Category Archives: Library 2.0

What’s trending in Technology: Prezi

by Jessica Posted on April 13, 2012

Everything is moving to the cloud, and now your presentations can too! Prezi is presentation software that allows you to create and design an interactive demonstration. With an open canvas, you can easily create and visualize your ideas onto one screen. It is easy to incorporate media such as images, videos, YouTube, and more. You can choose from different templates or from scratch (however I would suggest having some type of outline or structure if you are starting from scratch). One of the neat aspects of Prezi is that you can present online and you have the option to download if you need.

There are 3 options for using Prezi. The first is FREE and it includes their core features and 100MB of storage. The second, Pro, is $59 a year. You get 500MB of space and you can make your presentations private. Also, you can use your own logo instead of Prezi’s. The third option, Pro, is $159 a year with 2GB of storage, private access, your own logo, online support and Prezi desktop for offline use. They also provide special options for students and teachers.

Setting up an account: Once you decide what version you want (free or pro), you can create an account, or set up an account by using your Facebook login information.

Learning the Ropes: Now that you have an account you can start creating your Prezi. They provide step-by-step tutorials that walk you though editing, adding, grouping, and publishing. Check out some of the Video tutorials here.

Collaboration: You can allow others to edit your Prezi. You can share a link that Prezi provides, and a max of 10 users can work together online.

PowerPoint Integration: You can import your PowerPoint presentation and use the slides in your Prezi!

Showing Off your Prezi: Once you are finished you can present right from Prezi.com. There is also an iPad app that allows you to view and present anywhere.

Prezi’s are innovative and really grasp the attention of your audience.

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E-books Task Force

by Jessica Posted on July 26, 2011

The ALA Office for Information Technology Policy (OITP) has established an E-books task force to educate the membership and interested librarians. They have prepared useful information that will guide librarians through questions and answers on the topic.

FAQ gathered from ALA members and answered by the task force

E-book Tip Sheet

The E-book tip sheet includes two interviews with University and Public Librarians. The first is with Lindsey Schell, Librarian, Research Services, Division of the University of Texas Libraries and the second is with Pat Griffith, Head of Adult Services, Schlow Centre Regional Library.

Posted in eBooks, Library 2.0, News, TBLC news | Leave a comment

TBLC E-Book Conversation Generates Ideas for Positioning Libraries

by smithm Posted on February 12, 2010

On February 2rd TBLC convened a conversation of the library role in providing access to e-books and e-publications.  An energetic and highly motivated group of about 14 participated.  Chad Mairn of St. Petersburg College Library and Al Carlson got things started with back ground information about the e-books products, the readers, adoption rates of similar technologies y (anyone remember 8 track tapes or Betamax?).  The participants then had a lively discussion of where they expect these products to go and how libraries can position themselves to maintain their relationship with readers as print presumably makes some room for e formats.

Here are some of the more interesting and challenging issues that arose:

  • Popular E-Books Are Here to Stay – Printed books are not going away but E-Books are going have an impact and if libraries want to stay relevant they need to get in the E-Book game.  Young digital natives (now in their 20’s) are not likely to share the “old ones’” love of print so if we are going to give ‘em what they want, we better be offering them e-content.
  • Epub Format Looks Like the Library Standard – During this period with competing reader manufacturers with different proprietary formats competing for market and reader share, it appears that the Epub format is emerging as the standard for libraries.
  • Libraries as E-Book Aggregators – Can libraries position themselves as e-book aggregators, particularly of free e-books, so that the public can rely on them to provide or direct them to the free or for sale e-books they desire?
  • Single Search Solution for Locating and Downloading E-Books? -Can libraries join together to develop a technology that harvests and maintains searchable database of e-book location information and provide it to the public?  Particularly for free e-books?
  • Need E-Book Training for Public Service Staff to Help the Public - TBLC needs to provide training to help library staff understand the various e-book products, formats, and readers so staff can help the public who are showing up at public service desks for help with E-Books more and more every day.
  • Need E-Book Icon for Library Websites – We should develop an “e-book and e-resource” icon or button for libraries to use to direct the public to e-resources on their web pages.
  • Libraries Need Publishers or Vendors to Offer a “Library E-Book Business Model” – Library’s report a positive experience in obtaining popular e-books from OverDrive but that model has significant cost barriers.  Libraries need to negotiate a better pricing and business model that supports public lending, either with individual vendors or industry wide.

  • Provide Content Not Readers -There was consensus that libraries should focus on providing the content, not the readers due to cost and how the investment in readers is tied up for too long if they are circulated.

Many thanks to Chad for developing and providing a Google Docs Page “E-Publishing Trends” to serve as a go-to place for folks interested in learning about and joining in the conversation about e-books in libraries.  Please visit Chad’s site and join in the conversation.  Another useful site is Zorba’s Guide to Free E-Books.

Thanks again to Chad, Al, and all who participated!

–Charlie

Posted in General interest, Library 2.0, TBLC news | Leave a comment

Discounted rate for Internet Librarian 2007

by smithm Posted on June 26, 2007

We can help you get to Internet Librarian 2007!

TBLC members who sign up through us for this year’s Internet Librarian conference will receive a special discount rate of $255 for the three-day event. This is a savings of $174 off the regular registration price.

To ensure you get your discount, print this registration form, fill it out and fax it to the TBLC at (813) 628-4425 no later than Sept. 21, 2007.

The Internet Librarian 2007 conference will take place in Monterey, Calif., October 29-31, 2007.

Click here for more information about the event.

Click here to download a registration form.

Contact Ellen Cannon at (813) 622-8252 (ext. 231) or cannone@tblc.org with any questions.

Posted in Conferences/events, Library 2.0 | Leave a comment

Annual Meeting: SAVE THE DATE

by smithm Posted on June 12, 2007

ctw-logo-2.jpg

SAVE THE DATE!

Friday, Nov. 2, 2007
9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Crowne Plaza
10221 Princess Palm Ave.
Tampa, FL 33610

We are excited to announce that David Lee King will be this year’s featured keynote speaker. David is the digital branch and services manager at the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library in Kansas. He is a frequent speaker on Web 2.0/Library 2.0 topics, library Web sites and emerging digital technology. David, we look forward to your presentation!

More information coming soon.

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FLA/PLAN Unconference in the Panhandle

by smithm Posted on June 7, 2007

Web 2.0 & Library 2.0 – Up Close and Personal
August 6, 2007
9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Niceville Community Center

What’s an unconference? Shorter, less expensive, and closer to home than a conference! FLA and the Panhandle Library Access Network (PLAN) invite you to join us for a day of conference-quality speakers and discussion.

SPEAKERS
Keynote by Lee Logan, Alliance Library System (Illinois), where they built the first library in Second Life. If you don’t know about Second Life, you definitely need to come!

Lunch speaker Gary Ross, vice president for technology, Thomson Gale, talking about the future of technology in libraries.

Web 2.0 guides Diana Sachs-Silveira, Tampa Bay Library Consortium, and Chad Mairn, St. Petersburg College, will lead you by the hand through all the new stuff on the Web.

Florida Electronic Library Director Mark Flynn will talk about the future of FEL.

BREAK-OUT SESSIONS
Meet and greet by library type to discuss Web 2.0/Library 2.0 in Panhandle libraries.

So you want to be a librarian? Learn how to do it in the FSU distance learning program. Dr. Christy Koontz, Florida State University College of Information.

REGISTRATION
Please register online at www.plan.lib.fl.us. FLA will then send you an invoice payable by check, credit card or purchase order.

FEE (includes AM and PM breaks and lunch)
$35 for FLA members and employees of PLAN member libraries
$45 for non-members

QUESTIONS?
Contact Alicia Hedgecock (ahedgecock@plan.lib.fl.us) or Ruth O’Donnell (flaexecutivedirector@comcast.net).

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Catalogers' SIG Meeting summary

by smithm Posted on May 25, 2007

The Catalogers’ SIG met on May 23 at Stetson Law in Gulfport.  Twenty-three people attended, and we had a great discussion about the “next generation library catalog,” how that relates to cataloging, and how cataloging may change in the light of Library 2.0 issues. 

The group had a reading list of articles/blog posts to look at before the meeting to spark discussion; check it out here.

Our next meeting will be in August or September; an announcement will be posted to the “tblc-workshops” email list when we have a firm date.  At this meeting we will be discussing Part II – looking at examples of cool OPACs that have implemented Library 2.0 features, and also at Library 2.0 sites that are using features that may be of interest to libraries for their OPACs.

Posted in Library 2.0 | Leave a comment

Catalogers’ SIG Meeting summary

by smithm Posted on May 25, 2007

The Catalogers’ SIG met on May 23 at Stetson Law in Gulfport.  Twenty-three people attended, and we had a great discussion about the “next generation library catalog,” how that relates to cataloging, and how cataloging may change in the light of Library 2.0 issues. 

The group had a reading list of articles/blog posts to look at before the meeting to spark discussion; check it out here.

Our next meeting will be in August or September; an announcement will be posted to the “tblc-workshops” email list when we have a firm date.  At this meeting we will be discussing Part II – looking at examples of cool OPACs that have implemented Library 2.0 features, and also at Library 2.0 sites that are using features that may be of interest to libraries for their OPACs.

Posted in Library 2.0 | Leave a comment