Week 12 - Conclusion

Dear "23 THINGS TEAM",

I know it must have taken a lot of work for you to pull all these lessons together and I want to thank you for "encouraging" me to it. My experience with the "23 Things" was totally positive. While many of the THINGS are not really relevant to my personal life--I still don't have enough time to socialize with real live people as much as I'd like--a few of them have been VERY useful. Most of all they are useful to my ability to understand and serve our library patrons.

We have already discussed ways libraries can use Flickr, Facebook, Twitter, Wikis and YouTube to advertise and publicize programs and services. Several of the other THINGS are useful to share with patrons like Zoho and google.docs, RSS feeds and Library Thing.

Personally, my igoogle page has helped me organize information a little more efficiently at work and I intend to use Picasa at home to organize and share family photos.

If I read a library book I really enjoy, I feel like I have to buy a copy for myself. I rarely read them all the way through, again, but I fear unless I buy them I will forget them or what it was that I liked about them. My bookshelves are getting mighty full and my pocketbook mighty empty. I am thrilled to learn about Library Thing and intend to use it to keep track of the books I read and what I liked about them.

As far as new areas or technologies to explore, I haven't a clue. After being exposed to the "23 Things" I will be watching out for discussion of new technologies in the professional journals and think I will be braver about trying them out.

Week 12 - Web 2.0 Awards

At the SeoMOZ AWARD SITE, the category I chose was PHOTOS AND DIGITAL IMAGES. I have boxes of family photos that I have never organized and put into albums. After my mother-in-law died we also became the depository for VERY old photos and daguerreotypes from my husband's side of the family.

Looking at Flickr and some of the other online storage sites convinced me that I need to store these photos some place where they will be preserved in case of a fire, tornado, etc. Also it would be wonderful to be able to allow other family members and genealogists access to these photos.

The top three in the PHOTOS AND DIGITAL IMAGES category was Flickr, Picnik and Picasa. Flickr has a huge collection of images, however, as far as organizing my photos it looked like there were only two choices--sets & collections.

Picnik looks like it is number one for editing pictures but is not a place to store or share them.

The site I was most impressed with is Picasa because it allows you to store your photos in "beautiful web albums" with collage, slideshows, photo text, maps and geo-tags. It also lets you share them with others and print them.

I couldn't tell for sure, but suspect that Flickr can do all these things, as well. However, Flickr didn't "speak my language". I feel more comfortable with the way Picasa describes itself. It is also rated a little higher than the other two in "usability" which is important to someone like me just starting out.

Week 11 - Instant Messaging (Pt. 2)

I haven't actually managed to IM with anyone yet, but I DID figure it out. When you are in Meebo, you look at your "Buddy List". Buddies who are online at the same time as you are at the top of the list. You can then IM them. I can see why users may not want everyone to know everytime they're online. Hence the discussion on "anonymity" etc. on the IM sites.

Week 11 - Instant Messaging

Pt. 1: I have never used IM before. I had some difficulty signing in to Meebo. I think it's because I'm not on any of the e-mails mentioned. I was finally able to register through my FaceBook account. I did use "Preferences" to customize a little bit.

However, while a "Buddy List" shows up on the site, I don't know how to engage in a conversation with them. Do I need to be on FB for them to contact me? Perhaps none of them were online at the same time I was?

To Be Continued....

Week 10 - Podcasts and OverDrive

The assignments this week took a little longer to accomplish since I had no "off desk" time. I didn't think I should be listening to podcasts while I was on the service desks. However, a couple of times I was double-scheduled with an L.A. at the "Help Desk" and was able to use the headphones and listen to a bit of some of the podcasts at "Library Success: Best Practices wiki".

I wanted to compare podcasts from other public libraries and the trend I noticed (probably not the one I was supposed to) was that many of the links were no longer any good.

I listened to a picture book read by Denver P.L., some teen book-movie connections from County of Los Angeles Libraries and finally an adult author talk from Kankakee P.L. The theme, a natural one for libraries, was to get people excited enough to want to read these books or other books like them themselves.

I don't think many people would have the patience to sit and listen to a whole book being read to them, but I think podcasts in libraries are perfect for booktalks, author programs and especially children's picture books and stories. Podcasting can be used to whet the public's appetite for a story, theme or author.

I am very proud of myself for being able to check-out and download an OverDrive book to myself. Familiarizing myself with all the "Helps" available will make me better able to help patrons (especially the "lost souls" who call in over the telephone).

Thank you Team for forcing me to do this!

Week 10 - YouTube

YouTube could be "habit forming". I have used it in the past but am excited to learn about "Channels" and "History". It is very easy to use and I've always managed to find clips of things I was interested in on YouTube. However, there's a sense of satisfaction when you learn how to use something more efficiently.

Libraries could be publicizing successful programs with "best moments" clips or even entire puppet shows, summer reading program performances, etc. Are there rules for getting performer's permission to put programs out on YouTube? I'm sure most would be thrilled to get the publicity and be able to refer other libraries or clients to their performances on video.

We could record parts of our Staff Development Day to look at as a refresher or even make our own employee training videos and post them on YouTube.

Week 9 - Avatars

I already use an avatar on Facebook instead of a real picture of me. Mostly because I didn't have a attractive, recent picture handy but partly because of vanity. I didn't want old friends and acquaintances to be checking out how old or fat I am these days.

For this assignment I made my avatar look, more or less, like me and have my interests, but I can see where you could get carried away with the all the choices and create yourself as a fantasy person. That would be a lot of fun if everyone you are networking with knows that it's all a fantasy.

What about applications for libraries? Now that I know about Meez, I will encourage people, especially young people, to use an avatar to maintain their privacy when they communicate with total strangers. I haven't noted patrons using avatars, but I have noticed librarians using them on sites like "Tattooed Librarians". They can show and discuss their tattoos, while maintaining anonymity, and not embarassing their workplaces. It's great to be able to do that! Viva avatars!

Week 8 - Online Storage

I like the idea of online storage for precious documents and photos. I preferred Mozy over Box because you get 2 gb of space for free as opposed to only 1 gb for Box. I'm really glad to learn about these services since I've seen something similar advertised on TV and thought it might be worth $55 a year to save things stored on my computer.

Nothing I store on the library computers could not be recreated, but it might be an option for storing library bibligraphies, flyers for programs and other things that the library might like to update or archive.

Week 8 - Google Docs and Zoho

Altho Microsoft is the "standard" it is good to learn about applications that are free and non-Microsoft. Librarians can use this collaborative software to work together on bibliographies or other library documents. Libraries also benefit just by having more knowledgable librarians. Library patrons benefit because instead of paying money for yourmeetingsonline.com, the document sharing software being advertised on television, we can let them know that there are other collaborative applications out there that are free.

I tried to use the "organizer" feature on Zoho--I'm still not organized! It was pretty hard to figure out. I prefer Google Docs--it worked similarly to the Microsoft products I am used to.

Week 7 - Wikis

Two additional ways libraries could use Wikis? Hmmm....

What about a Wiki we could use "internally" to share those local documents that each branch uses but does not put out for the public. As a part-time librarian moving from branch to branch, I've notice that one branch may have some useful information that another branch does not. For example, one library might have an internal list of local orgs. that take volunteers who are under 16. Another will list nearby businesses that fax. One might know where to send people for citizenship classes.

It would be very helpful to the part-time librarians and LAs to have one place we could look up a topic and see the sites specific to the branch we are working at.

A Wiki could also be used for Bibliographies or Read-Alikes. It would be simple for anyone on the Wiki to add the latest title in a series or remove a title that's no longer popular. They would be updated constantly and available for printing, if need be.

Week 6--Delicious/Library Thing/Technorati

The way our computers currently are set up, I can't see ANY use for DELICIOUS in our library. In libraries in general, it's a nice way to have sites all pulled together in one spot that answer some FAQs from patrons. I'm sorry but I'm not much of a book marker so DELICIOUS is pretty much a "bust" for me.

On the other hand, I am THRILLED by LIBRARYTHING. I have many favorite books at home that I want to recommend to others or that I forget what they're about and why I loved them so much. It would be wonderful to have my personal library organized so I can share it with others. It was very simple to add the three books I selected. It will take more time, however, to figure out how to add personal comments, tags, reviews, etc.

Should libraries consider showcasing bibliographies and small collections using LIBRARYTHING? I think we should. It would be the electronic equivalent of a special display and should boost both awareness and circulation. Any other potential uses for LibraryThing in the library setting? How about letting patrons write reviews and we can put it out for other patrons to see?

Technorati is great to know about. I haven't got any questions, yet, about finding specific blogs or posts, but when I do, I will be ready.

Week 5--Social Networking/Facebook (update)

I was feeling kind of popular there for a minute when all these people from work wanted to be my "friends". Then I realized I missed the "add friends" assignment we had last week as part of Social Networking!

I hope Jane L. Brarian will accept me as a friend--she sounds pretty cool (in a purely professional kind of way).

Week 5--Social Networking, Facebook, Twitter

Why should we care? One reason is because of the "connections" to jobs and other useful information social networks can provide that I wasn't aware of.

I enjoyed this quote--"Do we really need to know when someone we’ve never even met chooses Burger King over McDonald’s or decides he’s going to read a newspaper? Are we really that interested in the excruciating minutiae of everyone’s day?" It is referring to Twitter but that is how I feel about a lot of the social networks.

I have appreciated hearing from old friends through Facebook but there seems to be a lot of "inside" stuff about other people's life that, frankly, I don't care to wade through. I have real "live" people to socialize with--more than I can handle in a busy life with two p/t jobs, three teenagers, volunteering, etc.

I'm thinking Facebook and subject specific blogs are the way to go for libraries. In the Facebook vs. My Space comparison, I preferred the Facebook version. That may just be because I am more familiar with it.

I picked some libraries and authors to "follow" on Twitter. Now I have to figure out how to put them as an RSS feed on igoogle. Otherwise, I could spend all day going from one networking site to another reading all this stuff.

Information overload. ARGHHHHH!!!!

Week 4--Mashups

I thought of a use for Flickr in libraries right away. Libraries often take photos of programs and then toss them in the back of some old file cabinet. Years later another librarian will find them while cleaning out the cabinets and throw them out because (s)he doesn't have a clue who, when or what the photos are about.

Flickr could help us preserve the activities of a library at a certain point in history and keep a record for future librarians and library users.

What about archives? The library could store old photos and other scannable items that document the life of the community in Flickr. They could be made as public as the donor allows them to be--perhaps made accessible to researchers and historians?

Mashups are a very new idea to me. Off the top of my head I thought it would be fairly simple to create a labelled map to guide patrons to nearby businesses that provide fax services.

Week 4--Flickr

Being forced to learn about 23 Things (or 5 so far) has been so helpful and actually quite fun. I appreciate the scheduled time off the desk to learn.

I vaguely knew what Flickr was but thought it was used mainly by fancy photographers.

Now I see that you can make your account as private or public as you want. You can use it as a safe place to store family photos in case your computer or CDs are damaged or destroyed. It's like a back-up that you can share with whoever you want to!

I was trying to think of some uses--e.g. I am the caretaker of a lot of old photos from my husband's family. We could put them on Flickr and share with other family members. We also have some old christening gowns with crocheted lace. We could photograph them and share with family, as well.

My last name, W-------, is extremely rare. The family is Swedish, but it must be a "made-up" name since there is no "W" in the Swedish alphabet. Most people with the name in the U.S. or Canada are related to us, altho there are quite a few others listed in the Stockholm phone book.

I typed W------- in Flickr "search" and found photos of a Swedish young lady named Marie, a nice looking young man named Eric who is probably my husband's nephew and some old sepia toned army photos, labelled in French, showing someone named Ralph W------- from Montreal performing.

It gave me some idea of all the interesting things I could turn up in Flickr now that I understand a little bit more about how it works.

Week 3--RSS Feeds

I knew what RSS feeds are but I never knew how to set up to receive them--it was SO easy. The little informational snippet called HOW RSS WORKS was especially helpful.

PROBLEM: Now I am set up to receive two RSS feeds, but have no idea how or where I'm notified when there is something new to look at. Do I check at the Google Reader site or does it show up on the igoogle page somewhere?

Thank you NMLS 23 Things Team--I am learning so much and it is fun, as well as informative!

Book Review in the Methodist Reporter

I recently finished a book from the library called "It's Really All About God: Reflections of a Muslim Atheist Jewish Christian" by Samir Selmanovic. While Samir's background is VERY different than mine--he's from a secular Muslim family and grew up under atheistic Communism in the former Yugoslavia--I feel we are "twin sons of different mothers" or at least "twin children of different parents".

His book is all about letting God out of whatever "box" your tradition may cause you to jam God into. He articulates beautifully many of the thoughts that I've had and feelings I've felt without being able to explain it.

I thought I was the only one in the world to read this delightful book when to my surprise, I saw that it has a very long review in "The Methodist Reporter" that came out this week. Read the review at: www.umportal.org/article.asp?id=6318

Week 2-Blogging

I did read the articles and other information in this unit.

Blogs are useful for making librarians and libraries appear more "human" to the public. I know it is the way of the future because my son, refuses to use e-mail. He must have other ways of communicating that I am just not aware of.

Blogs would be great for book discussion groups and perhaps for specialty groups that might use a library--e.g. the miniature train people, a chess club, a YA gaming group, etc.

Some blogs are entirely too personal for me. I really don't want to spend much time reading the mundane opinions of too many folks. But I can see how you could get hooked on a professionally done blog like the one done by the lady who wanted to cook all of Julia Child's recipes in the movie "Julie and Julia".

Week 1-Intro to Web 2.0

Asking a woman "of a certain age" to remember what she wrote last week is expecting a lot. But I will say the blogging is a fun experience.

My first blog

I am creating a blog. While I appear a mild-mannered woman, I am a fan of all things vampire. The name "Buffy" has already been taken by another vampire slayer, so I will introduce myself to you as "Cassandra--Daughter of the Light". Thank you