I've been a little late to jump on the Prezi bandwagon, but after just having made my first one, I'm very impressed with the result. For those who haven't used it, Prezi is a way to create presentations that is more dynamic than using a PowerPoint slideshow. I found it much easier to use, and because it zooms in and moves around, it would be more likely to keep an audience's attention.
I was pondering using a Prezi for the Libraries and Print Culture conference that I've mentioned before, although I may hold off. Being new to the field and not having interacted with the researchers who will be at the conference, I am not sure if they would really love a presentation that flies around and zooms in, or if it would give them a headache.
My Prezi is more of an introduction into my research than an in-depth look at the subject from the perspective of someone who is knowledgeable about it. I am hoping that it is accessible enough to be used in a classroom presentation (say, in a high school or undergrad History course) but still interesting enough to be enjoyable to those farther along in their careers. I would love to know what others think about the presentation, and on the off chance that someone wants to use it in a classroom or share it with others, please feel free.
Broken link!
ReplyDeleteOh no! I checked them and they all work on my machine. Here's the URL:
ReplyDeletehttp://prezi.com/8zcc2fv7kwqe/iowa-libraries-during-world-war-one/
Writing as a pre-millennial technological dinosaur - who didn't realise there was a Prezi bandwagon, let alone that it needed to be jumped on - I found that incredibly impressive. In general, I absorb far more information when it's delivered visually or in written form than when it's delivered orally; but this is far more stimulating than a set of Powerpoint bullet points, and I think I'd respond extremely positively to a presentation of this type. I think I'd still want the material in a handout as well, though!
ReplyDeleteOne question on the content: what on earth were the alcohol-related books that the temperance groups wanted to ban? The mind boggles.
Thanks for the feedback--I'm pleased to have input on how well it would be received (I also respond better to visual information, as I risk zoning out otherwise!) I definitely agree with your point about the handout: it is so nice to have a tangible reference to remind one of the points later on. For my current talk, I'm pondering using a handout containing a table that compares the size of the towns where the libraries are located, their circulation numbers, etc.
ReplyDeleteAmazingly, this table is one that I just copied into a spreadsheet from the records of the Cedar Rapids library. The librarian seems to have been quite taken with comparing stats on the libraries, and so she frequently whipped up tables comparing Cedar Rapids with libraries statewide and nationally. Definitely a good find for a researcher!
That's a good question about the alcohol-related books, and one I've asked many times as well. None of the libraries mentioned specific titles, but only that they received a letter from an organization requesting that they remove "all books containing alcoholic recipes."
This isn't exactly clear, but neither is the very similar request made a few years earlier to remove all "pro-German books." I suppose it would have been up to the librarian's discretion. Given that libraries sought to promote 'good books' during this time, I can't see too many libraries stocking up on bartending manuals and such, but I could be wrong!
I have been using Prezi for about a year now and love it. It really makes presentations stand out. As you use it more and more you get better at avoiding too much flipy-aroundy stuff which can get overwhelming.
ReplyDeleteYour research looks great (and the presentation too!) Dr. Wiegand does an extensive section on Libraries during the war that was one of my favorite parts of his Library History course. Great stuff!
Thanks so much! I might make the tone a bit more 'formal' for the conference presentation, but I wanted to have one that would share my basic ideas with everyone! I'm glad that avoiding the roller-coaster effect becomes a little more natural, I already have some ideas about spacing things out so that they look good while running the Prezi rather than just as one coherent whole.
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