What is Tableau Public? Tableau Public is a free service that lets anyone publish interactive data visualizations to the web. Who is Tableau Public for? Tableau Public is for anyone interested in understanding data and sharing those findings as data visualizations with the world. Journalists, writers, bloggers, students, professors, hobbyists, critics, citizens and more. As soon as a workbook is published to Tableau Public, the viz is accessible by anyone on the internet (with some restrictions – see below), so be sure to only use data that is suitable for a public audience. Source: https://community.tableau.com/docs/DOC-9135 Pros Excellent way to share data with library management,…
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Conditional Formatting in Excel
Across all of my professional positions, I have used Microsoft Excel extensively. Over the years I have learned some tips and tricks and have become an “accidental expert”. While working at Overdrive, Excel was the primary software that I utilized to normalize data submitted from publishers for upload to the database. At the library, I teach a beginner and intermediate level Excel class. It is one of the most popular computer classes that the library offers. I’ll demonstrate some of my Excel skills below. Using Conditional Formatting in Excel What is conditional formatting and why would you want to use…
Keeping up with the Web
For the last year, the Willoughy-Eastlake Public Library has been participating in the Mozilla Foundation’s Web Literacy pilot funded by an IMLS grant. Mozilla is the free-software company behind the Firefox web browser. The goal of the grant has been to strengthen the web literacy skills of our library staff. The web literacy framework is based on three core 21st century skills: read, write, and participate. These areas are divided into more specific skills such as navigating online, evaluating online sources, coding web pages, and online safety and privacy. This framework is not only essential for library staff to understand…
Library Website: Creating a Custom Post Type for Databases in WordPress
When I first created a website for the library using WordPress, I added all the databases as regular posts. I assumed that I would sort them using categories. This managed to work well enough but has some limitations. I wanted to have more control over our databases. I noticed that a number of libraries list their databases on a single page in alphabetical order with the additional option of sorting the databases by topic. Here are some examples: Shaker Library, Cuyahoga County Public Library, & Euclid Library. Originally I assumed I would have to cobble something together by creating a database…
Return on Investment: OLC
Finding from Return on Investment of Ohio’s Public Libraries &Comparison with Other States, Howard Fleeter & Associates (April 2016): Ohio has the second highest percentage of registered borrowers at 77.7%, behind only Minnesota. Ohio has the highest number of library transactions per capita in the country, utilizing library materials and services at a rate that is more than twice the national average. Ohio also ranks first nationally in library visits per capita, averaging 7.5 visits per year for each person. While Ohio public libraries provide an extensive array of services to patrons, they also do so in a cost effective…
Libraries and Learning
On April 7, 2016, the Pew Research Center released a new study on Libraries & Learning. Most Americans believe libraries do a decent job of serving the education and learning needs of their communities and their own families. A new survey by Pew Research Center shows that 76% of adults say libraries serve the learning and educational needs of their communities either “very well” (37%) or “pretty well” (39%). Further, 71% say libraries serve their own personal needs and the needs of their families “very well” or “pretty well.” Overall, in the past 12 months, 50% of adults interacted with…
Bringing Trust to the Table
Trust is fundamental to so much of what libraries do. I think it is one of the main reasons that people like libraries. Fostering a trusting environment should be considered in all library decisions from building remodels to lending new materials. Ultimately, librarians and administrators need to look at themselves as part of the community that they are serving instead of being separate from it. Essentially librarianship is about building relationships and opening a dialogues. I think this is true for how we engage and interact with coworkers. Personally, I know that I need to bring more trust to the…
Net Neutrality Update
On Feb. 26, 2015, the FCC approved strong open Internet rules under Title II of the Communications Act. Learn more here: Save the Internet The FCC recently passed the Open Internet Order, which became active on June 12, 2015. The Order also commands that ISPs cannot “unreasonably interfere with or unreasonably disadvantage” the ability of consumers to select the online content and services they want and the ability of content providers to reach those consumers. The FCC cites library and public education comments proposing an “internet reasonable” standard that would protect the unique and open character of the Internet. Of…
Canva is my Friend
My work at the library involves creating a lot of promotional materials for upcoming events. These marketing materials tend to be for display on our website, Facebook, & promotional TVs within our libraries. When I first started at the library I wrestled with Photoshop to make these graphics. Using Photoshop was time-consuming for the goal I was trying to accomplish. Photoshop is a great product but isn’t always the best choice. I learned about Canva.com at an Emerging Tech workshop at NEO. I have used it ever since. Creating graphics in Canva is now part of my daily workflow. It…
Coding for the Masses – Striving to Improve Digital Literacy
Our concept of information literacy is evolving more and more rapidly as technology becomes ingrained in our everyday lives. Schools and educators are realizing the importance of expanding an interest in computer science and coding to a wider audience and at an earlier age. On January 24, 2014, the popular science podcast, ScienceFriday, ran an episode entitled “Is Coding the Language of the Digital Age?“. The panel discussed ways that coding can be incorporated into our existing education system in order to close the gap for women and minorities. The ability to code is becoming increasingly important in order to…