Diane Schrecker, Sara Klink, and Kathryn Venditti of Ashland University delivered a presentation on using LibGuides to enable librarians to customize library resources for bibliographic instruction.
LLT09 LibGuides Presentation
Billed as “Web 2.0 for Library 2.0,” LibGuides is a commercial content management system geared towards libraries. (Not open source). Without requiring any html skills, librarians can set up a library website according to their needs and desires, and it takes it beyond merely making resources available, but also supports staff training modules, presentations, book discussions, and orientation for new students.
Ashland’s implementation
But this isn’t a sales pitch. How did Ashland use LibGuides? For them it was a way to make library materials available 24/7, to support distance learning, and also their study abroad programs.
What I found interesting was the ability to create embeddable “widgets” across the web for your library materials, and the ability to interface with Facebook. More information here.
If your university has the technical support staff, you might be able to accomplish something like LibGuides using a (free and open source) CMS such as Joomla and avoid all the hosting/licensing fees, but for other organizations it might be a nice tool to consider.
Wait a second
I’m somewhat split, though, on how this is used on their campus. Does LibGuides replace a typical LMS such as Blackboard or Angel or Moodle? Or do students still have a “virtual” classroom on another software platform?
Additionally, I wonder what the future of the “library” is. In 50 years will we need to think of information as residing in one, central location such as a library? I would suggest that perhaps this is changing and with things like Del.Ico.Ious and the way the web connects information, we may see the concept of a “library” becoming very abstract. Instead of going to ONE website for research, students will be going out and FINDING information and then bringing it BACK to classroom environment where it is shared and discussed.
One aspect of this presentation that struck me as something of continuing importance, however, is the concept of “information literacy.” To me, this will remain an enduring role of what we call “libraries.” We need to teach people skills for finding information, evaluating its relevance, quality, etc., and how to use information as we research and synthesize ideas.
Anyone else have thoughts?
Michael Edwards is an Instructional Designer for the 
LLT09: University 2.0 How BGSU Leveraged Open Source Technology to Create a Web 2.0 Learning Landscape by Terence Armentano
Terence prepares to present
Terence, using the impressive and dynamic Prezi, presented on how BGSU took an open source blogging platform (WordPress) and built a “learning landscape.” You can find out more on the blog Terence set up for the conference as a live & ongoing demo.
More powerful, more versatile
Moreso than the narrow and commercial LibGuides, BGSU’s implementation of WordPress shows how, given the necessary staff and support, an open source platform like WordPress can be much more versatile for solving problems and building learning solutions.
Terence also made a great point about how blogging opens up the windows of transparency for BGSU. Programs, offices, and even individual faculty can build an online presence that not only creates an identity, but can generate a community by utilizing the blogging, podcasting, and RSS capabilities of WordPress.
Open and Expandable
Terence stressed the scalability of WordPress as a solution. For those with simple needs (editing text, uploading documents) it was very easy to use, but for those with more complex needs (i.e. building an online BlackBoard tutorial database) it could easily adapt.
After his presentation, Terence opened it up for discussion and a lot of good topics were involved:
Overall, a fantastic presentation. (I’m biased in that I LOVE WordPress…) but the extensibility of the platform is just astounding, and I’d like to see it take root at my college, Rhodes State College.