Thing 12 - Do you Digg?

Evidently people have nothing better to do than spend all day on the computer looking for stories, videos, podcasts, etc. to share with other people. I definitely think this is a productivity detractor. Add a few graphics and what you basically have are "ads" or "commercials" on the Internet that someone wants you to take the time to look at.

I myself am always "tempted" to click on the link "giant beetle found in McDonald's hamburger" when I log on to AOL. These are all like tabloid tidbits trying to grab your attention. There will always be something to entice the user to click on the link.

I don't see any use for these sites for public libraries from my point of view. But if someone finds them worthy, I'd be willing to listen.

Thing 11 - Tagging and Del.icio.us

I have lots of experience tagging in Flickr and tagging in del.icio.us is pretty much the same thing. I think del.icio.us would be great when you are doing a research paper, planning a vacation, even putting together a presentation.

I love the idea that you can have access to the site from any computer - that's a big plus!
I'm not sure how the public library would use it other than internally. I don't quite see the connection with del.icio.us and the patrons we serve, however.

Thing 10 - Wikis

Wiki's are still a hard concept for me to wrap my mind around. I have a hard time with something that anyone can go into and change. If a library was going to start their own wiki, I would want to make sure that there were controls on who could edit and to make sure someone was checking the validity of the edits.

I think it is a good idea that many teachers have banned the use of wikis for research. Although I'm sure not all wikis are the same, how could a student distinguish between a "good" and "bad" wiki with valid information or invalid information.

Thing 9. Online Collaboration Tools

Google Docs sounds like a great tool. I, however, use MS publisher quite frequently and even have some old Microsoft Works documents on my computer at home. I was disappointed that I could not upload those files on Google Docs. It would be wonderful to work on my MS Publisher files from any computer at anytime.

Thing #8 -Share Your Creations

How do you like the Carousel I made with Picture Trail below? It was easy and fun ....so many choices to choose from. As usual, there a wealth of ideas amongst all of these tools to use on a library website.

I have not used any of the other tools and look forward to having some time to try them all. There are just so many and so little time....you could literally spend hours and hours learning and playing with each of them.

Carousel Picture Trail

Thing #7 - Communication - Web 2.0 tools

We have used email at our library for many years. I think using email to communicate with staff and co-workers that are not in my building is great. It is also usally more reliable than phone messages when trying to conduct other library business. I do, however, think it is used way too much to conduct communication with co-workers or staff that are 4 feet away from my cubicle. It becomes too easy to email and too hard to just walk 4 feet and talk to a person eye to eye. People say things in an email they would not dare say to your face.

I think using some of the Web 2.0 tools to conduct online reference would be great if you had enough staff to handle it and it you had set up parameters for its use. I can, however, see several of the reference staff from my library not being comfortable with it.

I currently do not use IM or SMS - never had the desire or the need for it, so far. I'm much more prefer the face to face or at least voice to voice communication. I'm sure that once I started using it, I would, however, find it as easy as email.

I took a look at an Opal program called Virtual Worlds for Kids, Tweens and Teens. I listened to about 10 minutes of the program. It included an audio presentation with slide presentations. The program was 60 minutes long. I don't know if I could have sat in front of my computer for 60 minutes just listening to someone talk without seeing an actual person. I think this type of web conferencing is great for extended learning (just want to know a little bit more about something). I've taken several computer training sessions via web conferencing and found them to be lacking to a live person.

Thing 6 - Online Image Generators

Yes, you certainly could spend a lot of time with each and every one of these image generators. The trading card ideas was cool, however, it took me a bit to upload an image. I tried several and found it would only take jpegs. Like all of these fun tools, time seems to be the big element. One has to decide if they have the time to use any of these image generators and if that time spent is worthwhile to what you are trying to achieve.



I would make sure that I had a clear cut goal or outcome for using any of these great tools. Don't just use them to use them...but have a purpose in mind.

Hope you like my Warholizer too!

I'm sure teens would especially love these

online image generators.

Thing #5 - More Flickr Fun

Boy, too much Flickr fun! I spent well over an hour playing with just two of the mashups. You see my Flickr puzzle to the left and my Spell with Flickr phrase just below my Avatar.

This really is addicting. Once you get the hang of it, it's not to hard. But if I don't do it on a regular basis - don't know how much I'll remember.

I could see lots of uses for many of these mashups (and where does the term mashups come from - or did I miss it in the article). However, I would have to think that it is really going to be worthwhile for my library, because it can be quite time consuming (or at least until you get the hang of it).

Thing #4 - Photosharing with Flickr

I have used Flickr at work and post photos for my library, so I am familiar with it. We use it to post photos from each of our libraries. The public can access the pictures from our webpage and it gives them an idea of all the things that are happening at our libraries. Sometimes the local newspapers don't always publish all the pictures we send them, and this is a good way to publicize the library.

I do not personally use a photo hosting service. I still perfer to have the photo in my hand. I may, perhaps start using one in the future so I have a "backup" copy in case I should lose the originals.

I decided to do option A since I have already uploaded photos at work, tagged and grouped them. Flickr is fun and simple to use.

Thing #3-RSS

I was totatlly unware that RSS even existed, let alone what it was. If you are someone that visits lots of web pages everyday to see what has just been posted on your favorite sites, this is a great way to save time. Instead of having to visit all the websites, you can simply add them to your Google Reader, Bloglines, etc. and have one stopping viewing at your finger tips.

If your library has a blog, a reader's advisory page, etc., that gets updated on a regular basis, this would be an excellent way of reaching the public and telling them what is going on at your library. The trick would be to teach your patrons about RSS and to make your library blog, etc. something they would want to subscribe to.

I found it diificult to find the correct blog address to add to my account. I could find blog names but not the url's I needed to add to my RSS account.

RSS is certainly a time-saving tool and fairly easy to use.

Thing #2 - Library 2.0

Just finished watching the video with Stephen Abrams from SirsiDynix. Does he still work for them? Since all their troubles lately with Horizon 8.0 and other ventures, many of their staff have been shown the door, as I understand. I digress.....

Where will I find the time to take part in 23 Things on a Stick? I don't think you "find" time, you "make" time. I will have to disagree with Mr. Abrams about finding 15 minutes a day to take part in this endeavor. Heavens! It took me 15 minutes to decide what outfit my avatar should wear and I know I could do better. My problem is that I am a perfectionist, so it may take me a little longer while I'm learning all these great new things. Plus, once I find out what I can do with them, I have a tendency to what to learn more (which takes yet more time). I may not complete all 23 things by April, but it won't keep me from finishing the project.

In every profession, the key to being successful is staying current. This endeavor enables me to learn about many things I have heard about but have no idea what they are or how to do them. This project enables us to learn about them in a stress free environment and let's us go at our own pace.

There isn't a day that I do go on the Internet- or if there is, they are far and few between. The Internet is as much a part of our day as drinking a glass of water or brushing our teeth.

I had heard about many of the "things" we are learning in 23 Things on a Stick - i.e. blogging, Flickr, etc. However, I did not know they were referred to as Library 2.0. This was an entirely new terminology to me.

I am looking forward to learning as much as I can - specifically about posting video, doing podcasts, etc. I can learn - someone just has to teach me and the 23 Things on a Stick is doing just that!

Thing #1

Just "designed" my avatar. Do you think it really looks like me?

Designing an avatar is like picking out carpet....took many choices!

The only things I had ever heard about avatars before this exercise

was on TV - and it involved crime dramas!

Better Late Than Never.....

I didn't make the deadline of February 15, but better late than never.
Oh, what did I get myself into!