Ask a Librarian banner with logo, Florida's Statewide Virtual Reference Service. Chat, Email, and Text.

Current webinars

Oct 26, 2011 | ,

Space is still available in the following Ask a Librarian webinars:  
 
Site Coordinator Training: KnowledgeBase and Portal Page Editing
Information in the KnowledgeBase is vital to Ask a Librarian’s success. In this webinar, site coordinators learn how to keep KnowledgeBase information up-to-date and add announcements to portal pages.
Wed., Nov. 2, 10-11 am ET
 
Ask a Librarian Online: Introductory Training Series
Site coordinators: do you have new staff needing introductory training? Sign them up for this fully-online training series specific to those without previous Ask a Librarian training.
Wed., Nov. 9 and 16, 2-4/2-3:30 pm ET (registrants attend both sessions)

Ask a Librarian Email Webinar
Join this brief webinar to learn about using e-mail inside the Agent Console. This is not only valuable for those libraries currently using Ask a Librarian email, but also those systems who use their own but would like to see just how the AaL email works.
Thurs., Nov. 10, 10-11 am ET

Ask a Librarian 1.5-Hour Refresher Training
Everyone can benefit from a refresher… previously-trained staff will relearn the basics of chat and texting with this 1.5 hour webinar.
Thurs., Dec. 1, 10-11:30 am ET

Hot Topics Ebooks! Putting OverDrive eBooks onto eReaders: A Guide For Library Staff
TBLC’s Al Carlson will equip public service staff with the skills they need to assist patrons with adding OverDrive e-books to e-readers. Don’t forget to sign up for Al’s OverDrive audiobooks webinar, too!
Wed., Jan. 11, 2-3 pm ET

Hot Topics Audiobooks! Putting OverDrive Audiobooks onto Portable Players: A Guide For Library Staff
TBLC’s Al Carlson will equip public service staff with the skills they need to assist patrons with adding OverDrive audiobooks to portable players. Don’t forget to sign up for Al’s OverDrive e-books webinar, too!
Wed., Jan. 18, 2-3 pm ET
 
For more information or to register for any of these, please visit: http://www.tblc.org/ws_classes.php?statewide=YES#firstMatch

Feelin’ generous?

Sep 7, 2011 | ,

As of 1 pm ET on Wed., Sept. 7, the following Ask a Librarian shifts currently need help:

Mon., Sept. 12, 12-1 pm (collaborative)
Tues., Sept. 13, 6-7 pm (collaborative)
Fri., Sept. 16, 12-1 pm (collaborative)
Sat., Sept. 17, 11a-12p and 12-1pm (collaborative)
Mon., Sept. 19, 12-1 pm (academic)
Tues., Sept. 20, 6-7 pm (collaborative)
Wed., Sept. 21, 12-1 pm (academic)
Fri., Sept. 23, 12-1 pm (collaborative)

If you can help, please email Traci at avett@tblc.org and she will shower you with appreciation & gratitude.

FEL Training through the State Library

Aug 26, 2011 | , ,

This is just a friendly reminder that the State Library of Florida offers terrific on-demand and live webinar training opportunities (in-person by request) on Florida Electronic Library resources through this link:
http://www.flelibrary.org/training/

“The Florida Electronic Library—your gateway to superior electronic resources that offer access to comprehensive, accurate, and reliable information—offers a training program designed to meet the needs of all library staff. With its blended curriculum, you can take advantage of the training that best suits your learning style: on demand, live webinar, or on-site in your library.”

They offer training on many topics:
FEL/Gale Resources and Mobile Access
Gale Databases – Behind the Scenes
Homework Help Using FEL Resources
Integrating eResources into the Classroom
Research for Media Specialists
Small Business Help Using FEL Resources
The Power of Web 2.0: Best Practices Using FEL Resources
What You Don’t Know About FEL Business Resources
What You Don’t Know About FEL Health Resources
Have a great weekend!
Traci

Refresher Webinar

Aug 22, 2011 | , ,

Space is still available in our brief webinar designed to help you brush-up on both chat and texting in the Ask a Librarian software. Are you in need of a refresher? Does texting have you confused? If so, this workshop will help you regain your footing in staffing Ask a Librarian.

Ask a Librarian 1.5-hour Refresher Webinar
Wed., Sept. 7, 2011
10-11:30 am ET

To register, please visit: http://www.tblc.org/ws_info.php?ws=1577

OCLC Report on Virtual Reference

Aug 19, 2011 | ,

Hello everyone,

OCLS & Rutgers University have published a report based on five years of research on virtual reference. It is called “Seeking Synchronicity: Revelations and Recommendations for Virtual Reference”, by Lynn Silipigni Connaway and Marie L. Radford, and you can view or download the full PDF at http://www.oclc.org/reports/synchronicity/full.pdf.

More information can be found at http://www.oclc.org/reports/synchronicity/default.htm. Below is an excerpt from the page description :

[…]Seeking Synchronicity distills more than five years of virtual reference (VR) research into a readable summary that features memorable quotes that vividly illustrate very specific and actionable suggestions. Taken from a multi-phase research project that included focus group interviews, surveys, transcript analysis, and phone interviews, with VR librarians, users, and non-users, these findings are meant to help practitioners develop and sustain VR services and systems. The report asserts that the “R” in “VR” needs to emphasize virtual “Relationships” as well as “Reference”.

Among the topics addressed are:
•The exaggerated death of ready reference
•The importance of query clarification in VR
•Ways to boost accuracy and build better interpersonal relationships in VR
•What can be learned from VR transcripts
•How convenience is the “hook” that draws users into VR services
•Generational differences in how people perceive reference interactions and determine success
•The need for more and better marketing

Enjoy your weekend!