Have I used what I have learnt?

Having reactiviated my blog, I find it interesting to think about what I have put into practice since doing Library 2.0. I have not used much of what I learnt. We get caught up in the day to day running of the library. In my case it is preparing and carrying out many activities for children that I don't take the time to practice the Library 2.0. I have started a Wiki to promote our services to children but I must say it is not very good. My aim these coming school holidays in between running the library and a fairy and pirate party is to learn more about how to create an interesting Wiki.

I am currently reading the Youth Fiction book Fallen, it is not bad. I like how authors have moved on from Twilight and created characters that have more depth to them. I look forward to reading the next one.

My favourite album at the moment is this

Week 12 - Social Networks

Every week I have undertaken this course I have been able to see the value of every application. But with the social networking side of the Internet I don't see that there is much value in it for me. Yes I know I may be in minority, but I don't want to be one of those people who spends many hours a day or week adding people to a friends list on Facebook. I have enough trouble finding real friends I don't have the time and if I did I do not want to be on Facebook.

Two people have added me to their friends list on Facebook and I have never added anything to it as I couldn't care less. In the library I see to many people on Facebook, Bebo etc and I do wonder what is happening to the world where it seems to be easier to talk online then to have a proper conversation and to become friends with people you don't know. Are we loosing the art of coversation?

In regards to second life, I would prefer to have a great first life then a great one on the computer.

I can see why institutions such as libraries are using Facebook, Myspace and Bebo. To survive libraries do need to adapt to new technology and use this new technology to market libraries to the online user. When a public library is having trouble staffing the desk or keeping up with the shelving etc. I wonder who is going to have the time to create and up date another form of web page to get people interested in libraries. But when petrol gets to be over $2.00 a litre the Internet may be the main way people interact with the library. We are coming into very challenging times.

thank you for a wonderful course. I am pleased I have completed all the tasks. I have added a comment to the PLB wiki which means I have completed the week 5 task as well.

Week 11 - Shared Documents

I am amazed at the large number of free documents that are available on the Internet and they are so easy to use. I created a very simple slide presentation and added pictures from Google Images. To copy pictures from Google images is such a simple process and it adds so much to a presentation.

At the library we don't offer products outside of the Internet and Word Processing so know that I have the knowledge about these documents I will be able to promote them to members of the public.

I haven't had a great look around Zoho as I am running out of time to complete the course and I need to go back and complete a couple of projects from previous weeks that I couldn't do at the time.

I will be printing all the information about each activities so I can keep practicing and therefore improve the service that I can offer to the public.

Above is my mashup which I was unable to do last week. After talking to the boss and doing some searching on the computer system for photos I found one that I thought was worth using.

Week 10 Mashups

Mashups show how technology is constantly changing and in this case for the better. To be able to combine different applications it can lead to a more challenging webpage for the webmaster to compile and a more exciting webpage for the reader. As the Keir Smith site shows you can travel the world without leaving home through virtual tourism which I think is a great idea. I am not so keen on the map of the teenage murders in London but when it is out their in the public domain someone or some organisation is going to pick up on it and publicise it somehow.

There are definatley library applications for Mashups. To make history more accessiable applications like Voicethread and Big huge labs could be used to bring history to life. To interest the younger members of society who are are more in tune with technology and who often have history projects I can see the value of having then and now photos of the local area with text and maps and using Voicethread to capture peoples stories about their life.

There would also be a value in other areas such as children's and youth services to make the web library branch more exciting but since I can't even keep the c&ya part of our webpage up to date and this is partly because I don't have access to front page and I have the creativity of wet cardboard I don't know if I could come up with the necessary flash ideas and keep it all up to date. The benefit would be I could at least do it through the Internet and not need a specific programme like frontpage. I am thinking that I could start a wiki for childrens services and get rid of the frontpage constructed kids page as I could do the work from my PC. But this is just a future plan.

I tried to create something on Big huge Labs but since I don't have access to any suitable photos as a .jpg and couldn't seem to use someone else's from flickr I have had to give up.

Just to make sure I can remeber what I did weeks ago below is a picture of one of my favourite dog breeds a blue heeler that I found on flickr.

Week 9 - Podcasts

I like podcasts. I like the fact that I can access information from all over the world. The information can be valuable for work and also for general interest. To hear interviews with dead authors or really old music I find amazing. To hear talks or interviews by interesting people that I would never get to hear in person or hear talks about interesting places, buildings or pictures that I will never get to see shows that we are in a global village.

I tried to practice downloading a podcast and failed dismally I will try again next week.

Week 8 - Answer boards and social searching

Having checked out the Yahoo answer board I do wonder why anyone would bother to put up questions like Who is the Prettiest, who has a receipe for a cake and how to get out of paying child support. I admire the people who answer these stupid questions as they do show restraint with a hint of humour. One answer to the child support question gave me the best laugh I have had all week. I found it interesting the library one didn't look like it had been well patronised.

I do see the benefit in Ask Now, but the social side of answer boards like the Yahoo one seem like a big waste of time.

I do wonder if the future of public libraries will be very little face to face contact with peope as their questions will be answered via the Internet. If so, I find that frightening as I already think that will become second string DVD shops and rooms of computers. While change can be a good thing I do find the future of libraries frightening as I still have 30 plus years work ahead of me. I do know I do not want to spend the next 30 years telling people it is time to get off the Internet.

I love people with to much time on their hands. Her is a Lego version of a Monty Python skit

All Things del.icio.us- Week 7

I can see many benefits to del.icio.us. I like the idea that you can save interesting sites and give them key words. It is interesting to see what other people have saved and it could be a way of discovering other useful work sites that slip under the radar when searching through a website. The idea of allowing someone else to do the main searching and I get to ride on their coat tails by saving what they have found appeals to me.

At the moment the favourite list on my computeris huge, too huge now to go back and and put into folders. I am slowly going through them and deleting the many that no longer work.

The issue I do have is that to belong to del.icio.us you have to have another login and password. While doing this course I have started to feel overwhelmed with the number of logins and passwords I have.

I will try and use it more as I can see that having my favourites not tied to the one pc would be good.

I don't think I would ever want to link any blog to Technorati. I never have had or will have anything useful to say that anyone would want to read.

Just for something completely useless but fun a Youtube video of Thomas the Tank Engine and friends in Thriller by Michael Jackson