Yoo Hoo YouTube

Does it mean you have arrived! when you get your first YouTube video published?

Sharing the success of our unConference with the world via one of the major social networking tools gives you a sort of warm fuzzy feeling!


We are pleased to report that 'another' unConference is planned in Western Australia in the coming months.
Check out their:
Planning Wiki
Kathryn Greenhill's Blog
Unconference planning Google Group

We look forward to following their progress.

Sessions - Mashups

Session led by Toby McAleer

Toby demonstrated with a hands-on tutorial, the ATO eLibraries use of RSS by mashing up feeds and displaying them within the SirsiDynix EPS Rooms application.

Toby's first session was so popular he did an 'encore' performance.

Toby highlighted the advantages of Google Reader and Yahoo Pipes, which is another feed aggregator on the horizon. He talked about getting RSS feeds directly into the OPAC via the use of a snippet of html script. For those who missed this very informative session.....CLICK HERE for the presentation.

Feedback ??

Butcher's paper, white-boards, post it notes, PCs....you name it we used it!

We made use of 'people', 'spaces' and 'ephemera' to encourage all the participants to take part in this relatively unexplored world of 'The UnConference'.


Feedback has been wonderful and we congratulate all attendees for their enthusiasm in making the day such a success! ....but then we always knew Librarians have never been backward in coming forward!
Leaders and facilitators emerged from a group who pretty much arrived that morning wondering what sort of day awaited them.

Comments like:

"I found the day incredibly beneficial, thankyou all very much for organising everything. There were a couple of web 2.0 questions that I was really hoping to get assistance with (most notably to do with building targeted RSS feeds) and they were answered in great detail from Toby's session and others. I liked the mix of having some pre-planned "hands-on" sessions and those more organic sessions that were developed on the day - it allowed for a balance between some theoretical/strategic discussions and getting to grips with the tools that enable this brave new Library 2.0 world! "


Blogged comments from:
The Connected Librarian
Library Sputnik


This White board asking for comments at the end of the day may have gone unnoticed as the 'bar' opened!
We would love YOUR feedback, please take some time to look at our questions.

How were your expectations met?

What was the most useful takeaway from today?

What did you like about the format today?

Should we hold regular UnConferences? How often?

How could WE have improved today?


Other comments/Feedback?

Sessions - Second Life

Presented by Michelle McLean

Michelle presented some background information about
Second Life via some demo videos from YouTube.

She also made use of Kathryn Greenhill's excellent slides on Second Life from her National Library presentations .
She then went live to demonstrate this virtual world, moving around and interacting with others logged into this virtual life

Michelle went onto suggest ways that this world is already being used in library applications and businesses, with online meetings being conducted via this program

Sessions - Wikis

Session led by Tom Edwards, Andrew Hiskens and Dianne Clifford

Session began with a overview of the wiki Dianne had set up in her school library. Designed to be used internally by staff; she went through the process of setting up a wiki using open source software


A general discussion about ways to get staff to use wikis
– difference between a wiki and an Intranet?
-What libraries do and don’t use the Intranet .
-Advantages and disadvantages of having the wiki hosted on a different server to putting in on the library server and having more control
-Ownership of the wiki
-Problems that may have to be overcome with council or IT restrictions
-Setting up with an aim in mind rather than just for the sake of having a wiki because it's in vogue

Session ended with possible uses for a wiki in the library environment
-strategic planning
-staff communication
-community interaction
-book clubs-intranet
-staff procedures and policies

The Unconference - Planning the sessions

Australias’ first Unconference was held at at Yarra Plenty Library in Melbourne amd was sponsored by SirsiDynix. It attracted about 100 attendees.Representatives from school, special, public and the State Library of Victoria were all in attendance. The focus being web 2.0 technologies in our libraries. Knowledge of Library 2.0 and web 2.0 ranged from an awareness to expert, but the benefit for all came in the sharing and in the ideas that came from this






As attendees arrived the aroma of freshly brewed coffee from …..coffee cart filled the air, as well as the smell of fresh donuts. Mmm…the day was certainly off to a good start





Facilitated by Anne Hartigan, rules were set down (ie rule of 2 feet – if you don’t like the topic; or aren’t getting much out of it; feel free to leave)

The first item was to set the agenda for the day With paper spread across the floor and markers in hand, attendees put thoughts to paper, expressing ideas about what they would like to discuss for the day. There was certainly no lack of enthusiasm

Ideas were then arranged into a workable agenda for the day.
-Web 2.0 = library 2.0?
-Wikis
-RFID in libraries
-Literary blogging
-Information literacy : overcoming fear
-OPACS and mashups
-Library education
-Young people social networking
-Virtual services universal? /sharing resources
-Second life tour
-Re-engineering reference, IM and virtual reference
-Library 2.0 : 23 things program
-Tagging reader recommendations : creative tools
-Convincing stakeholders of our worth

There were some great conversations, exchanging of ideas, thoughts provoked, inspiration given, new connections made through networking (and old ones reestablished) and so much more.

Countdown to March 2nd

Minds are like parachutes - they only function when they are open (Thomas Dewar)

The coffee cart and donuts will be available from 9am and we kick off at 9.30. If you want to find out who is coming, you can check out the Training Calendar

Anne Hartican is facilitating the agenda session - so it would be good if you could start thinking about what you are interested in sharing, learning or debating. We have a couple of sessions slotted in - Toby McAleer from the ATO will take a session on how he's using mashups and RSS in the OPAC.
Lynette Lewis and Denise McLarty will talk about YPRL's Learning 2.0 program.

We would love to find out more about Second Life - any tour guides out there?
There will be 14 pcs available in the training room for hands on and there's wifi if you want to bring your laptop.

Thomastown Library is close to the station and there's heaps of parking.



Please feel free to post a comment, suggestion or question.

A month to go!

Well, there's just a month to go till the Other Big Day Out - we are fully subscribed, the catering is being organised and anticipation is mounting.

I had a day up at the Information Online Conference, and the buzz there is about Web 2.0 and Library 2.0. I caught the evangelical David Lankes - I'd previously printed off his paper on Participatory Networks: Library as Conversation produced for the ALA - but its always so much better to hear people talking.

His premise is that "Knowledge is created through conversation. These conversations can take place between friends and colleagues in the "here and now". But they can also take place between an author (via a book or other resource) and a user...The implication of this rather abstract concept is that libraries are in the conversation business... By adopting concepts and technologies from Web 2.0 and tightly integrating them into their services, libraries can advance not just their communities, but their positions within them."

So let the conversations begin!!

Kathryn Greenhill has been in touch during the week too - she developed the MULTA project for Murdoch Uni in Perth. She's got a great screencast describing the project, well worth a look.

"5 weeks to a social library" at: http://blip.tv/file/134004. (You'll need to specify
"full screen")

It's aimed at providing some hints to someone who wants to
run an emerging technology project in their library.

Looking forward to seeing you all on the 2nd March...

Open Space World

Those attending our unconference may wish to familiarise themselves with the concept of an unconference and the Open Space Technology ideas that it is based on.

There are 2 references that are a helpful introduction -

http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?AboutOpenSpace

http://www.openspaceworld.org/cgi/wiki.cgi?WorkingInOpenSpace

Let me summarise / paraphrase / quote from these:

We need to start with our central theme. I have suggested that this is The possibilities of Library 2.0 - what is it, what does it mean for us, how can we learn about it, how does it fit into our own library. If you have signed up, then you have already demonstrated your commitment to making this work. You will be there because you have chosen to be there, because the theme of Library 2.0 is something you have a passion about or are eager to learn about. You saw this as an opportunity to connect with others who have similar interests and ideas. "To the greatest extent possible, everyone here is participating voluntarily, because they have discovered that they have something to learn or contribute to the work we need to do."

The simple, clear, broad and open invitation process assures that the people who show up have real passion for the issue and signals to them that the best outcomes are theirs to create... this meeting is intended to go beyond suggestions, beyond recommendations, beyond rubber-stamping, beyond past expectations. This meeting is for real responsibility, real learning, real action on the issues at hand.

And a cautionary note:

Open Space (read unconference) can only fail for two reasons: if people show up with no passion and/or if someone tries to control the process in order to acheive some sort of pre-determined outcome.

Happy new year

Well, we are almost filled up! Only 13 places remaining for the first library unconference in Victoria - it would be great to get some feedback from you about what your expectations are and what you would like to achieve for the day.

We've got an interesting mix of people, from public, special and academic libraries as well as a literary blogger, a couple of community service people from councils, and a good geographic spread. I know already we have people who can help with integrating RSS into library catalogues, we have an RFID expert, and we have our expertise here at YPRL rolling out the PLCMC Library 2.0 staff development program. For those of you who are interested in this program, Helene Blowers is presenting a webinar for the SirsiDynix Institute. It is at a rather unsocial hour though - 2am, Jan 10th, however all the seminars are available through the archive - http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/future.php

Its been really interesting just in the last couple of weeks seeing how Web 2.0 is becoming ubiquitous - from the 2nd life report on the 7.30 report to the Barcelona model on youtube - its not the technology that is the news any more, but how people are using it.

Persons of the Year

Time Magazine acknowledges the power of 'Social Networking' and the emerging technologies that give people the ability to interact with each other and be contributors to our changing world.



This year their 'Person of the Year' is ..........................YOU !!


Quotes from the article:

"This is an opportunity to build a new kind of international understanding, not politician to politician, great man to great man, but citizen to citizen, person to person. It's a chance for people to look at a computer screen and really, genuinely wonder who's out there looking back at them"

"It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes"

Inspirational stuff and something to think about as the Unconference approaches.

More attendees

It's been great to hear of people who are interested in this concept and who are coming along to join in the fun.

Genevieve Tucker has registered for the Uncon and put some news out about it on LINT, the Australian library blog network. Genevieve has just graduated from the grad dip at RMIT at the tender age of 46 and has been writing a blog about books, Reeling and Writhing, for the last two years. She has links with several prominent Australian bloggers, has written on new media and blogging for Screen Hub and Australian Screen Education, and has an upcoming article on book blogging in the December issue of the Australian Literary Review. She hears quite a bit about Uncons from time to time from her US blogging mates and would love to see one in action!

Genevieve has recommended the following links:

LINT

Reeling and Writhing

Screen Hub

Australian Literary Review (out today!)

Initial reactions

Well, this whole idea seems to be getting some traction! I've spoken to a number of people who are very enthusiastic about the concept. We hope to get a good cross section of people to participate and contribute. I thought it might be helpful to tell you about some of the people who have said they are coming, so you can start thinking about the topics we could discuss on the day. Also, if you are coming and you have a particular interest or passion, you might like to flag it on the blog or point us to your blog!
This is no time to be shy!
Our Fellow Public Librarians are getting behind us and encouraging others to attend. To quote fellow Blogger, Glenn Harper, Information Resources Librarian, Frankston Library Service: "I've just registered to go to the Unconference and I was wondering if any of my fellow public library bloggers are attending? This might be a chance for us to get together and talk (and maybe promote) blogging, sharing tips and
observations etc. on this and other webby and online stuff"

Our first featured participant is Alan Butters. Alan is flying out today to Denmark to represent Standards Australia and our industry as a member of the ISO discussions on RFID tags for libraries. He is an expert in this area, and will be an unconference attendee. You can find out more about him at www.sybis.com.au

Library 2.0

We are very chuffed here at Yarra Plenty to be invited to present an online session for the SirsiDynix Institute in February. Lynette Lewis, Denise McLarty and I will talk about how we have used the Public Library of Charlotte Mecklenberg County's 23 Things to introduce our staff to the wonderful world of Web 2.0.

There are some good presentations on their site - check it out at http://www.sirsidynixinstitute.com/archive.php
and if 23 things over 9 weeks is too much for you, find out how you can do 25 technologies in 50 minutes!
And of course, the three of us will be there (with bells on)

Welcome to L2 unconference Melbourne

A salon of peers - not podiums

The purpose of this blog is to get your input on what sort of topics you might be interested in and we will also let you know what's happening and how our plans are progressing.

What is L2 unconference Melbourne?

An unconference focuses on who is going to be at the event and what they're interested in. No powerpoint presentations, no eminent (or not so eminent) papers, just conversations, active learning, discussion, fun! We provide the space, enough blank space to write on so that you can self organise, and a general theme for the day. The rest is up to you!

Where?

Yarra Plenty Regional Library is hosting the unconference at Thomastown Library, 52 Main St.
There's plenty of parking, and its about a 10 minute walk from Thomastown station.

When?

L2 unconference Melbourne is an all day event beginning at 9.15 on Friday 2nd March.

How much?

$30 per participant - register online at
www.libraries.vic.gov.au/training
We will invoice you when you register.

Food

Lunch and continuous tea, coffee and cold drinks will be provided, we'll break out the alcohol at 4.30.



Feel free to use this blog to post any topics of interest or to add links for further reading