Cristy Moran - Public Libraries Online https://publiclibrariesonline.org A Publication of the Public Library Association Tue, 26 Feb 2013 04:23:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.5 Special Collections for Diverse Communities https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/01/special-collections-for-diverse-communities/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=special-collections-for-diverse-communities https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/01/special-collections-for-diverse-communities/#respond Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:35:45 +0000 http://publiclibrariesonline.org/?p=1393 Cultivating special collections that reflect our communities’ experiences creates a legacy of cultural and ethnic history relevant to generations of patrons and to researchers studying the diverse cultural landscape of American cities and towns. Examples of some South Florida library special collections are given.

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]]> With ever-varying populations, our libraries are challenged to build diverse collections that speak to our patrons’ experiences, reflect the demographics of our communities, and uplift our shared cultural narrative. At the end of 2012, a fellow Public Libraries Online contributor encouraged public librarians to tell the story of their libraries and to engage their patrons in building and sharing their libraries’ narratives.[i] As we engage our patrons to share their experiences at our libraries, we too must share their stories at the library through our collections.

Cultivating special collections that celebrate our diversity will create a legacy of cultural and ethnic history relevant to generations of patrons and useful to researchers studying the diverse cultural landscape of American cities and towns. South Florida libraries that serve a community rich with various the multiethnic, multicultural, and immigrant populations are examples of how some libraries are bridging the gap between community narratives and library collections. The large Cuban exile and immigrant community is represented in various university libraries in Miami including the University of Miami’s Cuban Heritage Collection, Barry University Library’s Pedro Pan Archives, and various special collections at Florida International University. Similarly, Haitian and Caribbean materials are collected at the Digital Library of the Caribbean, also at Florida International University. These collections are accessible to the public either on-site (some cater to walk-ins and others are by appointment only) or through digital access. Area public libraries have also worked to archive and steward special collections for South Florida’s diverse populations. The African American Cultural Research Center in Broward County and the North Dade Regional Library in Miami are both public libraries that hold archives relevant to the African-American experience in South Florida.


[i] Amber Mussman, “Telling the Story of the Public Library,” Public Libraries Online (blog), December 27, 2012, https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/12/telling-the-story-of-the-public-library/

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]]> https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2013/01/special-collections-for-diverse-communities/feed/ 0 Blogs By and For Librarians https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/12/blogs-by-and-for-librarians/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=blogs-by-and-for-librarians https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/12/blogs-by-and-for-librarians/#comments Wed, 26 Dec 2012 20:45:38 +0000 http://publiclibrariesonline.org/?p=1188 Librarians use blogs to communicate with LIS peers about their professional library experiences, emerging trends and technology, and best practices. Included is a list of seven essential blogs written by librarians and for librarians.

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]]> There is no lack of literature on the use of blogs for libraries and librarians. Prior to the use of Facebook and Twitter, librarians had long been creating blogs for their libraries. Blog to inform! Blog to market! Blog to stay relevant! But blogging for library patrons is only one avenue that librarians have taken with their blogs; yet another has been blogging to communicate with their LIS peers about their experiences, emerging trends and technology, and library best practices.

There are hundreds of librarian and library-related blogs and the following list presents a selection of those blogs that cover a variety of subjects and specializations, are regularly updated with new content, and are often cited and recommended by other librarians.

  • Bobbi Newman’s blog, Librarian by Day at http://librarianbyday.net/ should be the go-to blog for any librarian interested in emerging digital technologies and Library 2.0. Newman practices transliteracy just as she preaches it. She can be found on a host of popular social networks and is always updating with new media, articles, book reviews, research, and more.
  • Andy Woodworth’s blog, Agnostic, Maybe at http://agnosticmaybe.wordpress.com/ is perhaps the quintessential librarian blog in that it’s not only about libraries—it’s also about a librarian. Besides maintaining his own blog, Woodworth reads blogs by other librarians. In this interview with I Need a Library Job (INALJ) Woodworth names librarians that he follows online—with links to their blogs provided by INALJ: http://inalj.com/?p=1234.
  • Hack Library School at http://hacklibschool.wordpress.com/ is maintained by an ever-rotating crop of LIS student writers. Although the primary audience for the blog is library students, one doesn’t need to be in library school to appreciate the posts and insight. Hack librarians have also compiled suggested LIS blog lists for diverse library interests at http://hacklibschool.wordpress.com/lis-blogs-follow/.
  • Jessica Olin’s blog, Letters to a Young Librarian at http://letterstoayounglibrarian.blogspot.com/ is written for the new librarian who is finding that what he or she learned in library school doesn’t always correlate with the reality of working in a library.
  • Jessamyn West’s blog, Librarian.net at http://www.librarian.net/ deserves its indomitable domain name because of the scope of the blog’s coverage and the quality posts. Often fun and always helpful, West covers topics as varied as perceptions of librarians, scholarship best practices, and tech FAQs.
  • Sarah Houghton’s blog, Librarian in Black at http://librarianinblack.net/ is largely about using technology to deliver library services and, as with Woodworth’s blog, about her personal experiences throughout her career. Houghton is the consummate Digital Age librarian and her posts often include information about and best practices for using new technology.
  • The ‘M’ Word – Marketing Libraries at http://themwordblog.blogspot.com/ by Nancy Dowd and Kathy Dempsey shares best practices and ideas for marketing your library. With some seasonal tips, sharing library success stories and news, and strategies for incorporating emerging technologies into your library marketing machine, The ‘M’ Word is one blog that needs to be on every librarian’s bookmarks.

Librarian bloggers often refer to one another’s blogs and suggest useful resources and websites for their readers to visit. Following their links will lead you on a trail of discovery that is, more often than not, the reason you visited their blog in the first place. Of course, for all the serious, topical, and industry-related librarian blogs that exist, there are also decidedly quirky and diverting library blogs like Awful Library Books at http://awfullibrarybooks.net/ and Librarian Wardrobe at http://librarianwardrobe.com. Though not a blog per se, Unshelved, an Internet comic strip by Gene Ambaum and Bill Barnes about librarians and library-work-related situations (and, really, so much more), is also worth a visit. You can find it at http://www.unshelved.com/.

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]]> https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/12/blogs-by-and-for-librarians/feed/ 3 What You Don’t Know About Genre https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/12/what-you-dont-know-about-genre/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-you-dont-know-about-genre https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/12/what-you-dont-know-about-genre/#respond Wed, 26 Dec 2012 20:34:38 +0000 http://publiclibrariesonline.org/?p=1183 Steampunk. Street lit. Sword-and-sorcery. Graphic novels. Hard sci-fi. Paranormal romance. As trends in reading and publishing change, so do library’s efforts to develop collections and reach out to potential library users. Included is a list of websites and blogs dedicated to different genres.

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]]> Steampunk. Street lit. Sword-and-sorcery. Graphic novels. Hard sci-fi. Paranormal romance.  The list of genres and sub-genres of popular literature, film, and other media titles relevant to your patrons is endless. As trends in reading and publishing change, so do library’s efforts to develop collections and reach out to potential users. Lucky for librarians, there are resources available for learning about different genres and figuring out how best to expand existing collections, develop exciting programming, and highlight new titles.

The following are a few places to begin your journey into the wonderfully diverse world of genre literature.

  • Bitten by Books is a site dedicated to the paranormal reader community. Features on the site include author and reader community chats, book and film/ TV reviews, and contests and giveaways. http://bittenbybooks.com/
  • Goodreads is a virtual reader community and social network that allows users to provide book reviews, create forums and groups, link up with their favorite authors, win book giveaways, and create lists. Although it is not a genre site like the others listed, it does have features that earn it a place on this list. Goodreads invites users to rate “best of…” books annually and within genres,  authors and publishers host chats and forum discussions frequently on the site, and genre-based groups regularly make suggestions, hold virtual book club meetings, and share news with members. http://www.goodreads.com/
  • Io9 is the resident science fiction, fantasy, and related genres blog from the Gawker community. Its regular features include “Morning Spoilers,” with news of upcoming genre media; “Superlist,” which include book and other media “best of…” compilations; and reviews of novels, graphic novels and comic books, films/DVDs, and other media releases. io9 is sure to be a useful resource for anyone looking to learn about what genre fans are talking and to what they’re looking forward. http://io9.com/
  • No Flying, No Tights is a one-stop resource for librarians and educators interested in graphic novels, comic books, and manga. Though the site was developed primarily as a resource for adults working with YA readers, No Flying, No Tights does have a page dedicated to adult-level titles.  Remember, however, that comic book and graphic novel readership interests, reading levels, and content often overlap between YA and adult readers. Therefore, much of the site’s content is applicable for both young and adult readers. http://noflyingnotights.com/
  • Smart Bitches, Trashy Books is the romance-reader’s blog. Never pandering to the stereotype of the avid romance genre reader, Smart Bitches infuses reviews with thoughtful criticisms and worthwhile recommended reading titles. Posts on the site include essays about the genre, news about upcoming titles, romance author Q&As, publisher and retailer sales events, and more.  http://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/
  • Steampunk.com is a website dedicated to topics of interest to the steampunk genre including book reviews, suggested reading and “best of…” lists, steampunk lifestyle and fashion tips, and other interest articles. This site is an especially good introduction to the steampunk genre in all its facets. http://www.steampunk.com/
  • Street Fiction is a site dedicated to reviews and features of the street lit genre. Books of this genre are urban-centric realistic fictions (or non-fictions) with characters, settings, and situations that relate to living in urban areas and often minority or disenfranchised communities. Street Fiction includes reviews, author interviews, and other features related to street lit titles. http://www.streetfiction.org/
  • Tor is the consummate genre geek’s blog. Its tagline is “Science fiction. Fantasy. The universe.” Articles cover the gamut of genre from all ends of the media spectrum and include features on upcoming and existing titles. http://www.tor.com/

 

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]]> https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/12/what-you-dont-know-about-genre/feed/ 0 Creating Digital Tutorials https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/11/creating-digital-tutorials/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=creating-digital-tutorials https://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/11/creating-digital-tutorials/#respond Mon, 26 Nov 2012 20:32:19 +0000 http://publiclibrariesonline.org/?p=506 Digital instructional and reference content on your library website will expand the service area of your library and maximize the […]

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]]> Digital instructional and reference content on your library website will expand the service area of your library and maximize the use of library resources available to your patrons. These objects can guide at-home and onsite users through use of the library resources including the library’s catalog, collections, and e-government services. Library computers can prompt users to visit tutorials and digital reference materials, and they can be prioritized on library websites through use of tabs or icons that link directly to a FAQ with these digital objects as responses.

Digital and online instructional videos, tutorials, presentations, and reference guides are an extension of services already offered to patrons. One-shot digital reference and instructional objects such as these can be used to supplement reference services and, in some cases, fill in where reference services aren’t an option. The visual and audio components of these online modules can appeal to many of the same sensibilities that patrons seek from interaction with a reference librarian. These tools can be used by patrons who would not otherwise approach the reference desk. They can also answer questions or address concerns that can be answered simply and without the need for more in-depth guidance or service interaction.

Creating Content
Consider what you know about your library resources and your patrons’ needs. Are there repeated reference interactions that could be easily answered with a short tutorial? Is there anything you would like your patrons to know about your library that you can highlight with a reference guide or video? Start with the basics: finding books and movies on the library’s online catalog, checking patron accounts and renewing items, tours of the library space and collections, and Ready Reference guides.

Creating Digital Tutorials and Guides
Practically anyone can hone the skills to create online reference or instructional content. The technology required to make these objects varies in cost and, in many cases, can be made using free downloadable software. Screencasting or video-creating software can be used individually or can be used in conjunction with audio software or presentation tools and can be uploaded to sites like Youtube or Vimeo. The following are some websites that offer screencasting and video-creation tools:

The following are free downloadable tools that you can use to create audio tracks or podcasts:

Once presentations are created they can be uploaded to screencasting sites and used as content for tutorials or instructional videos. Learn about the presentation software at the following sites:

  • Google Drive (formerly Google Docs) includes presentation software. You can get started with Google Drive at https://www.google.com/intl/en_US/drive/start/
  • Prezi is a presentation tool that creates dynamic presentations that stray from the linear one-dimensional look of Microsoft PowerPoint presentations. Visit the Prezi site to learn more about it at http://prezi.com/

There is no end to the kinds of software available for free download on the Internet and there is no limit to the amount of creativity that a librarian can bring to digital instructional tutorials. For a list of downloadable software visit CNET at http://download.cnet.com/windows/.

 

 

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