Computers in Libraries 2008 Report

Hands down, Computers in Libraries is always one of my favorite technology conferences as it’s local and it’s chock full of ready-to-use tech tips, and this year was no different. I’ve got a notebook full of lots of ideas on how we might enhance MCPL’s services using these tech tools to the max. During this year’s conference, I tended to stick to programs centering around these themes – discovery tools (patron catalog interface) online marketing and outreach, and innovation and change. In addition, I spent quite a bit of time visiting the exhibits, and several of us met with one vendor about text messaging hold and renewal notices. Lots of great information and well worth the time spent in Crystal City (although I am thrilled it's back in Dupont Circle next year).

Discovery Tools

Federated Searching
The following are some trends in the federated search marketplace:

• Fewer vendors – less choice
• Increasing open source
• Increased of visual searching
• More affordable turnkey solutions

The real goal is to be able to integrate all content in a single discovery tool. Many thought that federated searching was going to be this tool; however, it is just one module of a larger effort.

From Woepac to Wowpac
This session focused a lot on the public interfaces that are available to enhance the catalog experience, to make them more “social”. Library Stuff for Libraries is of particular interest as it appears as if it will make some big Web 2.0 changes for the catalog without being a huge investment, staff or budget wise. It will allow tagging, readalikes, and eventually reviews. Open Source is increasingly being used in academic libraries.

Online Marketing and Outreach and Innovation and Change

Going Local in the Library
Local 2.0 is still young territory, and it’s a place that libraries can take an active role in by developing hyper-local sites with their communities. Doing so would enable libraries to bring a sense of place to the Internet. Everyday life is local, and libraries are community focused so this is a good fit. To stay relevant is to keep it local. Example sites are place blogs that include local photos, maps, news about your neighborhood.

Transparency, Planning & Change: See-Through Libraries
This session focused on how to become transparent as an organization. Open and honest conversations lead to open and honest decision making. The culture of perfect needs to be tossed aside to say yes to innovation and initiatives. Overall 2.0 is a cultural shift, and not a shiny new toy.

Tech Tools for Effectively Managing Information
I left this session with lists and lists of urls to visit. All of the tools discussed in this session will be useful in my website work. A site of particular interest is addthis.com, which I’ve added to the MCPL website already. It’s a bookmarking plugin that allows users to bookmark your site in whatever social bookmarking tool that they use. Other sites of interest – testing your website in other browsers and platforms, color scheme guides, and more.

Innovative Marketing using 2.0 Tools
Our community has moved online, and getting our message out to users should not be about us, it should be about our users. The message of this program was to let your customers tell your story and do the marketing by marketing themselves and you (NJ Libraries Video, Photo Contest at Hennepin, Charlotte Read Poster, etc.).

Online Outreach Libraries: Successful Digital Marketing
Practical marketing techniques using Web 2.0 were the highlight of this session. Suggestions included listing your events on librarything, being visible on map sites, calendars, social review sites, etc. This presenter focused on how to interact on the web with users to promote library services. She recommended being real, authentic, and showing what you know. Above all, you want to show your community that you are a part of it.