Tech Tools Infoblitz

Gretchen Rings, Univ of Chicago; Emily Clasper, Suffolk Coop. Library Sys; Michelle Zaffino, In the Stacks; Philip Gunderson, San Diego PL

Launching a Mobile Hotspot Lending Program @ Your Library — Oak Public Library — Gretchen Rings

  • Disclaimer at beginning: Wildly successful program but its being discontinued due to circumstances beyond their control; Mobile Beacon nonprofit and issues there. #stopSprint
  • Experimental Budget money –> Li-Fi: Your Library’s Mobile Hotspot: scope, partnerships, budgets, branding discovery, deployment
  • What is a mobile hotspot? “Clever little boxes” that provide Mobile broadband wireless Internet; connects wi-fi enabled device to a 4G mobile high-speed network; small, portable; easy to use; connects up to eight devices. Great for traveling.
  • TechSoup for Libraries project — how library found about Mobile Beacon — a nonprofit to providing affordable, mobile, high-speed Interent access to other nonprofits so they can better carry out their missions ($10/ month (prepaid, $120 per year), unlimited 4G data plans… Device was $45 + the subscription
  • Arstechnica article about lawsuit situation

Tech Tools InfoBlitz: Online Tools for Collaborative Projects — Emily Clasper — Slides

Criteria

  • What tool should we use? –> What problem do you need to solve?
  • Web-based; reasonably simple; free or low cost; good for smaller teams

Tools

  • Slack: team communication; “group chat on steroids”; file sharing; indexed archive of channels; integration with other services; mobile app — can be overwhelming
  • Asana: task management; progress tracking; team communication; file sharing; customizable interface; mobile app; “to do list” layout; unicorns and hearts — hounds you if you don’t do your task on time.
  • Trello: task management; progress tracking; team communication; file sharing; customizable interface; mobile app; visual layout; stickers and cute dog
  • Basecamp: Simple project management; basic planning tools; team communication; file sharing; to-do lists (No task management); mobile app
  • Ganttic: Project planning; resource management and scheduling; task assignment (no task management); reporting and predicting tools; integrates with Google Calendar; Mobile app
  • Smartsheet: project planning; project templates; portfolio & pooled resources support; task management; team communication; file sharing
  • Gameplan
  • Mindmeister
  • Google Apps 
  • Streak
  • Boomerang

In the Stacks — Book Recommendations — Michelle Zaffino

  • An Expert Database behind the stacks — librarian recommendation apps & widgets
  • Librarian Brain project in beta
  • Amazon reviews may not credible — people trust librarian reviews more
  • In the stacks solves #booklover problems
  • In the Stacks TV Project — video book review program by librarians
  • Goal of project: get independent authors discovered who aren’t getting exposed in traditional media markets
  • Increase traffic in libraries
  • App is completely free & will never charge; advertising revenue; Librarians are big audience but so are Book bloggers & publishers & authors — generate revenue there; profit sharing from book sales
  • Trying to make product to work really well; soon to launch to public

XSLT and XML: Your Data Your Way — Philip Gunderson

  • presentation has origins in panic
  • Data needed: could export into Pipe separated or XML report: data wasn’t structured how needed.
  • Manipulate XML search –> XSLT stylesheets
  • A lot of data in reports aren’t needed; have to edit field names
  • XSLT –> allows you to pick data you want to use
    • Apply rules to follow for data (titles, format?)
    • Embed Reference in the Stylesheet
    • Open with Stylesheet — has to be in same directory as file; opening file settings, warning messages have to click through.
  • Alternative Approach: Process with Saxon (patron data he was working with too big)
  • Another application of XML/XSLT: automate creation of web content — book covers, links, etc.