Week 6 #15 - Blogging on Library 2.0

I like the idea of library 2.0. I think the concepts behind it speak to our mission to provide equal access to information for our customers. Opening up the way we do this to allow two-way communication improves the quality of information we share, helps us better understand the information needs of our community, and serves as an important opportunity for outreach.

As circulation numbers decrease, we need to show that we are still relevant, and having a strong online presence is a big part of that. Books are still a huge part of our service, but Internet access, online information searching, and things like online "ask a librarian" services are becoming more important and we need to change to address needs as they arise. I also think creating opportunities for customers to participate like they do in sharing book reviews online is a great way to keep people connected the the library.

I also liked what I read about web 2.0 (and library 2.0 for that matter) having a beta release model that is open to user feedback and change. Releasing programs in beta format shows a keen interest in experimentation, and in order for libraries to keep up with the times, we need to be open to trying new things. They may not always work, but we always learn a lot in trying.

Finally, the discussion on web 3D and web 4.0 was a little puzzling to me, but that is just a sign that I need to do more reading on the topic. I think that while we are working on developing library 2.0 ideas, it is also important to keep an eye out on the horizon.

Week 6 - #14 - Technorati

The distinction between searching blogs and posts is interesting. The results for blog searches pulled up fewer hits, but the results were more on topic; whereas, the results for post searches was much less topic specific, so if you are searching blogs that focus on a particular topic, then blog searching is definitely the way to go because post searching will pull up way too many bad hits (i.e. posts that simply mention the search term without the post actually being about it).

As for the popular feature, who knew Arriana Huffington was so popular? Looking at how the rating system works was interesting as well: the "authority" marker relying on number of links to one's blog seems like a good way to tap into the zeitgeist of the blogging community.

Week 6 #13 - Tags and Del.icio.us

I've been using Del.icio.us for a few years, but perhaps not as much as I should. I used it first when I lost all my links at a previous job (disaster!). It's a great tool--very convenient because it's accessible everywhere, and the tag feature is great. I like exploring other people's tags, and this often leads to many lost hours exploring the net (but never at work, of course!).

What I really need to do is transfer some links that I have on my home computer from my library school days to my Del.icio.us account, so that I can use them to help customers find information.

Week 5 - Library Elf

This is a great tool! I selected the RSS feed, so I can follow on my Bloglines account. I was a little iffy about giving out my PIN, but I still think this was a very cool idea. The ability to track multiple accounts is very useful in a place like Harris County where many people also have a Houston Public Library card.

Week 5 - Image Generators

FotoTrixaltrd_picnik, originally uploaded by bibliblogger.

My cats generally look pretty subdued, but they are in fact sociopaths.

Week 5 - LibraryThing

So LibraryThing was fun. I'm already on GoodReads (but I hardly ever update). LibraryThing was quite similar, but the widget feature is cool:

Week 4 - Finding Feeds

Of the ones I played around with, I liked Syndic8 the best as a search tool. I liked its search features better than Blogline's. However, the feed that I liked the best was one that I found on Topix (it was the newswire for Houston). Technorati was interesting, but its focus on blogs didn't really appeal to any immediate information needs that I have. I can, however, see how it could be a great social networking tool in blogging circles.

From past experience, I also like the search features in Google's Reader quite a bit. Its "suggestions" feature has actually provided some good suggestions in the past.

Week 4 - Bloglines

I've been using Google Reader for a while, but I liked working with Bloglines just fine. There were a lot of similarities in terms of layout and both were quite intuitive to use.

In other news, Blogger no longer thinks I am spam. I feel vindicated.

Week 3 - Photo Editing

Here's Ms. Kitty sans red-eye and cropped.

Week 3 - 3rd Party Tools etc.

There were a lot of fun tools out there, and I could see how one might spend a lot of time playing around with them. PictoBrowser looked suspiciously familiar, and what do you know: http://www.hcpl.net/branchinfo/ata/atainfo.htm

Oh, and of course today's "word verification" word is qywxezhk. Definition, anyone?

Week 3 - Blogger thinks I'm spam

So my blog is locked and under review (requiring I type in a word verification every time I post... fun... today's word is "Ikdhu"). Anywho, I'll play with the "Blog It" feature on Flickr once this is resolved. For now, I just posted a link to the pic of my wonderful cats ((two of three) see below).

The Cats (posted on flickr)

Week 2 - Online Privacy

I tend to be very nervous about sharing personal info on the net. There's all of the identity theft stuff to worry about, but it's also important to remember that the Internet has become this massive gossip monster. I have friends that get very involved in the drama (on LiveJournal, MySpace, Twitter, Blogger etc.), but I try to stay well clear of it. It's bad enough to have friends find out things you don't want them to know--it can be embarrassing--but having an employer see something inappropriate can get you canned. So I think an abundance of caution is always a good idea.

Week 2 - Learning Style

I think I tend to learn by doing, i.e. repetition is the key to mastery. This also works for studying more abstract ideas in that I tend to understand them better after I've tried to formulate and write down my ideas.

I also prefer a quiet study environment with few interruptions, or at least I think I prefer that as my reality hasn't really afforded me any opportunities for quiet uninterrupted study time. I don't think I've had that since I was an undergraduate.