Library+and+emerging+technologies

=UWA Library and emerging technologies= Jill Benn, Scott Nichols and Catherine Clark

As part of its 2008 – 2010 Strategic Plan the UWA Library identified an objective to provide digital library services to meet the specific needs of individuals, groups and communities at the time required, exploiting popular and emerging technologies.

Library staff have been working to achieve this objective through a variety of initiatives including: • Staff training and development – the Library has worked with Assistant Professor Mark Pegrum to develop and deliver an E-Learning Course for Library staff (15 librarians have completed the course) and has recently run a pilot for the Web 2.0 tools training programme, “23 Things”. • The creation of an Information Literacy and E-Learning Unit within the Library to utilise new and emerging technologies in information skills training. • The planned development of an E -Learning framework to ensure that the Library’s E-Learning initiatives are pedagogically sound and strategically developed. This framework will consider the following: o Engagement with existing UWA online learning environments o Provision of learning environments with Library-defined purposes o Provision of infrastructure for learning communities to develop their own online learning environments • The introduction of a procedure for Library staff to implement web tools required for teaching and learning or service delivery application. The procedure involves a consultation stage to ensure that issues such as sustainability, resourcing, delivery, accessibility and technical support have been considered and addressed. • The replacement of print instruction guides with the online interactive product LibGuides (http://libguides.library.uwa.edu.au/) • The implementation of gadgets/mashups on a number of Library web pages that allow users to search at point of need. • The creation of online learning objects for postgraduate students in collaboration with the Graduate Research School and the Postgraduate Students’ Association. These include opportunities to connect using established tools such as Node.live • The development of a browser plugin for Firefox and Internet Explorer that provides direct access to UWA library resources using a technology called LibX (see www.libx.org). This plugin will among other things allow UWA staff and students to access UWA holdings information or the full text of an item (if subscribed by UWA) from which ever web page they find the reference.

Ms Jill Benn Manager (until 24/04/10) Science Library Phone 6488 2836 Fax 6488 1012 MBDP M209 Email jbenn@library.uwa.edu.au

Ms Catherine Clark Acting Manager (until 30/10/09) Business and Law Libraries (Library) Phone 6488 3659 MBDP M312 Email cclark@library.uwa.edu.au

Mr Scott Nicholls Manager (until 24/04/10) Humanities and Social Sciences (HSS) Library Phone 6488 2337 Fax 6488 1012 MBDP M209 Email snicholls@library.uwa.edu.au