Monday Sessions – Cool Tools for Webmasters and Web Design on a Dime

Cools Tools for Webmasters – Darlene Fichter, University of Saskatchewan Library and Frank Cervone, Northwestern University

This session covered so many “cool tools” to use on your web site!  I will try to list a few:

• sketchcast.com – blogging thru sketches (interesting but scary for me – I can’t sketch/draw)
• www.kerpoof.com – create stories, movies and pictures – get when working with kids (I emailed one I made to my kids for Halloween!)
• www.picnik.com – online photo editor
• www.slideshare.net– share powerpoint presentations online – others can view and comment

Web Design on a Dime – Sarah Houghton-Jan, San Mateo County Library – LibrarianInBlack.net

Highlights

• stressed the importance of explaining to leaders in our libraries the importance of the eBranch and the libraries presence on the Internet
• eBranch – most important library face, the library’s web site is what most patrons will see
  • patrons will want the same services online that they can get in the library
  • want the services when and where they are
• Increase visibilities of many services
  • databases (and don’t call them databases – use the same terms users would)
  • eBooks – patrons want downloadable (list them in your catalog)
• Make your catalog pretty (ie. LibraryThing)
• “Make RSS Your BFF” – use RSS in many ways (ie. what’s new, calendars…)
• Give a face to the library – uses pictures and images (flickr)
• KEEP EVERYTHING CURRENT (this was the most important thing!!)