Rudaí23 thing#9: Video

It was only very recently that I was introduced to screen casting and videos, and how these tools could be used to further the reach of the library in terms of furthering information literacy amongst students. The library that I am working in is in the middle of overhauling its library management system as well as initiating a new library webpage and introducing libguides to replace physical guides for new (and current!) students. Part of that programme was the decision to include both instructional videos and screen casts to help students get to grips with the resources that are on offer in our library.

It is probably not surprising, but there is a huge amount of time required to make professional videos as well as investment in people who are well-acquainted with proper recording equipment. This took up a large part of our summer, but thankfully we had nearly everything ready in time for induction week. You can check out one of our screencasts by clicking here.

Getting instruction on screen casting

I assumed that I would need some instruction in using Screencastomatic, so I asked my colleague who had done the above video for some help. It was a very, very short session. Using Screencastomatic is an incredibly easy experience. However, as you will be able to see when you check out my very own screen cast, there is considerable room for working on what you're going to say and how you say it.

I can't exaggerate how easy screen casting is, especially if you do it through Screencastomatic. That's not to say there's no work involved, there clearly is. You need to find a quiet space (which should be easy in a library, right? But as I'm sure we're all aware, it's not always the case), one that has very good wifi, and you need to have a prepared script.

Getting your message out there

The next part is to figure out who your audience is, and get your screen cast to them. There are a huge range of options, from the more popular 'free' services like YouTube and Vimeo to more professional services that require subscription fees for even basic access (your library may have a subscription, though). I went with YouTube, as it's linked to my Google account, and it was also incredibly easy.

Why video?

It's important to know who your audience is. If you are confident that your audience (whoever they are) aren't going to watch your videos or screencasts, then spending all the time and effort into producing beautifully produced and well prepared videos is going to be a waste. But if your audience is one that you feel already access videos in order to learn new things, then it simply becomes a very good way of providing excellent information literacy.