Well, it’s been a couple of years since my last post, and to be honest, I’m more than a little surprised to be back.  However, during the past six months, I’ve been discovering the joys of reading blogs, and so I’ve decided to give it another try.  And, what better time to try something new than at the beginning of a new year.  So, we’ll see how this blog writing thing goes.  I’m still trying to determine the focus of my blog (will it be book reviews, book lists, program outlines for various library programs, or something else entirely?), but whatever it is, it will definitely incorporate my love of books.  I look forward to seeing what this new year will bring, and I hope you’ll join me on this journey.

Thing #24: Finale!

With the conclusion of this post, I will have completed the 25 Things. Yay!  I wasn’t sure that I was going to make it, seeing as I got off to a fairly slow start, but here I am.  I must say, I definitely learned a lot about web 2.0 in the past few weeks. I’m also happy to say that I had fun in the process.  As someone who usually avoids technology, particularly computers, like the plague, I was surprised to find myself spending additional time on some of the Things because I was having fun.  Sure there are some that I will likely never use again, but at least now when they come up in conversation, I’ll know what people are talking about.

 

I think my favourite Thing, and the one I will likely use the most, was RSS Readers.  I’m still trying to remember to check my reader regularly, but using it sure is easier than trying to remember to check numerous sites on a regular basis.  I will also have to spend more time on YouTube.  There are still many episodes of Tumbletown Tales that I have not seen, so I am going to have to fix that!  I also intend to do more with my LibraryThing account, and hopefully I’ll remember to tell more people about it.   Who knows, now that I’ve gotten the hang of writing this blog, I may even keep it going as well!

 

Just this week, I had the opportunity to put my newfound technology skills to use when I was asked to scan some illustrations in order to make a slide show for a presentation that I was doing.  In the past, I would have avoided such a task at all costs, but this time, after getting some instructions from some friends, I decided to see if I could figure out how to do the task on my own.  I’m happy to report that I was successful, and the presentation went quite well.  I definitely felt a real sense of accomplishment, and I’ve realized that using technology doesn’t have to be difficult.  (I even found myself wondering what I could scan next!).

 

Although some of the Things were more challenging than others, I enjoyed the program overall.  I would definitely recommend it to anyone who works in a library, as well as anyone who just wants to know more about web 2.0.  Thank you to everyone who had a part in putting this program together.

Thing #17: Library 2.0

I heard a lot about web 2.0 when I was in library school, and to be honest, I didn’t find it all that interesting.  At times, I even found myself thinking wistfully of the way things were before technology exploded and changed the way we did things.  However, the more I participate in web 2.0 activities, the more I like it. Not all of it, mind you, but I definitely see it playing a part in the way things are done.  I think that libraries can definitely do a lot with Library 2.0, and can certainly do more for their patrons by enabling them to participate in their own library experience. 

Libraries should be accessible to everyone, and library 2.0 makes that possible.  People can now have a say in how things are done at their library by posting comments or tagging books.  They can learn about programs and new books from their Blackberries or home computers, and they can do their research from the comfort of their own home.  This doesn’t mean that traditional libraries will become obsolete, but it does mean that libraries now have ways to reach and interact with many of those people who,  for whatever reason, tend to avoid using traditional library buildings and services.  It will definitely be interesting to see how libraries evolve in the coming years, as they continue to look for ways to incorporate web 2.0 into their services.

Thing #23: NetLibrary

I have used NetLibrary in the past, but apparently it’s been a while, as I had to create a new account.  However, I had never used the eAudiobooks feature, so I had some fun exploring that.  I wasn’t quite sure what type of books would be available, but I was pleasantly surprised with the variety of titles I found.  There were many popular titles listed, and I found a number that I would be interested in listening to.

 

I know that I often forget about NetLibrary when I am assisting patrons, but it really is a resource that people should know about. It is a good resource when the library is out of a book, or when a patron can’t get to the library for some reason.  As well, for people who travel or commute, listening to a book that has been downloaded can make the time pass more quickly. 

 

The NetLibrary site is easy to navigate, and it even includes a video to walk one through the process of downloading, which makes it very user friendly.  I will definitely try to refer people to NetLibrary more often in the future, and I may even try downloading an audio book for myself one of these days.

Thing #22: Podcasts

I did find a couple of interesting podcasts while exploring this exercise.  It was interesting to see how some libraries have used podcasts to reach their younger patrons.  I listened to a few podcasts of nursery rhymes and children’s stories, and even found one podcast that incorporated a felt board into its show.  I also listened to a few people discuss book recommendations for young people.  None of these podcasts were particularly thrilling, but I’m sure that they would be useful to some people.  For parents of young children who can’t make it out to library programs, the storytimes could be fun. 

 

I had some difficulty navigating Podcastalley.com, but I found odeo.com to be better.  I don’t know that I would use either of these sites very often, but again, it’s good to know they exist.  I must admit, I didn’t actually subscribe to any of the podcasts that I found. For one thing, I didn’t find any that I absolutely loved, but also, I have to rely on dial-up internet access at home, which makes things like podcasts inaccessible. 

 

I think that podcasts can definitely be useful when it comes to reaching a wide audience, and libraries should certainly consider this tool when looking for ways to reach the public.  However, it should also be remembered that not everyone has access to high-speed Internet, and thus accessing podcasts may not be as simple as some people assume. 

Thing #20: Play Around With PB Wiki

I was able to easily manoeuver around the wiki, and I enjoyed reading about some of my co-worker’s favourite things.  When I forgot to include my name in one of my posts, I was able to correct my mistake easily.  I have learned a lot from this exercise, and I will be much more likely to use wikis in the future, now that I understand how and why they are used.

Thing #21: Fun with YouTube

Ok, so I think that this has been my favourite “Thing” so far.  I’ve heard a lot about YouTube, and have certainly watched videos on it in the past, but I have never spent a lot of time on the site.  As I was working on this exercise, I took some time to look at some videos that I’ve meaning to watch for quite a while.  I knew that London Public Library uses YouTube to reach their younger patrons, so I decided to check out some of their videos.  I found a number of interesting videos, and even came across a few titles to check out.  I think that it’s very clever to put booktalks on youtube, and I definitely think that libraries can have a lot of fun with this.

 

I checked out some of the recommended videos as well, and had fun watching Cookie Monster in the Library.  Watching this video reminded me that one of my favourite children’s shows is available on YouTube, so I did a search for Tumbletown Tales, and found some episodes that I hadn’t seen before.  Tumbletown Tales always makes me laugh, so I thought that I’d share one of the videos here.  I even managed to find one that showcases technology. Enjoy! 

I think that this is a great site, and I could definitely spend a lot more time exploring it. I like the fact that it gives people of all ages a chance to express themselves, and it provides an easy way for libraries to reach the people they serve. I look forward to seeing how libraries use YouTube in the years to come.

Thing #19: The Wonderful World of Wikis

I first heard about wikis a few years ago when one of my coworkers created one to ease communication between staff members in our department.  Back then, I was very reluctant to have anything to do with technology, and I really didn’t use computers for much more than e-mail and research purposes.  As well, I didn’t really understand how wikis worked or how I could benefit from them, and so I never really took advantage of the site.  Perhaps if I’d had the Common Craft video to walk me through it, I would have been more willing to give the wiki a try.

 

I have had an opportunity to use a wiki since then, and I did find it useful, but I would never have considered creating one as a means of communicating with friends.  I found the Common Craft video to be extremely informative and practical.  It showed how a wiki could be used by a group of friends who were planning a trip together.  Having planned these types of trips before via e-mail,  I was very impressed by the simplicity of the wiki.  I would definitely consider using a website for future planning, and I appreciate the fact that the video included links to wiki websites. 

 

Within a library setting, I think that wikis are a great way for people to share conference experiences, and I think that they could be very useful when it comes to creating library programs.  Colleagues could even use a wiki to share what they’re reading with each other.

 

I learned a lot from this Thing, and I’m looking forward to having another opportunity to use a wiki.

Thing #16: Technorati

I’ve decided that I like technology that makes my life easier, but I’m not a fan of anything that involves me spending more time on a computer than I have to.  While some people might put Technorati in the first category, I would definitely put it in the second.  Sure it can help me find blog posts on particular topics faster, but why would I be looking for these posts in the first place? I don’t need more blogs to read. I have plenty to keep me busy as it is.  Sure, I might miss out on a really great post, but I’m ok with that. I  had to accept long ago that I can’t read everything in this world. And, if I’m going to be reading, I’d much rather be reading a book. Technorati might be useful once in a while, but it’s definitely not a resource that I’ll be using very often.

Thing #15: It’s Del.icio.ous

My favourite aspect of Delicious is the fact that a person can save all of his or her favourite sites online.   If I had known about this site when Iwas a student, I wouldn’t have had to copy all of my favourite links to a special document before deleting them from my school’s computer system.  

I can see how tagging could be useful to make finding one’s favourite sites easier, but I don’t think that I’d spend too much time looking at what others had tagged.  Again, it comes back to not spending more time online than I need to.  However, this could ceretainly be a useful tool for keeping track of those sites that I want to remember, or that I want to be able to check from anywhere.  I’m definitely going to have to spend some more time with this Thing.