| PreConference Workshops – Tuesday, March 21 |
Workshop 1 — Searchers Academy
9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. [FULL DAY]
MODERATOR: Mary Ellen Bates, Principal, Bates Information Services
FACULTY: Chris Sherman, Editor, SearchEngineWatch
Gary Price, Director, Online Resources, Ask Jeeves & Publisher, ResourceShelf.com
Greg Notess, Publisher, Search Engine Showdown
Mary Ellen Bates, Author, Super Searchers Cover the World & Super
Searchers Do Business
Want to sharpen your skills? Learn from the experts? Join search veterans,
speakers, authors, and columnists from Searcher, ONLINE, and EContent
magazines and the "Super Searcher" series of books to learn the latest strategies
and techniques for searching online. This fast-paced, day-long event
introduces you to the experts who share their searching secrets and expertise
as they focus on the most current practices in the field of Web research.
There’s always something new to be learned from leading-edge panelists.
Participants should have basic experience with Web searching, but even
searchers with extensive Internet background will find tips to polish and
advance their skills and will certainly come away with new resources and
tools. Academy topics include:
- Search Engine Review: A look at key features of general-purpose and highly specialized search engines, specialized directories, and guides.
- Searching the NEW Web: Learn about what's new in searching podcasts,
social bookmarking services, and other portions of the “new Web.”
- Tips for Using the Top Search Engines: An in-depth review of the hidden and undocumented features of Google and Yahoo!.
- Cool Tools & Techniques: Learn about new resources and tools for searching more effectively.
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Workshop 2 — Web Managers Academy:
Building Next-Generation Library Web Sites
9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. [FULL DAY]
Darlene Fichter, Data Library Coordinator, University of Saskatchewan
Frank Cervone, Assistant University Librarian for Information Technology,
Northwestern University
Jeff Wisniewski, Web Services Librarian, University of Pittsburgh
Marshall Breeding, Director, Innovative Technologies and Research,
Vanderbilt University
You’ve done usability testing, you’ve done some redesign, but you still need
to make your site more responsive to your customers’ needs. Come and
learn about the latest trends and techniques to create more customer/patron-friendly
Web sites. Leave with a clear understanding of what federated
searching and OpenURL resolvers are and how both can improve your Web
site; how to enable publishing of customized and personalized content; and
the latest in good design and usability research and practice. Topics include:
- Maximizing the ROI for a library’s Web site
- Web content management systems
- Designing with Web standards: CSS and XHTML
- Usability research update
- New tools such as federated search, link resolvers, and Web services
The session provides opportunities for discussions and sharing expertise
with other attendees. Taught by experienced experts, this workshop is a
good, 1-day crash course for Web development managers wanting to move
to the next level. |
Workshop 3 — Advanced Weblogs: Applications, Technology, Cases
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Steven M. Cohen, Senior Librarian, PubSub Concepts, Inc., & Editor,
LibraryStuff.Net
This workshop focuses on the more advanced features of Weblogs and RSS.
Topics include how to get the most out of Weblogs and RSS (marketing, creating
a user community), resources for a more customized approach to RSS,
and ways in which both can be implemented into the library environment. It
uses case studies to illustrate applications and best practices and highlights
the affordable, applicable technology for making these applications work.
It provides opportunities for peer discussions as well as working with the
advanced features of the tools discussed. |
Workshop 4 — Social Tools for Your Library
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Aaron Schmidt, Reference Librarian, Thomas Ford Memorial Library, and
author of walkingpaper.org
Socialize your library with the latest social software—instant messaging,
Weblogs, wikis, social browsers, Flickr, Delicious, and more. Use these new
technologies to create and cement your online presence within your community
whether you are a public, academic, special, or school library. Filled
with practical examples of libraries utilizing these techniques, this workshop
provides lots of easy-to-implement ideas within your environment. |
Workshop 5 — Teaching the Internet
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
D. Scott Brandt, Purdue University Libraries
Michael Stephens, Technology Librarian, St. Joseph County Public Library
It's 2006 ... do you know where your staff and patrons are? No doubt
immersed in technologies like blogs and wireless! And no doubt you could
use some help sharpening your knowledge in tech areas and enhancing
your skills in teaching them. That’s why two savvy and experienced technology
trainers bring you the latest in techy skills! New content covers blogs,
cookies, e-books, firewalls, iPods, messaging, metadata, mobile devices,
podcasts, RSS, search engines, spoofs & spyware, and wireless with minitraining
components covering each topic! New techniques offer more exercises
and evaluations and lots of take-aways! Try to keep up with our energized
experts: The objective is to teach trainers how to teach these topics,
but non-trainers are invited to attend to learn as well. |
Workshop 6 — Current Awareness Delivery Options
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Gary Price, Co-Author, The Invisible Web, Director, Online Resources, Ask Jeeves & Publisher, ResourceShelf.com
Genie Tyburski, Web Manager, The Virtual Chase, Ballard Spahr
Andrews & Ingersoll, LLP
Electronic current awareness services are critical for users of all types of
libraries and information services. This practical, half-day workshop provides
an overview of the many options for delivering specialized current information.
Nationally known experts Price & Tyburski examine current awareness
needs and choices from start to finish; look at strategies, tools, and
resources for gathering new information; and investigate delivery technologies.
Learn about the pros and cons of initiating such services via e-mail and
Web-based newsletters, Weblogs, k-logs, and RSS/XML newsfeeds. Get up to
speed on the latest techniques and thinking on this crucial topic. |
Workshop 7 — Advanced Thinking for Serious Web Searchers
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Rita Vine, Search Portfolio
This workshop focuses on where information lives and how to find it. It is
designed for experienced searchers who want to sharpen their information seeking
skills and go beyond subject-based keyword searching in large,
undifferentiated search engines. You'll learn to think about the likely types
of information sources that may contain the information you want. And you'll
use that knowledge to help target your information hunt in more sharply
focused, specialized databases. |
Workshop 8 — Technology Planning for Libraries
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Michael Stephens, Technology Librarian, St. Joseph County Public Library
Optimizing and deploying new technologies requires effective technology
planning. How do we serve our users with innovative technology and still
remain within our budgets? This workshop discusses current hot technologies
such as RFID, Wi-Fi, MP3, DRM, and federated searching and how these
technologies might fit into library technology plans. It covers what to consider when planning new technology initiatives, including cost, training, ROI, staffing,
etc. Technolust (defined as wanting technology for the sake of technology) is
a frequent pitfall for technology enthusiasts. Learn how to create a well-written
technology plan that serves as a guide to help you avoid technobust! |
Workshop 9 — Creating Online Tutorials in Less Than 30 Minutes
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Greg Notess, Montana State University
Online tutorials used to be extremely time intensive to create. With the
increase in reference and instruction to distant users in all types of libraries,
and the need for just-in-time learning in many organizations, we need quicker
ways to create tutorials to transfer information and demonstrate online library
resources. New tools make it quick and easy to create online demonstrations
and tutorials with a minimum of effort, to record screen actions, and to add a voice commentary. Explore using software such as Camtasia, Captivate,
and Wink to quickly create online tutorials for your distance users. |
Workshop 10 — Building Taxonomies for Information Retrieval:
A Hands-On Workshop
1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Marjorie Hlava, President, Access Innovations
Taxonomies provide the key to precise information retrieval. A well-built taxonomy
is part of the foundation of the information architecture underlying
Web sites and corporate intranets, connecting search queries to relevant content
in databases. This workshop covers the rules for thesaurus construction,
explores terms and source materials, and explains each part of the thesaurus
record. We work on multiple hands-on exercises demonstrating various
aspects of thesaurus construction and then build a mini-taxonomy. |
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