Feeling overwhelmed with changes in the library world?  You have so much to do already, how can you keep up? You know you need to be, because you can't afford to be "left behind" by your patrons, who are using instant messaging and ipods and blogs.  You hear rumblings about "Web 2.0" and "Library 2.0" but what are they, and do I care?  The answer is YES! You do care.

This online course is designed to give you a chance to "dip your toes" into online tools and resources that will help you to keep informed about news and trends in libraries and, in technology--especially technology that impacts libraries.  (There is very little technology that *doesn't* impact libraries in some fashion, but in this course we will be looking at technologies and tools that have direct applicability to libraries and their services to their patrons.)

This course will not take give you in-depth information, just enough to enable you to use and explore the tools as means to stay on top of things in your profession. (In other words, we hope it will give you enough information to be useful, without telling you more than you want or need to know!)  None of the tools or resources is difficult to understand or use, even if you think you aren't a very "techie" person.

In each section of the course you will find:
*an introduction to one or more tools or resources
*advantages and disadvantages (if there are any!) to the tool or resource;
*links and/or citations to further information, if you want more detail;
*examples of the tool or resource, or sites/resources that use the tool
*play (oops, I mean practice), directions for trying out the tool or resource. (You must complete this play in each section in order to qualify for the CE credit for recertification for Iowa librarians.)

You may proceed at your own pace but, as with any online class, you'll need to discipline yourself to keep at it.  Try to set a schedule, as best you can.  You may skip around the course, if you like, but if you wish to receive CE credit for recertification you must eventually complete all the sections, including the "report form" for each section.

Please register in the online catalog from the State Library's website (http://www.silo.lib.ia.us/cgi-bin/cecat/); look for the course title: Staying on Top of Things.

After registering, access the course at:  http://topofthings.pbworks.com