kmlussier :
OK - can you all see me now? If you have any other chat windows open, close those windows. We will do the chat here.
Thu, 21 May, 09:36
jfarrar_12525.s :
I can see you.
Thu, 21 May, 09:36
efergusson :
I'm here. Eden
Thu, 21 May, 09:36
cmatossomref :
I'm here too. Chris
Thu, 21 May, 09:36
kmlussier :
Great! Are you there too Carol?
Thu, 21 May, 09:37
hyannis_library :
Carol is here!
I am afraid.
Thu, 21 May, 09:37
kmlussier :
Good! Sorry about the confusion. I don't know why it started using two different windows.
You don't need to be afraid. You're among friends.
Thu, 21 May, 09:38
hyannis_library :
SHerry will sign on in a few seconds.
Thu, 21 May, 09:38
kmlussier :
A lot of people prefer to chat in a larger window than the one that automatically opens when you start Zoho chat.
If you want the larger window, click on the maximize button in the upper right corner of the window.
Have any of you participated in a chat before?
Thu, 21 May, 09:39
hyannis_library :
This is my first!
Thu, 21 May, 09:39
cmatossomref :
I have.
Thu, 21 May, 09:39
efergusson :
This is my first in this kind of online communication.
Thu, 21 May, 09:39
kmlussier :
For those of you who are new to chat, I have some tips....
The conversation tends to go a little slower because it takes longer to type than to talk...
Because several people are typing at the same time, you may have multiple conversations going on...
It's a good idea to post your thoughts in short snippets like I am...
If you are partway through your post, you can end the post with three dots (...) to let people know you are still talking...
However, others don't need to stop typing while you are talking. It's natural to have several conversations going on...
Thu, 21 May, 09:41
sevans34 :
I'm here!
Thu, 21 May, 09:42
kmlussier :
If you want to react to a point made by one person, it's a good idea to start your post with that person's name...
Thu, 21 May, 09:42
efergusson :
ARe we forgiven typos and mis-spellings?
Thu, 21 May, 09:42
kmlussier :
It helps people follow the conversation a little better...
Yes Eden! You need to get used to typos and spelling errors when using chat or instant messaging!
Does anyone have any questions about how the chat works before continue?
Sherry. You weren't here when I mentioned this earlier, but if you want a larger chat window, you can click on the maximize button in this window. A lot of people prefer to have the extra space.
Thu, 21 May, 09:44
cmatossomref :
no. but can we do a brief intro of each other?
Thu, 21 May, 09:45
kmlussier :
That's a great idea Chris! Can you all tell us who you are, where you're from, and how the class is going thus far?
Thu, 21 May, 09:45
jfarrar_12525.s :
Judy Farrar, UMass Dartmouth library - Archives and Special Collections Librarian
Thu, 21 May, 09:46
cmatossomref :
Chris Matos, Somerset public library, reference
Thu, 21 May, 09:46
hyannis_library :
Carol DeLuca library clerk for the Hyannis Library.
Thu, 21 May, 09:46
jfarrar_12525.s :
I love this class. I was afraid I would not have time to complete the assignments with everything I have to do, but I am finding I want to do this work first.
Thu, 21 May, 09:46
efergusson :
My name is Eden Fergusson. I'm the Director of the Raynham Public Library. I'm really excited about this class. Kathy, you've done a fabulous job in organizing this material....I've not spent as much time as I would like....and hope to come back to all of this over the summer. ...lots of applications
Thu, 21 May, 09:46
sevans34 :
Sherry Evans, Acquisitions Hyannis Public Library. Im having ups and downs in the class, but it is all very interesting!
Thu, 21 May, 09:47
hyannis_library :
This class has introduced me to so much that I think will help our library.
Thu, 21 May, 09:47
cmatossomref :
I like the class but I'm still partial to in classroom experience.
Thu, 21 May, 09:48
kmlussier :
And I think you all know who I am, but I'll do my intro as well. I'm Kathy Lussier, the tech consultant at SEMLS. This is my third time teaching this class, although I change it every time I teach it. It's a great experience working with you all!
Chris - I do much better learning with in-person classes as well. But that has more to do with my time management issues.
To start, I just want to check to see if anyone is having any technical difficulty with the class that hasn't been resolved yet?
Thu, 21 May, 09:49
jfarrar_12525.s :
no
Thu, 21 May, 09:50
sevans34 :
Flickr still seems to be my enemy.
Thu, 21 May, 09:50
efergusson :
I'm still not sure about tags and now they work. We were asked to apply a tag SEMLS2.0 I think to something...Are tagssearchable in all applications or just bookmakrs?
Thu, 21 May, 09:51
kmlussier :
Sherry, what is the trouble with Flickr again? It's not posting to your blog or is it something else?
Eden - tags are used in "organizing" information in almost any of these Web 2.0 apps. For example, if you use semls20 as a tag for a blog post, it will be a seachable tag in blog search engines.
Thu, 21 May, 09:52
sevans34 :
Yes its not posting on the blog properly. I have a picture in flickr and I can access it through word press, but it doesnt look right
Thu, 21 May, 09:54
kmlussier :
Sherry, I think one of the problems with the Flickr widget in WordPress is that you may not be using the RSS feed address for your Flickr account. But it's hard for me to tell because I can't see how it was put in.
Thu, 21 May, 09:54
efergusson :
Okay. I do understand....so this would hlep us locate all posts made to the applications we visited.
Thu, 21 May, 09:54
kmlussier :
Yes, and it helps me track what's being posted for the class. I sometimes do a search for semls20 in Technorati and am surprised by some of the photos and blog posts I find there.
Thu, 21 May, 09:54
sevans34 :
Okay, I will check that again.
Thu, 21 May, 09:55
hyannis_library :
I'm still struggling w/ RSS. I had a really hard time getting the feed on my blog. I dropped it for a few days and am ready to go back and work through the steps again. - Carol
Thu, 21 May, 09:56
kmlussier :
Carol, if it helps, I can send you the code that needs to be used in your Text widget. I can't remember if I had sent that to you yet.
Thu, 21 May, 09:56
sevans34 :
Yes that happened to me with the RSS. I left it alone for a few days and then when i came back to it. I got it.
Thu, 21 May, 09:56
kmlussier :
If the class were to end today, which service do you think you would get the most use out of?
Thu, 21 May, 09:57
efergusson :
The RSS probably....although blogging and wiki are close seconds.
Thu, 21 May, 09:58
hyannis_library :
The wiki. - Carol
Thu, 21 May, 09:58
cmatossomref :
Blogging definitely. I like the ease of communication. By the way, are we supposed to tagging our blog posts?
Thu, 21 May, 09:58
sevans34 :
I have a blog for our library that allows me to update easily. I like that. I am also experimenting with RSS because I think it is a useful way to get information to patrons.
Thu, 21 May, 09:59
kmlussier :
You can tag them with the semls20 tag. And, if your want to tag them for your own benefit in making things findable, go ahead and do it. I dont' mention it during the blogging exercise since we hadn't really talked about tagging yet.
Sherry - Have you been able to get a link for the RSS feed on your Blogger blog yet?
Thu, 21 May, 10:00
sevans34 :
Yes! I think I finally got it right.
Thu, 21 May, 10:00
kmlussier :
A lot of the participants in this class do like the wiki exercise, but I want to put out a word of caution...
Thu, 21 May, 10:00
jfarrar_12525.s :
blog software, as it serves an immediate need to post news. I can't seem to get our news office interested in half the cool collections we receive, so the heck with them, I will post the information myself. Our library systems office will help me move the posts over to the library's blog software this summer. At some point they can help me figure out the categories, which I understand in theory, but could not get to work. I might use the wiki. I think I will pursue the idea of adding to Wikipedia. I noticed some facts I need to correct!
Thu, 21 May, 10:00
cmatossomref :
I'm still a bit old school for Google reader thing. It was just information overload for me.
Thu, 21 May, 10:01
kmlussier :
The technology behind doing the wiki is the easy part. The hard part is setting up the structure of the wiki and organizing it in a way that will make sense to the people using it.
Judy, that's great! I've heard that Wikipedia is getting a little more stringent in who it allows to edit the pages. Anyone can still do it, but I believe you need to create an account first and maybe you need to become a "trusted" contributor before your edits are live immediately. But it's a nice feeling to be able to correct something that is wrong.
Thu, 21 May, 10:02
jfarrar_12525.s :
Oh, and I would definitely use RSS, but only in trying to get people to subscribe to my blog
Thu, 21 May, 10:03
kmlussier :
There have been varying opinions about Google Reader. Eden, you seemed to like it a lot. What did you like about it? Do you find your going there for information you were already getting through other channels or are you getting new information there?
Thu, 21 May, 10:04
efergusson :
I looked at both Ann ARbor and St Joseph. I preferrred the sset-up and structure of St Joseph.
Thu, 21 May, 10:06
jfarrar_12525.s :
I went in to change a date (about our campus) in wikipedia, but I had to sign in, which I didn't have time to pursue at that time. There are also links to MY web site in wikipedia, but they don't come up doing a google search (long story), so I may try to add a link.
Thu, 21 May, 10:06
efergusson :
I do like the Google Reader. It is a shortcut to get to those items that I like to reqad reguarly. They come to me rather than my searching for them. It's a time saver....if you don't overload your reader and select only what is useful.
Thu, 21 May, 10:07
hyannis_library :
Kathy, would you ever structure a class about contributing to Wikipedia? Carol
Thu, 21 May, 10:07
sevans34 :
I liked Google Reader as well. It is addictive.
Thu, 21 May, 10:07
kmlussier :
Eden, I think that's a good way to approach it, using the Reader to get items you are already reading regularly. Not adding to the amount of information you read, but replacing other time that was already spent getting news.
Carol - I never thought about it, but sure, why not? I've only added to Wikipedia once, and it was actually my son doing it through my account. He had been tracking the articles on the 2008 Hurricane Season (an obsession with him) and went in one morning to find that the article had been hacked. I showed him how to revert it back to its previous state.
But I know somebody who contributes to Wikipedia heavily who may be willing to do a class.
Thu, 21 May, 10:08
jfarrar_12525.s :
I attended an archives meeting recently and a woman from Beineicke at Yale talked about how they regularly troll the social networking services for information posted on their holdings and correct them. Flickr and all the others. I found that fascinating, which is why I decided to take this class...
There are indeed many things written about your town and library out there!
Thu, 21 May, 10:10
kmlussier :
Wow! That's interesting Judy. I've recommended that libraries search for their institutions in blogs to see what people are saying about them (sometimes it's surprising!), but I hadn't thought of the idea of correcting information out there.
Thu, 21 May, 10:10
cmatossomref :
Anyway I feel technology should enhance the learning experience/social but not replace it. For instance I've taken several on-line courses and I always enjoy when we can meet up in person once or twice during the session. I feel the same way about on-line book groups, genealogy, etc. It can add to the experience but it be incooperated with other interaction.
Thu, 21 May, 10:11
kmlussier :
Chris, I think your on to something there. Although there is a lot of concern about everyone interacting online all the time, I've found that people still feel the need to connect in person...
And those connections can enhance the interaction you have online. It's easy to stop the online interaction when you don't know the people you are talking to.
Thu, 21 May, 10:13
hyannis_library :
Our online interaction makes me want to meet everyone in person because you are all doing amazing work in your libraries! Carol
Thu, 21 May, 10:13
efergusson :
I recently came across an article with icons posted for bookmarks. I was astonished to see more than 30! I had no idea this was such an enormous universe of networking. I'm feeling very much behind the curve here. Do poeple really spend a lot of time at this on their computers...when they could be interacting in "real" life?
Thu, 21 May, 10:13
kmlussier :
And I will query the group, maybe next week, to see if there is interest in an in-person meeting. I have never done it before, but there has always been interest.
I think a lot of people are doing this at home when they could be interacting with others. But there are also a lot of people doing it while they are interacting with others. On their iphones and other handheld devices. A lot of Twitter is people posting while they are on the go.
Thu, 21 May, 10:16
efergusson :
Where is this going? What does the future look like...for us as individuals and for libraries?
Thu, 21 May, 10:16
kmlussier :
We had an intersting discussion on the wiki last week that I would like to bring up here. The whole question of whether these tools can help bring people into the library. And are the people using these tools your existing users or people who may not have used in the library in the past?
And, for Judy, who is at an academic library, I don't think it's as much of an issue. But then I'm wondering what an academic library's goals are in using these services?
Thu, 21 May, 10:17
sevans34 :
Maybe the future is the library comming to them?
Thu, 21 May, 10:17
kmlussier :
Eden, I should include a crystal ball in my equipment requests this year...
Thu, 21 May, 10:17
efergusson :
If we only could!
Thu, 21 May, 10:18
kmlussier :
I think Sherry's point is big. When we get to Facebook and Twitter, the whole idea is really going to them...
And all of these tools are about community. Libraries are all about community. It seems a natural fit for the two to work together. Library's will still be an integral part of community (I hope), but you may not always be doing your work in your building.
Thu, 21 May, 10:20
efergusson :
It's true. Libraries need to become integrated into this universe. Visiting some of the websites you've posted for us, I've seen some good examples of how this can be done. There must, however, be a balance. We can't get too far in front....or fall too far behind.
Thu, 21 May, 10:21
hyannis_library :
Sherry (even though you are right next to me in this office), you felt that online library use is measurable. How would this be done?
Thu, 21 May, 10:23
jfarrar_12525.s :
I think the point is that the students are already there and we have to follow them to get the word out about our services. One of our marketing professors did a study recently of who is blogging,and used it in a course. It was in the Standard Times. She is trying to make them aware of what not to present on Facebook, if they want to get a job. I'll try and get the reference to everyone later...It's in my email. how old-fashioned.
Thu, 21 May, 10:24
sevans34 :
Well im not sure but
I think that use is measurable , maybe ways to measure it need to be developed
Thu, 21 May, 10:24
efergusson :
Yes, the younger generation is way ahead of us...but what about our older users...some of whom feel threatened by new technology. It's a learning curve thing....
Thu, 21 May, 10:24
kmlussier :
Judy, if it's a link, you could always post it to Delicious too with the semls20 tag.
Thu, 21 May, 10:25
hyannis_library :
Stats of digital download use are now available -- do you think other uses would be measured in a similar way?
Thu, 21 May, 10:25
sevans34 :
yes I think they could
Thu, 21 May, 10:25
kmlussier :
Some ways to measure - Google Analytics can be used to track traffic on your blogs. If you use FeedBurner, you can track statistics on your RSS feed. With Facebook, you can track the number of fans your page has. With Twitter, you can track with the number of followers. Just some ideas, but there are probably more.
Businesses are already tracking this stuff, so the tools must be out there.
Thu, 21 May, 10:26
jfarrar_12525.s :
Sorry - it was twitter...Twittering for credit

By Jay Pateakos
Herald News Staff Reporter

As social media becomes more mainstream every day, University of
Massachusetts Chancellor Professor of marketing and Director of the
UMass Center for Marketing Research Nora Ganim Barnes recently conducted
one of the county's first Twitter-run classes.

Barnes and CMR had conducted a number of studies on the impact of social
media and what companies - from Fortune 500's to non-profits, and every
business in between - were doing with the medium. The studies originally
date back to 2006 and were updated last year.

Key findings included that only 16 percent of Fortune 500 companies
currently have blogs, compared to 41 percent in higher education and 57
percent of the top 200 charities in the country; 78 percent of private
schools have blogs, compared to 28 percent of public schools; that
colleges and universities are outpacing corporate America in the
adoption of social media tools; a significant number of admissions
officers use search engines (23 percent) and social networks (17
percent) to research prospective students, using the tools to verify
scholarship information or entry into high-demand programs with limited
spaces.
Thu, 21 May, 10:27
kmlussier :
We're coming to the end of our chat time. Are there any other questions or thoughts anyone has before we sign off?
Thu, 21 May, 10:27
efergusson :
thank you, Kathy for another learning experience!
Thu, 21 May, 10:28
kmlussier :
Oh, and this link just came through my Twitter feed. I thought you might all find it interesting. http://tinyurl.com/qjdkpy
Thu, 21 May, 10:29
sevans34 :
I love it!
Thu, 21 May, 10:29
kmlussier :
I will be posting both chat transcripts on the class wiki by the end of the day.
Thu, 21 May, 10:30
jfarrar_12525.s :
I think our in-person social networks are still important and it will be up to the sociologists to study the impact of online social networking. thanks!
Thu, 21 May, 10:30
hyannis_library :
Thank you , everyone - Carol
Thu, 21 May, 10:30
sevans34 :
Thank you!
Thu, 21 May, 10:30
efergusson :
Good-bye, all.
Thu, 21 May, 10:30
kmlussier :
Agreed! Thanks everyone for chatting this morning. Feel free to contact me at any time if you have any more questions.
Thu, 21 May, 10:31
kmlussier :
Chris - you made it back! We're just wrapping up! Sorry about the technical difficulty.