How to Design a Libguide- Part 6- Profile

This is the final section of the 7 part LibGuide marathon. I will talk about the profile of the LibGuide author. I will not spend very much time on this aspect of designing a LibGuide because Springshare has created an excellent how-to video, but I will briefly discuss why having a good profile is important.

Here is my profile.

To have a good profile I recommend providing as many as possible access points to yourself . I inserted a Meebo widget for instant messaging. I did not add a Yahoo, AIM, Google, MSN contact information because I rarely if ever on them, and also because of the transitory nature of my time at Northeastern. It is also possible to add a link to your website or blog. I was not writing a blog that would be beneficial my patrons so I did not add that as well, but if this was a full time position I would have done so.

I was hesitant about adding a photo of myself for no particular reason but to maintain an idea of privacy. However, after receiving encouragement from Michael Stephens, I decided to do so. I have not regretted it. Students have mentioned that they recognize me from a LibGuide (I admit this has only happened a few times but I imagine it would happen more as time went on). Recognizing and perhaps being more comfortable with me may very well have increased my approachability and in turn reference questions.

What would I like to see added to the profile? I would like to see a particular place to add a link to a Facebook page, a MySpace page, an invite to a Ning group, and other social networking sites.

How to Design LibGuides- Part 5- Utility Boxes

In the 5th part of the rapidly becoming epic length (I originally imagined this to be a single post and done) LibGuides tutorial I will discuss how I used or did not use the Utility Boxes.

Documents and Files

The documents and files inserted are PDFs, Word Documents, Excel Spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. I have not used this function extensively. Adding handouts as Word documents or PDFs could be useful e.g. how to site sources, critical thinking for websites, etc. The use of adding a PowerPoint is self evident as is an Excel table. Like the Web Link you are given valuable usage statistics.

I have not found a way in which to add Google document or any of the other open office equivalents in the same manner. It is possible to publish the open office document and link to it.

Dates and Events

I have not added Dates or Events to a LibGuide. It didn’t make sense for a one-shot class or for a general introduction to reference sources guide. I am not really sure how this function can be used in a Library context, unless the librarian is meeting with the students more than once. If a public library (very doubtful) decided to buy LibGuides this option might prove valuable.

Interactive Polls/Voting

Of the three Utility Boxes this is the one I had the most fun with and used often. The software makes it simple to design and/or edit a poll.

Everybody not just the LibGuide author can see the results of a poll.

It is also possible to make each poll choice a link. I did not use this tool because I couldn’t think of a good way in which to do so in regards to the LibGuides I designed. I do think this could be a great way in which to tailor a LibGuide to a particular patron. Perhaps design a poll in which a student would be linked to websites or other asynchronous instruction tools (Adobe Captivate would be excellent for this) designed to help them navigate an OPAC/database/Google depending on their perceived skill level or create a poll that will take art students to recommended websites depending on their favorite painter or painter they happen do be studying (if they choose Dali they get taken to an excellent website about him).

I also used polls to try and have the LibGuide interact with students. To have the students believe that their opinion is important (which it is).

Utility Boxes are another very useful function offered to LibGuide authors.

Part 6 (really part 7 when including the philosophy of LibGuides) will be on the profile of a LibGuide author. Part 6 will be final post in this series of LibGuide tutorials.

How to Design a LibGuide-Part 4- Embedded Videos and del.icio.us Clouds

In part 4 of the continuing saga of designing a LibGuide I will discuss embedding videos and adding tag clouds from del.icio.us.

Videos

Springshare provides a LibGuide author with ability to embed videos. Embedding a video is fairly easy, just grab the embed code from either YouTube or Google Videos and add it exactly where you are told to do so.

The creators of LibGuides suggest only adding videos to the center column because of size constraints. If a video is embedded in the smaller left hand column it will break the border of the boxes and make the LibGuide look terrible. I warned about pictures also breaking the border of boxes in LibGuides part 1.

However, I have managed to have videos in both columns and even next to one another.

The way in which to have videos in both columns is to modify the object width and height in the html in two places (circled below).

I found a width of 200 and height of 125 worked well for the left hand column.

Embedding videos are an excellent way in which to further engage the patron. While putting together the Lexicology LibGuide for an in class instruction I came across an outstanding video of Erin McKean, a lexicographer, discussing the future of lexicology, etymology and dictionaries. I also found a young lady who was challenged to actually sing the dictionary and managed to do so. I decided to add these two videos because the students would be able to engage, perhaps identify with, and have an interest in the individuals. I also added the videos in order to spice up an instruction session that was going to mainly consist of how to use the dry (unless you are a librarian or very interested in the topic) Oxford English Dictionary Online.

I added two videos to the Psychology LibGuide as well. It was much easier finding videos for this topic and I had a choice amongst many. I decided on a short interview with Carl Jung to give the students a visual representation of a giant in the field, and a video explaining the difference between psychology and psychiatry (a difference that many seem to have a problem with).

A way in which to further utilize the embed video option would be recorded readings or speeches by guest speakers, having students make videos, have teachers/profs. make videos, screen capture videos of how to search the OPAC or relevant databases, etc. The ways in which to utilize this resource are limitless. Use Youtube or Google to store the library made videos and add them to your LibGuides as wanted.

Del.icio.us tag clouds

I love del.icio.us. It comes in handy and I find it to be an excellent method to search for “good” websites, but I have not discovered a worthwhile use for del.icio.us tag clouds for a LibGuide.

The tag clouds can be organized alphabetically or by frequency. It is also possible to add a tag count.

I have not used a del.icio.us tag cloud because they can be huge if the librarian actually adds many websites and tags.

I also don’t see the point in having an embedded tag cloud when it is possible to actually add website hyperlinks to a LibGuide. Springshare even offers a Post to LibGuides button in order to directly import websites to a LibGuide giving the author the possibility of bypassing del.icio.us all together.

The only way in which I could see a del.icio.us tag cloud being useful is to have separate del.icio.us accounts for each LibGuide. If the list of websites is getting unwieldy then perhaps add a cloud.

Part 5 will be about the “Utility Boxes.”

How to Design a LibGuide part 3- RSS and Podcasts

Before getting to third installment of how to put together a LibGuide there are two matters I want to mention.

First, I wanted thank Springshare (the creators of LibGuides) for mentioning this blog and embarrassing me with some nice complements on their support blog. I hope people are finding my ideas somewhat useful (all 20 of you, lol).

Second, I wanted to point out that I have turned over the two LibGuides I created to the knowledgeable, wonderful librarians of Northeastern (Nancy Murillo and Bonnie Chauncey). I am sure they will do a great job improving/updating them (They better, I will be keeping an eye them).

Northeastern was kind enough to designate my LibGuides as private in order for them to have persistent URLs. Lisa, the web design librarian, copied the contents, republishing them and transferred the administrative roles to Bonnie and Nancy (job hunting is getting serious and I need things to point at such as LibGuides). The LibGuides have been transferred because my internship/practiucm is nearly finished (about 2 more weeks) as is my final semester at Dominican.

Enough housekeeping, lets get to part 3 of designing a LibGuide.

RSS

It is possible to add RSS feeds to a LibGuide. I highly recommend using them.

It is as simple as adding the URL of the feed and how many items you want displayed. The LibGuide will automatically retrieve the RSS summary and display it as a pop up balloon. I like to add as many or as few feeds as necessary to maintain balance between the two active columns of a LibGuide.

I used them to suggest research topics.

To covertly/subliminally explain subject headings. This is especially a good use of RSS feeds when it comes to an Ebsco based databases such as Academic Search Premier. I also like using this for PubMed to explain a MESH subject heading and a limiter e.g. only humans.

Another way I used RSS feeds is for news on a subject. It may be necessary to search the internet for this, but I suspect most subjects will have something along the same lines.

I also used the Oxford English Dictionary’s “Word of the Day” RSS feed in the Lexicology LibGuide to help jazz it up. The picture below also contains the mouse over balloon pop up.

I tried (in fact I think this is the first RSS feed I grabbed) to get an RSS feed of Flickr images with the tag of “words” or “psychology.” I also tried to get a feed from a particular Flickr group, but this led to links to the images and not the actual images themselves.

I have considered using the RSS feature to grab a del.icio.us tag, but after brief consideration decided against it. If somebody else went ahead used RSS for this I would have no complaints, but I am was not sure how I could make this work for the two particular LibGuides I put together. The tags would either be too small or too large. A tag of “psychology” could grab anything, while the tag of “lexicology” may have to few. But as I consider this now perhaps I made a mistake and should have used del.icio.us in this manner. It is hard to put something you may not trust on a published pathfinder though. You can see my dilemma, if anybody is still reading that is.

I imagine that many more ways of using RSS feeds exist and I have only scratched the surface.

Podcasts

Podcasts are very much like RSS feeds. It is the same procedure to add them to a LibGuide. First type in the URL and then the amount of items to be displayed. Again, I use the amount to be displayed to even out the columns. Podcasts and RSS feeds are excellent for the left most column because they do not require much space for explanation in comparison to recommended print or online resources.

A podcast is just another manner in which to have the users engage with the subject matter.

I have not made a podcast for either of the two LibGuides I created (I would but time is limited as I mentioned earlier), but I imagine doing so would be useful. This would be doubly true if it was possible to get the students involved in the creative process (advice on assignments, giving synopsis of their papers, recommending topics, useful sources, etc.), or interviewing the professors, recording guests speakers, advice from subject specialist librarians, etc.

I will talk about embedded videos and del.icio.us clouds in part 4.

 

Monty Python on YouTube

I went for a classic Monty Python skit. A soccer match between the philosophers of Greece and the philosophers of Germany. I especially like when Nietzsche gets a yellow card. A great match.

How to Design a LibGuide- Part 2- Web Links

This week I will go over Web Links in my oh so riveting description/instruction on how to put together a LibGuide.

Web Links are probably the easiest of the functions to use and understand.

Web links consists of either “Simple Web Links” or “Web Links with more information.”

I have not used Simple Web Links for any of the LibGuides I have produced. I don’t recommend this function to libraries. If a librarian is planning on recommending a website he/she should write a description (coverage, navigability) of the website much like the excellent Association of College & Research Libraries News Internet Resources and Internet Reviews website and not a simple list of sites with hidden descriptions. A list of websites with no immediately obvious guidance can be intimidating, especially for a new user.

It is possible to add a description of a website in the Simple Web Links, but the user must place the mouse over the link in order for the description to pop up. If a librarian is going to write a description of the website regardless (and don’t we always have to justify why we include websites?) why hide it? I don’t understand why anyone would choose not to have the description out where it can be seen immediately. Perhaps, to some, this is an aesthetic issue.

Web Links with more information offers the LibGuide author the ability to write a short (256 characters) description of a website along with the link title and URL. This is my preferred method of recommending websites to the users. It provides the user with an immediate, precise description of what will be found at the recommended website.

 

Web Links with more information provides users the chance to rate the websites using stars (as you can see above). If a website is consistently given 1-2 stars it should be removed. If a website is often given a high rating perhaps that is a website that should be brought up in class when teaching the class next term.

This is also an invaluable means of conveying previous success to potential users. If a new user notices a certain website has 5 stars they will be more likely to use it (just as we are more likely to go to 4 star restaurants, if we have the money). Stars are a means of feedback for the librarian and for the users themselves. Simple Web Links does not offer a rating system; yet another reason to use Web Links with more information. I wish Springshare (perhaps I will write them suggesting this) offered a star system for suggested print resources and suggested databases.

Both Simple Web Links and Web Links with more information offer up to the minute statistics of website use. I find this useful because it makes it very easy to point to use for a reason for keeping or dropping a website.

That is pretty much it when it comes to adding websites to a Libguide. I should mention that it is possible to add hyperlinks in Rich Text/Images/Scripts box (which I wrote about last week), but it is not as easy or as useful as the Web Links functions.

I will write about using RSS and Podcast feeds next week and perhaps I will even get to embedded videos.