Welcome!

Welcome to the collaborative site set up for the:New Media and Information Literacy Programme for Librarians in Wales.

 





About this Programme
This was a programme delivered by Sangeet Bhullar (WISE KIDS) on New Media and Information Literacy for Librarians in Wales, and funded by CyMAL and delivered in 3 geographic areas across Wales between September and November 2011.

It was unique in that it was structured to be delivered as a two day face-to-face programme followed by a day three after 6 weeks. In that time, participants had to undertake a 'project' to help their libraries move on in the understanding and use of new digital technologies and information literacy. They were linked up in a collaborative blog (this one!) and during the actual training days and in between days two and three, they also had to document their ideas and progress as well as provide web links/descriptions of their 'projects' once these were developed.

In terms of content, the programme aimed to provide librarians and information professionals with an insight into:

• current web developments and the implications of these developments in terms of how we search, network, keep up with new developments, discover new information and professional networks, learn and socialise online
• new ways of creating and organising content, searching for and distributing content. Examples covered will include blogs, micro-blogs like Twitter, podcasts, etc.
  
• effective use of social media (like Facebook/ Twitter/ YouTube) as well as specific cloud-based collaborative tools to collaborate internally as well as engage and educate, service users.
  
• how to create a customisable and multimedia blogs/wikis/social network with video.
  
• sourcing legal-to-use picture/music/video content.
  
• managing privacy, identity, data and reputation management in a Web 2.0, social and mobile media space.
  
• the 21st Century Information Literacy Skills needed to evaluate the reliability of content on the web, and to manage eSecurity issues like spam, viruses, spyware, phishing, identity theft, online grooming and cyberbullying.
  
• legal issues like copyright, illegal downloads. 

This blog clearly demonstrates the journeys and learning undertaken, and provides a snapshot of where libraries are in their adoption and use of Web 2.0 technologies. It also highlights the participants own understanding of how new web technologies and social media can be used by libraries to offer better services, and to deliver information literacy in new and innovative ways.

Hi Sangeet & everyone!

I'm back with you all at last - nice photo!  Been really busy relocating the service (Schools Literacy & Resource Centre for Monmouthshire & Torfaen) and working with architects, plumbers, electricians, surveyors, accountants and removal firms for 4 months.  Now I'm in my new office with a shiny new lap top and Windows 10 I'm ready to launch our service on web 2.0.
I shall begin with starting a simple blog.  We have purchased a flip? camera so can insert pictures and short films immediately.  Then I shall build in links to other useful sites and develop a FaceBook page for the service. 
Look forward to reading all your posts and will remain in touch.

Feedback on Wise Kids training

The Wise Kids training is truly excellent. It's fast and furious in the best possible way and very interactive.
It was good to get some of the background to the new technologies which did help my understanding and made me think about the different uses for the various social media.
I think we must all start using these tecnologies more, not just for promoting libraries and our role to the public but also for professional networking and sharing of ideas and online and didgital resources.
I know there are sometimes issues within our ICT departments about allowing access to some social media but it is up to us to demonstrate that this is essential for information providers and communicators if we are to communicate most effectively and with our customers and colleagues.
I think it would be useful for staff at all levels to have an introduction to what can be achieved and I think Wise Kids and maybe CyMAL could maybe consider something to help staff be less fearful of new technologies.
It would also be good to have a co-ordinated approach as to what libraries should be offering customers and also how libraries can encourage the public to become part of a digital community.
Than you Sangeet, it was a great course. Maybe an extra day would have spoilt us too much but it would have been well used.
I haven't had much time to get together with Anna to take the children's blog forward, but it's a must for the new year.

Feedback

I thoroughly enjoyed the 2 days of the training programme that I could attend.  Although I already used many of the technologies mentioned I did pick up a few new ones I hadn't heard of and learned many tips for improving the way I use them.  I use a lot of these technologies in my role, so discovering ways to manage them more effectively was a great bonus for me.  In addition my role is more of an advisory one, for FE LRCs, so it was good for me to find out what technologies can be used in libraries for both staff and learners and to pass this information on.

I feel I am given a lot of support from various organisations such as CyMAL, CILIP etc but as with many of these training sessions they are run and forgotten about, it would be good to see a follow session maybe a year or so later to find out what has/hasn't worked, how things have changed, and any support needed then.  The main issues I can see are getting access to these technologies and this is where I can see CyMAL playing a role in supporting requests.

Feedback - Swansea Libraries

I have really enjoyed the three day course and there was more information to cover than three days would really allow. It was useful to already have a basic knowledge of certain online tools and websites, including Twitter, YouTube and Facebook as there are so many others that I had previously not heard of or used but would be useful for creating resources for both Libraries staff and customers.

I think I have a better of idea of how to use our existing online presence to promote the Library Service more effectively, as well as develop other tools and resources. Some information that I learnt on the programme will also be useful to share with other staff within the service and I am looking forward to talking with others about it as well as developing our project further to become a useful resource for library staff.

The number of resources and use of Web 2.0 is increasing at great speed and I think it would be helpful to have some kind of support available. Maybe in 6 months and again in a year's time, I would like to have a chance to discuss our own use of Web 2.0 with someone experienced in the field, to find out whether we are using it in the most effective way or if there are better methods or tools to achieve our objectives, also to learn of new developments that we should consider when planning our future use of online resources for both customers and staff. It is great to know that we have a good starting point to develop our Service's online presence but I think it could easily become outdated if not assessed regularly. I would also like to learn more about collecting and interpreting data relating to customers' use and interaction with our Facebook page, Twitter account and blog.

Feedback

I found this a challenging course, with lots to take in. The homework and project forced us to use our new skills, which hopefully means they won't be simply forgotten. I also enjoyed meeting up with librarians from public libraries.

I continue to share what I have learned with colleagues throughout North Wales and we now have lots of ideas to put into two blogs in the New Year. I would love for us to also get permission to set up facebook and twitter accounts for our service (now I have an idea of what to put on them!). I believe I can learn a great deal more by going through the list of useful sites Sangeet provided.

Thanks Sangeet for all your help x

Powys Libraries - One small step for a man....

The timing for the Wise Kids course could not have been better. The day after the fist two day block I gave a presentation on possible involvement in social media sites to the Powys Libraries management team. It really helped that I had actually used Twitter, Facebook and Blogger by that time. However the team gave me a fairly vague "Well you'd better make a start then" without addressing any of the issues. Over the next month I was quietly asked about how much of my time it would take and other related issues. The team as a whole saw the marketing value of the media without grasping the implications of what it takes to build an audience.
At the next management team meeting I talked about the nitty gritty of who and how and was given the go ahead for a Twitter account and a Facebook page. (Our senior librarian didn't "see any point in a blog"). We are still exploring what to do about a sit/blog for children. Our IT Dept has given me access and we now have a Twitter account, and a Facebook page. All I need now is content!