Interesting article- where are libraries???

Where are your members/patrons learning new skills if they aren't learning them at the library? Maybe that's a question you'll want to ask. The answer may help you decide on a few new formats for classes....

From the NYTimes:

Need to Learn a New Skill? Try the Web
By MARCI ALBOHER
Are you tackling a new work-related task for the first time and don’t know how to get started? In just a few minutes of Googling, you can probably find a YouTube video, blog entry or other online tutorial that will thoroughly explain how to do it.

There are demonstrations to fit every user’s learning style — from text-heavy descriptions like this one on how to conduct a video conference, to Nancy Duarte’s step-by-step guide to planning a Webinar or remote presentation, which has a rather cute image to illustrate her process.

Dumb Little Man, a blog that consistently delivers a potpourri of useful things, has a post called “15 Awesome Tutorial Web Sites You Probably Don’t Know About,” which is a great place to start the next time you’re trying to figure out how to do something.

In matters of technology, Lifehacker (whose lead blogger I recently interviewed) does a terrific job of providing easy-to-follow, illustrated instructions. And then of course there is The Times’s own David Pogue (whose blog and videos I’ll be consulting next week when I hope to familiarize myself with my new iPhone).

If there’s nothing stumping you at work, but you’re looking for some do-it-yourself demonstrations for home repairs, read this amusing post from my fellow New York Times blogger Virginia Heffernan about Ron Hazelton’s HouseCalls series.

Listen to this comment:
Marci,
Well I turn to the places you mention, starting with Google and proceeding through the web that isn’t called the world wide web for nothing! Sometimes I even find myself directed to buying or borrowing a book.
On a recent voyage in search of an explanation of nominal group technique for conducting effective focus groups, I found this interesting ‘toolkit’ called MindTools, Essential Skills for an Excellent Career, http://www.mindtools.com/index.html. Lots of great skills assessment, learning, honing and development help here.
Also found some hysterical and instructive YouTube clips on How Not To Network by Kintish, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2odtqcZRKc0 et.al.
Kathryn D
— Posted by Kathryn D.