24th Thing

I have spent a grand total of zero time posting to this blog (and almost as much to the blog for work) because of all the other web 2.0 things i've been doing - particularly IMing and setting up widgets and such at our library.

I have taught a few classes in how to set up a blogger blog and truthfully, I don't see much reason for me to do it on a regular basis. My vanity may be huge, but I'm not a bit sharer online. I have too much to do that doesn't involve blogging.

That said, I do try to keep up at least once a week reading other librarian blogs with the Google Reader. I love the Google Reader and it's a great tool for keeping current, although I just scan all the blogs I follow, and don't find myself reading in depth unless a certain headline grabs me.

I don't comment on other blogs (largely because I read them through RSS which doesn't always give access to the comments (or I don't see it)). Double parenthesis, how quaint.

I went for a more "out there" avatar which is really apropos of nothing.

And all breathe in... and breathe out.. post 23

I am so pleased to have finished this in time to start my taxes. Kidding - taxes done months ago. I didn't think I would learn nearly as much as I did. And I didn't think I would have to start keeping a spread sheet with all of my different username and passwords. My thanks to all the people in Minnesota that made this program possible. It really is possible to do it in the time allotted, however, some of us may have put it off so long that we're rushing to finish.

There is so much out there on the web, I think the hardest thing to do sometimes is sort through all of the information to find the things that are actually of use to us. This program showed us lots of tools (some compelling, some less so).

And then there's part of me that is exhausted and wondering how many things there will be on a stick once web 3.0 comes around. But that's at least another few weeks away, I'm sure.

Getting down to post 22

I have enjoyed going through this program and I think for me the RSS feeds are the most helpful thing of all the web 2.0 things we covered. A lot of the other things are more eye candy and they don't interest me very much. I will vow to add more interesting sites to my Google Reader (which I continue to love), but as for blogging, it's hard enough for me to find time to keep up with the Reference Blog at my library let alone add more to this one. I do like being familiar with some of the more prolific/enlighted librarian bloggers (Michael Stephens, Jenny Levine. et al,) and seeing them at conferences. I'm teaching a class about blogging later this week, and am looking forward to sharing this blog (and a smattering of the other things I've learned) with them.

I hope to go back and try some of the challenges after this part is done.

Post number 21

I thought I would like Gather. I don't know if it was the unimposing layout or maybe just seeing Current DJ Bill DeVille within seconds of getting to the page. I signed up for an account quickly, but then decided that I'd rather not reveal so much about myself online. Maybe I listen to MPR too much and am still paranoid. Also, it seems largely like a waste of my time. I get really uncomfortable with some of these online personna things. It feels like I'm trying to make "fake" friends. If I had moved to a new area, I would probably look more into social sites like this to try and connect with new people in my new environs. Anything that MPR is invested in is probably okay by me, but I don't have the time to be online socially (regular social committments are enough for me, thank you)

I do like WebJunction and have used it for taking online classes, but not so much the social aspect of it. I do search the boards from time to time if I'm looking for information on a library topic, but have not had a lot of luck.

The Ning site was interesting, but kind of infuriating when the pages loaded really slowly and never seemed to display the pertinent part of the web page leaving you to scroll either up or down to find the place you were looking for. Also, I'm not still not a big fan of the background that doesn't move when you scroll down.

I looked at Flixster, and it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. I think I prefer reading blogs and websites to interacting with other people on the web.

About the only quasi-social networks that I use with any frequency are library list-servs. They can be a great resouce for checking out library issues with other librarians in almost real time. It also amuses me to see which issues are highly commented on and which just die a slow death with no one replying to them.

Facebook and MySpace number 20

I don't get the whole social network thing. I suppose that's good. I have heard about how when libraries set up their own pages, most of their friends tend to be other libraries and authors. I didn't realize that we had MySpace banned on our internet until I tried to log on at work. Unless you had a very active teen program or serve a college-aged population, I just don't see why we would want to be on either MySpace or Facebook. I didn't find either Denver or Hennepin's page overly impressive.

I looked at the MySpace page for Denver and immediately recoiled seeing sponsored links on a "library" website. Then I was irritated by the music that started playing (not because it was bad, but because it was playing 0ver the music I was already listening to on my computer). Everyting about it just smacks of bad web design (from the sound to the moving objects to the "floating" over the static background), but then again, I digress.

Where I think it could be useful is drawing teens/young adults to your website proper (and perhaps to your actual library, too!). I went to the teen page link for Denver and they had an AWESOME teen page. If you could get teens to visit your page through MySpace, I think it's worth it. It would be a good place to host embedded links for youtube (that sometimes do look a little bit cruddy on a "proper" website.

Unless you have the time and inclination to put new, good and appealing content on a regular basis, I don't know that a MySpace or Facebook page for a library would do well.

Podcasting number 19

I love podcasting, but find that I don't have nearly the time that I want to listen to all the things I would like to. I regularly download "This American Life" and other MPR programs, sometimes to horde them for when I have to take long plane trips and fill my MP3 player with things I actually want to listen to. I do have internet speed issues, so I do have to plan ahead to download something at home - I haven't gotten into it enough to get any kind of podcatcher software on my PC to do it automatically yet.

We have started dipping our feet into the podcast waters. I recorded a few speakers during this year's Rochester Reads with Audacity software on my laptop and put them up on our RR website audio page. I'm still trying to get a decent recording in a live environment given the equipment and experience that I have to work with.

I actually liked the interface of podcast.net, but podcast alley had so much more personality that I think I would go there first. Yahoo, as usual, needs a whole lot more work to make it aesthetically appealing.

You Tube and Video number 18

I am grateful that we have a faster internet connection at work than at home. I just love this loving tribute to our current president by one Mr. Stephen Colbert in 2006. Too bad it's long enough they have to break it into parts. Funny stuff, even if many of the guests clearly do not get it.





I also love youtube for making tv clips of some of my favorite bands accessible. This priceless Replacements clip is great, and if it wasn't for sharing sites like youtube, it would be trapped on someone's dusty VHS tape never to be seen by the masses.



What I don't like about youtube is that anyone can put anything up on the site, permission or not. I was myself a victim of a rather lame video that is posted on youtube (I didn't realize the brilliant little "punk'd" rejects were taping me. You can see it here:



We have a youtube channel at my library (that we add to when we're not busy stopping patrons from singing). We posted the winners of a teen video contest and have links to a Somali "introduction to the library" video we were involved in producing. We hope to put some tutorial videos for some of our databases soon (once they're produced).