If libraries, museums and other institutions exist for the increase and diffusion of knowledge, how do we do it digitally? Edson discusses the Smithsonian's emerging digital strategy and shares the vision of a Smithsonian Commons--a critical mass of content, services, and tools that could be given to the world for free, no strings attached. This talk will be relevant to anybody thinking about the future of libraries and information services. He is passionate about his work and illustrates his ideas and plans with examples from other progressive organizations. Gain lots of insights and ideas for creating your tomorrow.

The federated search landscape market has many vendors offering a multitude of systems with different feature sets. From basic search and retrieval to clustering and visualization, this session focuses on what’s out there, describes the array of products available, looks at what’s new, and takes a stab at what the future holds for federated search. Come and get a handle on the dynamic federated search marketplace and what steps you need to take for your environment.  Features Federated Search Blog Contest Winner (Sponsored by Deep Web Technologies) Rich Turner.

Libraries spend a considerable amount of money each year on subscriptions to proprietary databases of online information. The most efficient way to access these expensive resources is through a federated search tool, but due to a lack of speed and difficulty of use, some third party federated search products can leave both patrons and library staff dissatisfied. Warnick talks about the Department of Energy’s implementation using a combination of technologies, and how they plan on creating a better solution to a high-quality science search tool in the future. Solomon describes how OPLIN undertook the development of a federated search tool that is “Google-like” in nature and provides accurate results with fast response times. She shares the process used to create a unique tool that combines both open source and proprietary components that has resulted in significant increases in both searches and documents retrieved.

This session from our mobile expert looks at the latest mobile search providers and potential applications for librarians and information seekers. Users on the go don’t want to wade through long lists of web results, extensive scrolling, and clicking. Hear what the latest search providers deliver through SMS (texting) and web interfaces and how mobile search differs from regular web search; see some of the more unusual and specialized mobile search services now available and find out how libraries are using them.

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. This session is jam-packed with Cohen’s A–Z listing of the hot social software and RSS tools on the market today.

This session provides a comprehensive background on emerging search technologies, and the current landscape of search. It discusses new companies such as Hakia, Mahalo, and Cuil and the technologies behind these products, as well as new applications from Google, Live
Search, and Yahoo!. It emphasizes the practical application of these tools for librarians.

Although mobile is exploding with individuals, there are still few formal library initiatives. Our expert reviews a few interesting initiatives and looks at what the major search engines are doing to support the mobile world as well as some of the more niche/specific search tools/sites. She includes a discussion of how image/location/speech is being used in the mobile world and implications for libraries.

This session begins with a look at the top considerations for libraries when using mobile devices for their clients. It then focuses on a mobile usability research project which investigated mobile search and analyzed search log data by semester loans of iPods loaded with an image of Wikipedia. The search log data records search queries and articles clicked on and the times these articles are searched and viewed. In addition, qualitative results regarding students’ search satisfaction using these Wikipedia iPods is shared. Librarians and educators will be better able to develop services for mobile search once a clearer picture of what information is sought and accessed through mobile devices emerges

Tonjes and Schmidt look at the DCPL’s iPhone and text-message (SMS) notification applications and discuss their creation. The native iPhone application allows one to search the catalog, place a hold, renew items, view hours and locations (on a map if requested), and see
news and events. They’ll also outline the future of the application and other mobile efforts at DCPL. The second presentation shares the experience and learning from a medical library, which has been supporting hand-held technology for students since 2001. It highlights methods of testing and recommending hardware for second year students who are required to purchase a PDA and describes and demonstrates the services and resources offered to faculty, students, and staff including PDA classes, PDA clinics, web-based tutorials, and the licensing of PDA resources.

Libraries have been in virtual worlds for 3 years, and there are new worlds appearing every day. What are different types of libraries doing in those worlds? How is it different from traditional libraries and library web services? How have services changed in 3 years? What is coming up? What is the future? What do libraries need to be ready for? This overview of what libraries are doing in virtual world looks at the past and the present and provides predictions for the future for libraries and librarians in virtual worlds.

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! Our panel illustrates how they have done this in different types of libraries.

What content management system should be your library website champion? John Blyberg and Ryan Deschamps go head-to-head to show you why their favorite content management system (CMS) is the best for developing collaborative library web spaces. Then they will team
up to offer practical advice on how you should choose a CMS, what design challenges you will encounter with each, and what sort of preparations you require to make the big move.

This session presents two case studies of the use of open source content management systems (CMSs) in academic libraries. It includes an overview of the benefits and features of CMSs, demonstrates implementations of CMSs at both public sites and staff intranets, and
provides a comparison of the two CMS software platforms used (Joomla and Plone) and deployment processes, detailing experiences in such areas as selecting a CMS, identifying resources for support and training, and encouraging staff adoption.

Hear why Whatcom County Library System chose Joomla as the CMS to build a dynamic and interactive library website. The new design targets the specific patron groups the library system serves and takes advantage of the latest technological advances in content management and social networking. The website is a content-rich resource for its patrons and an easy-touse content management tool for its staff. This session highlights the development process, the challenges, lessons learned, best practices and practical advice for transforming a static website into a content-rich, dynamic, interactive website.

The UNCG University Libraries have undertaken a unique Library/Web 2.0 approach in making library resources available for students within the university’s course management system (Blackboard). By utilizing such technologies and methodologies as web services, RSS feeds, and service-oriented architecture (SOA) and applying Library 2.0 principals, UNCG is providing targeted resources for students at the point of need through a dynamically generated portal created and displayed within the familiar Blackboard environment. The website brings together online library assets, tools, and information unique to each student. Cox and Kellam detail the current functionality, impact and possible future directions. Bell discusses the building of a multitype, national alliance of libraries, archives, museums, and their partners from the grassroots up by focusing on the end user. Find out how Canadiana.org is fostering a national digitization effort and creating a multipurpose national index to help users on the web find content from all types of memory institutions through collaboration and open source tools.

Today’s library not only manages content but has started to create unique content for patron and staff use. The institutional repositories and OPACs at most libraries are being underutilized in the management of these library-created wikis, blogs, and podcasts so the creation of useful content stays invisible to most users and staff searching through the institution’s online catalogs. Rodzvilla examines the different methods of content creation available to libraries and how to develop best practices for making this material accessible, showcasing libraries adding these nontraditional materials in to their OPACs. Nanez and Cox illustrate UNC’s efforts in conjunction with other schools in North Carolina. They focus on how to implement an institutional repository and provide detailed and technical information about their process.

Competencies expert and experienced technology trainer Houghton-Jan describes the Tech2Know program, a comprehensive approach to developing technology skills for your public library staff using advanced, traditional, and innovative technologies. Reed discusses how
web conferencing, asynchronous and blended learning have the potential to save thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel costs and employee time. She looks at practical strategies and practices for implementing different solutions in your library, including Facebook, blogs, wikis, software options available for web conferencing and learning, considerations regarding purchasing web conferencing and learning tools, gaining stakeholder buy-in, and successfully implementing your solution.

Web 2.0 and many freely available and open source tools offer libraries powerful ways to extend the reach of their reference and training to patrons regardless of time or location. Boeninger highlights real-world examples of several different applications for creating podcasts,
blogs, wikis, surveys, screencasts, polls, videos, and more. Murphy and Kriescher discuss using advanced applications of Flickr in library instruction initiatives, the practical considerations, strengths and weaknesses of Flickr for information delivery and elearning. They recommend best practices, tips and tricks, and future prospects for these tools in academic and government settings.

While elearning may seem “old hat” for some. it continues to quickly change. Newer technologies and possibilities, litigation in the elearning vendor arena, and evolving standards all contribute to a dynamic environment that we have to continuously monitor. Cervone explores issues related to how availability and interoperability as well as how developments in open source, open access, and social networking are changing elearning.

Using games, the Web 2.0 platform, and now Second Life, a reference/instruction librarian and a mathematics/computer science professor have infused information literacy into mathematics and computer science courses for the past 3 years. Spiegelman and Glass describe how the game within ’the game’ reinforces information literacy standards and Boolean logic, and the challenges and opportunities unique to SL such as evaluation, scalability, usability, development, and student learning curves. Evans discusses a new and innovative partnership the Management and Economics Library has formed with a marketing class in the Krannert School of Management. With the support of the marketing professor, library presence is embedded throughout the entire course using Web 2.0 tools including Second Life and YouTube.

Hear how UMBC Library developed a 2-year plan to redesign computing and study areas into a variety of dynamic, user-defined workspaces with easy access to information and technology services and resources. Then learn about how Temple University Library is creating exciting teaching and learning spaces in Blackboard, delivering customized library content packages for courses in Blackboard using dynamically generated federated search boxes, RSS feeds, chat widgets, and librarian-defined links.

You are scanning for news on competitors, markets, and demographics: Now what? Why not take your research to the next level and set up a trends analysis program in your organization? This session describes National Geographic Libraries & Information Services’ efforts to
set up a cross-divisional team and to track and report on trends for senior management. It shares tips and lessons learned so you can begin your own program from a running start.

Learn from this case study of a return on investment (ROI) project conducted by librarians to inform upper management and key stakeholders of the value of their libraries. The methods used to collect, analyze, and present data that documents the economic value of a group of special libraries is presented. The data elements used are detailed and include costs incurred and benefits derived. The basic logic and arguments used with upper management and stakeholders are presented with the full calculations for the ROI. Dobson discusses data mining in public libraries and consortiums using the history logs for the number of unique patrons who have used their library cards and multiplying the number of items that they borrowed times the relevant replacement cost of those materials. The value of a library card can be determined, and the numbers are astounding! An added benefit within a consortium is the ability to see which materials are luring your patrons away to neighboring libraries.

Huffine summarizes the findings of a recent Library of Congress Workgroup report on the future of physical space in federal libraries and reviews current practices in library space planning, technology use, and the growing “virtual space” where library users interact with library resources outside the physical library. Although focused on federal libraries, there are lots of tips and ideas for any library looking at their changing shape and future space. Two experienced designers from Fanning Howey share their vision of new technology in libraries, from information access to the impact on core collections. They advocate using strategic planning to merge technology with library service goals and introduce the concept of technology-based needs assessment that incorporates visioning, technologies, and implementations in order to find a seat at the table for designing future space.

Two years ago, the Georgetown University Law Library and the state law libraries of Maryland and Virginia began a collaborative project to preserve born-digital collections. Early on, the Chesapeake Project encountered a series of major setbacks that probably would have doomed any other project. Yet despite very long odds, this project moved forward. Members of each library discuss the factors that contributed to the project’s success. These factors are not unique to this project and can be easily adopted by other libraries wishing to embark on collaborative projects.

As the library community develops metrics that assess usage of our web search and discovery tools, attention should be paid to the user experience, the single-most-important factor in determining the success or failure of library services. Assessing the effectiveness of our user interfaces need not be an expensive and overwhelming proposition, and Herman and Iglesias provide tips and strategies for conducting successful usability studies with inexpensive or free tools. They demonstrate how eye-tracking systems, screen capture software, and website analytics tools such as Google Analytics can be easily adapted and used to create streamlined and intuitive user interfaces. Our next speaker looks at how current semantic and collaborative technologies such as those available from Encore, My Discoveries, Facebook, etc., provide platforms empowering and connecting users to expand knowledge in a conducive environment. The effectiveness of these virtually connected communities is to be continuously data mined, analyzed, and monitored using e-metric tools available from Webtrends, Google Analytics, etc. These socially networked communities serve the unique purpose of maximizing the value of content.