On-Line Learning For Library Patrons

On-line learning for our patrons not only provides them with easily assessable learning content, which is available literaly at their fingertips, but also an educational environment which allows for open avenues of personal feedback and a sense of community among learners. Here are some examples of library programs or activites that could be adapted to this kind of format.

Bibliographic Research - At the BPL this kind of activity is generally handled through prearranged student group tours.This is a topic so rich in content that it would be better presented in mini- course form. Of course, there would be some users who would want a shorter more introductory presentation which could be available as a video on our web site. The online course content could be provided by a single librarian or a group of such instructors giving a virtual tour of the library and its resources. Supplementary lectures could be added throughout the presentation in those instances where a more in depth explanation of the proper use of a particular resource tool would be required. Opportunities for questions and feedback could be provided for between students, teachers, and library instructors, as well as homework assignments to facilitate hands on learning. An assessment should be conducted at the end of the course in order to determine how well the students learned the material as well as how effectively it was presented. This on-line program could also be offered in various alternative versions tailored to a learning group's particular age level or subject interests.

Catalog Searching - There are of course help screens available throughout our catalog, but I'm not sure how effective they are. We could offer an on-line course structured similarly to the one above, except the virtual tour would be about the most effective ways to search the on-line catalog. We could also have a shorter, introductory version of this course available for users on the welcome screen of the catalog itself and on our web site as well.

ESL Programs - Our literacy program here at the BPL is currently centered around individual tutoring sessions and conversation groups for interested patrons. Just think of how much more effective and available it would be if students had access to an on-line course instead. Individual lessons could be structured so that one could view them and complete the homework assignments at their own pace. The completed assignments (both written and oral) could be submitted to the instructor via email, podcasting, etc. who would then monitor progress and offer feedback to individual students through these same channels. I learned about how to provide a sense of community among learners through introduction to a software called Blackboard Community System. Conducting conversation groups in an easily assessable videoconferencing format would increase attendance and create a real sense of connection amongst the ESL students from all over the Boston area. Additional avenues of communication could also be provided for and encouraged between all students in our Web 2.0 style ESL program in order to further facilitate this sense of community which I think would be so supportive in a learning environment of this nature.

GoogleDocs Slideshow

I just love love love world music! Here is my very brief presentation on Turkish musicans.

GoogleDocs - Spreadsheet Templates

Here is a sample of the type of budgeting info. which would be useful to me in my work with the music cd selection committee at my library. I could envision breaking this info down further into countries and the individual titles purchased with respect to each. In addition, some circulation figures would really enhance the picture.

Can't Find That Special Gift? - SmugMug, Threadless, Spoonflower

I chose to explore Spoonflower, SmugMug, and Threadless in search of gift-giving ideas. I could say that actually all three of these sites had potential in this regard, but each did not peaked my interest to the same level.

My definite favorite is SmugMug, mainly because of the degree and ease of customization offered within their product line. We've all run up against the difficult situation of not being able to think of just what to get that "someone" on our list. The safest bet, in my opinion, is to go with the truly personalized touch. I think that the gift of an ordinary object of everyday use, such as a mouse pad or keyring, embossed with a photo of personal interest to it's recipient, makes a great offering to just about anyone! Every time they go to use it, they will be met with a pleasant memory. Although this company has some nice options to choose from in this product category, I would like to see SmugMug expand upon their offerings even further. There are endless possibilities as far as useful products that would adapt well to this kind of personalization. Other than that, I think they have a great little practical idea here and with a larger and larger selection of products to choose from, their business should increase accordingly. Other features which lured me as a buyer to this site included attractive photo displays throughout, a well-organized user interface which could be navigated with ease, many useful and informative help options, and an attractive line of photo albums and other display tools which could be considered as additional gift-giving options.

Threadless caught my eye as a possibility because of the uniqueness of their designs and slogans. People like T-shirts that are whimsical, creative, and/or artfully decorated. This company has a good business structure in that they solicit a wide array of artists and the general public, as well, for their design ideas, whether it be artwork or slogans. By casting a wide net such as this, they can continue to come up with very creative and unique products to spark the public's interest. They even have a section of their site devoted to designs by "elite artists" if one wants to be a little more selective in their shopping. A print gallery is also available, but I didn't see anything that fit my tastes, at this point. The site itself is well arranged and searchable by style, availability, size, and price. Product imaging is also well done and includes adequate viewing angles of each design. If you are hesitant about whether or not a particular design would be well recieved by the gift recipient, you can check out the public's opinion about it through their ratings and comments. On a final note, I wish they had a wider selection of fabric colors to choose from. As a highly specialized outfit, they could definitely use more customization in this area.

Uniqueness is an important factor with respect to any T-shirt that I would by for myself or someone else. Therefore, I have added Threadless to my list of "Favorites" as far as shopping sites go. I would add however, that in order for me to actually make a purchase here, a design or slogan would really have to "catch my eye". On the other hand, if I should choose to go the fully personalized route with PhotoSmug, definitley a surer bet, I am certain that I could come up with an appropriate photo choice that would allow me to successfully create a T-shirt design to my liking.

Lastly, I want to make a quick mention of Spoonflower. Imagine, custom designing your very own fabric! It just adds a whole new dimension of creativity and personalization to handmade gifts. What a promising business venture with respect to the crafting community. I thought I 'd keep this company in mind if I ever had the time and desire to make my own gift creations. Gift certificates are available, so maybe I could purchase one of those for that special friend who just happens to be into crafting. They seem to provide a lot of support and help on their site- a particularily good feature as the whole design process appears to be just a bit complex.

AmericanTowns - Event Listing

Here's what looks to be like quite an interesting little concert by the group Di Bostoner Klezmer, right in my own library's auditorium. I wish I had more free time to attend events such as these! I had quite a time trying to post the event though. The site kept bouncing me out of my login and once I finally did get into the posting page, my first attempt did not go through. I kept at it however, and after trying on three different occasions, finally met with success. Since I haven't yet had enough exposure to this site, I wouldn't assume that posting difficulties are a regular occurrence with respect to AmericanTowns. Let's hope not anyway!!!

AmericanTowns - Post Halloween Spooks!

O.K., it's past Halloween at this point, so I needed to get a little bit creative in my search strategy. I think that mean old Grinch, of Dr. Seuss fame, was pretty scary myself! Here's a little musical holiday family fun to get you in the mood for Christmas, at the end of the month.

So far, we've covered quite a number of resources that provide valuable comprehensive information to users with respect to all the great assets that their local town or community has to offer, amongst other useful local info. I think that the public really benefits from having access to a comprehensive listing of links to community-oriented sites such as these at their finger tips. Maybe we could expand upon the section of our BPL web site already devoted to such local information by adding some of the links discovered through our coursework here. Just a thought!

LibraryThing - Columbo (Scary Enough For Me!)

O.K., I admit it. I am not into scary literature at all, but I do enjoy a good murder mystery every once and awhile. I found the Columbo episodes on television entertaining, so I thought it might be fun and interesting to experience a book version of this series. Obviously, the most endearing facet of this character is his quirky, humorous personality.

I joined up with LibraryThing to see if it would aid me in achieving my goal to read more books on spirituality. The most attractive features that this social network has to offer me are: formats for personalized lists of books I wish to read, access to reviews (both by professionals and other network members), and membership opportunities in discussion groups of readers with interests similar to mine. With a list of yet unread books to serve as a constant reminder for me to keep-up on my reading and access to the opinions of others as to the usefulness of various titles, I should be able to stay on track, while making my reading selections more efficiently.

I think this type of networking tool speaks extremely well for itself as an asset to any library catalog and could be further applied equally well in this setting with respect to non-book formats also! Some quick examples are Peerflix for DVD movies and last.fm for music cds and videos. Of course, further research would be required in order to determine the best candidates for integration with the standard library catalog.