Cloud Computing Usage in Libraries

The following report will discuss how one of the trends in technologies is impacting libraries and IT organizations, daily.  Cloud computing is employed in many of the libraries and organizations here in the United States.    The focus will be on public and academic libraries that are shifting to cloud computing to help solve upcoming issues in information technology.
Please click on the following link for more information:
Cloud Computing

The Running Librarian by James Mullan

This is a very detailed site with a number of reading on technology.  It seems like it covers several of the 21st century technologies.  Cloud computing in libraries is one of the biggest in technology.  See this site for yourself and enjoy: http://www.therunninglibrarian.co.uk/search/label/Web%202.0

Latest Posts-The Digital Shaft

Check out this site with the latest post in technology.  The Digital Shaft is a website which is a part of the Library Journal & School Library Journal.  The Digital Shaft provides the latest news on libraries and new media.  The cool thing about this site is that it include news on young people and electronic devices along with technological news for adults.  Click here to read: http://www.thedigitalshift.com/latest-posts/?ref=menu/

Interviews and Reflections: Use of Library Content Management

Overview 
This report would share with the audience the insights of two information specialists from two academic libraries:  Paul Blackmon is Head Librarian at Trenholm State Technical College Library and Natasha Jenkins is Information Literacy Librarian at the Levi Watkins Learning Center, which is the university library.  Both librarians have experiences using library system that allows library content management, but are not listed as a content management system according to cms matrix.  Both libraries have employed these technologies that are web-based content management:  Mr. Blackmon uses Portfolio powered by SirsiDynix and Ms. Jenkins uses LibGuides CMS powered by Springshare.  In my opinion, a noticeable trend now in library technologies is to take a traditional library system and add functions that will serve multiple purposes, such as an integrated library system that  allow librarians to  manage the  content of the library.

Interview Transcript   
Interview Conducted with Paul Blackmon, Head Librarian

Question:  How and where did you hear about CMS?
Respond:  I was at ALA in Anaheim, CA in 2012 and went to the SirsiDynix booth.  They were demonstrating an add on called Portfolio.  I was looking for a system that would allow me to publish archival materials to the web via our catalog.  I wanted to be able to manage what we put on the webpage so I could make changes, additions, deletions, and etc.  Portfolio was what I was looking for to do this.

Question:  What were your and the library motivations to adopt CMS for your current use (library website or any other purpose)?

Respond:  Our motivation was to increase use of the archives by publishing digitize resources to

the web.  This allows scholars and researchers to access the archives 24/7 to find the materials needed for their research.

Question:  What were your decision making criteria for choosing your current CMS?

Respond:  The deciding factor for us was the ease of use, editing features, and customization of materials through limits we can place on the archival materials.

Question:  Name the system your library is using as a content management system?

Respond:  Portfolio by Sirsi Dynix.

Question:  What are the important benefits or advantages for using CMS in your library compare to using an old system in the past?

Response:  This is our first time investing in a CMS.  The advantage is that we control the content.  We can publish to the web via our central catalog.  Once materials are digitized and published we can preserve the original materials.  Access to the archival collection is 24/7.

Question:  How was the learning curve?  Did you encounter any challenges in the initial stages.  And how is it with the college community (faculty, staff, students, and public users).  

Respond:  The learning curve was minimal.  We had a single representative work with us from start to finish.

Question:  Would you share with me an incident using the CMS system that future librarians can learn from.

Respond:  At our library access to materials is our driving force.  We wanted to preserve the original source materials without hindering access to said materials.  We realized that history, particular civil rights history, was growing in interests and researchers wanted to research our archives.  The decision to digitize then publish the materials in our archives was a lofty one and a necessary one.  It was important to us to be able to control what went on the web to allow access to these materials. 

Interview Transcript

  

Interview Conducted with Natasha Jenkins- Information Literacy Librarian

Question:  How and where did you hear about CMS?

Respond:  In 2012 this library was introduced to CMS by a newly hired librarian in a program called QEP.  LibGuides CMS which is powered by Springshare was presented to Ms. Jenkins and the library administration team.

Question:  What were your motivations to adopt this system.

Respond:  The library was looking for ways to streamline access to subject specific information and to make it user-friendly at the same time.  This system is used to assist teaching information literacy sessions.  For example, the information is organized in the LibGuides to point users to tools to help with specific assignment or information needs.

Question:  What was the decision making criteria?

Respond:  The approval of the library administration team.

Question:  What are the benefits or advantages of CMS in your library and how was it with an old system?

Respond:  The benefits in using a CMS are shared content is available and you are able to see the content that is changed reflected on other pages.  In the past the librarians had to be granted permission from the library’s web master in order to update information on the library website.  Consequently, now the librarians can login and update information on the library website.
Question:  Can you share with me about the learning curves?

Respond:  With CMS most of the librarians caught on quickly while a few were slow.  The average bloggers caught on quickly and adapted to the life cycle of LibGuides CMS.  An interactive CMS powered by Springshare. Tutorials are provided on the Springshare site along with webinars for users.  Questions are on the site to help with the learning process.  You can Google LibGuides for more information.

Question:  Can this system be used for a library entire website?

Respond:  Yes, it can be used for the content on the entire website.

Question:  Out of curiosity, can you share with me how the usage statistics are used with LibGuides?

Respond:  LibGuides and LibAnswers are able to collect and compile statistics on a daily, monthly, and/or annual basis.  The librarians are able to analyze this data and come to conclusions and make various decisions about trends concerning technology based on this data. 

The interviews took place over a three-day period with Mr. Blackmon and Ms. Jenkins.  They both

were cooperative in fitting me in their busy schedule because the due date of the assignment was a quick turn-around.  Even in the midst of Ms. Jenkins busy day, she shared with me information on other library emerging technologies such as the use of social media, Google Drive, RSS feeds, etc. and how they are used in the Levi Watkins Learning Center.  I thanked Mr. Paul Blackmon and Ms. Natasha Jenkins for their assistance in answering my questions.

ACRL TechConnect Blog

This is a blog for professional and future librarians.  You will find information on the 2014 ALA Summit on the Future of Libraries.  According to Bohyun Kim, the Summit had 51 attendees plus 6 speakers, a dozen discussion table facilitators. Nine of the 51 attendees  were from the non-library sector and 33 attendees ranged from academic librarians to public, school, federal, corporate librarians, library consultants, museum and archive folks, an LIS profession, library vendors.  Also was included were three ALA presidents (current, past, and president-elect) and six officers from ALA (Kim, 2014). For more information click here:  http://www.ala.org/acrl/proftools/techconnect/

Joomla! 3.1 Released; Open Source Content Management System (CMS) Adds Tags to Its Core

This article released in Wall Street Journal in April 2013 can serve as a review of last week assignment.  Joomla, which is one of the world's most used open source content management system (CMS) for websites, blogs, and Intranets.  One of the largest features of Joomla 3.1 is the availability of the library managers to add tags. Read More Here:  http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20130424-909227.html

Challenging & Awesome Experiences with Joomla Demo!

A Joomla Demo Experience

I started out by listening to the Joomla 3 Webinar on my laptop, but then half way through the webinar, I decided to listen to the webinar on my Android and to work on the site on my laptop, simultaneously. This worked out very well for me.  Secondly, I signed up for the Demo Joomla 3.  Afterward, I open my confirmation email from Joomla.  Then I applied the information to the site according to Joomla. After logging in to Joomla, I follow the directions of the presenter on the Webinar and click on my site name link, which carry me to the front-end of Joomla.   Then, I typed (administer) in the location bar to enter the back-end of Joomla.  At the beginning I was having challenges because I did not think to refresh the pages.  On May the 23^rd the challenges with Joomla was my tweets for that day.  Another thing to remember is to check Joomla’s Protostar Module Map for the layout of the site.  This is opened in a separate window.

More From Cloud Access

 On Youtube there were more webinars and step by step tutorials by Cloud Access to follow by.  I recovered my pages when I refreshed the “Ouch” page.  Next, I uploaded a logo (cell phone), changed background color and changed template color.  With Cloud Access Joomla 3 Tutorial, I created categories from the Category Manager, articles (pages) the Article Manager.  These actions were accomplished by clicking on the New Button and clicking the Save & Close Button.   Two articles were added to my site from online with hyperlinks of their websites.  Next, I created a menu tab from the Menus Manager Module by selecting main menus.  I click again on the main menus which opened my Homepage.  I clicked on the Homepage button to see my menus type.  On the Menus Manager: By this time, I started working in Joomla 3, comfortably.  Finally, I browsed and experimented with most of the difference labels at the top of the site.  I ended up liking Joomla and I plan to visit this site again and share with my co-workers.

A Mobile Application for Discovery by Robert Zylstra

This article in 2011 by Zylstra, examine how the library's virtual spaces have evolved and addresses future development and directions that may have been accomplished in 2014. It was interested to read how Discovery is on the iPad and how MacEwan library plans for a discovery platform. Click the following link to read: mobile application for Discovery.

W3Techs - World Wide Web Technology Surveys

In last semester in the course of Information Architecture, the class referred often to W3Schools for information on applying HTML and CSS.  So, when I came across this site on W3Techs Surveys, I thought this would be a resourceful site for  viewing the most popular technologies and researching the most valuable information on technology usage.  I hope it is helpful to you.  Please click here:  W3Techs Surveys.

Wiki: Marketing Your Library Resources

In a research written by Bejune (2007), a Wiki can be used to collaborate among libraries,among library staff, among library staff and patrons and then among patrons.  There are several Wiki software tools to use in public and private libraries.  In this blog, the WikiMatrix (Click Here To View Comparison) was used to compare the features of four wikis to consider for this library: Wikispaces, MediaWiki, PmWiki, and TWiki.  These wikis are presently operating in academic libraries.

Library Main Characteristics 
The University Library and Learning Resources which is a mid-sized academic library, serves a student population of 6,076 as of Fall 2013 Semester.  The library opened in 1977 with 100,000 square feet of library space and a seating capacity for approximately 600 patrons. In 2007, a total of $20 million dollars were budgeted for the renovation of an additional 46,000 square foot to the library facility. In the 2007 fiscal year, an estimated amount of $109,000.00 dollars were granted to the library budget for print, non-print, and electronic resources. The library dean, a co-founder of the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Library Alliance established the HBCU Digital Collections.

Goal of the Wiki
The goal of the Library Wiki is to collaborate its mission to the patrons and the local and global communities.  The wiki would also guide its users to information of digital documentation for using electronic databases.  Finally, the goal is to allow libraries and informational professionals share their ideas, materials, and unique successful stories pertaining to the library.

Library Requirements for a Wiki

• Need to be free and open source
• Intended Audience-End Users/Desktop
• License Cost/Fee- Zero
• Data Storage-Database
• PDF Export-Plugin
• Authentication Backends-Yes
• Preview-Yes
• Page Revisions-Unlimited
• Comments
• Other General Requirements-HTML and Page History

The Recommended Wiki for this Library
MediaWiki (Click Here Media Wiki)

Suggested Reading
Bejune, M. M. (2007).  Wikis in libraries.  Information Technology & Libraries, 26(3), 26-38.

Future of Librarianship

This was a very interested blog by Amanda Hovious a designer librarian.  Ms Hovious is an advocate to bringing instructional design and technology into the library field.  I am providing a link to her blog which presents a new perspective on librarianship.  On the blog you will see questions and answers on future librarianship.  Hope you enjoy browsing the blog.  Please click on the the following link:  Future of Librarianship.

Books on Web 2.0 and Library 2.0

Listed are three books on Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 that I would like to recommend as excellent reading resources for visitors who are interested in learning about technology applications used in librarianship and in computer science.  I found these books in an academic library that I patronized.

Suggested Book List
Godwin, P. & Parker, J. (Eds.). (2008). Information literacy meets Library 2.0. London, WCIE 7AE:   Facet Publishing.
Kroski, E.  (2008). Web 20. for librarians and information professionals. New York, NY:   Neal Schuman Publishers, Inc.
Parkes, D. & Walton, G. (Eds.).  (2010). Web 2.0 and libraries:Impacts, technologies and   trends. Oxford, UK: Chandos Publishing.

Background

Learning about Web 2.0 started with my exposure to cataloging in Library Things in 2013.  Library
Thing.com is a community of readers who are able to create personal libraries of books that are own or read.  On Web 2.0 the readers can discuss and tag the items.  My next Web 2.0 experience was creating a blog on technology in the library environment also in 2013.  With Web 2.0 there are plenty of collaborating between a groups of people  Another online social networking experience for me was communicating on Facebook on an academic university's network.

In MLIS 7505, I am desiring to increase my knowledge in technologies used in today's libraries and to learn how to design and manage a Wiki for libraries.