Friday, March 23, 2012

CIL2012 Days 2 & 3

Links to my blog posts from Days 2 and 3 of the Computers in Libraries Conference.

Day 2:

Day 3:

Here is the blog post with links to what I wrote during Day 1.

    CIL2012: Innovating ways to connect with communities

    Lauren Britton - Fayetteville Free Library (FFL)

    Creating a maker space (makerspace) - FFL Fab Lab (Fabulous Laboratory)

    Makerspace:
    • A place where people come together to create and collaborate, to share resources, knowledge and stuff.
    • They give people tools to create, to hack, to remake their world...
    • Came out of a proposal she had done for an MLIS course. Actually wrote three proposals.  Noted potential challenges and barriers.  
      • FFL already has a culture of innovation. Risk taking is expected.
      • Was hired based on her proposals.
    • Funding?  
      • She writes a lot of grant applications.  
      • Both 3D printers were donated. 
      • Connecting with community partners for resources.
      • Alternative methods: Awards and crowd-sourcing.
        • Won a $10,000 award
        • Crowd-sourced $6,000.
    • The 3D printer that FFL have were under $2000 but are not made anymore.  Roles of plastic cost $40-$50/role.  Rolls last quite a long time.
    • They are developing a pricing strategy.
      • First x-minutes free, then $0.10-0.15/minute.
    • Focus on giving patrons the tools they need to create.
    • Kids are making their first book.  Child takes one home; another copy is catalogued and kept in the library.  Their creations are circulated.
    • You do not nee to be digital fabrication expert.  Rely on others.  Go to Thingaverse.
    • Building a makerspce
      • Talk to your community about their needs
      • Ideas:
        • Bristlebots
        • Make your own book
        • Take-apart-Thursdays
        • Project ideas at Crashspace LA
    Loida Garcia-Febo - Queens Library
    • Come from 190+ nations and speak more than 160+ languages
    • 47% are foreign born
    • 50+% speak another language at home.  Spanish, Chinese and languages spoken in India are the top language.
    • Offer services to job seekers.
      • Job seeking on the Internet
      • Completing job applications on the Internet
      • Digital literacy classes
    • Offer workshops in multiple languages
    • Provide workshops on pathways to citizenship
    • Provide workshops in partnership with community-based organizations.
    • Have live-streamed problems
    • Web site is available in multiple languages (Chinese, Spanish, Korean, Russian and French) - using professional and in-house translators.
    • The library has a presence on many social media web sites.
      • Have a Facebook page in Spanish.
    • Do Queens Library Healthlink which provides health screenings.  Has its own Facebook page.
    • Receiving funding to do financial literacy in the community.  Partnered with five different community organizations to provide classes in six languages.  The grant included developing collections and languages in those languages around financial literacy.  Also created videos in YouTube.  See http://www.youtube.com/user/queenslibrary
    • Project "Greening Western Queens" - Multilingual pages, videos, etc.
    Jim Blanton - Chesapeake Public Library
    •  Program "Save Steve" developed with smart investing grants
    • Article - "$ave $teve" Launches
    • http://www.SaveSteve.org
    • Created a game to train children and adults on financial literacy
      • Play the game and help save Steve financially, starting when he is a kid
      • Developed a crackle-bot - robots that help Steve. Eventually developed a team of crackle-bots.
      • Developed the story more.  A strong storyline.
      • Took two years to develop.
    • Created a little mystery close to launch.
      • Banners.
      • Movie posters.  Take-offs of real movies.
      • Billboard on the interstate.  "Can you save Steve?"
      • Web site had a countdown clock, but very little info.
    • Promotion
      • People who played an entire module would receive a chance to win stuff (iPad or Nintendo 3DS).
      • Created T-shirts.  Everyone who completed the game got one.
      •  Promoted through "Fantasci 9"
    • Adopted as supplementary learning tool by the school district.
    • Next project - tackling epublishing and launching a self-publishing center in the library.

    CIL2012: Michael Sauers and one thing he learned (1 min. podcast)



    This podcast is also available here.

    CIL2012: The future of ebooks

    Andromeda Yelton - GlueJar

    Libraries value privacy
    eBooks cannot be read anonymously.
    They're read on a network, in the cloud. May need to authenticate to get an ebook.

    Libraries value sharing
    The license terms that ebooks are generally made available are not shareable.

    Libraries value preservation
    Most of the offerings do not allow libraries to preserve them.

    Libraries value access to information
    Access to electronic content for whom?

    What about patrons that have their own technology?
    What angst does that cause?

    What  if your patrons are print disabled?
    Are we serving the patrons of today or the patrons of tomorrow?

    The future is trade-offs among our values.

    GlueJar believes that it can support the things that libraries value with its ebooks.  Right now in alpha.  Trying to deliver public domain or CC licensed books. 

    Ken Breen, EBSCOhost

    Need to move ebooks boldly in the present.

    Who is everyone that is interested in ebooks?

    People on the buy-side
    • Consumers
    • Professionals
    • Librarians
    • Instructors
    • Students
     People on the sell-side
    • Book sellers
    • Distributors
    • Aggregators
    • Publishers
    • Authors
    Now there is a tug of war between the sell-side and the buy-side.

    Few people - if any - are pleased.

    What ebook sales models exist today?

    Perpetual lease / ownership
    • 1 book, 1 user (at a time)
    • >1, < unlimited (for an institution)  - Pay a bit more and get more uses of the ebook
    • Unlimited use (institution)
    Short-term subscription or lease

    On the buy-side:
    • What are the fees?  Long list!!!  Some have multi-year agreements and offer financing.
    • Ownership or less + markup + fees

    The cost of producing an ebook version is incremental to the print cost.  The actual cost to print is 15% of the cost.  The system needed for an ebook system is complex and does cost.

    One-off platforms may not attract users and will require maintenance.

    For libraries, the markups and fees are a barrier to entry.  EBSCO has been able to eliminate the markups and fees. The suggested price from the publisher, is their price.

    Publishers need to understand the migration to ebooks is strategic - it's not a project...it's transformational.

    Clare Appavoo, Ingram Coutts (Academic library vendor)

    MyiLibrary platform

    Purchasing models:
    • Ownership
    • Patron plans
    • Consortia ownership
    • Short-term loan (OCLC's ILLIAD)
    Evolution requires flexibility
    • Libraries want to mimic the print purchase models
    • Sophisticated patron community are demanding better search interface
    • Platform re-design t enable new tools such as changing flow controls, downloads to ereaders
    • Publishing models evolving - both print and electronic
    The future of MyiLibrary
    • Trade content soon to be available
    • Multiple platform content
    • ore archiving solutions
    • Classroom reader / ereserve
    • Libraries advantage POD options through the catalogue
    Mike Shontz, OverDrive

    Leading multichannel digital content distributor
    One of the largest digital media catalogues
    Global sales channels
    Focused solely on digital (founded in 1986)

    Even with all of the sales, downloads, etc., the industry is still in its infancy.

    Serve more than 18,000 libraries worldwide.

    OverDrive sees themselves as an advocate for library rights.

    Library challenges:
    • How can my library satisfy the explosive demand for ebooks?
    • How can we continue to serve our mission of connecting readers with books in this new digital world?
    OverDrive sees libraries as "affiliates".  Buy-it-now...Libraries get part of the proceeds.

    Allows for staff suggestions.  Integrate local ads and announcements, and other content.

    CIL2012: Erin Dorney talking about her session (podcast)



    This podcast is also available at here (1 min. 35 sec.)

    CIL2012: Defining Data Service with Rebecca Reznik-Zellen

    From UMass Amherst.

    The literature shows that libraries being involved in data curation is needed.  More articles published on the topic each year.

    Anna Gold (2010).  "Data Curation and Libraries: Short-term Developments, Long-term Prospects."
    Roles for librarians in digital data curation will fall into one or more of three tiers:
    • National infrastructure
    • Campus infrastructure
    • Professional development and education
    FY 2011 - received 1094 research awards.

    BTW they have the tallest academic library in the U.S. (26 floors)

    4 STEM librarians deal with a large area of programs and students.

    Data Working Group (DWG) - Determine if the University Libraries should accept broad responsibility for curating research data, and if so, how that should be done, what would be expected, and who would be involved. (2010)

    DWG charge at http://www.library.umass.edu/assets/aboutus/attachments/DWG-Charge.pdf
    More info at http://www.library.umass.edu/services/services-for-faculty/data-management/

    Doing an environmental scan and trying to respond to real immediate needs.

    Their vision sees the library as a full partner in the campus-wide research enterprise.

    Did focus groups on campus with faculty and graduate students.

    Themes:
    • Data stroage and infrastructure - will use whatever storage they can find.
    • Procedures and training - use graduate students as their data workers.  Don't provide a lot of training.
    • Documentation and metadata
    • Data reuse and sharing - versioning, for example, is a problem.
    • IP and data sensitivity - not a broad understanding of this area

    Data management strategies vary widely up until the point of publication and do not typically support preservation or sharing.

    What are other libraries do? Did a web audit.
    • Infrastructure
    • Services
    • Organization
    • Marketing
    Results:
    • Education - providing information resources to faculty (e.g., Univ. of Connecticut; Univ. of Minnesota which provides a lot of information, policies and links)
      • Web pages
      • LibGuides
      • Tutorials
      • Workshops
    • Consultation - Interacting one-on-one or small group environment (e.g., Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison)
    • Infrastructure - Taking stewardship of faculty research data (e.g., Rutgers - RUcore)
      • Data staging platforms
      • Institutional data repository 
    Frameworks for a Data Management Curriculum (2012)
    http://library.umassmed.edu/imls_grant

    Created tiers of service - reconciled what they found in other places with the local need.  Created  a rubric for planing services.

    Timeline is 6 months to 2 years.  Need to move fast. Implementation is now occurring.

    Other working groups created strategies for education, consultation and infrastructure.
    • Metadata
      • Subject specific metadata approach - want subject librarians/liaisons to help identify these.
      • Looking at how to make their repository more effective in terms of metadata.
    • Digital Creation and Preservation
    • Data

    CIL2012: Marketing Ebook/Ereaders

    Presenters are Beth Tribe, Maurice Coleman, Robyn Truslow, and Bryan Hissong.

    Beth:
    • Trained library staff to handle problems and answer questions.
    • Offered basic classes to help people use an ereader.
    • Gave classes before Black Friday about how to select an ereader for purchase (100+ people in two classes).
    • Help people make an informed decision.
    • Branches offer one-on-one sessions (2012).
      • In one weekend, one branch had 60+ one-on-one sessions.  Lots of Kindles.
    • Some branches are offering drop-in nights.
    Lessons:
    • Customers expect to plug-n-play.
    • You won't be able to keep up with the technology.  Understand what you have and you'll still be able to help.
    • Customers don't realize that ebooks are licensed and what that means to them/library.
    Maurice:
    • Diverse customer base from Amish to the rich.
    • Created a display called "eBook Experience" where people could touch and play with them.  Each device was connected to the "island" with a security cable.
      • Had device specific information cards
        • Info for each different device.  Allows customer to follow directions at home for using Overdrive.
      • Demonstration manual
      • Dedicated computer to use with Overdrive (Adobe Digital Editions process)
      • Customer survey
      • "Learn how to download eBooks at the library" See a staff member for assistance."
        • Included a custom logo
        • Created lots of signage
    •  Staff training
      • Terminology
      • FAQ answers
      • Detailed demonstration instructions
    • Publicity
      • Articles in library's magazine
      • PR
      • Signage
    • Advice
      • Over communicate everything
      • Technology changes fast. Don't sweat it.
      • Give staff time to play (if you can).
      • Get as much staff input as you need and can
      • Technology is Shakespeare - Some staff get confused and forget their reference skills
      • Extra set of stuff (devices)
    Bryan:
    • Created tech bars.
    • People did bring in cable cutters and steal devices (which were tethered with security cables).  
    • Like others...training staff is key.
    • Need to keep staff educated.  Technologies changes.
    • Devices could be borrowed for use in the library.
    • Created eSOP - eReader Standard Operating Procedure
    Left and went to another session in hopes of hearing Erin Dorney.  Did not hear Robyn speak.

    CIL2012: Keynote from Michael Edson, Smithsonian Institution

    Presentation entitled: "Come let us go boldly into the present my brothers & sisters"



    This was excellent!  Worth watching the video, once it is available likely on the LibConf.com web site.

    Need to think about where "here" is.

    In the era of cave paintings, the culture was the same for 25,000 years.  Now we don't know what things will be like in 3 years.

    He had thought that the job of a strategist was to be a visionary.  Strategy is language that does work.  It is a shared story

    that we tell each other of what it will feel like moving into the future.

    We are going to need a deep and rich set of tools to think about the future.

    1997 - US Robotics dial-up modems.
    • {date} {tech fetish object}
    • Digital cameras with no zoom and limited storage.
    • GeoCities
    • windows 97
    • Blue screen of death
    He goes to a lot of strategy workshops
    All the same...we've got to do more [...]!
    Middle managers...need to get stuff done.  Create a committee, etc. Then relate it to things we've done before.  And the opportunity moves further into the future.

    What is idea vs. What is the proposed project - from a bold vision to something quite small.

    Books/articles:
    • Howard Reingold, "Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution" (2002)
    • Larry Lessig, "The Future of Ideas" (2002)
    • Tapscott & Williams, "Wikinomics" (2006)
    • Tim O'Reilly (2005). What is Web 2.0 (article)
    • Time person of the year 2006.
    Other thoughts...
    • The Long Tail
    • Joy's Law
    • Cognitive surplus <- Since WWII, every American has had a part-time job watching TV.
    • Network effects
    • Moore's law and mobile <- Disruptive!
    • Every user a hero...
    Interview with William Gibson (author).  He quoted from Gibson at the beginning of his talk.  Gibson has said that the future is too close.  Makes scifi harder to write.

    Check out air penguins video on YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPGgl5VH5go
    The present is far more interesting than most people have noticed.
    Cheap platforms and successful examples.
    The value of the present is not be exploited.

    Five patterns:
    1. Extraterrestrial space auditor - A Martian CPA bad ass of objectivity.  Compares the stated mission of your organization with your collective actions.
    2. On ramps and loading docks - IN order to engage with people outside of your organization, you need a platform (not just technology).
    3. Edge to core - "Innovations at the edges: A commons in the middle" - people at the edge uses services at the core. Edge to core process.  New stuff on the outside and recognizing what you need to bring in. Scott Berkun, "The Myths of Innovation"
    4. Focus on mission - Big audacious goals. Anything that is in the way, should go away. Advance the mission.
    5. Place the bet - Within most organizations, they know what they need to do.  Now they need to implement.  Tom Friedman, "Serious in Singapore"
    Stop using words that are totems for something else (e.g., innovating, failing fast, risk taking, collaborating...).

    He closed with three questions:

    1. What world am I living in?
    2. What impact...want to have in the world?
    3. What should I do today?

    Small pilot projects seemed appealing to him 5-10 years ago.  Less and less satisfied with low-risk, high-spend one-offs as a way of moving into the future.  Have to be sure that moving fast isn't causing you to avoid the big obstacle that needs to be  tackled.

    Strategy should help you prioritize tactical opportunities.

    How do we get people to place the bet?  Keep in mind that this is an endurance sport.  Think Big.  Start Small. Move Fast.

    Some are able to use good management and good measurement.

    Thursday, March 22, 2012

    CIL2012: Changing Role of System Librarians

    Edward Iglesias (@edwardiglesias) was the moderator for this session.  The other presenters were:
    • Nicole Engard (@nengard)
    • Lisa Carlucci Thomas (@lisacarlucci)
    • Marshall Breeding (@mbreeding)
    Theme: Systems and Politics
    • Do you need to steal from other departments ti get what you want? 
    • Do you have to deal with the wrong system because it has "always been there"?
    • Do you belong to  consortium even through your library would be better off alone?
    • Have you consolidated power?
    Because of the role of a systems librarian and the interactions, you need to be flexible.
    We accept that systems are what they are.  We should not just accept that systems need to stay the same. We can switch technology.

    Do you have advice for dealing with politics?
    • Do first and apologize later.  
    • Make friends with people who want what you want.
    • Find a champion. (Library director?)
    • Find an ally.
    • You need the support of the institution.
    • Skunk works may not work in a library because it may be too far outside the mainstream.
    • Be willing to take risks. 
    • Articulate. Advocate. Educate.
    Long question from the audience that included "How do you cope with everything coming at you at once?"
    • Be the one that understands what's going on in the broader realm of technology.
    • Start conversations about what is coming.  Bring forth ideas.
    How do influence the roles and training that staff receive?
    • Management needs to make it a priority.
    • Go to management and talk about why staff needs to be trained (and when).
    • Be proactive.  Setup a proposed schedule, etc.
    • Staff always needs to be trained when there is going to be change.

    What do people call themselves when they are system librarians?  How do differentiate the technology jobs?
    • Edward defines a systems librarian as the person who fixes the ILS when it breaks.
    • He did a survey and found that the names and roles vary greatly.
    Theme: Contributing to the profession''
    • Change to balance professional involvement with local responsibilities
    • Exploring or creating opportunities to share information with colleagues
    • Finding a niche: develop expertise in an area of interest
    • Traditional and non-traditional career paths
    • Cultivating an effective online presence
    If you are constantly putting out fires, you will burn out.  Take time to learn something new (perhaps a new tool). That can help you from burning out.

    Some systems librarians are interested in big data.

    Always remind them what you have done for them.  If you don't, they will forget.

    If you have been given the job as a systems librarian, and it is not what you grew up doing, how do you get training?
    • Learning on the job can be good.
    • Read
    • Learn through problem solving.
    • Take courses when you can.
    • "Do it wrong until you do it right."
    • Find your tribe.  Find those that are doing what you are doing.
    • Develop one area of expertise.  It will help you with the other areas on your plate.
    How important is it for you to get an IT-related degree?
    • It comes down to you personally and what you want.
    • There is much that you learn on the job.
    • Do you feel that you are missing something?
    • There are prerequisites for jobs that you will want to have later that the additional degree would give you.
    Theme: Open Source for Systems Librarians
    • How can it be good if it is free?
    • How do I buy.choose open source software?
    • My IT staff/Administration/boss says that open source is insecure.  Is that true?
    • What do I need to know if I want to support/install/maintain open?
    • Open source applications on my own in my library?
    Yes, open source can be in the cloud.  If proprietary software can run in the cloud, so can open source.

    Open source does not mean free.  Definition:
    Open source refers to any program whose source code is made available for use or modification as users or other developers see fit.
    Open source v. open access

    How do you balance what is the best for you organization versus what is best for your organization later?
    • You need to take a strategic perspective.
    • Gather information and then make a recommendation.  
    • Make an informed decision.
    • Don't make technology decisions without understanding the broader context.  Do not make a decision in isolation.
    • Don't sign 10 year contracts.
    Theme: Doing more with more: Systems, Services and Emerging Technologies
    • What does it mean to do more with more in the context of systems librarianship?
    • How is the role changing and/or what does it involve?  What skills are required?
    • Where does the systems librarians fit in the context of the organization?
    • How can systems librarians keep current with emerging trends?
    • What is next on the horizon>  How do we envision a successful systems librarian in the future? Or will there be a shift toward non-professional computer technologists instead?
    If you are answering the same question over and over, what do you do?
    • Create a wiki and point people at it.
    • Provide the education in a variety of different ways.
    • This could be a clue that you need a different system.
    What does a systems librarian bring to the table that an IT person doesn't?
    • An understanding of libraries.
    • Speak the language of libraries.
    • Understand the users.
    • IT people can learn about libraries.  If the systems librarian is an IT person, get them inculcated about libraries.
    • Key for the person to be a good communicator.

    CIL2012: Google Plus or Minus

    J. Shore (@7shores) - who is giving an overview of Google+ (G+)

    If you have a Google account, you have a Google+ account.
    You can see Google Plus in the Google feature bar across the top.
    What is Google+? A social media site incorporated into the Google family of products.

    There is a public view of any Google+ account,
    What you see on your page is different than the public view.
    Shows people who are in your circles and people whose circles you are in.  Adding a person to your circle doesn't automatically add you to their circles.
    Do you want everyone to see who you ar.e following?
    You can do public and private messages.
    A Google search will include Google+ results

    Julie Strange (@strnglibrarian) - who talked about Circles
    If you have an active community on Facebook, good for you!
    She believes in playing with new technologies so she knows what technology is available to solve a problem.  For example, when the Dalai Lama couldn't visit Desmond Tutu for his 80th birthday, they did a Google hangout instead! (article)

    Google+ Circles allow you to tailor the content that you are pushing out to a specific audience.  Use circles for internal groups or community partners.  Create circles for specific events, discussions, etc.

    Share a circle with the people in it in order to create a closed discussion.

    Google launched "Pages" for organizations.

    But you should think outside of the circle.  For example:
    Campaign for a story time.
    Create a way of sharing resources.
    Create an acount specifically for a book discussion.
    Use it for your learning network.
    As a travel journal for your bookmobile, author tours, community events.
    Could be used as your blogging platform.

    You can add the +1 recommendation buttons to web pages.  It is in tandem with Google' social search.  Allows your community to recommend you.  Put the +1 button on your libguides, for example.

    There are privacy issues around social search that are not going to be discussed in the session.

    Use Google+ to create a poll.  Allow people to vote.  Disable comments.  Cool idea!

    You can disable sharing of entire posts.


    Patricia Anderson (@pfanderson) - Talking about Google Hangouts

    "Hangouts continue to be the bold new feature that can't be ignored" - Quote from an article
    What is a Google hangout?  Video chat.  Often 3-10 people, but can be many, many more over the course of a hangout.
    You can share different windows or screens within the Hangout.  Notes, sketchpad, presentation features.

    Google hangouts are different than Skype.  With Google hangouts you can have a serendipitous flow of people and information.

    Multiple people can type simultaneously in the Google+ notes.
    Google Hangouts on Air - used for presentations
    Could be used to do homework help or job search help.
    Job interviews through Google hangouts.  Private hangouts.
    Could provide services (e.g., reference) when the library is closed.

    Tips - The slides for this session will be made available.  Check the slides for tips.

    Joel Shields (@shieldss) - Privacy policy
    If you are not paying for it, you are the product.
    Google has a new privacy policy.
    Big Brother is watch you and Big Brother is Google.
    It is not a social network, it is a community network.
    No APIs available for G+ yet.  They want the info in G+ to be created by humans.  People are thus curating the information.
    Be aware of what th G+ Android app does automatically.
    Nothing is private.

    CIL2012: Open Source Trends and Migration

    Marshall Breeding (@mbreeding)

    The basic library automation trend is moving from the legacy ILS model to an increased reliance on cloud computing.  Libraries will be able to use APIs to integrate and customize the systems.

    The use of open source to automate libraries has been happening in the U.S. since 2004. 

    Recent ILS contracts signed - 2011 - A growing number of open source contracts being signed.  Not dominant yet, but a growing segment.  Consistently growing on a gentle slope.

    Some of what he mentioned...
    • Lots of libraries are using Sierra (not open source).
    • SirsiDynix has good sales outside of the U.S.
    • Polaris is going well in mid-size and large library arena.
    • Libraries are moving away from LibLime Koha to other supported version of Koha or to other ILSs.
    Interesting to see in Breeding's data the difference in satisfaction between Koha as implemented by PTLS/LibLime and Koha as implemented by ByWater.

    Commercial Involvement
    Almost all installations of open source ILS in the U.S. involved contracts with commercial companies.
    A very small minority of independent installations.
    Some non-profit offerings (e.g., Lyrasis).
    Some consortial arrangements.


    Open source allows you to open up the system and the data. 

    New library management model requires a high level of APIs.


    Irene McDermott (@imcdermo)

    Moved from a commercial solution to open source.

    The maintenance contract for SirsiDynix Horizon was about $60,00 per year.
    Had six months to find a new solution.
    RFPs from SirsiDynix, Polaris (significantly less expensive than SirsiDynix) and LibLime Koha (least expensive).
    Koha (means "gift") was developed in NZ in 1999.
    In 2002, a librarian in Ohio installed it and then created LibLime.  LibLime then created some proprietary components and was not open source.  There is still a version that is still completely open source.
    LibLime was sold to PTFS in 2010.
    June 2011 extracted their data from SirsiDynix.
    Went live in Koha at the start of August 2011.
    In order to comply with the Patriot Act, they had some alternations made to the system.
    Koha in general is being developed by volunteers.  Broken pieces aren't necessarily removed.
    You do need to know SQL to generate reports.
    Platform agnostics, but works best with Firefox.

    Was this the best decision for their library?  Layoffs vs. Koha
    Technologically modern.
    Integrated in with other software.

    Wow...we nearly had a Koha fight!

    CIL2012: Blake Carver - IT Security for Libraries

    His goal is to make us feel insecure in our security!

    He has written blog posts on this topic and put other presentations online.  Go to http://lisnews.org/security

    Three types of people doing bad things on the Internet
    • Criminals
    • Activists (e.g., Anonymous)
    • Government agents (from countries that see this as a strategy)
    There are an infinite number of ways that they use to do their work.  Some tools are open source with user manuals.  Their tools are getting better and better.  This is a real industry.  This industry is mature, diversified, hard to catch.

    This is the era of steal everything.  There is no such thing as a secure computer.

    Password
    Never reuse your passwords
    Never use weak passwords
    Passwords are like bubblegum

    Creating a good password
    • Make them unique, complex, long....
    • Some upper and lower case letters
    • Add some numbers
    • Use some unique characters
    • Do make it as LONG as you can
    • Do NOT REUSE it on multiple sites
    Bad password
    • Default
    • Common words
    • Predictable
    • Obvious personal details
    How often should you change your password?

    The sysadmin should implement policies that help people have strong passwords and that try to block hackers.

    http://www.pwnedlist.com - They list accounts that have been compromised.

    Staying Safe at Home & Away
    • Keep everything updated on your computer
    • Have trust...be suspicious. Don't trust anything - Links, downloads, emails.
    • Backup your stuff.
    • Windows is less safe because it is so widely used.  It is targeted far more than other OS.
    Some of the ways that you know you are affected are also ways that could be just how your computer is operating. 

    Most malware is written so it is not "seen."

    "Your antivirus software is a seat belt - not a force field."  - Alfred Hugar

    Laptops - Do:
    • Use Prey/LoJack
    • Have a password on your laptop
    • Sign out & do NOT save form data
    Carry a safe not a suitcase!

    Email is easy to fake.
    • Don't trust anything
    • Don't leave yourself logged in
    • 2Factor Authentication
    • Passwords
    Email blended threats - email with links
    Text from other countries
    Attachments
    Sales offers
    Credit card offers

    Web browsers
    Firefox, Chrome and IE are the top three browsers
    Lesser used browsers likely not used for targeted attacks.
    The plug-ins across browsers are common.  Flash is frequently targeted by hackers.
    Keep the browsers up-to-date and update

    A few recommended plug-ins
    • Something to limit JavaScript
    • Something to force HTTPS
    • Something to Block Ads
    Firefox Collusion tracks cookies

    Wifi networks
    • Passworded and encrypted
    • MAC & DHCP
    • Firmware updates
    • Turn it off when you are not using it
    • Never trust public wifi
    Social media
    • Understand and adjust your privacy settings
    • Use HTTPS
    • Be skeptical of everything
    Facebook - .4% are spammed each day (4 million people)
    600,000 times a day someone tries to log into a stolen account

    Mobile devices
    • Most bad stuff written is for Android
    • What are the apps really doing?
    • What happens if you lose it?
    • What happens on open wifi networks and public hotspots?
    • Carry a safe not a suitcase
    But we're just a library
    • 83% of victims were targets of opportunity
    • 92% of attacks were easy
    • 85% of hacks were discovered by a third party
    Last year, a library found a password key-logger plugged into the back of one of their computers!

    Everything you have can be hacked!

    SANS 20 critical security controls

    "Security Library Technology: A how to do it manual" - book

    Do training for your library staff and patrons.

    CIL2012: From Ground to Cloud

    Marshall Breeding (@mbreeding)

    Cloud computing characteristics
    • Web-base interface
    • Externally hosted
    • Pricing model is different
    • Highly abstracted computing model
    • Provisioned on demand
    • Scaled according to variable needs
    • Elastic
    A bit of history
    • Mainframe computing 
    • Client/Server
    • Cloud computing
    BTW some technologists seem cloud computing to be a "new" iteration of mainframe computing.

    2009 - Cloud computing was at the peak of its hype cycle
    2011 - Cloud computing is more mainstream 

    Local computing is shifting to cloud computing.
    Visualization is a big part of cloud computing.

    Infrastructure-as-a-service
    • Provisioning of equipment
    • Servers, storage
    • Virtual server provisioning
    • Lots of examples including Amazon
    Storage-as-a-service (e.g., DropBox.com)
    • Often used as one of the storage devices that a person uses
    Software-as-a-service (SaaS)
    • This is what we're all familiar with (e.g., Google Docs)
    • Multi-tenant
    Some organizations will put legacy software in the cloud (ASP - Application Service Provider)
    May the first step toward SaaS.

    Data-as-a-service
    • For example a database of MARC records
    • This is happening in all kinds of library environments
    Platform-as-a-service
    • Visualized computing environment for deployment of software
    • Application Engine, no specific server provisioning
    • E.g., Google App engine
    There have been many ILS products offered as SaaS...mostly as ASP
    Some library software is indeed multi-tenant SaaS (e.g., 360 Search)

    Repositories in the cloud

    Caveats and Concerns
    • Available bandwidth
    • Quality of service agreements
    • Configurability and customizable limitations
    • Access to APIs
    • Cost implications
    • Privacy of data
    • Ownership of data
    • Security
    • Data preservation
    Richard Hulser  (@cybrarianviews)

    Wasp Speed to the Cloud: ILS Case Study

    Using technology as a catalyst for change and collaboration
    Going through major physical and programmatic changes
    For his first 18 months, the library was closed and so he functions as a "librarian by walking around."
    Focusing on services plus collection management.
    Still has a physical card catalogue. Moving to an ILS.
    Size of collection and breadth of collection demands that it should be an ILS, not paper records.

    Before he got there, there library had been closed for nearly three years.  The library was closed and covered in plastics.  Departments were housing their own collections.
    Now using interns and volunteers.
    Very little IT support.

    Looked at cloud vs. local - wants
    • Functionality
    • Affordable
    • Minimal IT support
    • Flexible, easy desktop access
    The ILS is a catalyst for change
    Allows the library to know what is in the sectional libraries.  They don't manage the sectional collections.  Just want to know what the institution has access to.

    Richard has truly thought about how he can work with the entire organization and what the library needs are, and what the organization's needs are.

    Expanded services: Digital Library Creation
    A department came to him because they realized that he knew what he was doing and could help them.
    ASP -> SaaS
    Have licensed CONTENTdm.  Are looking at KnowledgeBuilder as a possible alternative.
    EOS Digital Web as a launch platform.
    Museum Next -> Library Next (tying his work into the vision for the entire museum)

    OCLC - WorldShare and WorldCat

    CIL2012: Keynote by Susan Hildreth, Director of IMLS

    Hildreth's topic is "Creating Innovative Libraries."

    I don't have Internet access during this, so I was unable to look up and include links.
    There is a lot on her slides that I was unable to capture.  And her font size was a little hard to read.


    IMLS provides grants (it's biggest activity) and analyzes trends, shares best practices, provides policy advice, and partners with other federal agency.  Grants to state agencies (state libraries) are based on the state population. The focus on research and policy development is new.

    2013 budget from the proposed Presidential budget:
    $232 million for IMLS- divided into the following:
    • $185m of library programs
    • $31m for museum programs
    • $2m for research and data collection
    • $14m for administration
    Funding streams:
    • Laura Bush 21sy Century Librarian Program
    • National Leadership Grants
    • Digitization
    • Data management
    • Metadata development
    • Sparks! Ignition Grants
    21st century societal shifts
    She noted things that we know and that have been documented by the Dept. of Labor

    The 21st century museum/library
    Embedded in the community
    Engage the learners
    Partnerships are the key to success Multi-directional
    Tangible and digital assets
    Combination of audience and content driven

    Used "ideal scale" in order to rank and discuss their priorities as they developed their new strategic plan.

    IMLS' key clients are institutions: libraries and museums.  Congress wants to know what is happening to the individual.

    2012-2013 Key Goals

    1. Engaging, empowering learning experiences - support communities of practice. Moves libraries from a nice to have institution to a need to have institution.
    • 24/7 anytime, anywhere
    • Motivation, curiosity self directed
    • Learning is a life-time process
    • 21st Century Skills - report, self-assessment tools
    • The four C's not the three R's
    • Growing DIY and maker culture - libraries can support this. 
    • Repurpose existing spaces
    • IMLS may begin to give grants for maker spaces
    • New research about learning and reading
    IMLS-MacAurhur Foundation: Learning Labs
    • Creating 30 learning labs - new media centers across the country
    • Chicago Public Library YOUmedia Center
    2. Community anchors
    • Increase in mobile technology means that all services must be provided virtually
    • Libraries and the workforce
    • Gates Foundation Study "Opportunities for All"
    • Partnership with the Department of Labor
    • Project Compass - in partnership with WebJunction and State Library of North Carolina
    • To help the unemployed in a community and do workforce development
    • Support the National Broadband Plan (which is now 2 years old)
    • "Building Digital Communities: A Framework for Action"
    • "Connect to Compete" - a digital literacy effort by the FCC
    3. Content
    • Access to content
    • Care of our nation's collections
    • "Connecting to Collections"- including digital and those unique documents that are part of the long tail.
    • Digging into Data Challenge - Big data
    • Digital Public Library of America - two year planning project
    4. Equitable access to knowledge
    • Making sure that Congress is aware of service issues with libraries and museums
    • Provide a baseline of data about how information is being accessed
    • Document ongoing activities and trends
    5.  Public management excellence
    • Evidence-based practice
    • They support prudent risk taking. (It may be too cautious for some of us!)
    • Libraries have been too hesitant to take risks.  Sometimes libraries wait too long to try new things. 
    • If you don't take risks, you don't grow.  Be willing to try, fail and learn.
    IMLS have developed its own performance improvement model.

    Rationale for the Digital Public Library of America
    • In a proof of feasibility stage. 
    • Create an aggregated platform for much of the digital content in the U.S.
    • Broad public access on a "free for all" basis.
    • Focusing on a future when everything is in the cloud.
    • Already developed in other countries.  The U.S. is behind in this.
    • Being managed by the Harvard Berkman Center for Internet and Society and supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
    • Goal is to develop a workplan and a prototype.
    • Over 8 volunteers and an online community of 1000+ people.  Many well-known organizations are involved.
    Elements of the DPLA (http://dp.la)
    Open source code
    Link metadata system
    Looking for content
    Developing tools and services
    Build a strong community

    Econtent debate is over in-copyright materials.  It is critical to the survival of our public libraries.  The DPLA mandate is broader than just ebooks. 

    Formal launch was October 2011.
    Has a collaboration with Europeana.

    Wednesday, March 21, 2012

    CIL2012 Day 1

    Links to my blog posts from Day 1 of the Computers in Libraries Conference.

    CIL2012: Ask us anything

    Thanks to Michael Sauers and Jennifer Koerber for moderating this track.  This has been fabulous!

    Problems thrown out during the session included:
    • Hearing from a participant whose library is staffed with organization rejects and is developing expensive home-grown systems. She needs ideas to give to her management about how to improve the library.
      • Problems
      • Legacy software
      • Lack of training material
    • Not having an staff member at all with an MLIS
      • Not a problem in some areas.
      • How do we get people to work in libraries who have the skills that we need?
    • Copyright or terms of service with Pinterest
      • The problem isn't with Pinterest.  The problem is people.  People don't get copyright.
    • How do we get people to understand what we do and why we - library workers - are important?
      • Talk to people who are not in our libraries.  Get out of the building.
      • Find the need that is in the community.
      • Understand what we have and why it is useful.  Then get people to strip over the information.
    • How should we retrain our staff?
    • Going to shrink the children's section (books) and then bring in more multimedia things that children would be interested in, including a hacker-space.
    • Anybody doing in-house publishing or epublishing?
    • GIS stuff  wow...a lot of interest!
      • Geo location of library materials
      • Geo location of librarians on campus
        • Use wifi access point triangulation
        • "Highlight" and "Glancey" (sp?)
    • Do users want to borrow ebooks?
      • People may want to buy a chapter
      • Searching through the text
      • Not necessarily for pleasure reading
      • Professors may prefer paper copies
      • Could replace course packs
      • A whole generation is coming up that is very used to etextbooks
    Jason Griffey - showing off a new gadget that he is building.  (We all want one!!!!)

    CIL2012: Thoughts about keynote by Jeffrey Phillips, OVO (3 min. podcast)



    This podcast is available available on the Audioboo web site.

    CIL2012: One thing I've learned today from Richard Hulser (1 min. podcast)

    Richard Hulser is moderating one of the tracks today.



    This podcast is also available on the Audioboo web site.

    CIL2012: The next big thing

    Fast session...hope these notes captured most of it.

    David Stern, David Lee King, and Helene Blowers

    What are we working on?
    What are we trying to pull off?

    David Stern - Academic perspective

    Things we know about (old and boring):
    • Facilities
    • Blended services
    • Learning spaces
    • Collaboration spaces
    • Discovery to navigating and filtering
    • Manipulating data
     But...less boring...new...:
    • Consortia drives everything he's looking at now
      • Sharing of services
      • Sharing of materials
      • Sharing of institutional repositories (LOCKSS, Portico)
    • Multimedia
      • Oriented linking
      • Podcasting, mashing...legal issues
      • Rights and responsibilities
    • Data sets
      • Raw and processed
      • Data management plans
      • PREMIS metadata
      • Code books - info about the data
      • Functionality of the platforms
    • Knowledge management
      • Information organization
      • Crowdsourcing, folksonomies
        • Astonomy world has used this
      • Collaboration workspaces
        • Shared collaborative workspaces
      • Dealing with special interest groups
    David Lee King
    • Large scale technology projects
      • Data driven part behind the projects
      • Using GIS mapping to help inform them
      • Going live on Polaris soon
      • Getting new wifi
        • Part 1 of the VOIP phone system that they would like to install
      • Broader self-check program with a goal of 90% self-checkout
        • Install it at the place of need
    • All of the projects revolved around their strategic goals
      • Extreme customer service
      • People connected to people
      • Once you get users, give them something to do (in the building and online)
        • Video, podcast creation, blog-based content, ebooks
        • Thinking about digital media labs and hacker-spaces
          • Requires new skills and space
    Helen Blowers
    • Ecommerce
      • Been focused on them.
      • Self-checkout
      • Ability to pay fines and fees.  Web-pay.  
        • Ability to accept donations.
    • MyLibrary
      • More customer-centric
      • Customers can customize their view/interaction with the web site
      • Killed the web site and installed web apps
        • People can move things around on their view of the web site.
        • More robust CRM (customer relationship management)
          • Want to anticipate the next need
    • Enterprise collaboration
      • Moved off of the NOVEL network and onto a Microsoft platform
        • Allows them to look at enterprise collaboration tools
        • Moving to a single sign-on
      • Services need to communicate with each other
    • Replacing their ILS
      • Have had the same ILS for 23 years, which they had built
      • "The 20th century was all about sorting out supply.  The 21st century is about sorting out demand."  - CEO of Netflix
      • How can the new systems support a just-because world?
     So what are we (at the tables) doing? What are our next big things?

    Man from Lincoln, NE
    • Replaced 3M self-checkout machines with home-mades.
      • Will be implementing credit card swipe.
    • Staff can use tablet computers and get out from the desk.
    • Biometrics - can solve patrons sharing a library card.
      • Want to do this.
      • Noted that some place in Texas is using drivers license as the library card
    • Went from Horizon to Koha (ILS).
      • Blood the first year, but it is worth it.
    Man from Wake County, NC
    •  Implementing ViewFind as their primary OPAC
      • Did quite a bit modification
      • Will have OverDrive integration
    Woman from New College, FL
    Digitizing their archives
    Using Pinterest to market their work

    Someone from Washington State
    • More public computers
    • More tech classes
    • Spaces were people can collaborate (and the technology)
    Woman from county library system in NJ
    • Looking to use Pinterest
    • Want to integrate Polaris into their catalogue

    Woman from academic library, MD
    • Space planning
    • Did an ethnographic study
    • Collaborating with school of architecture and school of archeology on campus
      • Also partnering with an architectural firm
    Woman from an public library
    • Opening up a digital branch for a low income part of their town
    • Cool software - free use for the patrons
    Woman from Iowa
    • Want to get their own IT department
    • The town's IT staff is understaffed and the library is a low priority
    Hearing lots of love for Polaris in this session.  Yippee for a Central NY company!

    Man form a Academic library, New York State
    • Libraries on campus are consolidating
     Woman from an Academic college in Canada
    • Migrated from Horizon
    • Migrated to an open source ILS (OPALS)
    • Hosted solution
    • Have multi-media in their catalogue
    Woman from an academic library
    • Mobile broadband with VPN
    • Taking their tech petting zoo on the road to groups that want them to come
    Man from public library, MD
    Woman in Academic library, MD
    • Changing how they interact with distance students
    Man from a public library
    • Motorized Legos
    • Two smart tables.  Two more than can be checked out.
     Man from academic library, PA - summarizing what he has heard...the themes this afternoon have been:
    • Collaboration
    • Community 
    • Technology

    CIL2012: National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program: Overview and Tools

    Presenting are Butch and Trevor from the Library of Congress.

    Butch did an overview of NDIIPP.
    • Started about 11 years ago with six partners.
    • Funded research efforts.
    • National Digital Stewardship Alliance.
    • Need to collect now for use in the future.
    • Digital preservation - the series of managed activities necessary to ensure continued access to digital materials for s long as necessary.
    • Stewardship - Whole life-cycle of digital information.
    • Need to now who the first responders are in stewarding a specific collection.
    • A content-centric view of the universe.  How can organization's think about stewardship when content is created?
    Five areas of interest:
    • Sustainability
    • National Digital Collections (Projects / areas of interest)
      • Uniform Electronic Legal Material Act - Federal and state level interest in preserving laws, etc.
      • Maps and geography
      • News, media and journalism
        • Local news is generated in many different ways.  How do you identify them and then preserve them?
        • Build preservation tools into content creation tools.
      • Who has the responsibility for stewarding scientific data?
      • Personal digital archiving - how can people preserve their own information?  Have released a kit that people can use.
    • Partnerships: Government, industry, academia
      • Need to develop a shared language
      • National Digital Stewardship Alliance - taking the existing partnerships and using them to preserve a distributed national digital collection for the benefit of citizens now and in the future.  A bottoms up approach.
        • Over 110 member organizations and growing.
        • Light-weight membership agreement.  No money changes hands.
        • Need to agree to participate.  To do.
        • Benefits:
          • Have a voice
          • Share knowledge
          • Drive action
          • Learn from experts
          • Impact change
        • Five working groups - members participate on these groups.  Can participate on several,
          • Content
          • Infrastructure
          • Innovation
          • Outreach
          • Standards and practices
    • Technical infrastructure
      • Duraspace
      • Memento - move through time on the web.  Plug-in currently for Firefox.  
    Explore and share cultural heritage collection with viewshare.org
    • Free service for people who are working in cultural heritage
    • Thinking about data and seeing relationships.
    • Free and open platform for creating dynamic visual interfaces to digital collections.
    • Contains maps, timelines, lists, galleries and charts
      • Can be embedded to the web site
      • Different ways of pivoting through the data
    • When you build an interface, you end up learning a lot more about your collection
    • Workflow
      • Import data
      • Augment the data - Create what sounds like a crosswalk
      • Build
      • Share link
      • Make data corrections
     Question about certifying trusted digital repositories.
    • The certification process is pretty "heavy weight".
    • Trust should show through your actions.
    • Certification helps people know your capabilities and intent.
    • However, perfect can be the enemy of the good.
    • Believer in the LOCKSS concept.
    • Does certification provide the organization (being certified) with value?
    Slides have a lot of content.  Slides will be made available through the Information Today web site.

    CIL2012: Dig Deeper: Hot Topics Discussion

    Track F today is somewhat of an unconference track.  In this session, we're able to digger deeper into a topic. Our table's topic is "Hey, that's not a library!"
    • The community of users should decide what the library is.
    • But in an academic library represented at the table, they don't allow their users to define anything!
    • One mayor being discussed doesn't understand any of the underlying philosophical ideas of libraries.
    • Defining libraries through the lens of collections vs. the lens of community.
    • Is a library about knowledge?  About information?
    • Libraries are at the nexus of people and information.
    • Will people drive/fly to visit a library?  If they have a special need.
    • One person's director (academic) is anti-digitization.  Wants people to come to the library.
    • Digitization acts like gravity.  Digital collections pull people toward them.
    • Keeping collections in paper means that you only want intent researchers to use the collections.
    • If a library loans non-books things (e.g., tools), is it still a library?  
    • Librarians as facilitators.  Helping people to be connected to information sources (even if the information is in another person).
    • If you were looking for the ideal librarian, what qualities would that person have?
      • Customer oriented
      • Facilitator
      • Engaged - an engaged person will do the right things
      • Commitment to specific beliefs
      • Librarianship is less about methodology than cultural orientation.
        • Software people are more optimistic about what they can do/build.  Blind to people's needs (those outside of their immediate circle).  Know that things can't be perfect.
    Other tables:
    • Navigation the future of libraries
      • Need to remain agile
    • Library services in challenged areas
      • BTW Marshall Breeding is doing work in Columbia
      • Even serving users at a U.S.university can be challenging because people come with different capabilities.
    • Social media
      • Some people do not have social media defined as part of their jobs.
      • How do you measure the services?
      • Could Twitter be the front end of an information desk service?
    • What is a library for?
    • Lending devices & challenges
      • What to lend?  How?  
      • Getting institutional buy-in. 
      • The importance of training staff.
    • Staff capacity
      • Shifting from what they are doing now to what they need to do in the future.
    • Learning commons
      • Here to stay
      • Communication needed if you set rules 
        • Can person have a pizza delivered to the library?
      • Hoe do you train personnel to operate in a learning commons?
    • Paperless libraries
      • Mobile content
      • Redefining space
      • What needs to remain in paper?
      • Maker space
    • Managing technology changes
      • Training
      • Communication
      • Chocolate (the "carrot" for training and communications)
    • Urban libraries
      • Recent Pew study

    CIL2012: Greg Notess talking about browsers

    Didn't get notes for first few minutes which contained statistics on browsers in the U.S. and overseas.  Some browsers are more popular in different countries.
    • Why use more than one browser?
    • Stay flexible
    • Get to know what your users see
    • Different search results
      • One logged in, one not
      • Does being logged in change your search results?
      • Keep personal browsing separate from professional.
    • Ad block on one
      • You may be surprised how pervasive ads are on some sites, if you are used to using ad blocking
    • See all content
      • Some sites have an ax to grind.  Some create sites that won't work in a specific browser.  (Web of Science has this problem.  Been fixed.)  Others create content to work only in a specific browser.
    Current state of the browsers:
    • IE 9
    • Firefox 11
    • Google Chrome 17 (if Google doesn't update in the next 5 minutes!)
    • Apple Safari 5.1
    • Opera 11.6
    Mobile browsers - lots and lots:
    • Preinstalled vs. available in the app store
    • Google makes Chrome and the Android browser, and they work differently.
    Trends:
    • Larger window space...which means....
    • Fewer visible browser functions
    • Combination of functions - one "icon" may do a combination of things
    • Remember last open tabs/windows
     Branding on the browsers has gotten smaller.  Must pay attention to know which is which.

    Realizing that these changes will make it more difficult on library trainers.

    Internet Explorer:

    Internet Explorer has a "compatibility view" button.  Can be useful if something doesn't display correctly.

    IE has developer tools (F12), which can be useful. 

    IE allows for sites to be pinned to the Windows task bar (bottom of the screen).

    Firefox:
    Rapidly releasing new versions because Google is.  Eight (8) versions in about 12 months. 
    Some of the features became more IE-like.
    You can "pin" a tab. 
    Tab groupings
    Firefox sync - syncing bookmarks and tabs across computers

    Chrome:
    Reputation for being fast, but is the reputation deserved?
    Being optimized for what you do on Google.
    Pin tabs

    Safari:
    There is a Windows version of Safari.  Might want to download to see how it works.  Doesn't work as well on Windows.
    Get a "reader" viewer of content.

    Navigation has basically remained the same across browsers.

    Tools - will be different in each browser (try pressing ALT key).
    • Check the top menu.
    Search box
    • The Omni-box - can use the address box to search
    • You can add different search engines to your browser
    • Add a keyword for this search... - I hadn't noticed that feature.  Right click in a search box to see it.
    Home page - Check to see what features are available to you.

    Mobile devices and tablets
    • Navigation varies
    • Search options more limited
    • Default browser
    • Browsers on unusual devices
    • iPad has a function to add a web page to your "reading list"
    If you are on a tablet computer, Google search will display differently.

    For anyone library staff member, who helps people with Internet browsers, Greg Notess (@notess) has covered a ton of stuff that you need to know.

    Why is the same company releasing different browsers for different devices (e.g., Google?  Could be problems with internal communications.  Could be influenced by the technology on the device.

    He suspect that the Android browser may merge with Chrome.

    Firefox no longer supports the Google toolbar, because Google doesn't allow Firefox to.
    • The Google toolbar is a downloadable toolbar and not the Google toolbar that is available in your Google account.  This causes user confusion.  Where does the web page end and the browser begin?
    You can add other search engines to your browsers, including browsers like Blekko that are new and may not be known to your users.

    CIL2012: Innovation Success Framework (Keynote with Jeffrey Phillips)

    Attendees statistics from Tom Hogan Sr.

    1697 attendees (240 speakers and moderators)
    300+ to visit the exhibits only
    100+ exhibitors (54 organizations)

    2214 people total

    46 states + DC represented
    22 countries represented (Australia to Zambia)

    Relevant Hogan quote: Don't humanize computers-they hate that.

    Jeffrey Phillips is the author of Relentless Innovation: What Works, What Doesn't - and What That Means for Your Business and VP of OVO@ovoinnovation

    Libraries have a lot to do with innovation.  The keepers of the flame of innovation.

    The Answer: The concept of relentless innovation.  Innovation as a way of life or a discipline.  If that is the answer, then what is the question?

    How do we get more information if there is so little clarity about what we do?

    (BTW Phillips says that he is a horrible public speaker and that he does everything wrong!)

    OVO helps organizations change their corporate culture.  Their web site has a number of white papers that can be downloaded. Phillips writes a blog named Innovate on Purpose.

    How do firms that seem to innovate all of the time do that?  What sustains their innovation?

    B.A.U. = Business As Usual.  BAU can kill innovation.

    OVO advocates that innovation is based on a series of methodologies.

    Need to ask "What's going on...now?" In our organizations, communities, government, etc.

    Five important things from an innovation perspective.

    1. Disappearing trade barriers - Free trade provides access to markets for far more competitors, increasing offerings and heightening competition.  His examples are about Mexico and China and its impact on the U.S.

    2.  Increasing rate of change - Accelerating.  Shorter life cycles.  Attention span is decreasing. Today we're less than 50 years after the photocopier became a widespread technology!  Every one of us can be an author.

    3.  Increasing customer expectations - We want more, expect more and demand more from our products and services and the firms we buy from.  As technologies improve, we expect more from our products and services.  We always want better products, not worse products.

    4.  Increasing access to information - The cost of computing power is dropping, ans access to the Internet in increasing.  Better information access means more people have more opportunities.  Even people who do not have access at home to the Internet can find ways of tapping into it.  Also mentioned Open Courseware.

    5.  Decreasing cost of entry - The internet reduces cost of entry, reduces marketing costs and increasing awareness.  Anyone can sell anything to anyone else.  Costs and barriers decrease or disappear.

    Change is inevitable.  "Status quo" is untenable.

    Most organizations are stuck in the mud, on the wrong track & using out-dated technology.

    We are comfortably stuck in the mud.  How did we get to this point?

    In the 1970s, there was a balance between innovation and efficiency.  Over time we've lost that balance.  What caused us to lose that balance?

    In the 1980s, there was the quality movement.  W. Edwards Deming, the father of the quality movement, was from the U.S., but it was Japan that grab a hold of the quality movement.

    Six Sigma and Lean - Creating products that with no deviations.  Lean has to do with driving out costs.

    Foreign Competition & Outsourcing - Need to focus on our core competencies and outsource the rest.

    Where has this left us?  We value efficiency over innovation.  Everything we've done for the last 30 years has created organizations that are very efficient, but are unable to innovate.

    Our organizations have become Fiddler Crabs.

    What do we need to be doing today to be more in balance?  What is blocking innovation?  Business as usual.  Our organizational flow charts (formal and informal) show that we've become efficient.  "Well oiled machines."  We operate our organizations on auto-pilot.  Second nature.  Efficient and with little input.

    When we're handed a new idea that doesn't fit into our operating model, we either change our BAU process or we change the idea to fit our BAU.

    Innovation flies against everything that our organizations try to do.  It is messy. Uncertain.  Risky.  A lot of variance.

    Organizations do everything to maintain business as usual.

    Most organizations are insane.  They do the same things over and over again, but expect different results!

    Use skunk-works or a hothouse to innovate, so that they are developed outside of the normal corporate culture.  However, it is rarely effective long term.  Doesn't change the corporate culture.

    The third way - Creating an innovation business as usual. Three factors:
    • Communication - Commitment is demonstrated through the things we do and the things we say.
    • Compensation - Insanity - asking people to spend time innovating, but evaluating them on their "day job."  So where do their priorities lie?
    • Culture - Culture eats strategy for breakfast!  Our organizational culture is the most powerful thing that we have.  Culture needs to get on-board with innovation.
    Who sustains business as usual?  Middle managers.  Why?  Middle managers - in order to stay in place - need to get things done.  They are efficiency experts.  Staff have the culture imposed on them.  Staff and executives may want to change things, but middle managers are about efficiency.

    When we ask middle managers to innovate, they say: I have no time, resources, or skills to innovate.

    The key factors from the middle manager point of view:
    • Annual planning process - Wmbed innovation specific activities, goals and outcomes.
    • Give them new skills - Rebalance their skills.  Trend spotting.  Understanding customer needs.  Managing people.
    • Change compensation, recognition and rewards - Note that rewards aren't always financial. Same for compensation.
    If it is important, you'll find a way to do it.  If not, you'll find an excuse.

    Four things to take away from this:
    • Create clear innovation goals - set clear goals and strategies. 
    • Rebalance tools and skills - given them the new skills that they need in order to innovate.  
    • Beginning to define process - Often innovation is a completely ad hoc process.  Why not create a process and methodology for innovation?
    • Rework culture, incentives and rewards  - Pavlov told us that people will do what they expected they'll be rewarded to do.
    Moving from an organization that struggles with innovation to one that embraces innovation will not happen overnight.  It can take 2-3 years. Do things in parallel.

    We fight innovation because it is different.  We need to stop doing that.  (Hear that, libraries?!)

    Sunday, March 18, 2012

    Heading to the Computers in Libraries Conference this week (a pre-conference post)

    In a couple of days, I will head to the Computers in Libraries (CIL) conference in Washington, DC. The theme this year is "Creating Innovative Libraries."  This year, I am moderating Track E on Thursday, 21st Century Library Systems & Operations.

    What do I hope to get out of CIL?
    • I must admit that I see a group of colleagues at CIL that I don't see anyplace else.  So I'm looking forward to hearing what new things they are doing and what is changing in their libraries.  How is the economy affecting their libraries now?  What new services are they launching? What skills do their staff now need to have?
    • All of the keynotes are being given this year by people whom I've not heard speak before.  They are from interesting institutions (e.g., IMLS and the Smithsonian) and I'm looking forward to hearing their perspectives.  
    • I want to come back to Syracuse with ideas that will influence my teaching.  I know those ideas will come from sessions and conversations.  
    • I want to come back with information about how we - information professionals and librarians - are changing how we are perceived, what we do, etc.  How are we - not just our libraries - being innovative?
    As always, unique things happen at CIL, some of which are planned and some are not!  Planned:
    • Gaming & Gadgets Petting Zoo - This is an informal event Tuesday evening with people often bringing new technology to show off. 
    • NCompass Live: Tech Talk with Michael Sauers: Live from Computers in Libraries! The Next (Big) Thing - Online - Yup, Michael Sauers will be broadcasting a session live via Go To Webinar on Wednesday, Mar. 21, from 3:15 - 4:00 p.m. ET (2:15-3:00 p.m. CT).  People can sign-up to hear it live OR you can listened to a recording of the session afterwards.
    • T is for Training will be recording a session on Thursday evening, 5:30 - 7:15 p.m somewhere in the Washington Hilton.  If you want to be part of this, find Maurice Coleman or another member of the T is for Training crew (like me).  Maurice will put the recording on the T is for Training web site.  This show - loosely about training done in libraries - is recorded bimonthly using TalkShoe and we all really enjoy times when we can record the show while actually all being in the same room!
    • Battle Decks: Dead & Innovative Tech - There is always a session Thursday evening, after people have gotten some dinner.  There are some new faces on the Thursday evening line up and, with a Battle Decks format, this could be very lively and informative!
    BTW often some other sessions are broadcasted, so check Twitter for info.

    Informally...people should take advantage of the Twitter hashtag (#cildc) for staying in the loop - no matter if you're on site or not.  The hashtag will also help you figure out where the informal gatherings are taking place.  The informal "conferences" are generally called TableCon, LobbyCon. FireCon, etc.  (Or...the conference sround the table, the conference in the lobby, the conference by the firepit!)  A couple local colleagues often come in the evening just for the FireCon/BarCon.  If you can't be there, hit the Twitter stream and participate that way!

    I have students that will be following CIL from afar and so I plan on creating short podcasts during the conference for them (and you).  If you're on site, you might get stopped by me to comment on what you are learning.  If you of off-site, follow me on Twitter  (@jill_hw) so you'll have quick access to the podcasts as they become available.

    If you are going to be at CIL, please stop me and say "hi"!  If you're an SU iSchool graduate or friend, I'll have an iSchool wristband for you. The iSchool will have a booth in the Exhibit Hall, so be sure to stop there and say "hi" too.

    Resources:

    Thursday, March 15, 2012

    Event: Museums and Mobile IV Online Conference

    While this conference isn't specifically about digitization, using digital assets with mobile devices - and all of the variety of ways that we need to do it - is something we need to be considering. The web conference may spark some ideas or just help you lay the groundwork.


    The Museums and Mobile IV Online Conference – the global online professional networking and learning event for museum professionals will take place on May 9, 2012, and is now open for registration. The conference producers - LearningTimes and Pocket-Proof -  also announced the 2012 Museums & Mobile Survey results are available for review and discussion. Now in its third year, the Survey is a collaborative inquiry into the international museum community’s evolving perspectives, use and ambitions for mobile technology tools.
     
    The Museums & Mobile IV Online Conference program includes an outstanding lineup of engaging and interactive case studies looking at design and delivery of various mobile tools and experiences. Sessions include how mobile tools help reach younger audiences, what tablets offer different museum audiences, and how to guide the planning and development of an institution’s mobile web site. Participants will interact with a stellar international lineup of museum professionals from a range of cultural institutions including:

    The National Gallery (UK)
    MOMA
    National Gallery of Canada
    Smithsonian Institution
    United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
    National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
    National Maritime Museum (UK)

    The exciting program also includes two pre-conference workshops - a mobile design master class and a deep look at the hot open source project: TAP.
     
    "We are eager to support the international museum community with sessions that showcase best practices on the use of handheld guides / mobile interpretation,” states Executive Producer Jonathan Finkelstein, “ We designed the Museum & Mobile IV Online Conference so that attendees can build stronger professional connections and walk away with direct practical knowledge they can put to use immediately at their cultural institution.”
     
    The 2012 Museums & Mobile Survey captures the community’s collective experiences and understandings of the trends in this fast-evolving field. This year the survey looked closely at how museums are handling the cost and delivery of various hardware/software solutions to their patrons, and what mobile solutions best support institution size.
     
    "The Museums & Mobile survey continues to be an important tool for museums to use in understanding the dynamic changes happening around mobile content experiences,” reports Executive Producer, Loic Tallon, “It is a must read for anyone planning mobile projects in museums."
     
    For more information or to register for the 2012 Museums & Mobile IV Online Conference visit: http://www.museums-mobile.org. Click here to review the 2012 Museums & Mobile survey results.

    Wednesday, March 14, 2012

    NYS EMTA Spring Meeting & Creating Digitally Literate New Yorkers

    Today I attended and spoke at the spring meeting of the New York State Chapter  of Educational Media Technology Association.  The theme of the conference was "Media and Students."  Below are my rough notes and information about my presentation.

    Lisa Guernsey, from the New America Foundation (a think tank), gave two presentations:
    • Ebooks: Can They Improve Students’ Reading Comprehension?
    • Media and Its Impact on Students
    Her slides will be available on the New America Foundation web site.

    She wrote an article for School Library Journal in 2011 entitled "Are Ebooks Any Good?"

    Ebooks: Can They Improve Students’ Reading Comprehension?
    • Reading levels have flat-lined.
    • Young children ARE reading ebooks.
    • YouTube video of a children trying to use a magazine like an iPad.
    • Children need reading partners. Can technology provide reading partners for them?
    • NELP Report
    • Study of 30 month old children on TV and learning.  Turns out that TV shows with a strong, linear story line (narrative) are better for that age group. TV shows that are fragmented or require a children to jump from one idea to another are not as good for this age group.
    • There was a study where literacy tips were sent to parents' cell phones.  Result was that parents did interact with their children more (pointing out words, etc.).
    • Can speech recognition technology help young readers?  Could it hear and respond to their mistake?  Give them encouragement?
    • Ereaders can lower the quality of interactions.
    • Parents need help understanding how to use ebooks with children.
    • How do we define an ebook?  What features help?  What features distract?  Is unlimited access a boon?
    • Will ebooks change story time in libraries?
    • Mentioned Tumblebooks and One More Story
    • Raising a Reader
    • There was a discussion of open textbooks and etextbooks. 
    • Bottomline - an amazing number of studies in this area.  There are pros and cons to using media with very young children. It can have a benefit if done well, but doing it well is not automatic. 
    Media and Its Impact on Students
    • Proliferation of media
    • Lots of rich content
    • What does Khan Academy (in practice and theory) mean for teachers and students?
    • Minecraft - hot with children.  They learn as they play the game by exploring and doing. 5+ million users and growing.
    • Common worries:
      • Will they learn social clues, etc.?
      • Will they be able to focus?
      • Will they spend time comprehending sophisticated ideas?  
      • Will they develop critical thinking skills?
      • What are the trade-offs?
      • Will they consume or create?
      • Will kids do active learning?
    • Mentioned several people/organizations:
      • Scott Taylor, 360 Kid
      • Common Sense Media
      • Steve Hargadon, Classroom 2.0
      • Joan Ganz Cooney Center
      • Audrey Watters, Mindshift
      • Spotlight on Digital Learning blog
    • Cause and effect - Does playing games cause XYZ or is playing games an effect of XYZ?
    • What young children need:
      • Attachment and a feeling of security
      • Conversational partners
      • Early exposure to new ideas
      • Physical involvement
      • Self regularization (and practice of it)
      • Deeper learning
    • She wrote Screen Time: How Electronic Media-From Baby Videos to Educational Software-Affects Your Young Child
    • Bottom line - I want to hear her again!
    Cathy Leogrande, a professor at LeMoyne College and a board member of the National Association of Media Literacy in Education (NAMLE) spoke.  Her research is on effective teaching of new literacies to adolescents with diverse learning needs. Leogrande spoke about literacies and about NAMLE.
    • Some college students have never read a print newspaper.  What does that mean for how the understand the news?
    • What does it mean to be a literate person?
    • She listed a number of literacies:
      • Visual literacy
      • Civic literacy
      • Digital literacy
      • Information literacy
      • Community literacy
      • Personal literacy
      • Social literacy
    • She listed several concepts, but didn't discuss them:
      • Participatory culture
      • Transmedia
      • Producer
      • Consumer
      • Web 2.0
    • Pilkey.com
    • Henry Jenkins - Aca-Fans
    • Media literacy - Access, analyze, evaluate, communicate 
    • Copyright Clarity: How Fair Use Supports Digital Learning by Renee Hobbs
    • The branded baby 
    • Interesting content in the comments for the "Three Wolf Moon Shirt" on Amazon.  Obviously people are creative and are willing to share their creativity.  But you wouldn't expect it on Amazon!
    • Bottom line - Wow!  I couldn't have captured everything she said OR how it all tied together.  Clearly teachers and librarians need to be more flexible in order to engage our learners, especially if we're interested in developing various literacies.
    Jill Hurst-Wahl (me!) - Creating Digitally Literate New Yorkers

    Here are the notes that I had in front of me...

    Technology is continuing to get smaller and faster.

    The use of mobile computing devices is growing.  For example:
    • Barbers checking messages in-between giving haircuts
    • People at community meetings referencing documents that they were accessing on their phones and iPads. 
    • Commuters on public transportation reading ebooks, texting, and checking Facebook.
    In the United States:
    • 230+ million cell phone subscribers
    • 35% of all adults use a smartphone (Pew)
    • 87% of cell phone users access the Internet or email daily on their phones (Pew)
    • We now have more smartphones being sold than personal computers, including laptops (PC World)
    The old digital divide and the new digital divide

    The old digital divide still exists.
    • People that do not understand how to use a computer.
    • They need to use computers to:
      • Locate and apply for jobs
      • Find healthcare information
      • Communicate with friends and family
    A grant received by the New York Library Association from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is allowing NYLA to develop curriculum for a series of classes that will be offered at public libraries throughout the state.  
    •  Specifically the grant will train 1200 library staff members across the state, who will then train everyday New Yorkers.
    •  Staff will be trained at train-the-trainer workshops across NYS over the next three years.
    • Train-the-trainer workshops are being scheduled by NYLA,
    • The New York State Library’s Division of Library Development has been working with NYLA.
    The new digital divide.
    • Smartphones are used more by certain people in our communities for Internet and email access because they do not have access to a computer. (Pew)
    • Those that use a smartphone for Internet access need to be able to afford a data plan.
    • You can't do everything on a cell phone/smartphone that you can do on an actual computer.  For example, file your taxes or complete a job application.
    • The NYLA workshops do not address being literate with tablets, smartphones or ereaders. As those technologies are used more in our communities - and as that hardware is available in our libraries - workshops will need to be developed to ensure literacy with those devices.
    Resources:
    Someone asked if there was a definition of digital literacy.  Here is what the Digital Literacy Standards for New Yorkers says:
    Literacy represents a person’s ability to read, write, and solve problems using both spoken and written language. Digital literacy is the ability to apply those same skills using technology such as desktop computers, ebook readers and smartphones.
    The digital literacy principles are:
    • Critical Thinking
    • Creativity and Innovation
    • Communication and Collaboration
    • Technology Usage for Personal Development
    • Digital Citizenship and Ethics
    {Here is a link to the digital literacy skill set on the NYLA web site.  This was developed knowing that it will need to change over time.}

    I asked the group:

    If someone stood before you and wanted to know how you knew she was digitally literate, what would you say?

    At first, there was silence.  The truth is, we all have a slightly different idea of what being digitally literate is and how to assess it, especially given the technology shifts that are occurring.

    I told the group that I want their school districts to create students who can understand how to use a new technology when it is placed in front of them.  Is that being digitally literate?  To me, yes. Is it in the definition above? 

    The topic of digital literacy has been a focus of mine for several months because of a consulting project that I have been doing with NYLA. I - and a team - have been creating workshop materials that will be used across NYS by public libraries in order to create digitally literate New Yorkers.  One effect of doing this project has been a keener awareness of how people around me are using technology.  I see the digital divide - new and old.  I wonder if that person checking Facebook on his cell phone, while riding the city bus, is digitally literate.  What questions would I ask?  What would I want the person to do to demonstrate literacy?

    I was asked what people in the room could do to help. One suggestion I had was to hold "tech petting zoos" at PTSA meetings or during parent-teacher conferences.  Allow parents to see and touch the technologies that their children are or should be using/familiar with.

    I have also been working on the Little Free Libraries project in Syracuse ("Take a book. Return a book."), which has me thinking about literacy from a different point of view.  While much of today's discussion was about multimedia/ebooks, we can't forget that children and adults want access to physical books.  And - yes - sometimes they can't get to a bookstore or library, so how do we put books into their hands?

    The bottom line - Literacy is complex.  Improving the literacy rate requires all of our help.