License to Play (Week 1)

I've resurrected my Web 2 blog, to keep all the training in one place. But to celebrate the new year I've chosen a new template with a plainer, cleaner look to match my simple-minded personality.

I created a second blog for my overseas trip last year http://08t.blogspot.com/ and I'll create further blogs for future trips. I was pleasantly surprised to see the template update has been automatically applied to my travel blog as well as my Web 2 one. Don't you just love it when technology does things for you even without asking?

I've set up an anonymous Gmail account with a login based on my blog name. Gmail looks like a good service for anyone wanting a new email account - lots of storage space and well-organised (even boasting it "organises itself!") I note that "chats are saved and searchable". That must be like having a super-efficient personal assistant who remembers everything and doesn't miss a thing.

Now I have three email accounts, including @xtra.co.nz for home and @aucklandcity.govt.nz for work. I see it's easy to switch from xtra to Gmail, but I don't feel tempted to do so.

Interestingly, when I tried to link my new Gmail address to my existing Google account I got the following error message: "You can not associate a Gmail address with your Google Account."

I occasionally dip into blogs as I come across them. What appeals to me most about blogs is their informality and immediacy. I've yet to use them as a serious work-related tool, but it's early days yet.

#23 Thumbs up for Learning 2.0

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.

#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.

#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.

#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.

#19 Google Maps

Google Maps is Web2 at its best.

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

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.