210 likes | 333 Views
Web based tools for libraries – getting something for nothing. Kerry Webb ALIA kwebb@alianet.alia.org.au.
E N D
Web based tools for libraries – getting something for nothing Kerry Webb ALIA kwebb@alianet.alia.org.au
Along with information on everything under the sun, you can also find plenty of tools and sites on the Web for professional librarians – so many in fact that some managers may question the need for libraries and librarians. Many of these tools can help you do your job better, but despite the hype there is always a cost.
What it’s about … • What you need to do your job now • and in the future
Before we get started • I’ve never worked as a librarian • I do have my Dip. Lib. though • but I have a fair idea of what librarians do, and therefore what they need • Now, if you were expecting screens and screens of URLs of useful sites, you’ll be disappointed …
Before we get started contd • I’d rather talk in more general terms about the topic • But there will be some URLs – I promise • The other thing to note is the old old question: what is a librarian? • We do a lot of different things • “Traditional Librarianship”, Web publishing …
Before we get started contd • It’s also instructive to think about what the Internet is good at • Finding stuff (but can we trust it?) • Doing stuff (maybe buying and selling books and journals) • Talking to all sorts of people (communication is good, but …)
Tools – Finding Stuff • First, some background • There are people who know how to get stuff • Story from Wombats • But there are lot of people who don’t • Some of the stories from LibraryThing • Result – there’s an ongoing demand for “reference help”
Tools – Finding Stuff contd Google (as used by experts) • How many people (mis)use it • Google add-ons – Books, Scholar etc • News and Blogs particularly useful • The OCLC kerfuffle • Don’t ignore the other search engines (for completeness)
Tools – Finding Stuff contd • Also, read beyond the first few pages • Metasearch engines • Not as popular as they once were • Don’t forget – you aren’t typical users
Tools – Finding Stuff contd • And then there are new developments • Reference Extract http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081111-using-crowdsourced-librarians-to-out-google-google.html • DeepDyve http://www.deepdyve.com/ • Carrot http://demo.carrot2.org/
Tools – Doing Stuff • LibraryThing • Flash Mob Cataloguing Parties http://www.librarything.com/blog/2008/10/flash-mob-cataloging-party.php • Want to buy some books? • Addall (http://www.addall.com), AbeBooks (http://abebooks.com)
Tools - Talking to People • Librarians have been good at this since the start • PACS-L (http://epress.lib.uh.edu/pacsl/pacsl.html) • Web4Lib (http://lists.webjunction.org/web4lib/) • Stumpers-L (http://project-wombat.org/) The things (and resources) that you can learn from these!
Tools - Talking to People contd • And of course, LINK (http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link) Not showing much of its Library background, and the personalities can be exasperating …
Tools - Listening to People • Depending on your area of interest • Cheryl Hardy’s eGov Victoria http://www.egov.vic.gov.au/ Mostly reporting on the use of the Net for Government, but a lot of general stuff on new resources and Web development • Laura Carlson for Web development http://www.d.umn.edu/itss/support/Training/Online/webdesign/webdev_listserv.html The best list of resources for all aspects of Web development
Tools - Listening to People contd • Craig Thomler’s eGovernment blog http://egovau.blogspot.com/ Regular editorial posts on EGovernment issues – and a good number of responses • David Goldstein’s auDA Domain Name News http://www.auda.org.au/domain-news/ Factual abstract of news items – no editorialising
Tools - Learning • A taste of Web 2.0 http://www.yprlconnect.blogspot.com/ • The Informed Librarian http://www.informedlibrarian.com/
At last, the promised URLs • LibrarySpot’s Librarian’s Shelf http://www.libraryspot.com/libshelf/ • Lynette Reville’s New Librarians Resource Page http://www.alia.org.au/~lreville/nlrp/ • Bruce’s Links for Librarians http://www.e-book.com.au/misc.htm
At last, the promised URLs contd • Yarra Plenty’s Web 2.0 Resources http://yprl.wordpress.com/
But what is the cost? • Remember what the introduction said? • Mostly, it’s trust • Trust that the information is reliable • Wikipedia, as it was • Trust that the host won’t misuse your information • Google and searches, and cloud computing
But what is the cost contd • Trust that you won’t be defrauded • Trust that the system will be around next week • The Google Page Creator experience • In the end, it’s all about them • All of these require risk mitigation strategies (hurrah for buzzwords!)
Finally, my advice • Dive in – you won’t break the Internet • or if you do, you’ll be quite famous