Goal 3  The library is a leader in providing Durham's residents with information technology resources needed for academic and business success and for social networking and leisure activities.

3.3:  By 6/30/09, 25% of people attending programs will do so virtually via an e-learning technology such as podcasts, streaming video, or purchased content.

What are some strategies we have for this?

1. Establish committee to study emerging technologies.

    

2. Incorporate staff/customer-generated content, such as blogs wiki, text-message reference questions, virtual online programs, MySpace, YouTube, and other Web 2.0 technologies, onto library Website

    

3. Improve the DCL website as a portal to locally relevant information

    

4. Identify opportunities to engage high-tech community partners, such as:

    

   1. External advisory committee utilizing RTP and others community expertise

       

   2. Collaboration with Durham Tech and other educational groups

       

5. Expand e-learning resources, including content for children.

    

What are we working on?

• Our lovely new webmaster Jill has been videotaping programs for v-casting from the Durham County Library homepage.  She will be working on the best way to get those programs out and available to our customers who were not able to attend the actual program.
• The emerging technologies committee has been working on online VIDEO tutorials on our databases.  Keep you eye out in Spring 2009 for the first one!

What has been working great for us?

• While not exactly an online program, DCL is working on using web 2.0 technologies to advertise for programs.  We've had one book club program for people in their twenties and thirties (gen-teXt) and have been using Facebook.com and Meetup.com to advertise.  It seems to be working to at least give us more access points for people in our community.  The book group meeting was a success!
• New e-audiobooks are here.  Have you checked out audiobooks from Overdrive yet?
• Our newly redesigned website has more locally relevant information and that content is only increasing as the website gets better and better.

Questions?  Comments?  Please contact one of the Goal Champions for Goal 3:  Aftab Ahmed and Jennifer Lohmann.