Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Thoughts on The End of 23 Things
While I was somewhat resistant to the idea of this project at the beginning (I missed Staff Development Day the year), I must say that I have learned a lot about what is out there. A lot of it I probably won't use, but at least I know it is there and what it is for. I now have an idea of what other people are doing in web- land. I am surprised by the time some people must spend commenting on everything, posting their pictures etc. I did this project at home and found that it did take a lot of time to read through.
I really enjoyed all the new ideas about where libraries are heading in the future. I enjoyed seeing how various libraries were implementing different ideas to keep them moving forward; from wikis, to gaming, to some really interactive imaginative ideas at the library in Denmark.
The video about the little library in Florence, Utah was interesting. They had implemented quite a few new ideas in a short amount of time and considering the small community had a lot of library members. The video by the fellow from Holland who interviewed librarians in Chicago etc to find out how they were using technology and redefining how and what services they delivered was interesting as well. I also discovered that librarians are quite sensitive to how they are portrayed (as in the New York Times article) and are quite prolific in their blogging about this. There is disagreement on where libraries are headed, what services should be offered and how to get people in. There is even disagreement it would seem on cataloguing; whether it should be changed to be more customer friendly, more like tagging I guess. Where libraries didn't change much for years, it would seem they will have to redefine themselves many times in the future.
I liked discoveirng videos and podcasts that one can use to learn something new, like an interview with a particular author or how to knit. There are off-beat radio shows to listen to mostly on NPR, and non-mainstream music to discover. The idea of cataloguing books that I read on Library Thing is fun. I would particularly like to start making some photo albums on-line from pictures past and present.
Overall this was an interesting discovery tool and although I didn't learn how to do everything, I feel I learnt a lot and will use some of these features in the future.
As to whether I would like to do something like this in the future, not for awhile.
I really enjoyed all the new ideas about where libraries are heading in the future. I enjoyed seeing how various libraries were implementing different ideas to keep them moving forward; from wikis, to gaming, to some really interactive imaginative ideas at the library in Denmark.
The video about the little library in Florence, Utah was interesting. They had implemented quite a few new ideas in a short amount of time and considering the small community had a lot of library members. The video by the fellow from Holland who interviewed librarians in Chicago etc to find out how they were using technology and redefining how and what services they delivered was interesting as well. I also discovered that librarians are quite sensitive to how they are portrayed (as in the New York Times article) and are quite prolific in their blogging about this. There is disagreement on where libraries are headed, what services should be offered and how to get people in. There is even disagreement it would seem on cataloguing; whether it should be changed to be more customer friendly, more like tagging I guess. Where libraries didn't change much for years, it would seem they will have to redefine themselves many times in the future.
I liked discoveirng videos and podcasts that one can use to learn something new, like an interview with a particular author or how to knit. There are off-beat radio shows to listen to mostly on NPR, and non-mainstream music to discover. The idea of cataloguing books that I read on Library Thing is fun. I would particularly like to start making some photo albums on-line from pictures past and present.
Overall this was an interesting discovery tool and although I didn't learn how to do everything, I feel I learnt a lot and will use some of these features in the future.
As to whether I would like to do something like this in the future, not for awhile.
Monday, November 26, 2007
ZOHO
After having perused the Zoho site I can see that there are many and varied uses for it. Small businesses could upload various templates to use, charities could use it for ticket templates. There are resume templates, book templates , recipe templates. You just have to plug in what kind of template you are looking for and chances are it will be there.
I was also looking looking at some slide presentations which people had posted which were quite interesting and varied in subject content. You could do online conference presentations as well and many other things.
I tried at one point to use the recipe template, but it did not work. So I tried to do my own recipe and post it to the blog, but that did not work either. It showed up as blank, so I'm not sure what I did wrong, but if it could be done, I would be the one not to be able to do it.
Anyways Zoho is not something I had previously heard of so it was good to explore it.
I was also looking looking at some slide presentations which people had posted which were quite interesting and varied in subject content. You could do online conference presentations as well and many other things.
I tried at one point to use the recipe template, but it did not work. So I tried to do my own recipe and post it to the blog, but that did not work either. It showed up as blank, so I'm not sure what I did wrong, but if it could be done, I would be the one not to be able to do it.
Anyways Zoho is not something I had previously heard of so it was good to explore it.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Library 2.0
There is a lot to read on Libray 2.0 and what it means to libraries now and in the future. There seems to be a lot of debate about it and some really interesting ideas.
Sites like the Shifted Librarian with Jenny Levine are very interesting. Not being a librarian myself I don't understand everything but I can see the face of libraries are and will be changing.
Libraries will have to reprioratize from stocking books as such, to more virtual and physical resources which promote accessibility and interaction. Libraries services will become much more community oriented.
Cataloging will become more customer friendly with tags that are more patron relevant. On the Santa Monica site when an item is checked out, you can access other libraries which stock this item. It tells you how far the library is from your postal code and will show you library hours and information about that library. When I put in Alberta it sent me to the U of A for a compact disc of The Road. When I put in my postal code it showed some other libraries in Alberta including EPL for another item. It was easier than TAL Online as it was right there with the book. Another feature that could be available is an Amazon link to items, so that if you wanted to you could just order it if you so desired.
Many library web pages offer not just news about the library but about the community in general. The Santa Monica web-site was very comprehensive and user friendly.
Santa Monica also offered and joining on-line. It allowed you to access services now and then on your next visit into the library show I.D.. They probably don't have library fees.
There is so much writing on libraries and where they are headed, and librarianship and what that means now. Gaming seems to be huge in some libraries. Little Florence, Utah with 3500 patrons I think, just recently came on-line and apparently downloaded an option from an Open source catalogue. They have started gaming nights and have had a large influx of young teens into the library. They also host community groups, one of which knits and crochets blankets for an agency for newborns. They also knit hats, mitts and scarves etc. for a world organization. They seem to be various ages.
Sites like the Shifted Librarian with Jenny Levine are very interesting. Not being a librarian myself I don't understand everything but I can see the face of libraries are and will be changing.
Libraries will have to reprioratize from stocking books as such, to more virtual and physical resources which promote accessibility and interaction. Libraries services will become much more community oriented.
Cataloging will become more customer friendly with tags that are more patron relevant. On the Santa Monica site when an item is checked out, you can access other libraries which stock this item. It tells you how far the library is from your postal code and will show you library hours and information about that library. When I put in Alberta it sent me to the U of A for a compact disc of The Road. When I put in my postal code it showed some other libraries in Alberta including EPL for another item. It was easier than TAL Online as it was right there with the book. Another feature that could be available is an Amazon link to items, so that if you wanted to you could just order it if you so desired.
Many library web pages offer not just news about the library but about the community in general. The Santa Monica web-site was very comprehensive and user friendly.
Santa Monica also offered and joining on-line. It allowed you to access services now and then on your next visit into the library show I.D.. They probably don't have library fees.
There is so much writing on libraries and where they are headed, and librarianship and what that means now. Gaming seems to be huge in some libraries. Little Florence, Utah with 3500 patrons I think, just recently came on-line and apparently downloaded an option from an Open source catalogue. They have started gaming nights and have had a large influx of young teens into the library. They also host community groups, one of which knits and crochets blankets for an agency for newborns. They also knit hats, mitts and scarves etc. for a world organization. They seem to be various ages.
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