Method 10 – Wiki World
It is true, the Plain English Tutorial series are just plain good. The length is just about right for a topic. My attention span, along with the rest of the world, has shrunk to about 3 minutes.
I really enjoyed the ALA wikis – I like Chicago – maybe next year!
The wiki posts in the Library Development wiki were interesting to view and pointed up some new sites to me. Good browsing on a rainy day.
One use I think might be valuable would be using a wiki with my faculty for Collection Development. Subject Guides might be helpful too. There are so many resources that it is helpful to have a spot where others might be able to make a contribution.
So out of this exercise I have an account with PBwiki; found some good blog sources and can see two ways a wiki could benefit me and my library patrons.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Method 9
Chat and Instant Messaging
I chatted with Naomi (our Continuing Education Two-Step mentor) using Meebo and it worked well. I have also used chat lines for an insurance company and an appliance parts department trying to troubleshoot my oven when it cratered. Both experiences went well and I found the immediate gratification…well, gratifying. Phone trees never seem to address the question that I have, so the chat experience was much more personal and immediate. I felt in control of my communication need at the time. The telephone approach does not provide me with that sense of personal control in meeting my needs. The minute a machine or person answers the phone, I know that I go into a queue that is not on my time.
My academic library is using Meebo for Ask a Librarian service. I staff the chat line once a week, just for fun. The service is used, but not heavily, during my two-hour watch. Last week, a question was asked but the writer did not hang around for the answer even though I tried to respond as fast as possible. Maybe “instant” is not fast enough for certain generations of users.
The library staff has made it easy to use even though there are many campuses. It seems that libraries will need to use as many ways to connect with patrons as possible. It does mean that we have to stay current with the various technologies almost as soon as they appear on the horizon.
Facebook chat is fun to use and sometimes I find a relative or friend online and a spontaneous chat occurs – a little like bumping into someone in the hallway. We are probably just beginning to learn the many applications of this technology.
I chatted with Naomi (our Continuing Education Two-Step mentor) using Meebo and it worked well. I have also used chat lines for an insurance company and an appliance parts department trying to troubleshoot my oven when it cratered. Both experiences went well and I found the immediate gratification…well, gratifying. Phone trees never seem to address the question that I have, so the chat experience was much more personal and immediate. I felt in control of my communication need at the time. The telephone approach does not provide me with that sense of personal control in meeting my needs. The minute a machine or person answers the phone, I know that I go into a queue that is not on my time.
My academic library is using Meebo for Ask a Librarian service. I staff the chat line once a week, just for fun. The service is used, but not heavily, during my two-hour watch. Last week, a question was asked but the writer did not hang around for the answer even though I tried to respond as fast as possible. Maybe “instant” is not fast enough for certain generations of users.
The library staff has made it easy to use even though there are many campuses. It seems that libraries will need to use as many ways to connect with patrons as possible. It does mean that we have to stay current with the various technologies almost as soon as they appear on the horizon.
Facebook chat is fun to use and sometimes I find a relative or friend online and a spontaneous chat occurs – a little like bumping into someone in the hallway. We are probably just beginning to learn the many applications of this technology.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Method 3.a
How about California - always cutting edge - recently saw a news story about CA moving to Cloud computing - cost cutting measure. http://www.coated.com/google-and-cloud-computing-scores-win-in-los-angeles/
Method 8
I do enjoy the Social Networking aspect of Facebook. I have had a FB account for a year or more at the invitation of my son and daughter-in-law and many of my young relatives who are off to college or building their families and careers in a scattering of cities across the country. It is a great way to keep up daily with those who are far away. When colleagues left the job and moved away FB became a favored way to keep up with several people at once. Many people "friended" on FB play a lot of games; Mafia Wars and Farmville seem popular. It is not for me because it seems too time-consuming but it seems like a fun way to stay connected with others.
I also explored the Group sites provided – North Texas Partners since that is my alma mater; I joined the Librarians and Facebook Group, as well as, explored the Librarians 2.0 Interest Group. The Library of Congress FB provided a good idea of how to keep a notice short and generate interest in an event. Texas Tech does a good job of spotlighting services, hours, and technologies provided by the library system while personalizing with quips about the football team or whatever is seasonal. These are great ways to get new ideas and explore how others use the technology.
Privacy does concern me however, I am not sure what to do about it, since I enjoy the participation experience more than being concerned! I do prefer to keep my personal life separate from professional life.
My community college has several FB groups set up – Alumni – Sports – various campuses. This could be an opportunity for my campus which has 6 libraries at various sites. It does seem like another venue for keeping connected with students and faculty on campus. Although, it seems like stopping someone at random on the campus saying “…did you know…”
I also explored the Group sites provided – North Texas Partners since that is my alma mater; I joined the Librarians and Facebook Group, as well as, explored the Librarians 2.0 Interest Group. The Library of Congress FB provided a good idea of how to keep a notice short and generate interest in an event. Texas Tech does a good job of spotlighting services, hours, and technologies provided by the library system while personalizing with quips about the football team or whatever is seasonal. These are great ways to get new ideas and explore how others use the technology.
Privacy does concern me however, I am not sure what to do about it, since I enjoy the participation experience more than being concerned! I do prefer to keep my personal life separate from professional life.
My community college has several FB groups set up – Alumni – Sports – various campuses. This could be an opportunity for my campus which has 6 libraries at various sites. It does seem like another venue for keeping connected with students and faculty on campus. Although, it seems like stopping someone at random on the campus saying “…did you know…”
Monday, November 2, 2009
Method 7
Method 7 – Social Bookmarking
1. Commoncraft YouTube instruction – You gotta love these simple, quick instructional videos!
2. Tags Help Make Libraries Del.icio.us - article – use of LibraryThing as a catalog substitute for small collections. (How about using this to catalog my son’s extensive baseball card collection or son in law’s personal book collection, many hundreds of books, both Information Technology and science fiction).
3. View the Otter Group 8 minute Delicious tutorial to get a good overview of its features. Did not load for me so I went to the YouTube tutorial
4. I set up a Delicious account with an existing Yahoo account.
5. http://www.allbusiness.com/management/change-management/3875646-1.html - found the web site for Several Habits of Wildly Successful Delicious Users – must have changed.
The bookmark mobility factor is the shinning star for me. I work on several machines and this keeps everything together.
1. Commoncraft YouTube instruction – You gotta love these simple, quick instructional videos!
2. Tags Help Make Libraries Del.icio.us - article – use of LibraryThing as a catalog substitute for small collections. (How about using this to catalog my son’s extensive baseball card collection or son in law’s personal book collection, many hundreds of books, both Information Technology and science fiction).
3. View the Otter Group 8 minute Delicious tutorial to get a good overview of its features. Did not load for me so I went to the YouTube tutorial
4. I set up a Delicious account with an existing Yahoo account.
5. http://www.allbusiness.com/management/change-management/3875646-1.html - found the web site for Several Habits of Wildly Successful Delicious Users – must have changed.
The bookmark mobility factor is the shinning star for me. I work on several machines and this keeps everything together.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Method 6
YouTube is truly transformative. There is not a day that goes by that a friend or relative doesn’t send me a YouTube video of something fun to see. Have you seen this one? Great Chinese State Circus - Swan Lake http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sMc-p19FIk
In the Spring, my nephew sent out a very creative YouTube video inviting his many adoring relatives to help send him to London for a special class in his field of specialization. It worked – with cash and ticket in hand he went for his creative marketing class.
Round Rock Public Library’s "Sail Away with Books Reading Program" was so much fun to watch and so creative it made me wish for a job in a public library with wacky and fun staff. I am in a one-librarian shop so I will have to settle for enthusiastic, virtual staff members to populate my video. Both of the other two videos were equally charming and gave me some ideas.
I thought I might bypass the skins but decided to explore instead and came away with 3 that I plan to “try on”. My favs were “Diamonds”, for a glam look; “Tropicana” for a refreshing look; and “Paparazzi” to give something the red carpet treatment – maybe a new book or database to announce! Why the heck not!
The channels showcased ,The Library of Congress , The American Library Association, and The New York Public Library were new to me and I will be exploring those on Saturday.
Teachertube did not load for me so I decided to explore the Education channel at YouTube to see what is available. Bummer…my own educational institution does not have a Channel of its own…yet. A fun, informative channel was the CIA – Culinary Institute of America –Boot Camp Holiday Tips – http://www.youtube.com/user/CIANetwork#p/a/C0FAC741C4B287D1/0/2HGNEUhlbgQ
The one for Halloween Punch was clever. http://www.youtube.com/user/CIANetwork#p/a/C0FAC741C4B287D1/1/SB8xk8LHcnE
The concept of the “Participatory community” discussed by Dr. Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University in his lecture, An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube is very exciting. It is so much fun to see how concepts can take off and assume a life of their own.
Note to Santa: I want a new camera that can post video to YouTube.
In the Spring, my nephew sent out a very creative YouTube video inviting his many adoring relatives to help send him to London for a special class in his field of specialization. It worked – with cash and ticket in hand he went for his creative marketing class.
Round Rock Public Library’s "Sail Away with Books Reading Program" was so much fun to watch and so creative it made me wish for a job in a public library with wacky and fun staff. I am in a one-librarian shop so I will have to settle for enthusiastic, virtual staff members to populate my video. Both of the other two videos were equally charming and gave me some ideas.
I thought I might bypass the skins but decided to explore instead and came away with 3 that I plan to “try on”. My favs were “Diamonds”, for a glam look; “Tropicana” for a refreshing look; and “Paparazzi” to give something the red carpet treatment – maybe a new book or database to announce! Why the heck not!
The channels showcased ,The Library of Congress , The American Library Association, and The New York Public Library were new to me and I will be exploring those on Saturday.
Teachertube did not load for me so I decided to explore the Education channel at YouTube to see what is available. Bummer…my own educational institution does not have a Channel of its own…yet. A fun, informative channel was the CIA – Culinary Institute of America –Boot Camp Holiday Tips – http://www.youtube.com/user/CIANetwork#p/a/C0FAC741C4B287D1/0/2HGNEUhlbgQ
The one for Halloween Punch was clever. http://www.youtube.com/user/CIANetwork#p/a/C0FAC741C4B287D1/1/SB8xk8LHcnE
The concept of the “Participatory community” discussed by Dr. Michael Wesch, Assistant Professor of Cultural Anthropology at Kansas State University in his lecture, An Anthropological Introduction to YouTube is very exciting. It is so much fun to see how concepts can take off and assume a life of their own.
Note to Santa: I want a new camera that can post video to YouTube.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Method 5
I viewed all the assignments about Flickr and really appreciate its features. Using it in the private mode with family would be more my speed. In another institution, our library web team tried to use Flickr to provide direction to visitors looking for our 2nd floor space, but had to remove it due what were considered network security issues.
I do use Snapfish for storage, photosharing and photo related products. My favorite photosite is Picasa - it features a useful photo editor and organizer. Even though I have been using Picasa since its inception, I still find it a bit hard to manage my albums.
In web browsing, I notice that UT Austin includes Flickr as a widget.
This is one cloud computing concept that I really appreciate and use. One big value that I see is that use of these photo sharing tools can help create a sense of "community" and foster the idea of the library as "place".
I do use Snapfish for storage, photosharing and photo related products. My favorite photosite is Picasa - it features a useful photo editor and organizer. Even though I have been using Picasa since its inception, I still find it a bit hard to manage my albums.
In web browsing, I notice that UT Austin includes Flickr as a widget.
This is one cloud computing concept that I really appreciate and use. One big value that I see is that use of these photo sharing tools can help create a sense of "community" and foster the idea of the library as "place".
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