Promoting "2.0 Freebies" with "Fantastic Freebies"
Janie Hermann (met her!)
Bob Keith
(this introducer/moderator is waaaaay tooooo wordy! This is the third session I've heard her introduce, and she hasn't kept it under 5 minutes ever!)
Janie:
Princeton PL
100+ computers for public
fully equipped tech center w/lots of software and "gadget garage"
Staff: 54FTE Pop: 31,000 (WTF??? I'd kill for that ratio!!!)
Tradiitional Tech Training
-computer basics
-email
-internet basics
-search engines
-online catalog
-word processing/spreadsheets, etc.
WE can do more.
Disclaimer:
-many libraries (mine!) lack staff time and money to expand computer classes
position yourself and your staff as "tech gurus"
-get involved in local users groups
-do presentations for above
-develop or join tech mailing lists
-create a tech training blog
-sell up at each and every class
-tease w/new content
Brown bag series: Databytes - short demo, 40mins, present database or top reference sources. Not too bogged down. Started with staff, but public kept wandering in, so said "why not?"
Tuesday technology talks - ex's: extending firefox, zuula,
"Fun with Flickr" - two week course.
Convince your training manager to allow your staff to fill up empty seats at any tech training to get them up to date.
Fantastic freebies:
=everyone likes to get something for free
-simple to implement
Bob:
2.0 Toolbox:
filehippo.com, flickr, librarything, pandora,
How they locate 'freebies' - PC Mag top 101 sites, PC World, SEOmoz's Web 2.0 Awards, Tim Mag's 50 Coolest WEbsites, Filehippo (freeware w/some shareware)
Constantly scan tech blogs, library blogs, tech news sites and the pop media.
Text Editing Freebies: Google Docs, YOurDraft, Ajaxwrite
Organization freebies: Tadalists, Cozi Central, Google Calendar
Productivity Freebies: LogMeIn (control remote computer via Net - Bob uses to work on his mom's computer), CCleaner - does disk cleanup, etc.
Photo and Video Freebies: The GIMP, Everystockphoto, Flickr, OneTrueMedia
Future Classes:
Move from Photoshop to GIMP and Pixer/Picnik
Move from Blogger to Wordpress
Move from Bloglines to Google Reader
Social Bookmarking
How to create and host Podcasts
YouTube/ONeTrueMedia/SpashCut (video editing and hosting online)
Digital Scrapbooking
Their classes always in constant Beta, keep things fresh.
Give classes catchy names.
Tie-ins. Wiki classes so they can add reviews to lib site.
slides:
librarygarden.blogspot.com
Part II - ImaginOn Project at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Lib
Matt Gullett (LJ Mover and Shaker)
Robin Bryan
Matt:
"Mediasnackers" - (website) - kids snack on media, want to be part of creating.
Painting/Crayons --> Pixels/Cameras
Using what you already have - word, excel, ppt, ms paint
Freebie: Tux Paint - basic elec painting program. (should suggest to my brother for his kids...)
Other freebies:
GameMaker - from UK, learn how to make games
Architect Studio 3D - create 3D environments - from frank lloyd write preservation trust
Google SketchUp
Wink - little machinima
GIMP
second life
YouTube
Picasa
MySpace
easy, free things - don't need to be major producer to use
Purchased software and activities:
Youth Digital ARts CyberSchool - low cost. They create a program for kids to do. Curriculum for video design, elec art and music, etc.
I Can Animate
Stop Motion Pro
Kudlian Soft
Fraps - similar to wink, more sophisticated
ACID Music Studio
iMovie HD 6
GarageBand 3
Digital Storytelling
Robin:
Overview of ImaginOn:
Creative space for youth up to 18yo.
Studio i - $250K project - created Studio i Software, portable animation station. - stop motion pro, pinnacle studio, sony acid music studio, garageband (mac), finalcutstudio (mac)
Sony Acid Music Studio is hugely popular with the kids - they want to come in and record their own music. Not terribly expensive. Do own audio tracks or take loops and put together.
Next steps - more opportunities for interaction and interactive activities for patrons.
