Wouldn't a burrito be nice? (or, wrapping things up)

Introduction:

As the director of a rural public library, I am frequently asked to share or present information to groups in the form of reports, marketing tools, invitations and announcements. My enrolment in EDES 501 provided me with the opportunity to explore a variety of Web 2.0 tools and discover if they would fit into the realm of my professional life.

Web 2.0 tools as a whole terrified me at the beginning of this process. For the most part, I am not an early adopter of Web tools or technology, preferring instead to have them prove themselves valuable before taking the time to learn how to use them. As Soloman points out, “tools are ephemeral” (2011) and I have always been happy to allow others to go first and let me know if those tools are truly valuable. Acknowledging that I may be selecting tools that may very well have a very short lifespan was one of the most significant hurdles I had to jump. Like my classmates and instructors, I am busy and dedicating time and energy to learning a tool that may be obsolete in the not-very-distant future was difficult for me to come to terms with.

I am so significantly slow to adopt that I own neither a home computer nor a hand held device, so my priority remained throughout this process to select tools that would be of use in my professional life over my personal life. As such, I chose the following tools to explore:

1.       QR codes – With a goal to incorporate them into at least two promotional tools, I approached QR codes as a novice user with high hopes for creative use in my promotional arsenal.

2.       Microblogging or Twitter - Twitter first entered my consciousness during the Obama Campaign of 2008, yet it took until early 2011 before I willingly began tweeting (badly, I might add). Including Twitter in my inquiry provided me with the opportunity to further explore the tool, learn the associated language and shortcuts and of course to announce news and updates to library followers.

3.       Social Media or social networking software, specifically Facebook – I check my Facebook daily using it personally to keep in touch with friends and family and to share photos. In my professional experience, the library I worked in found it to be a very effective means of engaging the public in a two way conversation as well as advertising upcoming events and celebrations. My learning goals included increasing the number of followers and incorporating Facebook into at least one promotional tool for the library.

4.       Prezi – as a frequent presenter (at conferences, to the public and to my board and staff), I have long been a user of PowerPoint software. It was effective and easy to use. However, I have also been told by a friend and other professionals that Prezi presentations are more interesting than my traditional PowerPoint presentations. My concern that Prezi is seasick-inducing was a prejudice I needed to get over in my exploration of this tool in order to find a means of incorporating Prezi into a library setting.

5.       Glogs – I am a visual learner so the appeal of Glogs was high to me. I have created a few and have failed at half of them, either discovering that Glogs do not do what I thought they might do, or simply because I had forgotten my password. As a novice user, however, I could certainly see the application for Glogs in a public library setting, and especially hoped the tool would enable me to communicate effectively with a variety of literacy levels.

6.       Poll and Survey tools, specifically SurveyMonkey – SurveyMonkey is another tool that I have played with in the past with mixed success, mostly due to my forgetting my password. There is no doubt that people’s opinions matter in public libraries, and finding an effective means of generating patron feedback is one worthy of learning.

Summary of Learning:

When I started this process, I was a sometimes-user of some Web 2.0 tools, but not an excited one. I approached Web 2.0 tools as I did most things I need for work: they are tools, I will use them but only those I need.

Now, having played with some tools I was already familiar with and having explored a few others I was not familiar with, I am more open to investigating other tools as they present themselves.

What worked:

QR codes – and HOW! I do not even own a device that can read a QR code, but generating them is incredibly simple and I know other people own devices. The library has already begun integrating them into displays (see below), featuring them on handbills advertising upcoming programs, and incorporating them into gift certificates. I plan on having a QR code linking to our library’s website incorporated into my business card, or having the QR code on the card import my contact information into the person’s phone. I hope to use QR codes on T-shirts to promote Freedom to Read Week, and (shhh... don’t tell) hope to incorporate their use into the Info to Go newsletter at the Alberta Library Conference. QR codes were by far the best present out of this little Web 2.0 exploration.

Facebook – I will continue to use Facebook both personally and professionally and it may very well be my favourite informal communication tool. Personally, I have kept in touch with former students, classmates, friends and family spread across the country. Followers continue to grow on the library’s page and we are starting to use Facebook to promote our events in Camrose Public Library much like we did in Stettler Public Library.

Twitter – Twitter has clearly become the tool I use to communicate with other library and “book professionals” (although I do follow my sister and a few friends) rather than patrons. In the short time that I have been the one responsible for Tweeting for Camrose Public Library, our followers have risen to 56 (from a dozen in September). Some of the really valuable (translation: they retweet my tweets to a whole lot of people!) include @CamroseAB (Camrose booster association), @CamroseCounty, @CityofCamrose, other interagency groups and a number of authors.

I had planned to have a Twitter conversation during my inquiry, but that never did happen. What a stroke of luck that I had one (unprofessional one) recently! The icing on the cake of my Twitter exploration having that happen during the 11^th hour of this course!

What I’m on the fence about:

SurveyMonkey  - At this point, I find SurveyMonkey to be an effective tool, but I cannot justify paying for an upgrade to be worth the cost to my organization. I may or may not use this tool every year for the annual satisfaction survey and could certainly adapt it for program evaluations since it is simple to use, easy to set up, easy to gather information, however the website template I use for the library also provides the opportunity to create similar surveys and pull analysis at no additional cost. Those surveys can be standardized at the regional library level ensuring that we are comparing “apples to apples” when issuing repeat surveys with our annual satisfaction surveys required for government reporting.

Prezi – I am cautiously optimistic about Prezi. I can see me dabbling in this from time to time depending upon the audience, but I truly do prefer PowerPoint (call me old, call me boring. I’m okay with both!). My main objection to Prezi: clarity of images once copied, saved, downloaded, uploaded, cropped, zoomed, etc. It’s a long process to prepare the images for use in Prezi and once they are there, I found them to lack the clarity that PowerPoint provides. I was successful in producing a presentation that had a limited amount of spinning, and the zooming feature is incredibly effective in pointing out steps in a process so Prezi certainly is not a complete disappointment.

What didn’t’ work:

Glogster – I can barely get over my childish rant over my experience with Glogster. It was frustrating and disappointing to produce a Glog only to have technical upgrades to the site bar my use of the Glog for two weeks. I am grateful I was not a teacher with a lesson plan dependent upon Glogster during that time. I may still use this tool in the library because I can see its value as a way to communicate to a variety of literacy levels, but I think I would assign the development of them to someone else.

Sharing with others:

It is without a doubt that I will share my lessons learned with my experience with Web 2.0 tools with others thanks in part to a board who is keen on increasing our presence on the Web and (I admit it) my increased comfort level with many of the tools. I do feel the need to point out that certain criteria must be met to have the use of Web tools be successful in my workspace:

1.       I must have continued support in the quality of Web access. Currently, public libraries in Alberta have access to the SuperNet thanks to an agreement with APLEN. This access to high speed must be maintained into the future for us to justify using the Web as a means of communicating with our audience.

2.       My staff must be empowered to explore and use the tools; it cannot be just me maintaining a web-presence for our library. Empowerment includes opportunities to both learn and use the tools, embedding their use into the staff arsenal as something they are comfortable using. My staff includes a number of older individuals who are still uncomfortable with the standard library databases and downloading ebooks. It will be my responsibility to not only motivate them to use technology, but to provide them with the time to learn to use technological tools effectively and with a high degree of comfort.

3.       We must keep in mind that not all sectors of the library public are technology users. We cannot adopt exclusive use of Web tools to communicate with our public, but must find a balance between our online presence and our offline presence. For the foreseeable future, we will still be making phone calls, handing out brochures and hanging posters.

Having said that, how do I see my staff using the Web 2.0 tools I explored?

1.       Assign. There will be some people on staff who will rapidly embrace the use of Web 2.0 technology. I will endeavour to incorporate the use of Web 2.0 tools into their jobs and provide them with time and the tools to learn how to use them well. A recent workshop had six of my staff members learn to use our library’s website template. Their enthusiasm for learning and adopting this skill set can certainly be translated into an appreciation of using Web 2.0 technology.

2.       Plan of Service. Public Libraries depend upon their Plan of Service to act as a map for their development of programming and planning. If the Web 2.0 tools fulfill a need in our Plan of Service, we will certainly adopt them as a means of communicating.

3.       Empower. Rather than suggesting I want specific tools used in a certain way, I would like to see guidelines developed so all staff are on the same page in knowing what is appropriate use and what is not, then sitting back and allowing staff to be empowered to make their own choices about sharing as the voice of our library.

4.       Use what fits. There are eighteen people on our staff and as with our shoes which are not one-size-fits-all, we do not all feel the same level of comfort with all tools. I will certainly allow people to select the tools they are comfortable using, while encouraging them to explore others and share their learning with their coworkers. We have a sharing component built into our staff meetings already; why not use it to allow staff to share their Web 2.0 knowledge with one another?

Specifically, I would like to see the following happen:

·         QR codes will be incorporated into all our promotional items (including bags, coffee mugs, pamphlets/brochures, handbills, reports to councils, articles in newspapers, displays etc.) and we will explore other ways of using them.

·         Twitter and Facebook will have administrative access assigned to several staff members to encourage a frequent presence on both. Guidelines will be drawn up regarding appropriate use and language while using these tools to ensure the success of the staff and the communication.

·         SurveyMonkey or at least another survey tool (most likely those we can develop on our own websites) will be incorporated into all our satisfaction surveys for programming, events and needs assessments.

Although I do not love them, I can certainly see applications for both Glogster and Prezi and will encourage others to further explore both of these tools.

Finally, blogging, although not officially part of my inquiry, is an effective tool. On our website, there is a component called “news” which certainly would serve to provide a blogging presence. Using this space to reflect what is happening in a “snapshot” could be an effective means of communicating with technology-savvy patrons who do not follow us on Twitter or ‘like’ us on Facebook. Sharing this responsibility with other staff would allow us to collaboratively develop a web-presence and voice.

Imagining the future:

In the words of Laura Solomon (2011), a Web 2.0 presence “doesn’t just happen” (Solomon, 2011, p. vi). I still believe that learning everything is an overwhelming process and unnecessary. I would much rather learn and know a few tools and use them really well, meet customers where they are and drop what doesn’t work. This process has opened me to a few additional tools that I would like to explore for both personal and professional use:

·         Animoto and YouTube. Keeping in mind that some of my patrons are still using dial-up for their computer access (and still others do not have computer access in their homes), I can see both Animoto and YouTube being effective tools for sharing. Imagine if you will an Animoto collection of images from our Christmas party posted on our website, or, envision teens producing book trailers and posting them to our library’s YouTube account for others to discover.

·         Skype is a tool I explored peripherally this past summer. My Summer Reading Club programmers held three sessions where authors “visited” the participants in the club. In a small, rural community, being able to afford to have authors in to visit is cost prohibitive; however, many authors are willing to take 20 minutes out of their busy day to visit with their adoring fans. I can certainly imagine authors visiting book clubs or doing storytimes via Skype.

My parents use Skype to visit with their family members (Mom and Dad live in BC, their siblings all live in Ontario) and if I ever break down and purchase a home computer, it is not difficult for me to imagine Skyping in to family gatherings (as I am the only one who lives in Alberta). To be honest, Skype continues to remain in the realm of “magic” to me, but if my mother can figure it out, I have hope that I will be able to, too.

I hope to learn more and become better at using the Web 2.0 tools I love. QR codes, Twitter and Facebook will certainly be further explored. I plan on attending a Twitter session at the Alberta Library Conference in April 2012 (I have it on good authority there will be one) and (gasp) I am working it into my 2012 PD plan to attend my first ever Netspeed conference.

I remain cautious of inviting the Web into my home; I know my inability to turn off and allowing time to “unplug” and find time for other things I love: yoga, ballet, knitting, reading, and spending time with friends are still important to me.

Ultimately, they are still tools. I will use what I find helpful and will not feel pressured to learn everything out there. I will, however, not be afraid to try new things if that is what my staff and patrons require of me.

Read what I read (throughout the semester):

Baker, L. (2010). Making physical objects clickable: using mobile tags to enhance library displays. Journal of Library Innovation, 1(2), 22-28.

Barr, B (May 2009). How to: get the most out of Twitter #hashtags. Retrieved from http://mashable.com/2009/05/17/twitter-hashtags/

Berger, P. & Trexler, S. (2010). Choosing Web 2.0 Tools for Learning and Teaching in a Digital World. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Libraries Unlimited.

Cahill, K. (2011). Going social at Vancouver Public Library: what the virtual branch did next. Program: electronic library and information systems, 45(3), 259-278.

Circle, A. (2009). Marketing trends to watch. Library Journal, 134(16), 26-29.

Facebook (n.d.). In Wikipedia: the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook

Fletcher, J. (2010). Marketing for the QRious: the beginner’s guide to using QR codes for library promotions and resources. Multimedia Information and Technology, 36(3), 26-27.

Going Beyond Loch Ness Monster. (2010). School Library Monthly, 26(8), 6 – 8.

Hampton, D., Peach, A. & Rawlings, B (2011).Reaching mobile users with QR codes.Kentucky Libraries, 75(2), 6-10.

Harris, C. (2010). QR codes in the library: use 2-D barcodes to offer the coolest services ever. School Library Journal, 56(10), 12.

Hicks, A. &Sinkinson, C. (2011). Situated questions and answers: responding to library users with QR codes. Reference & User Services Quarterly, 50(1), 60 – 69.

It’s My School Library. (2010). School Librarian’s Workshop, 31(1), 17.

King, D.L. (2011, May 27). Facebook for libraries.American Libraries. Retrieved from http://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/features/05272011/facebook-libraries

Milstein, A. (May 2009). Twitter for libraries (and librarians). Retrieved from http://www.infotoday.com/cilmag/may09/Milstein.shtml

Porter, M. & King, D.L. (2011). QR codes in libraries: some examples. Public Libraries. May/June 2011, 25-29.

QR Codes (n.d.). Library success: best practices wiki. Retrieved from http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=QR_Codes

Schiller, K. (2011). High-Tech Classrooms.Information Today, 28(8), 34-35.

Solomon, L, (2011). Doing social media so it matters. Chicago: American Library Association.

Thomases, Hollis (2010). Twitter marketing: an hour a day. Indianapolis, IN: Wiley.

Three Heavyweights (2011). Internet@Schools, 18(1), 10.

Timm, D. (2010). Prezi: One Cool Tool for Making Presentations. Louisiana Libraries, 73(1), 28-9.

Vandenbroek, A. (2010). RtI: The Librarian’s Fairy Tale? Library Media Connection, 29(2), 48 – 50.

Walsh, A. (2010). QR codes: using mobile phones to deliver library instruction and help at the point of need. Journal of Information Literacy, 5(1), 55-63.

Web 2.0 (n.d).In Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0

Zooming User Interface (n.d.).In Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zooming_user_interface

Soloman, Laura (2011). Doing social media so it matters: a librarian’s guide. Chicago, IL: American Library Association.