I became an IM addict in college. I'd IM people I knew were downstairs in my dorm lobby. I'd IM my roommate. I'd IM people across the country. It was, I must say, the coolest thing ever.
Then I just decided I didn't care anymore (this was probably around the end of college) and I don't think I've IM'd in years. I think text-messaging is the new IM, but I have yet to embrace texting. More on that later...
I had to practice a virtual reference chat in my Reference class last year. Whew! It was way harder than I thought it would be, even though I used to IM. In person, I'm happy to conduct a reference interview and try to find out what exactly a person is looking for. However, when it's time to type it all out, I felt like I was bombarding the other person with questions. It was kinda awkward. I think IM reference is a great resource to offer IF you have the staff to dedicate to it. It really ties someone to a computer.
As for texting - I think it's a great way to communicate, it's really wonderful for people who might otherwise have trouble communicating with the reference staff (say, a Deaf person) but again, you have to have staff who understand it and can dedicate real reference time to it. It's not as great as IM for reference because you can only provide the shortest of answers on text AND it is infinately more difficult to point someone to a resource via text. (With IM, you can send them a link to almost any online resource and BAM they have it!)
As for webinars, my most recent experiment with that is in a library science class. The class is an online class, but we meet via Adobe Connect sometimes to make sure everyone's in sync. We'll have final presentations to do via the internet at the end of the semester. If people have web cams they can use them. We've been encouraged to buy microphones. If all of that fails, you can chat alongside everyone else. It's actually really cool to be part of an online, collaborative effort like that. I've also enjoyed using Google Documents which allow many people to edit a document at once. It's really handy for online courses with group projects.
I think webinars hold lots of promise as learning devices for librarians. It's making time to sit down and watch one. When you GO to a workshop, none of your co-workers are interrupting. However, it may be more difficult to build a small fortress made of file folders around your computer monitor and have uninterrupted time at a webinar while you are in the midst of your normal workday.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Task 6 - Online Image generators
Oooh, I'm having way too much fun!
My trading card
My bead mosaic
My personal favorite
These image creators/manipulators are awesome! Now if only my library had a color printer...
Library implications: You could certainly use some of these tools to help spice up promotional materials. Again it's pretty cool to be able to get creative with photographs without any design training or without expensive software. I'd say this is less useful, though, than knowing how to manipulate photos for good, not silliness. I'm much more likely to need to crop a photo than I am to turn it into a weird shape or color.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
Task 5 - Flickr Mashups
What a neat tool! This mashup spells words using clips of pics from Flickr. What a great way to use the power of many photographers for fun!
And since we know that marriage is a giant puzzle, here's my wedding photo all puzzled-up. These (not my wedding picture, but a picture of your choice) are actually available at this site for purchase. How cool is that?
What are the implications for libraries? You can have Flickr pictures of your library scrolling along on your website. You can do neat photo-manipulation classes for patrons. You could have kids take pictures and then order puzzles for them of their own photography. You could use the images from the "Spell with Flickr" to make posters, promotional materials, etc. All of these tools are available for relatively little cost - just the cost of some time and some fussing around to learn to use them!
Task 4 - Explore Flickr
I keep a small Flickr account going for a small library. I don't use it personally though. This will hurt the heart and soul of many a photographer out there, but I'm not really a picture person. I don't like to be in them, I only moderately enjoy taking them, and I certainly don't display thousands of them. I do like pretty, artsy photos more than those with people in them.
So, I checked out what kinds of things personal people are putting up on Flickr. I found lots of pretty things. I was inspired to search for my old sorta-hometown. Here's what I found:
It's a lovely picture of an abandoned home near Kremlin, Oklahoma. (Photo Attribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtneer_man/)
Libraries using Flickr post all kinds of neat stuff. However, I can only look at so many pictures of crowds attending some program. Here's something that gets at the crux of what libraries do every day:
Photo attribution: Pioneer Library System
Flickr is a powerful tool. It's also one that some people use REALLY heavily and the rest of us dabble in. Some libraries start Flickr accounts with the idea that it will publicize what's happening at their libraries. It will show the excitement that surrounds children's programming. It will draw all kinds of attention! I'm not entirely sure that's true. However, it can act as a great archive of library events. If someone's new in town and they Google your library, you'd want them to hit on a Flickr page that's full of colorful awesomeness about your library. Verdict: can be cool for libraries but not absolutely necessary.
So, I checked out what kinds of things personal people are putting up on Flickr. I found lots of pretty things. I was inspired to search for my old sorta-hometown. Here's what I found:
It's a lovely picture of an abandoned home near Kremlin, Oklahoma. (Photo Attribution: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mtneer_man/)
Libraries using Flickr post all kinds of neat stuff. However, I can only look at so many pictures of crowds attending some program. Here's something that gets at the crux of what libraries do every day:
Flickr is a powerful tool. It's also one that some people use REALLY heavily and the rest of us dabble in. Some libraries start Flickr accounts with the idea that it will publicize what's happening at their libraries. It will show the excitement that surrounds children's programming. It will draw all kinds of attention! I'm not entirely sure that's true. However, it can act as a great archive of library events. If someone's new in town and they Google your library, you'd want them to hit on a Flickr page that's full of colorful awesomeness about your library. Verdict: can be cool for libraries but not absolutely necessary.
Task 3 - RSS Feeds
At first I wasn't so sure about this whole RSS thing. I had two major stumbling blocks. First, I'd heard some description that RSS ((Really Simple Syndication) feeds were "really simple" and that made me feel like I'd be missing out on huge amounts of content if I viewed something in RSS. I imagined a ticker-tape of meaningless words instead of the flashy websites we all love to visit.
Secondly, I also thought, "Hey, I only really follow a few websites. I don't really need this level of organization to do that."
Now, I'm an RSS convert.
I <3 my Google Reader. I keep a "professional" RSS feed account. It's really cut down on the amount of email (because I used to follow some sites by getting an email when things updated.) I'm included a link to the website as well as a link to the feed which you can put in your own RSS reader!
What's in a young librarian's RSS work feed? Let me show you a few samples:
Secondly, I also thought, "Hey, I only really follow a few websites. I don't really need this level of organization to do that."
Now, I'm an RSS convert.
I <3 my Google Reader. I keep a "professional" RSS feed account. It's really cut down on the amount of email (because I used to follow some sites by getting an email when things updated.) I'm included a link to the website as well as a link to the feed which you can put in your own RSS reader!
What's in a young librarian's RSS work feed? Let me show you a few samples:
http://libetiquette.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
http://darkfaerielibrarian.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default
http://feeds.feedburner.com/LibraryGrants
http://www.tk421.net/librarylink/rss.xml?days=1
http://www.marketingyourlibrary.com/feeds/posts/default
Real Task 1 - Setting up my blog
I realized I've already messed up my "23 Things." Task 1 was setting up my blog. I did so using blogger because I already had a Google ID I could use. I didn't try to doll it up, I just chose one of the templates. I think pre-made templates for blogs and web pages are a fantastic way for those of us with no programming skills to create something slick looking.
Blogging software is actually a great content management system. You input data (could be pictures, writing, etc.) and it's all archived, dated, and search-able. That's pretty powerful stuff - and it's all free.
Personal blogs abound. However, professional blogs are a horse of another color. Blogs can have a strangely personal feel; it can lead to a real bond between blog writers and readers. However, it's an extremely important for blogs being used in an organization (lets say a library!) keep a tone and level of writing that is appropriate for the setting. As librarians explore blogging, they should keep in mind their library's policies about public relations and communication with the public. (Can you tell I'm also enrolled in a promotions and communications class as well this semester?) Whomever is contributing to a library blog should make sure that the info going up matches the mission and guidelines for communications from the library.
Blogging software is actually a great content management system. You input data (could be pictures, writing, etc.) and it's all archived, dated, and search-able. That's pretty powerful stuff - and it's all free.
Personal blogs abound. However, professional blogs are a horse of another color. Blogs can have a strangely personal feel; it can lead to a real bond between blog writers and readers. However, it's an extremely important for blogs being used in an organization (lets say a library!) keep a tone and level of writing that is appropriate for the setting. As librarians explore blogging, they should keep in mind their library's policies about public relations and communication with the public. (Can you tell I'm also enrolled in a promotions and communications class as well this semester?) Whomever is contributing to a library blog should make sure that the info going up matches the mission and guidelines for communications from the library.
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
*Edit* Actually Task 2 - read up
One argument against 23 Things? That it takes time.
I don’t think finding the time to do this is really the hard part. For many librarians, finding the drive or initiative to do this is the hard part. Perhaps fear that everything is going to change all at once is what keeps some people from exploring new “2.0” stuff. However, you don’t even have to implement any of these products or services to have gained from knowing about them. So your library doesn’t rush out and set up a flickr. It might still help to know about it when a patron wanders in asking questions about it.
I’m more or less a digital native. I’m perhaps not the target audience for 23 Things. However, I’m looking forward to thinking about these 2.0 tools from a fresh perspective. I want to remember what it’s like not to understand RSS feeds. That’s where lots of my patrons are. That’s where my co-workers with 100 bookmarks in their browser are. I’m certain I’ll learn some new tricks along the way!
I don’t think finding the time to do this is really the hard part. For many librarians, finding the drive or initiative to do this is the hard part. Perhaps fear that everything is going to change all at once is what keeps some people from exploring new “2.0” stuff. However, you don’t even have to implement any of these products or services to have gained from knowing about them. So your library doesn’t rush out and set up a flickr. It might still help to know about it when a patron wanders in asking questions about it.
I’m more or less a digital native. I’m perhaps not the target audience for 23 Things. However, I’m looking forward to thinking about these 2.0 tools from a fresh perspective. I want to remember what it’s like not to understand RSS feeds. That’s where lots of my patrons are. That’s where my co-workers with 100 bookmarks in their browser are. I’m certain I’ll learn some new tricks along the way!
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