Thing #22 Staying Current

Methods for Staying Current and Dealing with Information Overload. This April 8, 2009 blog entry by the LibrarianInBlack.net is great. I related to everything she said. It’s interesting to see the dichonomy between bricks and mortar librarians and digital librarians. It’s a matter of time before there will be no more bricks and mortar librarians, as every aspect of a librarians’ work will be founded on digital.

“It really doesn’t take that much time” was not my experience. I am interested, but not enamored with new technology, and it’s easier not to have to change when we’re overworked and stressed out–too much stimulation. There is no recognition from administration except that we should try and keep up with the new technology, but that we are expected to keep up with the increasing workload as well. I guess I’m just getting old.

I was glad to see that I am using a few of the suggestions for keeping up: online newsletter and journals; webinars; and regularly visiting other library websites; seeing potential for incorporating new technology and features. It’s just learning it and justifying the change to so many people. All this takes energy. To shift one’s attitude I think is the biggest hurdle.

Thing #21 Student 2.0 tools

The easiest way to get the students to use the tool is to have a lesson where they are required to use it. Have them pick a topic from a list of popular subjects. Have them answer all the questions, which in essence documents their steps. They should discover how this makes their research much easier. Another way is to give extra credit for upcoming assignments to the students who use the RPC.

These are some handouts that I felt as a public library we could make available at our reference desk that would be helpful:
Student Research Planning Guide
Interview Tip Sheet
Boolean Basics
Improve Your Google Search Tip Sheet
10 questions for evaluating web sites
Copyright and Fair Use Tip Sheet

I think RPC would be helpful in creating a timeline for oral presentations for outreach or in front of library boards.

Thing #20 Books 2.0

I enjoyed the Books 2.0 sites. These sites really cater to readers. Being in Youth Services, I was disappointed that there were so few good children’s 2.0 websites and none I was really swept away by. I did like KidderLit and thought it would fun to put this on our SummerReading Program login site. Unfortunately LOOKYBOOK has gone out of business and is no longer available. The International Children’s Digital Library is interesting—but I was looking more for sites that children could take part in. StoryTime are books read by actors, but there are no features for kids to contribute to which makes it more like a “DVD” experience.

One thing I have noticed is that some publishers of books for children, like Scholastic, give kids that chance to contribute content. I know that publishers are trying to get the word out on their books. The more they can create a buzz and keep the interest high for their books by drawing kids and teens to their website, the better chance they have to create a best seller. Some publishers websites have book clubs, and some of them you have to subscribe and pay for.

KidsReads is a great children’s booksite that isn’t promoted by a publisher, but unfortunately it doesn’t have 2.0 features.

Spaghetti Book Club has posted reveiws but can only be done through school groups.

Most teen and children’s book clubs are hosted on school and library web sites. From what I’ve found, the better children’s book 2.0 features are found on these websites, where you can rate, write reveiws, create booklists, and share with friends.

Thing #19 Other Social Networks

I belong to WebJunction. They recently redid their whole website so that it included the social networking feature. I have registered as a user of their online courses, but now you can easily submit documents to add to training modules. Comments and suggestions are fully visible. You can join groups. I haven’t fully taken advantage of what they have to offer, but for one who has a responsiblity for training in the library, would find this network very helpful.

I also belong to Shelfari. I really like its simple interface. LibraryThing offers the same but more features and is great if you need or like them; but Shelfari is more then adequate for a booklover to keep track of one’s reading and to share it with others.

Ning is appealing because it gives you the ability to create your own social network. I think a great number school librarians and teachers are using this for their classes. It makes it easy and convenient, plus secure, for a class to have it’s own social network.

It’s interesting to see how these tools are similar to other tools we’ve looked at: Wikis, Rollyo, LibraryThing, etc. Differences are based not so much on the subject matter but the way it’s put together and the degree of contribution.

Thing #18 Facebook and MySpace

I have an account on Facebook and added some friends who had found me. I also joined the Alachua County Library Youth Services Facebook. It’s good to see how the library is using Facebook and MySpace to connect with patrons.

I understand why it’s very popular and useful but I’m not really interested in keeping up a social networking site. Nothing more to say on that.

Thing #17 Podcasts

I complained about RSS feeds because I didn’t like things invading my space, and yet I like podcasting, which is really just audio RSS feeds. I think it’s because it’s sound and not text. I read so much text during the day, that having it sitting there waiting to be read is too much. But having the audio—I don’t have to do anything but sit back and listen. I don’t have to think about being at the radio or TV at a certain time, but can have it ready for me when I’m ready. I can take it or leave it.

I like Podcast Alley the best because of it’s interface. I thought it was the easiest to use. There are unlimited podcasts — I enjoy old-time radio, classical music, NPR,— I sampled a few. Lots to choose from depending on my mood. Ahhhhh.

I’m a Harry Potter fan so subscribed to MuggleCast, the most popular Harry Potter podcast. I’ve put the RSS widget for this on the sidebar of my blog.

As far as creating a podcast myself, I can think of friends who would really like this, but for myself, not so much.

Thing #16 YouTube

YouTube is the most popular of the videocasting applications and has an enormous treasury. The ability to review and share makes it an attractive feature to a library’s website to engage patrons. It’s also pretty straightforward in how to embed a video into a blog or website. The library can make videos and update on its web pages regularly. Programs, announcements, displays, and news are just a few of the ways this can be used on the library’s website.

I looked at many spiritual videos because it’s my interest and liked this one.

Krishna Art with MusicVideocasting—What a great way to look into different windows of the material and spiritual world. Those who are there, those who can show us how to go into the realms of the soul, videocasting is a great vehicle to raise our consciousness. Of course it’s also a vehicle that can lower our consciousness, our choice. Libraries are portals to all levels of consciousness. I choose this one!

Thing #15 Rollyo

Harry Potter

Here is my Rollyo. I had to have someone help me put the link on my blog because I couldn’t figure out how to do it. This Thing is not so interesting to me.

Thing #14 Online Productivity Tools

I created a start page in iGoogle since I already have a Gmail account.  I liked the ease of add-ons and the option to create your own theme, which I did.  It was easy to do. 

I downloaded the google calendar, again,  because everything is in one place which makes it easy to use for work and home.  The reminders, as well as allowing a group to create a calendar that everyone can access are desirable features.  I’m a person who doesn’t carry a cell phone around,  so I like using a printed calendar.  If  I was younger, I know it would be different.  It wouldn’t make alot of sense since most young people use an electronic device for so many tasks.

I  liked  Zamzar and the ability to convert files into pdf.

I like  ZOHO Show because of being able to create a presentation and show it anywhere on any computer, and that can be edited in a browser.  I have no pressing presentation to make, but know where to go to make one.  I’ll no longer have to email a presentation to myself like I have in the past with powerpoint.

Thing#13 Library Thing

Here are recent additions to my Library Thing account.  I didn’t do much, but plan to go back and do more when I have the chance.  The standard blog widget didn’t work, but this Library Thing chicklet does.

 Library Thing is absolutely wonderful for booklovers!  All the information you would ever want or need to know about a book is here.  So many features it would be nice to have on our public library catalog.  I know some libraries are using Library Thing as their catalog. The social functions alone would be great to add to our local catalog.

The best use of this “thing” is reader’s advisory. Every library website should have a link to this site.