Tuesday, July 15, 2008
In The End
In the end I learned so much about web 2.0 technology and hope that we will do projects like this in the future.
Overdrive
Overdrive is a wonderful online downloadable audiobook catalog. Some audiobooks can even be burned to a disc. The instructions are clear and concise on the video portion. I listened to Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It was a fast and easy way to obtain an audiobook and really brought the classic to life.
NPR Podcast Directory
This is a great podcast site because it has it's own NPR player (no other software is needed). It's easy to search and has some great book related podcasts. It easily downloaded to my Bloglines account. I listened to Nancy Pearl's Carry-On Books To Take You Up, Up And Away . She discusses great books to take on a plane trip. It was informative and fun.
You Tube
The video podcast that I watched on You Tube was the Anna Introduction Tutorial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Svg_fflx1Uw from The University of Southern Mississippi. It is a tutorial of how to use the Anna catalog from USM's library and introduces the patron to the library. I thought this was a great idea especially for users who are more hands on and comfortable with computers. They get a basic overview of the library and the catalog.
The only drawbacks are that patrons who are not as tech savvy may be uncomfortable and questions cannot be asked by the patron during the session. One on one instruction can never truly be replaced.
The only drawbacks are that patrons who are not as tech savvy may be uncomfortable and questions cannot be asked by the patron during the session. One on one instruction can never truly be replaced.
Color Blender
One of the 2008 Web 2.0 winners is the site Color Blender which won first place in the visual arts category. Colors can be created for use with other programs such as Photoshop and Illustrator or can be emailed. That feature is really useful for someone creating a web site, graphics for materials both print and electronic and photograph retouching. Librarians can use this site to create more individualistic materials for their library or for library web masters. Someone who does not have the industry tools like Photoshop or Illustrator can really benefit from an extended color palette.
It would be nice if the site was compatible with Microsoft Office or Flash but the colors can be downloaded.
It would be nice if the site was compatible with Microsoft Office or Flash but the colors can be downloaded.
Zoho Writer
I toyed around with of online productivity web-based word processing program Zoho Writer. I found it easy to use just like any other word processing program. There are different fonts styles, colors, background colors, photographs and charts can be added to documents.
I like that documents can be available easily to others without worry of the software version someone else has. This makes it much easier to deliver documents and for groups working on the same project. It is nice that documents can be easily converted to other web formats such as html or pdf file.
I like that documents can be available easily to others without worry of the software version someone else has. This makes it much easier to deliver documents and for groups working on the same project. It is nice that documents can be easily converted to other web formats such as html or pdf file.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Sandbox
I liked the Sandbox portion in exploring wikis. I think incorporating play into technology make people want to utilize it even more. I enjoyed looking at people's favorites on the pbcls wiki and adding some of my own to the lists.
Wikis
I looked at two library wikis. I really liked Library Success: A Best Practices of Wiki
http://libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Main_Page
It really interesting how librarians created this page to help each other use technology to for programming and developing imaginative ways to utilize new technology. It is a place for all librarians to add to the library community.
The second wiki I explored was the Bulls Run Library Wiki http://bullrunlibrary.pbwiki.com/, which is a public library wiki. I liked this wiki because it shows how libraries can use a wiki to promote their own services and programs.
http://libsuccess.org/index.php?title=Main_Page
It really interesting how librarians created this page to help each other use technology to for programming and developing imaginative ways to utilize new technology. It is a place for all librarians to add to the library community.
The second wiki I explored was the Bulls Run Library Wiki http://bullrunlibrary.pbwiki.com/, which is a public library wiki. I liked this wiki because it shows how libraries can use a wiki to promote their own services and programs.
Library 2.0
I had read through a number of Library 2.0 articles. I particularly liked Michael Stephens' (Librarian, Blogger) article Into a New World of Librarianship http://www.oclc.org/nextspace/002/3.htm. Stephens describes six way to best incorporate library 2.0 into your library:
1) Using Library 2.0 as a 'strategy guide' for helping users find information, gather knowledge and create content" (para. 1). It's the idea of using new technologies to better do our jobs; to better help our patrons.
2)Creating plans for utilizing technologies to provide services, materials and outreach based on user need (para. 2). It is bringing services to users no matter where they are: "home, work, commuting, school, or at the library" (para. 2).
3) Embracing Web 2.0 tools to better connect with patron (para. 3). For instance using IMs for patrons unable to physically come to the library.
4)Controlling technolust- which is the idea of not using every new technology;only the ones that really will help librarians aid patrons (para. 4).
5)Making good yet fast decisions- this is the idea of not using technology for a project that takes months (para. 5). This is because technology changes too quickly and what is new today is old tomorrow.
6)Using Library 2.0 to be a trend spotter. This is the idea of looking at how technology is being used outside of our profession and seeing how it can be applied to a library setting (para. 6).
7)Library 2.0 gets content. This this "understanding that the future of libraries will be guided by how users access, consume and create content"(para. 7).
I liked this article because it was positive and broke down step by step how Library 2.0 can best be used in your library. Library 2.0 as it is described by Michael Stephens is how I like to utilize it; better providing library service to patrons.
1) Using Library 2.0 as a 'strategy guide' for helping users find information, gather knowledge and create content" (para. 1). It's the idea of using new technologies to better do our jobs; to better help our patrons.
2)Creating plans for utilizing technologies to provide services, materials and outreach based on user need (para. 2). It is bringing services to users no matter where they are: "home, work, commuting, school, or at the library" (para. 2).
3) Embracing Web 2.0 tools to better connect with patron (para. 3). For instance using IMs for patrons unable to physically come to the library.
4)Controlling technolust- which is the idea of not using every new technology;only the ones that really will help librarians aid patrons (para. 4).
5)Making good yet fast decisions- this is the idea of not using technology for a project that takes months (para. 5). This is because technology changes too quickly and what is new today is old tomorrow.
6)Using Library 2.0 to be a trend spotter. This is the idea of looking at how technology is being used outside of our profession and seeing how it can be applied to a library setting (para. 6).
7)Library 2.0 gets content. This this "understanding that the future of libraries will be guided by how users access, consume and create content"(para. 7).
I liked this article because it was positive and broke down step by step how Library 2.0 can best be used in your library. Library 2.0 as it is described by Michael Stephens is how I like to utilize it; better providing library service to patrons.
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