Post 2
When I decided that I wanted to go to back to school to become a librarian. I envisioned myself in youth services performing reference, creating programming, and instructing users. Sure, I knew that there was definitely a technical aspect to the job, but I never imagined that I would be learning how to design web pages or about social media/networks. Libraries have changed so much since I stopped using them for more than just picking up and dropping off borrowed books. I guess I should have realized how techie libraries had become when CPL began letting patrons put books on hold through its website. It makes sense that there are more and more LIS jobs that are web focused or that require web savvy. Not only does technology help accessibility, but it also helps reach nonusers. As Michael Edson stated in his interview with Michael Stephens on ALA TechSource (http://www.alatechsource.org/blog/2010/08/interview-with-michael-edson.html), “How can [a] director justify *not* finding resources to start connecting with the 4+ billion people who use the Internet or the thousands of people in your local community who are online too?”

Over half way through the MLIS program, I realize that the emerging technologies libraries are leveraging is one of the most exciting and interesting parts of my studies. It is refreshing to be entering a profession that understands the importance of embracing change and preparing its future professionals with practical assignments (see “Goals of an LIS Educator” http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/ljinprintcurrentissue/887408-403/office_hours_november_15_2010.html.csp).My profession choice is constantly questioned by my friends; they wonder if libraries are still relevant in the digital age…I’ll be sure to tell them to check out my library’s online presence and digital resources once I’ve joined the workforce.
Over half way through the MLIS program, I realize that the emerging technologies libraries are leveraging is one of the most exciting and interesting parts of my studies. It is refreshing to be entering a profession that understands the importance of embracing change and preparing its future professionals with practical assignments (see “Goals of an LIS Educator” http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/ljinprintcurrentissue/887408-403/office_hours_november_15_2010.html.csp).My profession choice is constantly questioned by my friends; they wonder if libraries are still relevant in the digital age…I’ll be sure to tell them to check out my library’s online presence and digital resources once I’ve joined the workforce.

Posting #2

While not a library, King Arthur Flour is a company that uses 2.0 technology extremely effectively. I started out as a Facebook fan because I am ferociously loyal and wanted to spread the word about their awesome flour (http://www.facebook.com/#!/kingarthurflour), even if it meant the occasional update I didn’t think I’d care about (I think this was in the early days of Facebook fan pages, when for the first time, there was an actual person updating the page instead of a list of fans). They mentioned having a Twitter page, and since I was new to Twitter (and thought it was information overload central, but instructors kept insisting it was important without really explaining how or why), I decided what the heck and followed their Twitter page (http://twitter.com/kingarthurflour). I noticed that they posted photos of their products in action and links to their blog (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/), and I started reading the comments, printing out recipes, and memorizing their baking tips. Since they started mentioning their daily cafe specials (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/ourstore/), I’m planning a road trip to their Vermont store, where I will inevitably drain my bank account on scone pans and Fiore di Sicilia (http://www.kingarthurflour.com/browse/secret-ingredients/).

I have to admit I wasn’t sold on Library 2.0 for a long time, but KAF’s ability to catch my attention, to bounce seamlessly from one tool to the next, and their lack of obvious self-promotion has shown me that yes, it can work, and no, you won’t be throwing yourself at patrons and alienating them. Multiple bakers write the blog entries, but one of the bloggers also seems to control all of the social media, and she actively responds to blog comments, Facebook wall posts, and Twitter mentions, simultaneously sharing event photos on Facebook and responding to user photos (most of their photos have been uploaded by fans, and most page activity is conversations between fans). I guess I first viewed Library 2.0 as a one-sided marketing campaign. I was wrong. It’s really about organizing an online community where librarians and patrons are equals, where you share your common interests and even passions without the boundaries of age, race, gender, dialect, appearance, employment status, disabilities, or anything that impedes face to face interaction. Marketing is merely a by-product.

Maybe I’ve been awake too long at this point and I’m veering from the topic of web jobs, but it’s certainly a nice ideal, and one that requires a very human person or team of persons dedicated to managing the tools that guide that community. It could be a Facebook page that displays tagged photos of the youth Super Smash Brothers tournament, an Omeka-powered website where users can comment on audio clips of your oral history project (http://omeka.org/, another goody from LIS 881), or a comment-enabled blog where you show photos of the latest sci-fi novels on your shelves and link to the author’s Wikipedia page. It’s the connection with other living, breathing humans that are going to make these technologies effective. And isn’t it one of our goals to bring people together so that we might share and learn from each other? Maybe it’s just my own experience, but it seems the Internet has evolved to a place where we are more comfortable than ever to show who we are, instead of fearfully guarding our identities behind screen names as we did in the days of AOL Instant Messenger. We share videos on YouTube of our kids doing silly kid things and our acoustic Radiohead covers, we use our Facebook accounts to comment on Slate columns, and we shamelessly tweet our excitement over the newest DiCaprio movie, then link it all together. This is absolutely our prime opportunity to make meaningful connections with our patrons outside of the library walls.

Post #2

I think it’s crucial for librarians to be knowledgeable about web technologies or even just curious and willing to experiment with them. The skills acquired and topics discussed in courses like this one will help librarians provide seamless delivery of information and/or services to their patrons. It could be via social media platforms, mobile devices, or just by making the library website more interactive and user-friendly; an understanding of technology and experience with web design inspire librarians to think of innovative ideas as well as implement them. Sometimes we hear of the disconnect between IT staff and librarians, but I think that with more and more librarians getting into the tech side of things, there’s an opportunity to bridge that gap and for collaboration on digital initiatives.

I had heard the term library 2.0 tossed around for a while, but until I took LIS768 last semester, I had no idea that social media could be so powerful and provide so many opportunities for libraries. As Michael states in his column, “Anyone can write a blog post touting the library’s next event…” Web tools are not being utilized effectively if it’s just one-sided; they should be used to open up the conversation to patrons, get feedback, and build relationships. I happened to run across this article the other day about an embedded librarian, who was using Twitter to help students with subject specific research (http://bit.ly/fmPfsM).

Finally, I just want to mention how valuable the “personal learning network” is for making connections, being informed on current issues in the field, and staying involved in the community. I’ll admit that if I weren’t on Twitter, I would not be as tuned into the current conversation about the Harper Collins/Overdrive debacle. For those interested, here is a site I stumbled upon that has archived all the tweets regarding the topic (http://bit.ly/dMRcZi).

Especially in smaller libraries, I’ve noticed that many library jobs today require a wide range of staff members to participate in marketing and outreach efforts such as blogs and social media presences (rather than assigning such functions solely to a marketing or web development department); this has been the case with at least one non-degree-requiring position I’ve interviewed for in the past few months. (In the end someone else was hired, but I’d have loved to do it, and it was nice to get a sort of case study of how one library is using social media.) This may have the effect of both deepening staff members’ sense of involvement with their library and showcasing a range of more personal voices from their library to patrons.

In working with a library’s web presence, it’s frequently necessary to go beyond designing for the web as a medium and consider the devices on which content will be accessed: I noticed that several ads specifically mentioned applications for handheld devices. Because the pace of change in this area is so rapid, some underlying skills may be as important as knowledge of specific technologies: the desire to keep learning and the ability to think critically in order to assess the value of tools which, because they have just emerged, may not yet be of proven value. A few of the job postings in Michael’s slideshow make mention of this, and I feel that those, especially, would be libraries I’d like to work in.

As to finding inspiration on a larger level, I loved reading about the Smithsonian Commons project. It presents a model of a web presence that is both enormously rich on its own terms and an excellent enhancement/enticement to the physical institution it represents. I’ll be interested to watch it develop. And any library can take to heart Michael Edson’s remark: “I have yet to hear of a collection area, a topic, or even a single idea that doesn’t already have an active online audience surrounding it.” Thinking creatively in today’s web-related LIS jobs might mean finding ways to reach out to those online audiences that already exist.

Posting #2

I think you’d be hard pressed to find someone who would argue with the notion that technology is changing librarianship. But at its root, as others have pointed out, the profession’s goals have remained the same: providing access to information. It’s just that access has become more complex. It’s not enough anymore for a library to open its doors and say, “We’re here – stop on by if you need us!” With so much competition for people’s time and attention, we need to offer broader access by taking our information to the people. One of the ideas from the reading on this topic that I liked most was the concept that “content, use and community are inseparable” (from the Smithsonian Commons Millennial video: http://www.si.edu/commons/prototype/story3/story3.html). We also need to go beyond traditional definitions of content in reaching out to our communities and defining new uses for our services.

Today, going where the people are means to go online. In a time in which more kids know how to use a smart phone than tie their shoelaces (seriously: http://www.seattlepi.com/lifestyle/434010_kids24.html), we’re only going to continue to see rapid evolution in the number and type of sites people are using and patrons’ comfort with technology. It’s refreshing to see libraries understanding that this is an area with great potential and hiring specialists to reach out in these new areas. However, we’re reaching a point where technology has so permeated how we do business that even librarians not going into those specialized jobs must be pseudo-experts in more and more types of technology.

As I see it, there are two kinds of technology training we could receive in library school: learning to use specific new technologies; and building an understanding of how to locate and learn new technologies as they arise. The first method might prepare students to find a job right out of school, with a few handy tech skills in their back pocket to show off in interviews. However, the latter will prepare students with a mindset of constantly looking to pick up new technology that can somehow be applied to a job and used to improve the way we provide access to our patrons. Only by feeling comfortable enough with the constant influx of new technology to give something a try will we be able to keep up with the latest skills and trends throughout our careers. While this may seem easier said than done, I think one good way to do it is to incorporate technology within the curriculum throughout our MLIS program. Taking classes that teach specific technologies are great – we learn useful skills that look great on a resume and make us more comfortable with technology in general – but we could build on this even more by seeing and acting on applications of new technology all throughout our learning process. I think the comfort level that would bring could be one of the most valuable components in preparing us to meet the inevitably growing technological demands of the library job market.

Posting #2

I have to say, I am glad to see that there are so many more web/tech orientated jobs for librarians now. It is nice to see that libraries are realizing how necessary it is to have a dedicated person to maintain their web presence etc instead of expecting a reference librarian to write blog posts or update the website amidst their other duties. Or to expect the IT person maintain the website while assisting with every computer problem that arises. Although it means a new skill set for librarians, I am glad there’s recognition that this area is rapidly growing in importance.

That being said, this module has added to my increasing awareness of all the things I don’t know yet. I’ve been very appreciative of my LIS classes that go beyond using Blackboard or handouts. I really like the use of Twitter in classes. I may not take the time to post a link on Blackboard, but it’s easy to share it on Twitter since I’m already there anyway. After learning Google Sites in 704, I’ve used it in other classes to great effect. Even though the point of the class wasn’t to learn how to use it, taking that hour to figure out how everything works is so beneficial. Many of my classmates in Digital Libraries have expressed an interest in learning the practical/technical aspects of digital projects, not just the theory. Thankfully our professor has an IT background and can provide a lot of the nitty gritty for us to learn. Even if I don’t know about all the content management systems out there, at least I have a foundation, much like this class and HTML etc. But I agree with Michael’s Office Hours columns, it doesn’t always seem like it goes far enough. I didn’t have room in my schedule for the RDA seminar, but I would have liked to spend more than 5 minutes on it in class. Sometimes I wonder if operating on quarters would allow for a wider intake of knowledge. Again, I don’t have room in my schedule for a class devoted entirely to serials management or library automation, but having some background in them would be beneficial before hitting the job market. Sorry about the “they don’t teach you this in library school” rant, but as I near the end of my time in school, I start to worry about having learned enough with the opportunities that school provides.

To ignore Youth Services when speaking about LIS Jobs is to cut the library profession off at the foot. In the recent past, libraries have admitted fearing that adults could find their information anywhere other than the library. However, what we need to consider is that Youth Services patrons are now just as much a part of that group. Technology is a way of life from the time that children are in the womb. It’s been said over and over…yet, it’s not a cliché. For years, the expansion of technology in our daily lives has just as quickly reached younger and younger generations. We can see it in the toys we buy newborns; for years, the Baby Einstein video series had parents convinced that their children would be smarter for participating in this technology. If you open a child’s backpack in many of the schools in urban or suburban settings, chances are you’ll find a Smartphone that comes with a plan with a data package. Children today are able to operate their Wii videogames before they have the cognitive ability to put sounds and words on a page into a working relationship. While some parents are nervous, as the parent base gets younger, technology becomes more prominent. This article (http://www.mainstreet.com/article/smart-spending/technology/baby-steps-81-infants-have-digital-footprint) shows that parents out there are knowingly making technology a part of their toddler’s lives. GSLIS is doing the right thing by us: teaching us how to build websites, market and incorporate technology into our programming. Like our Adult Services counterparts, MLIS candidates who’ve been focusing on a Youth Services career path have been taught that in order to connect with our base, we need to embrace technology.
However, I’m a fan of calling a spade a spade. Michael Stephens’ presentation he references this article (http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6545430.html) on the exclusion of Youth Services in favor of Adult Services in the definitions of librarian’s core competencies. Maybe in past generations, this was true. Maybe you could focus on the Adult Services being the core of librarianship. But, the role of Youth Services has expanded greatly. In Youth Services, we’re facing a huge challenge in two major disconnects: our patrons’ expectations versus those of our boss. We’re coming from school with a degree fresh in and hand all of these amazing technology-laden ideas to sell to our new boss. Our new boss, however, has been in practice for years. He likes relegating children’s programming to the valuable story time and maybe (just maybe) a single Teen Gaming Night. He may even see that promoting the library via technologies like Twitter or Facebook is too harmful for children. Then, you’re on the desk. Teens are asking if they can find you on these social networking technologies; adults talk about following other libraries on their RSS Feeds. What are we supposed to say to this? When we promise we’ll talk to bosses, or that we’ll try to get something started, how can we face these disappointed faces? It’s not a lack of capability; it’s a desire to avoid culpability.

Post #2
As with all the changing and developing aspects of the library profession concerning copyright that we discussed last week, LIS web jobs is another new and evolving part that evokes discussion. I think many of us thought when we entered library school that we would be behind the desk at our local public library, but after a few classes we all might have begun questioning the value of that job. Many have decided to branch out to the school library media program, archives, special collections, or where ever else. Since graduation is quickly approaching and the job market is not improving, the question that many of us face is: what are we going to do come June? It has been brought to my attention by my mother who is less than tech-savvy, that there are many great web jobs available to a person with an MLIS degree and if she could find them, then they must be out there.
It is good to see that there is a discussion that is occurring about the new technologies and how we as current students should embrace them and move forward hopefully to a place where they want and encourage the use of our knowledge about library 2.0 and web 2.0. One of the articles mentioned libraries and other institutions using twitter, facebook, wordpress, and other social media to reach the millions of internet users. Online only libraries are being developed and many companies desire the skills and competencies we GSLIS students learned to develop their online presence. An article by Lee Raine titled, “The Networked Librarian” describes the new role of the librarian that is emerging http://www.pewinternet.org/Presentations/2011/May/San-Francisco-Public-Library.aspx. The reading that explored the Smithsonian commons described three questions who is it for?, what do they want? And how do you know?, that should be addressed when trying to “grab” someone, which seems now that more and more people are turning to the internet and need to be reached there, may involve social media. As future librarians, I think it is important for us to see and understand the trends that are developing now and the issues that are emerging out of our different user bases in order to understand the many complexities we face and the opportunities that we encounter and how to grab those whose attention we require.

Posting #2
It is always interesting to me to see how a library and its website compare – it says a lot about where their priorities are and who is on their staff. As an example, I recently visited the Lisle Library. I went to their website to look up their address (http://www.lislelibrary.org). Its look is dated and inconsistent (compare the homepage to the Youth Services page at http://www.lislelibrary.org/LLDkids.htm). Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed and my expectations for the library itself were pretty low. Was I ever surprised when I got there! A color palette of light beige, orange-red and light green makes for a warm, welcoming space. Desks, walls and shelving often followed curved lines and there is a lot of room to browse. The wayfinding signage was my favorite –large, thick, modern, all-caps san serifs in brushed metal that clearly labeled everything from the copier to the collection of fine art prints. Its placement and size ensured it could be clearly read from a distance too. Now if only their website would reflect their building’s interior! I am certain they would attract more visitors that way. Interestingly, despite its apparent toils with web design, the Lisle Library seems to be doing fairly well with other technologies. They have a presence on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lisle-Library-District/301729550219) and they post updates to their profile rather frequently. They also have a chat with a librarian service and online book discussion groups (http://www.lislelibrary.org/LLDReaders.HTM#Online%20Discussion%20Groups:). I understand that “traditional” librarians may struggle with emerging technologies, but that is why there is a need for positions like Graphic Designer and Blog/Wiki/RSS/Podcast Librarian (or a combination of both). Check out the blog of self-titled “interdisciplinary librarian” Heather Davis at http://hcddavis.wordpress.com/about/. Heather studied Graphic Design and other arts before getting her MLIS. She uses both of her skill sets at her current position (https://lwtclearningcommons.pbworks.com/w/page/14452320/Heather-Davis).

If there is a need for librarians who are proficient in emerging technologies, there is an even greater need for graduate schools to prepare their students with such knowledge. As Michael said in his article, “Goals of an LIS Educator” (http://www.libraryjournal.com/lj/ljinprintcurrentissue/887408-403/office_hours_november_15_2010.html.csp), we need to be prepared for a “decidedly digital future.” Technologies, along with libraries, have changed so much in the past decade and there is little doubt that they will continue to do so. Libraries have so much competition from bookstores and the Web that they need to make sure they stay on top of emerging technologies. Hiring nontraditional librarians is an excellent starting point.