SPLAT - Special Projects Library Action Team

Ever found yourself wishing for an alternative to Power Point- perhaps wanting dynamic visual representations and something open source. Look no further... for Prezi is here. It is free and really easy to use. So go sign up and start playing. Thanks to my coworker Alex for sharing this great site. http://prezi.com/

The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor  This is absolutely a must read for all professionals. This is a very scientific book that goes in depth into positive psychology. Want to get more done at your job, have happier and healthier coworkers, make work a calling as opposed to a job then this book is a must read for you! The basic thesis is that happiness leads to success and not the other way around. This book is transformative for positive and progressive workplace motivations.

RockMelt is a customizable browser that has a look and feel like Chrome, but with extra functionality. The left (Friend Edge) and right sides (App Edge) of the screen can be customized to meet your social networking needs. This is code for: you don't need to have multiple apps and multiple tabs or windows open anymore.

I used it at home last night for the first time and I am hooked. I integrated it with my Facebook and Twitter profiles. I can add, but I haven't yet, RSS feeds that pertain to my research interests. 

Buttons at the top of the screen allow you to easily share anything you are looking at on the web. Despite the gadgetry of it all, this browser is still as minimal as Chrome. 

You can "tear" things off of the left or right edge, and customize your favorite "friends" too. 

This is not just a fad that will go away, I think of this as the next generation of browsers. Check it out because what makes this browser really special is that it had the potential to bridge the digital divide. Those without smartphones can experience the feeling of using a smartphone, and all of that app nonsense, too. 

http://www.rockmelt.com/

And a review from PC World: http://www.pcworld.com/article/210094/rockmelt_browser_first_impressions_looks_good.html

There's An App For That from the ALA Office of Information Technology Policy http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oitp/publications/policybriefs/mobiledevices.pdf

1. Think about your scope: statewide? library wide? city wide? 

2. Find like minded individuals and get together with them

3. Use systems thinking to solve deeper issues - don't wipe up the leak, fix the thing that caused the leak

4. Look out for new trends and vet them for library use

5. Get a group together that is diverse for your region, type of library, and stage in your career

6. Experiment and don't be afraid to fail

7. Make many mistakes quickly

8. Start grassroots and work your way up

9. Share ideas

10. Exhibit addictive levels of enthusiasm

I will be heading to Internet Librarian next week!! I will be presenting with Memo Cordova on SPLAT as a model for libraries, states, counties or regions.

SPLAT is a statewide collaborative that seeks innovation and trends in libraries, vets these ideas, and ultimately shares them with the library community. We see the results in the community - more people trying innovative services from mobile web sites to text message reference, library staff embracing gaming in libraries, libraries using flickr and other social networking tools to get out to where the users are. SPLAT has brought innovation and new services to all areas of Idaho - from changing policies in school libraries to starting new reference services. You can start your own group of innovation representatives to change the landscape of your state or region!

Not only did the organizers create this terrific mobile conference program, but the sessions are amazing!

I thought I should share the sessions I'm attending, and hope that you'll take a look at the conference program to learn more about the current trends in libraries.

These are some of the presentations that look interesting now. I'm ready to have my thoughts and ideas changed! Influence me! Which programs should I be attending? 

• Gaming and Gadgets Petting Zoo - Playing with the latest devices? Sounsd good to me!
• Faculty & Library Partnership for Learning - Looking forward to getting new ideas for liaison partnerships!
• Designing a Mobile Experience - Albertsons Library already has a mobile website, and we've decided not to create an app. We are, however, working on some sort of overlay that mimics the reference interview experience. So I'll attend this.
• Videocasts and Podcasts - We've created a lot of video tutorials here. Can't wait to hear about what's going on!
  
• Managing Your Library's Online Presence - Because while we at Albertsons Library just "do everything" we don't have a consistent strategy yet. Do you have a web strategy for social networks?
• Facebook as a Learning Management Tool - We all have our own Personal Learning Networks, and I've started using Facebook this way myself. Have you? Where is your personal learning network?
  
• Mobile Content - How can we best serve our mobile users?
  
• Beyond 23 Things: For Staff & for Patrons - I'm looking forward to hearing about how 23 Things has infiltrated the country!
• Fail! Learn! Share!& Learning from Failure - Make many mistakes quickly!
  
• Think Mobile: Ebook Collections - Our new campus mLearning initiative will have several classrooms using eBooks on their mobile devices. Looking forward to hearing more!
  
• Introducing InfoQuest: Mobile Reference in a Changing Library - What arebest practices for mobile reference?
  
• Videocasting, Innovating, & Creating New Ideas -
  
• Rip Van Winkle's Libraries in 2510 - Where are libraries going?
• Creating Partnerships That Engage Your Community
• Engaging Customers With Twitter
  
• SPLAT: Spreading Innovation & Ideas - Come see our presenation to learn more about the success the SPLAT has had in Idaho. SPLAT has brought innovation and new services to all areas of Idaho - from changing policies in school libraries to starting new reference services. You can start your own group of innovation representatives to change the landscape of your state or region!
  

 Barbara Schroeder, Associate Professor, Department of Educational Technology, Boise State University, provides a great list of suggestions on how to incorporate mobile technology in the classroom.  She covers everything from twitter to QR Codes.  She keeps it simple, as well as provides tips for teachers on how to advocate for use in the individual classroom.  Check it out! 

This video really caught my eye: http://infolitlib20.blogspot.com/2010/09/principal-who-wants-to-ban-social-media.html A principal wants to ban social media at school because of bullying and encourages parents to ban it as well. Why not fight bullying with greater education? Have meetings with parents to teach parents about social media. Learn how to use social media to feed your Personal Learning Community (or PLC). Check it out!

Participants in the SPLAT Unconference at ILA have some "cool sites" to share.  EVERYONE -- unconferencer or not -- is welcome to participate!  Just list your favorite cool site by entering a "Comment" to this post!

For the past four years, the Special Projects Library Action Team (SPLAT) has aimed to "act in the ‘crows nest’ capacity, searching for innovation, proposing and leading experiments and pilot projects, discovering new opportunities." Now, the SPLAT members are conducting a study to learn of your experiences with SPLAT, and to determine if SPLAT is on track to fulfilling its mission. 

Please complete this survey if you have had any experience with SPLAT.  Please forward this to anyone you know who might also be interested. You can reach the survey here: http://bit.ly/SPLATsurvey

The entire procedure is anonymous, will take less than seven minutes, and can be completed anywhere there is Internet access.  If you have questions or concerns about participation in this study, you should first talk with the principal investigators: Amy Vecchione or Memo Cordova. 

Thank you for your time!