Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Do You Use LibGuides?

Since I am in the process of redesigning my library's website, I've been asking around and checking out what other independent school libraries are using.  The range of answers has been very helpful, however, one resource that keeps coming up again and again is LibGuides.  As far as I can tell, LibGuies is a web-based tool for making online library or subject guided collections of resources.  At $500+ per year (for my school anyway), I am trying to evaluate what LibGuides gives me that Google Sites, already integrated with our school's server, does not already do for free.  This post by Unquiet Librarian Buffy Hamilton helped get me thinking, but I'm just not sure that Google Sites is really lacking in any of these categories.  Certainly, LibGuides is stronger in tagging/organizing guides as well as in creating widgets, but as far as integrating other widgets or embedding content, I have no trouble doing this in Google Sites.  A benefit that I see with creating research guides on Google Sites is that my school has integrated Google accounts with our server, meaning that I can restrict the privacy of some sites to only show up for students who are signed into their school accounts.  This means that I can put all the password and log in information right there.  So I guess right now, I've decided not to go with LibGuides, at least not on our current budget.

Do you use LibGuides?  If not, how do you create online research guides?

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

keep on keeping on

It's been a whirlwind month of things to do with the library and things not to do with the library (hello final month of marathon training!). 

For the library:
1.  We finally got some eBooks in my little school library and I'm happily promoting them at every opportunity that comes up!  They work, quite happily, with iPads/phones and Android tablets/phones.

2.  Finals are looming just around the bend which means that no one has time to read.  It makes me sad to see so many great books sitting, untouched on the New Books shelf.

3.  I've teaching 6th graders to make websites, which has been interesting and fun.  Teaching them about free use (and not so free use) of images and content is twice as interesting, but not so much fun.

4.I have been reading and reading.  We have a fledgling parents' book club that I run, which means that I have to get to read more grown-up books.  It certainly keeps my busy.