Week Three: Online Meetings

Tax season at the public library is an ordeal, as any public librarian can attest.  To make matters more challenging, the State of Kansas is not printing tax forms this year for budgetary reasons, and are pushing residents to file online.  Therefore my choice of online meetings to attend was painfully easy to choose.

I had missed the Kansas Tax webinar--I was probably napping--and decided to fortify myself against the deluge of anxious and irritated patrons, by learning more about the State's online system. 

The webinar was put on by Andy Coultis, WebTax Administrator for the State of Kansas, moderated by Laura DeBaun of NEKLS, and hosted by the State Library of Kansas through Webjunction.

I thought all parties involved did a good job of communicating the necessary information about how Kansas libraries can help their patrons transition to a paperless tax world. 

However, having used Wimba during graduate school and during other online meetings, I came to a few conclusions:

• As with any software, it is only as good as the person using it.  
• For whatever reason, when a meeting goes online, people suddenly forget all the rules/etiquette of meetings. It seems as though, because the meeting is online, people think it becomes this special, unique event. No--it is just another meeting; treat it is such!
• Individuals/organizations with slow internet connection speeds, i.e dial-up, are still at a disadvantage.
• Until people understand the proper way to create a PowerPoint presentation, online meetings will be tedious
• Technical restrictions placed on library staff must not be so cumbersome as to prevent them from easily using technologies.  You shouldn't have to call a computer tech to watch a Wimba presentation.

Overall, if the moderator and speakers are comfortable with technology, and do not let that technology distract them from the purpose of their discussion, then online meeting will continue to grow in popularity and expediency.  A few minor technology drawbacks, connection issues, etc., will only hamper the overall activity slightly.  As with any meeting, online meetings succeed or fail based on the participants. 


What do you think? 

And Now for Something Completely Different

I was recently reminded of this great sketch by Monty Python's Flying Circus. Enjoy!

Week Two: Online Communites, Part II

Often times a sequel will be better than the original, see Wraith of Khan, Empire Strikes Back, Godfather Part II, but I can not say that about this post.  I was definitely more impressed with Ning than I was with Linkedin. It just seems like a glorified telephone directory.

Of course I have only had my account for a week, so my impressions are not fully formed. However, I did notice while making my connections, that many of my colleagues have tried Linkedin and then stopped using the site.  Whether this is because of personal preferences or a failure on Linkedin's part remains to be seen.

For those of you who have been "linked" longer, what benefits have you seen from using the site?

Next week the 23 Things Kansas community tackles online meetings.  Seeing as I earned my MLS through a mostly online program at Emporia State Univeristy, I think I have this one covered!

Week Two: Online Communites, Part I

A slow Saturday at work, led to the creation of my first ning, thus completing week two's assignment for 23 Things Kansas. My initial impression:

WOW! Why are we not using this at our library?

It was quick, easy, and surprising versatile. I was able to create lenore.ning, an Edgar Allan Poe ning, in around 15 minutes, with a full host of features that would easily migrate into a workable customized online community for a host of specialized library groups and services.

A few potential groups:

• Book groups: There is already a social component to book groups/clubs that would translate quickly to a ning. At the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library we offer "Book Group in a Bag" kits for groups to check out that contain multiple copies of books, discussion questions, etc. (It is really cool, check it out here.)
  
  I think an online community geared towards Topeka book clubs, with forums for book discussion, the ability to post events, and other features of Ning, could help sustain a thriving book culture which always helps the library.
  
  
• Gamers: Again, a social community, that might use a specialized online community website.
• Small Businesses: This group is always looking at ways to connect or network, and a library business users Ning could provide a nice focal point for library business reference and programing.

Therefore the question becomes, aside for the staff time it would take to create, monitor, update, etc. each ning, what are the potential drawbacks to a "ning approach" to patron services?

What am I missing here? Is it the effort? motivation? a technology issue?

What do you thing?

Oh and if you like Poe, join my Ning!

Decisions, decisions

The dreaded cold has thwarted my blogging efforts since last week--you are gone one or two days and suddenly you find out how busy you really are at work! Therefore, I am behind in my 23 Things adventure.

This week the Kansas librarian community is tackling online communities. I have joined my fair share of online communities over the years, but there are a couple I have been wanting to try.

1. Ning has been around for a few years, but only recently gotten a lot of buzz in the library world. It looks like it has potential for outreach to particular library market segments, which would be a nice feature--offer different online communities for your various patrons. A Ning for your book clubs, a Ning for your gamers, etc.
   
   
2. LinkedIn is another site that I have been meaning to tap into. I have been interested to see how it stacks up to Facebook. This site would be used primarily as a professional development tool, which I need--although it may not seem like it, I am a professional. However, it probably does not have much to offer my patrons.
   

Therefore, do I go with a tool that I could use to help my patrons, or one that is geared towards my professional development?

Stay tuned to see what I decided and continue my 23 Things journey...

(Hint the answer is always both.)

Week One: Blogging

Today is the kick-off of 23 Things Kansas, a roughly four month journey into the heart of today’s newest and best 2.0 tools. As a participant I will be contributing, as strange and disconcerting as they may be, my thoughts on the process and anything else that comes to mind during this time.

As I start the program, I am curious, pragmatic—as always, and waiting to be surprised. I also wonder:

• Will I learn anything new?
• How useful are these tools for my patrons?
  • How PRACTICAL are these tools for my patrons?
• How many of these tools will be obsolete by the end of the program?
• Can I really fit this all into my busy work schedule?
• How did I luck into a job that pays me to play with online resources?

What happens next; will I last the entire time, or cave and just play Mahjong online? Stay tuned to find out.