Ah.. my final post.
It was been a very good experience. I really had to push myself at the end to finish, but I did. I was glad to have gone through everything and really learned a lot. It came at an excellent time as I am reviewing our library website and our library instruction program. This has given me some many excellent ideas and really sent me on my way on my learning curve. I feel much more empowered to continue to learn and advance. It was a great way to get up to speed. It was nice to know that others were in my same position and also learning along with me. This was an excellent experience. Thank you.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Thing 22: Staying Current
Ways to keep up-
I was finally able to find a few blogs that I might be glancing through. This entire project has helped me get up to speed in general. I have some good ideas about where to go from here. I will need to reorganize my RSS feeds and make them into a daily read.
I do try to take advantage of as many Mintex webinars as possible. These have been a big help. And also, it seems to be a good topic that is discussed more frequently as conferences and meeting now.
I was finally able to find a few blogs that I might be glancing through. This entire project has helped me get up to speed in general. I have some good ideas about where to go from here. I will need to reorganize my RSS feeds and make them into a daily read.
I do try to take advantage of as many Mintex webinars as possible. These have been a big help. And also, it seems to be a good topic that is discussed more frequently as conferences and meeting now.
Thing 21: other social networks
I am not a member of any online communities. I looked through almost all of the these and can say that nothing really grabbed me. Even the groups on libraryland. It seemed like just the kind of stuff that I don't enjoy about conferences. I am not a networked. I definitely need information on various things, but querying people or reading their various comments is just not the way that I prefer to gather information. It seems like a big waste of thing and I rarely find anything of value or that is actually informing. I am warming a little to blogs as opinion pieces or even wikis as collections of information. But the social networking seems mostly like water cooler talk to me.
Thing 20: Facebook and Myspace
I have been trying myspace and facebook prior to this thing. It was good, I suppose, to have a little more guidance in these networks. I have a facebook account, but really it is too much for me. All this "transparency" is too much. I feel shy and stupid. I suppose I am an introvert by nature, and not even the distance of a medium using computers, typing and transmission lines is enough to make this feel isn't unnecessary exposure. I hated high school and never wish to return. This feels like the worst of it.
As to how this could work for my library...
I have been looking into how other libraries use myspace and facebook in my request to redo our website and bi program. I haven't found anything too earth-shaking in other libraries that are similar to mine. I agree that having a presence where student reside is a benefit, but I think that our first step should be moving into a presence in our institutions course management software. This is were students are centered for coursework and scholarship- let's exist there. not necessarily where students are socializing. This will also advantage us in terms of consistency when young people move onto the next social network or mind-meld-physic network.
I am not opposed to a limited presence in one of those networks, as a pointer. perhaps this will be down the road. I must prioritize.
As to how this could work for my library...
I have been looking into how other libraries use myspace and facebook in my request to redo our website and bi program. I haven't found anything too earth-shaking in other libraries that are similar to mine. I agree that having a presence where student reside is a benefit, but I think that our first step should be moving into a presence in our institutions course management software. This is were students are centered for coursework and scholarship- let's exist there. not necessarily where students are socializing. This will also advantage us in terms of consistency when young people move onto the next social network or mind-meld-physic network.
I am not opposed to a limited presence in one of those networks, as a pointer. perhaps this will be down the road. I must prioritize.
Thing 19: Podcasts
I found podcasts difficult to use. I didn't want to need to subscribe to podcasts before listening to them. I found podcastalley.com needed login and downloading. Podcast.net wouldn't load. Education Podcast Directory wouldn't run the script one the first try, but I finally had better luck. I ended up listening to some new podcasts, interviews, and science information. It was interesting, but overwhelming. There is just too much information available. Versus text-based information sources, I like the control of browsing and starting and stopping that text allows me over video or audio files.
As far as providing the content of podcasts to my patrons, I don't feel prepared to give 'readers advisory" on that.
Providing this content via our website is a possibility for the future. I think this would be a good thing to come back to and try for more provision of resources thru this media. But perhaps the students at my college are already finding everything they need.
I do wonder how libraries (or indexers, etc) will provide access to this non-textual content. Is anyone "tagging" podcasts, etc for feeds that are comprised of a variety of parts and content. How will the specific information in podcasts be accessed.
This has not inspired me to podcast myself. Also, personally, I actually enjoy the small amounts of silence I am privileged to have!
As far as providing the content of podcasts to my patrons, I don't feel prepared to give 'readers advisory" on that.
Providing this content via our website is a possibility for the future. I think this would be a good thing to come back to and try for more provision of resources thru this media. But perhaps the students at my college are already finding everything they need.
I do wonder how libraries (or indexers, etc) will provide access to this non-textual content. Is anyone "tagging" podcasts, etc for feeds that are comprised of a variety of parts and content. How will the specific information in podcasts be accessed.
This has not inspired me to podcast myself. Also, personally, I actually enjoy the small amounts of silence I am privileged to have!
Thing 18: Youtube and other sites
I am not a big fan of youtube personally. but at least it was interesting to watch videos on Second Life on it instead of actually registering
I think the library tours and tutorials are okay. I think in my BI and website redo, I will link to some tutorials that have been created by other libraries or database vendors. Again, a really good use of Creating those for our libraries is more time intensive than I have time for now. Perhaps that will be phase 6 or 7.
I didn't really care for the videos I tried. It felt like a waste of time in general. Some were kind of funny or interesting. I would rather watch a webinar to learn. I always had high hopes when choosing a clip, but my interest quickly fell.
I might try Jumpcut in the future.
Grade C-
I think the library tours and tutorials are okay. I think in my BI and website redo, I will link to some tutorials that have been created by other libraries or database vendors. Again, a really good use of Creating those for our libraries is more time intensive than I have time for now. Perhaps that will be phase 6 or 7.
I didn't really care for the videos I tried. It felt like a waste of time in general. Some were kind of funny or interesting. I would rather watch a webinar to learn. I always had high hopes when choosing a clip, but my interest quickly fell.
I might try Jumpcut in the future.
Grade C-
Thing 17: ELM productivity tools
It was a stroke of luck for me to relook at the elm offerings. I had no idea that ebooks were offered! We were looking for some for our library and were thinking about purchasing a set from CPERS, but the price was a big chunk for our budget. Perhaps this will suffice.
I was unable to view the quicktime movies. We do not really consistenly do enough scholarly research in our library to warrant the need for SDI and folders.
I might be able to make use of the SDI and folders for my own research into library instruction. I will need to have more impetus before I devote the time to managing this. Currently, these things are productivity dehancers.
I was unable to view the quicktime movies. We do not really consistenly do enough scholarly research in our library to warrant the need for SDI and folders.
I might be able to make use of the SDI and folders for my own research into library instruction. I will need to have more impetus before I devote the time to managing this. Currently, these things are productivity dehancers.
Thing 16: Student 2.0 tools
The assignment calculators are great. I will definitely be implementing these at my library. I am reviewing both our website and our library instruction program. This a great way for me to kill two birds with one stone.
This is a great way for libraries to cooperate. I love it. I wonder what the response has been from students. I am sure that the faculty would think that it is a great advantage for assisting their classes
I will be back. A definite summer time project!
This is a great way for libraries to cooperate. I love it. I wonder what the response has been from students. I am sure that the faculty would think that it is a great advantage for assisting their classes
I will be back. A definite summer time project!
Thing 15: Libraries and Games
Gaming. I am not opposed to this in libraries. I think that part of the place of libraries is to provide a democratic opportunity for access to computer technology. I think this perfectly acceptible and also necessary to try to close access gaps. If people chose to spend their allotted time on games or emailing or job searching or facebook that is their chose.
Puzzle Pirates is not of that much interest to me.
Second Life
the first video made it seem worse than I thought!!
I don't think that I would participate in either of these. Our library staff is very small and I don't think the payoff for staff investment of time would benefit us at all.
Puzzle Pirates is not of that much interest to me.
Second Life
the first video made it seem worse than I thought!!
I don't think that I would participate in either of these. Our library staff is very small and I don't think the payoff for staff investment of time would benefit us at all.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Thing 14: Library Thing
Ahh... back to what brought us to working in a library in the first place. a love of reading. this was not necessarily a productivity enhancer! It is easy to get caught up in looking for recommendations.
My concern is the replication of energy in creating a second catalog of books (from a library's standpoint). I understand from a reader's point of view this could be great and helpful and exciting.
I think about Library Things place a promotion tool. We are looking for a way to enhance our promotion of new materials. Is Library Thing that best way to go about it. I am thinking that a flickr badge would be do-able. The Library Thing is nice that is promotes the notion of libraries as being a good and valuable and still relevant
Good Read seems like a great sight. but again, I don't like the pressure of self-exposure. Maybe I am too square to be 2.0
My concern is the replication of energy in creating a second catalog of books (from a library's standpoint). I understand from a reader's point of view this could be great and helpful and exciting.
I think about Library Things place a promotion tool. We are looking for a way to enhance our promotion of new materials. Is Library Thing that best way to go about it. I am thinking that a flickr badge would be do-able. The Library Thing is nice that is promotes the notion of libraries as being a good and valuable and still relevant
Good Read seems like a great sight. but again, I don't like the pressure of self-exposure. Maybe I am too square to be 2.0
Thing 13: Online Productivity
1) customized homepage
very fun and helpful. I have used this thru igoogle for quite some time, I really like it
2) Calendar
I don't do a lot of sharing of my calendar, so this is not so handy. I have a personal organizational method that I cannot mess with.
3) To do lists
I am more of scrape of paper kinda person. I don't always have access to the web all the time. This might be helpful if managing group projects. I don't do much of that at work so it wouldn't really help me much.
$) Backpack.
seems pretty cool, especially for business people, frequent travelers, or people who frequently work out of the office.
I don't really work in a manner that would allow me to make use of these apps. I do appreciate igoogle, but mostly as a personal space at work, for the separation of life and work at work. I don't really work in coordination with a large group or across institutions. It is good to have exposure to these things.
Perhaps when I morph into a robot, this will all seem easy and most natural. I will update my downloads when I am plugged into my docking station.
very fun and helpful. I have used this thru igoogle for quite some time, I really like it
2) Calendar
I don't do a lot of sharing of my calendar, so this is not so handy. I have a personal organizational method that I cannot mess with.
3) To do lists
I am more of scrape of paper kinda person. I don't always have access to the web all the time. This might be helpful if managing group projects. I don't do much of that at work so it wouldn't really help me much.
$) Backpack.
seems pretty cool, especially for business people, frequent travelers, or people who frequently work out of the office.
I don't really work in a manner that would allow me to make use of these apps. I do appreciate igoogle, but mostly as a personal space at work, for the separation of life and work at work. I don't really work in coordination with a large group or across institutions. It is good to have exposure to these things.
Perhaps when I morph into a robot, this will all seem easy and most natural. I will update my downloads when I am plugged into my docking station.
Thing 12: Social media sites
I haven't been so excited about these sites for myself. But the introduction of this thing makes a good point that when working the reference desk, one should be up to date. (though I would much rather be required to read the daily NYT, etc)
Mixx,
hmm. not so great. I have seen other sites that seem more relevant have a larger audience. disaapointing
Digg,
I like this one a lot more. I have used it before. It is nice to be reminded of it. Also, I thought that this sight actually h
Newswire
I like that is has the AP newswire. that is hard to find.
Reddit
hate the layout
Concerns:
without an "editor" and letting the group decide what is important, one is left to the taste of the masses. One needs to determine what "mass" of users one wants to be assoicated with or which one wants to spend time enjoying the tastes of. Who is spending their time voting for these things. lowest common denominator. is that the best? I'm not convinced (or entertained by or educated by...) I guess I need to find a network of like minded people or at least a group that I think is worth paying (and I mean paying -- with my time, energy, attention, care) attention to.
what does the "best" mean in this context. it becomes worthless. "the best of the web" "the best of the ..."
Mixx,
hmm. not so great. I have seen other sites that seem more relevant have a larger audience. disaapointing
Digg,
I like this one a lot more. I have used it before. It is nice to be reminded of it. Also, I thought that this sight actually h
Newswire
I like that is has the AP newswire. that is hard to find.
hate the layout
Concerns:
without an "editor" and letting the group decide what is important, one is left to the taste of the masses. One needs to determine what "mass" of users one wants to be assoicated with or which one wants to spend time enjoying the tastes of. Who is spending their time voting for these things. lowest common denominator. is that the best? I'm not convinced (or entertained by or educated by...) I guess I need to find a network of like minded people or at least a group that I think is worth paying (and I mean paying -- with my time, energy, attention, care) attention to.
what does the "best" mean in this context. it becomes worthless. "the best of the web" "the best of the ..."
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