Sarah Houghton-Jan
Senior Librarian for Digital Futures
San Jose Public Library
Sarah began by asking some questions of the audience
- How many people in the room working at a small library? Lots
- How many work in an underfunded library? Most
- How many work in an underfunded dept.? Some
Sarah surveyed digital user Library Activity in 2006
- website visit 5-6 per capita
- database use under 1 per capita
Advocate that the e-branch is very important
- will be seen by most members of the public
- open 24/7
- not dependant on location
- minimal staffing
- materials are cheaper
- no processing of physical materials
- high-return on investment
#1: Talk with your customers
- IM
- meebo me widget - chat directly from the web
- trillian
- Text messaging - Southeastern Louisiana University
- VoIP - Ohio University using Skype
- Video chat - just starting to take off
You don’t have to do it all at once
#2: Don’t pay for images
- classroomclipart.com
- Image*After - including textures
- OpenClipArt.org
- OpenPhoto.net
- Stock.xchng
- Flickr - advanced search for CC
#3: Offer tools and mashups
- Library ELF - possible privacy issues
- Library Lookup - Find in catalog from ISBN on web page
- LibX Toolbar - create a browser toolbar with direct access to your catalog
#4: Make Dynamic Lists
- So long to the .doc book lists
- use blog or wiki
- recommended movies, music, books - AADL example
- encourage full staff participation
- use an entry template, tags, categories
- welcome custom comments
#5 Give your library a face
- Flickr
- create sets of photos
- advertise new computers
- do more
- Moo - cards
- HP - posters
- Qoop - calendars
- Zazzle - shirts
#6 Provide audio content
- podcasting
- mic + Audactiy + Blogger blog
- Everyzing (turn audio and video into text)
- TextAloud (text into audio)
- Ideas
- kids songs
- searching tutorials
#7 Provide video content
- Digital video camera ($100+)
- Avidemux editing software (free)
- Blogger blog (free)
- Ideas
- classes and lectures
- community events
YouTube
#8 Exploit the blog as a format
- Don’t call is a blog
- encourage comments
- Re use content across blogs
- Repeat important posts over time - tips, etc. (good idea)
- Tools: WordPress or Blogger
#9 Make RSS your BFF
- RSS is more than just blogs
- item and news feeds
- new teen books
- library updates
- favorite authors and subjects
- RSS Calendar service
#10 Help your catalog (it needs it)
- open source options
- Koha
- Evergreen
- Scriblio
- Libray Find
- Chan’t change your ILS?
- Aquabrowser
- LibraryThing for Libraries
- VuFind
- Example: Hennepin County
- Example: AADL (patron reviews)
#11 Be present in social networks
- Be present
- be real
- be reliable and continuously new
Hennepin County Facebook page
MySpace
#12 Use outside web hosting tools
#13 Try a wiki
- subject guides, book reviews, intranets
- Bull Run library - created by the public
#14 Use EngagedPatrons.org
free and low-cost Web 2.0 services
#15 Use design tools to look cool
- Inknoise tools
#16 Use other free tools
- Gimp
- Zamzar
- surveymonkey.com
#17 Exploit image generators
#18 Recommend Websites easily
- Del.icio.us
- FURL
#19 MicroBlog with Twitter
#20 Keeping everything current
keep up with the stuff you implement
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