Abstract
Computer mediated communication technologies such as instant messaging, blogs, wikis, and podcasts provide new avenues to foster communication and collaboration in the academic library environment. These tools provide innovative ways to reach new technologically savvy academic library users, highlight library services, and allow the library to remain the intellectual center of the academic community. Additionally, these tools also provide mechanisms for internal staff development and collaboration, saving time and building a more technologically expert staff. This chapter highlights various ways that the academic library community can incorporate CMC technologies by providing current examples of instant messaging, blog, wiki, and podcast implementation.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Academic Library: A designated place, physical or digital, set aside to house scholarly research materials and materials supporting the academic, university, or college community and curriculum.
Blog: An online resource composed of varied content in short formatted entries with time and data stamp listing in reserve chronological order, made publicly or privately available.
Academic Librarian: A working library professional holding a Masters in Library Science or international equivalent.
Podcast: A Web-based audio recording made available via RSS feed and subscription. Name derived from the combination of iPod + broadcast.
Wiki: A collaborative Web site enabling group sharing by provided mechanisms for content to be edited by users.
Blog: An online resource composed of varied content in short formatted entries with time and data stamp listing in reserve chronological order, made publicly or privately available.
Academic Librarian: A working library professional holding a Masters in Library Science or international equivalent.
Instant Message: The transmission from a sender of an electronic message over a computer network using software that instantaneously displays the message in a chat window on the screen of the recipient. Also referred to as chat or IM
Academic Library: A designated place, physical or digital, set aside to house scholarly research materials and materials supporting the academic, university, or college community and curriculum.
Academic Library User: Individuals having access to academic, university, or college library services and resources.
RSS: (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) Web-based technology used by Internet users to distribute and retrieve real-time content such as blogs and podcasts, similar to a subscription.
Instant Message: The transmission from a sender of an electronic message over a computer network using software that instantaneously displays the message in a chat window on the screen of the recipient. Also referred to as chat or IM
RSS: (Really Simple Syndication or Rich Site Summary) Web-based technology used by Internet users to distribute and retrieve real-time content such as blogs and podcasts, similar to a subscription.
Academic Library User: Individuals having access to academic, university, or college library services and resources.
Wiki: A collaborative Web site enabling group sharing by provided mechanisms for content to be edited by users.
Podcast: A Web-based audio recording made available via RSS feed and subscription. Name derived from the combination of iPod + broadcast.