A Virtual Librarian in Any Class / Co-presented by Elizabeth Fox and Laura Wight

9th Annual Brick & Click Libraries Conference, November 6, 2009, Northwest Missouri State University, Maryville, Missouri

Abstract:

Librarians should be a click away from any course - traditional, hybrid, or online. Learn how to implement a variety of virtual library information services including:  Meebo chat widgets on web pages (including courseware such as D2L/Blackboard); Facebook chat; learning modules; course-specific library web guides; and distance library instruction using web conferencing.

Librarians from South Dakota State University (SDSU) share ways in which they are collaborating with non-library faculty to provide information literacy instruction and other information services to traditional, hybrid, and online campus classes. These services include: Meebo chat widgets on library and course web pages; Facebook chat; learning modules/tutorials; course-specific library web guides; and distance library instruction using web conferencing.

"Ask a Librarian" chat services have been very popular with students and faculty requiring research assistance at SDSU. Meebo chat widgets can be integrated into any library or course web page, including pages in courseware systems such as D2L and Blackboard. This enables live communication with a librarian any time the librarian is physically available at the information desk, or during office hours. In addition, library faculty use Facebook's internal mail and chat features to respond to patron inquiries during office hours.

Librarians use Camtasia and narrated PowerPoint presentations to create short one to five minute tutorials and learning modules demonstrating search strategies relevant across the curriculum. In addition, the instruction librarians collaborate with teaching faculty to create tutorials relevant to the specific research needs of a particular course. Pre-packaged learning modules (such as the Copyright Learning Module) can be shared and loaded into any course available on the university courseware system. These tutorials and learning modules allow librarians to provide focused research assistance where it is most needed, and to meet the demand of faculty teaching online courses.

Online library instruction via web-conferencing, and course-specific library research guides are another example of how librarians can "package" tailored library research materials and make them available to students enrolled in a particular traditional, hybrid, or online course. Librarians at SDSU teach distance library instruction online using Elluminate web-conferencing software. This allows students enrolled in distance or online-only classes to experience an introduction to library research similar to those of their peers enrolled in on-campus courses. In addition, course-specific library research guides designed according to the specifications of the course instructor are an excellent sustained online supplement to distance library instruction. Course-specific library research guides are promoted during traditional and online library instruction.

This session is designed to be a showcase of various examples to place the librarian literally 'at the fingertips' of students.  Before implementing, ask yourself...

What need will the service fill?

Who will use the service?

What publicity/marketing will be implemented?

Who will be responsible for maintenance?

What is a reasonable time period for trial?

What would be evidence of success?

Social Web Online Pocket Guide:  http://lib.sdstate.edu/wight/socialweb

The Library Toolbar (created using Conduit - http://www.conduit.com):

• http://lib.sdstate.edu/services/toolbar.html 

Chat:  

Library Thing

Software for making videos

Video examples
           Camtasia: http://lib.sdstate.edu/ResearchAssistance/Login/Login.html
           Jing: http://lib.sdstate.edu/lib18/temp/JingSampleForSDLA.swf

Courseware – free
           Moodle: http://moodle.org/

Web content – free sites
     Wikis
           WetPaint: http://www.wetpaint.com/
           WikiSpaces: http://www.wikispaces.com/
           PB Wiki: http://pbworks.com/
     Blogs
           Blogger: https://www.blogger.com/start?hl=en
           Word Press: http://wordpress.org/
     Web pages
           Google Sites: https://www.google.com/ (look under more: sites)
           WetPaint: http://www.wetpaint.com/

Screen Sharing software – free

YuuGuu – remotely access your PC or Mac or share your screen with another person (must download software on library computer but not the patron’s) and easy to use: http://www.yuuguu.com/home

CrossLoop – Both parties must download the software onto their computers but easy to use, for PCs: http://www.crossloop.com/

LogMeIn – Both parties must download the software onto their computers, good for remote access, for PCs: https://secure.logmein.com/US/home.aspx

ShowMyPC – Good for online collaboration, desktop sharing and remote PC access, for PCs: http://showmypc.com/

Skyfex – Remote watching and remote control in real time, no software downloads but only works with IE, for PCs: https://skyfex.com/

TeamViewer – Remote control of PCs, screen sharing, file transfer, chat, secure, must download software, for PCs and Macs: http://www.teamviewer.com/index.aspx

Screen Stream – Others can watch your screen in real time, no software to download, for PCs, Mac, and Linux: http://screen-stream.en.softonic.com/

(screen sharing software information from the Online Tech Tips blog: http://www.online-tech-tips.com/)