I'm done!
What a ride. Some of the greatest activities included some playing...Flickr, Meez, LibraryThing and YouTube. Some of the hardest 'challenges' were Rollyo, Del.icio.us and Technorati. And some of the activities that will need re-visiting were podcasts and audiobooks.
Overall the experience was positive and I learned A LOT. Do it all over again? Certainly!
Good luck!
September 14, 2007
Thing 22: Audibooks
Audiobooks are a great alternative to traditional print IF you have the technology to use them. I did take a look at OverDrive and found several book titles of interest but do not have the ability to download. Another time, another place.
Thing 21: Podcasts
I used Yahoo podcast search and found one or two possibilities. Quite disappointing tho, it seems I can't listen due to missing plugins. Oh well, we learn thru the process, correct? I'll add the feeds and try again later at home or when we're updated at the branch.
I like some of the ideas out there suggesting book review or club podcasts, how about instructional podcasts similar to the one-on-one classes for using the catalog or databases?
I like some of the ideas out there suggesting book review or club podcasts, how about instructional podcasts similar to the one-on-one classes for using the catalog or databases?
September 13, 2007
Thing 20: YouTube
Why?
Captain Underpants is one of the lesser know superheroes adored by many a reluctant reader.
Go Captain Underpants!!
September 12, 2007
Thing 19: Web 2.0 Awards List
Etsy...one of my favorite crafty sites was on the list..and won second place for retail sites! This site is awesome if you're into crafts. The site is a place for crafters to sell their wares online. The best feature of the site is the ability to search the items by tags (we've heard that term over and over). You can combine title, material and/or description tags to search for items of interest. I like to use the site myself to look for craft ideas. Awesome!
Thing 18: Online Productivity Tools
Played with Zoho and Google Documents...great for starting new BUT frustrating with an 'uploaded' or pre-existing doc. The formatting differed a great deal from the original Word and OpenOffice documents I chose to play with. Also, being 'online' there was some time lags involved with the site refreshing. Overall, I liked Zoho a little more. Nice layout, more icons and the ability to view the doc as a webpage.
Great choice for those customers that are disk- or USB-less.
Great choice for those customers that are disk- or USB-less.
September 11, 2007
Thing 17: Learning 2.0 SandBox Wiki
I was expecting a little more...sand castles at least. Maybe as the community grows?
Thing 16: Wikis
One of my favorite wikis was Princeton's BookLoversWiki. What a great way for customers and librarians to share reviews! Think of the Adult Summer Reading Game going towards this angle. It would also help staff with reader's advisories. Maybe even a film lover wiki! The list is endless. This even seems a safer venue for a public wiki since the information is opinion based and not hard fact...this would pose less problems for malicious content and spam, I would think.
Internally, a wiki for children's programming may be useful. Since many of our programs are developing and morphing as our customer's (and our) needs change...a collaborative effort on program plans and booklists may be useful.
Internally, a wiki for children's programming may be useful. Since many of our programs are developing and morphing as our customer's (and our) needs change...a collaborative effort on program plans and booklists may be useful.
Thing 15: Whoa Icebergs!
"Away from the icebergs"
What metaphors...libraries as boats headed for disaster if we hit those three icebergs of collection, education and services.
ICEBERG #1: PRINT vs. DIGITAL COLLECTION
This is a given...all of that print media we were used to is now found digitally. Our reference collections have gone to online databases. Our everyday reading has gone to digital and audio format. Just to keep up the library will have to funnel monies from print media to computers...seems we've been on that track for a while. Now if we can only keep up with the electrical and phone services needed to keep moving computers in.
ICEBERG #2: USER EDUCATION
We can't always be educators too. It's amazing how one customer's computer knowledge differs from the next...just look at us too! the need for Web 2.0 is here. We need to come up with quicker and easier ways for our digital information to reach the public. We would once pick up that reference book and open it to the needed page...we need to pick that correct database and get the information fast!
ICEBERG #3: GO to THEM
At one point customers came to us...we had all the print material collected here. Now, most customers have computers of there own and access information that was once in print on the 'world wide web'. We need to keep those customers but not necessarily have to bring them in. Our website (so glad it's getting a makeover) and databases become more important, especially for the student. But what about play? more Web 2.0?!...access to social networking sites.
Howard County Library seems on the right track in regards to some of these icebergs...let us just hope our navigation experts continue in the right direction.
What metaphors...libraries as boats headed for disaster if we hit those three icebergs of collection, education and services.
ICEBERG #1: PRINT vs. DIGITAL COLLECTION
This is a given...all of that print media we were used to is now found digitally. Our reference collections have gone to online databases. Our everyday reading has gone to digital and audio format. Just to keep up the library will have to funnel monies from print media to computers...seems we've been on that track for a while. Now if we can only keep up with the electrical and phone services needed to keep moving computers in.
ICEBERG #2: USER EDUCATION
We can't always be educators too. It's amazing how one customer's computer knowledge differs from the next...just look at us too! the need for Web 2.0 is here. We need to come up with quicker and easier ways for our digital information to reach the public. We would once pick up that reference book and open it to the needed page...we need to pick that correct database and get the information fast!
ICEBERG #3: GO to THEM
At one point customers came to us...we had all the print material collected here. Now, most customers have computers of there own and access information that was once in print on the 'world wide web'. We need to keep those customers but not necessarily have to bring them in. Our website (so glad it's getting a makeover) and databases become more important, especially for the student. But what about play? more Web 2.0?!...access to social networking sites.
Howard County Library seems on the right track in regards to some of these icebergs...let us just hope our navigation experts continue in the right direction.
September 6, 2007
Thing 14: Technorati
Technorati is certainly for the "tech" minded. All top searches are technology related blogs, fields, devices, etc. Once again...information overload!
Using the advanced search option for blogs, tags and posts was similar to using a regular search engine but instead of the 'world wide web' you're searching the 'big blog biosphere'...did I create a new term??!!
I think Technorati will stay in the background as a personal search option unless a customer specifically wanted blog information...which is possible.
Using the advanced search option for blogs, tags and posts was similar to using a regular search engine but instead of the 'world wide web' you're searching the 'big blog biosphere'...did I create a new term??!!
I think Technorati will stay in the background as a personal search option unless a customer specifically wanted blog information...which is possible.
September 5, 2007
Thing 13: Del.icio.us and Tagging
Del.icio.ous is definitely for the web connoisseur. I can see the benefits from an institutional aspect but way too involved for personal use, but that's because I'm not a web connoisseur.
Tagging has its benefits when the logical sense of grouping items fail. Some costumers (and coworkers) show that when browsing among the stacks. We have all witnessed that 'little nugget' of information found in the most unusual place.
Tagging has its benefits when the logical sense of grouping items fail. Some costumers (and coworkers) show that when browsing among the stacks. We have all witnessed that 'little nugget' of information found in the most unusual place.
Thing 12: Rollyo
Rollyo -cool idea but what do you search for? I spent hours just trying to come up with a possible search which would include several sites. Shopping anyone? I ended up using "unusual" gift sites that I actually have bookmarked...somewhere. Take a peek.
As for use in the library...medical searches, homework searches, 'child friendly' searches, author/genre searches...the list goes on and on.
As for use in the library...medical searches, homework searches, 'child friendly' searches, author/genre searches...the list goes on and on.
September 4, 2007
Thing 11: LibraryThing
LibraryThing is much easier than Microsoft Access and more fun than 'pen and paper' but the 200 book limit is not going to cover a librarian! And to have to shell out $25 for an unlimited catalog is just not possible on a Library Associate's salary. Oh well...
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