Mannderings

Top Ten Technologies for Libraries in 2006

This was the title of a presentation at 1:00 today at the Illinois State Library which I attended virtually. I'll describe the virtual attendance process in my next post--this one is for the content of the presentation. Michael Stephens of the Thomas Ford Memorial Library was the presenter and he is an excellent speaker.

His ten things:

1. Weblogs (Blogs), with comments enabled
2. RSS - Building Knowledge and Communities
3. Wikis - Collaboration
4. Instant Messaging - Reaching the User where he lives
5. Podcasting - making audio available and helping customer podcast their own audio content
   
6. Open Source - How to accomplish innovation while cutting the budget
7. Devices - iPods, cell phones, and more
8. Social spaces - the latest rage, but here to stay
   
9. Content - create, 'cast, & mashup; includes user-generated content
10. Mashing up - using API to automatically create content

In addition, he talked about the future of Library systems and catalogs. He demonstrated WPOPAC (WordPress Online Public Access Catalog) at www.plymouth.edu/opac, where RSS, Blogs, Mashups, and user-generated comments and tags all merge with the Library catalog.

He concluded with Five things Libraries Can (should) Do NOW:

1. Read Blogs - keep up on what other libraries are doing, and current developments
2. Create a public "What's New" blog at your library - and allow users to leave comments, which you respond to daily
   
3. Experience new technologies - try them out, enter a social space (officially)
4. Train your staff to use RSS feeds - BlogLines or BlogBridge
5. Create an Emerging Technologies Team at your Library

NOW, the good news. Both the PowerPoint and the full audio track are available online. You can play the .mp3 audio, launch the PowerPoint, and experience this excellent presentation. The audio is 59 minutes, all located at:

SLIDES - www.opal-online.org/Stephens200604_files/frame.htm

AUDIO - www.opal-online.org/Stephens20060406.mp3

LINKS - tametheweb.com/2006/04/more_useful_links_for_the_opal.html

posted by Alan @ 00:13