The End

This course has come at the right time for me - as I will need to utlitise some of these functions into a new position that I will be taking up. It has given me a good overall picture of what is available and I particularly liked the short videos that introduced each topic. The next step will be to investigate further how to use these tools best - not just have them because everyone else has - they need to serve a purpose and have value to our library system. The journey has only just begun! I have also come to the conclusion that these tools will only be useful if people (staff or patrons) have an interest and interact within the communities set up - there is nothing worse than having a blog that is not updated or people are commenting on. I think that is the biggest challenge to libraries.
Thanks to State Library for producing this course.

Online applications and tools

It seems that the internet can help in so many ways - I like the idea of being able to work on documents together without e-mailing each other all the time. I have just gone through this process and it is so easy to delete an e-mail or forget to save the document - should of done this module a few weeks earlier!! Will definitely have to keep all these applications in mind.

Mashups

Not quite sure if I completely understand this application - but I did have fun on Big Huge Labs.

Podcasts

I am beginning to learn that all this technology is dependant on the user having a great internet connection - the podcasts took a long time to download onto my computer - a bit frustrating. I like the idea of using podcasts to introduce new books and services to the library. But then again would I have the time to create them ??? For the beginning it may be the option of choosing one application of Web 2.0 and roll with that for a while. So many choices........

Social searching

Rating items and services in the library - sounds like customer feedback! We have not been all that successful in formal lines of customer feedback - though we are now beginning that process. These may be added to the list of arsenal of surveys that libraries use as this media becomes the normal way of communication. Customers can begin to feel that they can contribute to the library community as they do within their own social network.

ARROW discovery service - new interface

ARROW discovery service - new interface

Just completed the lesson on social networking and then checked my Bloglines feeds and discovered this - a network search using tag clouds.
This seems to be becoming more popular in searching. Amazing how some things fall into place!
Our library catalogue displays previous searches as tag clouds.
People using their own langugae to tag things instead of using American subject headings - does have it advantages in libraries.
This may be the way of catalogues of the future - it will be interesting to see how it all develops.

The You Tube experience

I can see why this is such a popular medium and what potential it has. By searching libraries it is very obvious that it is being used widely already. Maybe what we need is a public libraries section where we can share videos. Covering topics as What is Dewey, how to look up an OPAC, what services are available, maybe even storytelling sessions - these would be such great promotional tools.

This is a favourite of mine. Is this a person's typical experience of a libray? Where were the library staff? Enjoy.
http://au.youtube.com/watch?v=efYZRUsVK5U

Another joke book catalogued

From; A joke a day.

Why couldn't the butterfly go to the dance?
It was a mothball.

Why did the lion lose at poker?
Because he was playing a cheetah.

Week of Wiki

After a short Easter break I am back to it.
Wikis have great potential - they seem to be better presented than blogs and are able to connect readers a lot better. Being able to easily link items within the wiki and outside would mean that a lot of information can be contained in a wiki. A blog is more or less written by one person and it is up to that person to maintain whereas a wiki is set up more colabrative and encourages people to be involved in the exercise.
I loved the Book lovers wiki with links back into the catalogue.
I can see a need for a staff wiki, where communication has been a problem in the past, where all relevant information e.g. donation offers, branch visit calendar, programs and promotions can be in the one spot. I feel this is something I will have to delve into much more.

RSS Part 2

Finally managed to set up my Bloglines account. I had some trouble searching and then subscribing to some of the blogs I chose, but I finally got there.

Today I checked my account and only one had a new update. I was hoping to read all this new stuff and only had the one to check. I guess that is the nature of blogs - people have to have the time to keep updating, and I know that it will not be everyday, but at least I have only one spot to check for updates instead of six!

Librarian who loves cataloging joke books

What did the gaint use to stop his trainers from smelling?
Ogre-eaters.

Why are mummies selfish?
Because they are so wrapped up in themselves.

From; The great monster joke book

RSS

I find this weeks task a bit more of a challenge as this is completely new to me. I can see how agregating your favourite blogs into one place would be useful. I do have a favourite forum that I check, lots of mouse clicks to see if there is a new post (probably doing it the long way round!), so knowing when something new has been entered is a time saver.
For keeping up with library trends and what is happening in my area of specialty I can see a real need for RSS - just have to find the right sites to subscribe to.
For the public of a library it may be useful to have news, weather, book reviews as a link on the library webpage to keep them informed.

Week 3

I have had a browse through Flickr - what a huge database of photographs - 4,000 loaded in the last minute - the mind boggles.
I did a search for our library building and discovered some great photographs. It is quite architecturally beautiful - something I don't always appreciate - coming to work each day and taking it for granted.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/waggajake/54220253/ - take a look at this plus others tagged Civic centre - we really do work in pleasant surroundings.

I guess my only concern with Flickr is the misuse of the photographer's rights. It will be interesting to see how copyright is handled as all this technology continues to grow.

The beginning

To blog or not to blog? - that is the start of many questions I have with Web 2.0. I feel that all my questions will not be answered doing this course but at least I will have a starting point.



I am aware of a lot of the technology as I see library users tapping away merrily on the public access computers but have not actively used many of them myself. So this is all new territory for me. At our library we do have a reference blog which enbales us to share information about what happens there. I have found it useful - just have to remember to check it all the time!

So here we go------