Additional Thought

As I look back over all the new gadgets and gizmos that I have been exposed to during this course, I am amazed at how much I have learned. I now realize the advantage of cloud computing, how to have a back up of my precious family photos, that a regular person like myself could have a blog and a podcast, that social bookmarking makes a lot more sense than a long list of links some of which aren't "favorites", not to mention the valuable privacy and legal issues that must be taken into consideration when using technology.

I'm sure that there are tons of other tools out there that I have yet to discover. I'm excited to learn them as well, but for now I will return to the Web 2.0 Two Step site (hopefully it will remain available) and continue to review and practice the new skills I have learned. Practice makes perfect.

Thanks for putting this training together! I have enjoyed participating!!!

Method 12 Evaluation

I really enjoyed this traning program. As I mentioned in the survey I felt that there was the expectation that some level of computer skills were needed in order to advance. I know others in our office wanted to participate and truly did try but they needed more step by step support in order to build their confidence and skills so that they could move forward.

I think this is an important point when using any technology though. I see it all of the time with our patrons when they come in to use our computers. They know a little but there is so much that they don't use because a. they don't know it is available and b. they need someone to patiently teach them how to use those features.

I loved blogging. I wish I knew html so that I could really customize the format more, but even as limited as it is, I still had a blast. The putting the viewmaster slide over the youtube video was really amazing. I think that was a real "Cool" moment for me. I am also fascinated and definitely want to learn more about social bookmarking. Podcasts would be great for so many programs in the library. Perhaps a training session could be offered to teach us how to pull off professional looking productions.

I hope I get the opportunity to learn more and to use what I have learned before I forget it.

Method 11 Podcasts

I looked at various library podcasts and listened to many of them. I loved the one called "Booktalks". It gave an interesting overview of children's books. It was really wonderful and reminded me a lot of how Levar Burton introduces stories on Reading Rainbow. It would be a great way to put in a blurb about books in any collection in the library. I discovered one promotional podcast for a summer reading program that frankly would have made me less likely to participate which brings up the obvious distinction that just because we can doesn't mean we should. If the podcast isn't executed properly I can see where it could be a distraction or even a detractor from the library programs.

I think it would be great to put a weekly storytime podcast by our Storytime Lady. Also blurbs from our librarian who purchases our collections so that if someone has a question about a book or an author they can get the information from an informed source. It would also be a great tool for "How To" segments.

I am just not sure how to pull off production so that it maintains an air of professionalism.

Method 10 Wiki Tiki Tavi

Whew! I had to delete and edit and save and edit and delete. It shouldn't have been that difficult but it was for some reason.

Our church has a wiki site and I think it is very helpful but also very confusing. It is important that everyone understand the reasoning for having a Wiki site as well as there be clearly defined criteria for accessing and posting. We had a situation where some information was available to everyone that shouldn't have been. I'm going to spend more time learning about Wiki. It is a great place to keep Friends of the Library other committee minutes, contact information, a calendar of upcoming programs, the list of books for the various bookclubs and allowing comments on all of the above.

I have a lot more to learn about wiki but then I feel I have a lot more to learn about everything involved in this program.

Method 9 Chatting and Pulling My Hair Out

I really love the chat widgets and programs. I have received online help from various customer service departments through online chat. It is especially helpful with computer issues. I can see where it could also be very valuable in a library setting. If a reference librarian had a chat feature where people searching for information could talk to him/her and get their input, also an online book club for readers who are just too tired after a long day at the office to venture back out to the library for a meeting.

I did get very frustrated trying to add the meebo widget to my blog. I settled for putting it in a post like the youtube video and using a slide, but it seemed that it was supposed to be a widget not a one time post.

I attempted to add it then I also attempted to edit the html of my blog, but that was very confusing. I needed more information on how to add this widget, more remedial instructions.

Chat is a good thing and it is a very good way to personalize the impersonal cyberland.

Meebo Me

Method 8 Social Networks

I'm not antisocial I just hate people. That's one of my favorite lines from a television series. Social networking allows libraries to reenforce the fact that libraries aren't about books but about people.


I think that the world of social network has a great deal of potential as both a marketing tool and also a community builder, but only if it is offered in a nonthreatening and easily accessible way. Just like breaking into a new school, patrons need to see what groups are available and then understand how to join and participate. They need to understand what personal information is shared and how to limit contact with other members if they so choose. There also needs to be a great deal of care taken for the protection of patron's privacy. Also, if there are going to be social groups on a library's site respect and care must be given to protect juvenile patrons. Questions as to how staff will oversee these groups and maintain participation standards need to be defined prior to launching such groups.


I've set up a facebook and myspace account before, but found that for me it felt as though I were the only 40 year old at a high school dance. I think that many patrons would want to be friends of the library's pages without having to deal with the hassel of setting up their own account or page.


I enjoyed viewing the library pages on both myspace and facebook and I found the information, especially Austin Public's three librarian musical number, to be helpful and entertaining. This medium is dynamic and therefore caters to the ever shortening attention span of our society.

I think the main issue with social networks is that not everyone wants to be on such a network. Once a person joins Myspace or Facebook then anyone looking for them from their past or present can search for them and reconnect. This isn't always a good thing. Just knowing that this could occur will prevent some patrons from participating. The arguement can be made that this person doesn't have to accept the person as a "friend" but most people would rather avoid the situation all together.

Social networking is valuable, but naturally won't appeal to all patrons. It will though work towards updating the image of libraries from a dusty dinosaurs to a well managed convenient stores on the information highway, a one stop shop where patrons can fill up their cars, hit the facilities, grab some jerky, look over a map,then head back out on the road in search of their final destination.

Method 7 Social Bookmarking and Tagging

I am still not as clear as I would like to be on this skill set. Maybe it is my lack of social skills in general that makes me a little slower on the uptake. I need to spend more time learning about tags and the Library Thingy. I do love the idea of Libraries having a list of links available to patrons. We have various school projects that launch in our area and with those launches we find desperate parents and students fighting over limited books. It would be wonderful to have links on our website that could provide additional support for students.

Where Is the Slide?

On my home computer my slide with youtube video appears on my blog but at work it doesn't. Is this about permissions? I'm curious.

Method 6 Using Video

I totally agree that there is both trash and treasure on video sharing sites. I do think that using video enhances communication. We all are familiar with learning styles. The more varied the approach in communication the greater the impact.

The point of blogs, newletters and websites is to communicate with an audience. Libraries use these methods to communicate with their clients about programs, policies, events both special and ongoing. The more varied the presentation, the more dynamic it comes across the greater the impact and the retention.

I loved adding the skin. It really made it fun. I selected the Toy Story Trailer because it seemed to fit perfectly into the View Master skin I located. Frankly, video is fun and skins add to the entertainment. I really enjoyed this lesson!

Toy Story Trailer with Fun Skin Method 6

Method 6 Domino Days with Skin

Flowers on Flickr Method 5

IMG_0013,
originally uploaded by Stacey's stuff.

My friend Flickr, sorry, but it keeps repeating in my mind. Flickr is my friend and I love the blogging tool. I did find some pictures on flickr that were of our library, but I didn't have consent by the parents, so I decided against posting them. They weren't uploaded by our library but by a parent of one of the children pictured.

I learned a lot in this section about gaining permission and what is and is not legal. It all makes me nervous. I am a strong believer in consent forms. I wonder if it is possible to add a line to a library application that asks if photos of the individual may be used for publicity purposes. But then what do we do about events where the general public attends and there is no way to get everyone's permission?

The law definitely needs to catch up to technology unfortunately as fast as media is evolving I don't see that happening.

Method Four RSS or "Olly, Olly, Oxen, Free"

Love readers!!! I have so many blogs that I find interesting, but there just aren't enough hours in the day to actually keep up with all of them. Now that is not an issue!

If only I had a reader to manage my address book and handle daily, weekly, and monthly correspondence.

The Reader is like home base where all the bits of information that I used to spend time chasing around the internet can be found. " Olly, Olly, Oxen, Free "! I go to home base and all the information is waiting for me. I love it!

I added the following links to my google reader:
Austin Public Library :

http://austinpubliclibraryblog.blogspot.com/

New York City Library

http://www.nypl.org/links/

and then
The American Library Association's technology blog

http://www.alatechsource.org/blog

Method Three

I enjoyed learning about cloud computing. I wasn't sure what the term meant but now it makes perfect sense. I thought the information from the blog entries and articles covered good ideas as well as voicing some legitimate concerns. I hadn't considered the privacy issues. It would be nice to know if the cloud is in a gated community where our information is protected and where the gate keeper isn't sharing it in order line his pocket.

I think it is vital that libraries over training to users and also help them understand the consequences.

I have a lot to learn as to how to fully utilize the various features of google and zoho as cloud sites, but the portability certainly seems to support the mobility of our society.

Method 1 and 2......Check moving on to Method 3

Well I still want to tweak my blog, but I can do that as time goes by. Now I'm headed for Method 3 which is:


Method 3: Cloud Computing
Explore the topic of cloud computing and play with some popular online productivity/cloud computing tools such as GoogleDocs and Zoho writer.

Impressions of Library 2.0 and Web 2.0, Ice Cream or Shepherd's Pie

There was a moment in my life when I realized I was an adult. That moment came one day in college when I didn’t like what was being served in the cafeteria. As I stared down in the unappetizing pan of shepherd’s pie, I thought, “I wish I could have ice cream for dinner.” The light bulb appeared over my head and I realized with total awe and elation that I could have ice cream for dinner. It was a revolutionizing moment. The world opened up to me and I realized I was now sitting in the driver’s seat and could steer my life down the road or into a ditch, but I was in control.

I had a similar feeling as if the world was opening up to me as I watched Michael Wesch’s video on YouTube, The Machine is Us/ing Us. I felt amazed at the connectivity of the ideas and the way in which technology is still evolving. It is amazing how the internet has gone from a dusty electronic form of an encyclopedia to a video of an actor dressed like Charles Darwin explaining evolution. Libraries have the capacity to embrace this new manner of gleaning information. Some learners will always opt for a more conventional material, but the potential for reaching out and aiding in the development and accessibility of dynamic, personal forms of information is mind boggling.

I felt that both suggested articles had very good information in them as well. I liked the concrete examples of how a radio station and museum have embraced incorporating their consumers into their product. The question is what is a library’s product? I thought both article and YouTube interview by Stephen Abram helped to clarify this and keep my wild wandering mind focused on how new technologies can be utilized to better serve the clients of libraries.

As with any business, and a library is a business, it is important that each institution look at their current customer base as well as where the gaps are in that population. In other words, who do we have and who are we missing. Once that is established the question arises as to what barriers exist in order to help customers engage in accessing this technology when added to the services that the Library provides. Will there be a need for training? How can computer and technology anxiety be minimized and overcome? Where is a good place to start and allow the personal applications to grow out from? What will it cost? How do we protect personal privacy? With individual input how do we manage content while also respecting censorship concerns?

As with all new journeys there will always be barriers and obstacles. It is important to look at what services are currently being provided while building a new understanding of the Web 2.0 technology. Once the technology literacy of the population of the customer base is established then the institution can launch one application then grow from there learning by trial and error what works and what doesn’t.

• Book Reviews seem a great place to start. I know in our library we have a great deal of avid readers who could easily compare their impressions of one author’s works to another. A bookstore in Austin, Book People, actually posts personal reviews with their books so that an average person, such as me, can benefit from an opinion other than that of a literal critic.
• An online book club would also be far more accommodating to individuals who work and don’t have the energy or perhaps the time to attend a club meeting during the week.
• A weekly podcast of new arrivals or authors who will be in the area would peak some customers’ interests.
• A Welcome to the Library information video on YouTube that explains the various features and policies of the library would no doubt provide more consistent and thorough inform to new patrons.
• A pod cast about new features being added to the library would keep people informed and give them the option to jump in from the start.
• The library has a huge influx of children during the summer, so perhaps working with the school system students could work on their summer reading projects over the summer with additional instructional materials, so that they could benefit while reading the material instead of reading it and then having to re-read it in order to pass a test the first week of class.
• Perhaps the schools could also work with the library about upcoming student projects so that special databases could be established for students to use.
• There are also a lot of questions that come up concerning the history of our library’s location, perhaps it might be a good idea to have a database where historical information could be maintained including stories from long time residents and personal interviews, in order to keep that valuable information intact and available for generations to come.

All of these ideas, both good and bad, are dependent on many factors and money is not the least of these. Money is no doubt one of the obstacles, but it is important to see the big picture and do what we can to insure that the view of all libraries evolves from THE Library to MY Library.

I’m excited to explore the various technologies and see where libraries are headed down this social, interactive highway. Web 2.0 to me is the ice cream and not the shepherd’s pie.

And I'm off......

I had already created a couple of blogs using blogspot so this part was easy. I'm excited to see what new skills are out there to learn and then incorporate into my personal life and job.