I'm having such a good time with Facebook! I've caught up with friends and people I never really liked that much anyway... But how would I use it for work?
We're struggling with this now. The vital questions are: Are we providing a static link and encouraging our customers to use and participate in the community? Or, are we metaphorically hammering our stake in and sectioning off a little corner that is Liverpool City Library?
If so, who is responsible for the content, upkeep and overall look? There is a immediacy to these sites which is almost scary. I assume all libraries would want to keep a modicum of editorial control - how is this possible? How does my manager ensure that everything I say about Liverpool City Library is something he, the Council and everyone would agree with?
In a climate where staff cannot talk to local media and all information must be routed through Marketing people and Publicity teams?
It seems to me this requires more trust in individuals than we have had up to now.
Then I think about what customers might add!
I can see more applications for creating groups of people. Maybe a group of our, for example, romance readers might like to get together using a tool like Second Life or Facebook? Perhaps we could be the ones who facilitate these groups in the beginning before pulling back and letting the group exist in it's own right.
Once again having a population which has low computer ownership and usage is a bit frustrating. I suspect haing to use public computers is a hinderance to using many of these geat tools.
Wednesday 21 May 2008
Monday 5 May 2008
On Google Docs
Google Docs could be very useful for us at Liverpool
Rates of computer ownership in Liverpool are quite low. Families that do own computers often lack access to important peripherals like printers. They come to us to help them.
Unfortunately, we have had two major virus issues in the past year. The second occasion seemed to be a deliberate attack. It seems the virus was spread via a USB memory stick. These attacks left the community without Internet access for long periods of time.
These attacks forced us to decide that customers couldn't use disks or memory sticks in any of out networked computers. Our customers of course wonder how they can possibly work on their documents. Google Docs could be the answer.
I will certainly suggest that our customers use Google Docs as it solves several of our major problems:
Universal access from any computer
Not subject to the fragility and fallibility of floppy disks
Can't be lost or left behind like USB's
Shouldn't be responsible for spreading viruses
And most importantly... allows to users to work on documents over a period of time
I suspect it may also help with a problem we have experienced. Our customers have more up-to-date software than we do. Many of our customers are using later versions of Word than we are. We could use Google Docs to help them rather than having to send them away to re-save their documents.
Rates of computer ownership in Liverpool are quite low. Families that do own computers often lack access to important peripherals like printers. They come to us to help them.
Unfortunately, we have had two major virus issues in the past year. The second occasion seemed to be a deliberate attack. It seems the virus was spread via a USB memory stick. These attacks left the community without Internet access for long periods of time.
These attacks forced us to decide that customers couldn't use disks or memory sticks in any of out networked computers. Our customers of course wonder how they can possibly work on their documents. Google Docs could be the answer.
I will certainly suggest that our customers use Google Docs as it solves several of our major problems:
Universal access from any computer
Not subject to the fragility and fallibility of floppy disks
Can't be lost or left behind like USB's
Shouldn't be responsible for spreading viruses
And most importantly... allows to users to work on documents over a period of time
I suspect it may also help with a problem we have experienced. Our customers have more up-to-date software than we do. Many of our customers are using later versions of Word than we are. We could use Google Docs to help them rather than having to send them away to re-save their documents.
Tuesday 22 April 2008
On Mashups
If there was ever something which was going to make me go OHHHH it was the concept of a mash up. I'm sure we've all used applications where we've thought 'if only I could do xyz' with this product.
I'm not sure how we would use mash-ups. Perhaps as an information tool. The few mash-ups I have played with present information in 'a nice' way. In fact I chose the map of the world below because it demonstrates this quite well.
For example - say we wanted to create a map of the countries our customers come from. This could be a 'nice' addition to our website. Creating a mash-up would be an easy way to accomplish this.
On the advice of my techie husband I had a play with Popfly which is a Microsoft product (as a sometimes contractor for Microsoft he's a bit of a Microsoft pusher) to create mash-ups. I have to say it was lots of fun. I think I need a lot more practice and maybe some more time to view the tutorials again!
I'm not sure how we would use mash-ups. Perhaps as an information tool. The few mash-ups I have played with present information in 'a nice' way. In fact I chose the map of the world below because it demonstrates this quite well.
For example - say we wanted to create a map of the countries our customers come from. This could be a 'nice' addition to our website. Creating a mash-up would be an easy way to accomplish this.
On the advice of my techie husband I had a play with Popfly which is a Microsoft product (as a sometimes contractor for Microsoft he's a bit of a Microsoft pusher) to create mash-ups. I have to say it was lots of fun. I think I need a lot more practice and maybe some more time to view the tutorials again!
Thursday 17 April 2008
On Podcasting
My husband is dedicated podcast listener. He travels by train to work. So he's a bit of a captive audience. I'm not sure I really get it. I like to listen to the radio and when I get sick of that I borrow a book on CD to listen to.
I don't understand why anyone would want to listen to or watch amateur programming. I think of the money spent to produce professional radio and wonder how anyone could do any better. I like the idea of anyone being able to produce material. But I'm not sure I want to personally listen to it.
We have discussed recording some nursery rhymes for our customers. We have a large multicultural community who come from all areas of the world. Sometimes mothers ask us to write down the words for our Storytime rhymes as their children want to hear them at home. We were going to add them to our website and make them available for download. Unfortunately, we have been unable to record with any clarity of sound.
It has been interesting to listen to other libraries podcasts - I'm just not convinced that we need to make our own.
It's kind of funny actually. Now my husband is over podcasts and has started to listen to books. Of course he downloads them off the Net. Not for him the the daggy low tech approach of borrowing some tapes or CD's from the library!
I don't understand why anyone would want to listen to or watch amateur programming. I think of the money spent to produce professional radio and wonder how anyone could do any better. I like the idea of anyone being able to produce material. But I'm not sure I want to personally listen to it.
We have discussed recording some nursery rhymes for our customers. We have a large multicultural community who come from all areas of the world. Sometimes mothers ask us to write down the words for our Storytime rhymes as their children want to hear them at home. We were going to add them to our website and make them available for download. Unfortunately, we have been unable to record with any clarity of sound.
It has been interesting to listen to other libraries podcasts - I'm just not convinced that we need to make our own.
It's kind of funny actually. Now my husband is over podcasts and has started to listen to books. Of course he downloads them off the Net. Not for him the the daggy low tech approach of borrowing some tapes or CD's from the library!
Customer rating and reviewing
We are constantly asking our customers to rate us. We have a 'Tell us wht you think form' at our library. We ask the customer to complain, comment or compliment. Thankfully, we get more comments and compliments than complaints!
Our library system also allows customers to rate and review library material. I expect this to increase in usage as home computer ownership increases in our city. We have to limit customers time on our computers. Until this proves to be unecessary I think customer-added content will be sparse.
I hope we never have to rely on our customers feedback for funding. But golly some of the things they have said have really assisted us in getting what we want including a youth space.
Our library system also allows customers to rate and review library material. I expect this to increase in usage as home computer ownership increases in our city. We have to limit customers time on our computers. Until this proves to be unecessary I think customer-added content will be sparse.
I hope we never have to rely on our customers feedback for funding. But golly some of the things they have said have really assisted us in getting what we want including a youth space.
On Answer Boards
I think it cool that there are librarians out there who want to answer peoples online questions. Thats not what I'm about though - and I expect a lot of my colleagues would agree.
I'm not currently standing at a desk solely to answer questions. I'm here to teach people how to find answers themselves. I'm here to teach some of what I know to our customers. It's like that fish thing... You know teach a person to fish blah, blah, blah.
Sure a librarian is uniquely placed to answer questions well. Let's face it we're the only ones who understand Dewey! We're one of the few groups who really understand the shortcoming of the Internet and usually have better search skills than the average person.
What makes us different is what we can teach others:
Don't trust the Net; look at indexes; read blurbs and the toilets on the bottom floor of the library! Yep, knowledge is power.
I'm not currently standing at a desk solely to answer questions. I'm here to teach people how to find answers themselves. I'm here to teach some of what I know to our customers. It's like that fish thing... You know teach a person to fish blah, blah, blah.
Sure a librarian is uniquely placed to answer questions well. Let's face it we're the only ones who understand Dewey! We're one of the few groups who really understand the shortcoming of the Internet and usually have better search skills than the average person.
What makes us different is what we can teach others:
Don't trust the Net; look at indexes; read blurbs and the toilets on the bottom floor of the library! Yep, knowledge is power.
Saturday 12 April 2008
On Library Thing
Heaps of fun!!!
I had a great time adding some of the books I have read recently. The searching was easy and adding more simple than I expected.
I can see this being used by our Book Chat groups - and possibly being used to start new less formal groups based upon common interests.
We've been thinking about starting a new type of reading group who will all read the same ebook. This will hopefully take some of the pressure of us to provide many copies of the same text. Library Thing made me think - why did all of the people have to have read the book in the recent past? Could the group be more about varied reading experiences?
I had a great time adding some of the books I have read recently. The searching was easy and adding more simple than I expected.
I can see this being used by our Book Chat groups - and possibly being used to start new less formal groups based upon common interests.
We've been thinking about starting a new type of reading group who will all read the same ebook. This will hopefully take some of the pressure of us to provide many copies of the same text. Library Thing made me think - why did all of the people have to have read the book in the recent past? Could the group be more about varied reading experiences?
On Technorati
I used Technorati to look for blogs earlier in the program. I was impressed with the ease of use.
No longer.
What a hassle it was to claim my blog! Firstly, I couldn't find any instructions on how to do it! The help area was all but useless - filled with other clueless people just like me who had trouble actually doing the claiming - only I wasn't even up to that yet. I finally found the instructions. They seemed straight forward (isn't it always the way with things that subsequently make you want to tear your hair out)Unfortunately I first claimed a blog about car hire in Bali. Now I'm not picky - but that's not even close to clad22's blog about Library 2.0. Next I claimed an in depth IT blog. I was beginning to picture angry bloggers coming to my door to beat me up for plagurising their work.
Anyway, third time was the lucky charm - but my goodness what a hassle.
No longer.
What a hassle it was to claim my blog! Firstly, I couldn't find any instructions on how to do it! The help area was all but useless - filled with other clueless people just like me who had trouble actually doing the claiming - only I wasn't even up to that yet. I finally found the instructions. They seemed straight forward (isn't it always the way with things that subsequently make you want to tear your hair out)Unfortunately I first claimed a blog about car hire in Bali. Now I'm not picky - but that's not even close to clad22's blog about Library 2.0. Next I claimed an in depth IT blog. I was beginning to picture angry bloggers coming to my door to beat me up for plagurising their work.
Anyway, third time was the lucky charm - but my goodness what a hassle.
On Del.icio.us
Firstly, one of the easiest things to set up of the entire program.
I can really see where I could use this, in fact I think I will. And where we could use this as a library service. Access to information is what we're all about. We've long been providing people with lists of vetted websites. This could be a much better way to do the same job. I have high hopes that it might reduce my workload!
I had to laugh as I was reading about folksonomies. How frightening - people horning in on our cataloguing racket!
I can really see where I could use this, in fact I think I will. And where we could use this as a library service. Access to information is what we're all about. We've long been providing people with lists of vetted websites. This could be a much better way to do the same job. I have high hopes that it might reduce my workload!
I had to laugh as I was reading about folksonomies. How frightening - people horning in on our cataloguing racket!
Friday 11 April 2008
On on-line videos
Firstly I have to come out of the closet. I'm already an avid You-Tube'r. Like a lot of people, I'm a leech - sucking in everyone else's content. I haven't contributed any of my own.
I guess that's the next step.
I can see a lot of opportunities for using videos in our library context. We seem to be focusing increasingly on bringing down the walls of the library. We've made on-line membership possible, we allow anyone with appropriate ID to join and picture our developing website to be our 'virtual' library in cyber space. We're no longer just for Liverpool. Using on line videos could be another part of this de-walling.
I have a low-grade fear that some people see technology as replacement. I think technology can only ever be supplementary. Sure you can help someone with technology but you could and should never remove the humanity from the equation.
Yes we can film Storytime or Book Chat or any of the other connective programs we run and yes someone may like to download it and watch it. But could and should this replace an actual person conducting these programs?
I think it's vastly amusing - the Government spends a fortune on children's television. In fact their flagship program, Play School is an awful lot like a library Storytime. And yet we still have large crowds of children attending our low-tech and low key Storytime sessions. Why is this? I think it's because parents and children can see the difference between the two. I think they understand that children get benefits from both indeed all experiences.
As long as on line videoing is seen as supplementary to what we are already doing and the intent is to aid and enhance - why not?
I can see some potential problems with filming. It's easy to film our buildings, furniture and surrounds. But what about when we want to include people? Filming staff should be easy, but we need to make sure that they are given a free opportunity to say with no without the fear of possible reprisal. As far as customers go we would need to make sure that we have INFORMED consent. This means making sure that they understand what they are signing away. Also informing them of the possible consequences of saying yes. How can an organisation dedicated to informing and helping customers do any less?
I just love Dr Seuss don't you?
I guess that's the next step.
I can see a lot of opportunities for using videos in our library context. We seem to be focusing increasingly on bringing down the walls of the library. We've made on-line membership possible, we allow anyone with appropriate ID to join and picture our developing website to be our 'virtual' library in cyber space. We're no longer just for Liverpool. Using on line videos could be another part of this de-walling.
I have a low-grade fear that some people see technology as replacement. I think technology can only ever be supplementary. Sure you can help someone with technology but you could and should never remove the humanity from the equation.
Yes we can film Storytime or Book Chat or any of the other connective programs we run and yes someone may like to download it and watch it. But could and should this replace an actual person conducting these programs?
I think it's vastly amusing - the Government spends a fortune on children's television. In fact their flagship program, Play School is an awful lot like a library Storytime. And yet we still have large crowds of children attending our low-tech and low key Storytime sessions. Why is this? I think it's because parents and children can see the difference between the two. I think they understand that children get benefits from both indeed all experiences.
As long as on line videoing is seen as supplementary to what we are already doing and the intent is to aid and enhance - why not?
I can see some potential problems with filming. It's easy to film our buildings, furniture and surrounds. But what about when we want to include people? Filming staff should be easy, but we need to make sure that they are given a free opportunity to say with no without the fear of possible reprisal. As far as customers go we would need to make sure that we have INFORMED consent. This means making sure that they understand what they are signing away. Also informing them of the possible consequences of saying yes. How can an organisation dedicated to informing and helping customers do any less?
I just love Dr Seuss don't you?
Saturday 15 March 2008
On Wikis
I'm a huge fan of Wikipedia. I so often find the information I need there. With all the inherent difficulties of allowing 'anyone' to add information. It is still fantastic. My faith in the essential goodness of people is restored by projects such as this Project Gutenberg and The Human Genome Project. How bad can humanity be if we care enough to give our time, knowledge and expertise for free?
I was less familiar with the use of Wiki's although I have heard of people using them to collaborate on social projects ie the example about organising a camping trip. Until I saw the example of a community using their Wiki to highlight interesting places to visit. A travel directory compiled by one person or even a group of people can only go so far. It is limited by what the person or group has seen, heard about and experienced. What about some of those out of the way places off the beaten track which are none the less worthwhile?
The process of the collaboration is the greatest strength of the information. It's funny how something that seems so scary in the beginning. What - create a document and allow anyone to change it? We seem to spend our whole lives trying to stop people amending and changing our words. Microsoft has spent lost of money and programming time trying to make Word able to be used collaboratively. I know what I would rather be using!
I think one area that could really benefit from a Wiki is Family History/Geneology. Many of our Genealogy customers start at the same place and ask the same questions. A Wiki could help provide answers to some of these 'early' questions.
We have a group that volunteers to assist people with their genealogy questions. This acknowledges that the field of genealogy is so varied and complicated that few library staff are ever going to be anything more than proficient in helping customers with their inquiries. Most of these volunteers have been researching for years and are well passed the beginning stages of research. I think it must be frustrating for them to help so many 'newbies' with little to no experience. A Wiki could help them guide newbies more easily. Additionally, a Wiki could be used to document resources which can help with particular questions.
Finally, without being to mean spirited, sometimes our genealogists get so excited about the information they find that they want to tell the story to someone. Perhaps a Wiki could be a means of sharing those stories?
I'm sure there are many other possible uses including use as a staff only tool. I can really see us using this one.
I was less familiar with the use of Wiki's although I have heard of people using them to collaborate on social projects ie the example about organising a camping trip. Until I saw the example of a community using their Wiki to highlight interesting places to visit. A travel directory compiled by one person or even a group of people can only go so far. It is limited by what the person or group has seen, heard about and experienced. What about some of those out of the way places off the beaten track which are none the less worthwhile?
The process of the collaboration is the greatest strength of the information. It's funny how something that seems so scary in the beginning. What - create a document and allow anyone to change it? We seem to spend our whole lives trying to stop people amending and changing our words. Microsoft has spent lost of money and programming time trying to make Word able to be used collaboratively. I know what I would rather be using!
I think one area that could really benefit from a Wiki is Family History/Geneology. Many of our Genealogy customers start at the same place and ask the same questions. A Wiki could help provide answers to some of these 'early' questions.
We have a group that volunteers to assist people with their genealogy questions. This acknowledges that the field of genealogy is so varied and complicated that few library staff are ever going to be anything more than proficient in helping customers with their inquiries. Most of these volunteers have been researching for years and are well passed the beginning stages of research. I think it must be frustrating for them to help so many 'newbies' with little to no experience. A Wiki could help them guide newbies more easily. Additionally, a Wiki could be used to document resources which can help with particular questions.
Finally, without being to mean spirited, sometimes our genealogists get so excited about the information they find that they want to tell the story to someone. Perhaps a Wiki could be a means of sharing those stories?
I'm sure there are many other possible uses including use as a staff only tool. I can really see us using this one.
On RSS & Newsreaders
Firstly, I have to 'fess up. Every morning - while I have my first coffee of the day I have a look at the Sydney Morning Herald - at work. If I am ever asked to justify the time spent. I guess I can say it's to keep up to date with current issues which may convert themselves into reference requests at the service counter. However, the truth is I like doing it.
Now a much better use of my time might be logging on to Google Reader and having a glance at the targeted information that the web has grabbed and brought to my computer for me. With the time I save I plan to have look at a few feeds I have put in a folder called fun!
So what I like about RSS is that I can easily have a quick glance at information likely to be of interest to me. It sits and waits for me to have a convenient moment.
I selected a range of sites including my beloved Sydney Morning Herald. For fun I subscribed to Snopes - I can't get enough of those Urban Legends! I also subscribed to several promising looking library sites including Unshelved library cartoons. Librarian's Internet Index, Librarian Avenger and Librarian Central. I like the strategy of looking at a few sites and whittling them down the the ones I really like.
As to how we can take advantage of RSS? I guess we can either be users of or creators of. Perhaps we can even be both. I can see a use in pushing out information to staff or customers. An RSS feed could be a very effective 'What's On' type of tool.
As far as being users of we can recommend useful feeds to our colleagues. We might even find it appropriate to recommend some feeds to our customers. An RSS feed of current news would be of interest to many of our customers.
I would like to say I would use RSS feeds on my children's web page. But I would be nervous about recommending any content that I have no control over. I would have to stick with content pushed out from companies and institutions I already trust.
Isn't that the Net all over?
Now a much better use of my time might be logging on to Google Reader and having a glance at the targeted information that the web has grabbed and brought to my computer for me. With the time I save I plan to have look at a few feeds I have put in a folder called fun!
So what I like about RSS is that I can easily have a quick glance at information likely to be of interest to me. It sits and waits for me to have a convenient moment.
I selected a range of sites including my beloved Sydney Morning Herald. For fun I subscribed to Snopes - I can't get enough of those Urban Legends! I also subscribed to several promising looking library sites including Unshelved library cartoons. Librarian's Internet Index, Librarian Avenger and Librarian Central. I like the strategy of looking at a few sites and whittling them down the the ones I really like.
As to how we can take advantage of RSS? I guess we can either be users of or creators of. Perhaps we can even be both. I can see a use in pushing out information to staff or customers. An RSS feed could be a very effective 'What's On' type of tool.
As far as being users of we can recommend useful feeds to our colleagues. We might even find it appropriate to recommend some feeds to our customers. An RSS feed of current news would be of interest to many of our customers.
I would like to say I would use RSS feeds on my children's web page. But I would be nervous about recommending any content that I have no control over. I would have to stick with content pushed out from companies and institutions I already trust.
Isn't that the Net all over?
Friday 29 February 2008
On Walking the plank!
Picture33 078
Originally uploaded by osceolalibrary
I think I'll use this in my own Storytime if I ever get the chance. I'm always looking for active and above all interactive things to do at Storytime.
On Creative Commons
I have used resources that were licensed under Creative Commons in the past. I think they do a good job telling you exactly what you can do with a piece of work. This is particularly important for a Children's Librarian as we are constantly looking for craft sheets, stories, rhymes, activities etc.
Often it is tempting to justify illegal use... We're pretty close to being an educational institution... Storytime is basically about education... What are the odds of anyone suing a public library? I can probably come up with a dozen more excuses I've heard for breaching copyright. And this doesn't even include the times when copyright wasn't very clear.
The process of asking for permission can be difficult. It can be hard to determine who actually owns a piece of work. Contacting the person can also present problems.
I hope more material is licensed under Creative Commons in the future. It certainly makes my life easier.
There is a good video explaining Creative Commons available at http://support.creativecommons.org/videos#gc
Often it is tempting to justify illegal use... We're pretty close to being an educational institution... Storytime is basically about education... What are the odds of anyone suing a public library? I can probably come up with a dozen more excuses I've heard for breaching copyright. And this doesn't even include the times when copyright wasn't very clear.
The process of asking for permission can be difficult. It can be hard to determine who actually owns a piece of work. Contacting the person can also present problems.
I hope more material is licensed under Creative Commons in the future. It certainly makes my life easier.
There is a good video explaining Creative Commons available at http://support.creativecommons.org/videos#gc
On Flickr and photos
Of all web technical advances I think photo sharing is the easiest to explain and justify. We've always wanted to share our photos - remember the classic slide night? That most venerable of institutions where you bored everyone to distraction with millions of holiday slides? How about Auntie Mary showing you an album of cousin Jenny's (three times removed) wedding? Sites like Flickr and Photobucket just make this process easier and so much wider. Suddenly you can share with the entire world!
The software is remarkably easy to use. In no time at all I had a large number of photos awaiting my tagging and captioning love. It may take some time to do this for a large collection of photos. The advantage being that barring a catastrophic failure of website (financial or technical) you could caption from any computer in the world.
I think the best feature is that you can choose to share some images and not others. You may decide to keep images of yourself and your family private while sharing scenic images.
It seems the perfect way to store and share images for a library. But I can't see many libraries storing all of their images this way. I can't imagine telling a customer that they can access some of our precious local history images via our Flickr page. I'm not even sure why! It just seems more professional to have our own database. I suppose it offers far greater control of format, features and levels of access. For happy snaps that we're willing to share with the world... What fun!
I think a Flickr workshop could be a viable idea for library programming - even for that notoriously difficult group the Young Adult.
The software is remarkably easy to use. In no time at all I had a large number of photos awaiting my tagging and captioning love. It may take some time to do this for a large collection of photos. The advantage being that barring a catastrophic failure of website (financial or technical) you could caption from any computer in the world.
I think the best feature is that you can choose to share some images and not others. You may decide to keep images of yourself and your family private while sharing scenic images.
It seems the perfect way to store and share images for a library. But I can't see many libraries storing all of their images this way. I can't imagine telling a customer that they can access some of our precious local history images via our Flickr page. I'm not even sure why! It just seems more professional to have our own database. I suppose it offers far greater control of format, features and levels of access. For happy snaps that we're willing to share with the world... What fun!
I think a Flickr workshop could be a viable idea for library programming - even for that notoriously difficult group the Young Adult.
Saturday 23 February 2008
On blogs and blogging
I'm new to blogging in the sense that this is basically the first time I have 'done it'. I have always equated blogging with the idea of a diary. You know, a recording of your hopes, dreams and thoughts. Unfortunately the idea of writing a diary bores me tears.
One of my favourite books describes a young boys effort at 'diarising' It starts with the resolution to keep a diary, plateaus with a statement about 'being a better boy', descends into short descriptions of all meals and snacks eaten each day and ends with the resolution to not keep a diary anymore!
It seems very self indulgent to assume that ones musings would be of any interest to anyone but oneself! However it's a big world out there and by gosh it seems I do have something to say!
I have not found it easy to find blogs I am interested in. I have tried the two search engines recommended IE Technorati and Google. Like all search engines they work on the GIGO concept (garbage in, garbage out). Without very specific search terms I wasn't getting anywhere. Also like the rest of the web there seem to be a lot of 'abandoned' blogs. I guess people get sick of blogging as frequently as they get sick of maintaining any web resource.
My husband suggests visiting the companies or organisations who peddle what you are interested in to look for blog leads. I will be looking to add to this list but here are a few I found interesting
http://www.notquitenigella.com/ looks interesting and locally based too
http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/ is always good for a laugh
http://blog.myspace.com/dianaholquist will be one I keep my eye on
Professionally
http://www.popgoesthelibrary.com/, http://tinylittlelibrarian.blog-city.com/ and
http://kittenpiereads.blogspot.com/
One of my favourite books describes a young boys effort at 'diarising' It starts with the resolution to keep a diary, plateaus with a statement about 'being a better boy', descends into short descriptions of all meals and snacks eaten each day and ends with the resolution to not keep a diary anymore!
It seems very self indulgent to assume that ones musings would be of any interest to anyone but oneself! However it's a big world out there and by gosh it seems I do have something to say!
I have not found it easy to find blogs I am interested in. I have tried the two search engines recommended IE Technorati and Google. Like all search engines they work on the GIGO concept (garbage in, garbage out). Without very specific search terms I wasn't getting anywhere. Also like the rest of the web there seem to be a lot of 'abandoned' blogs. I guess people get sick of blogging as frequently as they get sick of maintaining any web resource.
My husband suggests visiting the companies or organisations who peddle what you are interested in to look for blog leads. I will be looking to add to this list but here are a few I found interesting
http://www.notquitenigella.com/ looks interesting and locally based too
http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/ is always good for a laugh
http://blog.myspace.com/dianaholquist will be one I keep my eye on
Professionally
http://www.popgoesthelibrary.com/, http://tinylittlelibrarian.blog-city.com/ and
http://kittenpiereads.blogspot.com/
On getting left behind
My husband and I spent some time discussing Web 2.o over lunch. He's in IT and always seems light-years ahead of me so I was interested in his take on the subject. We often seem to come from very different places. He's talking about twitter and Popfly while our problems are mainly keeping an aging fleet of computers vaguely operational.
While we're struggling to provide decent access to the masses he's free to ponder the wider implications of digital identitity. Sometimes it feels like we're in serious danger of being left behind. We discussed the concept of a digital divide. I was interested to learn whether anyone in the computer world was interested in the growing number of people lost in a world where technology is king.
I guess all great inventions have left people behind. Non-readers didn't care for Mr Gutenberg's crazy invention and what was Mr Ford doing for people who couldn't drive a motor car? These inventions which seem to commonplace now were once bewildering for the masses too.
I feel sorry for those who are forced into Cyberspace by organisations who find it marvellously convenient to provide information via the Internet without offering any training or support. There are several Govenment departments I point my finger at. I find the RTA particulary annoying. They have a practice test available via the Internet. Do they provide computers for people who would like try this product? No, in fact they suggest their customers come to the library to use our computers for hours on end. If I had a dollar for every person who was 'referred' by the RTA I would be a very rich woman! And don't get me started on the Inmmigration Department... So ends my rant...
But seriously who is worrying about the people who are being left behind? Technology seems to be moving so fast - I feel in danger of being left behind let alone a newly arrived refugee with limited language skills.
I guess all we can do is keep our knowledge up to date and do our best to share it with those we come into contact with.
While we're struggling to provide decent access to the masses he's free to ponder the wider implications of digital identitity. Sometimes it feels like we're in serious danger of being left behind. We discussed the concept of a digital divide. I was interested to learn whether anyone in the computer world was interested in the growing number of people lost in a world where technology is king.
I guess all great inventions have left people behind. Non-readers didn't care for Mr Gutenberg's crazy invention and what was Mr Ford doing for people who couldn't drive a motor car? These inventions which seem to commonplace now were once bewildering for the masses too.
I feel sorry for those who are forced into Cyberspace by organisations who find it marvellously convenient to provide information via the Internet without offering any training or support. There are several Govenment departments I point my finger at. I find the RTA particulary annoying. They have a practice test available via the Internet. Do they provide computers for people who would like try this product? No, in fact they suggest their customers come to the library to use our computers for hours on end. If I had a dollar for every person who was 'referred' by the RTA I would be a very rich woman! And don't get me started on the Inmmigration Department... So ends my rant...
But seriously who is worrying about the people who are being left behind? Technology seems to be moving so fast - I feel in danger of being left behind let alone a newly arrived refugee with limited language skills.
I guess all we can do is keep our knowledge up to date and do our best to share it with those we come into contact with.
Friday 22 February 2008
On Dabbling to drowning
Recently we were told that we were all to complete Learning 2.0. Nothing inspires a person more than being told they have to do something!
Personally I think it's information we should learn which will be useful for our daily work. And if people need a 'little nudge' then I guess it's OK.
I can see the information we learn here being useful in a reference way. Let's face it... you never know what question a customer will hit you with next. That's the frustratig joy of working in a public library.
Purely in a selfish way, you never know what you're boss will want you to do next! So here I go launching myself into a world I've only dabbled into in the past.
Personally I think it's information we should learn which will be useful for our daily work. And if people need a 'little nudge' then I guess it's OK.
I can see the information we learn here being useful in a reference way. Let's face it... you never know what question a customer will hit you with next. That's the frustratig joy of working in a public library.
Purely in a selfish way, you never know what you're boss will want you to do next! So here I go launching myself into a world I've only dabbled into in the past.
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