23 Things Program--Gretchen Pruett and Eric Lashley

2008-11-15T15:34:00.000-06:00

23 Things
Helene Blowers is architect and developer of Learning 2.0: 23 Things. She is currently the Director of Digital Strategy for the Columbus Metropolitan Library. Her blog Library Bytes is located here.

Over 500 libraries have adopted the 23 Things program

What Is It?

Guided tour to technology that our patrons use
This is self-directed learning as opposed to being "taught"
These 23 things are tools our patrons are using to communicate and/or to get information on the internet
Examples of some of the "things": verbal sites like Blogger, visual sites like Flickr, social networking sites like Facebook, and hybrid sites like Delicious and Twitter.

Why Do It At My Library?

Our patrons are asking us questions about these technologies so staff needs to be well-acquainted with how to use them
To develop teamwork and identify staff strengths that go beyond the library’s online catalog
Fairness—it’s not fair that some staff are always the “go-to” people for technology related questions—all staff should be expected to know these 21st century library skills
It reduces the amount of times you say “I can’t help you with this”
Increases your library’s presence in the cyberworld
Enables you to develop alternative ways to communicate with your patrons
Eric --paraphrase--'We've invested money in these services, i.e. NetLibrary--staff should know how to help our patrons learn how to use them'

Who Should Do It?

All staff should do the 23 Things, from shelvers to directors.

How Do I Do This?

Give time for staff to collaborate—digital divide—staff can work in pairs, perhaps a young staff member with an older staff member—they work together
Libraries can copy the program under a Creative Commons license agreement. Just be sure to credit Helene Bowers when you use it
It's easy to Google other libraries to see how they did it
Create an incentive for staff to do it--i.e. iPod giveaways for anyone who completes it
Have a deadline for staff--if you let it go on too long, people will put it off

Where Do I Do This?

NOT at a public services desk
In a place where other staff are around so individual can ask other staff questions as they work/play

When Do I Do This?

CTLS has started a 23 Things Program. If member libraries want to challenge their staffs to participate in 23 Things, CTLS will give an MP3 player or an equivalent valued gift card to Best Buy to staff members who complete the 23 Things!!
The CTLS 23 Things starts Monday, November 17th!
What are you waiting for ?

Stuff You Learn Doing the 23 Things--Google account, Gmail, avatars, privacy, Flickr, image generators (i.e. librarian trading cards), RSS feeds, how to set up your own news reader account, useful library-related blogs and news feeds, chat and instant messaging, social networking, online games, tagging, Delicious, Technorati, Library 2.0/Web 2.0, future of libraries, wikis, 23 Things Sandbox Wiki, online productivity tools, web 2.0 awards list, YouTube, podcasting and vodcasting, audiobook downloading

Ten Tips

Encourage networking and the learning will follow. This is a way to encourage teamwork
Allow participants to blog anonymously—(these are internal blogs). For example, Annoyed Librarian doesn’t use real name
Use 1.0 methods to communicate (send out emails, memos, anything it takes to communicate with staff)
Encourage group discovery--"Did you read that?” Gets everybody talking about the same thing--it’s not forced.
Design the program for the late bloomers. Baby steps.
Focus on discovery, not skill building. No one is expecting staff to be experts in HTML coding, etc.
Reward staff for learning
Online means hands-on not hands-off
Enable transparency and practice Radical Trust
Continually encourage staff to play. Give everyone off-desk time to “play”/learn

21st Century Skills for Libraries-Rebecca Teasdale

2008-11-09T22:47:00.000-06:00

Great opening session! Her main 5 skills for the 21st Century:

Dealing with change--confusion and being overwhelmed IS part of the process
Tech Skills--be flexible--you will need to be able to learn, unlearn and relearn
Continuous learning--the rate of change is going to increase
Project management--be proactive instead of reactive. Sell our ideas and visions
Connecting with Community--make ourselves mobile, go OUT into the community and ask questions and LISTEN

Interesting Stats:

97% of U.S. teens ages 12-17 play computer games
22% of the World's population is online
11 million people in the U.S. are nonliterate

Gaming--teaches diplomacy, problem solving, working in groups, gathering space, fun. We have plenty of adult programs at our libraries that are for fun--movies, knitting clubs, gardening talks, etc--there is nothing wrong with having library programs available for teens that are for FUN.

Exploring Technology Conference

23 Things Program--Gretchen Pruett and Eric Lashley

21st Century Skills for Libraries-Rebecca Teasdale