Thing #17: Information and Document Sharing

One of the hallmarks of Web 2.0 is sharing -- sharing thoughts, sharing ideas, sharing photos, sharing videos, and more.

In our Web 2.0 exploration program, Brevard County Libraries 23 Things, we’ve been learning about using Web 2.0 tools to share. We can use blogs and wikis to share our thoughts and ideas, Flickr to share photos, and YouTube to share videos. We use Delicious to share bookmarks and social networking sites like Facebook to share, well, just about everything else.

Our own Sharepoint site is also used for information and document sharing. Announcements, shared documents and Carl-X reports are posted there. Youth Services has a slew of helpful link. A committee of Circulation staff used the Circulation Wiki to draft a revision of their manual.

Google Docs which we learned about last week in Thing 16 allows you to invite others to collaborate with you on the documents you create. Here’s what happened when staff members from Minnesota’s 23Things program used Google docs to collaborate on editing and commenting on the Declaration of Independence!

Slideshare

Slideshare is a business media site that allows you to share your Powerpoint, OpenOffice or pdf presentations.

With Slideshare, you can:

• Embed slideshows into a blog or website
• Share slideshows publicly or with a chosen audience
• Synch audio to your slides

Slideshare also lets you create “slidecasts” (slideshare + podcast = presentations with audio), network with others, and easily share content on social networks, blogs and bookmarking sites.

Even if you choose not to add content to slideshare, there are thousands of presentations to browse through. It’s like YouTube, or Flickr, for slideshows!

Here’s a slideshow I found on slideshare and embedded in this blog:

Some of the Most Beautiful Libraries In The World

Click the arrow to view the slideshow.

UPDATE:  Here's a new idea -- posting resumes on slideshare!!


To see what slideshare can do, take this Quick Tour.

Slideshare and Libraries

Libraries use slideshare to promote themselves and to share information with patrons and/or staff.

For examples, view some of these library-related presentations:

• Casa Grande Public Library (AZ) offer database instruction
• Roselle Public Library (IL) promotes its monthly events
• Pima County Public Library (AZ)shared its annual report
• Hamilton Public Library (Canada) provides a library introduction for children
• Mountain View Public Library (CA) patrons learn to pay their fines online

Slideshare is also a great resource for librarians to share ideas, resources and look for inspiration:

• Former British librarian turned Internet Consultant/Trainer/Author Phil Bradley has some great slidecasts (remember, presentations with audio) like “25 barriers to web 2 implementation”

• Librarian in Black blogger Sarah Houghton-Jan just posted “3.0 tools without 3.0 million dollars” and “Best Free Web Stuff for Broke Libraries”

And, for presentations about, umm, making better presentations, view “Death by PowerPoint” and “The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs”.

Thing #17 Activity:

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Search for and view some presentations on a topic of your choice on slideshare. If you can't think of a topic try looking for more library-related slide shows – there are plenty!

2. Write a blog post about your experience: What's your take on slideshare? What uses do you see for it in your library? Be sure to tag your post as “Thing 17”.

Additional Optional Resources:

Slideshare Help is found on its forums.

Optional Additional Activities:

1. Embed the slideshare presentation you selected into your blog post. Here’s some help on embedding.  Be sure to tag your post as “Thing 17”.

AND/OR

2. Create a slide show of 5 or more slides. Create a slideshare account and upload your slide show. Embed it in your blog post. Here’s some help on embedding.  Be sure to tag your post as “Thing 17”.