...but not the end of the learning, am I right?
Right!
Seriously, after finishing our journey through 23 Things I honestly do feel more motivated to pursue further learning about library and information utilities that I don't have a whole lot of experience with. Although I've spent a lot of time over the past few months simply enjoying being finished with library school, I really do love learning about new resources. Especially outside of a traditional classroom setting. And 23 Things has helped me to remember that I also like taking a little time to reflect on my experiences with new tools in writing. (Kind of makes me think that I should resurrect my original library blog - hmm!)
So. I enjoyed the 23 Things experience overall, but I especially liked having the opportunity to revisit resources I already knew something about and reconsider them in terms of their usefulness both to patrons and to library staff. Working in a public library setting (as opposed to my previous academic experience) has really driven home the point that the public is all over the map in terms of information- and tech-literacy.
By starting at square one, the explanations provided in our weekly activities encouraged me to think about how I would present and explain these resources to a patron who was completely unfamiliar with them. Our exercises also filled in some gaps in my knowledge about resources I'm comfortable with - for example, the explanations of the mechanics of RSS and wikis were helpful because without them, I would only have been able to explain either of these utilities to someone in my own very vague terms. There is a huge difference between knowing how to use something and truly understanding how it works, and our work with 23 Things provided a lot of useful insights into the latter.
So, yes - I do feel more comfortable with these resources now. And I definitely think that this was time well spent. In fact, I find myself wishing that this was an ongoing project (though perhaps that would require slower pacing or less frequent participation).
Finally, I absolutely think that patrons would benefit from a similar program, particularly given the format of our 23 Things experience. The passive, on-your-own-tome approach would be accessible and workable for so many patrons who might not be able to attend a class in person, and the inclusion of video, audio, and interactive elements is so important given the wide range of learning styles in any group of learners. There are many, many ways we can work to carry out the Library's mission, and traditional patron assistance is only the beginning of that. A program like 23 Things is a great example of a way to guide patrons toward becoming more technologically-savvy and information literate.
Sounds great to me!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
More Week 9: NoveList
I have never really experimented with NoveList, although I've heard it mentioned many times. So!
I love that there is a "Canadian Fiction" category, and simply had to choose that as the first area to explore for this exercise. I looked around at the "Historical Fiction set in Canada," and then checked out some other genres and categories available. One of the first things that I noticed while exploring on NoveList is that the reviews here are certainly not short on spoilers! This is something I might mention to patrons while demonstrating this tool - not knowing the ending in advance is important to many readers, and a utility like NoveList is at least partly designed to enhance a reader's experience, I would want to make sure it was not getting in the way of readers' ability to enjoy the suspense in a given work.
But I digress! The ability to focus on an appealing category and then branch out into finding books with similar qualities is very helpful. This ability to browse by branching off on an initial search is lovely, and it pretty nicely mimics one of the ways many people prefer to find information off-line.
I would need to spend more time with each and speak to more patrons before being able to decide whether Goodreads or NoveList has more to offer in the library context, but I think that the style of organization that NoveList provides might be especially helpful for readers seeking a more official, authoritative-seeming resource for obtaining book recommendations. An added bonus is the fact that its layout is relatively simple and fairly non-threatening.
NoveList, I'm sorry for ignoring you in the past! As it turns out, you're pretty cool.
I love that there is a "Canadian Fiction" category, and simply had to choose that as the first area to explore for this exercise. I looked around at the "Historical Fiction set in Canada," and then checked out some other genres and categories available. One of the first things that I noticed while exploring on NoveList is that the reviews here are certainly not short on spoilers! This is something I might mention to patrons while demonstrating this tool - not knowing the ending in advance is important to many readers, and a utility like NoveList is at least partly designed to enhance a reader's experience, I would want to make sure it was not getting in the way of readers' ability to enjoy the suspense in a given work.
But I digress! The ability to focus on an appealing category and then branch out into finding books with similar qualities is very helpful. This ability to browse by branching off on an initial search is lovely, and it pretty nicely mimics one of the ways many people prefer to find information off-line.
I would need to spend more time with each and speak to more patrons before being able to decide whether Goodreads or NoveList has more to offer in the library context, but I think that the style of organization that NoveList provides might be especially helpful for readers seeking a more official, authoritative-seeming resource for obtaining book recommendations. An added bonus is the fact that its layout is relatively simple and fairly non-threatening.
NoveList, I'm sorry for ignoring you in the past! As it turns out, you're pretty cool.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Week 9 Continued: BookLetters
The BookLetters service was a new one on me - I signed up to receive updates about nonfiction bestsellers via RSS, and I think that this would be one more great resource to share with patrons who were interested in keeping up with the newest and/or most popular books in a particular genre.
BookLetters also provide a quick, easy-to-digest way for librarians to stay updated with regard to new books - this could be one more way to ensure that we are giving patrons the best possible service when it comes to reader's advisory. Neat!
BookLetters also provide a quick, easy-to-digest way for librarians to stay updated with regard to new books - this could be one more way to ensure that we are giving patrons the best possible service when it comes to reader's advisory. Neat!
23 Things Week 9: Recommending a Book Using Goodreads
I used the 23 Things practice account at Goodreads for this exercise, but I actually have my own account. I was surprised to login and find that I've had it since 2007! However, I must admit to being a very infrequent and extremely passive user of the site. But I do appreciate being able to view others' reviews of books and keep track of the books I have read, am reading, and want to read. This feature in particular is a great aspect of Goodreads, and actually, upon logging into my account during this week's "Thing" I was happy to see my "to-read" list and be reminded of some books I otherwise would have completely forgotten about.
In the library setting, Goodreads makes a lot of sense, and I think it would be a great way for reading groups to communicate about what they're reading.
(Of course, it's also a good way to recommend epic fantasy novels, like Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind, to friends like Joe Patron!)
In the library setting, Goodreads makes a lot of sense, and I think it would be a great way for reading groups to communicate about what they're reading.
(Of course, it's also a good way to recommend epic fantasy novels, like Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind, to friends like Joe Patron!)
Monday, April 11, 2011
Week 8 Continued: More Thoughts on Wikis
I liked exploring some non-Wikipedia wikis for Thing 19. It's good to be reminded of just how many subect- and interest-specific wikis there are, and how useful (or enjoyable!) some of them can be.
While browsing library- and non-library-related wikis as a part of Week 8's activities, I looked primarily at the index of library-blogs compiled in the Blogging Libraries Wiki and at the Library Success wiki.
I also found (rediscovered, really) a resource that I am hoping to be able to put to use this spring and summer: Wikitravel. I think that a wiki is an especially good way to record many contributors' insights on travel destinations and concerns, and I like the idea of being able to draw on the wisdom of a group when making decisions about traveling to new places.
Although I didn't really need to be convinced of the usefulness of wikis, this activity was a good opportunity to do some thinking about the specific value of wikis in the LFPL context.
I like the wiki format both for internal use among library staff, and as a resource that we can share with patrons. Exchanging information about the library's behind-the-scenes operations in a wiki format would give library employees an accessible way to communicate about their work and learn from each other's experiences. This could augment the "official" training material and information and be quickly edited and updated to include vital information.
Sharing information about wikis with patrons is one more way to empower the public to use technologies in ways that benefit them. Whether patrons use wikis in an active or a passive way, it's important that they be aware of and understand the basics about this type of resource, including its benefits and its limitations. While a wiki may not always be the appropriate resource for a given project or question, there is an enormous amount of information contained in wikis that can be useful to our patrons, and they may even find themselves inspired to share their own knowledge with the world in wiki form.
These two applications of wikis would advance the Library's mission on more than one front, by allowing LFPL staff members to be better able to find the information they needed to do their jobs, and by providing patrons with yet another way to access information.
While browsing library- and non-library-related wikis as a part of Week 8's activities, I looked primarily at the index of library-blogs compiled in the Blogging Libraries Wiki and at the Library Success wiki.
I also found (rediscovered, really) a resource that I am hoping to be able to put to use this spring and summer: Wikitravel. I think that a wiki is an especially good way to record many contributors' insights on travel destinations and concerns, and I like the idea of being able to draw on the wisdom of a group when making decisions about traveling to new places.
Although I didn't really need to be convinced of the usefulness of wikis, this activity was a good opportunity to do some thinking about the specific value of wikis in the LFPL context.
I like the wiki format both for internal use among library staff, and as a resource that we can share with patrons. Exchanging information about the library's behind-the-scenes operations in a wiki format would give library employees an accessible way to communicate about their work and learn from each other's experiences. This could augment the "official" training material and information and be quickly edited and updated to include vital information.
Sharing information about wikis with patrons is one more way to empower the public to use technologies in ways that benefit them. Whether patrons use wikis in an active or a passive way, it's important that they be aware of and understand the basics about this type of resource, including its benefits and its limitations. While a wiki may not always be the appropriate resource for a given project or question, there is an enormous amount of information contained in wikis that can be useful to our patrons, and they may even find themselves inspired to share their own knowledge with the world in wiki form.
These two applications of wikis would advance the Library's mission on more than one front, by allowing LFPL staff members to be better able to find the information they needed to do their jobs, and by providing patrons with yet another way to access information.
23 Things Week 8: Wikis
Because my goal is to work in academic library reference and instruction, I've done quite a bit of thinking about wikis - their value and role in scholarship and research, and their place in the landscape of resources that patrons draw on to find the information they need. So I was glad that Week 8 gave me a chance to focus on wikis and what they might mean to LFPL patrons and staff.
I edited the "favorite restaurants" and "favorite actor or actress" pages in the LFPL Sandbox wiki, and enjoyed seeing what some of the other staff members' picks were. But I have to say that my slightly OCD nature made it very hard for me to just add my favorites without formatting the items on the rest of the page. I think that wikis are a fantastic tool for assembling a group's collective knowledge, but to me our experimentation is a great demonstration of the way that this info can get out of control, fast, if it isn't well organized. But that's not what we were there to do! So I just added my faves and moved on.
I edited the "favorite restaurants" and "favorite actor or actress" pages in the LFPL Sandbox wiki, and enjoyed seeing what some of the other staff members' picks were. But I have to say that my slightly OCD nature made it very hard for me to just add my favorites without formatting the items on the rest of the page. I think that wikis are a fantastic tool for assembling a group's collective knowledge, but to me our experimentation is a great demonstration of the way that this info can get out of control, fast, if it isn't well organized. But that's not what we were there to do! So I just added my faves and moved on.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Week 7, the Conclusion: Podcasts
Thing 17, which involves learning about podcasts, was a good opportunity for me to revisit these and think about ways I could make use of some of the information being put online in podcast form, and help patrons to do the same.
I have listened to a few podcasts in the past, but for one reason or another, I have never really incorporated listening to podcasts into my day-to-day life. I think that I generally prefer to get my information by reading. But there is some content that simply isn't in print, and there are many circumstances in which audio would be preferable. So it was nice to see links to a variety of different directories that users can browse.
Browsing the sites were were given links to was enjoyable. But the browsing and search formats on some sites seem a little more user-friendly than others' - I found that searches on some sites returned outdated or unranked podcasts, and, frankly, if I'm going to spend time listening to a podcast I want quality content and (generally, thought not always) I want it to be fairly recent. I had fun listening to some BBC casts, though, and I think I'll spend some time browsing one or more of the directories for things to enjoy in the future.
I still don't know if podcasts are a good fit for my everyday life, but I like knowing a little more about what's out there, and now I'd feel much more comfortable recommending them to friends and library users.
I have listened to a few podcasts in the past, but for one reason or another, I have never really incorporated listening to podcasts into my day-to-day life. I think that I generally prefer to get my information by reading. But there is some content that simply isn't in print, and there are many circumstances in which audio would be preferable. So it was nice to see links to a variety of different directories that users can browse.
Browsing the sites were were given links to was enjoyable. But the browsing and search formats on some sites seem a little more user-friendly than others' - I found that searches on some sites returned outdated or unranked podcasts, and, frankly, if I'm going to spend time listening to a podcast I want quality content and (generally, thought not always) I want it to be fairly recent. I had fun listening to some BBC casts, though, and I think I'll spend some time browsing one or more of the directories for things to enjoy in the future.
I still don't know if podcasts are a good fit for my everyday life, but I like knowing a little more about what's out there, and now I'd feel much more comfortable recommending them to friends and library users.
Saturday, March 19, 2011
More 23 Things Week 7: NetLibrary
I had fun browsing NetLibrary's eAudiobook offerings. (Did you know that the audio version of James Joyce's Ulysses is over forty two hours long?!) (Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, by comparison, is just eleven and a half hours.)
I enjoy audiobooks, although I don't listen to them as often as I'd like to. But I know how important they are to many of our patrons, and it's great to be able to recommend the titles available through NetLibrary. I especially like the genre breakdown that's available and the fact that users can sort to display the newest titles first and limit their search to only return items of a specific duration - these factors could matter to a lot of users, and the options for each are very easy to spot when searching or browsing.
My recommendation came up in a search for audiobooks from 2011 that clock in at under twelve hours; I thought this kind of search might appeal to a patron looking to hear something new but not too long. A title that sounded appealing was Jay Winik's House Reunited: How America Survived the Civil War. I like the idea of listening to history as opposed to reading it, and at 7 hours 37 minutes, this title seems like a good way to learn something new about the Civil War in a fairly short amount of time.
I enjoy audiobooks, although I don't listen to them as often as I'd like to. But I know how important they are to many of our patrons, and it's great to be able to recommend the titles available through NetLibrary. I especially like the genre breakdown that's available and the fact that users can sort to display the newest titles first and limit their search to only return items of a specific duration - these factors could matter to a lot of users, and the options for each are very easy to spot when searching or browsing.
My recommendation came up in a search for audiobooks from 2011 that clock in at under twelve hours; I thought this kind of search might appeal to a patron looking to hear something new but not too long. A title that sounded appealing was Jay Winik's House Reunited: How America Survived the Civil War. I like the idea of listening to history as opposed to reading it, and at 7 hours 37 minutes, this title seems like a good way to learn something new about the Civil War in a fairly short amount of time.
23 Things Week 7: Embedded Video
The video I'm embedding for Week 7's Thing #15 was created for Library Ireland Week, which was held from March 7th - 13th, 2011. I originally saw it shared in one of Jessamyn West's blog posts over at www.librarian.net. (Thanks, RSS feed!) I thought I would search for it on YouTube and include it here, because I think it's great and well worth passing on. Enjoy!
23 Things Week 6: RSS and Google Reader
This week's activities were a great opportunity for me to revisit and clean up the RSS feeds I set up on Google Reader a long time ago.
I love the idea of keeping up with my favorite websites via RSS rather than visiting the individual sites themselves, but when I initially set up my RSS feeds I was a little overenthusiastic, and the result was an unmanageable bunch of feeds from sites I wasn't actually all that interested in keeping up with. So this week I had the opportunity to pare down my subscriptions, revisit the concept of using RSS, and add some sites that I actually do want to follow.
One of the subscriptions I added went into my "News" category - the feed from Slate.com, which I typically visit many times a day. The second was an addition to my "Library and Archives" folder - the blog for Library Thing, which is something I've been meaning to use more and would like to stay updated about. I especially like the fact that by using RSS, I can track what I've seen on these sites from home and elsewhere, and, as this week's video pointed out, cut down on unnecessary clicking.
Although I've been away from it for a long time, I can definitely see myself coming back to using Google Reader on a regular basis. But I think that the trick, for me at least, will be to do regular maintenance to keep the blogs and sites I follow to a minimum. Otherwise, I get an overwhelming backlog of information and end up feeling like I'm not making the most of this utility.
To keep that from happening, I decided to mark everything in Google Reader as "read" and start fresh - it's much easier to take in, now, and I will (hopefully!) be able to enjoy keeping up with new items as they come in from now on.
I love the idea of keeping up with my favorite websites via RSS rather than visiting the individual sites themselves, but when I initially set up my RSS feeds I was a little overenthusiastic, and the result was an unmanageable bunch of feeds from sites I wasn't actually all that interested in keeping up with. So this week I had the opportunity to pare down my subscriptions, revisit the concept of using RSS, and add some sites that I actually do want to follow.
One of the subscriptions I added went into my "News" category - the feed from Slate.com, which I typically visit many times a day. The second was an addition to my "Library and Archives" folder - the blog for Library Thing, which is something I've been meaning to use more and would like to stay updated about. I especially like the fact that by using RSS, I can track what I've seen on these sites from home and elsewhere, and, as this week's video pointed out, cut down on unnecessary clicking.
Although I've been away from it for a long time, I can definitely see myself coming back to using Google Reader on a regular basis. But I think that the trick, for me at least, will be to do regular maintenance to keep the blogs and sites I follow to a minimum. Otherwise, I get an overwhelming backlog of information and end up feeling like I'm not making the most of this utility.
To keep that from happening, I decided to mark everything in Google Reader as "read" and start fresh - it's much easier to take in, now, and I will (hopefully!) be able to enjoy keeping up with new items as they come in from now on.
Thing 12: Recommending Research Tools
While exploring the research tools that the LFPL has available during Week 5, I enjoyed brushing up on some familiar databases as well as learning about some resources that were new to me.
In terms of what we might promote to patrons, I think that in general the databases that we provide access to and their relative ease of use is something we should be trying to get across to the public at every opportunity. It seems that many library users are wary of using research tools beyond the catalog search, and this probably means that many people are not accessing and are likely not even aware of many of the other resources the library has to offer.
Databases should be promoted not only because they are incredibly expensive for libraries and, consequently, should be made the most of, but because they are often the best way to connect patrons with the information they need. Yet in an encounter with a patron a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I would check a database for the information she was seeking, and she reacted as if I had offered to tackle something outrageously complex. When working to increase patrons' awareness of the research tools we have to offer, we need to stay positive and reassure the public that these are accessible, helpful resources that they are totally capable of learning to use.
In terms of the resource I'd choose if we could keep just one, I'm tempted to name an aggregator, such as EBSCOhost, which makes available a huge range of full-text content across many topics and disciplines, and is fairly easy to search. But I'm going to go another route and say that the single most important research "tool" the LFPL has to offer its patrons is its staff.
At the risk of sounding cliched, no matter how many thousands of dollars a library system spends on providing access to databases and other resources, without a trained and knowledgable staff able to make these tools make sense to patrons, those resources are likely to go unused. That's why this week's task of exploring the LFPL's databases and research tools has been such a helpful (if challenging) part of our "23 Things" learning: it's an opportunity to focus on our role in increasing our patrons' research skills, by maintaining our own.
In terms of what we might promote to patrons, I think that in general the databases that we provide access to and their relative ease of use is something we should be trying to get across to the public at every opportunity. It seems that many library users are wary of using research tools beyond the catalog search, and this probably means that many people are not accessing and are likely not even aware of many of the other resources the library has to offer.
Databases should be promoted not only because they are incredibly expensive for libraries and, consequently, should be made the most of, but because they are often the best way to connect patrons with the information they need. Yet in an encounter with a patron a few weeks ago, I mentioned that I would check a database for the information she was seeking, and she reacted as if I had offered to tackle something outrageously complex. When working to increase patrons' awareness of the research tools we have to offer, we need to stay positive and reassure the public that these are accessible, helpful resources that they are totally capable of learning to use.
In terms of the resource I'd choose if we could keep just one, I'm tempted to name an aggregator, such as EBSCOhost, which makes available a huge range of full-text content across many topics and disciplines, and is fairly easy to search. But I'm going to go another route and say that the single most important research "tool" the LFPL has to offer its patrons is its staff.
At the risk of sounding cliched, no matter how many thousands of dollars a library system spends on providing access to databases and other resources, without a trained and knowledgable staff able to make these tools make sense to patrons, those resources are likely to go unused. That's why this week's task of exploring the LFPL's databases and research tools has been such a helpful (if challenging) part of our "23 Things" learning: it's an opportunity to focus on our role in increasing our patrons' research skills, by maintaining our own.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
23 Things Week 5: LFPL's Research Tools
As a page, I don't currently get a whole lot of opportunities to assist patrons with in-depth research inquiries. But I'd still like to know as much as possible about the LFPL's database offerings, in part because I want to be prepared in case I do have to help with a reference question... and also, a little more selfishly, because I just plain miss working in reference, and investigating databases as we've been asked to do this week helps me get back into that "reference" mindset.
But enough about me - on to the databases!
But enough about me - on to the databases!
Question 10b
I began by selecting "Newspapers" on the "Research Tools" page. I chose to search the third publication listed, the Courier-Journal, because I know that it's a local paper likely to have published the obituary of a Louisville resident. The resulting search page appeared to be for a general search of ProQuest Newspapers, but I went ahead and enclosed the name I was searching in quotation marks and specified a date range that began with the date of death and allowed a few months afterward to catch any later mentions of the name. I also specified that I only wanted full text results.
This search resulted in a single hit; thankfully, it was the obituary I was looking for. It was published on March 18, 2008, and specified that Betty Jean McMichael had four sons.
Question 10c
For this question, I clicked on the "Journal/Magazine/Newspaper Search" link at the right hand side of the Research Tools page.
I did not uncover a journal called Telos by using the "Journal/Magazine/Newspaper Search" option; I tried more than once, but it did not turn up. However, just to check, I went to Academic Search Premier and looked for articles under that title, and did find that we have access to abstracts of articles published in Telos via that database; it appears, however, that we don't have full-text access to the journal's contents. (I will definitely be asking my coworkers if they came up with the same information when we discuss our 23 Things progress!)
The British Journal for the History of Philosophy was much easier to find using the Journal/etc. search; it appears that the LFPL has full-text access via EBSCO, albeit on a 12-month delay.
Clinical Medicine and Research was also easy to find, and is also available via EBSCO, with no delay in full-text access.
Question 11a
I selected "Business & Money" from the list of categories on the Research Tools page, and proceeded to "cheat" by searching the text on the page for "Morningstar." I'm glad I did, since it took me to the link for the Morningstar Investment Research Center database. Since I don't have a whole lot of investing experience (okay, none at all), I did not know anything about this resource. But I was able to select the "Funds" tab, search the name of the fund, and find all of the requested information:
Manager: Duane F. Kelly
Stewardship Grade: B overall
Overall Morningstar Rating: Four stars
...interesting stuff!
Question 11b
I again used the Journal/etc. search, this time to locate Consumer Reports. I selected the link to LFPL's EBSCO access and then the link to its full text. From here, I was able to do an advanced search for "LCD TVs" and restrict the date range to 1/2008 - 12/2009. This turned up a total of 9 articles mentioning LCD TVs, the most recent of which was an article from 12/2009 published in Consumer Reports Volume 74, Issue 12.
Question 11c
The "Business & Money" category seemed like a good place to start here, but I admit that I relied on the tips we were given after doing some initial exploring and realizing that many of the listed resources seemed like good choices.
After spending a lot of time changing settings and adjusting my search, I have to admit that I could benefit from some training on Business Reference USA. While many of its options seem straightforward enough at first glance, I was clearly doing something wrong! I had a hard time with this question, and I'm going to be taking some extra time to get a bit more familiar with this resource.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
23 Things Week 4: Photo Sharing
I especially loved this week's "things" because I got my first smartphone this week, and since it's a huge step up for me technologically I'm very excited about learning how to get the most out of it. So I'm proud to say that the pictures I uploaded to Flicker today were taken last night on my Motorola Atrix; in order to upload them as part of my 23 Things experimentation, I emailed them to my Gmail account from my phone. This is all very new to me, and I'm absolutely loving it!
Anyway, I have been a sporadic Flickr user in the past, and now that mobile picture taking (and sharing!) is a possibility for me, I have a feeling that I will be using it much more often. I know that it's possible for me to upload directly to Flickr from my phone, so I'm going to be exploring that in the next few days.
In terms of library uses for Flickr, I think the site has a ton of potential. I especially enjoyed this week's activity involving searching for geotagged images. After looking for Carnegie Libraries in Louisville I was able to search for them in Pittsburgh, where I lived last year; I then moved on to exploring some of the images tagged with locations of other places I've lived. I can see how this would be a great way of connecting users to images of places they are interested in researching for any number of reasons. For example, "animals" is one of Flickr's 150 most popular tags. Searching geotagged images on Flickr would be a great way for kids to learn about the animals that live in various parts of the world. It would also be a neat tool for geography-related homework assignments in general.
The Flickr mashups mentioned in this week's post were a lot of fun, especially "Spell with Flickr." While I admit that I can't think of a library-related use for that particular tool, it did seem like a cute way to sign this week's post. So, until next week...
Anyway, I have been a sporadic Flickr user in the past, and now that mobile picture taking (and sharing!) is a possibility for me, I have a feeling that I will be using it much more often. I know that it's possible for me to upload directly to Flickr from my phone, so I'm going to be exploring that in the next few days.
In terms of library uses for Flickr, I think the site has a ton of potential. I especially enjoyed this week's activity involving searching for geotagged images. After looking for Carnegie Libraries in Louisville I was able to search for them in Pittsburgh, where I lived last year; I then moved on to exploring some of the images tagged with locations of other places I've lived. I can see how this would be a great way of connecting users to images of places they are interested in researching for any number of reasons. For example, "animals" is one of Flickr's 150 most popular tags. Searching geotagged images on Flickr would be a great way for kids to learn about the animals that live in various parts of the world. It would also be a neat tool for geography-related homework assignments in general.
The Flickr mashups mentioned in this week's post were a lot of fun, especially "Spell with Flickr." While I admit that I can't think of a library-related use for that particular tool, it did seem like a cute way to sign this week's post. So, until next week...
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
23 Things Week 3: Social Networking
I'll work backwards and answer this week's last question first ("Social networking, do you love it or hate it?"):
Love, love, love.
I know it sounds excessive, but I am endlessly fascinated with social networking. It's been a part of my life for a long time now, and I am happy every time I hear someone talk about a new way to apply it in the library context. I feel that there is a vast amount of untapped potential in terms of the uses of social networking, and I'm excited to be present for this moment in technology's history.
Wow, that really does sound excessive! Anyway, here are some thoughts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and libraries.
Twitter: I'm not bragging, but I was an extremely early adopter with regard to Twitter. I signed up to tweet in 2006 not long after the site launched, just because I happened to read a tech review somewhere that said it was the next big thing.
The problem was, circa-2006 Twitter was pretty darn boring: there was nobody on! A little map of the globe would move back and forth to indicate new posts, and it sort of listlessly hopped from one place to another every few seconds. There wasn't much going on, and back then, I couldn't see the point.
In recent years, I've come back to Twitter and found it much more rewarding, thanks to the millions of others who are currently using the tool. I can't help feeling a little disappointed when people who aren't familiar with Twitter dismiss it out of hand, because for me, it has been a window into the work and interests of fascinating people who are operating on the cutting edge of library technology. It's led me to read articles I wouldn't otherwise have discovered: when I see that someone whose work I respect has tweeted a link to a piece, I have instant access to information that it might have ordinarily taken me hours of searching or combing through blogs to find. It's also a great way to pay attention to trends as they emerge.
My mantra with regard to Twitter: "It's not just about Kim Kardashian's latest pair of shoes!" ...and it isn't. Part of the beauty of Twitter is that it can be so many different things to so many people - serious information-gathering tool, active way to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on a topic, passive means of remaining informed on a subject... there are enormous possibilities. And the enforced succinctness of the 140-character limit is, as our "23 Things" post for the week notes, a great way of making sure that users get their point across effectively.
I would recommend Twitter to researchers interested in staying informed as to current trends in a particular field; following one influential person is a window into the people that authority follows, which can lead to a wealth of additional information. Twitter can also provide users with access to information too new to yet have been published, which is especially imporatnt to those who are interested in following current events.
Library patrons might be encouraged to view Twitter as if it were a party full of people from all walks of life. Following a person's tweets is like being invited to listen to his or her conversation at a party, and following the people that person follows is like being introduced to his or her circle of colleagues or friends. When it's stripped of its Twitter-specific vocabulary, it begins to seem like a very normal, natural way of gathering information.
Facebook:
I've been a Facebook user since 2005, and when I downloaded the contents of my entire wall out of curiosity a few weeks ago it was easy to track the explosion of Facebook into the massive entity it is today. My early days on Facebook consisted of sparse back-and-forth exchanges between a handful of friends; today, I am constantly sharing content and updates, it's my primary means of contact with many of my friends and some family members, and it's one of the main ways I keep up with events in my community. I think it's telling that my high school reunion is even currently being planned via Facebook.
I appreciate the fact that this week's 23 Things post focused on Facebook and privacy settings. This is absolutely essential information for patrons, and I think that being able to advise a user as to how to protect her personal information is an important service on the part of library staff. For many users, Facebook may be the first foray into having an online presence, and being able to help users control and shape that presence is a way of empowering patrons in their use of technology.
Love, love, love.
I know it sounds excessive, but I am endlessly fascinated with social networking. It's been a part of my life for a long time now, and I am happy every time I hear someone talk about a new way to apply it in the library context. I feel that there is a vast amount of untapped potential in terms of the uses of social networking, and I'm excited to be present for this moment in technology's history.
Wow, that really does sound excessive! Anyway, here are some thoughts on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and libraries.
Twitter: I'm not bragging, but I was an extremely early adopter with regard to Twitter. I signed up to tweet in 2006 not long after the site launched, just because I happened to read a tech review somewhere that said it was the next big thing.
The problem was, circa-2006 Twitter was pretty darn boring: there was nobody on! A little map of the globe would move back and forth to indicate new posts, and it sort of listlessly hopped from one place to another every few seconds. There wasn't much going on, and back then, I couldn't see the point.
In recent years, I've come back to Twitter and found it much more rewarding, thanks to the millions of others who are currently using the tool. I can't help feeling a little disappointed when people who aren't familiar with Twitter dismiss it out of hand, because for me, it has been a window into the work and interests of fascinating people who are operating on the cutting edge of library technology. It's led me to read articles I wouldn't otherwise have discovered: when I see that someone whose work I respect has tweeted a link to a piece, I have instant access to information that it might have ordinarily taken me hours of searching or combing through blogs to find. It's also a great way to pay attention to trends as they emerge.
My mantra with regard to Twitter: "It's not just about Kim Kardashian's latest pair of shoes!" ...and it isn't. Part of the beauty of Twitter is that it can be so many different things to so many people - serious information-gathering tool, active way to contribute to the ongoing dialogue on a topic, passive means of remaining informed on a subject... there are enormous possibilities. And the enforced succinctness of the 140-character limit is, as our "23 Things" post for the week notes, a great way of making sure that users get their point across effectively.
I would recommend Twitter to researchers interested in staying informed as to current trends in a particular field; following one influential person is a window into the people that authority follows, which can lead to a wealth of additional information. Twitter can also provide users with access to information too new to yet have been published, which is especially imporatnt to those who are interested in following current events.
Library patrons might be encouraged to view Twitter as if it were a party full of people from all walks of life. Following a person's tweets is like being invited to listen to his or her conversation at a party, and following the people that person follows is like being introduced to his or her circle of colleagues or friends. When it's stripped of its Twitter-specific vocabulary, it begins to seem like a very normal, natural way of gathering information.
Facebook:
I've been a Facebook user since 2005, and when I downloaded the contents of my entire wall out of curiosity a few weeks ago it was easy to track the explosion of Facebook into the massive entity it is today. My early days on Facebook consisted of sparse back-and-forth exchanges between a handful of friends; today, I am constantly sharing content and updates, it's my primary means of contact with many of my friends and some family members, and it's one of the main ways I keep up with events in my community. I think it's telling that my high school reunion is even currently being planned via Facebook.
I appreciate the fact that this week's 23 Things post focused on Facebook and privacy settings. This is absolutely essential information for patrons, and I think that being able to advise a user as to how to protect her personal information is an important service on the part of library staff. For many users, Facebook may be the first foray into having an online presence, and being able to help users control and shape that presence is a way of empowering patrons in their use of technology.
23 Things Week 2: Google
This week I'm playing catch-up to get my progress through 23 Things up to speed. I was happy to see that Google was the topic for Week 2, and even happier that I was able to learn something new about a favorite utility.
Like many people, I use Google in some form nearly every day of my life. I use its email and chat to communicate for work and with friends and family, I use its search function nearly every time I'm beginning an exploration of a new topic or need information on a location or event, and I use its "Documents" feature so that I can access important information remotely and collaborate with others. And that's just the beginning! I could go on and on about the things I use Google for, but instead I'll talk about the things I learned this week, and conclude with some thoughts about Google's usefulness in public libraries.
Google Sites: How have I never used Google Sites before? I've created websites on my own in the past. And, since the rise of classy, free blog hosting and template options, I've relied on these when I needed to put content online. But after a brief examination, Google Sites looks like a great option for entry-level users who want a simple way to put information online. One of the neat features here is the compartmentalization of templates into categories based on how a user might want his or her site to function.
Google Uncle Sam: This is another new one on me, and I'm glad that I know about it now. There are all kinds of reasons why a patron might want to search government sites and publications, and I really, really like the idea of being able to direct users to a resource that will take them only to government-created and approved information. There's just too much misinformation on the Web that might be turned up in a typical Google search; being able to weed out unreliable information by limiting a search to government publications is a fantastic option!
I would direct interested patrons to numerous Google resources, depending on their needs. I prefer Gmail over other available email options and would recommend it to most users; despite the fact that it may offer features that are above and beyond what an entry-level email user might need, I would still suggest it to the vast majority of patrons, especially since a Google account enables access to so much more than just email. Public library users - particularly those who regularly visit the library to work on ongoing projects - are in a position to benefit from Google Documents' storage capabilities, since the need to carry (and remember!) a disc or flash drive when visiting the library is eliminated. And Google Books (which has helped me immensely in my own research) has a huge range of potential applications for library users, particularly since it might allow users to locate books using terms not covered in the library's cataloging.
As with any resource, the usefulness of each of Google's services varies depending on an individual user's needs. But Google offers several excellent starting points, whether a user is looking to be more productive or organized, communicate more easily or effectively, locate appropriate information, or pursue recreational interests. I'm not trying to sound like an advertisment for Google's services, but the company's products form such an important part of today's online universe that I can't help feeling as if understanding and being able to utilize them is a key part (and useful indicator) of an individual's internet literacy.
Like many people, I use Google in some form nearly every day of my life. I use its email and chat to communicate for work and with friends and family, I use its search function nearly every time I'm beginning an exploration of a new topic or need information on a location or event, and I use its "Documents" feature so that I can access important information remotely and collaborate with others. And that's just the beginning! I could go on and on about the things I use Google for, but instead I'll talk about the things I learned this week, and conclude with some thoughts about Google's usefulness in public libraries.
Google Sites: How have I never used Google Sites before? I've created websites on my own in the past. And, since the rise of classy, free blog hosting and template options, I've relied on these when I needed to put content online. But after a brief examination, Google Sites looks like a great option for entry-level users who want a simple way to put information online. One of the neat features here is the compartmentalization of templates into categories based on how a user might want his or her site to function.
Google Uncle Sam: This is another new one on me, and I'm glad that I know about it now. There are all kinds of reasons why a patron might want to search government sites and publications, and I really, really like the idea of being able to direct users to a resource that will take them only to government-created and approved information. There's just too much misinformation on the Web that might be turned up in a typical Google search; being able to weed out unreliable information by limiting a search to government publications is a fantastic option!
I would direct interested patrons to numerous Google resources, depending on their needs. I prefer Gmail over other available email options and would recommend it to most users; despite the fact that it may offer features that are above and beyond what an entry-level email user might need, I would still suggest it to the vast majority of patrons, especially since a Google account enables access to so much more than just email. Public library users - particularly those who regularly visit the library to work on ongoing projects - are in a position to benefit from Google Documents' storage capabilities, since the need to carry (and remember!) a disc or flash drive when visiting the library is eliminated. And Google Books (which has helped me immensely in my own research) has a huge range of potential applications for library users, particularly since it might allow users to locate books using terms not covered in the library's cataloging.
As with any resource, the usefulness of each of Google's services varies depending on an individual user's needs. But Google offers several excellent starting points, whether a user is looking to be more productive or organized, communicate more easily or effectively, locate appropriate information, or pursue recreational interests. I'm not trying to sound like an advertisment for Google's services, but the company's products form such an important part of today's online universe that I can't help feeling as if understanding and being able to utilize them is a key part (and useful indicator) of an individual's internet literacy.
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