Editor’s note: Due to the gap in newsletter publications between 2020 and 2021, this session summary begins with coverage from the 2020 annual meeting in Norfolk, Virginia.
The Emerging Technologies Committee (ETSC) hosted its first successful Tech Hub at MLA’s 2020 annual meeting. The Tech Hub was the first consultant-style event offered by the ETSC to help members of MLA share knowledge about software and digital tools or explore project ideas with expert colleagues. The event included five core tables: WordPress (Katie Buehner), Music Encoding (Anna Kijas), AV Access Systems (Jonathan Manton), Institutional repositories and music school content (Anne Shelley), Scalar (Bonnie Finn), and one additional pop-up table. The robust turnout for this event—about 50 people—indicates that the ETSC is tapping into a clear member need.
Tech Hub was developed in response to a Fall 2019 membership survey (ETSC2019SurveyResults). The committee was pleased by the number of responses (75), which seemed to reinforce several ETSC observations. Approximately 70% of our respondents (48) are familiar with music or audio tools and 52% (39) report having experience with online tutorials. Additionally, all 4 respondents working in archival roles, plus 18 in technical services or cataloging report interests in emerging issues related to cataloging and discovery. In contrast, only 5 of the 30 respondents working in reference, instruction or outreach reported the same interests. Digital literacy and information literacy concepts were identified by 21 and 20 of the 30 respondents in reference, instruction or outreach support, but only 3 in technical services or cataloging report an interest in emerging topics related to these areas.
Responses from the 2019 survey revealed that ETSC can continue to serve MLA going forward. The top emerging topic identified across all groups is digital humanities (50 of 75 respondents expressed interest with this topic). Quite a number of people were also interested in learning more about Sibelius and Finale (27 and 24 respectively). Omeka also stood out as the tool of greatest interest across all groups (34 of 75 respondents). Audacity and Camtasia followed close behind for folks working in collections, reference, instruction or outreach, or in the self-identified other category. Overall, technical services and cataloging group identified fewer tools they would like to learn to enhance their skill set. It may be that many of the “emerging” tools for librarianship do not currently play a role in cataloging and technical services workflows.
As the committee looks forward to serving the needs of MLA, the ETSC is hoping to repeat the 2019 survey. The ETSC wants to respond to the changed professional landscape in order to respond more effectively to our changed work environment.
The ETSC hosted its second TechHub at the 2021 Annual Meeting. The session topped out at 41 simultaneous participants, though attendance may have been slightly higher with unique individuals dropping in and out. Originally envisioned as a drop-in session with a variety of simultaneous technology-related discussion groups, the committee redesigned the session for online delivery using the Remo platform. Topics were selected based on preferences shared in the 2019 ETSC survey, and included:
Omeka overview (Anna Kijas)
Omeka is an open source web publishing platform used to create online exhibits by cultural institutions, including libraries and museums.
NVIVO overview (Christopher Schiff)
NVIVO is a software program used to analyze qualitative and mixed methods research data.
Introduction to Sibelius/Finale (Tiffany Gillaspy)
Sibelius and Finale are music notation software programs used to create, edit, and print musical scores.
Intermediate MuseScore (Marc Sabatella)
MuseScore is an open source music notation software program used to create, edit, and print musical scores.
Data sonification (Woody Colahan)
Data sonification refers to data presented as sound (a different approach from visualizations such as tables and graphs).
Score reading equipment overview (Beth Thompson)
Thompson reviewed sixteen different score reading apps, including their equipment. Pros and cons for each app were examined, and images of what the scores look like on the app were shared. The audience was interested in special features, operating systems, costs, usability, and technology/accessories.
Submitted by Michelle Urberg and Amy Jackson.