Workshops & Seminars

Available Workshops

+ Advanced Web Searching
+ Teaching Web Searching
+ Embeddable Web
+ Creating Online Tutorials
+ Search Technology
+ Power Browser User
+ Web Community Elements
+ Search Engine Basics

Others based on

Advanced Web Searching

Explore the latest and greatest search capabilities of the primary Web search engines. As the Web grows, search engines mature, their databases change, and effective Internet searching becomes increasingly complex. To enable efficient information retrieval on the Web, this workshop covers Web search strategies and compares major Web search engines in terms of their databases and specifics on advanced search techniques. It includes what you need to know about Boolean, adjacency, field searching, limits, customization, and other special features. The primary focus is on the largest Web search engines: Google, Yahoo!, Live Search, and Ask, with lesser coverage of Gigablast, Exalead, and any new and upcoming search engines. In addition, the workshop looks at the constraints of the search engines: inconsistent results, lack of overlap, and the significant hidden Web that they fail to uncover.

Teaching Web Searching

With the constantly changing nature of the Web, the search engine features, and the search engines themselves, how do we best teach our users to search the Web? This workshop covers issues with both search engines and instructional techniques. Learn a variety of techniques for teaching both newcomers to Web searching as well as those who think they know everything about the Web. Explore the latest changes among the search engines, and their impact on instruction. Discover how other instructors manage the complexities of teaching Web searching. This workshop covers advantages, disadvantages, and techniques for hands-on training, demonstration sessions, and online, self-paced guides for use in teaching others to search more effectively amidst the wealth of information on the Web.

The Embeddable Web: Web 2.0 Software, Collaboration, and New Ways of Sharing Information

Take a look at the other side of Web 2.0: the new online Web services tools that make sharing, embedding, and collaborating easier online. Explore ways that Web-based software can be used within organizations to work together on projects and documents. See how to embed presentations, images, spreadsheets, lists, videos, RSS feeds, documents, and other information from one site into another. Investigate tracking options, comment capabilities, and remote hosting. See how other Web-based tools can be used to edit images, manage projects, create flowcharts, build databases, and convert files, all without needing to download and install software.

Creating Online Tutorials in Less Than 30 Minutes

Online tutorials used to be extremely time-intensive to create. With the increase in reference and instruction to distant users in all types of libraries, and the need for just-in-time learning in many organizations, we need quicker ways to create tutorials and demonstrations to teach our online library resources. New tools make it quick and easy to create movies for online demonstrations and tutorials with a minimum of effort. Explore using software such as Camtasia, Captivate, Wink, and even PowerPoint to record screen actions and quickly create online tutorials. Learn a process for expediting the creation of these tutorials.

Understanding Search Engine Technology

Explores and unveils the underlying search engine mechanics -- how the search engines create their databases, rank results, keep it updated, find new sites, and handles search queries. This workshop covers the basics of the algorithms, indexing, command languages, and the functionality behind the search engines. It includes looking at pay-for-placement, handling of PDF or other file formats, the frequency of indexing, and other behind-the-scenes details.

The Power Browser User

Speed up searching and Web browsing by becoming a power browser users. This workshop covers the hidden tricks and shortcuts available when using Internet Explorer and/or Netscape. Learn tricks and techniques including entering addresses shortcuts, preferences & settings, keyboard shortcuts, and discover how to make the most of your browser.

Community Elements for Web Sites

The trend on Web sites is towards interactivity, discussion, and community. This seminar covers a range of options for adding these elements to your Web site. Ranging from ad-supported free solutions to fee-based programs, all sorts of interactive discussion and community forming elements are available for a Web site. Learn how to use and rename guest book scripts and pages to add a live library feedback sections. Bulletin boards, discussion forums, blogs, wikis, and Web 2.0 software can create a discussion space for library users, staff, friends, or any other group. Explore the different options available and some of the issues involved with operating and maintaining community and discussion elements on Web sites.

Search Engine Basics

Learn the basics of conducting Web searches in this seminar geared to the new to intermediate searcher. Explore the processes used by the search engines to create their databases, the variety of search features, and the different kinds of search tools. Investigate the search engines' limitations. In addition to basic search strategies, this workshop covers the most important search engines and discusses their key features, including strengths and weaknesses.