Using LibGuides as a Web 2.0 Content Management System & Collaboration Tool for Engineering Librarians Richard Bernier – ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition Louisville, KY June 23, 2010

What is Library 2.0? “Any service, physical or virtual, that successfully reaches users, is evaluated frequently, and makes use of customer input” – Michael Casey Integration of Web 2.0 services into a traditional library environment Two-way flow of information allowing users to contribute to the knowledge base for other users. Read-write environment for the user

Why Create a Web 2.0 Environment? College students already conduct most of their time online in a Web 2.0 environment. If we are going to serve them online, we must do so in the online environment that they are already in. Direct user-librarian interaction at the point of need.

Enter LibGuides First and foremost, it is a content management system designed specifically for libraries with Web 2.0 features built-in. –Subject guides setup by individual librarians – can be co-authored by others –Numerous box types allow for a multitude of different content (Simple Links, links with pop-up balloons, embedded video, RSS feeds, Rich text / Dynamic Content / Scripts, podcast feeds, etc.)

Web 2.0 Features Users can: Suggest resources Rate resources Leave comments Communicate directly with librarians via chat widgets Sign up for RSS feeds Receive updates about new guides published

Web 2.0 Features it Lacks Users can not create their own accounts to customize for their own purposes- –Can not communicate with other users or librarians through their own profile. –All interaction is anonymous.

What a complete Library 2.0 System might look like OPAC Integration Subject Guides Database Authentication Single Log-in for users E-Reserves Communicatio n with staff / other users

Personal Observations Very high usage of the Guides Chat widget feature is highly used. Accounts for approximately 1/3 of our reference questions. Almost no usage of the comments or link suggestion features. The star rating feature is used somewhat but multiple links to the same database do not share ratings from page to page.

LibGuides as a Collaboration Tool via LibGuides Community LibGuides Community Site – browse or search guides to discover new resources. –Can copy links, boxes or complete guides 92,936 guides by 21,387 librarians at 1,401 libraries worldwide

SpringShare Lounge SpringShare also has a support blog and Twitter account

Other SpringShare products expanding Library 2.0 capability Campus Guides LibAnswers Scholar Guides

CampusGuides LibGuides –Library  Subject Guides –(2 levels of accounts, Admins, Librarians) Campus Guides –Library system  Libraries  Subject Guides –(3 levels of accounts, 3 rd could be students or faculty) –ePortfolio feature - 90% done –Future enhancements will allow administrators to define permissions to different levels with greater granularity

LibAnswers A highly functional frequently asked questions reference tool and knowledge- base –Users can ask questions Previously answered questions will pop up as they type the question –Unanswered questions go into an unanswered questions queue which can be answered by a librarian and added to the knowledgebase Avoids repetitive questions such as “How do I find out if you have a particular journal?

ScholarGuides Will be revealed at the end of this month A guide about a person – faculty member, researcher, anyone on campus. Boxes would describe their education, awards, publications, etc.

Conclusion Just over ten years ago we redefined our definition of a library –No longer confined by physical location - resources available online This has grown in sophistication We are now in another major transition- its not just in how we make resources available, but how we present these resources and communicate with our users.

Richard Bernier Reference & Electronic Services Librarian