ΘΕΜΑΤΙΚΗ ΠΥΛΗ

ABSTRACT : Web logs (blogs) and other Web 2.0 tools are becoming more popular as a means for academic libraries to communicate with their students. This article explores the medium and its use in marketing academic library services. The article also reports on a study of academic librarians currently using blogs. Librarians respond to questions about intended audience, statistics and other issues concerning marketing of blogs.

ABSTRACT : Internet voice and video calling have demonstrated a dramatic rise in quality in the past several years and have quickly become communication technologies with a disruptive impact on society. Librarians, who regularly adopt such technologies in outreach and public services, should evaluate Web-calling programs as potential sources of innovative reference programming. This article describes the development of Skype video and Internet telephony pilot reference services at the Ohio University Libraries and considers the utility of Skype and VoIP in a library setting.

Abstract : When discussing eBooks, people generally fall into two camps: they either don't know what eBooks are or know what they are but cannot find them at their local library. Libraries are beginning to successfully address the gap between patron awareness of electronic books in general and a library's holdings and circulation options. EBooks are a relatively new format, and many rights and business model issues between authors, publishers and distributors remain unresolved. EBook readers to a large degree receive more media attention than eBooks themselves.

Abstract : As one of the fastest growing social networking sites, Facebook presents librarians with a prime opportunity to engage academic library patrons. A survey of 136 users at Western Michigan University (WMU) measured the effectiveness of Facebook as a marketing, reference, and instruction tool. It also measured user comfort and satisfaction with a library's presence on Facebook. The majority of respondents found Facebook to be a useful and engaging medium to learn about library resources and services.