Keynote - Gaming, Learning, & the Information World
Regency Ballroom
9:00 AM – 9:45 AM

Elizabeth Lane Lawley, Director, RIT Lab for Social Computing, Rochester Institute of Technology

Information professionals have always been balanced at the center between knowledge, technology, and people. In our fast-paced world we need to find ways to integrate our activities into our clients’ and communities’ work flows and lives and we have to make it fun and easy! Lawley looks ahead at the opportunities and challenges associated with the new social technologies and practices, discusses recent research and trends, and provides thought-provoking insights for us as we plan for the future.

Search engines (SEs) rule the information world. Hear the latest on harnessing their power and what to expect in the future, get tips and inside insights.  Join us for a fast-paced learning experience. 

Despite the incredible speed of information access that the web enables, it can still take some time to track down the best search strategy, search engine, or commercial data source to answer some questions. This session offers a variety of techniques, from the simple to the technologically complex, to speed up the process of searching multiple databases including search switching, bookmarklets, and some discussion of search strategies.

Keeping up with all the changes in our industry and staying one step ahead of our clients require solid strategies to deal with this challenge. Our expert shares his top tips and techniques from the search and search engine world to ensure you stay in step with the fast changing 2.0 online information world.

A year can be a long time on the web. Since last year's Computers in Libraries, Google has launched new interfaces and databases. Other search engines have changed their display of results as well. Come hear about the past year's worth of changes, updates, and news about Google and other search engines.

Social software is rapidly changing the way we provide information to our consumers, work together in an organizational structure, and communicate. Going beyond SEs, this session highlights cutting-edge tools and techniques for libraries, hot new trends, resources, and advice. Jam-packed with Cohen’s A–Z listing of the hot social software and RSS tools on the market today, there will also be time for the audience to highlight favorite social software tools.

Learn how to foster user-friendly digital information flows by eliminating silos, highlighting context and improving findability to create a unified web presence. Hear how the University of Michigan Libraries' (MLibrary) are reinventing the libraries' web sites to emphasize information over the path users previously took to access it. By elevating information over its location, users are not forced to know which library is the "right" starting place. The talk includes tips for your library web redesign process and user-centric design process.

For several years, libraries have been using open source software to varying degrees, both behind the scenes and on the front lines. Some libraries have even begun offering public workstations that run on open source operating systems. However, committing to a full open source desktop solution throughout the entire library has been a nearly impossible decision for many institutions to consider. Hear strategies and look at real-world examples of open source in practice.

Interest in open source software has shifted into high gear with the emergence of multiple viable options, even reaching into the ILS realm. Breeding provides an overview of the recent developments in the open source movement in the library automation arena, describes some of the current products and projects underway, and gives some perspective on this alternative versus the commercial, closed source products. He discusses some of the issues that libraries should keep in mind if they are considering implementing an open source automation system and shares his view on how the open source movement will impact the commercial library automation industry.

This session investigates recent library developments that have been made with open source software. Horton provides a number of examples and discusses how libraries are giving back to the open source community, promoting the idea that information should be freely available to everyone. Clark focuses on how the open source desktop is a realistic option for libraries; reasons that may inspire a transition to open source; the assessment of user and institutional needs and resources to determine readiness for full desktop implementation on both public and staff workstations; the open source operating systems and distributions that work best in the library environment; options for technical support; examples of successful open source desktop implementations; and how and when it may be appropriate to sell the concept of the open source desktop to library administration, staff, and users. The session hopes to inspire attendees to further consider open source options for library systems, whether on a full or partial scale.

This session looks at two popular library tools. Goldbeck and Back highlight library uses of LibX, a powerful, open source tool available for Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers that connects users to their library’s resources from anywhere on the web. Ferraro gives an overview of the Koha project’s latest release, Koha 3.0, and discusses why open source software will continue to change the face of library technology and empower libraries. For librarians who fear their institution won’t be able to take advantage of the benefits of open source, Ferraro discusses the perceived barriers to implementation and shows how libraries are now enjoying the advantages of open source—with or without an IT staff.

Open source software is gaining more and more acceptance. From blogs to hotspots to public PCs, this session showcases open source projects that are being used in all areas of the library. De Groff talks about the many open source and open system solutions in use at Howard County Library, including but not limited to Open Office Firefox, Opera DeskNow, Joomla, and Koha. She discusses the project planning, training, outreach, and ongoing support involved in each deployment. Wang discusses the Smithsonian’s Research Information System design considerations, open source software and technology issues, and faceted metadata format and data mapping processes for 1.7 million objects. Atkinson discusses using the open source application Kete to build a community digital collection to which patrons can upload their own images, audio, video, web links, and documents and share their information under the terms of the Creative Commons license. Mashek discusses the OS makeover for a website, containing recommendations by academic discipline that are handpicked as scholarly or valuable internet resources by librarians and faculty members. OS software makes the site searchable and easily updated and maintained using a Windows server, Linux operating system, Microsoft Excel Worksheets, and a PHP database run by Apache. Speakers share their experience designing, implementing, promoting, and monitoring their projects.

Open source software is gaining more and more acceptance. From blogs to hotspots to public PCs, this session showcases open source projects that are being used in all areas of the library. De Groff talks about the many open source and open system solutions in use at Howard County Library, including but not limited to Open Office Firefox, Opera DeskNow, Joomla, and Koha. She discusses the project planning, training, outreach, and ongoing support involved in each deployment. Wang discusses the Smithsonian’s Research Information System design considerations, open source software and technology issues, and faceted metadata format and data mapping processes for 1.7 million objects. Atkinson discusses using the open source application Kete to build a community digital collection to which patrons can upload their own images, audio, video, web links, and documents and share their information under the terms of the Creative Commons license. Mashek discusses the OS makeover for a website, containing recommendations by academic discipline that are handpicked as scholarly or valuable internet resources by librarians and faculty members. OS software makes the site searchable and easily updated and maintained using a Windows server, Linux operating system, Microsoft Excel Worksheets, and a PHP database run by Apache. Speakers share their experience designing, implementing, promoting, and monitoring their projects.

The video game industry is a $7 billion a year business, and its success depends on products that are entertaining and engaging. These games are often quite lengthy, complex, and, at times, frustrating, requiring players to spend large amounts of time exploring, learning, and mastering the games.  Learn how these techniques can be used successfully in libraries and how libraries are now embracing virtual worlds. 

Many librarians and educators recognize the importance of video games and learning, but do not have the time or the resources to build game-based library training tools. Boeninger uses actual scenarios from popular games to demonstrate how video games attract players, retain their attention, and make them learn. The presentation offers suggestions about how librarians Many librarians and educators recognize the importance of video games and learning, but do not have the time or the resources to build game-based library training tools. Boeninger uses actual scenarios from popular games to demonstrate how video games attract players, retain their attention, and make them learn. The presentation offers suggestions about how librarians can incorporate many gaming learning principles into existing library services, resources, and instruction and also discusses the future of incorporating gaming in libraries.

Social networking and gaming define the millennial student. This session highlights an innovative collaboration between a reference/instruction librarian and mathematics/computer science instructor that utilized course blogs and gaming scenarios to incorporate information literacy as an integral and assessable component of math/computer science courses. Games provided the interest and incentive students needed to improve their information literacy skills, and blogs extended interaction and enhanced student/librarian relationships. Speakers discuss their partnership on information literacy game design and adaptation, research assignments, and share their lessons learned so others can try this approach.

Speakers report on research into how gaming attracts adults to the public library and how it may increase their future usage of libraries. They look at trends such as the information gap and social/technological access gap and discuss how their data shows that gamers are avid users of reference services. Come and get a new perspective on adults and libraries.

Virtual worlds are rapidly increasing in use by all ages and many of them are not game-oriented. How do you convince your administrator that your library needs to participate and why it is important to allow you staff time to work in a virtual world library? Speakers and library administrators share tips and strategies to help you win over your administrator.

Many business and educational institutions have been opening up shop in cyberspace with the SL online virtual reality platform. Anderson and Godfrey explain how academic libraries are using SL to reach elusive patrons and offer services such as virtual reference. Swanson and Sloma talk about a collaborative project that brought together student content, cultural events, and virtual worlds. A class of honors students worked with the library to create the core content and supporting research for a virtual exhibit about Malcolm X. Geographic material and supporting timelines was presented in a website that utilized Google Maps and a three dimensional exhibit in SL. Speakers discuss how the virtual environment impacted the presentation of content and services and changed interactions between content and user, and provide tips, tricks, and strategies for instituting a virtual branch of your own academic library and enhancing digital collections.

Learning really should, and can, be fun! These sessions look at how librarians are using iPods, Blackboard, collaboration, creativity, off-the-shelf software, and good ol fashioned pedagogy to create and develop learning applications and environments for staff, students, and patrons that work!

Undergraduates can make significant contributions as members of multimedia production teams for academic libraries. At USF Tampa Library, an undergraduate YouTube video blogger worked with library faculty and graduate students to create an information literacy video, Databases! The video was used as part of the USF instruction program during the 2006–07 school year. In addition to an information literacy video, the video team also created a humorous rap video called The Chronicles of Libraria that included an anti-plagiarism theme that highlighted USF library services, which is now on YouTube.com. Ariew shares how the videos were created; the extent to which student ideas, technology skills, and creativity made it work; how the videos were used as part of the instructional program; and the undergraduate student reactions.

Houghton-Jan discusses various practical approaches to developing technology training programs for staff that’s relevant to both your tech novices and in-house experts all at once. Successful case studies, tools, tricks, and tips will be discussed to give attendees what they need to implement a combined program at their libraries. Then Coleman and Gaskin describe how Harford created a half-day workshop to expose library staff to the technology tools patrons are using every day in a safe “learn by playing” environment—the technology petting zoo.

As information literacy providers, librarians are in a unique position to collaborate with teaching faculty to address the educational needs of their students. Borrelli discusses the Information Literacy Education (ILE) project at WSU. Mapped to the six learning goals of the baccalaureate, university strategic plan, and a 2000 Washington State legislature mandate, the ILE project provides an opportunity to collaborate with course instructors in assignment design to incorporate IL instruction through an online learning environment. Monge & Cavender analyze what options librarians have in creating elearning tutorials from out-of-the-box software. They include an evaluation of how well these software programs incorporate the principals of cognitive-psychology learning theory, how easy the programs are to use, how tutorials can be incorporated into existing library webpages, and what services are offered to librarians within the different pricing or freeware structures.

Cox and Kellam begin by describing the planning, development and implementation pushing library content into the Blackboard course management system. Developed by the Electronic Resources and Information Technology Department (ERIT) at the University Libraries, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), this tool is built around a number of technologies and methodologies, including SOAP web services, ASP.NET, Java, Ajax, and Adobe Flex, enabling the library to provide current, customized links to databases and ejournals at the course level. This application may be the first to integrate library content dynamically into Blackboard at this level and scale. Kountouzi and Cagna then look at the ways, means, pros and cons of how University of Pennsylvania Libraries have developed a Blackboard course for storing library training documents for student workers and new library staff, combined with Google Spreadsheets to allow for a collaborative scheduling environment.

The Burritt Library at CCSU has produced over a dozen short screencasts using Adobe Captivate on topics ranging from using digital course reserves to searching article databases and the library catalog. These screencasts, available on the Burritt Library website, have been used extensively by faculty and students. As part of a larger podcasting initiative in 2007, the library extended access to these for viewing on a video iPod and other video-enabled mobile devices. The presentation covers the technical aspects of optimizing library screencasts for the iPod, including the software used, costs involved, options for making vidcasts available to students, promotion, and evaluation of the usage and effectiveness as a learning tool.

Managing, marketing, and planning in the 2.0 world is challenging when trying to learn about, experiment with, and integrate new tools and still have high customer satisfaction. Hear about helpful tools, strategies, and practices that you can adopt for success in your environment. 

This will be a fast-paced program to show 30 software programs or web-based services useful for managing and interacting with information on computers. There is a wealth of free and low-cost services and programs available, many of which are underutilized. Software and services presented include file download managers, research collection tools, web-based messaging clients, browser add-ons for troubleshooting websites, free tools for creating internet web browser toolbars, and several web-based services. Services likely to be covered include Firebug, Web Developer Toolbar, Conduit. com, Meebo, Kuler, Zotero, AddThis.com, and more.

The rise of social networking and web 2.0 tools has created many new avenues for libraries to market themselves. Libraries can use these tools to connect with their customers in both online and in person with cool word of mouth marketing efforts. Get some strategies for viral marketing, ideas for sparking your marketing efforts, and best practices from leading edge libraries.

You’re using Flickr and blogs. You’ve created social networks on MySpace and Facebook. You’re IMing, texting, and twittering all day long. You’ve even gained some notoriety on YouTube. Before your avatar drops from exhaustion, isn’t it time you asked what all this 2.0 technology is really doing for your library? Learn the tricks to turn your mad Web 2.0 skills into effective marketing and advocacy results to increase exposure, funding, and support for your library. This presentation will take librarians to the next level by showing them how to incorporate Web 2.0 technologies with traditional marketing and advocacy tools to produce effective results.

In the Web 2.0 environment, library managers need to think about outreach in a very different way. Our users may still frequent brick-and-mortar community establishments, but they spend more and more time online, in both solitary and social endeavors. How do their libraries reach out to these users to help them find information? Houghton-Jan discusses ways for all libraries to find potential users online and shares tips such as community websites, local blog and forum monitoring, search engine placement, live assistance options, and more. She provides a lengthy checklist of ideas to take back to your library to successfully create an ongoing online marketing plan.

Librarians and students may be embracing technology, but what about our faculty? Have you ever seen their glazed-over look when you mention IM, wikis, RSS, blogs? Have you noticed the puzzled expressions as you talk about Second Life or Facebook? This session discusses welcoming faculty to 2.0 and presenting constructive ways for faculty to bring technology into their lives and into their classrooms.