Week 6: Online Photo Sharing

Week 6:
First: I did not find this easy! I have completed all of the other 7 weeks, and had to come back to this one. Step 3 could have been more specific. Why not just say "Use Flickr Photos Application"??? I had to ask for assistance from a colleague. And then I had made my photos "private" on Flickr and didn't know that would prevent me from posting on my Facebook and blog. I needed to know more about "blog this."

BUT, I finally got past my (self-made?) roadblacks and got everything posted. It was a good learning experience--as every week has been.

The Library of Congress use of Flickr is very interesting. A "second chance" for all those photos we say we're going tolabel and never do. Our library archives has some pictures that need to be identified. Our school is about 35 years old, so many of the unidentified photos are not that old; this method could be helpful.
Our library began exploring IRs several years ago with the goal of posting faculties' slides. Flickr could have helped with that. The school had licensed "Cumulus" which wasn't very robust. There were some questions of copyright...and things went a different direction.

Anatomy and physiology photos could be posted to assist students in learning to ID body parts. Still photos could be used to instruct patrons on how to use various library resources. (Still photos lacking audio might not be the best way ultimately, but it might be a way to start.)

Water lilies

Water lilies
Originally uploaded by Daisycow55

wouldn't this make a nice wallpaper?

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Week 7: Podcasting and Online Hosted Video

Week 7 posting

I had never really done anything with YouTube. I knew what it was, but it seemed like a waste of time. (I can waste too much time reading my e-mail at home, and YouTube addiction could also be a hazard for me.)

This week's exercises gave me a GOOD REASON to explore YouTube. (Thanks!)

I used the search term "Library" and found some useful videos (some crazy ones too, of course....) I think YouTube videos can be used to introduce library products...with a humorous or serious bent. I found 'Superlibrarian" from the McCracken Co. Public Library--lauding what services your library can provide. It was clever and catchy. Because YouTube is so popular, libraries can use it to reach patrons with a medium they like and use. It's "going where they are."

Any sort of tutorial could be delivered via YouTube. Intro to the Library (orientation)...how to use PubMed or any other product. The 24/7 availability is very useful; patrons may not pay attention to a face-to-face orientation...and then have a reason to use a particular product and need instruction. The YouTube video could meet that real need at the time of need.

As far as podcasting is concerned: As an "audio version of a magazine subscription," or an audio book, the portability is a real plus. People enjoy having musuc, books, lectures available any place, any time. Again it's a popular media for many of today's patrons. The absence of video content makes it less useful for library instruction, in my opinion. Having slides available as a download could alleviate some of that limitation. I'll be eager to learn what ideas other librarians have for podcasting.

Week 8: Mashups and API

Week 8
Well, I'm trying to catch up; I know this week 8 post is coming before the ones for Weeks 6 and & 7, but that's the way it is...

Exercise 1:
Mashups blow my mind! Who has the time for creating these things?? (Does that sound like "old world" Boomer Generation??)

I explored and found Musiic.net. I did my standard search on "The Supremes." As usual, I found the musical group and the 9 Supremes (The U.S. Supreme Court) Technorati had a piece for Mother's Day, and listed The Supremes' song "Love Child," and a link to hear the song. A sobering thought: how many Moms are "Love Child Moms?"
Googleblogs featured a piece on Roe v. Wade--also interesting for Mother's Day....

Exercise 2: Rollyo and librarianblogs and privacy:
What I was finding was related to public libraries and privacy. A Mom called in to ask if patrons could access "MySpace" there. The parents wasn't happy with the answer; the libn did not comment. As a Tech Services libn in a medical library, I don't face such questions; in fact, much of our online content would be seen as "illegal" or at least "questionable" for public library patrons! However, I hasten to add that we do not allow viewing of pornography--although we do not closely monitor use to discover it...

The difference between "online life vs. in-person interaction." Traditional values about user privacy (held by many libns) vs the level of personalized service people now expect. OCLC's study was the source of that info.
Then I looked at a piece on Amazon's A9 policy and how my interactions with Amazon are used to personalize messages to me. ...and how any "future owner" of Amazon might use them.

As this is a post for week 8, I must take the opportunity to say how great this course has been!!! I would never have been able to learn about these Web 2.0 products on my own--I would not have taken the time to explore. Having the guided exercises has been wonderful! Thank you for creating these, and offering the "hand-holding" guidance!!

I am eager to attend the program on May 21 at MLA!! And now I might begin to understand what is discussed!

Week 5: Web Office Tools

Google Docs is amazing (and ZOHO too.)
This week's exercises opened a new world to me.

I've been e-mailing documents back and forth and back and forth. What a waste of time and energy. Much less trying to figure out which version someone else has edited!

Is this the future of all software products?

Why not?!

Thanks for another very enlightening week!

Week 4: Social Bookmarking

I had heard of del.icio.us, but had not had any direct contact.

Tagging is not a new concept to those of us who have been catalogers. And applying one's own "subject headings" certainly has appeal over struggling with MESH or LCSH to find the "correct heading."

In delicious, everyone is their own cataloger. And as long as a person is consistent and remembers the terms s/he has used, this is a shortcut way to organize one's info in a meaningful way.

Having one's bookmarks accessible from any computer is appealing. A group could share the same delicious account and gather the relevant bookmarks for a resaerch project into one place. Consistency in applying tags would be essential.

(I had done work on this week 4 material before I was able to finish week 3--due to forgotten passwords--so I am posting in my blog for week 4 on the same day as I posted for week 3.)

Week 3: Social Networking Tools

Well, it took me 3 weeks, but I have finally completed the work for week 3!!

I found LinkedIn to be easier to use than Facebook; I liked the networking opportunities.

I was hesitant to reveal my true info, so I fabricated much of it. Then I couldn't remember what name I had used! But to build links in LinkedIn, I had to "be my true self."

I need to spend more time with these tools to see how they are work in "real daily life." But I have learned alot and have appreciated the careful instructions.

Week 2: Blogs vs Wikis

Blogs seem to be better for posting info and messages--like a listserv. It builds on to previous posts, so all the info is in one thread. With a listserv, it can be confusing to see who has replied to which message and to keep track. I'm still getting used to the blog world, but I've already learned alot.

Wikis are useful for group editing of a document, and keeping a record of the changes. In MS Word, you can track changes, but if many people are involved, it gets to be a confusing mess.

Wikipedia is an amazing resource. While it may be necessary to check its sources, it is often a good place to start learning about a topic. (I'm not sure I would use it for health info--and MedlinePlus is more authoritative.)

more on RSS feeds and SDI

When I was in my first Ref position (a while back...) I was very interested in doing SDI. But having to review journal issues everyday, thus keeping issues off the new journals shelves, got things bogged down AT MY DESK. I had to finally abandon it except for obvious "Special issues" that I knew would be of interest.

This RSS feed is fantastic.

Patrons can use it and I can use it to stay more up-to-date on library-related topics.

Using RSS feeds at my library

The RSS feeds from PubMed searches are certainly time savers for our patrons (and me). This was all new to me, so I'm going to play with them some more.

Some of our administrators want to know what articles have been published recently by our faculty/researchers. An RSS feed is a good way to do that quickly. (He originally wanted us to page through the new journals everyday! Argh!!)

I am already appreciating the ease in checking my favorite blogs and sites.

I've learned alot this week.

Thanks!

This is my first post on my new blog.

Yipee!

Daisy