Podcasts
Podcast.net and podcastalley.com both yielded interesting podcasts, but I have to admit I'm not a big fan of podcasts for the same reason I dislike audio books. I just cannot concentrate on a recorded voice the way I can on a person speaking or on a page of text. I would almost always prefer to read a blog than listen to a pod cast. However, I think I would be better at keeping up with creating pod casts than I would with writing my own personal blog.
When searching a place like podcast.net I found tags to be very effective ways of finding relevant podcasts. Searches were just not as useful for some reason. I find i-tunes to be the most useful way of keeping up with, and finding podcasts I am most interested in, but bloglines offers a nice alternative that is accessible from any computer.
-M
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Friday, September 14, 2007
Thing # 20 You Tube
About You Tube.
This video is a funny little skit about libraries. Its the kind of thing that kids spend their time looking at. Random, humorous little bits of visual, audio and video information that make up so much of what they consume in a day. As such I think it just might be a very good way to communicate with teens. Although they are not so likely to search for the key word 'library' as I am but 'Ninja' might get their notice.
As for features that the Youtube site uses libraries could use, feature videos/ most viewed/ favorite could be replaced by feature new books/videos etc. feature book reviews, most checked out books, etc. This site offers many ways to see what other people are viewing, and libraries could incorporate these features as a way to provide readers with a way to learn about new books they might be interested in. It's like readers advisory without the staff. Sites like amazon.com use this kind of linking of liked materials or popular materials to help customers find new and different products and libraries could make their websites serve this function for our patrons as well.
-M
Thing #14 tagging in technorati
The Terrible Truth about Tagging on Technorati
I get it. Tagging a post is different than tagging a blog. A blog with a tagg is going to have posts about the subject on a regular basis. Just searching a post only gives you recent examples of when anyone discussed a subject. This is useful if you are looking for info or opinions on a particular event or product, (say you want to know more about the new I-phone) you would be best served to search posts. Searching for the blog tagg will help you find a blog that is going to be consistently (at least partially) about the topic you are interested in (Japanese poetry, economics in Uganda, whatever). So think of the blogg taggs as searching for the title of a journal, and the post taggs as searching for a specific article in said journal. What is better? Depends on what your looking for. For the purpose of learning 2.0, I found that the blogg tagg results were more relevant and useful.
As for the top searches...why would you search for a blog about myspace? I guess there is a great deal of varying opinion and argument over the issue but I mean really? Popularity doesn't = credibility so you can keep the top 100.
On a side bar, what is this authority stuff on technorati? I suppose I should find out but my guess is it's like seller ratings on e-bay and what does that really tell you about someones actual authority on an issue? I think not so much.
-M
I get it. Tagging a post is different than tagging a blog. A blog with a tagg is going to have posts about the subject on a regular basis. Just searching a post only gives you recent examples of when anyone discussed a subject. This is useful if you are looking for info or opinions on a particular event or product, (say you want to know more about the new I-phone) you would be best served to search posts. Searching for the blog tagg will help you find a blog that is going to be consistently (at least partially) about the topic you are interested in (Japanese poetry, economics in Uganda, whatever). So think of the blogg taggs as searching for the title of a journal, and the post taggs as searching for a specific article in said journal. What is better? Depends on what your looking for. For the purpose of learning 2.0, I found that the blogg tagg results were more relevant and useful.
As for the top searches...why would you search for a blog about myspace? I guess there is a great deal of varying opinion and argument over the issue but I mean really? Popularity doesn't = credibility so you can keep the top 100.
On a side bar, what is this authority stuff on technorati? I suppose I should find out but my guess is it's like seller ratings on e-bay and what does that really tell you about someones actual authority on an issue? I think not so much.
-M
Thing #17 Sandbox Wiki
Editing a sandbox/wiki
I think that wiki totally open to the public (or any very large population) can easily get out of control with too many creative voices and not enough accountability for ones actions. But I have to admit they are fun. The actual editing process on this particular sandbox was very easy. I haven't had much experience on a sandbox or wiki and I had no trouble posting to the site.
I'm afraid that's about all I have to say about that.
-M
I think that wiki totally open to the public (or any very large population) can easily get out of control with too many creative voices and not enough accountability for ones actions. But I have to admit they are fun. The actual editing process on this particular sandbox was very easy. I haven't had much experience on a sandbox or wiki and I had no trouble posting to the site.
I'm afraid that's about all I have to say about that.
-M
Thing #5 Flickr
Exploring Flickr
I was actually surprised not to see MORE photos of summer reading displays! We all work so hard to get our libraries all jazzed up for summer reading with colorful displays and amazing programs. Sharing the fruits of those labors could inspire others.
I was impressed, for example by the Worthington Libraries in Ohio (who also have a very impressive website http://www.worthingtonlibraries.org/).
The Northwest branch, where the pictures were taken, really went all out jazzing up the place with hanging records, music notes, a music stand complete with sheet music, and a violin. The part of the decor which stuck out in my mind the most were these lovely silhouettes.
Photo Posted By: Worthington Libraries
at Flickr: Northwest Library summer reading decorations, 2006.
-M
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
Thing #15 Library 2.0
After reading the commentarys about web 2.0 at http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/1.htm I have one over arching comment: What about the computer illiterate? All these ideas about moving all our resources on to the web and updating our libraries misses one key feature, we still have many people in this society who are grossly computer illiterate. While the number will fall as the number of people who grew up around computers grows, even in my limited experience as a public librarian I still encounter many people everyday who lack even basic computer skills. I love many of the ideas that library 2.0 suggests to us in this profession, but we cannot afford to leave high percentages of our patronage that are either completely computer illiterate, or are at least computer shy, behind. The point of libraries has always been to democratize information and offer priceless information to everyone. Be they digitally challenged or financially challenged, a library should be the place where you can what ever kind of information you want or need.
On a lighter note one specific thing that struck me "quite a change from monolithic...long development times and software release cycles web 2.0..." I hope everyone gets that...that web 2.0, that name is based on the idea that it is the second cycle or software release of the web. And it's funny how the author of this comment was referring directly to the software cycles that gave it it's name.
And I LOVE the NCSU library's catalog http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/!
The flexibility that the catalog hat is the best way to search.
On a lighter note one specific thing that struck me "quite a change from monolithic...long development times and software release cycles web 2.0..." I hope everyone gets that...that web 2.0, that name is based on the idea that it is the second cycle or software release of the web. And it's funny how the author of this comment was referring directly to the software cycles that gave it it's name.
And I LOVE the NCSU library's catalog http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/!
The flexibility that the catalog hat is the best way to search.
Monday, September 10, 2007
A quote that exemplifies learning (LATI)
Find a quote that exemplifies what you think and feel about learning. Note why this quote resonates with you.
As often as a study is cultivated by narrow minds, they will draw from it narrow conclusions. [Auguste Comte and Positivism (1865)]Mill, John Stuart (1806 - 1873)English philosopher, economist and reformer
This quote resonates with me because I believe it contains an important caution about learning. If we do not approach information with an open mind, we learn absolutely nothing. This is not to say that one should except every item of information that is presented to him or her, but that each piece of information should be given fair and carefuly consideration before it should be accepted. If you build your knowledge up on false assumptions made by quickly rejecting or embracing certain thoughts or theories (or even alleged facts) than everything else you build upon it is subject to fall apart if this basic concept does not hold up to scrutiny.
-M
As often as a study is cultivated by narrow minds, they will draw from it narrow conclusions. [Auguste Comte and Positivism (1865)]Mill, John Stuart (1806 - 1873)English philosopher, economist and reformer
This quote resonates with me because I believe it contains an important caution about learning. If we do not approach information with an open mind, we learn absolutely nothing. This is not to say that one should except every item of information that is presented to him or her, but that each piece of information should be given fair and carefuly consideration before it should be accepted. If you build your knowledge up on false assumptions made by quickly rejecting or embracing certain thoughts or theories (or even alleged facts) than everything else you build upon it is subject to fall apart if this basic concept does not hold up to scrutiny.
-M
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