LIS 635 Final Project

For my final project I chose to find free online alternatives to James Rettig's Distinguished Classics of Reference Publishing. As I was searching, though, I found tons of other awesome sources that weren't perfect matches to the Rettig selections, but that I didn't want to discard, so I kept bookmarking and ideas kept percolating.

While reading some library listserv (I subscribe to so many, I can't remember which), a librarian from a small, non-automated library commented that they are able to have an online presence by cataloging their collection in Library Thing and having a blog hosted by Blogger with Flikr pictures and other free online applications.

All of this came together in Free Library, my final project which I plan to continue beyond this course. Check it out! If you have any ideas for content, shoot me an email or post a comment here. I am specifically looking for less well-known links for the free links categories.

And a note on formatting: The Rettig selections are supposed to be in two neat columns. I have spent hours with the html of this and can get everything to look perfect in an online html editor, in the compose function and the preview. Then I publish and it looks all wonky! Frustrating!!!! So I will be working on that. . . .any suggestions are appreciated. . .

#23 Summarize

Click on the Wordle above to see a word cloud of this blog!

What were your favorite discoveries or exercises on this learning journey?
I liked all of them in one way or another. Even those that were not my favorites were good because they expanded my awareness or appreciation of various applications. My favorite part of this exercise was the blog itself. I really enjoy this format. It is both practical and fun.

How has this program assisted or affected your lifelong learning goals?

I feel like I have more tools at my disposal for solving patron inquiries, offering more relevant library services, improving patron/librarian interactions and being generally more up-to-date.

Were there any take-aways or unexpected outcomes from this program that surprised you?

I think one of the over-arching themes I see from this program is that technology can be both friend and foe. When harnessed correctly, it can be a useful tool that enables users to be more productive. Other times, however, technology can be a huge time-sucking vortex. This exercise enabled me to find those things which will enable me to do my job better and gave me an opportunity to weed out some items from my list of things to do. "Been there, done that, don't need it (for now . . .)" That's valuable too!

What could we do differently to improve upon this program’s format or concept?

While this program was designed for a specific group of people within a certain time period (of which we were not a part), since so many others use this concept, keep the links up-to-date. I think adding some exercises to increase awareness of more sites for free (legal!) music, television, movies and open access software would be great. An additional "thing" could also be Google with all of its capabilities and aspects, such as scholar, government, book digitization project, etc.

If we offered another discovery program like this in the future, would you again chose to participate? Absolutely!

Woo hoo! Ich bin fertig!

Aloha

Since I posted about Hulu the other day, I have been thinking about the proliferation of Hawaiian words in technological circles. Is it all part of a grand scheme for Hawaii to take over the world?! To wit:

As noted in the post on wikis, "wiki" comes from the Hawaiian phrase "wiki wiki" meaning "fast." The newer search engine Mahalo takes its name from the word for "thank you." An Internet infrastructure building company Akamai takes it name from the word "smart" in Hawaiian. And now there is Hulu which can mean either "feather, quill, plumage" or "esteemed, choice, precious. (Of course, this is in HAWAIIAN. Had the they looked up the meaning of Hulu, the folks over at Hulu may have chosen a different moniker. Not to get scatological, but Hulu means "butt" in both Malay and Indonesian. Aahh, live and learn.)

So if you are thinking of an entrepreneurial venture, bust out your Hawaiian phrase book. Just watch out. There may soon be an army of hula dancers marching down a street near you!

#22 NetLibrary

OK, in case you haven't noticed over the course of reading this blog, I am a VISUAL learner. Shocking, I know. So I did explore both Net Library and My Media Mall, two applications that are supported by my library, but I did not start accounts. While My Media Mall offers video applications, ebooks (print online) and audio downloads (books), Net Library is audiobooks. I don't do audiobooks and don't need yet another Internet presence complete with unique user name and password!

I totally understand the appeal of audiobooks, especially with the ubiquity of MP3 players, but I need to see the text in order for it to penetrate my brain. I am also going through a personal phase of trying to "unplug" as much as possible in my personal life. Don't get me wrong. I love, appreciate and use technology (especially at work), but I hate the ever-present cell phone and seeing people talking or taking pictures on them instead of living in and experiencing the very moment they are attempting to capture. Same with MP3s. Everyone is plugged in, listening to their own personal soundtrack and ignoring everyone around them. Major pet peeve. Honestly, while it sounds judgemental, I'm actually not judging anyone else. This is just a decision for myself. And I like it. I like being able to ramble around a store and not be buzzed by a cell phone or to have a cup of coffee in the "silence" of the white noise in a public space or to people watch or just observe the world as it passes by. So, I am stepping down off the soapbox and getting back on topic -- NET LIBRARY:

NetLibrary, as a division of OCLC, is an excellent and reliable source for audiobooks. Obvious benefits to online audiobooks is availability, durability (no scratches or broken tape!) and portability. A library doesn't have to find shelf space or spend staff time cataloging, processing or shelving the items. Patrons have 24/7 access with perhaps a greater selection than their home library might be able to provide otherwise. For folks into audiobooks, Net Library is an awesome resource. For those of us, not into audiobooks, we can admire from afar. (But I really do GET IT and our library subscribes and has good feedback regarding this product.)

#21 Podcasts

I have read some of my classmates' posts on this topic and they all rave at how easy this podcasting thing is. Well, can one of them please help me? I did not find this easy at all! Two of the three links at the Library 2.0 site did not work. Also audioblogger.com where one can create podcasts is now defunct. So I was left with Podcast Alley which was OK, but not great.

First off, I listen to talk radio and news almost all day, so while I am more of a visual learner, my brain can adjust to auditory input, but I find listening to podcasts difficult and tedious, because I don't like being tied to the computer. If I had an MP3, they might be good, but I don't even have a cell phone, so an MP3 is not forthcoming!

Second, my experience with podcasts previously was limited to listening to my pastor's sermons if I missed church (I know, I know, what a total nerd!) and which I did not find "difficult and tedious." I have never had any problems with listening to these, just click the link and listen. Everything I tried to listen to from Podcast Alley wanted me to download software in order to listen to it, but since none of the options were rated very highly, I was reluctant to do so. Many had only one or two stars out of five, so I was not real keen on putting junk on my computer!

As others have pointed out, the experience with podcasts is enlightening in the sheer volume of them available. And I like the idea of Podcast Alley's slogan "free the airwaves." I like anything that gives voice to people and is open access and FREE! Hence my love of Hulu, Google Docs, Open Office, GHOST, blogger and affection (not love) for You Tube. Podcasts fall into that same category. Anyone may create a podcast -- the ultimate free speech.

For library application, I suppose podcasts could be useful, but I think that blogs, websites, even videos might be more appropriate and appreciated by patrons. I think that people tend to be more visual than auditory, so the use of podcasts in library settings may be limited. Making patrons aware of them and giving easy access, however, could never hurt.

Hulu?! Anybody out there?

Since the "economic downturn" seems to be on everyone's minds lately, I ran across a nifty site that might be of interest to classmates and patrons.

Hulu is a website that contains free television content and movies. We are having more and more patrons coming in to the library saying that they no longer have cable because they cannot afford it, so our DVD circulation stats must be through the roof. My own family is thinking of doing the same. However, a lot of these same people have wireless Internet or keep their Internet access (we would since I am in school), so Hulu would be a great site. The selection is limited but growing and pretty impressive considering it's free. Combined with library subscription services such as My Media Mall and network sites which offer free episodes of some shows, a person could get along quite nicely without cable and still have some viewing pleasure options. That said, it would also be nice to ditch the television all together, but there would be major mutiny at our house!!

#20 You Tube

First, I just have to say that I love Arthur! I love the books, the PBS cartoon show, just the name "Arthur" is great! Even if I didn't have kids who watched Arthur, I would still watch it occasionally because the plots actually have several layers of depth to them with humor and literary allusions for adults (education-wise, not content-wise!). And I hate to admit how many times my three kids and I have danced in our living room to "Having fun isn't hard when you've got a library card!" But, on to You Tube . . .

The name You Tube is clearly a pun on the slang term "Boob Tube" and no more apt a moniker was ever coined. You Tube is at the center of the Internet time-sucking vortex and is filled with tons of narcissistic garbage. That said, it is also home to a lot of great content including humorous, educational and moving videos. I like searching favorite songs and seeing the videos other people have created (usually photo montages). You Tube is also a great space for family and friends to share video long distance. WE have numerous friends and family who post binkie's first steps or tot's first drum set and then send us a link. It's a nice way to stay in touch.

Does You Tube have any serious applications for library use? I struggle to come up with anything truly earth-shattering! It would be fun for a teen group at the library to create videos for other teens telling what they love about the library and then post it on the teen spot on the library website. Or how about a several session teen program where they create a murder mystery mini movie (m4!) set in the library? Staff training videos could be created or some sort of fun video that is on the library's website that welcomes patrons and sets the tone for an interactive, enjoyable library experience? You know, because HAVING FUN ISN'T HARD, WHEN YOU'VE GOT A LIBRARY CARD!!!

#19 Web 2.0

Boo! I chose Ghost as my site to explore from the list of Web 2.0 Award Winners. GHOST stands for Global Hosted Operating SysTem and is a virtual computer and operating system complete with office suite and web applications. The entire system is free and the benefit is that users have their entire computer not tied to a specific physical machine, but hosted online and available anywhere in the world.

The entire project is completely open source; they use no commercial software and are working on making their programming accessible to users to write their own applications (like Flickr, but on a larger scale!) What an awesome concept! What is even more incredible is that this is a joint Palestinian-Israeli venture backed by Benchmark Capital with an even grander goal than awesome technology -- peace between Arabs and Israelis.

I find this project to be something so incredible it seems like it's from a movie or book plot. Check it out if you get a chance. I'm going to investigate a little more and might use it as our main OS.

#18 Online Productivity

I had never heard of Zoho prior to this assignment, but I do regularly use open access software. We have Open Office which came out of a combination of naivety and necessity. Last year we got a great deal on a new computer. Our old computer was so ancient that it was running on Windows 98 which might explain why we were so out of the loop on the fact that new computers, especially bargain ones, don't come preloaded with software like Microsoft Office Suite. When we realized this (and the fact that without Microsoft our brand new computer was a pretty spectacular paper weight!) we were stunned to discover the cost of software. On our tight budget, which was blown by the bargain computer, we could not afford anything more. This is where my frugal techie brother came to the rescue and told us about Open Office. What an awesome product -- and all for free. Now that I also know about Zoho and Google Docs, I don't know why anyone drops that kind of coin on Microsoft products when equally useful, user friendly alternatives exist. (Plus it feels kind of fun to stick it to "the man.")

For this assignment, I used my Google account to open a Zoho account which took about twenty seconds -- EASY! Then I typed this document and posted it directly to my blog as a draft, double checked the formatting and published it. Nothing could have been easier. I also checked out Google Docs which was also accessible via my existing Google account. I like the seamless interactions between applications and the ease of use of both word processors. They are completely navigable by anyone familiar with any other word processor. I am looking forward to using the presentation (Power Point counterpart) applications as soon as I have a reason! As the economic downturn continues to be an unwelcome guest at the table, it will be interesting to see if more and more people turn to open access software options. I see only exponential growth in their future.

#17 PBWiki

This was supposed to be fun and it was not fun. False advertising!! Ok, I did get an account and log in, hit edit and bracketed my URL and it is on the list of favorite blogs! Woo-hoo. Big downer is that the link is not active and the link widget doesn't work correctly. (And I know how to use them!!) Frustrating.

But looking at the bright side of things, I learned one new thing and found one cool thing. I learned that this symbol "|" is called a "pipe." I'm not sure I ever noticed it on my keyboard before! (and I still don't really know what it is used for . . .) I also found the awesome blog One Minute Writer in the list of favorite blogs. It is a site with a sixty second timer and a writing prompt for each day. The idea is to write for one minute on the day's topic. Awesome!

So after that little adventure with PBWiki, I've decided that this is how I prefer my PB:

Or since this exercise was called a "sandbox" (as in "let's play around and have fun"), the experience could also be put this way:

As advertised:

As experienced:

#16 Wide World of Wikis!

This assignment was worth it just to find this site: This Into That. You have to check it out. I went to the Library Success Best Practices Wiki and under their weeding section found the site as an alternative manner of discarding books. This Into That is the gallery for an artist who makes all kinds of fascinating object with old books. Very clever!

Beyond that, I found this module to be amusing. Prior to starting library school, the only wiki I had ever heard of was Wikipedia and pretty much regarded it with disdain. I assumed information specialists would feel similarly, so I was surprised when in my first semester of grad school the Director of SLIS at UWM talked about the valuable resource that is Wikipedia! Since then I have come to see Wikipedia (and wikis in general) to be a viable starting point for all sorts of queries.

I said I found this module amusing because I think that there are still a lot of professionals in the field who grossly misunderstand wikis and their benefits. Evidence can be found in the PLCMC's own Core Competencies blog comments. One commenter wrote, "Great concept but so open to malicious mis-use. How will we ever achieve a balance of truth and free use for all? Should we view wiki as just a gimmick? Like getting information from a comic book! " They totally missed the point. Wikis do have some weaknesses, but since the possible flaws are known entities, I think in some ways wikis become more reliable than sources with an authoratative gloss, but hidden agenda. A simple Google search of the terms "wikipedia accuracy vs britannica" reveals that numerous tests have been done on Wikipedia's accuracy and it has withstood close scholarly scrutiny.

I also find the debate over controversial topics in wikis to be interesting. A good example is the Wikipedia entries for anything relating to the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. Of course, heated debate ensues, but I think this gives a broader perspective to the issue. Sources are required so users are given the opportunity to cross reference and determine veracity for themselves. For thinking folks who don't like to just accept the written word at face value, wikis are thought provoking, helpful and as stated before, excellent jumping off points for forays into all kinds of informational adventures.

On that travel related note, in homage to the origin of the term "wiki," and in an attempt at staving off the bitter cold that has blown in -- ENJOY:

#15 Web 2.0, Library 2.0 & the Future of Libraries

The articles for this assignment offered some interesting ideas that I'll unpack briefly here.

One point from Rick Anderson's article "Away from Icebergs" is that libraries need to change the notion of requiring patrons to come to libraries for their information needs. Libraries no longer hold the monopoly on information, so we need to acknowledge the competition, as well as its new digital nature. I largely agree with Anderson on this point. Libraries must strive to be relevant in the digital age and be constantly looking to serve patrons where they are. This is one of the main tenets of Library 2.0 -- to provide useful information service to our patrons wherever they are by making good use of technological resources. That said, I am also a big proponent of the "Third Place" movement, which in some ways is on the exact opposite end of the service spectrum. In brief, it is the idea of making public spaces, such as libraries, a third place after home and work. This concept dovetails nicely into the article by Dr. Wendy Schultz.

Her article "To a Temporary Place in Time" was my favorite since it provided a historical frame of reference for library services all the way from Alexandria (Library 1.0) to the future (Library 4.0). As a former history teacher, this is exactly how categorize, reference and approach information, so her brief article really resonated with me. We are already on the cusp of reality with her description of Library 3D. Schultz describes "digital natives," people who spend as much time in cyberworlds such as Second Life as they do in reality. Libraries are going to have to address this growing population of gamers and avatars perhaps by creating their own avatar presence in these virtual reality environments. This is along the same lines as the article I posted on previously for #7.

But what I found most interesting was her conception of the Neo Library --Library 4.0. Her description of libraries as "mind gyms," "idea labs," "art salons" and "knowledge spas" is highly appealing. She explains the aesthetic experience that will be necessary for libraries to remain relevant in the not too distant future. This is the idea of Third Place coming to fruition and it is this concept in its infancy that first drew me to librarianship -- the sense of belonging to a community, of being an integral part of something larger than self and of fulfilling some sort of societal need. So while library services and the world around us grow increasingly technologically advanced and as libraries strive to keep up with the digital flow of information, I believe that it will ultimately be the human touch added to these advances that saves and preserves our profession.

(And what if Schultz's Neo Library vision comes true -- complete with smooth single malt whisky and fine coffee? All the better! Bring it on!)

#14 Technorati

Oh Technorati, what a love-hate relationship we have! Things I like about Technorati:

1). Sense of humor (ie. "Doh! The Technorati Monster escaped again. We're currently experiencing backend issues and are working to resolve them as quickly as possible. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience.")

2). The more focused searching of blogs and the fact that blogs are treated as a possible venue for authoritative information. This is just one more attempt to manage the incredible surge in the creation of new pieces of information.

3). Being able to "claim" blogs and add them for peer critique and review. What I mean by this is that registering with Technorati gets my blogs more into the public eye where they have a better chance of sinking or swimming on their own merits as opposed to languishing in complete obscurity, even if they contain valuable information. (And I'm not saying that they do, but if they ever did. . . you know what I mean!)

4). The ability to search for content categorized by subjects and tags that are both authoritative and on blogs (or news sites). Again, I guess this speaks to the equalizing of the playing field and the acknowledgement of the fact that blogs CAN contain good information.

Mostly the thing I have HATED about Tecnorati is their technical glitches. I have never used Technorati where the "Technorati monster" didn't get loose. Eee gads, keep that thing caged! I have had blank screens, unrecognized account information, freezes and all out Technorati meltdown. Enough. I am a very patient person, but it seems very unprofessional that every time I have used Technorati, there are glitches.

The Technorati Monster:

As an aside, can I just say that almost every time I try to type the word "blogs," I type the word "clogs" instead? This only happens when I am typing the plural form of blog and must be related to the fact that I am half Swedish!!!

Information Overload!

Here's how I've been feeling lately:

#13 Del.icio.us

Yum. Again, Del.icio.us is something I have been meaning to do for some time, but never found "some time." The budding librarian in me gets a little overwhelmed at the possibility of the variety of tags one could use. I typed a simple "frugal-living" tag for a blog I follow, then looked to see what others had tagged: cooking, coupons, recipes, frugal, budget, food, frugality. This is from just a little blog that only 25 people have tagged. Others are even more crazy. As Vonnegut was so fond of saying, "So it goes."

A couple of things I really liked about Del.icio.us: It was EASY to import my existing bookmarks. I literally pushed the import button and that was it. Excellent. Perhaps I need to spend more time with my Google Reader, but I was frustrated that I couldn't easily find a way to RSS my bookmarked sites, but had to manually set each one up. That was slow, irritating and I didn't do all of them because I didn't have time. RSS is supposed to SAVE me time! I like things that work with the click of a mouse or push of a button. Call me Simpleton!

I also like that Del.icio.us is similar to LibraryThing in that it can be as simple or complex as the user wishes to make it. I can use Del.icio.us as a portable folder for my bookmarks that I can access from any computer. This alone is a great feature and is very simple. Or I could use the powerful networking and tagging to share research, conduct searches or find information. I like applications that have multiple layers of use.

In terms of library use, Del.icio.us has several options. Libraries could create their own accounts that users could view from the library homepage. These accounts could include the various sites that the library has deemed authoritative and most useful to their particular patrons or even a specific group of patrons (genealogy folks, for example). I think the broader idea of having applications with multiple layers of use is a good one for libraries to keep in mind, as well. Some patrons don't want to or are unable to wade through all of the bells and whistles of a particular program, but it's nice to have them as options for those who do.

#12 Rollyo

Very cool! I can see where librarians could Rollyo a search tool that utilizes the sites they regularly use. For the purposes of this exercise, I created one for Green Living. I have several blogs and sites that I regularly check. By Rollyo-ing them together, I am able to search those sites for specific topics. So for instance, I searched "chicken meals" and got numerous hits that utilize chicken in an eco-friendly, local living way. I also searched "household cleaners" and got a bunch of hits for environmentally safe cleaning products. My favorite thing about Rollyo is using the word Rollyo as a verb (as evidenced by this post!).

#11 Library Thing

I became aware of LibraryThing several years ago and always thought that in my "free time" I would someday start an account and catalog my books. Well, "someday" has arrived, not that I have any free time! I am glad that I have an account since now I can grab a stack of books, enter a few at a time and voila! I have my own personal catalog. I was impressed at how easy and user-friendly this site is. While still powerful and useful, it is not overwhelming.

This is what I like most about LibraryThing. It can be as simple or as complicated as you want. You can easily open an account, add some books and you're all set. If you never use any of the other tools, you still have a nifty way of managing your personal collection. But LibraryThing offers much more through the use of tagging, recommendations, user-generated reviews, blogs, news and other content.

I am going to systematically add my titles, so the items showing on my catalog now are an odd sliver of my collection, but will be more indicative of my reading as time goes on.

Will you look at that? I got through an entire post without a picture, image or visual!

Hey, Chicago, What Do You Say?

So somebody else has been having fun with mashups and generators!









And to keep it all literary and relevant, here are a couple of titles we can add to our collections:


And my favorite children's selection:
Excuse me. This brought back all of those terrible feelings I had buried until next season. I'm leaving now to go have a good cry. I hate being a Cubs fan sometimes. . . .

Living Library

Check out this excellent article on the Living Library concept.

From the article: "An eclectic collection of books will be on loan for a few hours Saturday at the Bainbridge Island Library, covering such diverse topics as life as a quadriplegic, a female police officer, a young gay man and an atheist.

The titles are thought-provoking for a reason: All represent people who have been stereotyped. In fact, the "books" are people -- local residents of different backgrounds who have volunteered to be "checked out" for 30-minute periods by "readers" for one-on-one discussions."

This idea grew out of a One Community, One Book program that focused on prejudice through To Kill a Mockingbird. I hope to someday be instrumental in bringing a similar idea to our community. Awesome!

"Todd Stabelfeldt, a quadriplegic, speaks to a group of students at King's Junior High School in Shoreline on Wednesday. Stabelfeldt, who started a foundation to help people with spinal cord injuries, is one of the living "books" who can be checked out from the Bainbridge Island Library."

#10 Play Around with Image Generators

This "task" was loads of fun. (Again listen for the giant sucking sound as time goes swooping into the Internet vortex!)

I thought that The Generator Blog was excellent and easy to use. I was so impressed I added it to my Google Reader so I will always be on the cutting edge of generator technology! One fun one was the BabyMaker 3000, which surprisingly is found on the Volkswagen site. Here is a picture of my husband and me with our real kids:

Using BabyMaker 3000, I used this exact picture, isolated our faces and uploaded us. Here is the baby generated:

It is a lot better than I thought it would be! I was expecting more along the lines of what Conan O'Brien does! Cute, but my real babies are still way cuter!!! And then here is another one I tried for comparison from Make Me Babies. This site allows you to choose celebrities as well, which I guess is supposed to be fun for some people. . . .

Frankly, most of these just creeped me out, but a site that I thought was awesome and that had some possibilities for librarians was Letter James. They offer all kinds of standard images that can then be personalized like the two below. They offer calendars too, which would make great gifts. For libraries, their images could make excellent publicity or signage as easy as just typing in some text, saving and printing. Awesome!

Please note that the graffiti is the work of an amateur tagger (of the "old skool" variety)! I had no idea what pithy statement to write . . . And the "Go Cubs!" is rather sadly very belated. There's always next year. . . .

And lastly, there are literally thousands of name generators out there, but one fun one was the Hip Hop Name Generator. My Hip Hop name is Tha Notorious La Vida Loca. I want a nametag for work with that on it. You know, building rapport and all that.

#9 Finding Feeds

Wow. This was a lot trickier than I thought it would be. I went to all four tools listed at 23 Things: Feedster, Topix.net, Syndic8.com and Technorati. I did not find any of them very user friendly. There seems to be quite a bit of assumption on the part of the creators in terms of how much they feel their users already know. I didn't find any of them intuitive or user friendly, and I consider myself to be fairly tech savvy.

This is a good lesson for libraries. Just because someone can push a few buttons on the OPAC does not mean they know exactly how to use the catalog or what to do with the information that they find there. This is a fine line to walk since we don't want to assume patrons know nothing and risk appearing condescending, but we must not assume they know everything about our sources no matter how technically literate they seem.

I resorted to some more "primitive" methods of Internet searching, namely Google, previously bookmarked library-related sites and links to other sites from library sites to add to my RSS feeds. I follow a few library blogs regularly. Shifted Librarian is not one of them. I think I am one of the only people in Library Land who just isn't over the moon in love with SL. Actually, one blog that I really like is from a classmate. Her site The Library Student is very relevant with storytime themes and ideas, children's book reviews and annotated book lists. I also added Library Stuff and Librarian.net. Good stuff, although that giant sucking sound keeps getting louder. . . .

#8 RSS and Newsreaders

I've been wanting to set up an RSS account for a long time, but have resisted partly because clicking on to a friend's blog and finding a new post is like unwrapping a small present and it brings me a little happiness. But as I discover more and more blogs that I enjoy reading and my favorites folders fill to bursting, clicking on each blog to see if there is something new becomes really time-consuming. So the time for RSS has arrived.

In a moment of rebellion, I have not signed up for Bloglines as instructed, but instead have opted for Google Reader. I have received many recommendations to use Reader, and I already have a Google account (obviously, since Blogger is a Google product!). My homepage is an iGoogle page, so the whole affair is seamless and integrated. It is relatively easy to add a blog or feed to Reader, just time consuming since I have so many that I enjoy. This will be an ongoing project!

An aside: OK, I think we all know about my penchant for adding pictures to my blog. I usually use Google image search to find good pictures if they are not self-generated. But tonight I couldn't find what I wanted so a drew down on my new-found knowledge of Flickr and found the above gem. Perfect!

#7 Blog about Technology

Last year, a classmate turned me on to Library Link of the Day. It is what it sounds like -- a link each day to an article, video or other Internet content that is library-related, and it has really kept me connected to a variety of interesting stories in our field. Just yesterday was a link to the conference presentation of a colleague from UW-Milwaukee at the AISTI Ninth Annual Mini-Conference. It is a 48-page document, but if you have the opportunity to peruse Consoles, Clickers and Chat: Tools for the Library of Today, you will find it fascinating. For those who choose not to take a look, I'll paraphrase a couple of interesting points.

John Hubbard discusses the coveted "younger" patron demographic, that group which is technologically savvy, yet reluctant to partake of library services, feeling they are not relevant, needed or offered. Hubbard says, "We don’t need to have the same technological tastes as our patrons, no sooner than we need to dress like them or listen to their music, but it is important to understand where we are in relation to our patron base so that we can meet the most user needs." (2) In talking about who our potential patrons might be, he shows a picture of hundreds of people waiting in line for the release of the video game Grand Theft Auto IV which made more than $500 million its opening weekend outpacing all but fifty movies in history. That's a lot of folks out there gaming. Are we reaching them, meeting their needs, bringing them through our doors?

To further demonstrate the popularity of gaming, Hubbard shows several virtual events including weddings and funerals where peoples' online selves (avatars) participate as though in real life. Two popular sites are World of Warcraft which has "over 10 million users worldwide and a GDP larger than that of many countries" (5) and Second Life. These online communities are so realistic that several libraries, including the Library of Congress have placed content within these virtual worlds. LOC has created an interface that allows users of the virtual community to access their digitized collections. Hubbard goes so far as to say that [Second Life] "is not even what I would call a video game per se so much as a community that happens to be on the Internet. Once you accept that it’s not a game with any set objectives, there are some very interesting applications of Second Life, such as the sharing of library collections..." (7). Wow! I find this fascinating!

Hubbard goes on to argue in favor of technology that enhances patron use of the library including offering video games, clickers and gaming consoles. His arguments are compelling, his evidence both empirical and anecdotal, and his tips practical. If you are looking to take on your local library board in favor of gaming, this would be an invaluable resource.

Frankly, I have mixed feelings about gaming at the library, but I mostly fall on the side of offering it in some form. Hubbard offers great advice about what that can look like in a library setting which will in turn help keep us relevant and cutting edge.

#6 Flickr Mashups

How fun is this? Do you hear that giant sucking sound? It is the sound of my time being swallowed up in the great black hole of the Internet! There is just too much way cool stuff to mess around with on Flickr.

Flickr has an Open Interface Application (API) which just means that anyone can write a program to utilize or present Flickr data. In fact, they encourage it! There are entire websites devoted to toys, gadgets, widgets and applications for Flickr pictures (or is it pictrs?). I made the above picture with Spell with Flickr. The best part was that it was totally easy. Just type in the word, click a button and out pops some awesome letters. If you don't like the letters, click on each one for a zillion other choices.

Here is my son as a pop art icon. This can be done at the Wharholizer. I have wanted to do this for years, and have tried doing it more "by hand," but still with digital pictures. It is amazing that a simple upload of a picture and the click of one button could accomplish this! So while finding the applications and navigating Flickr and its incredible amount of content is overwhelming at the start, the mashups applications could be real time-savers once one becomes familiar with them.

We found the above creature living in a messy habitat near our home. There may be more; scientists are continuing to excavate. Magazine covers can be generated at this page by Big Huge Labs. I found Big Huge Labs' page to be one of the easiest pages to find, navigate and use.

Now, to put all of this in a library frame of reference. . . . In terms of how libraries and librarians could use all of these applications, I am in a bit of a quandry. There are the obvious ideas of using these for marketing materials, generating your own staff "READ" posters and creating pretty impressive content for library web pages and blogs. I think well-versed staff would also be helpful in teaching these applications in either a program setting or more informally as patrons ask. Beyond that, I am curious to see what other classmates come up with.

Flikr Lurkr

In light of our Flikr exploration, I came across this amusing blog. The blogger posts other people's pictures that he finds on Flikr that he finds amusing (let that be a warning to ya!). They are pretty funny! Flikr Lurkr Have fun!

#5 Explore Flikr

I usually use Shutterfly for my online photo "stuff" and found Flikr a little bit harder to navigate. Although, it does look like I will be able to do more with Flickr than Shutterfly once I get the hang of it. I did use the red-eye feature on the dog and guinea pig pictures, and it was easy!

The introduction slideshow/tutorial to Flikr was very helpful, but it made using Flikr look a lot easier than it really is. I think it's like anything else, you have to learn a new "lingo" and how to get around and then you'll be fine.

The sheer volume of options is a little overwhelming, but also inspiring. The creative applications really make me want to do something artistic with some of my pictures (not any of the ones I have shown here!) The slideshow above is just a few goofy moments from the past couple of months around the ZamFam house. Pets and kids. What could be better?

And Luna is a "Caymanian Water Hound" which is to say a mutt I got at the Human Society in the Cayman Islands when I lived there. She was one hour away from being euthanized, weighed only four pounds and was covered in raw, open wounds and cigarette burns. Sometimes in January, I feel bad about bringing her to the Great White North (no more beach runs!), but I figure the alternative was much, much worse!

Addendum:

The feature to embed the html code did not work to get my slideshow on my blog, so I looked at Beth's blog, entered pictobrowser.com via her blog and embedded with no problem. This was very frustrating though! I'm not sure if the problem was on the Flikr end of things or Blogger's.

#4 Register Your Blog

For the sake of continuity, I am including a #4 even though it is not really possible to register this blog with PLCMC. I'm kind of OCD that way. I did add my link to the class discussion board so that all of my UWM LIS 635 classmates may share in the joy of Library 2.0 discovery.

Acronym Power!

And just for Beth: "FRBR"

PS: Spellcheck hates acronyms!

# 3 Set Up Your Own Blog

#2 Being a Lifelong Learner

I think anyone who is in library school must be some sort of lifelong learner, which is part of the attraction of LIS in the first place. If you're not interested in learning and expanding your knowledge base, this is probably the wrong field. So yes, "lifelong learner" is a descriptor that fits me well. When faced with the inevitable information overload that accompanies this and many other fields, my biggest stressor is the feeling of trying to catch a sip from a fire hose, because I am so "thirsty" for more knowledge. I want to know more. I don't know what I don't know. The more I learn, the more I learn that I don't know much! And the quest goes on.

According to our tutorial, there are 7 1/2 habits of lifelong learners. Here's my paraphrase:

1) Have specific goals

2) Take responsibility for your own learning

3) See the equation PROBLEMS = CHALLENGES

4) Have confidence in yourself as a learner

5) Have a learning toolbox

6) Use technology to your advantage

7) Teach or mentor others

1/2) PLAY! HAVE FUN!

Well, I've got the 1/2 down. That's not to say that I don't take learning seriously. I do. I used to be a high school teacher and it is in those proving grounds that I came to firmly believe that not only CAN learning be fun, but it SHOULD be fun. That's why when I taught history, we ate, told stories around a fake fireplace, listened to music, danced, made crafts and mummified things (no younger siblings!). I collected indulgences one morning as students came to class to illustrate medieval church corruption and set the classroom up as a manor with a lord and serfs whose currency was M&Ms to demonstrate how much was held in the hands of a few. We sure had fun . . . and did a whole lot of learning in the process. Humans are playful creatures and we need to be mindful of that fact -- particularly as we try to break those old librarian stereotypes.

Since I do consider myself to be a lifelong learner, I feel that I bear many of the above hallmarks. If I struggle with any, it would be having a learning toolbox, mostly because this is an area that is constantly in flux. Not only is your tool need different for each task, but the state of "tools" is rapidly moving and expanding. A favorite tool may become obsolete or incompatible; new tools might be better but have a steep learning curve; you might be unaware of the perfect tool and end up making do with an inferior tool. Of course, the very definition of "tool" is growing and morphing. It may mean a print resource, a place, a person, an online/digital resource, a subscription item, a free application, the list is really endless. Therein lies the challenge -- being in the stream of information without being washed away, keeping up-to-date without being overwhelmed.

Oh, and PS: I am a VISUAL learner! :)

#1 of Twenty Three Things

As previously mentioned, this blog is started as a class assignment with the goal being learning more about Library 2.0 -- the movement within library and information studies to keep up with emerging technologies. More than just moving to more online applications, Library 2.0 is about reaching patrons where they are through virtual reference, meeting needs with electronic resources and marketing services and programs in a technologically relevant way. There are 23 steps we need to take and they will be documented here on my Reference This! blog.

I'll try to have fun along the way. Frankly, life is too short (and too busy) to not try to make the journey amusing.

But I Mean It With the Utmost Respect. . .

Welcome to Reference This! Whhheeeee! Don't you wish you could be a student who actually gets CREDIT to blog? If you're reading this, you probably already are, since this is a class assignment. So I am expecting that most traffic (and I am sure there will be absolute JAMS of traffic!!) will be of the classmate variety!

I enjoy writing and find it the best way to order my thoughts and synthesize what I learn, so I am looking forward to this foray into library blogging. Welcome aboard.

I thought about introducing myself in this first post, but frankly, I think the only people really interested in all of my particulars are me and . . . mostly just me. So why bore you? When I have something scintillating to share from the library universe, I'll post it here. That would be much more satisfactory, I think. Only item that might be pertinent, but probably not, is that I am an Anglophile and Francophobe. I can't help it. I was born that way -- kind of like being a Cubs fan. Seriously, do you think anyone would choose that kind of heartache (being a Cubs fan, I mean. The Francophobe is much more logical . . .)? Spoken with tongue firmly in cheek. . .

Peace to all until next time. . .