LibMedia+756+-+Information,+Virtual+Libraries+and+the+Internet

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater LIBMEDIA 756 Spring 2009

Course Competencies and Artifacts

 * ===**Program competency**=== || ===**WI DPI standards for professional licensure**=== || ===**AASL/ NCATE Standard**=== || ===**NBPTS**=== || === Possible artifacts === ||
 * 1. Understands the nature of information in a hybrid library || P5, P4A || 1C, || 3, 5 ||  ||
 * 2. Understands the process of content and collection management in a hybrid library || P4B, P5B || 4A || 3, 5 ||  ||
 * 3. Can organize information in a virtual environment || P3 || 1C || 3, 5 || [|Conduit toolbar] ||
 * 4. Can conceptualize and develop an implementation plan for personalized library service in a virtual environment || P3A, P5B || 1D || 3, 5 || [[file:Middle_School_Teacher_Toolbar_Analysi_.pdf]] ||
 * 5. Knows and can apply the tools and processes of digital reference || P3A, P5B || 1C || 3, 5 ||  ||
 * 6. Is able to develop online access to user education in a virtual library || P3A, P4A, P4B || 1B, 1D || 3, 5 ||  ||
 * 7. Knows and uses the professional tools and strategies to stay current with and apply research in digital libraries and librarianship || P1C, P1A || 3A || 3, 8 || [[file:Great_Sites_Participatory_Libraries.pdf]] ||
 * 8. Understands the issues of, and is able to develop strategies for protecting, intellectual freedom and privacy in networked digital libraries || P1D || 1C || 3, 9 ||  ||
 * 9. Understands the issues of, and is able to develop strategies for protecting, intellectual property rights in networked digital libraries || P1D, P3B, P4 || 1C || 3, 9 ||  ||

Final Reflection
Virtual libraries are a way to connect people and ideas. School libraries can be instrumental in increasing interactions between groups such as teachers and students, students and information, and teachers and resources through technology. Virtual libraries can create a sense of community with the users, provide opportunities for participation and conversation, and allow the sharing of ideas and experiences.

A good portion of this class was spent developing a participatory library toolbar, in this case a Conduit toolbar. The toolbars really resonated with me as a way to share resources and information within specific groups of people. During the class I worked with another middle school librarian to develop a toolbar for Language Arts teachers. We worked with Language Arts teachers to see what resources they would like included in the toolbar. Getting the input and ongoing feedback from the users is an essential part of getting teachers interested in and accessing this tool. Once this was developed I shared it the Language Arts teachers at my school. Some have chosen to use it, others have forgotten about it. It is a pretty general toolbar that has not been updated, in part because I haven't kept promoting it and updating it, and we had a big change in Language Arts staff. I've shifted my toolbar focus to the Madison school district library staff this year. As part of the district's Library Leadership Team I suggested the use of a Conduit toolbar as way to enhance our communication, share resources, and make sure that everyone has the same information. Our handbook is woefully outdated and we have decided to use the toolbar as the way to share that information. There will be links to pertinent sites, as well as to wikis and blogs (or Moodle, still deciding) that have the needed information. Commonly used sites for vendors and district sites will be included on the toolbar for easy access, as well as Spanish-language resources for books and Assistive Technology resources. This toolbar is still under construction for this year, but the link for download is included as an artifact. Again the success of this toolbar will be dependent on other librarians providing their feedback and suggesting links to add.

The beauty of the toolbar is the ease that it provides to the user to access websites - they are literally at your fingertips and consistent from all computers to which they have been downloaded. I also created a student toolbar and installed it on the computers in the library. One of the groups was copyright-free images, as an alternative to Google. Since it is right there for students they were more likely to click on those links than they would have been had the links just been on the library catalog page, which requires more clicks to get to. Students with computer Internet access at home are able to download the toolbar to that computer to use the same resources they are using at school, and with the same ease. The next step to improving the toolbar and getting more use from students would be to include students and staff in the continual development of the toolbar.

Today it is important to provide ways for students and teachers to access information away from the physical library space. People can literally have the library at their fingertips if librarians provide them with that opportunity and the training needed. With Conduit toolbars we are able to provide them with websites that will get them the information they need. With Lib X they are able to have quicker access to the library catalog without having to go through the steps to get into the catalog. Online tutorials and help guides are other ways to provide library services to patrons when they are away from the actual library. Through the use of tools like blogs and wikis we can encourage conversation and participation in creating knowledge.

I realize that I will need to be constantly vigilant for ways to keep the library in the "conversation", whether that is through Conduit toolbars, Facebook, or the next new thing. I also would like to work on providing more user education related to the digital library. In May I was involved with providing instruction on the use of Conduit and wikis to other Madison school librarians. These tools will be essential for our communication in the librarian community. As I move to a new school this year I'm looking at a variety of ways to provide students with the information they need to access digital resources. This is a good time for me to consider new ideas and what type of training to provide to students and teachers. I understand I need to get to know my new patrons and find out what they they need, but I also want to come in with a plan.