Top 5 Tasks Patrons Use Library Computers for (work in progress)

Posted on April 21st, 2009 by Heather Braum

Liz & I are investigating possibly using nettops/netbooks in our libraries. One of the things we’re looking into is trying to determine what patrons are actually using patron computers for, as nettops/netbooks aren’t as power-hungry or hardware-intensive as a regular desktop. We theorize, that in reality, 95% of what people are using library computers for are basic tasks, which is what nettops/netbooks are built for! To test our theory, Liz initially threw out a question to our Twitter friends, asking “twitter game: top 5 things your patrons do on library computers. Go”. I re-tweeted the question to my friends, and then asked the question on two other social networks I’m on.

We’ve received several responses already through the various social networks; the responses are listed below, and we’ll add to the list if more come in (will be sending this out on various library listservs, too). Let us know in the comments the top 5 things your patrons use library computers for. Thanks to all who responded already!

The List So Far:

• Banking
• Bill paying
• Chat
• Course management software (online)
• Database use (journal articles)
• Discipline-specific software
  
• Download forms
  
• Download Music to Mp3 players
• eBay
• Email
• File taxes online
• Games (web-based)
• Games (computer)
• Homework
• Job hunting
• “Keep up with the times. This past week it was Susan Boyle”
• Maps
• Music
• News
• Online card catalog
• PowerPoint presentations
• Read articles about interests
• Research on the Web
• Resumes
• Shopping
• Social Networking
• Unemployment Compensation
• Web surfing
• Word Processing
• Work-related
• YouTube

Tags: netbooks, nettops, twitter

Marketing the Stuff You Already Own

Posted on April 10th, 2009 by Liz

New stuff is cool. New stuff is exciting. But what about all of the other stuff you have that’s not so new?

Heard about an interesting idea brought about by discussions of the movie “Objectified” – and of course the movie is addressing *consumer* conspicuous consumption – a campaign to advertise the benefits of enjoying the things you already own, instead of just purchasing a new one.

I know, you’re thinking… but this is a technology weblog, where oh where is your technolust?

Believe me, I have plenty of technolust (hello, iPhone user, netbook owner, Wii player, etc), but there is value in all of our old stuff, both personally or as libraries. All libraries have stuff around that is only languishing because people don’t know you have it, what ideas do you have for marketing your lesser utilized technologies and materials?

I used to (blank) but now I (blank) on the internet for free

Posted on April 9th, 2009 by Liz

Interesting thread over at Lifehacker about the things that we used to pay for or do in an analog fashion, but that we now do on the ‘net (or with Open Source software) for free.

Examples:
“I used to go to the library to get books… Now I just log into the library’s website and load them on my portable reader! -ditto for audiobooks”

“I used to pay for long-distance calls, but now I use Skype.”

“I used to buy stamps to mail my bills, but now I’ve discovered online bill pay at my bank’s web site. I still can’t believe that they mail out the check for me, to anyone in the US!”

“I once thought of paying for satellite radio (Sirius, XM), but now just listen to Pandora.”

“I used to buy blank CD’s to back up my data, but now I use the 2GB free storage/backup system at Mozy.”

“I used to haul around files on thumbdrives, but now I use Dropbox.”

See the full list

Do you have library related examples of things you used to do in an analog fashion but now do better/easier/faster/cheaper online? Let’s hear it!

Living in the Cloud – KLA Presentation

Posted on April 1st, 2009 by Liz

Internet Computer – the $400 computer that can mount on the back of a LCD screen

Info about the MSI Nettop computer

Link to presentation on Slidehare

What is Cloud Computing? – See the video we had problems with… it turns out some of the voices were on one channel instead of both and the sound system in our room was only one channel (the wrong one).

Presenters: Liz Rea, Heather Braum and Sharon (the quiet one)

Q&A

Dropbox – file storage in the cloud, free up to 2GB

Bandwidth allocation – how do you manage in member libraries?

Tags: #klampla

TechAtlas Technology Planning Webinar

Posted on February 3rd, 2009 by smoreland

All along the Tech Plan Road from defining goals and objectives to budgeting to downloading the finished product as a Word document, TechAtlas helps make it an easy journey.  They have included e-rate Tips and Help screens to support you along the way.

Some important points I took from the TechAtlas Webinar delivered today by WebJunction (a link to hear an archived recording is below):

• Make note of when a plan DRAFT is started
• Utilize a Technology Team to encourage buy in, support and brainstorming
• Write a Vision statement that says where technology in the library will be in the Best Case scenario
• Write Goals and Objectives that are specific, measurable, understood by ALL, obtainable and relevant
• Ask the question – does the library have the human and financial resources to do achieve the goal?
• Include a Board Liaison in the planning process and present a DRAFT of the plan to the Board for discussion
• Use the Activities feature to spell out the steps in the process of reaching the Goals and Objectives – you can determine deadlines and work assignments
• Evaluation – The Tech Plan needs an evaluation component to ‘assist with making mid-course corrections to your plan’
  • Treat the Tech Plan as a living document
  • Keep a record of why an objective was or was not achieved
  • Document the roadblocks – budget cuts? loss of staff? tornado?
• You have the option of uploading your Tech-related policy documents to share with our Partner, the State Library of Kansas
• Once the TechPlan is written using TechAtlas, you can download a copy in Word or Rich Text Format to add additional information
  • Consider adding a historical statement, for example that with a grant you were able to replace all of your patron computers, so computer replacement is not necessary for the current plan
• Surveys – These are VERY interesting – you can assess your staff’s technical comfort and expertise with these surveys and create interesting graphs with the results
• Inventory - Have you thought about how happy your insurance company would be if you had a current inventory of ALL library technology in case of some unforeseen disaster (this IS Kansas, after all).  You can inventory computers, software, fax machines, routers, switches – all of it.
• Event Tracker – this is online “Help Desk” software that staff can use to report technical issues and keep track of the solutions!

Stay tuned for Tech Plan Work Days – I will expect folks to come with ideas, their TechAtlas username/password and ENTHUSIASM!

Actual Tech Atlas: webjunction.techatlas.org

If you have participated in a WebJunction Webinar before, you can open a Wimba Room and hear a recording of today’s session at: http://67.202.209.252/launcher.cgi?room=wj_TAsessions_2009_0129_1300_40

I you have NOT participated in a Webinar before, please run this Wizard to set everything up:  http://67.202.209.252/wizard/launcher.cgi?wc=wms

Supporting Documentation:
Technology Planning Guide http://www.webjunction.org/techatlas/articles/content/11161352
Inventory Computers in TechAtlas for Libraries Guide http://www.webjunction.org/techatlas/articles/content/443090

Contact me or the nice folks at techatlas@webjunction.org if you have questions.

Popular Web 2.0 words and their origins

Posted on January 9th, 2009 by Heather Braum

Ever heard Liz use the words Fail or FTW? She’s our resident Web 2.0 word guru at NEKLS. Now, with this post from ReadWriteWeb, we can all translate what she’s saying! Happy Friday afternoon!

500 Worst Passwords of All Time

Posted on December 30th, 2008 by Heather Braum

Wonder if you have a secure password or one that’s easy to crack? Check out this list of the 500 worst passwords of all time. If yours is on the list, please consider changing it. Contact the NEKLS Tech staff if you need help doing so. Have a Happy New Year!

Joy of Computing — Planning for Success

Posted on November 7th, 2008 by smoreland

New from MaintainIT – Joy of Computing, Planning for Success!

http://www.maintainitproject.org/cookbooks/planning-for-success

MaintainIT’s latest cookbook is a guide for the over-worked librarian. This comprehensive online resource offers the most current ideas and best practices for planning, building, and managing your library’s computer technology. “Planning for Success” does not aim to turn you into a networking guru. Rather it provides the details you need to get your library’s technology up and running properly, sustain its growth, and ensure its viability. Based on  real life experiences and successes of librarians across the country, this cookbook is supported by a complete set of online tools and links to additional Internet resources. One librarian that shared her real life experience is Monique Sendze, Johnson County Library.  (A preview of “Planning for Success” chapters is included at the end of this message.)

MaintainIT serves a full menu of live webinars that will help you make the most of the cookbook series while giving you the chance to share your successes and ask your questions.  Visit the MaintainIT events calendar, http://www.maintainitproject.org/events for an up-to-date listing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Planning for Success” Chapters:

• Planning and Decision Making covers the ins and outs of creating a technology plan that ties to your strategic priorities and goals.
• Communication and Partnerships delves in the fundamentals of day-to-day technology communication from a “techie” and “non-techie” perspective. It also includes some important guidelines for working and collaborating with key stakeholders.
• Buying and Deploying Technology goes through some of the core actions and decisions you need to consider when planning deployments, installations, and upgrades.
• Maintaining and Sustaining Technology offers important insight into the daily management of public computers.
• Networking and Security covers some of the basic standards and practices for ensuring your library’s network security.
• Innovation highlights the true value of today’s libraries and the role in serving as the center of new community conversations via a much higher level of user interactivity and experiences. If you are ready for Web 2.0, this is a good place to start.

Questions?  Contact Brenda Hough, bhough ‘at’ techsoupglobal ‘dot’ org

Need to create a PDF?

Posted on September 25th, 2008 by Heather Braum

For those of you who would like to be able to create PDFs, but do not want to purchase Adobe Acrobat Professional/Standard, there is a free tool available to you. It’s especially helpful when you’ve created something in Publisher and can’t share it with someone because that person doesn’t have Publisher.

All you need to do is download and install PrimoPDF…. See the rest of the post over at the NEKLS Tech Knowledgebase.

Tags: primopdf pdfs

Why you need secure passwords

Posted on September 24th, 2008 by Heather Braum

By now, many of you have probably heard on the news that the email account of one of the VP candidates (Sarah Palin) was hacked last week. A lesson is to be learned from this: why you need to start using secure passwords that don’t include easy-to-find/know personal information about yourself or your family.

Read this Wired blog post, that includes descriptions from the hacker himself/herself of how s/he actually hacked into the account (there is some profanity, but it is germane to the story).