Using Web 2.0 Using Web 2.0 Applications as Applications as

Information Awareness Information Awareness ToolsTools

Using Web 2.0 Using Web 2.0 Applications as Applications as

Information Awareness Information Awareness ToolsTools

Jay Bhatt and Dana Denick – Hagerty Library, Drexel University

Smita Chandra – Indian Institute of Geomagnetism

Presentation for: International Conference of Asian Special Libraries

Shaping the future of special libraries: beyond boundariesNovember 27th, 2008

Why Web 2.0?Why Web 2.0? New research initiatives being developed

in institutions, universities and organizations Drexel and IIG are no exception Multidisciplinary Fields: Nanotechnology,

Plasma Medicine, Engineering Cities, etc… More research being done New and innovative ways of reaching out

to researchers need further exploration Need for increased information awareness

of new resources and tools

Web 2.0 tools are effective ways to share, generate and distribute knowledge among researchers – shared communication

Stephen Abrams thinks that Web 2.0 is “about a much higher level of interactivity and deeper user experiences…”

Potential for more academic and research based collaborations

Why Web 2.0?Why Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 Applications Web 2.0 Applications coveredcovered

Blogs RSS Feeds Feed Readers Bookmarks and Tagging Aggregators Social Networks

What is a Blog? Why use a What is a Blog? Why use a blog?blog?

Consists of dated entries in reverse chronological order

Frequently updated Library blog can include news items,

announcements, instructional tips, new electronic resources, etc.

Searchable by subject area

Drexel Library BlogsDrexel Library Blogs Library Log

News from the Drexel University Libraries Careers Collections Blog

Announcing new career-related resources, events and advice for job hunters in the Drexel community.

Drexel Physics News, events and resources from the Drexel University Libraries

relating to physics. ischoolResearch

News and tips from the Drexel University Libraries relating to the iSchool.

Drexel Emerging Technologies What’s new and interesting for Drexel University Libraries Staff

Print is Dead – E-Resources blog Primarily for Drexel University Libraries staff, designed to keep

readers abreast of developments in electronic resources

Engineering Resources Engineering Resources BlogsBlogs

Engineering Information Blogs http://www.library.drexel.edu/blogs/englibrary/ http://www.library.drexel.edu/blogs/engineeringlibraryinstruction/

Announcement of new resources, instructional tips for using a particular database or a resource, new and important web resources and more.

Archive of information added over a period of time

Emphasis on resources for CoE and Biomedical Engineering – mainly subscription based

Engineering Resources Engineering Resources BlogsBlogs

Engineering Design Resources Biomedical Engineering

Finding Books, Electronic Books and Journals

Biomedical Properties Patents and Intellectual Property Ethical Issues

Englibrary BlogEnglibrary Blog

What is RSS?What is RSS? RSS - Real Simple Syndication

Brings contents to you Content available as new feeds

XML based (eXtensible Markup Language) For content distribution called feeds

Aggregators – contains compilation of feeds Collect feeds and display them in easy to read

format More later during the talk See also: Using RSS to increase user awareness

of e-resources in academic librarieshttp://www.higheredblogcon.com/index.php/using-rss-to-increase-user-awareness-of-e-resources-in-academic-libraries/

Getting RSS FeedsGetting RSS Feeds Feed readers (RSS feed readers)

Collect various feeds and consolidate the information

Downloadable Feed Readers: Google Reader, http://www.google.com/reader Bloglines, http://www.bloglines.com RSS Compendium:

http://allrss.com/rssreaders.html

Many blogs have built in RSS feeds. RSS feeds are identified by ‘XML’ or ‘RSS’

icons Just add the URL associated with the icons

to your feed reader

Google Reader Screenshot

Engineering Resources RSS Engineering Resources RSS FeedsFeeds

Electronic Journal FeedsElectronic Journal Feeds Integrating feeds from journals and

journal articles Nature, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Materials Institute of Physics Science Online IEEE Computer Society Royal Society of Chemistry University of Chicago Press Journals Many more to come including ScienceDirect

Announcing Events on Announcing Events on BlogsBlogs

Collaboration with Faculty & Collaboration with Faculty & StudentsStudents

Identify faculty and students working on blogs Drexel CoAS E-Learning Blog Drexel Smart House Blog Department of Civil, Architectural and

Environmental Engineering Blog

One more opportunity to work together!

Bookmarks and TaggingBookmarks and Tagging Social Bookmarking services allow users

to tag, save, manage and share web pages from a centralized source. Del.icio.us Diigo

Information rich resources can be shared among engineering faculty and students.

Users can categorize resources using their own tagging system.

AggregatorsAggregators Collect various feeds from blogs,

bookmarking systems and other forms of posted material in one location Friendfeed Twitter

FriendfeedFriendfeed

Social Networks Students in academic environments use

social networks to connect with their friends and colleagues.

A Librarian’s presence on a students’ social tool will increase the visibility of library resources: Information Awareness

Social Networks: Facebook Myspace Orkut

Friendfeed- FacebookFriendfeed- Facebook

Notes - FacebookNotes - Facebook

Posted Items - FacebookPosted Items - Facebook

Indian ScenarioIndian Scenario Characteristics of Internet users• Approximately 40 million and growing• Mostly college students or below 35

yrs• General dissatisfaction about library

services and infrastructure• Web 2.0 tools offer and an opportunity

Adding Value setting up blogs, instant messaging,

wikis using Facebook, RSS feeds and widgets offering more spaces within library for

podcasts, vodcasts or any new technological product for the web

opting for more personalization tools and rating options

customizing curriculum resource pages, offering Web 2.0 classes for the public on

blogging, etc.

VisionVision More and more electronic journals

will develop RSS feeds Increased use of applications such

as Facebook with imported Feeds More collaboration among

students, researchers, faculty members and librarians

More outreach necessary

Thank You!Thank You! Thank you very much and have fun

using Web 2.0 Applications. Please send us your feedback. Interested in creating and developing a

collaboration? Contact us anytime at:

Jay Bhatt, bhattjj@drexel.edu Smita Chandra, smtcd79@gmail.com Dana Denick, dld58@drexel.edu