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.”