Writings
I have been asked to write articles for the Ball State University Libraries newsletter, The Library Insider. The focus will be on Web 2.0 technologies and tools that can be applied in libraries, often referred to as "Library 2.0".
Library 2.0: inexpensive website redesign
If your library, organization, or group is considering a Web site redesign, or if you are creating a new site, there are several free and useful Web-based tools to assist in this process. One such product is iPlotz, www.iplotz.com. The iplotz software allows users to create clickable, navigable mockups, and wireframes for prototyping a Web site. (Read full article in PDF format.)
Web 2.0: video chat
What if you want to collaborate online with more than one other person? A new service, called “ooVoo” (http://oovoo.com/) offers the ability to video chat with up to three people at the same time — for free. For an additional fee ($10/month), you can video chat with up to six people at a time. Simply download the free software and install it on your Macintosh or Windows computer. Set-up is easy, taking just a few minutes. (Read full article in PDF format.)
Web 2.0: My Library @ BSU
In today’s user-customizable, Web 2.0 environment, students need library resources to be organized around their needs for gathering information based on their classes. My Library @ BSU is a customizable library Web portal page for students, inspired by iGoogle and MyYahoo. (Read full article in PDF format.)
Library 2.0: Evernote – Another Free and Useful Web 2.0 Tool
Do you ever have a flash of inspiration yet lacked the means to record your idea? If you manage to record your inspiration, do you sometimes forget where you saved it among the multiple devices many of us own? Or have you been somewhere or seen something that you wanted to remember later? If so, then the Web 2.0 application Evernote may be just the tool you need. (Read full article in PDF format.)
Web 2.0: Using a Library “Web Laboratory”
As library technology staff develop new products and services, a major question is how to test and market the products effectively to students and faculty. A number of institutions have developed creating an online web lab, similar to Google Labs. This allows libraries seek suggestions for new services, highlight and seek feedback on projects under development, and recruit participants for usability studies and focus groups.
(Read full article in PDF format.)
Library 2.0 Collaboration Tools: Wiki
Are you collaborating with multiple people on a project, and need ways to share your work? Are you tired of tracking multiple versions of the same document across dozens of emails? If you are, then a wiki may be just the tool you need.
A wiki is a page or set of online pages, similar to a Web site, that allow multiple users to create, add, or modify their content. The most well-known wiki is Wikipedia, the collaborative online encyclopedia. The term “wiki” is a Hawaiian word for “fast,” and setting up and using a wiki is quick and simple. (Read article in PDF format.)
Library 2.0: Free and useful web tools for librarians
Jing
Jing is a free software package that allows you to take pictures and record video of anything on your computer screen, then save it to share later. Jing can be found at the Jing Project website (www.jingproject.com), and is available in both Mac and Windows versions. Want to create an instructional video on how to use a great online resource, but don’t have hundreds of dollars to spend on commercial software? Or, are you trying to show someone from afar how to do something on their computer, but they just don’t get it? Download Jing, and with a few clicks and a little bit of practice, you can easily create and share video and still images to do these things and more. Read full article (PDF or Word)
Gliffy
While many people are familiar with the most popular “Web 2.0” tools – self-publication through blogs, social networking through Facebook and MySpace, and the collaborative reference t
ool Wikipedia – there are several free and less well-known tools available to help create professional-looking products. Gliffy is an online drawing and diagramming tool, which is available atwww.gliffy.com. Gliffy allows users to create all types of diagrams, including flow charts, network diagrams, floor plans, organizational charts, SWOT diagrams, wireframes, UML and others. It is also a great way to quickly create web site maps, diagram entity relationships, develop prototype user interfaces, and diagram processes and procedures. Users can share, print, or export any diagram you create for use elsewhere. If you can click-and-drag using your computer mouse, and type a few letters, you can use Gliffy.
Read full article (PDF or Word)
