Beyond Method 8

I've used screencasting software before. I've been using it as I create my online tutorial. I've used Camtasia, ScreenJelly, Jing, Screencast-o-matic (one of my favorite free screencasting), and Captivate. I've also used screencasting for reference interactions. Sending someone a quick link to a 1-minute video to demo how to do something (VERY useful). I've also started experimenting with students using screencast-o-matic to create demos of different databases. I want to use this tool for assessment, if possible. It's a great way to see what students are actually doing when they search. This idea came from a presentation I saw at LOEX: Move Aside Scotty, Jing is the Thing: Individualized Student-Created Tutorial Collections, Performance Assessment and Easy Instructor Feedback by Stephanie Wiegand (University of Northern Colorado). She used it in her class. I only get my students for a one-shot. So, I had to modify it a little. I think I might also use it to create some procedures for how to do what I do. I have them written down, but I might as well do a quick demo, too.
One of these days, when I get some free time (HA!), I wanted to create a series of 1 minute videos to demo info lit stuff. I wanted to do a quick 1 minute to mastering Boolean Operators. Or, a 1 minute tip to save you headaches in the catalog - showing how to browse using subject terms. I think students want short, to-the-point videos of their problem to help them when get stuck.
Right now, all my videos are super long (I'm usually showing a few things at once).
I like the idea of putting a librarian on the screen, but I don't want my face up there. At least not right now. I'll be leaving one of my libraries in about 5 weeks (which is totally sad). I don't want to give students my face when I won't be around to help them.
The video below was created using screencast-o-matic. I'm sorry to recycle this video, but I do not have a microphone at this job. I used this for a class (at my other job) to show them what I wanted their demos to look like (each group had to create their own video for an assigned database). This video shows where to go to get to the catalog and how to use it for basic searches.

We do use screencasts in our library, but we could definitely use them more. I think they are great tools. I really love Camtasia and Captivate because you can provide captions (both pay services).