Reflections on Building my First Web site

Building a Web site first seemed like a daunting task. In my experience the most important step when designing a site is the planning process. The first step in the planning process is to understand the needs of audience you are targeting and to delineate the goal of the Web site.  My Web site was developed to serve the patrons of an Academic library with the goal of providing users with information and resources on how to identify and distinguish scholarly journals from popular magazines

.

 Having defining my audience and the objectives of my Web site I was able to create a storyboard in order to plan the flow of the Web site. Storyboarding was an effective step that forced me to take an even closer look at my audience and critically evaluate my goals. During this segment of the process I was able to further flush out ideas to ensure that the navigational flow is effective and that information is grouped in an intuitive and user friendly manner. Once I had completed my storyboard it became the blueprint for me to begin developing my pages.  I also wanted all of my pages to be linked and for navigation to be consistent across all pages to ensure a consistence look, feel and functionality I first designed a main page with would become the template for all of my other pages. (I later learned that use cascading style sheets would also produce this consistent feel and allow me to quickly make future changes to all sheets simultaneously.)

On this main page I included standard navigation bars that appear at both the top and bottom of all of the pages as well as a date notation that indicated the date the page is updated. Using this strategy ensured that all pages share the same color scheme, lay-out style, and fonts.

To populate my Web site the content was adapted and from material that I had gathered and created for another GSLIS class. The storyboarding process helped me and organization the existing information that I had an to organize into smaller summary paragraphs that would provide readers with a clear definition and that could be linked to related definitions. During this editing process it was helpful for me to draw upon experiences that I have had while navigation other Web sites to ensure that my planned information flow was smooth and intuitive.

Having worked through all of the in class exercises I felt well prepared to begin coding my Web pages. With the help of Wendy Lehnert’s HTML book, the class exercises and a few on-line tutorials the coding was a pretty simple process. 

The best advice that I would have to anyone beginning this process and that may feel a little intimidated at the idea of creating a webpage or a multi paged Web site is to break each page down into a series of smaller projects and work through each projects one at a time.  Each of these mini projects could even be identify on your storyboard. Your first project may be to create a header, then to add a link to another site or add a picture, or to build a table. One you have completed you first page then, move on and begin programming you next page. Once you have completed you first page go back and review it and don’t be afraid modify it if you feel a different design would better serve the web sites users.

Overall I found that building a website is very much like writing a research paper; the better prepared and organized that you are the easier the process and the better the ultimate outcome.

 

Post #5 Wikis, Libraries and Community building

Wikis are a great way to capture local content and build community.

In the world of internet search engines what could possibly be bigger then Google? In the USA no one is bigger then Google and they are continuing to grow. According to an April 2007 comscore.com report Google is continuing to grow its market share and a accounts for 49.7 of US internet searches.

A more recent July 12, 2007 Market share report by Net Applications also point out that Google continues to be the dominate search engine and accounts for over 53% of all searches in the U.S.  Despite the conflicting data it is a generally accepted fact that Google is the top search engine in the US and the number one search engine in the world. Google has become so omni present in the internet world even the word Google has become a verb for many. 

Given the success of the companies ability to Googlize the earth and dominate the internet I was intrigued by an article that I read recently in the New York Times about a place where “Google isn’t king.”

According to the article Web uses in South Korea, one of the world’s most wired countries, seldom “Google” anything. They “Naver” it.  The article goes on to point out that “Naver.com” accounts for more that 77% of all Web searches in South Korea and that Google handles a mere 1.7% of South Korean Web searches. 

According to one source quoted in the article “the big problem with Google is that it does not have enough Korean-language data to trawl to satisfy South Korean customers.” It also states that to be successful in South Korea a search engine needs to create it own databases and content.

 

Reading more about Naver it seems to me like a cross between a Wiki and an online reference service.  With over 16 million visitors per day Naver relies on tens of thousands of volunteer respondents to answer questions and post responses. From these volunteers Naver has accumulated a user-generated database of over 70 million entries.

 

According to the article Naver.com feeds a sense of community and its success has largely been fueled by a South Korean inclination to help one another on the Web. 

I found the entire article fascinating and a great model for libraries to follow to further build a sense of community among the patrons that they serve.

 

On a local basis who knows more about a community then its members? What better place then the library to act as a community information portal?   Taking a lead from the Naver model all libraries should consider adding a local knowledge Wiki as a component of their service offerings. A local Wiki would provide libraries with a great way to connect their users and share knowledge. Wikis are also a great way to capture community content that may not otherwise be available on the internet.  They are also a great way to build communities. 

 

 

Post #4 Social Software Technology was a HOT topic at the 2007 ALA Annual Conference

 

I was fortunate enough to attend ALA’s 2007 Annual Conference in Washington D.C. last week as a student volunteer. If you have never been to an ALA conference, as future librarians, you should definitely consider joining ALA and attend at least one conference in your career. It is a great way to stay current, learn about new trends, and connect with other librarians.  The best way to describe the conference is overwhelming.

 

When you register you are given two catalogues. One is a 222 page program guide that provides an overview of the conference, tips on getting around the host city as well as a detailed listing of all of the information sections on a day by day basis. The second book is a 136 page exhibit guide which provides a listing of all the authors speaking at the conference, a section on new library related products being demonstrated at the show and a map and a detailed exhibitor listing. 

These are not the only items in the conference bag you receive when you register. Also included are a ton of flyers and a few smaller guides that summarize the larger catalog;   including one titled “Into the Stacks: the Official Easy-to-Use Guide to the Exhibits”, that was published by ALA and co-sponsored by American Libraries Magazine. This book should not be confused with the other exhibit guide, which I assume is un-official, given that they were being handed-out on the street outside of the convention center. Both are very similar in size and content, however, this guide is published by Library Journal magazine a Reed Elsevier company publication.  

While at the conference I was able to attend several programs on a variety of different topics. There are programs on just about every area of librarianship and virtually ever library related topic you can think of. Given the focus of out class I was particularly interested in the use of technology in libraries.  One of my key take aways from the conference is that librarians a keenly interested in learning how integrate technologies into their libraries. 

Social networking technologies are HOT, and a major topic of discussion at this years conference. This point was driven home when I attended a program sponsored by YALSA titled “Using Technology to Market to Young Adults” the key speaker was our very own Michael Stephens. The program began at 8:30am on Sunday morning and was standing room only, counting the chairs and doing a little math I would estimate that there were over 400 people in the audience.  At the same time as this section was another program underway titled “10 Cool Technologies that Can Impact the Public Relations Plan @ Your Library”. This program featured Steven Abram and he talked about library 2.0 technologies.  I would highly recommend taking a look at his programs notes which are available at http://www.ala.org/ala/pio/prforum/prforum.htm.

A program titled “Harnessing the Hive: Social Networks in Libraries” that discussed the rapidly growing phenomenon of social networking technologies. See http://www.hiddenpeanuts.com/archives/2007/06/24/ala-2007-harnessing-the-hive-social-networks-libraries/  for a summary of the program. I was also able to attend a portion of the program titled “To iPods & Beyond” where I learned about Pandora  and MOG  for more info see: the Yalsa blog for more information: http://blogs.ala.org/yalsa.php?title=toipodsandbeyond_1&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

These are just a few of the very interesting and informative programs that were offered at the conference.  There were also programs on Tagging, blogging, Video Games as a Service, and the Top Technology Trends (a podcast is available on the LITA blog:  http://litablog.org/category/top-technology-trends/.

Technology is here to stay. As one speaker at the conference pointed out there are more libraries in the USA then there are McDonald. Although there are some great examples of social software technologies be used in libraries across the country it would seem to me that there is a tremendous opportunities for more libraries to adopt and integrate these technologies as a way to better market their services and better serve their patrons.  I would encourage all librarians to learn more about these technologies and not be afraid to bring innovation into your library, you patrons will appreciate it.

 

Post #3: Not the Techno geek I thought I was: Podcasting and me.

I have always thought of myself as an early adopter of technology and have had an MP3 player since 2004; however, I have to admit that prior to this posting I had little more then a cursory understanding of podcasting.  This posting taught me that I am not the techno geek I thought I was!

 

To better understand all of the various components that comprise the “Library 2.0” concept I have been reading more all of it various applications.  One of the things that surprised me is the speed at which this relatively new technology has been adopted. I was also impressed by the number libraries that have added RSS feeds and podcasts to their listings of resources that they offer and by the number of libraries using podcasting as a means to disseminate news and share information both locally and globally.

 

While research podcasting one article that I found particularly interest was “2.0: Beyond the Concept Practical Ways to Implement RSS, Podcasts and Wikis” http://www.cybersailors.com/docs/edlibsummer2006.pdf (see page 11 of pdf),

by Karen Huffman of the National Geographic Society. In the article Huffman describes how the National Geographic Society’s Libraries & Information Services has implemented RSS feeds, podcasts and wikis into their service offerings to provide users with additional means to access their research and informational products. The article also suggests a number of practical applications for implementing some of these technologies into academic libraries.

 Digging a little deeper I also visited the “Library Success: A Best Practices Wiki” website. http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Podcasting. (If you have not visited the site you should check it out, it has a tremendous wealth of information on a wide variety of library related subjects). The podcast section also includes a list of libraries and organizations that currently offer podcasting as well as links a number of sited to help users to create your own podcasts.  

While searching the internet I was amazed at the incredible number of podcasting resources that are available. I have always been a fan of talk radio and audio books, (especially on long car trips), however, I had no idea that podcasting was so popular. While visiting the website http://www.podcast.net  I discovered that you can download a podcast on just about any subject, and if by chance you cannot fine a podcast on a particular subject then it is pretty easy to make your own podcast.  I also found the site: http://www.podcasting-tools.com/ to be quite helpful.

 

In my research I also learned that you don’t need an iPod to listed to a podcast, and that they can also be listed via a computer.  While reading the USA Weekend Magazine of the Sunday paper a few weeks ago I came across and article titled, “Don’t leave home without it: iPods for tourists.” http://www.usaweekend.com/07_issues/070610/070610travelsmart.html. The article described how over 100 million MP3 players have been sold since 2001 and how downloadable phrase books and walking tours are reinventing iPods as handy travel tools.  Articles such as this serve to raise public awareness as to the value of podcasts and generate public interest and arouse curiosity.

 

Although not all libraries offer podcasting, it would seem to me that libraries are well positioned to take on a leadership role to help educate patrons about the features and benefits of podcasting and to provide then with instructional information of how to use the technology. Podcasts are also a great way for libraries to further market their services to a broader audience and to provide patrons with access to local or library specific content.

  

 

Post #2 To Blog or not to Blog?

In the world of Library 2.0 much has been written about blogging. While exploring the blogging concept I came across a variety of articles, websites and wikis on the subject. There are even blogs about blogs.

Most of the sources I found agreed that blogs are a powerful communication tool that allow users to communicate information, share ideas and establish a dialog with others. The connectivity of the internet allows bloggers to share their ideas locally, nationally and globally. The blogging phenomenon has been further facilitated by the introduction of more advanced blogging software and websites. When setting up this blog I was amazed at how easily it was to join the ranks of what Michael Gorman (former ALA President) referred to as the “blog people”. http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA502009.html

Years ago blogging require at the very least a rudimentary understanding to basic HTML programming. Today using wordpress.com software blogging is as simple as sending an email. Point click…Log-on…type…spell-check…enter…BAM-Finished…my random thoughts are published on the World Wide Web for the whole World to see.  Thanks to the internet someone around the world or around the block can access my blog and my musings.

When setting up this blog I also noted how international blogging has become; wordpress.com allows users to select one of 122 different languages options when creating a blog.  Looking at that vast number of language options it occurred to me what an amazing and powerful tool this blog thing can be to share information.

As seemingly disparaging as Gorman’s comments were on blogging, blogs provide libraries with a tremendous tool to communicate and gather information. They also provide libraries with a means to engage users in conversations and to solicit their input and feedback. Given that multiple language options it also allows libraries to reach users that may not be adequately served by a library’s English only website. To better serve their local population a library could create multiple blogs each in a different language to communicate and engage their non-English speaking users.

To answer my initial question: “to blog or not to blog?” from my readings and experience it would seem that blogging has never been easier. Blogging provides users with an enhanced method of communicating and sharing information and it enables them to reach a wider audience of users.  Given the ease and benefits blogging libraries should establish and actively maintain a blog to enhance their outreach to the community that they serve and to provide a forum for users to comment on and request additional services.  Blog on!

 

Post #1 Library 2.0

I first heard the term “Library 2.0” or L2 as it is referred to my many, sometime during my second full-time semester of library school; which was less than a year ago. Not really understanding the concept I took a very traditional library approach and attempted to look the term up in my brand new and newly released 2006 edition of the Whole Library Handbook 4.  

Published by the ALA, the book is a self-described “one-volume encyclopedia of library history, demographics, folklore, humor, current events, and popular wisdom”. If you have not heard about the book it really is a wonderful resource that is full of interesting library facts and history.   

Intrigued by the L2 concept I first consulted the book’s table of contents, expecting to find a chapter or two on the subject and found nothing. I next checked the index and was still unable to find any reference to the concept. I knew that the L2 concept somehow involved the use of technologies in the library I checked the book again looking for related terms such as wikis, instant messaging, virtual reference, social software, groupware, discussion boards, podcasts, and RSS feeds. In the entire 585 page book the only related terms I found were the terms internet and blog. After spending several minutes pouring thorough the book with little success I abandoned by traditional approach for a more modern tactic; Google. 

A split second search on the term “library 2.0” returned over 121,000,000 results. In less time that I took me to put down my print volume I was fully presented with a vast array of rich resources where I could learn about L2 by reading and listening to podcasts, contribute my thoughts by postings on other people’s blogs and collaborate with others using wikis.  

After spending sometime exploring my search results and reading various blogs I was reminded of the fact that all of these programs and the technologies that support them are all merely tools that facilitate communication, learning and collaboration.  

The emergence of technology has had a tremendous impact on the information seeking behaviors of individuals. As the infosphere continues to expand so do the number of choices available for information consumers to find the information they are looking for. To maintain their relevance and creditable as a reliable information source librarians need to find new and innovative ways to continue to demonstrate their value to their users.  The philosophies espoused by the library 2.0 concept provide librarians with a variety of innovative and relatively inexpensive ways for libraries to re-connect with their users. 

As Michael Casey points out in his blog, http://www.librarycrunch.com/2006/01/post_1.html “Library 2.0 is a service philosophy – a theory, if you will – that attempts to guide libraries in their effort to win new users while, at the same time, acknowledging that our current service offerings are insufficient and inflexible”.  

From my explorations I now know that the L2 philosophy is a relatively new concept and that point was clearly demonstrated when I was unable to find any references to it in a 2006 ALA publication.

In their article “Born with a Chip” http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA411572.html Abram and Luther point out that average librarian is a Boomer over 50 and that there is a growing one to two generation gap between most of the profession and the growing group of primary users.  Given that gap and the newness of the L2 concept it would seem to me that the most important next steps for us as new librarians is to help education other professionals in the field about these important tools and their potentially transformative effect that they could have in their library.

 

This blog is devoted to exploring and understanding library 2.0 technologies.

 

Welcome to LIS753

Greetings! This is my blog for LIS753 at Dominican Universty. This blog is devoted to the observations and ramblings of a soon to graduate green as grass professional librarian.  

 

Hello world!

Welcome to WordPress.com. This is your first post. Edit or delete it and start blogging!