What amazed me about this was how many of these things I already knew, but did not know I knew. I think we take for granted how much we alreayd know when we sit down to do an assignment like this. I was glad this blog made me start my LibraryThing account (I may actually start adding the books I own when I get some time). And it has been interesting to read other peoples experiences with the project.
I enjoy blogging, as does my wife who is keeping a baby blog going for the people that live out of town to check up on. It is neat to think that someone else will be reading what you create, even if it is for a class project.
-alex.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Keeping on the Learn
I'm in no mood to stop learning.
Though at times I get frustrated by the experience, learning about new ways to spread knowledge and help people find information is a joy to me. I want to help others be able to find what they are looking for in the world, and teach them the skills they need to be able to consistantly help themselves.
I currently work as a circulation clerk, and the experience of being in a library everyday has taught me many things about how the day to day operation of a library is very different from what we learn in our program. It is through the combiation of learning at school and learning at work that I hope to be able to teach and help others every day at my eventual job.
Though at times I get frustrated by the experience, learning about new ways to spread knowledge and help people find information is a joy to me. I want to help others be able to find what they are looking for in the world, and teach them the skills they need to be able to consistantly help themselves.
I currently work as a circulation clerk, and the experience of being in a library everyday has taught me many things about how the day to day operation of a library is very different from what we learn in our program. It is through the combiation of learning at school and learning at work that I hope to be able to teach and help others every day at my eventual job.
Creating new spaces
I like the idea of customizable spaces. Could these new social media constructs be where kids start to spread their own ideas? I know that Facebook and Myspace were where kids would gather, but I think once adults started showing up they quickly moved on (I enjoyed learning about the Creepy Treehouse concept earlier in the semester). Will there be a day when each person is able to create their own space, and link that space to other peoples social networks? Sites like Facebook do an okay job of this already, but what will the next creation bring?
The problem with getting involved with new networks like this is many times there are not really all that many people there. You may find that you even if you know one or two, there is not the same level of participation you would find on a website like Facebook. And this makes you wonder, Am I part of the leading edge of social content, or is this not going to be a place where people gather?
But who knew Twitter was going to take off like it did?
The problem with getting involved with new networks like this is many times there are not really all that many people there. You may find that you even if you know one or two, there is not the same level of participation you would find on a website like Facebook. And this makes you wonder, Am I part of the leading edge of social content, or is this not going to be a place where people gather?
But who knew Twitter was going to take off like it did?
Myspace vs Facebook.
As I've mentioned in a previous post, I have created accounts on both of these networks. I was slow to do anything with either of them, as I felt like they were just for kids. Myspace seemed to be full of spam and very very ugly interface. Facebook is much more enjoyable, and many of my college and even high school friends have an active presence there. My wife and I use Facebook to send out game day party invites, and to keep in touch with family that lives elsewhere. We even taught her grandmother how to use it, as a way to keep updated on baby news and for her to interact with her church.
I've wondered if our library could use this for spreading information, but I feel like the librarians and/or management would not be quick to adapt to using this new technology (though my manager did mention twitter the other day, though it was to say she did not use it).
I've wondered if our library could use this for spreading information, but I feel like the librarians and/or management would not be quick to adapt to using this new technology (though my manager did mention twitter the other day, though it was to say she did not use it).
Podcasts are for listening.
I always start off with great ambitions. I have more several podcasts downloaded on my main computer, with many subjects covered. From history, to NPR, I often just look through iTunes for interesting sounding podcasts.
How many of these have I actually listened to? Very few. There is a music one that I like, and another one from webcomic that usually is quite funny. All the interesting educational things get left by the wayside.
That said, podcast.com is a nifty website that was linked to by another classmate on her 23 things. I like the interface and could see using it if I wanted to find a podcast and did not have access to iTunes (at work for example).
How many of these have I actually listened to? Very few. There is a music one that I like, and another one from webcomic that usually is quite funny. All the interesting educational things get left by the wayside.
That said, podcast.com is a nifty website that was linked to by another classmate on her 23 things. I like the interface and could see using it if I wanted to find a podcast and did not have access to iTunes (at work for example).
Because Cookie Knows.
Everyday at my library we have to go over part of our service principles. For the first few weeks this was interesting, but now that we've gone over them a time or two it starts to be less interesting. In an attempt to make it more lively, we often look for funny/wacky youtube videos to spice things up. I found this one the other day, and it combines two things that are great in the world, libraries and Cookie Monster.
Adding this to the blog was easy, as I just had to cut and paste the code into the blog. Simple simple simple. Like cookies and milk.
Oh databases, how I <3 thee.
My mind is full of databases this week, as we have been working on indexes for my reference class, and I really think I may dream about them this evening. This goes back to need for quality instruction. When I started my Masters program I had no idea how to search for things. I just would randomly type things in Google and hope for the best. Now, thanks to a year and a half of classes, I feel like I don't suck quite as bad as I did, but I still have miles to go.
Early knowledge of how to work these databases and do a good quality search will not only save time and heartache in a students life, it will increase their ability to find even simple things.
Early knowledge of how to work these databases and do a good quality search will not only save time and heartache in a students life, it will increase their ability to find even simple things.
If only I had done this first...
Wow. The reserch project calender rocks. It seems like it was built for procrastinators like myself. Just putting in random dates it generated a whole checklist of things, each clickable for more information.
I think this tool might be especially useful to high school students who are learning how to managed their time. I have always believed that every student needs to learn good habits of how to study and time management, something I was not taught and continue to struggle with even now (as evidenced by the day before marathon blog session).
There is some especially good information in Step 2 dealing with gathering of information. This is another area I think young people need help with, as google has shown us that merely typing in some keywords will give us everything we need to know about anything (not really). The idea of authority (something I'm glad we are talking about in many of my classes) is a lesson that needs to be brought to the forefront of young people's education.
I think this tool might be especially useful to high school students who are learning how to managed their time. I have always believed that every student needs to learn good habits of how to study and time management, something I was not taught and continue to struggle with even now (as evidenced by the day before marathon blog session).
There is some especially good information in Step 2 dealing with gathering of information. This is another area I think young people need help with, as google has shown us that merely typing in some keywords will give us everything we need to know about anything (not really). The idea of authority (something I'm glad we are talking about in many of my classes) is a lesson that needs to be brought to the forefront of young people's education.
Second Life scares me.
I think it is because I've been addicted to online games before. It started with Everquest and then changed to World of Warcraft. I am very lucky that by the time I started the Masters program I had quit playing, as these games tend to suck up more and more of your time until it is all you can do to not play (I know that some people are able to find the balance between work and play, but I was not one of those).
Second Life is more interesting because people are actually using it as a tool to navigate the real world (first life?) I remember reading that one of the news organizations set up a bureau in Second Life, something I thought was rather interesting. It makes me think of all that cyberpunk I've read and wondering if our world will ever eventually turn into that.
Can libraries use Second Life to read a bigger audience? Some might be able to, it really depends on if their audience is already participating in that world.
Second Life is more interesting because people are actually using it as a tool to navigate the real world (first life?) I remember reading that one of the news organizations set up a bureau in Second Life, something I thought was rather interesting. It makes me think of all that cyberpunk I've read and wondering if our world will ever eventually turn into that.
Can libraries use Second Life to read a bigger audience? Some might be able to, it really depends on if their audience is already participating in that world.
It is the Thing that is a Library
I'm glad for this thing, as it made me finally get around to creating an account on LibraryThing. I've been putting it off for some reason, and since our project deals with tagging and Librarything, this will be another thing I can cross off my list.
I was surprised that more people have not added Gaiman's new book to their lists, after the popularity of The Graveyard Book. I am in the process of reading Odd and the Frost Giants to my wife and unborn daughter, and it is such a great read so far. We are all (well I hope all) enjoying it a great deal.
LibraryThing is a neat tool, and I can see how librarians could use it to encourage their readers to create their own pages to talk about what they have read. There is also some really neat message boards on the site, and it looks like a great community of people that frequent the website. I look forward to my time there.
I was surprised that more people have not added Gaiman's new book to their lists, after the popularity of The Graveyard Book. I am in the process of reading Odd and the Frost Giants to my wife and unborn daughter, and it is such a great read so far. We are all (well I hope all) enjoying it a great deal.
LibraryThing is a neat tool, and I can see how librarians could use it to encourage their readers to create their own pages to talk about what they have read. There is also some really neat message boards on the site, and it looks like a great community of people that frequent the website. I look forward to my time there.
Self Made Home Page
This Thing made me check my email.
I've had a gmail account for forever. I actually paid someone on ebay for an invite a million years ago, so I could for sure get my name as an address. Since then I have been a fan of all the products that google has put out, from email to google docs, to igoogle, the homepage that greets me every morning.
It amazes me go over to my Mom's house and see her Yahoo homepage. It is so busy, with flashing banners and crazy amounts of useless content. Finding the tab where her email lives is like looking for something in a casino. Compared to the sleek sparse way I have my igoogle set up, it makes my eyes cry a bit every time I see it. Email in one corner, a blog roll in the middle, and a calendar on the other side. I can add things if I need, take them away when I don't, and enjoy no flashing lights or loud noises. It is like the morning paper that I always wanted, presented every day for free when I start up my computer.
I've had a gmail account for forever. I actually paid someone on ebay for an invite a million years ago, so I could for sure get my name as an address. Since then I have been a fan of all the products that google has put out, from email to google docs, to igoogle, the homepage that greets me every morning.
It amazes me go over to my Mom's house and see her Yahoo homepage. It is so busy, with flashing banners and crazy amounts of useless content. Finding the tab where her email lives is like looking for something in a casino. Compared to the sleek sparse way I have my igoogle set up, it makes my eyes cry a bit every time I see it. Email in one corner, a blog roll in the middle, and a calendar on the other side. I can add things if I need, take them away when I don't, and enjoy no flashing lights or loud noises. It is like the morning paper that I always wanted, presented every day for free when I start up my computer.
Be careful in there, there are many things.
I'm addicted to Reddit. Addicted may not actually cover it. A few years ago it would take up my whole day, just clicking on links after link, until I had consumed so much information about random things that I could not take it any more. And yet I keep going back (much less now thank goodness). I typically try to scan the front couple of pages to see what I might have missed on CNN.com or in my blog travels. What is interesting about these sites is that they have their own culture, and trends. Right now on Reddit the big thing is AMA (ask me anything) where people post what they are/have done/are doing and people ask them things. The trend started about a month ago, and usually makes up 25% of the front page (which is a lot). The other interesting thing about these sites is they are often ahead of the main stream news sites. I usually read about a story, then hear it on the news a few days later. I don't know if it is because they news gatherers are looking to these outlets for ideas, or if that is just how long it takes for a story to filter through the various layers before it lands on the main news idea space.
I like the middle question on the 23 blog. In my experience these sites kill productivity, though they are good when you brain needs a break from studying to unwind and not be so 'thinky'.
I like the middle question on the 23 blog. In my experience these sites kill productivity, though they are good when you brain needs a break from studying to unwind and not be so 'thinky'.
Tagging and things that taste good.
Tags fascinate me. The idea that users can create their own way to categorize information, either that the create or that the find, for some reason really captivates me. I have spent more hours than I'd like to admit going through Flickr and just seeing what people have tagged things with, then following those tags to other pictures. It is easy to get lost in that, looking from one picture set to another. I'm very glad our project for this class is on tagging, as it is something that I think will continue to become more and more used as time goes on.
Del.icio.us would be very useful if I needed to have more than one computer set up, like one at home and one at work, where I could access my bookmarks from both. I had an account a year ago, but never updated it when Firefox came out with a new version (slacker!). At my current job I don't really need/get to look at the Internet very much, but for school, especially my reference class, it would be a great alternative to just bookmarking websites I think will be useful in the future. Perhaps I should dust off my account...
Del.icio.us would be very useful if I needed to have more than one computer set up, like one at home and one at work, where I could access my bookmarks from both. I had an account a year ago, but never updated it when Firefox came out with a new version (slacker!). At my current job I don't really need/get to look at the Internet very much, but for school, especially my reference class, it would be a great alternative to just bookmarking websites I think will be useful in the future. Perhaps I should dust off my account...
The book of faces
I resisted getting a Facebook account for the longest time. I was slow to change and really did not want to get myself drawn into another 'how many friends can I find in the world' contest.
Like many librarians, I was slow to change. I'm glad I've come to my senses. Because this is how people connect, share information, and find out about the world. A library with a Facebook page can make their events known to more than just the people that happen to come in to their physical space that day. They can create polls which help them decide what events to plan and create, and which ones are hits or misses.
Also, I need more pictures in my Facebook album. Because my mosaic kinda stinks.
Like many librarians, I was slow to change. I'm glad I've come to my senses. Because this is how people connect, share information, and find out about the world. A library with a Facebook page can make their events known to more than just the people that happen to come in to their physical space that day. They can create polls which help them decide what events to plan and create, and which ones are hits or misses.
Also, I need more pictures in my Facebook album. Because my mosaic kinda stinks.
Keeping up with the Jones 2.0
If no one knows about the services your library offers how on earth will they come to use them? Though there are still people who will know to come in and use the services that your library offers, there are now other ways to get the word out to people that are ready to use these services.
In the reference class I am currently taking we are talking about ways that librarians can expand their methods of communicating with their patrons. We have looked at several libraries that use email to answer reference questions (though I'm not really sure that the turn around time is very good, most said it would be up to 2 or 3 days before they would get a response out.) We've also looked at some that are starting to use text messages to answer questions. This is, once again, an example of the libraries not wanting to get left behind. While I think that some libraries are slow to change (something we are all guilty of) I think as new people enter the profession we will bring with us a desire to keep on top of the technology that many of our peers are adopting (some more quickly than others).
In the reference class I am currently taking we are talking about ways that librarians can expand their methods of communicating with their patrons. We have looked at several libraries that use email to answer reference questions (though I'm not really sure that the turn around time is very good, most said it would be up to 2 or 3 days before they would get a response out.) We've also looked at some that are starting to use text messages to answer questions. This is, once again, an example of the libraries not wanting to get left behind. While I think that some libraries are slow to change (something we are all guilty of) I think as new people enter the profession we will bring with us a desire to keep on top of the technology that many of our peers are adopting (some more quickly than others).
Flickr is neat.
Because you can do things like that. When my wife and I got married, one of our friends got us a picture like this, with out last name spelled out. It is currently hanging in our living room and, if I may say so, looks rather snazzy.
To think about what Flickr means is to take myself back to when I was a kid and enjoyed taking pictures. Could I imagine someday there would be a way to share those pictures with everyone around the world, and to be able to see what other people were taking pictures of as well? The thought would have boggled my mind, and still does to a certain extent. My wife and I use Flickr to share pictures of our adventures, and we enjoy seeing what our friends are out there doing as well.
I think Flickr is especially useful for providing kids or students a way to see the world through someonelse's eyes. There are always places to look for professional photographs in the world, but being able to see what a normal person takes pictures of, both as a traveler and as just someone enjoying the experience, I think adds a real option for children of all ages to explore the world around them.
And you can do neat stuff like this:
R with an S and another S
Really simple. This is the first time I've played around with RSS and I was surprised how easy it was. Typically on other blogs I have created I've just added a link to other blogs or websites I enjoy, rather than worrying about the content being current. I like that this will let readers see what other blogs are writing about in real time, rather than having to click through to another website to see what (if any) new content is available. How could this be used for librarians? Keeping up with news stories on a library's main page could be one use. Or following other library or book lovers blogs could be another.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
LIbrary 2.what?
Getting behind sucks. That feeling of watching others move ahead while you are struggling to catch up is one that I've felt in my life and I'd rather not repeat. I think libraries are going through this same feeling right now. In the race to stay relevant, some libraries are falling behind. I currently work at a small regional library that has several computers that connect to the Internet and allow patrons to do work on the Internet. But rather than utilizing this resource in a way that provides another connection between the librarians and the patrons, patrons are merely given time to do what they want, and only when they seek out a librarian for help are they offered assistance. Many are there for job hunting or resume building, but there has been no programs or assistance offered in that regard. In this way our library is falling behind, we are not offering the services that people need, thus staying relevant and part of Library 2.0.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
23 Things on a Stick?
What's that you ask? This will be a record of my journey through the list of 23 things that spawn from the 23thingsonastick website. Starting a blog and creating an avatar is number one. So Check and Check!
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