Seminar at RMIT 14th May 2008 : Blake Dawson

Information Night: 23 Items/Web 2.0
RMIT Library : Wednesday 14th May 2008 :

How 3 library systems introduced Blogs, Wiki's, RSS, Mashup, & Social networking

1. Blake Dawson Law Firm
Introduced by Alison O'Connor : alison.oconnor@blackdawson.com

-Blake Dawson is divided into teams : Knowledge Team, includes the library. The library also has close connections with the IT team.
-The library is expected to provide accurate research to support the work of the lawyers.
-The library blog mantains team updates and replaces fortnightly email messages.
-Advantages : can add items to blog as new information is received
: searchable by item
: can tag items for easy reference
: colleagues can comment
-Blogs posted on 'communityserver.com' for the following reasons
: can blog
: has a forum/discussion board
: shares and stores files
: RSS feeds (next upgrade does not have this facility)
: can tag items
-Before choosing a server
:do product trials
:and give staff opportunity to engage in 'play', the fun stuff like exchanging recipies
: consider external clients

*A blog reduces the number of emails being sent
*Increases the opportunity for participation of all members of a team (not just managers)
*Increases communication between staff
*Lowers the number of emails kept in storage

The future:
-Blog is a temporary situation as the next move is to a wiki.
-Web 2.0 offered participation to all staff - lawyers, secretaries, library staff etc.
-Consider tailoring tasks to suit own environment.
-Consider timing of introducing '23-items' : workload of participants determines take-up of course.
-Limit the 'L' word (library) to encourage wider takeup amongst company staff.

next : Swinburne Universitey