I've learnt a great deal from the Learning 2.0 training programme. The single biggest lesson was blogging. Without this programme I may never have actually taken the plunge.
With the abundance of Web 2.0 options I realise I'll only have the time to use a select few of them on a regular basis: Blogger, YouTube, and RSS feeds. More occasionally I'll dip into Flickr & mashups, online image generators, Facebook and Rollyo.
Other features that I was interested in sampling but may not have time to further explore include del.icio.us, technorati and podcasts.
Overall, the programme offers an excellent introduction to the new technology. I particularly enjoyed the exercises that focussed on fun and creativity.
Monday, November 19, 2007
#22 NetLibrary
I'm very familiar with NetLibrary since I select ebook titles for Auckland City as a member of the Collection Development Team.
Ebooks definitely fill a need for titles where all the reader requires is immediate access to content. They are particularly useful when students are studying a topic such as the Treaty of Versailles at the same time and all lending copies are out on loan. A keyword search of "Versailles" retrieves 5 available NetLibrary titles.
The growth of ebooks is a significant development in library service delivery. But there are a number of issues related to them. First, some publishers are still reluctant to offer new titles in electronic format for fear of losing hardcopy sales. And secondly, ebooks don't fully exploit their electronic nature. They are often nothing more than a scanned image and don't have the live links that users have come to expect from sites such as wikipedia.
Personally, although I've browsed through dozens of ebooks, I've yet to actually read one online cover-to-cover. I suspect my experience is fairly universal.
Ebooks definitely fill a need for titles where all the reader requires is immediate access to content. They are particularly useful when students are studying a topic such as the Treaty of Versailles at the same time and all lending copies are out on loan. A keyword search of "Versailles" retrieves 5 available NetLibrary titles.
The growth of ebooks is a significant development in library service delivery. But there are a number of issues related to them. First, some publishers are still reluctant to offer new titles in electronic format for fear of losing hardcopy sales. And secondly, ebooks don't fully exploit their electronic nature. They are often nothing more than a scanned image and don't have the live links that users have come to expect from sites such as wikipedia.
Personally, although I've browsed through dozens of ebooks, I've yet to actually read one online cover-to-cover. I suspect my experience is fairly universal.
Friday, November 16, 2007
#21 Podcasts
After browsing through a lot of boring podcasts I located a promising one: http://feeds.feedburner.com/AmateurTravelerPodcast
I added the feed to my Bloglines account and listened for a while.
This site is more than a radio station dedicated to a particular topic. Besides, travellers' tales, it has links to current news items, photos, even broadcasts of weather reports (perfect for when .
For library-related podcasts I chose Library Geeks, where "librarians, geeks, and library geeks to geek out about libraries."
http://geeks.onebiglibrary.net/feed.xml
and Libvibe
http://libvibe.blogspot.com/2007/11/libvibe-5-november-2007.html
Came across a few moderately interesting reports (such as the public library that inserts advertising material into the books it issues). But overall I'm not a big podcast fan. I'd rather watch video or skim through text.
I added the feed to my Bloglines account and listened for a while.
This site is more than a radio station dedicated to a particular topic. Besides, travellers' tales, it has links to current news items, photos, even broadcasts of weather reports (perfect for when .
For library-related podcasts I chose Library Geeks, where "librarians, geeks, and library geeks to geek out about libraries."
http://geeks.onebiglibrary.net/feed.xml
and Libvibe
http://libvibe.blogspot.com/2007/11/libvibe-5-november-2007.html
Came across a few moderately interesting reports (such as the public library that inserts advertising material into the books it issues). But overall I'm not a big podcast fan. I'd rather watch video or skim through text.
#20 YouTube
I'm a regular user of YouTube.
It's great for sourcing videos that aren't readily available elsewhere. For example, Tony awards performances highlighting the best of Broadway haven't been screened on New Zealand television for many years and are not even available on the official Tony awards website.
Best musical 2007, Spring Awakening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgkdoIz5tmE
One of the best features of YouTube is the tantalising links bar that shows you related videos at a glance. Browsing can take you off on to all sorts of fascinating tangents.
One option for libraries is to post videos of library events/concerts on YouTube with direct links from the library catalogue. Even better, moving images on our home page could help attract fickle browsers.
It's great for sourcing videos that aren't readily available elsewhere. For example, Tony awards performances highlighting the best of Broadway haven't been screened on New Zealand television for many years and are not even available on the official Tony awards website.
Best musical 2007, Spring Awakening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgkdoIz5tmE
One of the best features of YouTube is the tantalising links bar that shows you related videos at a glance. Browsing can take you off on to all sorts of fascinating tangents.
One option for libraries is to post videos of library events/concerts on YouTube with direct links from the library catalogue. Even better, moving images on our home page could help attract fickle browsers.
#19 Google Maps
Google Maps is Web2 at its best.
Features I love:
Features I love:
- a variety of ways to pan in any direction: you can use the friendly hand that allows you to grasp and pull the screen image (for big moves) or you can click on the arrow icons (for more measured moves)
- the intuitive zoom tool with both a plus and minus function and a ladder scale that lets you zoom instantly from street level to outer space (faster than a speeding bullet)
- the choice of a map view, satellite photo view or a hybrid (combination of the two)
- Best of all: the My Maps feature lets you create your personal version of a map highlighting places that you choose. e.g. the location of the hotels where I'll be staying in Zurich and Berlin:
- http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&ie=UTF8&ll=47.376848,8.543673&spn=0.015984,0.038624&z=14&om=0&msid=107700956014156770666.00043efe2aac9d3f04f50
Monday, November 12, 2007
Ta Prohm
Ta Prohm (Angkor, Cambodia)
The jungle tames
the temples there.
The jungle claims
the field.
The jungle cures
all worldly care.
The jungle lures.
I yield.
# 18 Zoho agogo
1. Created an account at Zoho writer http://writer.zoho.com/index.do
2. Created test poem (Ta Prohm) using Zoho Writer. Then clicked on Switch to, selected Zoho Show (which takes quite a while to load) and created test poem (Daydream number 8567b) as a slideshow presentation (like PowerPoint) http://show.zoho.com/public/onlyme/Daydream%20number%208567b
3. Managed to export Ta Prohm from Zoho to my blog after figuring out which login and password it was asking for. The process worked, but once again I discovered extra line-breaks that I could only delete by going into html and replacing the breaks with <>. Without intending to I'm actually becoming a competent user of html! I never thought I'd see the day.
Zoho Show is a great tool for presenting short poems as a slideshow where you can choose the time delay. In this case I chose a leisurely 3 seconds.
2. Created test poem (Ta Prohm) using Zoho Writer. Then clicked on Switch to, selected Zoho Show (which takes quite a while to load) and created test poem (Daydream number 8567b) as a slideshow presentation (like PowerPoint) http://show.zoho.com/public/onlyme/Daydream%20number%208567b
3. Managed to export Ta Prohm from Zoho to my blog after figuring out which login and password it was asking for. The process worked, but once again I discovered extra line-breaks that I could only delete by going into html and replacing the breaks with <>. Without intending to I'm actually becoming a competent user of html! I never thought I'd see the day.
Zoho Show is a great tool for presenting short poems as a slideshow where you can choose the time delay. In this case I chose a leisurely 3 seconds.
#17 Building sandcastles in the PBwiki sandbox
1. Logged in to PBwiki and added favourite movies http://acllearn.pbwiki.com/Favourite%20Movies
and music
http://acllearn.pbwiki.com/Favourite+Music
For the music titles I also included a direct link to their entries in our library catalogue.
http://acllearn.pbwiki.com/Favourite+Music
2. At first I accidentally created new pages (only me top movies & only me top movies) instead of adding to the existing favourite pages. I struggled to delete these pages. When I entered edit mode, I could delete the content but not the page itself. Finally, I discovered a live grey link in the Page Information section that allowed me to delete the pages (after making sure I really wanted to): "Really? This will irretrievably delete this page and its revisions.
YES, REALLY." I was touched by the wiki's concern that I might accidentally consign valuable data to oblivion.
It's fun to add favourites. But to be honest, for movies I'll still continue to use aggregated sites like metacritic.com and rottentomatoes.com.
and music
http://acllearn.pbwiki.com/Favourite+Music
For the music titles I also included a direct link to their entries in our library catalogue.
http://acllearn.pbwiki.com/Favourite+Music
2. At first I accidentally created new pages (only me top movies & only me top movies) instead of adding to the existing favourite pages. I struggled to delete these pages. When I entered edit mode, I could delete the content but not the page itself. Finally, I discovered a live grey link in the Page Information section that allowed me to delete the pages (after making sure I really wanted to): "Really? This will irretrievably delete this page and its revisions.
YES, REALLY." I was touched by the wiki's concern that I might accidentally consign valuable data to oblivion.
It's fun to add favourites. But to be honest, for movies I'll still continue to use aggregated sites like metacritic.com and rottentomatoes.com.
#16 Wiki picnic (an ant's view)
1. Consulted several library-related wikis. Didn't find any particularly inspiring. Libraries often try to tackle a huge task by starting from scratch with their own wiki (e.g. the St. Joseph County Public Library's subject guide) instead of pooling knowledge on the web to create one comprehensive source.
Wikis are a classic example of the beauty of Web2 and of its problems. It's great to have individual and group participation, but if their contributions are scattered all over the web, how will browers ever find specific gems of information? How can anyone ever keep up with the proliferation of new wikis. What is missing is a sense of overall organisation. Dare I say cataloguing?
2. The "booklover" wikis often duplicate what's being done on amazon.com etc. Perhaps all these library wikis would be better as a subset of an established wiki such as wikipedia.
To my mind the best use of library wikis is for the promotion of local content: "[libraries making] themselves a physical hub of the community". But even here there is room for some organisation.
Wikis are a classic example of the beauty of Web2 and of its problems. It's great to have individual and group participation, but if their contributions are scattered all over the web, how will browers ever find specific gems of information? How can anyone ever keep up with the proliferation of new wikis. What is missing is a sense of overall organisation. Dare I say cataloguing?
2. The "booklover" wikis often duplicate what's being done on amazon.com etc. Perhaps all these library wikis would be better as a subset of an established wiki such as wikipedia.
To my mind the best use of library wikis is for the promotion of local content: "[libraries making] themselves a physical hub of the community". But even here there is room for some organisation.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
#15 Library 2.0
One of the key issues facing libraries is that we are very quick at adopting new technology but unfortunately very slow at adapting our performance measures accordingly. We still primarily measure our success in terms of the old-fashioned book library.
The Learning 2.0 program is an important step in the transformation of the library mindset. The incentive of a prize is a good motivation for individuals , but perhaps what we really need is a commitment from management to make this training an essential part of working in a library.
This would entail regularly setting aside blocks of time for staff to progress with their learning.
Perhaps Web2 work should be one of our official objectives, to be rewarded in the performance aappraisal process rather than an optional add-on luxury. Blogging as a compulsory duty rather than a guilty pleasure, anyone?
Beyond Web2 lies the tantalising prospect of Web3D: full virtual interactivity with resources. Bring it on.
The Learning 2.0 program is an important step in the transformation of the library mindset. The incentive of a prize is a good motivation for individuals , but perhaps what we really need is a commitment from management to make this training an essential part of working in a library.
This would entail regularly setting aside blocks of time for staff to progress with their learning.
Perhaps Web2 work should be one of our official objectives, to be rewarded in the performance aappraisal process rather than an optional add-on luxury. Blogging as a compulsory duty rather than a guilty pleasure, anyone?
Beyond Web2 lies the tantalising prospect of Web3D: full virtual interactivity with resources. Bring it on.
# Technorati party
Subscribed to Technorati, again using my blog name and password (So many passwords, so little memory!)
Compared keyword searching in Blog posts, tags and directory. Searching by tags definitely retrieves a more focussed range of results. I still yearn for some way to do a combined-tag search or for some form of sophisticated filters or limiting. Increasingly, I want fewer, more targeted results. Searching blogs is fine for people with the time to explore at leisure, but I'll probably stick to old faithful Google for information searching.
I find I'm not really interested in browsing the blogs of complete strangers. The whole global social networking thing is a bit impersonal for me. I'm old-fashioned enough to want to see who I'm talking to.
Interesting Technorati features:
The Watchlist, to save typing favourite searches.
http://www.technorati.com/pop/ The top searches give you a smattering of what's hot in popular culture.
Compared keyword searching in Blog posts, tags and directory. Searching by tags definitely retrieves a more focussed range of results. I still yearn for some way to do a combined-tag search or for some form of sophisticated filters or limiting. Increasingly, I want fewer, more targeted results. Searching blogs is fine for people with the time to explore at leisure, but I'll probably stick to old faithful Google for information searching.
I find I'm not really interested in browsing the blogs of complete strangers. The whole global social networking thing is a bit impersonal for me. I'm old-fashioned enough to want to see who I'm talking to.
Interesting Technorati features:
The Watchlist, to save typing favourite searches.
http://www.technorati.com/pop/ The top searches give you a smattering of what's hot in popular culture.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
#13 Delicious
First, the good news: the Delicious site can finally be found by searching for delicous.com without those infuriating dots (I always had to check whether I put them in the right place.)
A good summary of recent developments on the site is at:
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/delicious-drops-the-dots-adds-new-features-screenshots/5600/
Watched the YouTube video: Social Bookmarking in Plain English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x66lV7GOcNU
A good summary of recent developments on the site is at:
http://www.searchenginejournal.com/delicious-drops-the-dots-adds-new-features-screenshots/5600/
Watched the YouTube video: Social Bookmarking in Plain English http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x66lV7GOcNU
Subscribed to Delicious using my blog login and added My delicious and Post to Delicious to my links toolbar. Searched a few favourite keywords and retrieved a few sites that were new to me.
I like the idea of being able to organise and sort my bookmarks. But the use of keyword "tags" is a fairly crude way of achieving that goal. I'd prefer some sort of hierarchical approach. I doubt if a proliferation of democratically-equal tags will solve the problem of a proliferation of bookmarks.
Given the constraints on my time, I'll probably use delicious to alert me to new sites and not bother to add tags.
Friday, November 2, 2007
#12 Rollyover in the clover
Subscribed to Rollyo, created a Theatre searchroll and added the URLs of my favourite sites.
http://www.rollyo.com/onlyme/theatre/
Tried out the search engine and was impressed with the results in comparison with comparable Google searches. You get a more focussed set of results with far fewer unwanted hits.
Added the searchroll as a page element in my blog template, according it a prominent position at the top left. I'll probably use it for specific targeted searches and stick with Google or YouTube for exploratory forays.
http://www.rollyo.com/onlyme/theatre/
Tried out the search engine and was impressed with the results in comparison with comparable Google searches. You get a more focussed set of results with far fewer unwanted hits.
Added the searchroll as a page element in my blog template, according it a prominent position at the top left. I'll probably use it for specific targeted searches and stick with Google or YouTube for exploratory forays.
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