Tech Camp unConference

Headings

TechCamp UnConference

Awesome Tech UnConference Sponsored by the Michigan State University Main Library - May 15, 2009

We're also at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?sid=42e62e590cddbdfb6818fb57e80dc9fd&eid=56825237255

• FREE PARKING Parking for the MSU Libraries is free on Friday! You can park at Lot 79 or Lot 62W for free! For a parking map see: http://maps.msu.edu/interactive/index.php and search for Lot 79 or Lot 62W for directions!

• CONSTRUCTION ALERT US-127, a major artery to & from MSU, has lane and exit/on-ramp closures affecting the East Lansing and Lansing area.

If you are coming from the east (Ann Arbor, metro Detroit) on I-96, you will need to use exit 110, Okemos Road. Turn left from the exit intersection and proceed north to Jolly Road. Turn left onto Jolly Road, take it to Hagadorn Road. Turn right onto Hagadorn Road and take it to Shaw Road. Turn left onto Shaw Road and continue to Red Cedar Road (you will be able to see the MSU football stadium ahead of you). Turn right onto Red Cedar and take it until you see the commuter parking lot on your left just past the stadium. The library will be across the pedestrian bridge over the Red Cedar River.

Travelers from other directions may encounter delays, but no exit closures.

We've blocked off some times for the day so we get in all the good stuff

Proposed Agenda:

9:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Registration
9:30 a.m. - 9:45 Introductions and topic creations (Yo - if you have a topic you want to discuss, add it below and we can work on this piece ahead of time)
9:50 a.m. - 10:35 a.m. First Breakout session
10:40 - 10:50 a.m. Report/Share/Talk/Digest/Download Time
11:00 a.m. - 11:50 a.m. Lightning rounds
12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Lunch On Your Own or Group Lunch at International Center
1:35 p.m. - 1:45 p.m. Recheck topic suggestions
1:50 p.m. - 2:35 p.m. Second Breakout session
2:40 p.m - 2:50 p.m. - Report/Share/Talk/Digest/Download Time
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Panel

- Topic Suggestions

These would be for break-out sessions where you'd have a group for 45 minutes to delve the topic

Google Analytics - Sonya Schryer Norris and Steve Bollinger ('cause the stats rock but the help pages are so ugly and awkward it's hard to concentrate on what they're saying and besides that goal thing is just a hassle to set up)

Tech Support IS Reference! - Holly Hibner and Mary Kelly. Do you provide tech support at the reference desk? We do, and we see it as an opportunity to connect with our patrons and learn something new! We'll discuss how to keep up with technology, what core competencies for reference librarians are, and WHY to provide tech support as a reference service at all (or why not! All sides of the topic are welcome!)

Widget Mania! - Scott Mellendorf and Beth Johns. Many Database vendors offer search widget authoring tools to create search box widgets for quick access to specific databases. Let's talk about this access method. Is it a good idea? If so, what's the best approach? Any examples? If not a good idea, why not?

Something About Drupal - Phillip Kwik. Several libraries, and the MLA, are using Drupal for web content management. I have no specific ideas in mind for a topic, but I thought there might be interest in a discussion of our experiences. Email me at ideas at [email protected]

widget Mania

Collection=Tech

Killer apps

Web 2.0 and beyond

Public instruction

New Technology for Old/New Librarians
Challenges include: The need to educate ourselves & administration; sometimes giving up control is hard; there is a barrier to entry for emotion/knowledge; it's easy for some to play as they embrace change, while others don't; there are differing expectations on involvement (is 6 email messages too many???).

Possible solutions: find what excites them & use that as an entry point; learning new technology gives you a head start with learning other new technology (in other words, if it didn't work this time, try again later); 23 Things website/Skokie 10; it's not about the cool tech--you need to focus on what you want to do THEN pick the tech; be a cheerleader/champion of the technology; be the guinea pig; do the research a little bit each day/week--environmental scan; share/gather from friends via Facebook, Twitter, etc.; create a blog on 2.0 in your library for staff to share; offer to train/tutor others; realize that you're not going to win everyone over--so be okay with that.

Submitted by Maria Almaguer, Troy Public Library, Troy, MI

- Lightning Rounds

These are where you do a quick 5 minutes to the whole group on something cool you've got going. Let us know if you're up for this by putting your name and topic below

Plinkit - Sonya Schryer Norris

SearchGuides (Widgets and Research unite!) - Scott Mellendorf

AADL Productions - Eli Neiburger : Eli's Slides

- Me! Me! I'm Coming!

Elizabeth Bollinger - Michigan State University Libraries
Chris Ayar - Evanced Solutions
Holly Hibner - Salem-South Lyon District Library
Sonya Schryer Norris - Library of Michigan
Mary Kelly - Salem-South Lyon District Library
Beth Johns - Saginaw Valley State University, Zahnow Library
Scott Mellendorf - Zahnow Library, Saginaw Valley State University
Kristin LaLonde - Arab American National Museum, Library & Resource Center
Phillip Kwik - Troy (MI) Public Library
Maria Almaguer - Troy Public Library
Lindsay Payne - Troy Public Library
Donna Babcock - Troy Public Library (MI)
Sheri Glon - Kent District Library
Stephen Bollinger - The Capital Area District Library
Donna Garbarino - Troy Public Library
Heidi Blanton - Wayne State University LIS Program
Laura Evans - Wayne State University LIS Program
Heather Harrison - Wayne State University
Lisa Rabey - Wayne State University LIS Program
Ranti Junus (@ranti) - Michigan State University Libraries
Sarah Stopera - Northville District Library (MI)
Natalie Zebula - Lawrence Tech Library (Southfield, MI)

- I So Want to Be There But I Can't Make It

Kelly Sattler, Michigan State University Libraries
Natalee Reese, - Lansing Community College Library

- OK, I Admit It, I Don't Know That Much About UnConferences or How They Work. Can You Fill Me In?

That's cool. Play a little catch-up before the meet:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Space_Technology
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversation_Cafe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_World_Cafe
http://money.cnn.com/2006/06/05/technology/business2_unconference0606/index.htm
http://www.treegroup.info/topics/Transformational_Conferences.pdf
http://www.unconference.net/
http://www.openspaceworld.org/news/join-us/

- Our Most Excellent Sponsors, First and Foremost the Michigan State University Libraries

Many thanks to the Michigan State University Main Library: http://www2.lib.msu.edu/

- Our Totally Cool Supporters

Many thanks to our business and technology supporters.

The Michigan eLibrary, MeL.org: http://www.mel.org
Gale Cengage: http://www.gale.cengage.com/
Proquest: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/
LearningExpress Library: http://www.learnatest.com/
EBSCO: http://ebscohost.com/
WebJunction: http://www.webjunction.org