MLA Conference Report #8

From Julie Levang of Duluth Public Library:


I was able to attend MLA all three days, thanks to the NCLC scholarship. These are the sessions that I went to:

Why Should We Use Social Media to Promote the Library? - Presentation by Rochester Public Library about different ways they use social media tools in their library. Lots of good tips about ways we could be using free social media tools at DPL.

Libraries in the Cloud - Another presentation by Rochester Public Library staff, that provided a good introduction to what cloud technology means, and ideas about how libraries can make use of it. Some cloud-based technologies discussed included Google Docs, Office 365, Zoho, Gliffy, Dropbox, Spotify, Pandora, Picassa, Flickr, and ChiliFresh.

Libraries at the Front Lines of Workforce Recovery – Presenters from WebJunction and Washington County Library talked about libraries that have successfully implemented programs and services that target patron’s workforce recovery needs, and how they went about it. They discussed ways that library staff can utilize existing resources, and also how to develop beneficial partnerships. A copy of the publication Project Compass Workforce Recovery Workshops, was given to everyone attending the session.

E-Books : What’s all the EXCITEMENT About? – An overview of the growing role e-books are playing in libraries, given by librarians from a mix of libraries from around the state. Each presenter talked about e-books in their library, including how usage has grown, problems, and tips and recommendations. It was interesting to learn that we made Overdrive available to our patrons ahead of many libraries in the cities.

Things in a Flash : The Latest Web 2.0 Tools – A quick overview of new Web 2.0 tools, presented by staff members from a variety of libraries. Each talked about their favorites, and ways that they can be used in libraries. Topics included QR Codes, Get Glue, WunderList, Everynote, Google API’s, PB Works, Google Groups, and FourSquare,

Minnesota Library Futures Initiative – Background information about the formation of the Minnesota Library Futures in October 2010, and a report on their progress thus far. We broke up into small groups, and brainstormed about what the future of libraries might look like, and ways that libraries might want to respond to the changes.