November 2010 Archives

Thank you to the 140-plus Libraries staff that attended last week's second Annual Emerging Tech Expo sponsored by the IT Council and Libraries Organization Development ( http://blog.lib.umn.edu/emergingtexpoblog/ ).  We hope you enjoyed the event and came away with new awareness of the technologies, tools, and services that were showcased.  The event was the collective effort of our knowledgeable and talented staff and guests, and they are recognized and thanked here.  

First, is the extraordinarily creative and efficient IT Council Tech Expo Planning subgroup led this year by Jennifer Reckner, with members Linda Eells, Eric Forbis, Lara Friedman-Shedlov, Denise Gamble, Lisa Johnston, Jan Roseen, and Scott Spicer.  

The event offered four rich, in-depth presentations by Janet Fransen, Kate Brooks, Colin McFadden (College of Pharmacy), Jason Roy, Scott Spicer, Ryan Mattke, Michael Winters, and Charlie Heinz.  

From Drupal and EthicShare to Skype and When-to-Work (and everything in-between), the Expo featured the work of our creative and engaging exhibits presenters: Sarah Morean, Lisa Johnston, Justin Dale (AHC), Layne Johnson, Kate McCready, Chad Fennel, Stephen Hearn , Janet Arth, Naun Chew, Cody Hanson, Shane Nackerud, Wayne Loftus, Anne Shelley and Arlene Matison (both from the Center for Transportation Studies), Kate Peterson, Jon Jeffreys, Kristen Mastel, Megan Kocher, Erin George, Scott Smith, Andrew Palahniuk, Beth Petsan, Charlie Heinz, Michael Winters, Philip Herold, Jerilyn Veldof, Jackie Gulbranson, Kirsten Clark, Mike Sutliff, John Barneson, Ryan Bean, Lara Friedman-Shedlov, Rod Rasmussen, and Marlo Welshons. 

The Expo was "powered" by our fabulous Computer Support staff: Michael Sutliff, Joe Nanti, Monica Winker-Bergstrom, John Geertz-Larson, and Michael Winters.  

Thanks to our Tech Expo documentarians: multimedia consultant Jenny Veile (videography) and Libraries Administration student employee Heidi Miller (photography).  

Additional preparatory and on-site support was graciously provided by Ryan Mattke and Charlie Heinz.  Thank you one and all for another great technology learning and sharing experience at this year's Expo!

- John Butler, Associate University Librarian for Information Technology and member of the Tech Expo Planning Committee 

 

Below are answers to some of the most popular questions we had at the Google Apps table during the TechExpo. We compiled questions in real time by using a form created in Google Docs!

Forms --> How to View Form Responses
http://docs.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=139706

How to create a Form:
http://docs.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=87809

How to access your U of M Gmail from your cell phone --> First, Change/Create your mobile password here:
https://www.umn.edu/dirtools
and
Set or Change Your Google Desktop/Mobile Client Password

To get a Calendar Pop-Up reminder that will show up even if you are not viewing your calendar, try Google Desktop.
Download it here:
http://desktop.google.com/

After you download it and install it, log in with your mobile/desktop password. Then add the Calendar gadget (click on the plus sign to add gadgets). Set your Calendar event reminders to Pop-Up. Google Desktop will give you a Pop-Up that shows on top of all open windows. It will not go away until you physically click on it.

How to create an e-mail list --> create a Contact Group in Contacts. Then, simply type in the Group name in the "To" field.
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=30970

Thanks everybody for stopping by our table!
Andrew, Beth, Charlie, Scott

Presenters: Charlie Heinz, Ryan Mattke, Jan Roseen, Michael Winters

We'll show you how Docs, Contacts, and Calendar work together to create a digital collaborative work environment, demonstrating tasks such as setting up a contacts group and a shared folder space. Have you had a Google Docs chat meeting yet? Did you know that you can set up video chat? We'll also have a Q&A session at the end.

Useful Links:

1. Library help: https://wiki.lib.umn.edu/Google/Tips
2. Google help: http://www.google.com/support/?hl=en
3. Firefox add-on: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/3179/
4. Chrome extension: http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/static.py?page=guide.cs&guide=27542&topic=27543&answer=173356  [in Options enter " a/umn.edu "]
5. List of Keyboard Shortcuts http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=6594

UMConnect allows for people to connect over large distances and participate in group discussions from mulitple locations.  Come learn about ways this software can be used for a variety of meeting and conferencing venues.

Handout:

• Basic Steps for Creating a UMConnect Meeting or Presentation

Additional Resources:

• http://umconnect.umn.edu
• http://www.oit.umn.edu/umconnect/

Presenters: John Barneson, Ryan Bean, Lara Friedman-Shedlov, Rod Rasmussen, Marlo Welshons

Resources

Here is a list (incomplete and under development) of recommended mobile sites and cool apps that University of Minnesota Libraries staff can explore for personal or professional use.

Mobile Sites

Use the browser on any mobile device to access these sites.

University of Minnesota Libraries

www.lib.umn.edu/mobile

The Libraries' own mobile site lets on-the-go users:

• Search for books, videos, maps, and music, and more using the library catalog.
• Find magazine and journal articles using library databases.
• E-mail citations of the resources you find.
• Browse for article databases that have mobile interfaces.
• Check library building and collection hours.
• Contact librarians by e-mail or phone.
• Look up when your checked out items are due.

Instapaper

www.instapaper.com

Install a button on your web browser and with one click you can save any web page or online article you want to read later. Then using the mobile-friendly Instapaper web site, you can easily access all the pages you've saved via your mobile device. You can also transfer files to read on Kindle and ebook readers that support the ePub format. Instapaper is also available as an iPhone app (see below).

Wapedia

wapedia.mobi

Crazy fast wiki encyclopedia; works well in 2g

WorldCat

www.worldcat.org/m

Uses the geo-location feature to identify which libraries in your vicinity hold the materials you're searching for.

Apps
AccessMyLibraryCollege

www.gale.cengage.com/apps/

Using your college e-mail address, AccessMyLibraryCollege gives you unlimited, 24/7 access to your college library's Gale online resources.

Free; compatible with Android | iPhone | iTouch | iPad

Barcode Scanner

code.google.com/p/zxing

Similar to RedLaser (see below) but also tied to Google Books so you can purchase the book, find it in a library, or search the contents of the book. 

Free; compatible with Android

Chrome to Phone

code.google.com/p/chrometophone/

A chrome extension that allows you to send webpages and google maps to your phone from your browser.

Free; compatible with Android

Documents to Go

www.dataviz.com/products/documentstogo/android/

Allows you to view (free) and edit (paid) office and google docs. Also can be linked to a google account so that all of your google docs are assessable via the cloud.

Free/$14.99; compatible with Android

Evernote

www.evernote.com

Capture, organize, find.

Free; compatible with Android | iPhone | iTouch | iPad

Fotopedia

www.fotopedia.com

Collaborative photo encyclopedia.

Free; compatible with iPhone | iPad

Google Apps

www.google.com/mobile/

Overview of apps for both iPhone and Android phones. More Google Mobile applications are available for phones that run the Android operating system; many Android-powered phones come with Google applications pre-installed.

Free; compatible with Android | iPhone

GoodReader

www.goodreader.net/goodreader.html

PDF reader with advanced reading, annotating, markup and highlighting capabilities, excellent file manager, TXT file reader and editor, audio/video player, Safari-like viewer for MS Office and iWorks files.

Free; compatible with iPhone | iTouch | iPad

iBooks

itunes.apple.com/us/app/ibooks/id364709193?mt=8

Easy to use, easy to download books, etc., and it now reads pdf files (better on the iPad).

Free; compatible with iPhone | iTouch | iPad

iCardSort

www.e-string.com/icardsort

Brainstorming tool that helps you to visually organize ideas quickly and easily.

Free; compatible with iPad

iNet Pro

itunes.apple.com/us/app/inet-pro-network-scanner/id305242949?mt=8

Network utility that provides information about the network you are connected to. Used primarily for troubleshooting network connectivity issues.

$4.99; compatible with iPhone | iPad | iTouch

Instapaper

www.instapaper.com

Install a button on your web browser and with one click you can save any web page or online article you want to read later. Then using the app on your phone, you can easily access all the pages you've saved. You can also transfer files to read on Kindle and ebook readers that support the ePub format. (See also above under mobile web sites)

Free; compatible with iPhone | iTouch | iPad

Kindle Reading Apps

Amazon's Kindle Store

Read Kindle books on any mobile device, not just a Kindle!

Free; compatible with Android | iPhone | iTouch | iPad

NewsRob

newsrob.blogspot.com

An RSS viewer linked to your google account, pulls your RSS feeds and syncs them with the cloud.

Free; compatible with Android

Notes Plus

notesplusapp.com

Allows mixing handwriting and typed text easily for note taking.

$4.99; compatible with iPad

RedLaser

redlaser.com

This app uses your iPhone's camera to scan a barcode or QR code and give you results from Google, theFind, eBay, and also local libraries via WorldCat. You can use it to comparison shop or find a book in your local library. You can also scan barcodes on food and get allergen information.

Free; compatible with iPhone | iTouch

RDP (Remote Desktop)

www.mochasoft.dk/iphone_rdp.htm (Apple devices)
www.mochasoft.dk/rd.htm (Windows Mobile version)
ww.mochasoft.dk/rdp.htm (Palm)

RDP's remote desktop connection allows users to log in their Windows computer or server and control it as though they are sitting there. Works best on the iPad, as smart phone screens are a bit small to be useful.

Free; compatible with iPhone | iTouch | iPad | Windows Mobile | Palm

Scany

itunes.apple.com/us/app/scany-networks-ports-scanner/id328077901?mt=8

Another network utility used for gathering information about the network, troubleshooting connectivity, etc.

$3.99; compatible with iPhone | iTouch | iPad

Stanza

www.lexcycle.com

Another good reading app. The "night view" option is a nice feature that allows users to easily dim the screen, make reading in the dark easier on the eyes.

Free; compatible with iPhone | iTouch

WolframAlpha

products.wolframalpha.com/android/ (Android version)
products.wolframalpha.com/iphone/ (iPhone version)
products.wolframalpha.com/ipad/ (iPad version)

A computational knowledge engine.

Free; compatible with Android | iPhone | iPad

VNC

www.mochasoft.dk/products.htm(See various links to info on this app based on device type)

Similar to RDP above, but a different kind of connection in that allows connecting to a computer that is in use without disconnecting the current user. You can see what they're doing and take control to help them as needed. Works best on the iPad, as smart phone screens are a bit small to be useful.

Free; compatible with Android | Blackberry | iPhone | iTouch | iPad | Palm | Windows Mobile

WorldCat Mobile

www.worldcat.org/mobile

An app version of WorldCat, powered by Boopsie.

Free; compatible with all web-enabled phones.

YPMobile

www.yellowpages.com/products/ypmobile

Cool app for finding restaurants, stores, etc., that are near you. Also shows events that are going on in the vicinity.

Free; App versions for Android | Blackberry | iPhone | iPad | iTouch | Palm;
compatible with all web-enabled phones via m.yp.com .

Presented by Colin McFadden, Jason Roy, and Scott Spicer





Student Media Project Examples
Minnesota Food Systems - Google Map with video interviews (Sustainability Course)
Eurasian Milfoil digital story (PSTL 1906 Water Sustainability Class)
Student Public Service Announcement (PSTL 1525)

Digital Media Collections
UMedia Archive
ARTstor
Naxos Music Library
FMG Films OnDemand
Digital Content Library (CLA/CDES)
Minnesota Digital Library
Alexander Street Press Counseling and Therapy in Video
Alexander Street Press Opera in Video
Alexander Street Press Theater in Video

The University of Minnesota Libraries has been using Drupal Content Management System since the relatively early days of Drupal itself.  And we've helped to make Drupal better along the way by hosting usability testing, hosting "code sprints" and through individual contributions of our employees.  Come on by the booth to learn more about our involvement, to learn what a "code sprint" is, or find out how you too can help to make Drupal better.

The term "linked data" refers to a particular model of encoding relationships between entities, concepts, and things. The model consists of a simple "triple" syntax. Linked data statements contain a subject, a relationship, and an object. These three terms are expressed in standard encoding, usually RDF (Resource Description Framework). For example:


What really makes linked data work, though, is the substitution of URIs for each of the three terms. The URIs function as consistent controlled identifiers for the entity, concept, or relationship they represent, eliminating the variability that pervades natural language expressions and enabling data statements to be confidently and specifically linked.

Linked data can be used both within a data environment and across data environments. Within an environment it makes possible the automatic generation of pages displaying relationships among entities and concepts. When one data environment makes use of URIs from another environment, additional kinds of functionality and integration can be achieved. In this way, URIs can expand in use beyond their home environments to many other data sets, and become the basis of data assembly across larger and larger pools of data. Therefore, linked data becomes part of the Semantic Web.

Links:

• http://linkeddata.org/guides-and-tutorials
• http://semanticweb.org/wiki/Getting_started

Examples of sites built on linked data:

• Freebase http://www.freebase.com/
• BBC Wildlife site http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/animals/
• DBpedia http://dbpedia.org/page/University_of_Minnesota

DBpedia is a compilation of linked data statements derived from Wikipedia. It's designed primarily for machine-to-machine interactions, but knowing the basic URI structure lets you call up sets of data harvested around a given topic, e.g., the University of Minnesota above. Not as pretty as the first two sites, but a clearer representation of the underlying linked data.

Stop by our booth and go hands-on with the newest generation of discovery tools. We'll have demos available of: 

Presented by Mike Sutliff and Eric Forbis

Presenters: Janet Roseen, Andrew Palanhiuk, Beth Petsan, Charlie Heinz, and Scott Smith

1.LCP

Access it: http://www.lib.umn.edu/#courses
View the overview video: on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNYgi7B0ZEw
Wiki page: Wiki page: https://wiki.lib.umn.edu/AP/LibraryCoursePage and User Guide: https://netfiles.umn.edu/xythoswfs/webui/_xy-15283389_1

• Automatically creates a page for all courses with the "subjects" and course reserves with additional customization through courselib pages
• Think of it like a new skin for Courselib pages
• If you are working with a course--we can help you to create a page (don't have the be the "official" liaison)

2. Moodle



Access it: https://moodle.umn.edu/

• Largest course management system on campus--Replacing WebVista as the CMS on campus
• Students are increasingly familiar with it
• Library Course Pages appear as a "block" in all Moodle courses
• Anyone can request a Moodle site for instruction to organize content, give quizzes, forums, etc.
• Examples:
• Use to administer quiz for Intro to Library Research (1000+ students per semester): https://moodle.umn.edu/course/view.php?id=12202
• Introduction to RefWorks: https://moodle.umn.edu/course/view.php?id=4607
• Introduction to EndNote: https://moodle.umn.edu/course/view.php?id=3866
• Laurel Haycock has created a page for Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development (OLPD)
• Linda Eels is using it to administer a course integrated assignment

3. ChimeIn (web-based student response system)



Access it at: http://chimein.cla.umn.edu/
View the overview video: http://mediamill.cla.umn.edu/mediamill2/html5/78553

• Polls & surveys
• Background probe
• Misconception check
• Word cloud (automatically generated for free response questions)

4. Clickers



Access it: https://wiki.lib.umn.edu/SEDP/EquipReservations (book via Aleph)
Getting the Software:  Installation CD with clickers
Online Training: http://www.turningtechnologies.com/responsesystemsupport/producttraining/onlinetutorials/
Examples in the Information Literacy Toolkit: netfiles.umn.edu/xythoswfs/webui/_xy-10126973_1 (Google Your Own Adventure)

• Determine order of class presentation (let the audience choose what you cover)
• In class assessment of concepts -- test if your audience learned what you just covered.
• Create quizzes in a game-style format

5.SMART Sync



Overview tutorial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvY5gapHrj4
http://downloads01.smarttech.com/media/flash/smartsync/index.html

• Broadcasting instructor's desktop - used during a demo to make sure all student's can see the screen clearly
• Sending files- fused in the Formatting you Dissertation/ Thesis in Word 2009 class to send template Word documents to participants
• Poll Yes/No -  ask if students were ready to move on yet
• Announcements - letting students know when they had 1 minute left in an exercise
• Chat- used this to brainstorm keywords on a particular topic

6.  Class Cature/Camtasia Relay



Access it: http://www.oit.umn.edu/class-capture/
Overview tutorial: https://umconnect.umn.edu/camtasia

• Use to record face-to-face session (records screen and voice) such as workshop or course integrated instruction. You can then embed these into Library Course Page or Moodle.
• Use to make quick tutorials (little editing possible)
• What equipment do I need? Generally need microphone
• Uses MediaMill for storage (easy to send content to YouTube, get embed code, apple mobile devices, etc.)
• Examples: http://www.lib.umn.edu/instruction/tutorials

Presenters: Kate Brooks and Jan Fransen

Presenter: Jerilyn Veldof

 

Presenters: Arlene Mathison, Anne Shelley

The Center for Transportation Studies uses Open Journal Systems to host a peer-reviewed, open access journal called The Journal of Transport and Land Use. We'll talk about working with the OJS platform, why it was chosen, and the services that CTS provides for the journal.

Presenter: Jackie Gulbranson

When to Work is an online scheduling tool that IADS started using in August of 2010. This program replaces Excel, UMCal and other tools that units had been using to schedule daily tasks for students and full time staff.

Stop by the When to Work table at the Tech Expo to test drive the program, see live demonstrations and hear tales of one unit's adventures in scheduling and calendar management.

Links

• http://whentowork.com/
  

Presenter: John Butler

If you've been hearing from your colleagues or in the news frequent mentions of "HathiTrust," but don't really know what it is or why it's important to research libraries, come to this presentation. Although just two-years old, the HathiTrust is already among the world's largest digital libraries, and the University of Minnesota is an integral part of it.

Links:

• HathiTrust: a Shared Digital Future
• HathiTrust Search Portal
• "HathiTrust's Copyright Detectives" from 10/21/2010 Library Journal
  

Presenter: Erin George

Presenter: Shane Nackerud and Wayne Loftus

A demonstration of Urchin, the U of M web log analysis tool, currently used by the main library web site to analyze and view log statistics.

For more information on the University's implementation of Urchin, visit U of M Web Stats.

Links:

• http://www.oit.umn.edu/web-stats/
  

Presenter: Janet Arth

The bX Recommender Service which appears on the Find It menu for many articles was made available in July 2010.  See it in action and look at some of the usage data.  Learn some of the reasons why there are not recommendations for more articles.  Let's share favorite sites for getting recommendations once we've found one really good article.

Presenter: Kate McCready

Presenter: Lisa Johnston
HUBzero™ is an open source platform used to create dynamic web sites for scientific research and educational activities. With HUBzero, you can easily publish your research software and related educational materials on the web.