If I already hadn't joined PBWiki, I don't imagine I would have for this assignment. But... I participated in Library Camp Nebraska so I already had an account. The Wiki for Library Camp Nebraska was a very useful tool. Real-time updates allowed afternoon session participants to access what morning session participants had already created.
For the 2.0 Wiki Sandbox, I did share my favorite vacation spots, my favorite animals, and my favorite blogs.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Monday, December 29, 2008
Thing 17: What's in a wiki
I remember viewing Wikipedia before it became the Wikipedia we now use. I consulted the Wayback Machine and got this result. It's hard to believe that was just 6 years ago!
What are wikis good for? They are great for staff who want to contribute to an ever-changing work environment, for internal use. They are great for outreach to the community, to get library users to contribute to a topic (I see a wiki here as a group blog).
What are wikis good for? They are great for staff who want to contribute to an ever-changing work environment, for internal use. They are great for outreach to the community, to get library users to contribute to a topic (I see a wiki here as a group blog).
Thing 16: On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0
My favorite article on Library 2.0 so far is by Michael E. Casey and Laura C. Savastinuk in Library Journal, 9/1/2006, titled Library 2.0: Service for the next-generation library. Here's the excerpt I would most readily agree with and which I believe will give hope to all those who are yet reticent to fiercely embrace new technologies:
"What makes a service Library 2.0? Any service, physical or virtual, that successfully reaches users, is evaluated frequently, and makes use of customer input is a Library 2.0 service. Even older, traditional services can be Library 2.0 if criteria are met. Similarly, being new is not enough to make a service Library 2.0."
"What makes a service Library 2.0? Any service, physical or virtual, that successfully reaches users, is evaluated frequently, and makes use of customer input is a Library 2.0 service. Even older, traditional services can be Library 2.0 if criteria are met. Similarly, being new is not enough to make a service Library 2.0."
Thing 14: Social Bookmarking
This was an interesting assignment for me. I created a delicious account on or about July 15th of this year. I used it mainly to keep track of work-related sites that I found interesting or used for reference. It came in handy because I used between 4 and 6 different computers on any given day. And I did discover new sites by browsing others' profiles and their lists.
I also used delicious to make available certain tags that I referred to during a presentation this fall.
Hadn't visited my account since October and had a fun time trying to remember my username and password. I finally remembered a site that I had been the first to tag, and was then able to see what my username was, and guess my password (my email address for this account had become defunct).
I tried to add a network badge and a tagroll to this blog, but I don't think they're working, so I've deleted them.
Adding the delicious buttons to the toolbar in my browser is an option, but requires updates that must be done through IT.
I also used delicious to make available certain tags that I referred to during a presentation this fall.
Hadn't visited my account since October and had a fun time trying to remember my username and password. I finally remembered a site that I had been the first to tag, and was then able to see what my username was, and guess my password (my email address for this account had become defunct).
I tried to add a network badge and a tagroll to this blog, but I don't think they're working, so I've deleted them.
Adding the delicious buttons to the toolbar in my browser is an option, but requires updates that must be done through IT.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Thing 15: SlideShare
I'm not ready to create yet another account, but I did browse SlideShare, and I came up with a presentation I'll post here. [Please note the fancy embedding.]
I find SlideShare most useful when the presentations have plenty of text, or have audio. Otherwise, the context for many of the slides goes missing.
I find SlideShare most useful when the presentations have plenty of text, or have audio. Otherwise, the context for many of the slides goes missing.
Friday, December 19, 2008
Thing 13 - I'm all a-Twitter
Yep, Twitter is an interesting creature. Because a fellow NELearns2.0-er mentioned they know of the parents of a co-founder of Twitter, it made the joining a bit more interesting. I wasn't even going to join up. I was going to say, oh, how nice, but I'm on Facebook, and I submit updates regularly there, and people I know and love receive those updates randomly, and that's good enough for me. I also was going to say, you know, this is a rabbit hole, and I'm not sure I want to go down it, because, as enjoyable as it is to dig and browse and read and find, it is time consuming and will start to take a chunk of my time that I had previously designated to grooming my rabbits, or cross-stitching next year's Christmas gifts, or something like that. But then I decided to look up Evan Williams, a Twitter co-founder, a real person who helped create this technological wunderkind. And I felt inclined to respond to a tweet he had posted. And then I was hooked. So, now, I'm on it. We'll see how I fare, how often I access it, or how I will find ways for it to access me, on my cell phone or on my desktop. So, this is me on Twitter. Give me a "follow" if you're so inclined.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Thing 12 - LibraryThing and an alternative
I have opted at this time not to join LibraryThing. So far, I have created five new accounts to complete tasks requested in Nebraska Learns 2.0. Based on my history thus far with the other accounts I have created, and my lack of interest in using LibraryThing at this time, I will wait. One feature I do like about LibraryThing and can use without joining is the Local tab. For example, you can see upcoming book-related events in Lincoln.
One reason why I'm not joining LibraryThing is that I've got a substitute. I'm on Facebook, and I use weRead, or Books iRead. I can share my picks with my friends and family that are on Facebook, and I receive updates when they've added to their collection. This alternative suffices for now.
One reason why I'm not joining LibraryThing is that I've got a substitute. I'm on Facebook, and I use weRead, or Books iRead. I can share my picks with my friends and family that are on Facebook, and I receive updates when they've added to their collection. This alternative suffices for now.
Thing #11 - Blog about technology
[Note: It is in my nature to compile and present information/data and not so much to comment on it. Otherwise, I'd have had a blog for a long time now.]
This past month, I had the opportunity to participate in Library Camp Nebraska, an unconference held in Lincoln. A couple of the break-out sessions concerned high-tech vs. high-touch, and there were some great ideas shared. Comments ranged from lack of technology in the library space to lack of time and funds to keep up technology up-to-date, from lack of training of staff to keep up with basic computer technology as well as the social and community aspects online to lack of staff time or expertise to help library customers. Some solutions were suggested, such as staff meetings for 30 minutes before the library opens to talk about tech stuff and that 23 Things has been good for the staff to catch up some.
According to a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the University of Illinois, "members of Gen Y are the leading users of libraries for help solving problems and in more general patronage". Being aware of trends like this might help lead strategies for future solutions in public libraries' dilemma to keep up with technology advancements.
This past month, I had the opportunity to participate in Library Camp Nebraska, an unconference held in Lincoln. A couple of the break-out sessions concerned high-tech vs. high-touch, and there were some great ideas shared. Comments ranged from lack of technology in the library space to lack of time and funds to keep up technology up-to-date, from lack of training of staff to keep up with basic computer technology as well as the social and community aspects online to lack of staff time or expertise to help library customers. Some solutions were suggested, such as staff meetings for 30 minutes before the library opens to talk about tech stuff and that 23 Things has been good for the staff to catch up some.
According to a study by the Pew Internet & American Life Project and the University of Illinois, "members of Gen Y are the leading users of libraries for help solving problems and in more general patronage". Being aware of trends like this might help lead strategies for future solutions in public libraries' dilemma to keep up with technology advancements.
Thing #10 - Play around with image generators
Image generators are fun and could be used in many resourceful ways to reach out to the public. I tried a bunny jigsaw puzzle, from dumpr.com; a dynamic Einstein picture, from Hetemeel.com; a staff ID, since I'm new to my job, from Big Huge Labs; and a mini-READ poster from ALA.
It helps if you've got a creative caption or special event in mind. It was a little tough to come up with something on the spot.
It helps if you've got a creative caption or special event in mind. It was a little tough to come up with something on the spot.
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