Information Commons), Richard Partridge (De Montfort University) and Peter Robson (Leeds University).  As I’m part of the organising committee for the conference, I arranged the sponsors’ exhibition and presentations. 

Please click on  http://www.bbslg.org/pdf/2008conf.pdf  to find a review of the conference.

For the conference we were asked to provide a summary of the last year’s activities at our respective universities in less than 200 words.  Replies were received from 48 institutions, including the University of Lincoln, and the document can be accessed at  http://www.bbslg.org/dox/633518825020781250.pdf

Alison Sharman

p.s. If anyone is interested, the speaker on stress, Michael Comyn, gave us all a free cd which comprises exercises to combat stress!  Apparently the secret is to breathe!