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Online Learning

Online Collaboration, Online Learning, WJ Online Conference
Participants: Key to success of online conference
February 19th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

Thank you to all who attended last week’s Technology Essentials 2010, WebJunction’s first ever online conference. All session archives of the 10 presentations are now posted and include the contributions of ideas, links and resources posted to chat throughout the conference by the over 700 participants! If you haven’t attended one of WebJunction’s online events, you’ve yet to experience the active real-time brainstorming and community building that goes on in the chat feature. Participants are invited to post questions, comments, suggestions and links to help generate learning for all in attendance and for all who review the archives. These contributions demonstrate the sustained influence that online events can have on our library learning. For those who were unable to attend or for those who could only attend one or two sessions, these resources will remain accessible indefinitely!

Two participant generated documents from the conference deserve special recognition:

The Participant Marketing Ideas compiled from the presentation by Cindi Hickey and Janie Rutherford, M&M: Maximum Marketing/Minimum Investment is filled with suggestions and examples on everything from calendar tools to ways of marketing your databases and from partnerships in marketing to leveraging social media tools in marketing efforts. Kudos to Cindi and Janie for putting participant engagement at the core of their presentation!

And longtime WebJunction member, SLO trainer, and Utah State Library’s Library Consultant/State Data Coordinator, Juan Tomás Lee has graciously shared his document collecting Participant Notes, a thorough and thoughtful compilation from all 10 sessions!

We have heard from many of you that you attended the conference along with a group of colleagues and are excited to hear that you are sharing your learning with others via staff meetings and wikis. Please let us know how that experience worked for you or how you are applying new skills, tips or tricks on the job.

And thank you again for your participation. We are thrilled to see that the online conference model sustains WebJunction’s commitment to collaboration and learning and it doesn’t happen without you!

View complete conference archives »
Online Learning, Web development, Webinar
Webinar on Website Accessibility
January 12th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?

Our friends over at TechSoup are offering a free webinar on website accessibility this week. Here are the details:

An Overview of Website Accessibility
Thursday, January 14, 11 am PST/ 2 pm EST
http://techsoupforlibraries.org/blog/webinar-coming-up-website-accessibility

If you’ve heard of “accessibility” and want your site to be usable for all people, but aren’t sure where to start, this webinar is for you. Mark your calendars!
Conferences, Online Learning, WJ Online Conference, Webinar
WebJunction Online Conference February 9 & 10
January 7th, 2010 | Permalink | Comment?
Welcome to 2010 and what’s sure to be the year of online conferencing! WebJunction has been providing online programming in the form of monthly webinars for the past few years and we’re thrilled to be piloting our first-ever online conference filled with presenters from our partner communities and beyond! Join us on February 9–10 for this free online conference, Technology Essentials 2010, focused on practical and timely strategies for leveraging technology in sustaining your library. Conference sessions and presenters include:
- Sandra Nelson with The Planning Puzzle: Integrating your Strategic Plan and your Technology Plan
- Stephanie Gerding with Library Grants 101
- Joshua Dodson and Laura Slavin with WordPress for Library 2.0 and Beyond
- Pat Carterette with Learning When There’s No Time (or Money) to Learn
- Karen McCoy with Implementing Reliable Instant Messaging at Your Library.
You won’t want to miss this valuable learning opportunity for you and your staff. Full program and speaker information is now available and registration is free and open to all.
Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Staff Training, Sustainability
Don’t cut out Learning in hard times: 16 minutes with George and Joan
November 9th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?
Thanks to Lori Reed for pointing out this excellent podcast from Joan Frye Williams and George Needham from their Thinking Out Loud series. I just listened to it for the second time and took some notes:
- What is the social contract…our obligation to keep our skills current.
- Training budgets are seen as an easy mark in cuts to save money (they keep staff, but cut training)
- What does it cost to keep skills current?
- Investment necessary if we’re going to keep up-to-date.
- How can you stay vital and active in your community? If the resources you work with are getting trimmed back, you may need more in your bag of tricks.
- Who’s responsibility is “learning”? The individual’s? The organization’s?
- Your organization may help you keep your skills up to date, but you need to take the responsibility to act upon the knowledge you’ve acquired and apply them to the goals of the organization.
- How can we move toward a state where learning is something we all agreed to do? …to see learning as an opportunity to help each other be more successful, instead of staying in our own little silos.
- Ask yourself: What can I learn or contribute to help others learn to do their job?
- And be willing to go to others with your suggestions AND for them to not take it as a criticism of their work or inability to do the work. Acronym to remember: Q-TIP (quit taking it personally)
- Learn how to transpose what you’re learning in other spaces to your work in the library (eg. customer service you receive when shopping)
- One of the ways to tell if you’re doing a library job right is if you’re learning something.
- Learning has intrinsic awards.
- Learning is not penance.
- Management: your support for learning helps your staff feel engaged.
Bravo, George and Joan!
News, Online Learning
Newly Updated: Our Updating Software Course
September 21st, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Just like the library computer software this course talks about, our online courses often need updating too. All of our learning providers work hard to keep their courses up to date. And so in our spare minutes here (We probably have about as many of those as you do), we have also been updating some of our own WebJunction courses that have been on extended vacation over the past several months because they were beginning to show their age.

This week, we are re-releasing a really useful one for those of you out there who have been thrust into a technology support and planning role for your library. The course: Updating and Upgrading Library Computer Software, walks you through the process of evaluating patron or staff needs with costs, time and hidden drawbacks involved in updating a given piece of software on a public or staff computer. It provides a framework for coming to the right decision for your specific situation, whether you are working with free plugins, paid-for applications, or even operating systems.

You’ll take away some valuable tools that should immediately help with your library’s technology planning and PAC software maintenance efforts, including some handy checklists of questions to ask for different software situations.

IMPORTANT NOTE: As always, if you are a member of one of our WebJunction Partners, chances are you have free or discounted access to this course through their catalog. In that case, instead of using the links above, go first to the Partner site, then to the Courses tab and will find this course listed under Technology (general) > Public Access Computing.
Online Learning, Staff Training, groups
Twelve-year Study Confirms Online Learning Works
September 2nd, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

It’s one thing to experience the effectiveness of learning online with others, but quite another to have a Department of Education study confirm that experience. What foresight (bless ‘em) to start the study back in 1996 and what an exciting time to benefit from the research! As the New York Times post quotes:

“We are at an inflection point in online education,” said Philip R. Regier, the dean of Arizona State University’s Online and Extended Campus program.

The Department of Education’s meta-analysis of studies (see full report) between 1996 and 2008 compare online with in-person learning looking at the tested performance of students. The studies showed that “blended” instruction (combining elements of online and face-to-face instruction) was better than both face to face instruction or instruction conducted wholly online, but additionally that instruction conducted wholly on line was more effective than face to face instruction only.

As a parent of elementary school-aged kids, I’m of course hopeful that this research will impact some of the decisions made by funders and policy makers, especially in light of all the work going into broadband and technology stimulus work. And too, I hope that we can do a better job training our teachers, parents and of course librarians to support the learning needs and methods of all.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention how proud I am to see the study confirms some of the findings in research published way back in March 2007 by my WebJunction colleagues in the Blended Learning Guide. And also worthy of WJ gold stars is the forward thinking revealed in the resources posted in the new Group: Social Learning for Staff Development. Here’s to the days ahead, beyond the “inflection point” of online learning!
Online Learning, Staff Training
… Now with Instructor-Led Courses!
August 18th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

We all know that self-paced, anytime, anyplace learning has many advantages, and because they are the best cost effective way to get the most learning to the most people, those courses will always make up the bulk of WebJunction’s course catalog. But we also know that self-paced courses are not the only way to learn, and many of us really miss the social interaction of an instructor and classmates. So we are trying out some new, instructor-led, live-online courses that we hope you will really like.

We are pleased to announce we have just added five such new courses to our catalog. These courses are exclusively offered for WebJunction members by Amigos Library Services – the largest library consortia in the southwest, and one of the top providers of quality continuing education for library staff in the country. They are all on library-specific topics, and our initial focus this fall is on Technical Services.

The first classes start just after labor day, so now is a good time to take a look and sign up. You can see all the course listings together, read the full descriptions and enroll in the Amigos category of our Course Catalog. But as always – if you are a member of any of our State or Provincial Partners, make sure you go to the catalog on that Partner’s site instead to take advantage of some steep discounts.

Here are titles, dates and short descriptions of the courses. You can find more info in the catalog.

MARC 101 – September 8 & 9
A beginner level introduction to MARC format; this course is intended for participants who are new to MARC. Topics covered include a brief history of MARC, organization and structure of a MARC record, definition of common MARC terminology, MARC formats and use of OCLC’s Bibliographic Formats and Standards for help with understanding MARC code.

Tools for the Reference Desk – September 17 & 24
Do you want to learn how to implement Web technologies in your reference desk? This course explores a variety of online tools, from blogs, wikis, to free chat software and web-based platforms from which you can engage your users at the reference desk. Come learn how to utilize several free online tools in your reference activities.

Tech Topics: Library 2.0 – September 28
For some, Library 2.0 is new and uncharted territory. For others, it’s the same thing we’ve been doing for years. Find out where the term originated, what it actually means, and how it intertwines with Web 2.0. You’ll see live demonstrations of Library 2.0-type implementations, discuss its ramifications for your library and the profession.

FRBR – What it is and how it can help you prepare for RDA - October 13 & 15
FRBR (Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records) was created in 1998 and is the basis for the new RDA (Resource Description and Access). RDA is slated to replace AACR2 and be released in early 2010. Come and explore the new vocabulary and the bones of FRBR. By identifying FRBR, you are ready to recognize RDA when it is completed. Lively discussion is encouraged.

Basic Digitization: Everyday Imaging – November 11 & 12
This online workshop provides a solid introduction to library staff who want to start using digital imaging technology for ILL, web pages and other basic applications.
ALA2009, Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Staff Training, groups
Tweeting the way to staff learning
July 14th, 2009 | Permalink | 1 Comment

Michael Porter and I gave a presentation on Social Learning for Staff Development where we explored the concepts of serendipitous, targeted serendipity and designed learning using social networking tools.

Humans are social animals and are most engaged in learning when there is social interaction. So how could we present on a topic like this without expanding the presentation environment to allow for social learning about social learning? Even though we had the constraints of a linear lecture-type setup, we asked the participants to break up into groups, take up pen and post-it and start brainstorming challenges and ideas about how they could integrate social networking tools into their staff development programs.

I had intended to bring the groups back together to share what they had each come up with, but the room was so abuzz with social learning energy that I didn’t want to interrupt. So, I started a group on WebJunction to keep the ideas flowing. The notes from the ALA brainstorm are incorporated there as a launch pad for carrying on the conversation.
Online Learning, Webinar
Register for Drexel University Online Info Webinar
June 24th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

Two informational webinars are being offered on July 1^st regarding enrollment in Drexel University Online, offering top-ranking Library and Information Science Programs at one of ‘America’s Best Graduate Schools’ (US News and World Report), all from the comfort of your own home. As a member of WebJunction, you qualify for 10-25% off the regular tuition rates when you take graduate courses at Drexel University Online.

Session #1
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
12:00 PM to 1:00 PM (EST)
Click here to register!

Session #2
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
3:00 PM to 4:00 PM (EST)
Click here to register!

Please note that deadlines for the Fall 2009 term are quickly approaching. If you have any questions or need assistance in completing your application, please visit www.drexel.com/wj, or contact:

Valerie Malinowski
WebJunction Partnership Liaison
(215) 895-0915
vm97@drexel.edu
Library Management, Library Services, News, Online Learning, Staff Training, Tech
Library competency seedlings are sprouting
June 22nd, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?
I feel like I’ve spent much of the winter and spring planting competency seeds and I’m finally seeing the seedlings push up the soil and greet the light of day. So here’s what’s growing in the WebJunction competency garden …

♣ The Competency Index

Competency Index for the Library Field is a compilation of competency statements that address a broad spectrum of library practice and service. We aggregated and de-duped twelve leading competency sets from the field and then subjected them to a vigorous review by subject matter expert practitioners. We invite you to download the resulting publication and remix and reinvent it in whatever way best serves your library’s size, structure, and personnel development needs.

♣ Competency-course-content connections

We have integrated a fourth set of competencies from the Index with the WebJunction catalog—The Personal/Interpersonal competencies. Also referred to as soft skills, foundational or behavioral competencies, they apply to most job roles and form the underpinning of effective and stellar practice and service. Start on the Competencies tab of the WebJunction Courses page and discover connections to courses and resources aligned with specific skills and knowledge statements. You can also explore learning opportunities related to library management, core technology, and systems & IT.

♣ Competency evaluations

The results are in from the two competency evaluations WebJunction conducted in March and April. We asked respondents from across the field to evaluate themselves on a selection of skills and knowledge statements for library management and technology. Read the summaries and look for the detailed results in the PDF attached to each summary.
- Library Management Competency Evaluation Results
- Technology Competency Evaluation Results
Library Management, Online Learning, Staff Training
How do organizations partner with WebJunction?
June 1st, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?

At WebJunction we talk a lot about partnerships because we truly believe in them as a way to leverage limited resources for the library community. And while we make a lot of individual partnerships with our members, we also partner with organizations. On the first Wednesday of every month, WebJunction hosts a conversation that addresses how we work with library organizations to provide customized, cost-effective resources to keep staff skills up-to-date and libraries relevant to current patron needs. This Wednesday, Michael Shapiro and me, Zola Maddison, will provide an overview of our tools, talk about our service options, and follow up with an open Q&A. We’ll also reflect on how our current partners are successfully employing WebJunction tools to save time and money while meeting the needs of their library staff. If you’re thinking about staff training and want to learn more about partnering with WebJunction, register for one of the upcoming WebJunction for Organizations sessions, online or at ALA. We hope to see you there!
Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Staff Training
Learn better together
March 3rd, 2009 | Permalink | 2 Comments

Are you feeling experimental? Join us for a WebJunction adventure into social learning to find out what happens when we wrap a social network around a self-paced, online course. Are we more engaged with the topic? More motivated? Do we learn better?

Take part in the March Learn Together Project. Let’s get together to take this month’s featured (and discounted) course—The Customer’s Voice. We’ve created a group, which will be our virtual classroom. We’ll be able to see our “classmates” in the Group Member’s box, get the lowdown on the Overview page, read the syllabus and guidelines, and discuss the course content as we go. In the end, we’ll all hope to be able to provide better customer service.

So join the group and enroll in the course. We’ll kick off and wrap up the project with live, online meet-ups.
Online Learning
Apply to Drexel & Win an iPod Touch
February 23rd, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?
In honor of National Library Week (April 12-18, 2009), Drexel University Online will be giving away iPod Touches to four lucky people who submit a complete application package* for one of Drexel’s iSchool programs anytime before April 14, 2009. If you are interested in participating, please visit www.drexel.com/libraryweek for full details and eligibility. (Winners will be announced during Drexel’s Library Week Webinar on April 15).

Other Benefits for WebJunction Members

As a member of one of Drexel University’s partner organizations you have the opportunity to take advantage of a number of other educational benefits through Drexel, including:
- 20% tuition reduction
- Top-ranking programs from one of “America’s Best Colleges 2009”
- Convenient online format – access classes anytime, anywhere!
- No commute or career interruption
- No application fee! Apply online today – www.drexel.com/libraryweek
Spring application deadlines are quickly approaching on March 2, 2009. Start yours today at www.drexel.com/libraryweek

Contact Ellen Cox of Drexel University Online at (215) 895-0951 or via e-mail at emc64@drexel.edu

*A full application package consists of a completed application form and ALL supplemental materials required for the student’s program of interest (ie. transcripts, essay, resume, etc.)
News, Online Learning, Staff Training
LibraryU courses live on
February 4th, 2009 | Permalink | Comment?
Have you been wondering where in the world is LibraryU?

Well, LibraryU has been given new life on WebJunction in the form of 14 refreshed and reformatted online modules on topics tailored to the needs of libraries. Begun as an Illinois cooperative grant project over five years ago, LibraryU was launched to create and deliver online learning for library staff. During that time, they registered over 11,000 users. WebJunction is proud to be able to provide an ongoing, sustainable home so these valuable courses would not end up lost in cyberspace.

Visit the LibraryU section of the course catalog to see details and to enroll in any of these courses:
- Directors ASK! (Administrator-Secret-Knowledge!): this course is offered at a 50% discount for the month of February
- Keep It Simple: Developing a Marketing Plan for Your Library
- Motivating Messages for Your Library
- Merchandising that Works
- Introduction to Cataloging for Non-Catalogers
- Shelving with Library of Congress (LC) Classification
- Shelving with Dewey
- Readers Advisory Services
- Weeding the Library Collection
- Planning Story Time for Children
- Dealing with Angry Patrons
- Basic Web-based Reference
- Accompanying the Young Reader: Helping the Read Choose Appropriate Books
- You Can Do It: A Recipe for Designing Web-based Instruction
- Master of Disaster: Developing a Disaster Plan
Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Staff Training
When times get tough, trainers share ideas
January 30th, 2009 | Permalink | 2 Comments
What happens when you get 100 people who deal with library staff training and development together in a virtual room? An explosion of ideas.

The January Staff Training in Tough Times Town Hall generated a veritable flood of creative ideas and solutions. You can partake of the energy in a number of ways:
- View the archive for the full experience–combined audio and chat conversations.
- Read the entire chat log–14 pages (after deleting the logistics and weather chat) of rapid-fire interaction from a dynamic audience
- Continue the conversation on any of these sub-topics that were covered in the Town Hall session:

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Online Learning

Online Collaboration, Online Learning, WJ Online Conference

Online Learning, Web development, Webinar

Conferences, Online Learning, WJ Online Conference, Webinar

Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Staff Training, Sustainability

News, Online Learning

Online Learning, Staff Training, groups

Online Learning, Staff Training

ALA2009, Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Staff Training, groups

Online Learning, Webinar

Library Management, Library Services, News, Online Learning, Staff Training, Tech

♣ The Competency Index

♣ Competency-course-content connections

♣ Competency evaluations

Library Management, Online Learning, Staff Training

Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Staff Training

News, Online Learning, Staff Training

Online Collaboration, Online Learning, Staff Training