Raising Awareness in Library 2.0 way: The UJ Sciences Librarian Virtual Experience SANLiC Workshop, 28 May 2009

Web 2.0/Library 2.0 in Academic Libraries Web 2.0 emerged as a way to stimulate people’s participation, contributions and collaboration in the creation of a new content over the web The use of the Web 2.0 tools in the libraries have created the Library 2.0 term. The aim of the Academic Library 2.0 is to enhance the already existing electronic environment with its services and to contribute/be a part of the research process. The implementation of the social tools into the library environment, will keep the librarians current and will help them become an active participants in the building of a new knowledge society generation. Adapting the library services to fit the Social Networking environment would be a logical extension to what we do in the Library.

Raising Awareness of Library Resources & Services Traditional way -Newsletters - s notifications -Visual the Department & the Library -Print-outs -Library website -ToC (print; via ) -Search results sent through /print /export -User Education Library 2.0 way -Blogs (posts & comments) -Social Networking -Social Bookmarking -RSS feeds -Wiki for subject guides -Instant Messaging/Chat Ask-a-Librarian help -Mind Maps -Podcasts & Videos -Imbed widgets for visual illustration -iGoogle (personal 2.0)

Raising Awareness: User needs Meet users in their space -Library the Departmental websites -Visual the Departments -Visits to the Departments -Make use of Virtual Learning Environment (EduLink; websites) - Make use of the Social Networking places (Facebook; Twitter, etc.) Tempt users into the Library - Visual & Virtual access - Interactive library websites -Games (sudoku; library quizzes, widgets, Second Life, etc.) -Build personal relationship -Displays to promote the library resources -Do Library special topic days (Database of the week; Online books, etc.)

Raising Awareness: Library News Blog Latest Library News; Library Services; Projects & initiatives; Trial databases; New databases; Publisher’s news and updates; etc.

Raising Awareness: Library Research Blog Sciences Research News; Journals Impact factors; Ranking; UJ Researchers articles (links to full-text); Research resources, etc

UJ Sciences Librarian Blogs

Social Bookmarking Social Bookmarking is the practice of saving bookmarks to a public website and “tagging” them with keywords It can be used for Current Awareness and Selective Dissemination of information (articles, news; ToC, websites; blog posts, etc.) -EbscoHost, ACS, RSC, IoP, etc. -Elsevier: 2Collab/Blog this/ RSS Implications for Librarians, Researchers and Learners Tagging information resources with keywords has the potential to change the way we store and find information Social Bookmarking simplifies the distribution of reference list; bibliographies, article; news and other resources among peers and students Some Social Bookmarking sites: -Delicious -Digg -Google, etc.

Social Bookmarking: EbscoHost

Social Bookmarking Select any service, you would like to implement in your library

Social Bookmarking: Results list

Social Bookmarking: Promotional Widget ScienceLibrarian on Delicious

Social Networking/Sharing: Facebook Use Facebook to raise awareness with the undergraduates Meet the “net generation” in their environment - IM/Chat option - Pictures, videos - Links to the library resources Share knowledge and information (on the wish list)

Social Networking/Sharing: Twitter UJLibScience ( Twitter let people send and receive messages (140 characters) in real- time What are you doing? Links to useful websites Raise an awareness to library services and resources You can “follow” and see what are others saying I follow: Springer; Elsevier; Science Librarians, etc.

Social Networking: Instant Messaging (IM) MeeboMe: UJSciLibAPK IM is a real-time chat room. Users can ask short questions about databases, services, problems, etc. Opportunity to give their voice about the library

Raising Awareness: RSS Feeds What it is? RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” RSS feeds publish frequently updated content from the sites you are interested across the Internet. Make use of RSS feeds for: - Current Awareness and Selective Dissemination of information > Journals Table of Content (ToC) RSS feed > Article search RSS feed > News feeds, etc. Databases that provide this service: EbscoHost, ScienceDirect; IoP; Wiley Interscience, SpringerLink, American Chemical Society, etc.

RSS feeds for Journals

RSS feeds: Keywords/Articles Easy to subscribe to the RSS feed

Raising Awareness: Departmental websites

Raising Awareness: Wiki platform for Sciences Librarian Portal: The portal is developed and maintained by the UJ Sciences APK. Use of WIKI to collaborate in subject guides. Provide access to: -Subject Portals -Teaching, Research & Undergrads Support -Electronic Resources -Trials; User Education; -Twitter; IM/Chat; Library & Research News (blogs); Bookmarking (articles)

Raising Awareness: Sciences Subjects Portals One stop for users to find links to Top Electronic Resources, Library Services, RSS news & Journals feeds; Podcasts & Videos; Research projects, etc.

Raising Awareness: Virtual Learning Environment

Virtual Learning Environment: Mind Map Use Mind Maps to visualize your resources: Links to Library Books; Instructions materials; Electronic databases; Online Reference works

Raising Awareness: Imbedded Widgets on the Sciences Subject Portals

Raising Awareness Banners

Conclusion: Raising Awareness Traditional meets Library 2.0 Web/Library 2.0 Web 2.0 stimulates people’s participation, contributions and collaboration in the creation of a new content over the web. The 2.0 technological tools are available for free. They are easy and convenient to use. They give librarians flexibility to provide current and relevant services. You don’t need special skills to implement Blogs; Wikis; Instant Messaging, Social Bookmarking; Social Networking, etc. Traditional Although we do made use of 2.0 to raise awareness of the library and its resources, we are still going to use the traditional library services ( s; newsletters; print-outs, face-to-face visits, etc. Adaptable - The South African librarian need to cater for a diverse group of users: from disadvantage learners to highly qualified researchers. Traditional + Virtual (2.0) Librarian = Comprehensive Librarian?

Thank you Virtual & Traditional Sciences Librarian University of Johannesburg, APK Pavlinka Kovatcheva Tel.: UJ Sciences Librarian Portal