Want to sharpen your skills? Learn from the experts? Join search veterans, speakers, authors, and columnists from Searcher, ONLINE, and EContent magazines and the Super Searcher series of books to learn the latest strategies and techniques for searching online. This fast-paced, day-long event introduces you to the experts who share their searching secrets and expertise as they focus on the most-current practices in the field of web research. Theres always something new to be learned from these leading-edge panelists. Participants should have basic experience with web searching, but even searchers with extensive internet background will find tips to polish and advance their skills and will certainly come away with new resources and tools. Academy topics will include:

• Search Engine Review: Look at key features of general-purpose and highly specialized search engines, specialized directories, and guides.
• Searching the NEW Web: Learn about whats new in searching podcasts, tracking memes, social graphing, and other portions of the new web.
• Tips for Using the Top Search Engines: Get an in-depth review of the hidden and undocumented features of Google, Yahoo!, and Ask.com.
• Going Local: Learning to use local search tools for in-depth research.
• Cool Tools & Techniques: Learn about new resources and tools for searching more effectively.

Does your library website need to move to the next level? Does it need a visual makeover, social media tools, or new embedded services? Where do you start? One place to begin is by analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of your current site using analytic tools. Pick up new usability methods that can help you test proposed revisions early so that the new design doesnt just "look" better, but also works better for the users. See how other libraries are using content management systems, user-generated content, database-driven content, federated search, and OpenURL resolvers to provide customized and personalized user content. Explore how social software applications including blogs, wikis, tagging, and RSS, fit in the mix. Pack your toolbox and take home tips, tools, checklists, and new design techniques that you can immediately put to use. Learn about common pitfalls and success factors for library redesigns. Topics and exercises include: Redesign process; Practical project management; Web content management systems; Usability and ethnographic methods: affinity mapping, photo reports, and map diaries.

What do the terms Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 mean for academic libraries and librarians? Join our panel of 2.0 practitioners and experts for a day of exploration and discovery as we navigate the 2.0 landscape, exploring what 2.0 tools and technologies can do for academic library users. Through a combination of presentations, discussion, and hands-on activities, our dynamic speakers introduce you to technologies such as blogs, wikis, RSS, mashups, social bookmarking, and online social networks. This interactive session provides practical examples of academic libraries that are using these tools and technologies, arms you with the expertise and techniques to introduce these technologies in your own library, and share strategies for getting buy-in from staff, administration, and patrons. A worthwhile day for those interested in implementing changes to keep up within the Web 2.0 world.

This morning workshop offers you a toolbox of techniques to help your clients, staff, and even students learn what they need to learn. By understanding and recognizing adult learning motivations and styles/preferences, training can be designed to help adults connect to the curriculum and be more “learning ready.” This workshop first emphasizes the importance of the learner and making learning relevant and then walks you through the basics of building courses, lesson plans, and learning outcomes; applying techniques/strategies for the classroom; and teaching tips for handling issues and problems that come up in class. It uses humor to focus on tips, strategies, shortcuts, tricks, and useful approaches that are based on sound principles. Come to discuss adult learning principles, styles and preferences, and how to create effective learning environments that accommodate these with humor and panache! This workshop sets the tone for the afternoon workshop, “Technology Training for Library Staff: Creativity Works!”

Wikis allow for unprecedented collaboration and knowledge-sharing and have the potential to fill many needs within the library and information professions. This half-day workshop by an expert wiki creator discusses the basics of wikis—what they are, how they can be used, and how to successfully implement one at your library. It covers wiki concepts and uses many real-world applications to illustrate the power and ease-of-use of wikis. Learn about the many ways wikis can be used in libraries and the information industry. Gather lots of ideas and links to free resources for creating your own wikis as well as tips for making them successful in your environment.

Podcasting is one of today’s hottest social computing applications. But what can this emerging technology do for libraries? What is a videoblog and why use one on your library’s website? This in-depth workshop, featuring two experts in the field of library podcasting and videocasting, answers these questions and more. Come explore and discuss how libraries are using podcasts and videocasts for outreach and learning through a variety of case studies, including tips on what types of content work best for different types of libraries. Detailed information on what to consider when planning for and implementing pod/videocasting at your library are provided along with an up-close and personal look at a variety of creation tools. Gain some hands-on experience in making podcasts and videocasts by producing content live during the session!

This half-day workshop explores the elements of successful project management and how projects might best be planned, implemented, and monitored. Aimed at anyone responsible for managing a project within their library or information organization, this interactive workshop encourages participants to share their own experiences and knowledge. It discusses key factors related to successful project management, methodologies and tools, proven techniques and tips for managing projects, and examples and case studies.

This workshop focuses on identifying and leveraging the best of free and low-fee web sites as well as web-related services to support your research enterprise, be it solo or collaborative. It includes “best of the web” for CI (competitive intelligence), legislation, news, government documents, academic and industry sponsored data. Filled with tips, tricks and resources, a not to be missed workshop for researchers!

A perfect follow-up workshop to the morning workshop “Training Adults,” this afternoon workshop focuses on how libraries are putting adult learning principles into practice with creative ways of training library staff on using new technologies. Coleman and Gaskins share how Harford County Public Library created a Technology Petting Zoo to expose library staff to cutting-edge technologies and provide them with the opportunity to experiment in a comfortable environment. Participants will learn how to create a half-day workshop to expose library staff to the technology tools patrons are using every day; how to use a teamwork approach to planning the workshop, involving staff with expertise from all parts of the library; plus how to develop partnerships with knowledge experts in the corporate world. Houghton-Jan discusses her experiences developing and implementing technology training programs for staff in two libraries and a state library association. Successful case studies, tools, tricks, and tips will be discussed to give attendees what they need to implement a combined program at their libraries.

Digitization is much more than converting a physical or analog object into its digital equivalent: It is about efficiently repurposing crucial information resources to improve how they are used by staff, colleagues, and end users. For libraries, it can open the collection to a much larger userbase, whether that userbase is comprised of researchers, students, or businesspeople. Yet most digitization programs are doomed from the start because the focus is on the conversion process instead of other, critical pre-scanning issues such as selection criteria, preservation of original materials (documents, photos, audio, etc.), metadata creation, software and hardware concerns, integration into existing systems, and legal issues. The agenda includes a look at what digitization is, the five major steps in the digitization process, how project managers create a successful digitization program, copyright and other intellectual property issues, how to market a digitization program and get it funded, trends, and more.

If you don’t know MMORPGs from DDR, this workshop is for you. It addresses two related aspects of gaming in libraries: hosting gaming events and gamings’ impact on learning. Learn how gaming can make your library more fun and how you can use gaming to participate in this developing form of literacy. Workshop attendees have the opportunity to play some games, increasing their understanding of gaming’s appeal and possible applications in their environment.

There’s no denying that the rise of social networking and Web 2.0 tools has created many new avenues for libraries to market themselves. But these marketing streams go much deeper than merely exploring new channels. They allow libraries to shift their focus and truly engage with their customers in remarkably effective online and in-person word-of-mouth marketing efforts. Come explore this shift in an innovative preconference lab that will demonstrate and then walk participants through the creation of viral marketing ideas that enable customers to use the library brand to celebrate themselves. Participants are encouraged (but not required) to bring their own recording devices (digital video, still and audio, including upload cables) and laptops for creativity exercises.

Are your stakeholders hearing the message you intended to send? This workshop, led by experienced consultants, takes attendees through a set of integrated activities that allow a library/information center to engage its clients in a systematic process of gathering valuable insights from communication vehicles such as websites, intranets, extranets, enewletters, etc. Such an “audit” utilizes a mix of techniques, including comprehensive surveys of users to assess how they use the library’s communications vehicles in terms of content present, needed information that is absent, timing of delivery, and navigation; facilitating focus group discussions to delve more deeply into existing challenges and to uncover potential solutions from staff and users; interviews with selected individuals, verifying findings through actual on-site observation. The results of these efforts to understand the usability of each library communication vehicle should reshape not only the vehicles but also the processes used to create, update, and deliver them. Case studies are used to illustrate the techniques.

Sunday Evening Session
Gaming   Gadgets Petting Zoo
5:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Join our gamers and gadget lovers for an evening of fun and playing. Bring your latest games and gadgets and try out each others’. See if you are a guitar hero, winning “Wii” bowler/golfer, or rank as a dancing “DDR” expert. Led by gamer/gadget gurus Jenny Levine and Aaron Schmidt, this evening is filled with fun, networking, and of course, learning and laughing. Refreshments included.