Saturday, February 17, 2007

Blogpost #3--Learning Library 2.0

“Technology isn’t the story anymore. It’s what people are doing with it”.

That’s a quote from Hopping into Library 2.0: Experiencing Lifelong Learning, a SirsiDynix Institute Web seminar. I recently discovered these seminars on the Institute’s website and highly recommend them. They’re free, and you can attend the live feeds while sitting at your desk or listen to archived presentations 24/7. Visitors to the site have the option of viewing presentations or listening to them via podcasts (also available on iTunes), and supplemental material is available via PDF files. This particular seminar by the Yarra Plenta Regional Library, Melbourne Australia also enabled attendees to interact by participating in two polls.

The Yarra library’s seminar piggy backs on an earlier presentation , Learning 2.0 : Make "Play" Your New Year's resolution by Helene Blowers, Technology Director, Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County and presented in January of this year. Both of these seminars discuss how 2.0 activities enable users to find information, learn, create content and celebrate culture. Sometimes there’s so much emphasis on the technology, that we lose sight of the reasons why we use it. These seminars place 2.0 technologies in the framework of services.

Both libraries give examples of how they sought to empower and educate their staff in a “playful” environment in hopes of eliminating their fears. The PLCMC came up with a voluntary learning program for its staff, 23 Learning 2.0 Things which allowed them to spend as little as 15 minutes a day over a nine week period exploring Web 2.0. Their list was specific, and the activities were hands on. (Thank you, Michael. We’ve already learned about many of these technologies in LIS753!).

In our last class meeting, Michael asked our opinions about having LIS701 students begin their first class session creating a blog or using another Library 2.0 technology. I responded with a resounding, “No”. Reflecting back on my first 701 class session, I would have felt lost and intimated if these activities had been mandated. After having a look at both of these SirsiDynix seminars and reading PLCMC’s 23 Learning list, I’ve changed my mind. There is a way to safely ease new learners into the new technologies, and for those who don’t have the advantage of enrollment in a LIS753-type class, both of these libraries have shown us how to do it.

2 comments:

Mary said...

I agree, there is a 'safe place' in being able to learn. I didn't think I would ever be taking this class and doing all the fun stuff that I am learning. I do think there is a fine line on how subject is introduced. I have been very satisfied with all my classes. LIS 753 has provided me with more than I imagined and this is a good thing. LIS 701 was a great introduction to this program, having more technology might prove interesting.

Michael Stephens said...

Claudia - Thanks for this post and Mary thanks for the comment. The more I think about it the more I'd want my 701 folks to tap into just a bit of what we have discovered. It may make their program different - and possibly more informed (?).