Hocadepi

Final week: social networking

2009-08-20T16:14:00.000-07:00

So, here we are at the end of the process

I was persuaded by my daughter to join Facebook, so I have some awareness of the process, but I feel that this is more for personal use and not necessarily something that I could see a practical use for in a Library context - although, it could be set up with some sort of specific context (e.g. Book group patrons) so that there wouldn't be all the (mindless) chit-chat that occurs on Facebook.

Unfortunately, the link to the videoclip from the Commoncraft show didn't work, so I couldn't watch it.

Looked at the map from LeMonde showing the popularity of different services around the world. It didn't matter that I don't speak French!!!

The article "Applying a new social media framework" was very interesting and gave some food for thought - maybe there are some uses in a Library context ....

Had a look at a couple of the examples suggested (British Library Facebook page and Coshocton Public Library's Animanga Club) - looked very interesting but I still don't feel that we have the resources (people or time) to go down this path (as yet)

Tried to go onto the Second Life Library (alliance Virtual Library) link but received the following - We are unable to locate the region "Caledon VictoriaCity" - just a tad disappointing.

I completed the Feedback Survey and now it's "Au revoir" .....

On line applications and tools

2009-07-23T16:07:00.000-07:00

I had a look through Google Docs and Zoho - could see innumerable possibilities and uses for accessing these applications. And being free is always an added bonus.
I'll probably have another, closer look when I have some spare time (probably at home).
As we are only a small library, I can't see that they would be particularly useful to us, However, maybe ...

I also had a quick look through Zamzar and Slideshare (but couldn't access Thumbstacks site - received the "Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage").

I explored the Slideshare video - lots and lots of possibilities there (but all for personal use rather than work related! Hmmmm will have to think about that one ...)

I will have to try creating my own document sometime in the future, when I have more time maybe ...

Yet another interesting and informative week.

Mashups

2009-07-16T16:03:00.000-07:00

It turns out, that Mashups were not an unknown to me, but I was unaware of what they were called.

I have used Google Maps a lot (predominently for personal use) and the "Street Views" are fantastic. It's a pity that this particular part of the application only seems to be operational in this part of the world (Australia). Or do they only work for the part of the world that you live in?

As a work application, we are already using Google Maps to advertise where our Mobile Library stops are situated.

Look at:- http://www.wollondilly.nsw.gov.au/library/1917/1919.html
and click onto the picture of our Mobile Library.

I'll have to go look at London: a life in Google maps in my own time - it looks absolutely fascinating - Hmmm, off on another tangent yet again!

I explored Keir Clarke's Star Viewer using the new 'sky' option in the Google Maps API and found it quite interesting, but I can't really see any use for it in our library, except for an "interest" point of view, of course.

However, as I stated before, we are already using Google Maps on our own Library webpage.

I took a look at BigHugeLabs but there were no instructions on what to do to create your own Mashups - do you have to sign up, or what?
A few, more explicit, instructions in the 2.0 training session would be appreciated, please, especially as this is a "work" area where we may be blocked from using certain applications / email addresses by our I.T. department.
I believe other libraries also have similar problems in this area.

So, yet another interesting week.
Off to look at old London Town - not now (unfortunately), but later on maybe .....

Podcasts and Podcasting

2009-07-09T16:17:00.000-07:00

This was a very, very interesting topic - can't help thinking of lots of ways that it can be used in one's private life - but must get back to thinking about using it in a library context.

Listened to a podcast from the British Library - The Holkham Bible Fascimile - very, very entertaining.
Then one from the ABC - Opal: a mystery gemstone - also extremely interesting.

Again, one could wander off on all sorts of tangents ....

How could my library use podcasting for our clients and staff?
One way that we could use podcasts could be in our Home Library Service - library users who cannot physically get in to use our main library or our Mobile Library that services many of our local towns and villages.
We could use these podcasts to advertise events, communicate changes or just read parts of a book to them - a multitude of uses only limited by our imaginations.

Another way would be for those patrons who use our audiobooks to fill in their travelling time to and from work, whether by train or in their car.
Or for those patrons who listen to audiobooks while doing household chores. Again, a multitude of uses ....

But there are always one's own personal uses. Hmmmm ....

Answer boards and social searching

2009-07-02T16:19:00.000-07:00

I visited the Answer Board Librarians wiki and viewed the “Exemplary Answers” section.
The answers section was extremely interesting - one could spend hours and hours and .... just perusing and wandering off on tangents.

There were some very clever Signatures and Taglines that could be, perhaps, "borrowed" to use in our own library.

Consider if there is a role for your library in “slamming the boards”:-
There's always a role in any library for this kind of forum - but there is the perennial problem in our library of human resources - not enough people and not enough time (unfortunately).
The first that I'd heard of this forum was during a seminar at the State Library of NSW where it was enthusiastically demonstrated to us by a reference librarian from Faifield Library - very informative, very entertaining.

In what ways might your customers like to rate or review items in the collection or services you offer?
Some of our patrons would probably greatly enjoy this aspect, but probably the majority of patrons wouldn't be bothered - they just wish to dash in and dash out with their bag of books, DVDs etc.
However, there is now the opportunity, on our online catalogue, for interested patrons to review particular titles - but I'm not aware if anyone has done so yet. Probably a bit of advertising would be all that is needed to get them started.
Maybe this is the direction we should be following .....

Tagging and so forth

2009-06-25T16:03:00.000-07:00

My experience and thoughts about using this tool in libraries:-
Well, it was yet another interesting exercise - not quite as daunting as I thought it would be, but a bit more complicated than the "blurb" would have you believe - joining up has altered a bit since the Training Notes were written and being aware of which "provider" (e.g. Internet Explorer 6 or 7, Firefox, etc.) you belong to is also confusing!!

Can I see the potential of this tool for research assistance?
I can see the potential, but it would need a full-time "user" to do so in our library and we don't have the privilege of that - severe understaffing in almost all areas.

Or just as an easy way to create bookmarks that can be accessed from anywhere?
I tend to believe (in my/our circumstances) it seems to be a convenient way to access bookmarks from anywhere.
Hmmmm, I think I might pursue this avenue in my own time with all the "millions" of bookmarks that I have on my home computer ....

To see my bookmarks, visit http://www.delicious.com/Hocadepi

Checked out Technorati but found it very difficult to navigate around - didn't have the time to spare to investigate where things were kept.

Also looked around LibraryThing (which we use on our Library catalogue, so wasn't completely "alien" to me) - again, I can see a couple of more personal uses (what I've read in a particular genre/by a particular author, etc)
Hmmmm, Ditto to comment above about bookmarks at home ....

Online videos

2009-06-18T16:39:00.000-07:00

Played around with both YouTube and Google video and they seemed very similar - the same videos appear on both sites but there are also a few unique ones on each site.

Checking out Mosman Library, there were quite a few differences between the YouTube content and the Google site. This is obviously due to the limitation in the time cap on YouTube that doesn't apply to Google.

Had a quick browse through the suggested videos. They have potential to be informative but, on the other hand, some of them are quite dull.
However, the "showcasing oral history" at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oaNEt1Q-YU was excellent - obviously a great way to catch personal histories in an entertaining manner.
This is an area that our organisation is looking to pursue.

And here's a YouTube video for our mutual enjoyment:-

Wiki Week

2009-06-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

I looked at the suggested wikis and found the following 3 :-

Mint Museums, North Carolina - http://mintwiki.pbwiki.com/
The Full Library Success - http://www.libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Main_Page
Wookieepedia - http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

to be the most interesting.

I have put in my application to be a writer on the wiki for 2.0 and await an answer

RSS Feeds

2009-05-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

Well, this was an "interesting" experience!!

Not as easy as it reads. I was able to subscribe (and unsubscribe) easily to suggestions from Bloglines but had more difficulty trying to subscribe to something out there in the wider Web-land but (with help) was able to do that too.

What do I like about RSS and newsreaders?
Instant gratification for (a few) of my obsessions.

What sites did I select for my RSS reader?
BBC News
Dictionary.com - word of the day
Librarian.net
LII (of course)
Powerhouse Museum - photo of the day
Rotten Tomatoes - movies
Scientific American

How do I think I might be able to use this technology in my work?
It will be useful to get up to the minute information for patrons on relevent topics e.g. News, Medical breakthroughs, latest books, movies, etc.

Did I find any good examples of other library blogs?
Yes, I did.
Mosman Library have a good blog:-
http://www.mosman.nsw.gov.au/library/information/weblog
and so does Manly:-
http://www.manly.nsw.gov.au/Library-Blogs.html

Will have to see how the feeds pan out.

Thoughts of Spring

2009-04-07T18:05:00.000-07:00

I picked this picture because it makes me think of Spring when I was growing up in England.

I found that adding pictures to the blog was not as easy as the instructions indicated. However, with quite a bit of help, I managed it - very satisfying feeling.

First post

2009-03-05T15:47:00.000-08:00

Hi World

What do I hope to learn from the program?
Learn something new plus familiarise myself with the on-line world of my children

What do I think about Lifelong Learning?
Essential!!!

What other blogs have I "visited" and my opinions of them?
Lots of knitting blogs - some good, some bad, some indifferent - all have their uses.
Quite a few library blogs - same response

A use for a blog in my library?
Keeping others informed in an "entertaining" manner, especially if you don't have daily interaction with all your co-workers and finding their reactions to your opinions, etc.