Just in time for end-of-semester projects, the University of Texas Libraries has launched a page of tools that make finding and utilizing information on the web a lot easier.
The "Library Widgets" page, LIBwidgets, has been posted on the Libraries’ website to provide library users central access to a variety of tools that can be used for finding, storing and organizing information from virtually every corner of the internet.
The page features an assortment of applications and browser add-ons that will allow users to utilize the Libraries’ resources through their computers and personal devices in tandem with sites across the internet such as del.icio.us, Google, Flickr and Wikipedia. All LIBwidgets are free for download.
The LIBwidgets page also allows users to submit recommendations for tools that may not be listed on the site, but could be useful to other users.
"We want to locate library services wherever users are working online—whether they are using course materials in Blackboard, searching Google, interacting with friends on Facebook, or simply using a web browser," says Libraries’ Associate Director for User Services, Damon Jaggars. "You shouldn’t have to come to the library web site to access library services, and LIBwidgets is our first step in moving the library into the daily online workflow of UT students and faculty."The LIBwidgets project is one of several forays by the Libraries into the reaches of Web 2.0, a movement to increase interactive creativity, collaboration and information sharing on the internet through the advent of user-generated content technologies and structures. Other recent initiatives have included the collaborative digitization project between the Libraries and Google and the newly upgraded Libraries catalog, both of which have unique web applications.
A demonstration screencast for some of the Widgets is available for viewing at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/tools/video.html.
For more information contact:
Travis Willmann
University of Texas Libraries
512.495.4644 or twillmann@mail.utexas.edu
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