Widgets: Web Coolness for nonTechies

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Widgets Web Coolness for non-Techies

• By Mary Broussard
• Lycoming College

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What is a widget?

• portable chunk of code to be put into any HTML
  page Wikipedia
• Basically, an object that does something cool you
  can put on any Web site without being a Web
  designer
• Also often called a gadget among other names

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Examples

• Early widgets
• Visitor counters
• Advertisement banners
• Weve come a long way since then

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As it relates to Web 2.0

• Web 2.0 about bringing power to the people who
  arent necessarily Web programmers
• Many Web 2.0 tools offer widgets you can put on
  your own sites
• Blog platforms with built-in RSS
• Social networking sites like Shelfari
• Google Maps Calendars
• YouTube

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What are libraries doing with Widgets?
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What are libraries doing with Widgets?

• IM (Meebo)
• Students dont need to download software or have
  their own screen name
• Can use from public computers
• Can place it in your catalog
• Downside - librarians have to remember to sign in
  ?

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What are libraries doing with Widgets? (cont)

• Catalog search box
• How many allow students to search from homepage?
• Swarthmore College seamlessly integrates
  different types of search tools
• Many vendors will provide you with code

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What are libraries doing with Widgets? (cont)

• iGoogle (Netvibes, Pageflakes, etc.)
• Personal start page
• Entirely made of widgets
• Never have to see the code
• Easy to create catalog search box, RSS feeds to
  library news, list of links to popular databases
• Good research portal
• Downside not all students are using it

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What are libraries doing with Widgets? (cont)

• New books
• Show off new books on librarys Web site or blog
  using Shelfari
• Pictures
• Slide shows through Flickr or Slide

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What are libraries doing with Widgets? (cont)

• Google Calendar
• Let students know when you are available
• Let students know when computer labs are free
• Google Maps
• Annotate maps with My Maps post widget on Web
  site

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What are libraries doing with Widgets? (cont)

• RSS
• Post news on Web site
• Virtual reading rooms
• Moodle allows for RSS feed blocks

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What are libraries doing with Widgets? (cont)

• Penn States Research Jumpstart page
• Lots of widgets
• Useful itself
• Easy access to moving widgets to other platforms
  (iGoogle, Blogger, etc.)

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What are libraries doing with Widgets? (cont)

• Countdowns
• Useful for program planning
• Could be used for major program promotion
• Could be promoted to students with major
  assignment deadlines (even on library guides!)

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Conclusion