Library Mashups

"This unique book is geared to help any library keep its website dynamically and collaboratively up-to-date, increase user participation, and provide exemplary web-based service through the power of mashups."--Back cover.

Mashups are hugely popular right now, a very important topic within the general area of Web 2.0, involving technologies such as CSS, JavaScript, Ajax, APIs, libraries, and server-side languages (such as PHP and ASP.NET.) This book aims to be the definitive tome on Mashup development, to stand in the middle of all the other, more API specific books coming out on Google Maps, Flickr, etc. The book shows how to create real world Mashups using all the most poplar APIs, such as Google Maps, Flickr, Amazon Web Services, and delicious, and includes examples in multiple different server-side languages, such as PHP, Java, and .NET.

Widespread use and acceptance of the World Wide Web in the home and office has eclipsed many other technological advances. Next-generation applications like wikis, podcasting, streaming video, virtual reference, RSS feeds, and blogs sit on the cutting edge of changes that will—and have already begun to—transform librarianship. Medical Librarian 2.0 is a vital groundbreaking resource for understanding and implementing these technologiesin reference services. Medical Librarian 2.0 is both an examination of current technology and a resource for practical applications as well. This important collection includes informative chapters that cover the evolving spectrum of digital tools. Through detailed explorations of current technologies, as well as the ways institutions have implemented them to better serve both patrons and staff, this text provides the insight and necessary awareness required for librarians who want to stay current with these technologies and to make their services relevant to the newer generation of users. With a wealth of informative tables, diagrams, Web site illustrations, online resources, photographs, and references, Medical Librarian 2.0 is an essential resource that looks at the pervasive Web technologies medical libraries—and other libraries—are successfully adapting to both update old services and provide new ones. Contributors to Medical Librarian 2.0 discuss: • the tools and applications shaping Web 2.0 • extending these vibrant technologies into librarianship with Library 2.0 • virtual reference services in academic health science libraries • e-mail, chat, and web forms in the changing landscape of reference services • syndicated information delivery via RSS and its integration • producing, using, organizing, and distributing podcasts • challenges to and successes of streaming video in health sciences libraries • social networking, social media sharing, and social bookmarking tools • tagging, peer production, blogs, and folksonomy • open source software and content management systems like Drupal • wikis and the organizational knowledgebase • creating and utilizing blended applications and mashups • current concerns over data and security • and many other important topics! With a wealth of tables, diagrams, Web site illustrations, online resources, photographs, and references, Medical Librarian 2.0 offers readers clear examples of these applications put into practice. Medical Librarian 2.0 is an essential resource for librarians, especially those in medical settings, library science educators and students, and those looking to stay at the forefront of emerging reference technology.

Nicole Engard follows up her ground-breaking 2009 book Library Mashups with a fresh collection of mashup projects that virtually any library can emulate, customize, and build upon. In More Library Mashups, Engard and 24 creative library professionals describe how they are mashing up free and inexpensive digital tools and techniques to improve library services and meet everyday (and unexpected) challenges. Examples from libraries of all types are designed to help even non-programmers share and add value to digital content, update and enhance library websites and collections, mashup catalog data, connect to the library’s automation system, and use emerging tools like Serendip-o-matic, Umlaut, and Libki to engage users, staff, and the community.

This report looks closely at how academic libraries are re-shaping their websites. The study is based on a survey of 56 academic library web staffs with data broken out by size and type of academic institution and other criteria. The 160 page study gives exhaustive data about academic library preferences in areas such as use of mashups, library social media sites, website staff and budgets, role of the college and library IT staffs, governance of the website, content entry policies, relations with the college IT and web staff, branding issues, college web conformity issues, preferences in content management systems, programming and scripting, division of web staff time among various priorities, use of blogs, listservs, email newsletters, rss feeds and other communication vehicles, use of and plans for federated search, search box presentation strategy, and use of cascading style sheets. The study also covers ease of use issues for library staff focusing on how easy it is to perform certain website-related tasks such as entry of the same content to multiple site locations, ease of inserting and positioning videos, and ease of inserting tabular materials, among other tasks. Other issues covered include but are not limited to: use of freelancers and consultants, sources of advice, use of social bookmarking tools and much more.

Informed by a large-scale survey of librarians across the spectrum of institution types, this guide will be a true technology companion to novices and seasoned LIS professionals alike.

del.icio.us offers millions of Web users an online social network in which to collect, organize, and share their favorite web resources. Using an underlayer of tools offered by del.icio.us, you now have the potential to tap into this social network in order to expand your own website to a whole new array of possibilities. This book will help you make the most of these possibilities and encourages you to use your own innovative ideas to create something useful, unique, and even fun.

Informed by a large-scale survey of librarians across the spectrum of institution types, this guide will be a true technology companion to readers at all experience levels.