Have a question?

If you have a question that's not answered here, please post a comment or contact a friendly SPLAT team member, our contact information is located on the left-hand menu.

Why register for SPLAT 101?

Take advantage of a fun and free opportunity to learn about technology in an easy to follow self-paced course. Be hip by impressing your friends and colleagues with new buzzwords like “folksonomy and “tagging.” Staying current on the latest trends and up-to-date Web 2.0 and Library 2.0 technology tools that will help better serve our libraries and library patrons. Register here.

Change Happens

Technology is ever changing. This program will allow you to learn about new technologies that could be directly applicable to your job. This is a safe learning atmosphere where you and your colleagues across the state of Idaho can communicate about new technologies and the exciting challenges and possibilities that they create. Have no fear you cannot fail in this program. Everyone gets an A+ for effort here.

Who can participate?

All Idaho library staff from all types of libraries! Anyone from pages to librarians to directors can participate!

What is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 is a trend in the use of World Wide Web technology and web design that aims to facilitate creativity, information sharing, and, most notably, collaboration among users.

Web 2.0 websites usually include ways for people to:

• Share
• Comment
• Collaborate
• Create
• Communicate
• Interact

Some examples:

• Flickr
• YouTube
• Facebook

If you're curious, you can read more on Wikipedia's Web 2.0 entry.

You may also have heard of Library 2.0.

Library 2.0 is the application of Web 2.0 in library services. Libraries may have MySpace and Facebook profiles, or put Flickr photos on their websites. With Library 2.0, library services are constantly updated and reevaluated to best serve library users. The focus is on user-centered change and participation in the creation of content and community. That's Library 2.0!

If you're curious, you can read more on Wikipedia's Library 2.0 entry.

The 6 “Back to School” lessons: How they work

During the next six weeks, you'll be learning more about technology tools that Web 2.0 is bringing to the world. At the beginning of most of the weekly lessons, you'll have the opportunity to view a quick video explanation of the subject. You may want to have headphones or earphones handy if your computer is out in a public area so you can listen in private. In keeping with the back-to-school theme,
each week you'll get a class assignment along with extra credit projects to further explore the topic if you can squeeze out a little more time. Once you've completed your assignment, we encourage you to post your thoughts, comments, or questions right on the SPLAT blog. Feeling really ambitious? All the topics we'll be exploring together are listed and linked on the left hand side of the SPLAT 101 page and you can move through them at your own pace throughout the next six weeks. Of course, we'll continue to send you an e-mail each Monday with that week's topic and most people will be moving through them once a week.

How to get the most out of this learning program

1. Give yourself and others permission to PLAY
2. Make time for DISCOVERY
3. And have FUN!

How long do I have to complete the program?

The program kicks off on Monday, October 6, 2008 and officially ends on Sunday, November 10, 2008.

Do I have to do the weeks in order?

This introductory course was designed to put each class lesson in a logical order and each lesson builds upon the next. So yes, it is a good idea to do this in order.

Can I work ahead?

Absolutely, SPLAT encourages over achievement! The 6 weeks are all on the SPLAT blog.

Is there any tech support?

Of course! SPLAT team members are happy to assist you. Our contact information is located on the left side menu.

Help technology ate my homework!

Technological snafus are inevitable. Don’t panic it is probably not you! Your computer might be old and slow, you might not have the right plug-in or certain site might be filtered at your library. If you have tech support at your library see if someone can help you. If you cannot complete the lesson due to technological difficulties please leave a comment about your experiences. A SPLAT member or another classmate might be able to help you.

Who are these cool SPLAT people anyway?

The Special Projects Library Action Team was created after the 2020 Vision Conference in 2006. The members, comprised of Idaho library professionals, have pledged to build their own expertise in innovative practices; share their expertise and experiences with their colleagues in the Idaho library community; use their expertise with library customers in their community on a regular basis; and work to make the 2020 Vision a reality in Idaho.

What SPLAT does:

We act in the crow's nest capacity to:

• Search for innovation
• Propose experiments
• Lead pilot projects
• Discover new opportunities