LIS 9763

Group project submission- MLIS 2.0: http://mlis20.ning.com/.
See also, the Annual 2009 Kralobah University Unconference: http://kralobahuniversity.wikispaces.com/

 
 
MLIS 2.0: Tech junkies and book lovers unite:
 
When brainstorming ideas for our group project, we identified a potentially neglected user group in academic libraries: graduate students. Moreover, we determined that although social software is gaining prominence in libraries of all types (to assist with such things as virtual research help, staff communication, instruction, etc.), the inception of relevant courses in Library and Information Science (LIS) programs, where students are afforded the opportunity to discuss and explore current uses and future directions of social software, is not widespread. For instance, in 2007, 59 LIS school websites accredited by the American Library Association were reviewed for curriculum coverage. From this sample, only 10% of the websites reviewed actually offered courses focusing on Web 2.0 (Aharony, 2007). Therefore, the target audience of the online community we have developed is Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS) students attending the fictional Kralobah University, and the focus is the use of Web 2.0 in libraries. This would allow the library, that created and  maintains the network (Kralobah University Library), to not only provide outreach and information to graduate students about their resources, but would also provide these students with the additional benefit of having a place for professional development and networking within their field.   
 
Specifically, this online community could be used by MLIS students at Kralobah (as well as anyone else interested in Web 2.0 and libraries including librarians, information professionals, MLIS students elsewhere, and faculty members) to learn about and discuss uses of Web 2.0 tools in libraries, and to meet others with similar interests. They could accomplish this through engaging in discussions about Web 2.0 in various forums and interest groups, viewing related online videos, and through learning about new, relevant resources the library has purchased by way of a blog (where suggestions for new resources would also be welcome). Furthermore, it is a place where the library could promote events to thus encourage further professional development and engagement with the library, colleagues, and all things Web 2.0, both virtually and in the real world.
 
 
Social software used: 
 
Our online community was created using Ning.com, a free online platform that allows people to create their own social networks that others can then join and contribute to. We chose to use this platform for a number of reasons:
 

• Compared to social networking sites like Facebook and Myspace, the Ning platform is much more customizable and flexible. For instance, it allows creators to use their own brand (including logos and favicons), set their own membership restraints and privacy restrictions, and choose custom texts and widgets according to their needs and preferences.
• Registering to become a member of Ning is simple. Members are not required to first join a network such as Facebook to become involved, nor do they need to fill out a great deal of registration information, or use their real names or other personal details if privacy is a concern. (Note: We have the site set so that new members need to be approved by admin. since this is a school project, but if it were the real thing, we would not make this so, to allow instant membership for those interested.)
• Ning is far more accessible than many other social networking sites, as it does not restrict access (unless the network creator chooses to make this so in their privacy settings). Therefore, though they must register to contribute content, non-members can still view most content without signing in.
• Ning is user friendly, requiring only basic to intermediate web based skills in order to add content.  
• Knowing sites like Myspace and Facebook have an established reputation, we chose to use a less common platform since it is not only easy to join and use, but it may also draw the attention of curious tech junkies out there who have never heard of Ning before (and among MLIS students, there are assuredly many of these).

 
Complimenting one specific event noted on MLIS 2.0 (the Kralobah sponsored “Unconference”), we also set up a wiki using Wikispaces where potential conference participants could contribute to the organization of this event. We chose Wikispaces since, like Ning, it is very simple to use. Additionally, the wiki-format would allow users to easily influence the theme and organization of sessions, and arrange transportation and accommodation, something that would not have been as easily accomplished using Ning alone, which acts as more of a promotional platform for the unconference. (See the ALA’s Unconference wiki, which acted as our inspiration for the unconference.) 

We also used Feed Burner in this project, since it easily allowed us to add flexible RSS options to the main page of the Ning site for our Forum and Blog. Additionally, and with very little challenge, we set up a poll on www.polldaddy.com which provided us with a simple code to add to our site. With this, the library could obtain additional feedback from users, serving as another example of how Ning is easily compatible with a variety of applications that encourage user involvement. (In our example [in the Forum], we asked users whether the library should create a Twitter feed).
 

Promoting MLIS 2.0 and ensuring its survival:
 
Besides developing our online community, we also considered the marketing of our site. Through an exploration of library contributions on sites like Facebook, Myspace, and Ning, it became painfully clear that many attempts to create a meaningful library presence through social networking fall flat (e.g., many libraries either have few updates/ user contributions on their sites, or they have an unmanageable amount of irrelevant and scattered content). Thus, we devised the following marketing ploys to draw in users and keep them engaged into the future:

• Upon officially launching the network, send email invites promoting the site to MLIS students and LIS faculty at Kralobah and across Canada via group emails and relevant listservs. (We would then send additional invites to incoming MLIS students each term.)
• Develop partnerships with other, active social networks such as library20.ning.com and lisstudents.ning.com/ to establish a mutual form of promotion on each of our sites
• Ask Web 2.0 professionals (i.e. Meredith Farkas and Amanda Etches-Johnson) to join, contribute to, and promote the site as part of their own professional activities
• Establish Kralobah student input by integrating parts of this site into LIS curriculum and grading. (See for instance, LIS 8200). 
• Hold relevant, regular contests on the site, and provide small prizes using money from allocated library funds--which would not be a problem given generous donations from university founders, the Kralobah family. (See our current contest , for instance). 
• Establish a prominent link to the MLIS 2.0 site on the Kralobah Library homepage and intranet
• Place advertisements for the site in the monthly “Nowheresville Library Association Newsletter"
• Discuss development and use of the site at the upcoming Nowheresville Library Association conference in Timbuktu, Ontario
• Sponsor and host the upcoming, annual Kralobah Unconference (an event that would demand little in the way of students' time and library resources), and set up a booth with promotional items like posters, stickers and pamphlets at the event. 
• Post regular updates to the site in order to encourage people to visit it regularly (assisted further by RSS options). This would also be assisted by multiple administrators who are all equally committed to maintaining the site.
• To keep the site structured, relevant, and coherent, ensure that each feature has content that aligns with a specific purpose as outlined in the introduction on the main page of the network. To this end, have designated site administrators approve certain types of content and do so in a timely manner (e.g., the addition of content in the groups and events sections, these being areas largely devoted to highlighting library-specific information and initiatives). Where members are allowed to freely add content without approval (e.g., videos, and the forum where 'almost anything goes'),  ensure site admin still monitor this content, making sure it is in line with the terms of use laid out on the main page of the network. 
• Membership stipulations are not stringent and contribution and feedback is requested in various ways throughout the network thus encouraging both new and established members to contribute to the site.

 
 
Conclusion:
 
If put in place for a real population of MLIS students and others, we are confident that with the proper support from staff and library administration, MLIS 2.0 could be a valuable hub for networking and professional development that revolves around the increasingly significant topic of Web 2.0 technologies in libraries. Unlike the many library initiatives that have been built into social networking sites that lay dormant, stagnant, and/or cluttered and difficult to navigate, we have taken great strides to create a structured and coherent space. It is our hope that these efforts would thus encourage users to find a variety of professionally and personally motivated reasons to visit again and again to learn new things, contribute their own ideas, and engage with others on all things wonderfully Web 2.0.

 
 
 
 
Robyn Hall
Kristen Hearns
Alison Pattern
Rebekah Schmidt