LibGuides:A collaborative productivity 

tool

UNYSLA PresentationLinda Galloway

September 25, 2009

LibGuides

• A SpringShare Product –

“We put the librarian back in the Online Library”

• Content management and library knowledge sharing system

• Uses:– Share knowledge and information

– Create multimedia content

– Promote library resources

Why use LibGuides?

• Librarians have control over created content

• Can tailor a guide to a particular user group– Students

– Faculty 

– Staff

• Multiple authors possible

• Large community of contributing authors sharing design information 

Examples of LibGuides Uses 

• Course guide – librarian and instructor collaborate to create guide

• General resource guide – a “how to” for library resources and services

• Faculty/staff guide – assistance in finding research funding.  Also highlight the connection between the library and research.

Customizable

• Guides are very customizable, but some institutions standardize look and available features

• Can rename, reorder pages and content on pages

• Large community of LibGuides users – can view and glean ideas from others’ pages

Libguide staff

Simple Course Guide created with biology professor

Guide to library resources and services

Added value to information –institutionally

authored papers in a RSS feed

Specialized guide for research faculty

Add value to pages –create interest in your

guide

Combined RSS Feed from Scopus and Web of Science –

used Yahoo Pipes and Feedburner to set up feeds

“Steal” ideas from others’ guides

Created Slideshare acct (similar to YouTube) and

uploaded code into ‘Embedded Video’ box

Very flexible - can reorder, rename pages

Users can subscribe to selected RSS

Feeds

Good place to save documents for easy accessibility

Link to pages in guides created at other locations (with

permission)

This page developed by Deborah Lee, Ph.D, Mississippi State

University. Used with permission

Help and Ideas

• SpringShare Community Group– Ask for demo account

– Create and save guides – free!!

• Browse other public guides within LibGuides– Can add pages or parts of pages from other guides

• Libguides are fun and easy to create

Cost?

• Ask for free demo account

• Very reasonable cost:– The annual license fee ranges from $899 to $2,999 ($549 for K‐12 libraries), based on size of institution and number of libraries

Value

• Allows librarians to repackage information and tailor it to their constituents.

• Adds value to information by making it more useful and easier to interpret.

• Allows collaboration within the library and with other departments in your institution.

• Emphasizes the connection between the library and other essential campus functions.

Questions?

Doodle

Doodle Polls

• Free and easy polling software

• Use to make a decision– Scheduling

– Make choices

• Works great to help schedule cross‐institutional meetings 

Why open an account?

•Your polls at one glance: participate, edit and close from your dashboard.  (If you don’t, you can’t edit your own poll.)

•Doodle will recognize you and protect your entries from others.

•Invite participants directly from Doodle (optionally access your Google or Outlook addressbook).

•Subscribe to Doodle via ics calendar feed in Outlook, Google Calendar or iCal.

•If you subscribe to our Newsletter, we'll keep you updated with our latest developments.

Many options now available

Please pick the times you are available to meet

Fun and easy – makes scheduling events a breeze!

www.doodle.com