July 2020 Seminar: Time critical user centred library web design

Summary

Antony Groves, from the University of Sussex gave a lively account of how his team have made ten changes to the library website since lockdown. He talked about benchmarking, user surveys and feedback and plenty of iterations to get things right.
They have had two aims: to make the site accessible to meet Government requirements and also to make the site as useful as possible during the lockdown period. This was a huge challenge in difficult circumstances, but the efforts were rewarded by a ‘Customer Service Excellence’ award.  Antony gave us sufficient details to really bring home the challenges that were faced by librarians in the lockdown, particularly in the specific context of the range of users who needed resources for their study, research and their daily tasks. NetIKX members have commented on how valuable the session was for their own work in this area and there were plenty of questions to Antony to complete the session.

Speaker

Antony Groves is Learning & Teaching Librarian in the Academic Services department at the University of Sussex. He is the  person who co-ordinates teaching for undergraduates and taught postgraduates across all schools of study. This includes embedded teaching, providing student support and organising the Digital Tuesday’s programme.  He has developed the Library website, Library Subject Guides, Skills Hub and curated content for LinkedIn Learning; and supports students in using the Library resources and services.  He also runs a Library chat service and also blogs for CILIP’s Multimedia Information and Technology Group.
He is a Fellow of the HEA and committee member for CILIPs MmIT.

Time and Venue

2.30 pm Wednesday 22 July 2020. Antony’s talk was delivered via Zoom.

Tweets

#netikx104

Slides

Slides will be available to members soon

Blog

See our blog report: A Library during lockdown

Study Suggestions

MMIT blog: https://mmitblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/16/revisiting-ranganathan-part-1

MMIT blog: https://mmitblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/19/revisiting-ranganathan-part-2

MMIT blog: https://www.visucius.org/2020/07/27/time-critical-user-centred-library-web-design/

May 2014 Seminar: Information on the Move

Summary

The first speaker, David, spoke about ‘The second digital transition’ which means that there will be no librarians (as we know them) by 2022. ‘The first digital revolution’ took place in the office or in the library. The device – the PC – was desk bound, office bound. ‘The second digital revolution’ is taking place in the street. Mobile is now the main platform for accessing the web. They are not computational devices but access devices. Mobiles are social, personal, cool and popular. The horizontal has replaced the vertical, reading is ‘out’ fast ‘media’ is in. As a result, abstracts have never been so popular and we can now all online to avoid reading and there is an emphasis on shorter articles, which have a much bigger chance of being used.

Max, followed on from David, by talking about his company that specialises in creating apps which are interactive and provide information or assist in education. The ideas illustrated the power of the new mobile technologies.

We could not have come further from the initial concept of libraries : no walls, no queuing, no intermediaries! Ask any young person about a library and they will point to their mobile. It is ironic that mobiles were once banned from libraries – now it is the library. The mobile, borderless information environment really challenges libraries and publishers. It constitutes another massive round of disintermediation and migration. The changed platform and environment transforms information consumption. For a final reflection, David asked us: Is the web and the mobile device making us stupid ? Where are we going with information, learning and mobile devices ? This led to a lively conversation for our table discussion groups!

Speakers

David Nicholas runs CIBER a pan-European research outfit.
David Nicholas is one of the original CIBER founders. His interests include use and seeking behaviour in virtual spaces, the digital consumer, the virtual scholar, mobile information (information on-the-go), e-books, e-journal usage; the evaluation of digital platforms and scholarly communication and reputation.
Professor Nicholas was Director of the Department of Information Studies at University College London (2004–2011) and prior to that Head of the Department of Information Science at City University 1997–2003. David has been principal investigator on 60 research projects worth more than £6M and published around 500 peer evaluated papers, report and books

Max Whitby comes from Touch Press, an app development organisation.
Touchpress is an acclaimed app developer and publisher based in Central London. The company specialises in creating in-depth premium apps on educational subjects including the Periodic Table, Beethoven, the Solar System, T.S. Eliot, Shakespeare, and others. Their app “Barefoot World Atlas” was named one of the top 10 apps of all time by Apple. Of Touchpress’ “Disney Animated,” which was named the best iPad app of 2013 worldwide by Apple, iTunes’ App Editor noted, “We’re absolutely spellbound.”

Time and Venue

2pm on 16 May 2014, The British Dental Association, 64 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8YS

Slides

No slides available for this presentation

Tweets

#netikx65

Blog

Val Skelton, Editor of ‘Information Today, Europe’ has written a very good blog post on this seminar.

See our blog report: Second digital revolution

Study Suggestions

You can visit the CIBER website for more information: CIBER website

March 2009 Seminar: Knowledge Transfer Programme in Museums, Libraries and Archives (MLA) London

Summary

This meeting Focused on the MLA sector in London

Speakers

Victoria Ward, Founder, Sparknow
Ellen Collins, Research and Policy Officer, MLA Londo

Time and Venue

March 2009, 2pm The British Dental Association, 64 Wimpole Street, London W1G 8YS

Slides

No slides available

Tweets

#netikx

Blog

Blog no longer available

Study Suggestion

None