Collaborative Tools

2.  What technologies do you find most promising in facilitating internal collaboration and why?

After looking at through the examples for collaborative tools, I found that several of them looked promising to be used in the library setting.  The first example that I liked was Google Docs.  I find that this tool is very helpful while working on collaborative items.  For example, my boss and I use the functions of Google Docs to keep track of the participants who want to take Teaching with Primary Source workshops from Quincy University.  This helps us keep track of who we have been in contact with through our website and email addresses.  I think that Google Docs would be a great tool in the library setting to keep track of classroom visits, book club dates, and free time to use the library.  I found that the four planning tools were all similar to each other, but I did not really like the setup of Bubbl.us.  I would prefer to use any of the other three tools to help develop plans for the library or lesson plans.  I personally have used Mindmeister in a previous class and found that it was very easy to use and helpful.  The usefulness of online communication tools is very helpful when you are trying to have a meeting with a group of people that are not within a reasonable driving distance.  The three online communication tools that I have heard about or have previously used are Meebo, DimDim, and Skype.  As a way of communicating with our workshop participants we have used DimDim and found that it works best in our situation because it is able to run through our broadband connections without any major problems. 

I think with all of these collaborative tools, librarians and others will be able to work in a more productive manner than before, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t draw backs to the technology.  Ones broadband connection can be a determining factor in what will work best in the office and at home.  There is also the idea of being in an online setting that others can see at all times of the day.  For example, if the library is using an instant message tool or using an email account set up to a chat box, it could be on even when one is not at the office.  This was stated as being an issue in Will Kelly’s article “Corporate Culture, Not Technology, Dives Online Collaboration.”  I have come across this on occasion when I am on vacation but still checking my work email.  I have found that if I do not change my chat window to say that I am busy, coworkers and students will contact me with their questions.  These are just some minor issues with collaborative online tools.  In the end the librarian or administration must choose whether or not to use these tools.