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Brick and Click 2011

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These are just some random personal notes I took at B&C11 this year.

Library as place
Your campus living room
Old dark, cold building
What did our library users want? Surveys and ask
no new funding and fewer staff, did it with our skills
Love the neon Ask ? Sign
Always 2 people on desk
Got rid of walls and put in glass area
Cafe with just drinks not popular, now food and busy
1% of funding for fun stuff : games, movies, graphic novels; ppl learn dif ways
No one working on electronic acquisitions, now do
Tell faculty before you cut journals, resources, allocation formula,faculty decide what % of departmental is journals, books etc.
Program destination on campus, put them on the map with the university, took a position from acquisitions to program coordinator, 122 programs 14,000 people
Authors and artists celebrating faculty and staff, host extravaganza have a band, 10 tables about service and win prizes, free food and pop, 5,000 people between 10-3
future plans: libqual, paint stairwells, expand writing center students to distance students, new books plan, 5 ipads for checkout, presentation rehearsal space
Large chocolate bars with info on it rather than a handout
Mandated that distance students treated the same way

Qr codes
Abeline Christian university - custom Qr code generator to push out info, on displays and catalog
Signs around campus, handouts , online research guides
I like the signs for around campus
Signs for reference with code to digital encyclopedias etc.
Bitly doesn't say where scanning codes, create different codes for different locations
Library walking tour with videos
How to assess Qr code usage? Usefulness?

Have a fail whale for classroom presentations

Library and athletic partnership
My strategy- where's Waldo, be everywhere
Athletes have own tutors, support staff, academic advisers
Office hours, orientations, arrange library game days to support students
Slam: students, libraries, and athletes in motion
Coogs on the go library guide


Speaking to the masses
PowerPoint and screen casting
Captivate allows branch narratives

ALA 2010 Highlights

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This past ALA I was busy running around to meetings, so I attended very few presentations. However, I got the most ideas, inspiration and connections through visiting the poster sessions. A few that stood out to me were:


  • International Scholars and Information Literacy Skills: Outreach and Instruction by Nikhat J. Ghouse
    I particularly was interested in hearing more about the 4 weeks intensive English immersion research component; more info can be found on her LibGuide.

  • We are currently revising an Online Privacy workshop, so I was very interested in Casey Schacher's Privacy: A Year-Long Outreach Campaign poster.
    Their integration across campus through events, posters, videos and workshops was a well thought through campaign.

  • Playgarism: Get your game on had the most unique and eye-catching layout. I am definately going to keep tabs on this project! It has a great foundation.
  • Brian Sullivan of Loyola University New Orleans showed me examples of ingographics he created with students during instruction sessions using a few new tools to me: Creately, Gapminder, Google Public Data Explorer, Many Eyes, Prezi, Stat Planet, and Tagxedo. I am definitely going to try this with a class this year!

  • Since we hired an Instructional Designer I have been interested in ID. Lauren Olewnik's poster, Deliberate design an instructional face-lift, provided a nice walk through of redesigning a course-integrated instruction session.

In the past I skipped over the posters, but I won't make that mistake again. Looking forward to more great posters in 2012!

The Importance and Relevance of Metadata

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Yesterday I attended the Embedded Metadata: An Explanation with Real World Uses workshop remotely, as an Art Libraries Society of North America- Twin Cities partnered event. The workshop was led by Greg Reser, metadata specialist at the University of California, San Diego, and you can find the materials on the website. I am not an art librarian or visual resource professional, however we all are impacted by metedata, or the lack there of. Ever tried to make a mixed CD or playlist for someone and had difficulty finding that song on your computer or in your stack of CDs? Why? Lack of metadata.

For me I run into this more with keeping track of articles downloaded and various Word and PDF documents. Sure, I can name things accurately, but wouldn't it be better if it could have a bunch of labels and descriptors rather than just a file name? Enter products like Adobe Pro, which I am just starting to use and very excited about the ability to embed data within the document. No longer do I have to rely on RefWorks or Zotero to tag items, but I can do it myself.

A few highlights from the workshop for me were:


  • On Flickr click on EXIF Data- here is where your data will appear if you embed it within your image!

  • Ever lost original images on your computer? Bulkr is a free tool to download metadata from Flickr.

  • XnView, Bridge and NikonView all allow you to embed metadata fairly easily for a novice like me!

  • Many of the programs will break a name such as Mastel, Kristen into two tags, so to keep them together use quotations. (Hopefully this will improve.)

  • I finally know what DiCOM means when my husband uses it! It is the metadata schema that is used in the medical fields.

Look for the recording in the near future. It was very approachable and applicable no matter if you digitize images, work on a digital repository or just have a bunch of stuff you need to organize on your computer.

Active Learning Spaces Conference

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I attended the UMN Active Learning Spaces Conference, which was a fantastic gathering of learning spaces designers, faculty, learning technologists and support staff. You can find the resources on the conference website, at: z.umn.edu/alcforum

Here are some take-aways/examples from the sessions:

  • Clickrs are best for large lectures or questions that might reveal personal information/ controversial
  • Consider assigning roles for small group discussions: proponent, recorder, skeptic discuss the concept; faculty then rolls dice and the two numbers represent the tables and the proponent from one and the skeptic have to discuss to the whole class
  • envelope with 13 photos, organize into different groups based on your own choosing, name each group; this leads into a discussion on taxonomy
  • Whiteboards: discuss expectations about the course, discuss pro/con iissues with working in groups and create contracts
  • have students use backchn.nl for discussions
  • try real time writing as a group online with google docs and other writing websites
  • Internet is a forum of external memory
  • Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning Pogil http://pogil.org/
  • Move to stripped down textbooks, Univ. of Illinois, students don't read, they google concepts
  • Teaching is the art of changing the brain
  • Prior knowledge- only way you can learn something new is to activate neurocircuts already have

Backward design was a big portion of the conference as well. Don't organize a session based on what you want the students to know, but instead on what you want them to do.

4 S's- assignments sat each stage should be:


  • Significant problem- students view problem as authentic/real life
  • Same problem- individuals work on same problem, case, ?
  • Specific choice - individuals should be required to use concepts to make a specific choice
  • Simultaneously report- groups should report their choices simultaneously

ACRL Ramblings

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Here are a few notes from the Association for College and Research Libraries in Philadelphia March 30-April 2, 2011. I also tweeted comments using the hashtag #acrl2011 Though I am ticked that most of the tweets I *ed did not stick from the conference... sigh.

CyberZedShed tools mentioned i "To the Cloud" - animoto, voki animate an avatar w your voice, tweet during lecture, wallwisher embed in website - keyword brainstorming, discussion, post 3 things learned,


ESL language learner strategies- think pair share, free writing have them write about how use find in library, reading strategy, use term content word not keyword, affect feelings very important,

Unconference
Good to great by Jim Collins willingness to identify core to stop doing, Start with why by Simon Simick. Identify core ethos, emotions.

Mobile app for orientation from coulter library- scvngr trek get points for doing it, can do via text messanging, augmented reality aris from Madison, wi. Gps not good for up and down, give floors. Signage: Qr code and include url. Love this idea- want to try it with CFANS Welcome Week Activities.

Therapy dogs- partner w local therapy dog association/club, study day and first day of finals, dogs can't do any longer than 2 hours, lower level and gallery, paid for parking passes, marketing poster, Facebook, Twitter once dogs came over huge, 4 dogs .120 students on first day, range of dog sizes. Paper for comments. Therapy dog group had insurance. Articles on therapy dogs for admin. Boston globe tuffs: http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/12/14/dogs_helping_college_students_fight_exam_stress/


Opt out culture. CNN connects w friends on Facebook shared stories automatically.

Engaged librarians- time mgmt techniques, move from reactionary to proactive librarian, attend faculty and student presentations, prospecting for new collaborations article activities, what is strategic? Large classes, gen ed, intro to dept, wi, research methods, categorize types of learning, make the connection, each had a syllabus from a particular area ss, science, a&h, looked for where instruction could happen, hot spots in syllabus. goal intervention and talking plan. Pattern at reference desk, how satisfied w student projects, tyranny of choice in the chronicle of choice, too much can be paralyzing, choice can be debilitating, embed search results in course, is the point to search or understand and synthesize, text links in books are distracting maybe put at the end. http://engagedlibn.wetpaint.com/whatsnew

Online students: Drop in sessions, 25 attendees, join-me for virtual reference, virtual research consultations, enrolled in all courses through generic email, can email all students, jiffele works w Google calendar tungle.me now sends request,

Missed this session, but good blog post with presentation "Personal Branding for New Librarians: Standing Out and Stepping Up" http://www.bohyunkim.net/blog/archives/1289

Ideapower-
Collaborations w faculty- an mls does not make me less than a phd, make the connection- find in habitat, be bold, ask them about themselves, reinforce the connection- use their communications method, keep in touch, go collaborate. Identify mutual interest. Be, make , reinforce, make, go. Wiifm for faculty. Great blog post on this presentation: http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2011/collaborating-with-faculty-part-i-a-five-step-program/

Zombies: urban legends, research legends real or not and cultural significance, didn't go over well students though screwed up their game night.

Don't get lost in the stacks call number guide. Libguides have mobile view. How to find a book. Microsoft tag manager allow color. Maps, students don't realize go vertical, qr code that directly dials reference.

Layar- augumented reality of campus throughout time. Can use camera on phone and sms message w help I'm stuck in fed docs in Magrath......

Going the Distance: A Closer Look at Uniting with Remote Users: instructional technology toolkit @ univ of n Carolina greenish- very cool resources of scheduling, information management etc. tools for faculty http://library.uncg.edu/info/depts/reference/instruction/tech_toolkit_homepage.aspx

For me the most valuable portion of the conference was meeting with other Extension librarians at a roundtable discussion and hashing out successes/failures. Challenges: marketing, high turnover, distance training, deep budget cuts, separate communities of practice/centers, etc. Successes: e-mail and newsletter blurbs, webinar -> more reference questions, working on specific projects i.e Agnic beef cattle institute,

Also, heard about this interesting library community, Libraries Thriving

Some awesome ACRL blog posts from other peeps:


Google Apps Tips & Tricks

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  • Adding an image directly in the body of an e-mail can only happen in Google Crome.
  • At the moment there is no way to archive chats
  • Once you create a group of contacts in Google Contacts and can use that group in the other apps (Mail, Calendar, Documents, haven't tried Sites yet).
  • Sorry there is no way to have a pop-up with gmail notification that we have found yet.
  • Being able to opt-out of the threaded discussion layout in Google might be an option in the future. They are testing it with some regular Gmail users.
  • Google Calendar set-up: http://oit.cfans.umn.edu/How_to_Migrate_UMCal_Data.html
  • Some of us tested Google's Web Clips as a way to subscribe to RSS feeds, but were not impressed; wishing Google Reader was part of our Apps package.
  • Up to 1,800 labels that are 40 characters of less!
  • To add a resource I just search by the room number, 81, for Magrath Instruction Room 81. Then I saved it to my list of calendars for easy access.


MLA Conference Notes

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7 Practices of the Inventive Creative:
Dream Big: don't stop at idea 1 or 13... keep going
Be Open:
Try new and different things: switch watch to other hand, break out of routine every day
watch a different , play on your computer at work :) ;ab professor had students try a new thing every day. sleeping around the house :)
Find quiet time: mozart took long walks, let ideas perk, swim, einstein's naps, the artists way. journaling, keep a pocket notebook on hand: capture tool,
Make mistakes: get the idea right and complete on the first try is dumb luck, Fear, habit, assumption will keep you from creative ideas,
Share the dream: say it out loud, share it with others, you make it real, acknowledge it has value, and DO IT NOW.
Let go and trust: collaboration,

Beyond Search: The Glitz & Glam of Google
https://sites.google.com/site/mla2010beyondsearch/

At the Mobile Reference session, just going through different db providers and where they are in mobile apps/access.

RA 50 in 75: Personal picks: The Snowman by Jo Nesbo, Olso ? , Women from Bratislava by Leif Davidsen, Girl in Translation by Jean Kwok, The Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunant, Madonnas of Leningrad by Debra Dean, The Historian by Elizabeth _.

Beyond Shushing: Briggs Library
social library vs. communal library
Want to add to the reason why students stay, retention, increase comfort level,counteract student cocooning
tension between users' needs noise vs purposeful activity
sustainability, student interest, staff burnout
Tutoring, Reading, Enabling Children in the library, college students tutor elementary students
art awards, every year they purchase 2 student pieces and add it to their collection
Literacy Festival in March
Friends Group- collection enhancement grant, a students wrote and got more graphic novels for the collection, up to $500 a grant, they gave $3,000 in 2009, student groups like the saddle club wrote a grant to community gardening clubs
Reserves for more than classes, clubs use it like dungeons and dragons or physics club
Game night, mini golf through the stacks,students often bring in their own games, 1 night a month, all you have to do is write Hasbro and say you want to do a twister competition and Hasbro will send 15 mats and 1 spinner; they just ask that you send them a poster and pictures

Other libraries:
Love in the Library, speed dating in the library
Food for fines
Random acts of kindness, forgive fines for a day
Any group on campus can put together a group book display
Hide and Seek or Sardines in the library
Grand Prize: VIP Room- get to keep a study room for the entire semester
Design your own space
Mill City Espresso machine rental
Pimp my bookcart contest
Student worker party, they vote on food and bring in games; music competition amongst student workers (Augsburg)
Birthday party for library/ info commons
Ugliest sweater/sweatshirt contest
Steal the bust without getting caught and putting it back (based on carleton)
Employee wrote 2 sentences, then each student worker wrote at least 2 sentences afterwards to make a story

Reading 2.0
SQ3R: survey, question, read, recite, review
Survey: survey (1-2) minutes, skim the whole chapter
Question: 30 sec What is it about?
Read: Your own pace Look to answer the question proposed by the heading
Recite: 1 min Write or recall key points may be a phrase or keywords
Review: <5 minutes repeat steps 2, 3, 4 for each chapter until you have a list. This will provide an outline for the chapter.
Have students guess what a word means, then look up in an entomology dictionary to learn the parts of the work, then a regular dictionary http://www.etymonline.com/index.php
Have students write questions about the text. Have students write exactly 50 word summary. 20% of their papers are grammar (by the end the students really pay attention to grammar)
Often looking bottom up decoding, reading word by word meaning, rather than the whole text; getting them to focus out a bit.
Reading Strategies: Cognitive, Metacognitive and affective
Giving permission to not read every word in the textbook
Need to teach students teaching approaches: how to participate in class discussions, and how to read to support discussion, giving permission to write in textbooks, concepts of checking out books.


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