David Lee King

social media | emerging trends | libraries

CIL2006, DAY 3: Project Croquet

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Marshall Breeding introduced Project Croquet – he talked about it some, and we watched snippets of a video done by the creators of Croquet.

Project Croquet is a multi-user 3D-ish, game-like collaboration space accessed via a computer. It looks a little like Second Life or Sims Online – but that’s where the similarities begin and end. Project Croquet’s goal is to create better interaction and collaboration in a digital space.

Croquet:

  • peer-to-peer network (P2P)
  • the PC is doing with work – they don’t need or have servers
  • build web pages in 3D – you can even turn it
  • you can quickly creat virtual worlds and spaces
  • you can walk into other spaces
  • The creators are completely excited about their project!

My question – our users are moving to multiple formats, and more mobile formats. Will they want to interact using a Sims-like digital space, when they will probably be able to interact via video/cell phones? I’m not sure.

This project reminds me a little Tad Williams Otherland novels (good read, too).

CIL2006

CIL2006, Day 3: Paul Miller of Talis speaking about Web 2.0

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Library 2.0:

  • the open library
  • push the library everywhere
  • engage with actual and potential user communities
  • disaggregate library systems and bring them together
  • building apps that make sense – like a set of Lego blocks
  • shared innovation

talk.talis.com – a blog devoted to developing a better catalog (I think)

Examples:

  • wpopac – search, link, comment – built around WordPress
  • Greasemonkey widgets – daveyp.com/blog
  • typepad.com/superpatron – his book jacket browse thing (I like this alot!)
  • Blyberg’s card catalog thing, with comments
  • These things are all done by individuals!

What would happen if we worked together?

cil2006, library 2.0, web 2.0

Annual Staff Day

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Staff Day, big sessionWe just held our annual Staff Day last Friday, and it was a good one! For those interested, here’s some of what we did:

In the morning, we had food (very important at any Staff Day event). Then our library director spoke about change, his projections for the next year, and about his trip with the Urban Libraries Council to Singapore and Hong Kong. Then a comedy troupe performed for us for about an hour, and did all sorts of team building types of skits (yes, that involved us).

Then we had a set of breakout sessions. I was one of those – I did a shortened version of my Introduction to Web 2.0 presentation – it went well, with lots of questions and comments the rest of the day.

Other morning breakout sessions – View from the Other Side of the Counter: Managing Customer Service Perspectives, Creating Stress Resilience, See No Movies? Hear No Music? Speak No Catalog?, and Kansas City Hot Spots. Three IT staffers did the “See No Movies” session – they focused on new things to do on our public PCs, like how to download an MP3 file, how to burn a CD, etc.

DDR Crowd at Staff DayLunch came next, along with a gaming demonstration – DDR (Dance Dance Revolution Extreme, to be exact) for anyone who wanted to experience it. Everyone thought it was extremely fun (or funny, depending on one’s point of view). As you can see from the photo, there was definitely a crowd!

Crystal talking about Gaming in LibrariesThen afternoon breakout sessions. Crystal, who attended the Gaming in Libraries conference in December, spoke about games, and what our gaming taskforce is planning to submit to management group. Great presentation, and it really got a lot of staff talking and thinking about games, programming around games, and what our library can do to reach out to the gaming community.

Other afternoon breakout sessions? Let’s Play Yan-Koloba, Healthy Habits, Storytelling Adventures, and a tour of the Central Library.

Chocolate Fondue videoThen more food – check out this video of the two chocolate fondue pots that were set up! After the short break, we participated in a team-building exercize, then had a closing Q&A time with the director, gave out awards, and held a raffle.

In general, here’s what went on: change, Web 2.0, gaming, new technology, customer service, and team-building. Yes, and food. All great things to talk about in a library!

What does your library do? Is there time for staff to get together, discuss possibilities for the next year, learn something new, and celebrate doing a good job as a team? If not, I’d suggest starting – what’s not to love about these things?

Music 2.0 and DRM

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Interesting post on the Social Software blog: Yahoo music exec says maybe DRM should be ditched.

I’m all agreed that DRM doesn’t work in libraries – if it disappeared, then iPods would work with services like Overdrive and netLibrary. But look at some of the thoughts the author has about how to assign value (if the thing being purchased isn’t the music itself):

  • Linking music downloads to concert promotion/tickets
  • Liner notes
  • other branded multi-media beyond the music file itself
  • superior quality to files found in the wild

Some of these ideas are leaving traditional types (that’d be libraries and record stores) in the dust. Example – Linking music downloads to tickets – where does that leave the library’s music collection, or future music purchases? Also – other branded multi-media… hmm… at least with this added value item, patrons could still come to the library to access the value-added thing via the web.

Most likely there would still be a way to purchase music that would make sense for libraries (ie., subscription-based services). Still…

Also – the article mentions that there was recently a conference called “Music 2.0” – wow. Again, it’s not just libraries and Library 2.0 – many different industries are dealing with the same notions.

Library 2.0, Web 2.0, Music 2.0

Reading OCLC’s Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources (2005), Parts 3, 4, 5, and Conclusion

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More notes while reading through Perceptions of Libraries and Information Resources (2005).

Part 3: The Library Brand:

The one thing that stood out to me is the top three criteria respondents use for deciding which electronic information source to use: 1. provides worthwhile information; 2. Provides free information; and 3. Based on ease of use.

I think we get #’s 1 and 2 right – but not always #3.

Part 4: Respondents’ Advice to Libraries:

and

Part 5: Libraries–A “Universal” Brand?:

Good stuff, but nothing that stands out to me…

Conclusion:

84% of respondents use search engines to begin an information search … 1% begin the search on a library website. That makes perfect sense – we currently don’t have too much actual information residing on our websites.

What do we have? We have pointers to information – pointers to the catalog, to databases, to other websites. More Subject Guides and original articles focusing on how to find niche information is a good way to start bridging this gap. Focused guides and articles will also put those parts of our website in a search engine’s hit lists.

“Library card holders use information resources more than non-card holders, and they are more favorably disposed to libraries than non-card holders.” OK – this is one of those silly parts … really, did this need to be studied? This is like doing a study on exercise to see if it really does help you lose weight… just a little pet peave of mine…

Big flags should go up here:
1. “Information consumers use the library. They use the library less and read less since they began using the Internet.”
2. “Borrowing print books is the library service most used.”

Big issue – Customers are borrowing our print books less, but that’s our primary commodity. This needs to change. Period.

Little issue, to OCLC – I think you mean respondents are reading PRINT BOOKS less, rather than reading less. If they are using the Internet, most likely they are still reading – just not a print book.

“Find ways to get material to people, rather than making them come to the library.” – again, the theme of going out and meeting your customers….