Special Libraries and 2.0:Making It WorkMadeline KriescherActing Circuit LibrarianU.S. Courts Library, 10th Circuit, DenverCoASL Spring Workshop3 April 2009

The Place

Traditional v. Virtual Service

• Is the reference desk obsolete? NO!• E-mail is “old school” but it’s the preferred

method of virtual reference service for the court.• Slowly introducing other forms of virtual

reference service.– Text a librarian– Teaching opportunities– Chat

Options

• Facebook• Twitter• Ning• Email• Electronic newsletters• Flickr• Interactive research guides• Screencasts• Blogs

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://comps.fotosearch.com/comp/IMZ/IMZ004/virtual-whirlpool-created_~sca0451.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fotosearch.com/IMZ004/sca0451/&usg=__zULGWFfm-khkAnnk6ZuBDR5Mdf8=&h=320&w=300&sz=41&hl=en&start=47&um=1&tbnid=9e2RqfF5lwYDOM:&tbnh=118&tbnw=111&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dclip%2Bart%2Btechnology%26start%3D40%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Creating Tutorials in Flickr

• Convert PowerPoint slides to .jpg files• Upload slides individually in reverse order

into Flickr• Enter metadata for each slide, or batch

edit if possible• Save slides as labeled sets• Create a collection to house the sets

Viewing & Using Tutorials

My personal Flickr page:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/pandora12/

Tutorials are viewable as individual slides in my photostream

Tutorials are kept as labeled sets within a larger collection called “Legal Research Tutorials”

See the tutorial as a slideshow by clicking the icon

Library Facebook Page

• Events• Pictures• Tutorials• Pathfinders• Class information• Continuing Legal Education• Court-related news and information

Because…

• Clerks already use it• Aiming at a different audience• Convenient for updating• Welcome to the 21st Century• One-stop shopping• Coordinates with our intranet page• It’s fun! It’s hip! It’s now!

Benefits

• Reach a wider audience, internally

• Meet expectations of varied service

• Change attitudes toward technology

• Change attitudes towards librarians

Drawbacks

• Reach a wider audience, externally

• Real and perceived security risks

• The time thing – not enough of it, EVER!

• Buy-in will be an uphill battle

Hurdles

• The IT Department• The Judges• The fear-mongers• Other librarians who are set in their

ways• Time management

Contact Me…Let’s Chat!

Madeline Kriescher

Phone: 303-335-2624Email: madeline_kriescher@ca10.uscourts.gov

Twitter: Pandora12Friend me on Facebook!

“Professional Benefits of Online Social Networking,” in Colorado Lawyer (February 2009):

http://aallnet.org/chapter/coall/lrc/lrc0209.pdf