One of the best things I learned with this program was the Flickr mashups and image generators. I'm always looking for interesting images for our web site, and this will give me some more tools to work with. I was also glad to get some experience with Google Reader and Google Docs, and the Wetpaint wiki. I had been using bloglines and pbwiki, but I really like these better.
The one application I didn't really like that much was LibWorm, because I got so many irrelevant results. I think I would make a custom search on Google to limit the sources. Still, I can see using LibWorm for initial research on a topic just to get pointed to some sources.
I loved the YouTube library videos that I watched. Maybe, someday... I'm not the most creative person on our staff as far as graphics and videos are concerned, but maybe I can talk the more creative people into it! Also, we are hoping to podcast children's stories one of these days, soon, so that's another thing I'll be working on.
When we change over to a new automation system, I would like to have one that allows patrons to tag items. That's one feature of LibraryThing that I think is great.
All in all, this was a great program with practical uses for libraries. Glad I joined it!
Friday, July 31, 2009
23 Things for Our Library
First of all, I've really enjoyed following this 23 Things program. Although I knew of or used many of the applications, I learned something new with every Thing.
I think these are very important things for all of our library staff to know about. I may at some time do something similar to this program. Another librarian and myself gave a quite lengthy presentation to library staff a couple of years ago that went over alot of this, showing examples of blogs, podcasts, delicious, etc. and we use several of these already on our web site. I would like to do another presentation at our fall inservice to encourage them to actually use some of these tools.
Our teen advisory panel is eager to set up a facebook page, but the city has put a halt on that for now until they can get some kind of policy in place. I sent over a social networking policy that I formulated for the Library, and our CIO okayed that, so we have 2 blogs and our Twitter page linked from our web site. Our reference librarian has set up a delicious page that we share with the public, and we just started reference im service.
Actually, I guess we're doing pretty well as far as Web 2.0. The next thing I would like to look into is mobile reference. I think that's going to be big soon!
I think these are very important things for all of our library staff to know about. I may at some time do something similar to this program. Another librarian and myself gave a quite lengthy presentation to library staff a couple of years ago that went over alot of this, showing examples of blogs, podcasts, delicious, etc. and we use several of these already on our web site. I would like to do another presentation at our fall inservice to encourage them to actually use some of these tools.
Our teen advisory panel is eager to set up a facebook page, but the city has put a halt on that for now until they can get some kind of policy in place. I sent over a social networking policy that I formulated for the Library, and our CIO okayed that, so we have 2 blogs and our Twitter page linked from our web site. Our reference librarian has set up a delicious page that we share with the public, and we just started reference im service.
Actually, I guess we're doing pretty well as far as Web 2.0. The next thing I would like to look into is mobile reference. I think that's going to be big soon!
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
podcasts
our children's librarian is very interested in doing podcasts of children's stories to put on our website, much like denver public library's podcast page http://podcast.denverlibrary.org/, so i had already looked into audacity and bought a usb headphone/microphone set. i just have to find the time to really play around with it--also the issue of copyrights needs to be investigated.
i think podcasts are ideal for teens, who are used to mp3 players. i liked the teen poetry slam podcast from kaankakee library at http://www.lions-online.org/podcasts/slam09.html, as well as the teen podcasts at county of los angeles public library: http://colaplpodcast.org/.
the education podcast network had some interesting podcasts and good information about podcasting. as with videos, poscasts can be useful for quick instructional sessions that could be placed on a website, to list programs for the month, interviews with authors. one of our patrons is writing a book on the history of our city, and i think an interview with him would be a great addition to our web sites city history page.
i think podcasts are ideal for teens, who are used to mp3 players. i liked the teen poetry slam podcast from kaankakee library at http://www.lions-online.org/podcasts/slam09.html, as well as the teen podcasts at county of los angeles public library: http://colaplpodcast.org/.
the education podcast network had some interesting podcasts and good information about podcasting. as with videos, poscasts can be useful for quick instructional sessions that could be placed on a website, to list programs for the month, interviews with authors. one of our patrons is writing a book on the history of our city, and i think an interview with him would be a great addition to our web sites city history page.
YouTube
I found some fabulous library videos on youtube! Funny, clever and definitely not the stuffy library image. http://tinyurl.com/ngaesq is a circulation video based on The Wizard of Oz, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS28qydjfsg&NR=1 is a overview of library services from Otis Library, and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-oBHCsFbkk promotes Columbus Public Library using a popup book. I can't even imagine being able to produce something like these. We have bought a flip video camera for the library, but haven't used it yet.
i think the use of videos such as these not only highlights library services, but makes the library seem like a much more inviting place, the staff friendly and approachable, even FUN! I would love to produce something like this for our library, and will definitely look into it at some point!
Videos could also be used for instruction, like how to search specific databases or using the computer, for author interviews, to show program highlights, etc.
i think the use of videos such as these not only highlights library services, but makes the library seem like a much more inviting place, the staff friendly and approachable, even FUN! I would love to produce something like this for our library, and will definitely look into it at some point!
Videos could also be used for instruction, like how to search specific databases or using the computer, for author interviews, to show program highlights, etc.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Google Docs
I love this google docs. I don't think I will ever buy another copy of microsoft office again! Several of my kids have asked to borrow my copy of Office, but I think I'll tell them to use either google docs or openoffice.org. At least then they can access their work from anywhere, it's free, and they can share easily.
I am working on netbook loan policy for our library, so played around with that. I did a word processing document, started a presentation, and made a form through the spreadsheet, and emailed my home email to join in. I liked the form, especially since you could embed a survey on your website, have the results go to your spread sheet and get a summary graph like product (as far as I can tell, with my limited practice). This is great!
I am working on netbook loan policy for our library, so played around with that. I did a word processing document, started a presentation, and made a form through the spreadsheet, and emailed my home email to join in. I liked the form, especially since you could embed a survey on your website, have the results go to your spread sheet and get a summary graph like product (as far as I can tell, with my limited practice). This is great!
Wikis
I had some previous experience with wikis a couple of years ago when I worked with ATRT to make a website scoring document for checking different aspects of one's site. I think we used PB Wiki and it was a fantastic tool for collaborative work on a project--a million times easier than emailing documents back and forth.
I have since set up a pbwiki site for computer help for our patrons and staff. But I'm finding it very confusing, and I really like this WetPaint site. I think I'll move the wiki over there, as I haven't done that many pages. WetPaint seems much easier to use.
I've used Wikipedia a lot, but never took the time to look at the discussions and the history. It was very interesting! I looked up the Ramones, which led to the Quarrymen, which led to the Beatles, which is a whole other project. Fascinating!
I have since set up a pbwiki site for computer help for our patrons and staff. But I'm finding it very confusing, and I really like this WetPaint site. I think I'll move the wiki over there, as I haven't done that many pages. WetPaint seems much easier to use.
I've used Wikipedia a lot, but never took the time to look at the discussions and the history. It was very interesting! I looked up the Ramones, which led to the Quarrymen, which led to the Beatles, which is a whole other project. Fascinating!
LibWorm
I can see using this site if I was doing some concentrated research into a library topic. There are so many entries when you go in by subject, many not in English, that it's overwhelming. Going into the tag list(and I had to have them listed alphabetically to find what I wanted) was much more useful.
I searched for our library and for my name. I was surprised to find me mentioned in LisZen.com/trends: "a real time/social tool for librarians". So I'll have to look into that site a bit more.
I created an RSS feed for my name and for my library's name and subscribed to those in google reader, so we'll see what happens. This is where I think LibWorm would be very useful--to be able to create your own ongoing search for a given library topic and have the results sent to your feed reader. I will definitely use this site for that kind of research.
I searched for our library and for my name. I was surprised to find me mentioned in LisZen.com/trends: "a real time/social tool for librarians". So I'll have to look into that site a bit more.
I created an RSS feed for my name and for my library's name and subscribed to those in google reader, so we'll see what happens. This is where I think LibWorm would be very useful--to be able to create your own ongoing search for a given library topic and have the results sent to your feed reader. I will definitely use this site for that kind of research.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
LibraryThing thing
I had seen LibraryThing before, but more in the context of LibraryThing for Libraries, for which I tried, but failed, to get a grant for our library. It was really interesting to go back and look at it through a reader's eyes. I had never had a reason to catalog the books I own, so didn't think I would use this, but I got an idea from the blog of someone else doing North Texas 23 Things--keep track of the books you've read and get suggestions for similar books through LibraryThings.
I think that's a great idea! So I've signed up, looked around, put in my bid for some "Early Review" books and some "Member Giveaways". It's such a great book community!
I joined the Librarians Who LibraryThing group and looked at some other groups, as well as the ThingLang, ISBN Check and MarcThing. I would probably be more interested in those applications if I were still a cataloger, but then I'm not really a cataloger at heart (i.e. appallingly un-detail-oriented). I've bookmarked LibraryThing and will definitely spend more time there.
I think that's a great idea! So I've signed up, looked around, put in my bid for some "Early Review" books and some "Member Giveaways". It's such a great book community!
I joined the Librarians Who LibraryThing group and looked at some other groups, as well as the ThingLang, ISBN Check and MarcThing. I would probably be more interested in those applications if I were still a cataloger, but then I'm not really a cataloger at heart (i.e. appallingly un-detail-oriented). I've bookmarked LibraryThing and will definitely spend more time there.
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