Here in CMLE we have been experimenting a bit with LibGuides, a subject guide sort of tool that is not new to many of you. The basic idea is to create “one stop shop areas” on specific topics. It is always difficult to know which topics to develop, so we just made a guess and got started! We try to include a definition and an embedded video into our guides to assist librarians/paras/media specialists in easily getting basic information on a topic. The guides will usually also point you to gurus or experts on the topics so you are well armed in doing deeper research or connecting to the big names in the field!
We know that right now, there is more information available online than ever before, sometimes too much information! Many of you quietly share that you feel overwhelmed by it at times. It is not our intention to add to the problem. We think there may be value in pulling information together in an easy to use format, but yes, others have done the same! And we acknowledge that we are a small organization, two people to be exact! But we also know that we provide services to gifted information professionals in 319 library settings, professionals who see fantastically rich sites each day, and some of you could even be subject experts (even if you are too humble to admit it). So, we are just getting started, are in Beta, but please take a look at our Learning Landing, a place to land to quickly get up to speed on various topics, or use the Learning Landing as your jumping off point to other blogs or sites completely devoted to the topic. And yes, when you become a subject expert on any topic, please consider paying it forward to your colleagues by working with us on a guide to capture your expertise!
The guides will always be a work in progress, probably never perfect, and we welcome your advice, input, or interest in working with us to embellish existing guides or in creating new guides. Send me any and all input at papost@stcloudstate.edu and thanks! Now, take a deep breath, bend your knees, and jump to the Learning Landing!
CMLE’s copyright/fair use information just keeps getting better! We have added a new Resources tab to our Copyright LibGuide on CMLE’s Learning Landing! The new tab features links to: images, video, music, books, software, open education resources, and open access scholarly resources. You can rest easy in knowing that these resources can be freely used with no worries around copyright or fair use. How do we know? Because these resources were assessed and shared by Nancy Sims, U of M Copyright Librarian at our November event, Us, Use, and Users. A big thank you to Nancy for creating her materials under Creative Commons licensing, which allows us to share freely!