Vermont Library Association – Annual Conference May 13-14, 2008

Vermont Library Association
May 13-14 2008

Tuesday 5/13/08

Opening Talk
Bill Barnes
Gene Ambaum

Very funny talk by the creators of the Unshelved Comic Strip – check it out at http://www.unshelved.com/
A very humorous look at libraries and library staff and users – the writer and cartoonist base their strip on real stories and characters. One strip was based on a story of finding bacon (raw!) used as a bookmark – a surprisingly common occurrence. In the strip, the borrower is shocked to find they were being charged for damage to the book!

Workshop – Desktop Magic with Word
Debra Bullock Spackman
Microsoft.com site – downloads and trials – office templates for free downloads of clip art, templates, award certificates, bookplates, bookmarks, newsletters, brochures
Templates fit standard Avery labels

VLA Website with WordPress – Check out the new VLA site at vermontlibraries.org
Jessamyn West
Librarian.net/talks/vla
Rollout of VLA new WordPress blog site to make it more interactive and easier to grow, allow for quick and easy access and maintenance and to increase participation by anyone who wants a login (contact Jessamyn or Judah)
(Jessamyn has a nice tutorial on the VLA site – may be useful on the Circ WordPress site)

Library Space – The Evolving Nature of Vermont’s Academic Library Websites
Kat Berry – Bennington (Innovative site)
Michele Melia – Champlain (Innovative site)
Larraby Fellows – CCV/VSC
Used Google docs to collaborate on the presentation
Looked at current national and VT trends and user patterns
Presentation available on VLA site
http://www.vermontlibraries.org/vlc/exhibitor-information
Three women utilizing web and open source tools available to them – creating workarounds to their traditional websites and bypassing their IT departments
Websites – clear, simple and easy access
Terminology – evolving toward a more student friendly terms
Innovative features – RSS, new blogs, subject guide wikis, chat reference, federated search box…
Bennington College – widgets on front page – customized and personalized browsers
LibX toolbar, coins, search box plug-ins, Meebo
VSC – library sites are in Blackboard – using Blackboard modules to replace website
Champlain – solutions that did not involve IT and software installations – had to look at outside solutions – PB Wiki – completely separate from library website
All three had Meebo – Ask a librarian – Meebo chat widget
Blog – “Check it Out” – engaged in campus community
Flickr – to display new books and gift collection, photos linked to catalog, tagging allowed through Flickr account
All three are seeing increased desire by users to customize and personalize access to resources using relevant technologies
Need to focus design and layout on how students are actually using resources
Create user targeted tools and services – one-stop information environment

Wednesday 5/14/2008

Top 10 WEB Trends
Jessamyn West – Randolph Technical Career Center and Metafilter blog moderator
Meredith Farkas – Norwich University
Check out their blogs at
http://meredith.wolfwater.com/wordpress/index.php
http://www.librarian.net/
Check out the full presentation at VLA site
http://www.vermontlibraries.org/vlc/exhibitor-information
Video presentation will be available at retn.org

PS – Jeremiah says hello to everyone!

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