Using Videos to Enhance Library Services Sam Wallin, Rural Services Coordinator, FVRL Description of the presentation from

the program: Library tours, book reviews, and program announcements are just the beginning when it comes to making library videos that connect with your customers! Join this lively presentation to see what kinds of videos are already out there, fun directions to take your video projects, tools, tips, and tricks to get started, and how to promote your video presence online. Bring your questions, and feel free to visit the presenter's library video channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/CrashSolo Actual presentation: Summary: Videos can be a great way to enhance your librarys services, both internally and externally. You can make videos to entertain and educate your audiences, and you can find videos online to do the same thing. Dont reinvent the wheel! Before starting a video project, search youtube for similar videos. Get ideas on what you want to do, and what you want to avoid doing. Pay attention to things like lighting, sound, camera movement, distance from subject, and angles. 1. History a. 1970s 1990s i. Extensive time, energy, equipment, expertise needed b. 2006 - First big influx of videos from libraries appearing on youtube and other locations online. i. Lots of library tours and how-to videos about using the library catalog ii. Still time and expertise intensive, though equipment and software is more affordable. 2. Current state of things a. Wide variety of library themed videos appearing online i. Book reviews, teen events, video announcements, project updates, humor, how-to, slide-shows b. Most any camera, smart phone, or handheld video camera can be used to make a quick video and post it online. c. Free software is still limited and a bit clunky, but its getting easier. 3. Making a video a. First of all, do some research i. What kind of equipment and software do you have immediate access to? ii. What kind of video do you want to make? iii. Whats out there on youtube, flickr, and other video sites? iv. Ask the creators of videos that interest you about their experiences. b. Sound is one of the most difficult things to deal with. i. Most cheap cameras have lousy microphones. ii. Voice over is an option, but you need a good microphone and a quiet place. iii. Making videos that dont require speaking actors or voice over narration is an option music is nice! iv. If you are speaking to the camera, try to have all the speakers stand the same distance from the camera, and speak at a good volume. v. Most video editors have an audio enhancer that will allow you to turn up the volume on each video clip you can only do this so many times before the white noise gets too loud to bear also. c. You have lots of options for how to create your video, but i. Fewer clips means less editing. ii. Fewer actors means less time scheduling. iii. Available equipment and software means avoiding purchase requests. iv. Photos can be an excellent way to tell a story and most video editors can double as slide show editors. v. Animation is another option for some. vi. Even for short videos, a title card at the beginning and end is a good way to frame and brand your work. 4:40 1987 Betty Glover Tape Ad

2:09 Library Welcome Video 0:39 The ADVENTURES of Super Librarian 2:40 Tour The Library

4:53 Library Outreach Services 2:51 The Ice Cream Truck For Books 7:23 Tibetan Sand Mandala at the Allen County 0:09 Sand Mandala at the Allen County

2:41 The Most Interesting Librarian In The World 3:31 Seattle Central Library Personal Tour

5:04 EMR Library Tour

4:13 Library Orientation 0:37 Mushroom Video Using Animoto

3:13 Entrepreneurs on Books: The Gigabit Challenge

1:45 National Library Week: College Reference Desk

0:42 One Minute Best Christmas Pageant

0:56 Library Orientation Video: Maria 1:28 Reference Librarian 1:49 Willoughby Elementary Library Tour 0:34 Libraryland Good Food

4. Promoting a video a. Just putting it on youtube is not enough. b. Link your library youtube channel to twitter and facebook, and any other social networks your library has a presence on. c. You might be able to embed your videos on the library website. d. Use appropriate tags and a descriptive title for your uploaded video, so people can find it when theyre looking for information about your library. e. Add the video or its link to your library newsletter. f. Send out the link to listservs you belong to, as appropriate. g. Involve patrons in the making of videos, and encourage them to share their work with their friends. 5. Use videos as part of training a. If your library has gotten any new software, is trying out a new program idea, or youre looking for different finger-plays to do with your story times, theres probably a video or twenty already out there that could help. 6. Use videos as part of programs a. Using library computers, teens put together a video as part of a technology program, to promote some type of library services, or just something fun and strange barely related to the library. b. Adults learning how to use a particular piece of software as part of a computer class might watch a video about the basic features of that software. c. Parents learning about fun things to do with their kids like finger plays, story time methods, and crafts. d. Asking patrons to create their own videos as part of a contest, upload them to youtube, and send the link to the library.

1:27 Author Earl Sewell Visits HFHS Library

1:21 MASTER FVRL New Building Sept_2010H

5:45 Finger Plays With Dr. Jean Pt. 1 9:03 Movie Maker Video Editing

1:09 TC Williams High School 0:14 Stowe Free Library 3:54 Books 2:09 How To Place A Hold on an item

1:00 Frog and Duck are Friends Episode 1

The video playlist I used for this presentation is available at this link: bit.ly/sweetlibraryvids

Infrequently Asked Questions: What about flickr? Flickr is another place where you can upload short videos less than 90 seconds in length. Ive seen animoto videos there, as well as more artsy videos, and just plain old smart phone uploads. Whats the best software? The one you have access to! Depending on your computer, budget, etc. you might have access to a variety of movie editors. Whats the best camera? Start with what you have access to. Make some videos. Fiddle around with editing. After youve made a few videos, youll start to realize what your cameras limitations are. Probably youll wish you had better sound quality. Adjust your filmmaking practices to maximize the use of your cameras better features. Do a little research to find out what new camera has the features you actually need for a project you cant easily do with your current camera. Wish you had the budget for said camera.