Will Bing Rule the World?

Currently, there is a LOT of fuss about Bing. At work, all of the homepages for the public computers have been set to Bing. Also, my home page for my cell phone was set to Bing (without my doing). It seems to be that Bing is taking over, so I wanted to experience Bing for myself.

I found some information on Law Librarian Blog that lead me here. PC World compared Bing, Google, and Yahoo. The comparison is complete with screen shots.

I decided to do my own comparison between Google, my preferred search engine, and Bing. I looked for my apartment complex. I have to say I like that Google gave me a map of the location, but other than that, the info was pretty much the same. Bing keeps the left side of the page clean where Google has ads. Bing also keeps track of your search history on the right side of the screen and has related search options. Google also does this if you click "Show Options".

I don't think that I am ready to switch to Bing full time as of yet, but I definitely think it is a viable search engine.

PowerPoint How Tos - Office 2007

I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of PowerPoint 2007, but I am warming up to it. I feel like some of the functionality that I had in the 2003 version is gone. However, all is not lost. I found a 'PowerPoint How Tos 2007" guide created by Microsoft. If you like to give your PowerPoint presentations that extra zing, this is the guide for you.

To access the 'PowerPoint How Tos 2007" guide click here.

SERU

As a member of the CRIV committee, I developed a proposal for the DC conference on Shared Electronic Resources Understanding (SERU). Unfortunately, the program was not accepted, but we were able to get a grant and turn the program into a webinar! You can find more information about the webinar below. The program is called The Shared Electornic Resource Understanding (SERU): Can it work in my Library? and will be held Tuesday June 9 from 1p-2p. The program is sponsored by NELLLCO and co-sponsored by CRIV. For more information, click here.

Web 3.0

I was reading an article by Michael Baumann in Information Today ("Web 3.0: The Next Step for the Internet, May 2009). The article discussed how Web 3.0 changes will be drastically different from the changes we saw with Web 2.0 technologies. Baumann suggested that Web 3.0 will be different because it will focus on changes with infrastructure, where as Web 2.0 focused on changes with technologies.

One *welcomed*change that we may experience with Web 3.0 is machines doing menial tasks such as deleting spam email and other types of data sorting. Furthermore, Web 3.0 is expected to make surfing the internet a lot easier for everyone.

With these expected changes, do you think librarians will be teaching (or re-teaching) patrons how to use the internet in addition to research skills?

Programs used to create online tutorials or teach online courses

I have to admit, I haven't had much experience with the products I'm about to mention, but I wonder how librarians are incorporating products such as Camtasia, Jing, WebEx, etc into their teaching. Some libraries have even downloaded library tours to iPod shuffles and allow users to check them out.

I have attended a few sessions via WebEx. I heard the speakers and saw the PowerPoint, but I was not successful at submitting questions through the chat function for whatever reason.

This is an area that many librarians would like to know more about, so please share your experiences with different products and how your library uses them.

National Legal Research Teach In

This year, National Legal Research Teach-In week is April 13 - 18, 2009. The National Teach-In is sponsored by the Research and Patron Services Special Interest Section of AALL.

Many of our colleagues have worked hard to compile games, powerpoints, handouts, and research guides to assist in teaching legal research. It is worth a look! You may be inspired or find something you need to help you with a class.

Click here to go directly to the National Legal Research Teach-In Week page.

Finals and bar prep in an academic law library

If you work in an academic law library, finals are fast approaching. Does your library do anything to help the students prepare for finals? What about for bar exam preparation?

Last year, I and a fellow co-worker did a display with a pathfinder to highlight the study aids the library had to assist the students.

As far as bar prep, where I used to work, they had a very detailed research guide to help students find study aids in addition to what BarBri and PMBR have to offer.

Is your library offering any programs or guides to assist students with finals or bar prep?

Sessions of Interest at the 2009 AALL Annual Conference

Bleow, I have listed sessions that may be of interest to those who want to learn more about Web 2.0 and other sessions related to user education in law libraries (and law firms). Please refer to the Conference Program for session times and for a full list of sessions offered.


Sessions

Sunday July 26

• A-1 Making your ILS Web 2.0 Happy
• A-5 Legal Research Questions on the Bar Exam: Preparing Our Students
• B-1 Emerging from the Cocoon: Innovative Ways to Reteach Legal Research to Externs and Summer Associates
• C-2 Laws and Codes: How do they do that?
• C-5 Reporting for Duty: Military Information and its Application to Legal Research

Monday July 27

• D-1 I want my Web 2.0: Lessons from the Web 2.0 Challenge Everyone can use
• D-3 Brave New Frontier of Government Documents Librarianship
• D-6 Beyond the Walls of the United Nations: Exploring UN Databases
• E-1 So you want to make a Movie: Simple Steps for Creating Videos for Web Distribution and Vodcasting
• E-2 Chat 2.0: Renovating Virtual Reference
• E-4 Finding Services for Seniors (Ourselves and Others)
• E-5 Working Smart: Innovative Ways to do More with Your Day
• F-2 Law Librarians Abroad: Is a Foreign Study Program for you?
• F-3 Marketing Mojo: Get smart with Design
• G-5 What's in a Name? Trademark Searching, Services and Domain Names

Tuesday July 28

• H-1 So you Think you can Teach: Keeping the Audience Awake and Learning Alive
• H-2 Web 2.0: Driving Innovation in the Law Firm Library
• I-2 Got ideas? Tools and techniques to Identify, Refine and Communicate Ideas that Stick!
• I-6 Hot Topic
• J-2 Embracing the M-Word: Why and how to Market your Library
• K-1 Vlogging for Law Libraries
• K-2 Find 50-State Law Surveys Fast!
• K-3 Researching International Tax Law
  

AALL 2009 Washington, D.C. July 25-28 Links of Interest

Everyone is gearing up for the AALL Annual Meeting. If you will be blogging or tweeting about the conference, please remember to use #aall2009 as a tag to make it easier for others to find your info!

Links of Interest

Here are some sites to help you prepare for the meeting:

AALL Annual Meeting Page

Local Arrangements Website

Capital Crier - Official AALL 2009 Annual Meeting Blog

Conference Program

Unofficial AALL 2009 Conference Wiki

AALL Grants

AALL Placement Committee - Services at the Annual Meeting

AALL Placement Services - Candidate Registration Form

AALL Placement Services - Employer Registration Form

Web 2.0

Web 2.0 technologies are all the buzz these days. Our library has created a Facebook Fan Page. We also have a blog to relay news to patrons. Many of my fellow librarians are using Facebook, MySpace, and LinkedIn to stay connected.

Since Web 2.0 technologies are so prevalent, the University of Kentucky library system promoted learning how to use these technologies through a series called Blue 2.0. (If you are interested in looking at the modules go here http://connectedlibrary.blogspot.com/). The program was so successful that it was adopted campus-wide.

What type of Web 2.0 technologies are you using in your libraries and how are you using the technologies?