So after having a day or two to digest all that I learned from the LILRC Workshop the two central lessons are.
1. Keep it simple
2. Lots of other people have already done the work, and put it out there for use. So use it.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Blogging LILRC Events Live
4:00pm
Here is what we went over for the 2nd session. And then I shall summarize my feelings on this day in a post tomorrow.
Today'sMeet – Creates disposable chatrooms
TinyChat – Throwaway chat room where it is easy to transcribe into a text document
checkmycolors.com – check compatibility for those that are color blind
Netflix – No Explanation needed
Library of Congress Flickr account – All of the photos are free to use, and they are sharing their entire photo collection on their flickr account
Bookspace – sharing book lists with people
Ted Talks – Ideas worth spreading
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney
3:30pm
We are now covering the best of the web. Since there is so much I am just going to copy and paste what we went over. There is just so much good stuff here.
Firefox add-ons
-Adblock Plus – blocks ads on the web
-PermaTabs-Always display certain tabs
-GreaseMonkey-lets you customize the way websites are displayed
The New Safari
Wordpress – CMS program that can be easily installed and then configured, wysiwyg editing
Typetester – lets you see the CSS changes that take place faster than making the changes, uploading and seeing what they look like
Wikimedia Commons – Wikipedia for images and media, with the creative commons license. So it is very easy to just use these things for a project of some sort
Flickr – Is a video, and photo sharing site. Can also allow you to search for media the is in the creative commons license
Pictobrowser – Allows you to easily auto-generate galleries, using flickr as the hosting site.
Skitch – Easy way to take screen captures, only for Mac
Jing – For windows. Easy way to take screen captures and video.
Vimeo – Good for online video hosting, can password protect videos on this website.
Prezi – Online took for making presentations
Slideshare – way to share powerpoint presentations. Sorta like the youtube for presentations
280Slides – Another presentation making tool
Wordle – Makes nice graphics from just putting in text.
RSS – Need to sign on for a reader, then set up a connection between the reader and the favorite website. Setting up the connection is called subscribing.
RSS on the 'Common Crash Show' - was a very easy video to quickly explain what RSS is.
Google RSS reader is called Google Reader
Feed2JS – A way to use RSS feeds in web pages in a very easy way
Feedmyinbox – a way to convert Blogs, Feeds, and news to be delivered into email
Twitter – A microblogging site.
Tweetdeck – a nice interface for using twitter
Meebo – allows online access into any IM software
NovelTweets
Backback – It is a project management took
Basecamp – web-based project management collaboration tool
Evernote – Personal database and organization tool
Etherpad – Lets multiple people work on the same text simultaneously
PostRank – Enables one to see who is reading what RSS content
Doodle and WhenIsGood – Meeting time collaboration website
TagCrowd – Produces a clickable tag cloud
Vyew – Meeting collaboration – document sharing, Im, video conference all in one
Bacolicio.us – Puts a piece of bacon on any website. Because bacon makes everything better.
Google Voice – centralizes all your phone number to one phone number. Among other nifty things.
12:11pm
Program Overview
The program was presented by Aaron Schmidt who is the Digital Initiatives Librarian for the District of Columbia Public Library. He lives in Portland, Oregon and telecommutes to the job in DC.
The first big concept covered was simplicity and easy of use. "Websites need to be easy, before they can become interesting." And what was talked about wasn't so much the technology used to construct or hose the website, but how to organize, prioritize information and present the materials. Some simple ways on how to determine what those priorities should be were shown to the entire group.
He used the Ebsco main search page as an example of what not to do. And pointed out some things which would put off any average library patron.
Near the beginning he mentioned a must read book on website architecture called "Don't Make Me Think" by Steven Krug
Aaron also emphasized that there is never a good time for a total site redesign. Instead it is alot better slowly improve the site over time. Picking key parts of the website to change and improve. It makes for a better experience for the audience of the website, than to have a sudden jarring change.
We then went through several key things that anyone can do to improve their website.
-Write For The Web - Remove unnecessary words and make things short and sweet. The tone of the writing should be in a conversational manner. A balance must be struck between the two.
-Don't Redesign Your Website - It gets overly complicated very fast. It is a lot better to do it in bits.
-Make Sure Page Titles Match - One should have little way posts or signs to signal to the audience of the website where they are, and how to get back. It is also important that content should match the category it is under.
-Appearance Matters - People equate good appearance with good design. Make sure your website looks as good as it actually is.
-Usability Testing - Watch how people use your website. It is that simple. The key the this is to use what is learned to then fix what is wrong with the website.
The next topic that Aaron talked about the administrative process about how one goes about improving a website. Here are the steps involved. The key is to keep doing this is x month cycles, like every 3, 6, 9 months. So there is a cycle of every evolving improvement.
Planning for excellence
1.Forgot what exists
2.Gather planners
3.Determine audience
4.Assess and rank needs
5.Compare
6.Outline Steps
We then did an active exercise about how things like this can actually be implemented. Where we were all divided into groups, where each group took on the personae of a potential patron. Internally each group determined what activities were important for the patron to do at the library.
1. Defined Activities
2. Define Priorities
3. Group Into Categories
In is by going through these steps that one can determine the navigation architecture of a website.
The biggest problem facing library website now is the division between OPAC and website.
And now to get on with afternoon program
He then talked about practical ways to quickly implement website changes involving Content Management Systems (CMS)
11:15am
The last hour has officially been one of the best library programs I have attended in a very long time. Here is the link to his personal blog. www.walkingpaper.org The break is very short and I will have a more detailed post about what I learned in another hour. He is making us actively participate.
9:50am
Got here just fine. Food not allowed in auditorium, :-(, makes librarians sad. It does look brand new so it is understandable. And before the event has even started I've apparently rocked a librarian's world. Just told her about www.newegg.com, and www.xmarks.com Two very useful sites.
But the first event is going to be "Making Your Website Easier to Use and More Fun". I am hoping to get some just good ol' basic advice, and foundational type information. So the next time I make an entry will be at the 11:00am break. See you then.
Here is what we went over for the 2nd session. And then I shall summarize my feelings on this day in a post tomorrow.
Today'sMeet – Creates disposable chatrooms
TinyChat – Throwaway chat room where it is easy to transcribe into a text document
checkmycolors.com – check compatibility for those that are color blind
Netflix – No Explanation needed
Library of Congress Flickr account – All of the photos are free to use, and they are sharing their entire photo collection on their flickr account
Bookspace – sharing book lists with people
Ted Talks – Ideas worth spreading
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney
3:30pm
We are now covering the best of the web. Since there is so much I am just going to copy and paste what we went over. There is just so much good stuff here.
Firefox add-ons
-Adblock Plus – blocks ads on the web
-PermaTabs-Always display certain tabs
-GreaseMonkey-lets you customize the way websites are displayed
The New Safari
Wordpress – CMS program that can be easily installed and then configured, wysiwyg editing
Typetester – lets you see the CSS changes that take place faster than making the changes, uploading and seeing what they look like
Wikimedia Commons – Wikipedia for images and media, with the creative commons license. So it is very easy to just use these things for a project of some sort
Flickr – Is a video, and photo sharing site. Can also allow you to search for media the is in the creative commons license
Pictobrowser – Allows you to easily auto-generate galleries, using flickr as the hosting site.
Skitch – Easy way to take screen captures, only for Mac
Jing – For windows. Easy way to take screen captures and video.
Vimeo – Good for online video hosting, can password protect videos on this website.
Prezi – Online took for making presentations
Slideshare – way to share powerpoint presentations. Sorta like the youtube for presentations
280Slides – Another presentation making tool
Wordle – Makes nice graphics from just putting in text.
RSS – Need to sign on for a reader, then set up a connection between the reader and the favorite website. Setting up the connection is called subscribing.
RSS on the 'Common Crash Show' - was a very easy video to quickly explain what RSS is.
Google RSS reader is called Google Reader
Feed2JS – A way to use RSS feeds in web pages in a very easy way
Feedmyinbox – a way to convert Blogs, Feeds, and news to be delivered into email
Twitter – A microblogging site.
Tweetdeck – a nice interface for using twitter
Meebo – allows online access into any IM software
NovelTweets
Backback – It is a project management took
Basecamp – web-based project management collaboration tool
Evernote – Personal database and organization tool
Etherpad – Lets multiple people work on the same text simultaneously
PostRank – Enables one to see who is reading what RSS content
Doodle and WhenIsGood – Meeting time collaboration website
TagCrowd – Produces a clickable tag cloud
Vyew – Meeting collaboration – document sharing, Im, video conference all in one
Bacolicio.us – Puts a piece of bacon on any website. Because bacon makes everything better.
Google Voice – centralizes all your phone number to one phone number. Among other nifty things.
12:11pm
Program Overview
The program was presented by Aaron Schmidt who is the Digital Initiatives Librarian for the District of Columbia Public Library. He lives in Portland, Oregon and telecommutes to the job in DC.
The first big concept covered was simplicity and easy of use. "Websites need to be easy, before they can become interesting." And what was talked about wasn't so much the technology used to construct or hose the website, but how to organize, prioritize information and present the materials. Some simple ways on how to determine what those priorities should be were shown to the entire group.
He used the Ebsco main search page as an example of what not to do. And pointed out some things which would put off any average library patron.
Near the beginning he mentioned a must read book on website architecture called "Don't Make Me Think" by Steven Krug
Aaron also emphasized that there is never a good time for a total site redesign. Instead it is alot better slowly improve the site over time. Picking key parts of the website to change and improve. It makes for a better experience for the audience of the website, than to have a sudden jarring change.
We then went through several key things that anyone can do to improve their website.
-Write For The Web - Remove unnecessary words and make things short and sweet. The tone of the writing should be in a conversational manner. A balance must be struck between the two.
-Don't Redesign Your Website - It gets overly complicated very fast. It is a lot better to do it in bits.
-Make Sure Page Titles Match - One should have little way posts or signs to signal to the audience of the website where they are, and how to get back. It is also important that content should match the category it is under.
-Appearance Matters - People equate good appearance with good design. Make sure your website looks as good as it actually is.
-Usability Testing - Watch how people use your website. It is that simple. The key the this is to use what is learned to then fix what is wrong with the website.
The next topic that Aaron talked about the administrative process about how one goes about improving a website. Here are the steps involved. The key is to keep doing this is x month cycles, like every 3, 6, 9 months. So there is a cycle of every evolving improvement.
Planning for excellence
1.Forgot what exists
2.Gather planners
3.Determine audience
4.Assess and rank needs
5.Compare
6.Outline Steps
We then did an active exercise about how things like this can actually be implemented. Where we were all divided into groups, where each group took on the personae of a potential patron. Internally each group determined what activities were important for the patron to do at the library.
1. Defined Activities
2. Define Priorities
3. Group Into Categories
In is by going through these steps that one can determine the navigation architecture of a website.
The biggest problem facing library website now is the division between OPAC and website.
And now to get on with afternoon program
He then talked about practical ways to quickly implement website changes involving Content Management Systems (CMS)
11:15am
The last hour has officially been one of the best library programs I have attended in a very long time. Here is the link to his personal blog. www.walkingpaper.org The break is very short and I will have a more detailed post about what I learned in another hour. He is making us actively participate.
9:50am
Got here just fine. Food not allowed in auditorium, :-(, makes librarians sad. It does look brand new so it is understandable. And before the event has even started I've apparently rocked a librarian's world. Just told her about www.newegg.com, and www.xmarks.com Two very useful sites.
But the first event is going to be "Making Your Website Easier to Use and More Fun". I am hoping to get some just good ol' basic advice, and foundational type information. So the next time I make an entry will be at the 11:00am break. See you then.
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