Sunday, October 12, 2008

Brave New World

I do feel that this programme has launched me into the Brave New World and what an exciting prospect! While the time taken and the pressure exerted was on occasion overwhelming, we all know that nothing good comes easily. From a professional point of view, I am definitely better equipped to deal with our patrons, particularly the techno-savvies. While I accept that I will probably never be completely comfortable in this realm, being aware of at least some of the tools out there and having a basic understanding of how and why they work, is hugely beneficial.

From a personal point of view, I can't wait to play, explore, learn and expand on just about everything we've covered to date. With no time constraints and no pressure, I will re-visit and use some favourite sites like Wikis, e-books, flickr, del.icio.us and FaceBook. I need to spend time playing and customising my blog (and profile)by getting my head around Image generators and organising photos. Certain things I will not spend too much time on, such as Rollyo and podcasts (except iTunes).Although I did not come to grips with RSS feeds and would probably not use them much, the frustration has been huge, so, on principle, I will go back and master them. I will keep blogging and hope many others do too - what fun it's been delving into everyone else's thoughts, with virtual anonymity. There is a degree of satisfaction and sense of achievement but far more enticing is the road ahead. Yeeha!

Social networking

Some very interesting and thought-provoking articles. My opinions have flip-flopped and somersualted around the social gym tonight and I'm worked-out. I love the possibilities of outreach that this type of networking allows. (Even with the potential security and privacy issues which I truly believe can be 'managed' like everything else). However I am concerned that we might be putting all our eggs in one basket and missing the boat. I love mixed metaphors! There are so many options available and who are we to say that MySpace (even with more hits than Google!!) is the way to go. Our 'screen-agers' are a fickle bunch, constantly on the techno rollercoaster, and to keep up is nigh impossible. Perhaps I'm 'over-analysing' but I do feel that we, as librarians, have never quite managed to make the 'physical library' the great social gathering place it should be. Are we really ready to make our libraries the ultimate cybercafes, as they should be? I hope we are and, while I'm not really into baby-steps, I do think we have to be very wary of our own perceptions of 'moving with the times.' I could ruminate all night on this but need to go to bed. I will reflect tomorrow.

Bebo, MySpace and FaceBook

I enjoyed having a look at these sites although I'm familiar with Facebook so didn't delve too deeply into the others (Oh! the choices we have to contend with - don't let me suffer more confusion). Libraries(and many do obviously) should be embracing this fully. What better way to connect with our users, especially the younger ones, and allow them some input. This could be a great marketing tool as well as keeping us in tune and on our toes. To do this though, we have to step out of our traditional mind-set and get with the times. Good on the libraries, like Auckland and Rotorua(to name but a few) who have taken the step, however even their profiles were a little "librarianish" for our younger users. On the flip side, what a fine line we tread - I was quite appalled at the inanity and general "uuugghh!" on some of the profiles I visited.
Tomorrow I am going to set up my own profile on Facebook (did it here but with my alter-Web 2.0-ego) so that I can re-connect with all those old school buddies. It is a great way of re-establishing contact while still maintaining a certain distance.

Podcasts

Although iTunes is probably the most well-used site on our computer, I have never looked at/ listened to other podcasts. I tried podcastpickle and podcastalley but didn't immediately find anything that grabbed my fancy. I did find some "from the grave conversations with Princess Di - can you imagine! and got some update on the English Premier league football. I tried to subscribe to a couple of RSS feeds but alas frustration got the better of me and I'm sure I FAILED. Just one more thing that needs to be re-visited at my leisure LOL.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

You Tube

Gotta love it! (Broadband usage does rebel at times!!! - just signed on for 10G so who cares).

We live in such a "visual" society that we have to start using it to promote ourselves. We know that no-one reads or even sees signs and that even on a web page much of the content is invisible. Just imagine how much more information about our services would get through to the public if we imparted it via YouTube. Even as librarians, to whom the written word is sacred, we have shown in our blogs how effective Youtube is in guiding us through difficult exercises. Haven't yet mastered creating my own yet - but the journey has just begun. Watch this space!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu-TijjVs_g

Web 2.0 Awards

I decided to take a break from book and library related stuff and chose Teamsnap as my tool to investigate. As my alternative career path is leading me to Sports management!!! I found this site awesome. It is only free at the moment but very easy to set up and follow. When my new career takes off I will definitely make use of this tool. Absolutely daunting the quantity of tools available. Didn't even have a chance to skim a 10th. Oh! not to have another life so I could take in all of this!

Zoho

I have just spent many hours creating documents on my new Zoho account. It was very easy to set up and use. Some neat features, but as I am a complete novice with any word processing programmes I'm sure I didn't come close to discovering them all. Managed to insert and modify pictures and shared a document for read and write edit - very impressed with myself. Despite many attempts I was unable to publish my doc to my blog - very frustrated!!
Like so many of the tools on Web 2.0 , this one has many potential applications and benefits.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Rollyo

http://rollyo.com/editroll.html?sid=467644
Couldn't quite get my head around this one. Not particularly easy to use (or is that just me!) and didn't really have a subject I need a search engine for. I can see the benefit of this site, especially for library reference queries with specific parameters ie. school projects - year and subject specific that are repeated regularly. Not sure if I would use it much - favourites work well for me!

Generation ???!!! Images

Customized Soccer Jersey - ImageChef.com Played around for ages with the given resources but got seriously frustrated. I was really excited about this exercise but battled to get into it - probably expecting too much and wanting things on a platter. I did try to upload some of my own photos on a few of the sites , registered , set up accounts etc but still did not get desired results. Did manage to do some celeb mixups with my own family and played with mixup names etc but not overly impressed with results. Could not find a link to Imagechef (used by many of our bloggers)on any of the given resources but got here the easy way and will definitely play around some more with this site. My son now wants me to order his shirt as long as Liverpool logo is on front.

Library thing

http://www.librarything.com/catalog/saboomfa

Enjoyed browsing around Library Thing. Certainly useful for organising your personal reading history and preparing booklists etc. Very easy to use and I will definitely keep my account open and operating.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Sandbox

Played in the Sandbox and added my b;og to "Favourites". Bit disappointed with the entries in the other favourites. At this late stage I expected long, inspiring lists but alas....perhaps they've all been edited out.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Technorati

Very hard to even comprehend the enormity of the blogosphere! One can only admire the people dedicated to organising everyone else's thoughts. Not sure I would use this much but good to know it is out there and perhaps one day I might have things I'd like to share with the world at large - it might also stop raining in Auckland!

Why Fitch when we can Wiki, wiki, wiki?!

Absolutely love them. Just wish I had more things to organise, teach, share...so I could wiki them all. There are the cons but we just need to make sure everyone is aware of what a wiki is and have a modicum of control and bingo, we can stop re-inventing the wheel. So many options for libraries - reference queries, reviews FAQ's - you name it!

Co-operation in our virtual village

What incredible opportunities for libraries! The level of co-operation and sharing potential is huge and we need to make sure we drag the powers who be (purse string holders) with us. There are certainly icebergs floating round us but with global warming they can only get smaller! We need to be quick too 'cos playing catch-up is never much fun. How about the WorldCat - just awesome!

Blogosphere By Gosh

Hard to even comprehend the enormity of what's out there in the blogosphere. One can only but admire the people who dedicate themselves to organising evereybody else's thoughts. I'm not sure I'll use this site much - too time consuming but certainly worth knowing about. Perhaps one day I'll have something I'd like to share with the world, then I can claim my blog and watch out for anyone 'favouriting' me - it might stop raining in Auckland too!!

Exercise #8

Social bookmarking and tagging have huge potential for libraries. Not just in research and reference scenarios but for reader guidance specifically - new book lists, recommended reading etc. I have not played around with it much yet but would love to be applying it all at work.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

RSS Feeds

I have not enjoyed this exercise at all. Information overload! I can appreciate from a theoretical viewpoint how it might be useful getting feeds however I did not have anything in particular I would choose to subscribe to. There are a few websites that I do visit regularly and I have subscribed to them but trying to find other sites or blogs that might interest me became tedious. The The helpful search tools like Topix and Technorati proved anything but helpful - too much of too much. Not sure that I would use this tool for anything but essential websites which I can access easily anyway. I have to concur with Bibliochick - too much!! How does anyone have the time?

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Skype - webcams

We only recently acquired skype and have only used it 3/4 times which seems ridiculous because it was so exciting. To be able to chat freely while watching the other person with only minimal distortion is truly amazing. My husband often refers to the wonders of internet banking and how astounded his father would have been at the ease and convenience we have today. He only passed away 8 years ago and how things have changed in that short time. He would have loved exploring all the new technologies and I find it sad that so many of our oldies find it to daunting. Too much too soon perhaps? I hope I don't fall into that category in my later years (or sooner) as it is so rewarding to discover and play with all that's out there. Now I just need to master the remote control for the telly, video, dvd, surround sound ............and I'll be sweet.

Flickr mashups

I am blown away by the applications available. What really caught my attention was the personalised calendar. Not that I am particularly into calendars but they cost me a fortune in school fund raising projects every year. There must be so many going concerns that will go belly up if we all get into this - let's go for it. Schools will have to find another route but please not chocolate. For someone who is totally uncreative in the traditional sense - no good at art, handicrafts or (god forbid) scrapbooking, these mashups offer a simple(when I get my head around it, which I will) dignified alternative. Watch this space! There is creativity in me yet.

Flickr mashups

Cannot get over the things available. I was particularly impressed with the calendar API. So many profitable concerns could sink if more people started doing this for themselves. We are charged a fortune by the schools for individual photo packs and calendars every year. No wonder it's a good fund raiser- it costs peanuts to do so the school should be getting virtually every cent - if only. I might just be tempted to blow my kids away with a mummy made personal calendar. It's really exciting. For someone who is totally uncreative (really not into scrapbooking etc) this could be the answer. Much practice makes perfect Confucius? We'll give it a go - be prepared for those cries for help, anyone out there?

Flickr exploration

This has been an extremely stressful week for a variety of reasons and 'flickr' has not featured strongly. After a good few hours on this machine last night, I think my husband now appreciates how irritated I get when he is tied to the computer. (He'll have to get used to it!)
I did a bit of a play around and would love to explore and apply some of the amazing things available - when time slows down.
I was really disappointed that I didn't find any 'people' I know in my searches as I know plenty who probably use similar applications - I'll get onto them ASAP.
Using multiple tags proved useful in searching, however I did get irritated having to search through large quantities of personal photos to find the ones directly related to my search. No doubt with more expertise and 'playing' I will manage to refine the process.
Isn't the attached photo(link) gorgeous - part of the reason for my stressful week - 8 week old mini schnauzers are worse (time wasting) than new babies, but just as adorable. The link is attached below I hope. (Already sent an e-mail in a moment of over-enthusiasm: always read the whole question first!!)http://www.flickr.com/photos/chiaracats/2421239089/in/set-72157604549523888/

Flickr experimentation

This has been a very stressful week and flickr has not featured strongly. However,

Monday, July 28, 2008

Ready steady go - at last

Well, this computer is up and running again so I can now venture forward with this journey. Late and slow starter as always. So far "23 things" has not proved too taxing, just time consuming. There are so many little links that need to be investigated along the way - quite exciting.
(Found the Canadian narrator on the Life Long Learners site very boring!!). I am looking forward to exploring the other blogs now and hopefully picking up some pointers. With the weather as is not much better to do although my book is calling. Not sure I'd ever be able to sit and read my book off a screen like this - just wouldn't feel right, but never say never.