My Day

Today I got to play with the receipt printer at work. We tried to place an Summer Reading Program logo on the bottom of the receipt.

This one was designed by our children's librarian.

The original image came out a little blurred and hard to read. The font is about size 8 or 9. It is a little difficult to read. You also can't see the opossum very well.

Here's my attempt at a logo.

I was kind of surprised when my logo was chosen. This logo will be at the bottom of all of OKRLS' check-out receipts for the duration of the summer reading program. What do you think?

Finishing up

Well, the time for class to finish up. I have covered so much in this class!

Last week I actually had to work double time in social media when our usual Facebook Moderator went on vacation. I was in charge of the Okefenokee Regional Library System Facebook page which is a lot more work than I originally thought it would be. To make sure we stayed current in our feed, I needed to add at least two things a day. I chose random book quotes, retro posters, and fun facts. This week we are promoting our Summer Reading Club: Dig into reading which starts up this week. We are still trying to get everything perfect on the page, but it has come a long way since we started it last year. I have only recently been added as a moderator, so this should be a fun experiment.

If anyone is interested, please like our Facebook page!

Cloud Computing... Again.

I am currently finishing a paper on Cloud Computing. I guess I just didn't realize how big a term it was. It can cover e-mail, Flicker, Facebook, and anything Google. I'm pretty sure now that our Union Catalog, PINES, is a form of Cloud Computing because it is:
1. Accessible from anywhere
2. Collects shared data from other Georgia Libraries
3. Multiple people can change it

I think it meets most of the criteria. After figuring that out, I think a little light bulb lit up in my head. I've got this now.

Interview with a Librarian

Screen Capture of the Okefenokee Regional Library System Webpage

I interviewed the website manager  for the Okefenokee Regional Library System. She has been working for the system for almost two years and is in charge of the library system's online presence, including it's Facebook page. One of her jobs it to update and revise the webpage for the library system, click here to see webpage. She uses Joomla to manage the webpage. I interviewed her about her experience using CMS and what she would like to do to improve the experience. This interview was conducted on May 25, 2013 through Instant Messanger,

How and where did you hear about CMS?

Librarian:: For CMS in general: library school when I made my first website for class.
For the OKRLS (Okefenokee Regional Library System): When I found out the website was in Joomla.

What are your motivations to adopt CMS for its current use in the library?       

Librarian:: I had no choice. GPLS (Georgia Public Library System) set up the site for us in its current incarnation and chose Joomla because its free and cheap and we wouldn't have to pay extra. (This is also my answer for the motivation behind using her CMS)

 We're hoping to change to something easier like blogger or something easier to use.

Who else is able to change or improve upon the OKRLS webpage?
Librarian: The director and GPLS.

What previous CMS programs have you used before?
Librarian: Only Dreamweaver in school.

What are the important benefits or advantages of the CMS program you are using now over the old system or another CMS you've used in the past?

Librarian:: The only benefit is it cost us nothing.

What are the problems you've had with Joomla?

Librarian:: Flexibility in trying to make the page look like I want with drop down menus, rollover images, and transitioning image links. The lack of WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get) properties- the page is created only when you view it and not while you make it, which is irritating.

What features would you look for in a replacement program?'

Librarian:: The ability to make and see changes made immediately. Easy integration of video and social media links. Less cumbersome image storage-- both adding and deleting files.

Is there any other social media you wish you could add to the website/ resources at the library?

Librarian:: We'd love to add the Facebook image and like button, but it won't work (with Joomla). Also video content, whether on YouTube or uploaded.

What do you think is the future of CMS technologies?

Librarian: No idea. I'm not really much of a techie. I don't follow technology trends.

We also spoke about ways to use Facebook to boost the library system's appeal. Currently the library is using the Facebook page to advertise events, such as Summer Reading Club, and to inspire patrons to read through famous quotes and images. The library is still trying to figure out the best way to use both technologies.

Small piece of the OKRLS Facebook Page.

Conclusion:

While speaking with the librarian, I realized she had many of the same issues with Joomla as I had had in the creation of my website for this class. She feels that she is still learning how to use the program, but is stuck with the format given to her by GPLS. She feels like she can not use the technology to its fullest potential because she cannot put all of her social media and webpage information together in a meaningful way. It is a similar issue that I had when trying to assemble a website with Joomla.

For me this interview reinforced the reality of the job responsibilities in the public library market. Many libraries are cutting back on librarian positions and other librarians are inheriting their responsibilities. Many librarians have found themselves performing tasks that they have never had to and that are outside their fields. The librarian works as in a different field as well as maintaining the library system's online presence which is outside her normal duties. As more libraries are forced to cut back on staff due to their budgets, it has reinforced my belief that librarians need to learn as much about every part of the field as possible in case they are called to work on something beyond their normal duties.

Life in a Cloud

I have been reevaluating my use of the Amazon Cloud service thanks to this weeks reading. I think Cloud technology is definitely a plausible idea for libraries. I kept focusing on policy creation and how it would benefit managers to be able to share their ideas and experiences with policies among themselves and the director. This would help for better policy creation just to know and understand what the policy really needs. This would help improve policy so informed policies can be brought before regional and local boards. The more informed the policy, the better the library.

After trying to remove the banner from Joomla again, I must declare defeat. The little flower picture is starting to grow on me like a fungus. I guess it will stay as all attempts to change it out with an image of a bookshelf have resulted in errors message and/or a site with  overlapping images which was quite frightening. It looks okay, just not my normal level of neurotic perfection.

Hope everyone else has had a better time!

Joomla Conquered...For Now

I have mostly finished my Joomla site and it has been quite difficult.

My site, so far. Like my logo? Creative Funding here.

-It was fairly easy to get a working website together relatively quickly, but it was difficult to make it look the way I wanted to. Most of the downloadable templates were difficult to control or required payment. 

-I attempted to change the banner but for some reason it would not actually publish the selected image to the site and when it did download, it would put a little broken link icon in the image. I stuck with the blue flower and just changed out the backdrop to make it look a little more cohesive.

-I successfully made two menus, Articles and Links. Articles contains the links to the archived articles I wrote about Coke Rewards and Amazon Associates. Those pages include more images of other sites which were easy to drop in.

A quick example of the Coke Reward Page I discussed.

 -The link page contains links to Amazon Associates and Coke Rewards so other may investigate these sites themselves to see if they meet their libraries needs.

-I did manage to put in a logo that I created with some modified clip-art and font, but I found that the easiest thing to do on the site.

I do not see myself using this program again in the near future until they can make the platform a little more user friendly. I need to have a site that even a novice can control and this, unfortunately, is not it. The two hour instruction video was intimidating and very dry. It would have been better broken up into ten minute tutorials that could easily be returned while one is putting together a site.

I bid you farewell, Joomla. 

Joomla Continued...

Today, I've gone ahead and written my post and gotten the menus written. I am still trying to play around with the graphics to get the look up to my standards. I have chosen (for the moment) to stick with the Protostar template since it is the one outlined in the tutorial and I am now frightened of "breaking my site". I will probably finish it up tomorrow though and have a new post up soon here as well.

Wish me luck!

Joomla-- The rough start

Today, I began looking and playing with Joomla for class. So far, I have begun playing with the menu features. The article part seems pretty straight forward, just type and link. The menus seem pretty straight forward as well, but I am more concerned with trying to revamp the appearance of the site generated. I do not like the current layout at all and find it difficult to even get an idea of what can be done with the site.

I don't know what kind of articles I need to write for this assignment, but I do feel that when I learn that I will know what the site should look like.... I hope to get a stronger idea this weekend as I work through the first steps of actually setting up the website. For easier site building I prefer the drag and drop layout of the webs program.

Wish me luck.

Today, I have been working on trying to begin a wiki. I have been trying to find computer tutorials which are appropriate for my library's clientele. I think screen shots and videos would be the most well received, but I am really looking for simple programs. I also realized that if I used the selected Youtube videos because of the filters used by the public library systems in Georgia. I am still looking for a good alternative. Does anyone have any ideas? Or should I include the Youtube videos for patrons accessing them from home?

I am still on the fence of which Wiki site to use, but I have narrowed it down to three. Since my library is part of a system, its resources would need to be able to be exchanged between all five branches. So those patrons would also need access to add to the wiki. Still trying to figure the logistics out.

Let me know what you think!

Wiki beginning

The Appling County Public Library is a small, rural public library in Baxley, Georgia. The library is currently working off of a limited budget which allows for a staff of four, with only two members of staff present at one time, and most resources going to collection development. This library serves the county of Appling which has a population of around 18, 000 and is considered a low socio-economic area (United States Census Bureau, 2013). With almost a quarter of the population living below poverty level, this library has become a place for people to come to access the internet, computers, and other resources (United States Census Bureau, 2013). Many people in the community are computer illiterate and would like to have access to computer training. This Wiki will focus on computer tutorials, both vodcast and written webpages.

Using Wiki Matrix I answer strongly to the following criteria:
-The wiki needs to match branding policy
-We do not need a domain name as it will be linked from the webpage
-It will need to be hosted
-It does not need a localized language
-We do not need commercial support
-A what you see is what you get format would work well with our older patrons and staff members

From the options, I am currently leaning towards Wetpaint because it is free and matches all of these criteria. It also has layout pages in which information can be simply be dropped into a professional looking layout.

To learn more about Appling County, check out the U. S. Census Bureau Quick Facts.

United States Census Bureau. (2013). Appling County, Georgia. Retrieved from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/13/13001.html.

I have tweeted and retweeted in an effort to get a better idea of how this technology could be applied to libraries. These quick status updates are more digestible than long Facebook or blog post. It also allows for quick linking to photographs and articles, especially if they are already on Twitter. It is so easy to retweet that I have already retweeted a few things I did not mean to.

Following people on Twitter is also easy as long as you know their handle. Libraries could follow favorite authors in their area and retweet any information about new books, interesting quotes, etc. to help engage their patrons. Some classmates have also discussed how their libraries are using it to inform patrons of computer issues or library closures. Currently my system uses Facebook for this, but is not active with Twitter. In my area, where many people do not have internet access beyond the schools and the library, adding a Twitter account may not increase customer awareness until much later. Patrons usually access our Facebook account in the library so I do not know how effective Tweeting closures or computer status would work at this current time. It may be something for us to start and just see how it goes.

Currently I am following two authors, J. K. Rowling and Neil Gaiman. Any suggestions for others?

Today I am beginning a one month journey into the technology driven world and how it can benefit my library, whether my current one or the one in which I will one day work. Phase one is the creation and familiarization with blogging technology. 

I am what you may call a Digital Immigrant, which means I am one of those people who learned both the traditional and digital ways of accessing materials. I actually was part of the last class to learn how to use a card catalog and one of the first to learn how to use a digital card catalog (aka an OPAC). I have had blogs, a Facebook page, and even a website at one point. Now I plan to learn how to use these skills to increase library popularity. So far I've been confused by the new set up of the online classes, scared myself with the schedule, and prepared for the next step. I hope to learn more about how libraries are using these technologies and what they are gaining by the use.

We are currently focusing on the use of Facebook and Twitter for libraries. The system in which I am currently employed actually uses Facebook to advertise to its patrons. We try to have a few post daily so we remain current in our patron's news feeds. We also advertise library improvements (we recently got some new furniture in my branch which is really exciting), current programming, library closures, and anything library/ book related. Check out Okefenokee Regional Library System's page here.

To effectively use Facebook resources, it is important to always have something going on your page. The more active it gets, the more patrons see and remember you being there.