Sunday, December 12, 2010
Twenty-Three and Feeling Free
Not to imply that I've felt burdened by completing the 23 Things blog assignment; quite the opposite, in fact. I now feel more "web-free" than ever in completing each of these tasks. I've broadened my horizons, dissolved my rigidity/reluctance towards Web 2.0 tools, and have thus launched myself well-equipped into my newfound role as a graduate student in Library and Information Studies at Kent State University in Ohio. I've felt that my shift from working full-time at a non-career job back to student-hood was inevitable, and this component of LIS 635 has been invaluable in getting me to a point where I feel prepared in moving forward. I've learned to embrace tools that I had previously shunned (mostly because I didn't care to understand them), that I need to just explore and put myself out there, and that librarianship really is the right career for me. Thanks to my instructor, my class mates, and NEFLIN for helping me get to where I'm going. Here's to progress!
Rollyo! (AKA #15, slightly dazed and out of order)
Rollyo is something that I think could be a very, very cool tool. Basically, all you do is list a few websites to search a common query, group those websites together in one Rollyo search, and voila! -- instant results from the sites you have specified to search. I am a huge music fan, so something I am constantly doing is shopping for music online, whether it be mp3, CD, or LP format. I'm CONSTANTLY toggling between Amazon's MP3 store, the iTunes store, 7digital (a UK mp3 store), as well as a few others looking for the best price on mp3 albums. It's really a fairly manageable task, and it's a challenge I don't mind undertaking being such a music freak (and bargain hunter)! However, if I were able to type in a single query on a single site and have the results for all three (or more) sites pop up in a single location? -- well, I'm down with that!
It seems like Rollyo is something that may require a bit of fine-tuning (my search for the new album by John Legend & the Roots resulted in WAY too many links - I mean, really, 30k results of links for the same item?!), but this is something I could really get into. Relating it beyond personal gratification, I can see tying in several different libraries that one may have access to (public, academic, institutional, etc.) to find a resource that quite possibly could be available at any one of those facilities. The library I completed my practicum at this semester has the equivalent of Rollyo (as do many libraries participating in regional state or university systems): a database called CONSORT that links five liberal arts colleges in the state of Ohio that have an interlibrary loan agreement so that students may have access to each school's resources. I think I will probably explore Rollyo a bit more in depth for personal use to see what criteria may be required to limit search results (its creators seem to still be tweaking it as well, seeing as how it's still in Beta), but this seems like a tool that could be pretty great and versatile in the long run!
(See the Rollyo searches I created below: one for music, one for cycling/outdoor gear.)
It seems like Rollyo is something that may require a bit of fine-tuning (my search for the new album by John Legend & the Roots resulted in WAY too many links - I mean, really, 30k results of links for the same item?!), but this is something I could really get into. Relating it beyond personal gratification, I can see tying in several different libraries that one may have access to (public, academic, institutional, etc.) to find a resource that quite possibly could be available at any one of those facilities. The library I completed my practicum at this semester has the equivalent of Rollyo (as do many libraries participating in regional state or university systems): a database called CONSORT that links five liberal arts colleges in the state of Ohio that have an interlibrary loan agreement so that students may have access to each school's resources. I think I will probably explore Rollyo a bit more in depth for personal use to see what criteria may be required to limit search results (its creators seem to still be tweaking it as well, seeing as how it's still in Beta), but this seems like a tool that could be pretty great and versatile in the long run!
(See the Rollyo searches I created below: one for music, one for cycling/outdoor gear.)
XXII
Looking back on my first few entries in this blog, I know that my mindset at the time was a bit reticent. Mind you, my reticence wasn't solely in regard to taking on the tasks of the blog; it was mostly due to my pre-existing condition of overall reluctance to embrace many aspects of the Web 2.0 world in my own personal life. Ignorance was bliss, and I had survived just fine on my own without exploring and expanding my knowledge base into the current plethora of tools available out there.
I think the key word when describing Web 2.0 is "options", but a close second would go to "selective." Prior to exploring 2.0, I simply felt overwhelmed and honestly didn't really care about learning what exactly "deli.cio.us," "RSS," or "mashups" were. I thought that I had no use for these things, so learning about them would be a waste of time. While I still might be hesitant to use many of the tools I learned about through the course of the 23 Things blog, there are a few that I found really useful -- which leads back to the words "options" and "selective." Yes, there are an exhaustive number of options out there, but being selective and knowing what is the most useful for your own purposes is really the point of Web 2.0. The secret is possessing at least a vague knowledge or awareness of many of the tools out there so that when they come up in conversation you don't completely feel out of the loop. And therein lies the key: simply check things out to see how the function, weigh the usefulness of the tool for your own purposes, and, if nothing else, you at least come away with a base knowledge so you won't feel like the last to join the conversation!
The main tools I've discovered that I know I will employ are: Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and Delicious. I like organization, and each of these resources make organization incredibly easy! The tools I had previously used or was aware of but gained a greater appreciation for are: Flickr, YouTube, image generators, chat/instant messaging, wikis, podcasting, and Facebook. So, as you can see, I learned a lot! I look forward to continuing through my Library Science course work and being able to apply the knowledge gained in this course and through my blog in the future. I know I can go about this without the insecurities and hesitations I've previously felt.
I think the key word when describing Web 2.0 is "options", but a close second would go to "selective." Prior to exploring 2.0, I simply felt overwhelmed and honestly didn't really care about learning what exactly "deli.cio.us," "RSS," or "mashups" were. I thought that I had no use for these things, so learning about them would be a waste of time. While I still might be hesitant to use many of the tools I learned about through the course of the 23 Things blog, there are a few that I found really useful -- which leads back to the words "options" and "selective." Yes, there are an exhaustive number of options out there, but being selective and knowing what is the most useful for your own purposes is really the point of Web 2.0. The secret is possessing at least a vague knowledge or awareness of many of the tools out there so that when they come up in conversation you don't completely feel out of the loop. And therein lies the key: simply check things out to see how the function, weigh the usefulness of the tool for your own purposes, and, if nothing else, you at least come away with a base knowledge so you won't feel like the last to join the conversation!
The main tools I've discovered that I know I will employ are: Really Simple Syndication (RSS) and Delicious. I like organization, and each of these resources make organization incredibly easy! The tools I had previously used or was aware of but gained a greater appreciation for are: Flickr, YouTube, image generators, chat/instant messaging, wikis, podcasting, and Facebook. So, as you can see, I learned a lot! I look forward to continuing through my Library Science course work and being able to apply the knowledge gained in this course and through my blog in the future. I know I can go about this without the insecurities and hesitations I've previously felt.
Thursday, December 9, 2010
XXI
The Student 2.0 Tools detailed in NEFLIN's 23 Things blog actually seem pretty cool and useful. I wasn't expecting much prior to looking at the University of Minnesota's open source code Assignment Calculator and the Research Project Calculator, but came away pleasantly surprised. I think that one of the toughest things for college students (particularly incoming freshmen) to embrace is time management, especially when it comes to mid-term or final projects, when it seems like they have all the time in the world to work on them. In addition to freshmen, I believe these tools could be useful for any student finding themselves panicky and in a time-crunch.
Just to give them a test ride, I input dates for my upcoming final report just to get an idea for what I would need to do if this were a traditional research paper I'd be working on. I liked the prompts telling me I should have (x) completed by Dec. 12th, then (y) and (z) completed by Dec. 13th, so on and so on. Spelling it out so clearly gives students clear deadlines which they should be able to abide by without getting ahead of themselves and freaking out, regardless of whether they have a week or three months to complete a project. The only limitations I see in the Assignment Calculator (which seem to be resolved in the Research Project Calculator) is that these guidelines seem to pertain only to written papers, although the open-source nature of Assignment Calculator would seem to be a resolution in and of itself.
Just like LibGuides can be an incredible resource when executed well and utilized by students, the Assignment Calculator and Research Project Calculator can likewise be tremendously useful. These tools can be used to instill good future practices among younger students, while aiding more seasoned students with better time-management skills who may find themselves in a time-crunch or having difficulty with a particular project. Teachers and librarians alike could use these tools to help pace students, adapting various criteria as needed to suit the tasks or assignments at hand.
Just to give them a test ride, I input dates for my upcoming final report just to get an idea for what I would need to do if this were a traditional research paper I'd be working on. I liked the prompts telling me I should have (x) completed by Dec. 12th, then (y) and (z) completed by Dec. 13th, so on and so on. Spelling it out so clearly gives students clear deadlines which they should be able to abide by without getting ahead of themselves and freaking out, regardless of whether they have a week or three months to complete a project. The only limitations I see in the Assignment Calculator (which seem to be resolved in the Research Project Calculator) is that these guidelines seem to pertain only to written papers, although the open-source nature of Assignment Calculator would seem to be a resolution in and of itself.
Just like LibGuides can be an incredible resource when executed well and utilized by students, the Assignment Calculator and Research Project Calculator can likewise be tremendously useful. These tools can be used to instill good future practices among younger students, while aiding more seasoned students with better time-management skills who may find themselves in a time-crunch or having difficulty with a particular project. Teachers and librarians alike could use these tools to help pace students, adapting various criteria as needed to suit the tasks or assignments at hand.
XX
I still read actual, physical books...and I don't foresee that changing anytime soon. Love of reading and books is one of the main qualities that brought me and my wife together almost six years ago, and we've both opined in recent history (in light of the e-book technology boom) how much we still (and probably will always) love the physical aspects of reading. One of the key components of reading for us is the satisfaction felt from the progression through the pages of a book; the anticipation of what's on the next page, turning that page, reading and finding out...all culminating with closing the back cover and forcing our bookmark into a (temporarily) homeless state. I'm not saying that e-readers are a bad thing -- it's just not for me, not at this time.
The point of Books 2.0 is not necessarily to enjoy or advocate it, but to be aware of the options available, the benefits and limitations of those options, and evaluate the impact such a movement can have on libraries and general readership. Much in line with a classmate's motivation (discussed on her 23 Things blog), I opted to explore Booklamp, a self-described Pandora for books. I previously discussed my use of Pandora and others like it, so the appeal of Booklamp seemed obvious to me. I've never really asked for a recommendation for a book to read. Certainly, I've had books recommended to me by my wife or friends, sometimes based on something else I've read, sometimes not -- but seeking out recommendations is kind of foreign to me. BookLamp claims to recommend books based on writing style, pacing, length, subject, genre, and countless other data. I tried a few searches: one based on the author Michael Chabon (one of my favorite fiction writers), and another based on Stephen King's Cujo. The results for Chabon resulted in a number of other writers who I didn't recognize, and probably will not pursue (I actually think a lot of the recommendations were based on name similarities rather than writing style); Cujo posted no results. I'm not sure if it's just that the site is in its Beta version, but based on the bulk of user feedback it seems that many classic books are not in their database yet. I like the idea of this site, but am not sure I'll ever come back to it.
Since I've now become familiar with RSS feeds (and have continued to enjoy mine regularly throughout the semester), I opted to check out DailyLit. This service's modus operandi is exactly what its name would suggest: a daily feed of your chosen book. There seems to be a fairly wide variety of books available (I was impressed to see Tolstoy's War and Peace -- although I probably shouldn't be surprised since it's public domain!), many of which are current titles made available for free from publishers. Since this service is based on daily segments (or every other day, or only weekdays -- based on preference) sent to the reader via email or RSS feed, I chose a non-fiction "arts" title that I felt could be easily digested segmentally and possibly irregularly: Stewart Copeland's Strange Things Happen. This book, by the drummer of the band The Police, is a memoir recollecting the days in the 1970s and 1980s when the band was first around, then covers Copeland's various endeavors in the years between then and the band's reunion tour in 2007. I'm a fan of the band at least marginally, and am interested in Copeland mostly based on his drumming style, so I think giving this read a whirl (in a free, RSS feed format) is a no-skin-off-my-nose approach.
I think Books 2.0 is an interesting trend. I'm not sure if audiobooks were ever considered a threat to traditional bound books when they first were introduced, but they have certainly not replaced them (and never will). I don't think e-reading devices like Kindle and Nook will entirely replace books, either. Since I'm currently an employee of a Barnes & Noble bookstore, I've gotten closer to the Nook phenomenon. The store manager has said that most Nook customers say the device hasn't replaced traditional books for them; it has merely enhanced their reading experience, with folks choosing to use the Nook at times when needed or convenient (while travelling, for instance), and going back to books at other times. I know this is the stance I would take should I ever employ such a device, which is similar to my stand on mp3 players. I love my iPod, but it hasn't replaced physical music formats for me (VIVA LA VINYL!) -- it has enhanced my music experience by making it more portable than it was previously. I'm 33, which makes me old enough to have grown up prior to all these fancy new devices (but not old enough to not embrace them!), so I wonder how younger (and future) generations feel about physical format vs. digital when it comes to music and books. Is physical format media something they could ever miss?
The point of Books 2.0 is not necessarily to enjoy or advocate it, but to be aware of the options available, the benefits and limitations of those options, and evaluate the impact such a movement can have on libraries and general readership. Much in line with a classmate's motivation (discussed on her 23 Things blog), I opted to explore Booklamp, a self-described Pandora for books. I previously discussed my use of Pandora and others like it, so the appeal of Booklamp seemed obvious to me. I've never really asked for a recommendation for a book to read. Certainly, I've had books recommended to me by my wife or friends, sometimes based on something else I've read, sometimes not -- but seeking out recommendations is kind of foreign to me. BookLamp claims to recommend books based on writing style, pacing, length, subject, genre, and countless other data. I tried a few searches: one based on the author Michael Chabon (one of my favorite fiction writers), and another based on Stephen King's Cujo. The results for Chabon resulted in a number of other writers who I didn't recognize, and probably will not pursue (I actually think a lot of the recommendations were based on name similarities rather than writing style); Cujo posted no results. I'm not sure if it's just that the site is in its Beta version, but based on the bulk of user feedback it seems that many classic books are not in their database yet. I like the idea of this site, but am not sure I'll ever come back to it.
Since I've now become familiar with RSS feeds (and have continued to enjoy mine regularly throughout the semester), I opted to check out DailyLit. This service's modus operandi is exactly what its name would suggest: a daily feed of your chosen book. There seems to be a fairly wide variety of books available (I was impressed to see Tolstoy's War and Peace -- although I probably shouldn't be surprised since it's public domain!), many of which are current titles made available for free from publishers. Since this service is based on daily segments (or every other day, or only weekdays -- based on preference) sent to the reader via email or RSS feed, I chose a non-fiction "arts" title that I felt could be easily digested segmentally and possibly irregularly: Stewart Copeland's Strange Things Happen. This book, by the drummer of the band The Police, is a memoir recollecting the days in the 1970s and 1980s when the band was first around, then covers Copeland's various endeavors in the years between then and the band's reunion tour in 2007. I'm a fan of the band at least marginally, and am interested in Copeland mostly based on his drumming style, so I think giving this read a whirl (in a free, RSS feed format) is a no-skin-off-my-nose approach.
I think Books 2.0 is an interesting trend. I'm not sure if audiobooks were ever considered a threat to traditional bound books when they first were introduced, but they have certainly not replaced them (and never will). I don't think e-reading devices like Kindle and Nook will entirely replace books, either. Since I'm currently an employee of a Barnes & Noble bookstore, I've gotten closer to the Nook phenomenon. The store manager has said that most Nook customers say the device hasn't replaced traditional books for them; it has merely enhanced their reading experience, with folks choosing to use the Nook at times when needed or convenient (while travelling, for instance), and going back to books at other times. I know this is the stance I would take should I ever employ such a device, which is similar to my stand on mp3 players. I love my iPod, but it hasn't replaced physical music formats for me (VIVA LA VINYL!) -- it has enhanced my music experience by making it more portable than it was previously. I'm 33, which makes me old enough to have grown up prior to all these fancy new devices (but not old enough to not embrace them!), so I wonder how younger (and future) generations feel about physical format vs. digital when it comes to music and books. Is physical format media something they could ever miss?
#19
I've been a Last.fm user since 2008, constantly toggling back and forth between this music streaming site and Pandora. These have both been serviceable tools for me at my old job or when working around the house while needing some tunes in the background. I hadn't previously thought of these as social networking tools, although I had linked Pandora to my Facebook account for a time, allowing friends who cared to see what I'd been listening to, or "liking," etc. This is not something I kept up with as I mostly viewed it as inconsequential (although I should note that one of my wife's best friends had apparently listened to my station and picked up on a lot of new artists she hadn't previously been into, so that was cool -- and the one and only time I'm aware of such a thing happening!).
For the sake of this task, I decided to explore my Last account in a bit more detail. Last functions in much the same way that Pandora does (allowing users to customize their listening experience by inputting a song or an artist's name, and subsequently "loving" or "liking" songs played that have similar quantifiable qualities to the original), but I have no idea of the similarities and differences -- nor are they important here -- in the programming that goes behind these respective personalized music services. Like other social networking sites (on their main profile page), users can view their recent activity (songs "loved," friends made, stations shared); beyond that similarity, however, the site unsurprisingly gets pretty music specific! You can view artists saved to your library, recently listened to tracks, and running play count. Top artists, top songs, and number of plays per artist/song are another cool detail. If you dig a little deeper into your library, you can even see a list of every song you've listened to complete with date/time stamp to satisfy your inner nerd's thirst for details! Other features include: artist bios, links to purchase tracks/albums, and tagging ability.
The social connectivity aspect of Last is what I hadn't really previously explored. I hadn't a single "friend" on the site prior to yesterday, when I added a friend who I just happened to know also had a Last account. Upon us becoming friends in the Last universe, I unsurprisingly found my musical compatibility with him to be "VERY HIGH"! (I would imagine this to be the case with most of my real-life friends, though it would be interesting to see how compatibility is rated with someone with different tastes.) Like other social networking sites, one can join groups, see neighbors, and view lists of events (concerts/shows). I've always been a bit of a loner when it comes to attending live shows (so I'm not sure how useful these features would be to me), but if one were a bit heavy with the tech hand and looking to meet up with others with a common music bond, I can see how these tools would be very handy. As useful as these qualities are, I think most folks probably do not utilize them much here. There are so many ways to share so many different things, I think the main problem is that it doesn't occur for people to try sharing via a different medium when others that they have used are perfectly serviceable in accomplishing the task at hand. Last.fm's features are nifty (and worth playing around with occasionally), but ultimately kind of inconsequential in the land of Facebook and so many other social media sites.
For the sake of this task, I decided to explore my Last account in a bit more detail. Last functions in much the same way that Pandora does (allowing users to customize their listening experience by inputting a song or an artist's name, and subsequently "loving" or "liking" songs played that have similar quantifiable qualities to the original), but I have no idea of the similarities and differences -- nor are they important here -- in the programming that goes behind these respective personalized music services. Like other social networking sites (on their main profile page), users can view their recent activity (songs "loved," friends made, stations shared); beyond that similarity, however, the site unsurprisingly gets pretty music specific! You can view artists saved to your library, recently listened to tracks, and running play count. Top artists, top songs, and number of plays per artist/song are another cool detail. If you dig a little deeper into your library, you can even see a list of every song you've listened to complete with date/time stamp to satisfy your inner nerd's thirst for details! Other features include: artist bios, links to purchase tracks/albums, and tagging ability.
The social connectivity aspect of Last is what I hadn't really previously explored. I hadn't a single "friend" on the site prior to yesterday, when I added a friend who I just happened to know also had a Last account. Upon us becoming friends in the Last universe, I unsurprisingly found my musical compatibility with him to be "VERY HIGH"! (I would imagine this to be the case with most of my real-life friends, though it would be interesting to see how compatibility is rated with someone with different tastes.) Like other social networking sites, one can join groups, see neighbors, and view lists of events (concerts/shows). I've always been a bit of a loner when it comes to attending live shows (so I'm not sure how useful these features would be to me), but if one were a bit heavy with the tech hand and looking to meet up with others with a common music bond, I can see how these tools would be very handy. As useful as these qualities are, I think most folks probably do not utilize them much here. There are so many ways to share so many different things, I think the main problem is that it doesn't occur for people to try sharing via a different medium when others that they have used are perfectly serviceable in accomplishing the task at hand. Last.fm's features are nifty (and worth playing around with occasionally), but ultimately kind of inconsequential in the land of Facebook and so many other social media sites.
Friday, December 3, 2010
Nine in One, Three-Fourths of a Dozen in the Other?
Facebook is nothing new to me (I joined after my wedding in the summer of 2007 to keep in touch with all the wonderful new friends who shared in me and my wife's celebration), so this exercise merely involves continuing to expand my FB boundaries from personal/social to academic/professional. In the past few months, I've begun "following" a couple libraries or library organizations on Facebook to stay in the loop with news and developments in the field and specific to these groups. The library I follow is the Doane Library at Denison University in Granville, OH (where I'm completing my semester-long practicum for LIS 635), and I'm also a member of the Kent State University School of Library and Information Science group (where I'll be starting my master's degree program in January).
Like listservs have (and continue to) serve as resources for current and future library professionals, Facebook groups can serve as an additional means of communication among those in the field regarding job searching, current topics of interest, extracurricular organizations, etc. Following the guidelines of NEFLIN's recommended FB groups for librarians, I joined Library 2.0 Interest Group and Future Librarians and Those Who Love Them! (which has the best "profile picture" ever -- an anime-style librarian illustrated with the text "She Blinded Me With Library Science"). It's interesting to note that NEFLIN's blog as of March 2009 proclaims that "MySpace is the most used social network, but Facebook is currently the fastest growing social network": anyone can tell you that technology trends can change in a heartbeat, and here, 21 months after this statement, I think anyone could guess that Facebook has far surpassed MySpace's popularity. This entry from Newsweek's 20/10: The Decade in Rewind reinforces this opinion, stating that Facebook's membership now doubles that of MySpace. (I particularly appreciate the writer's comment on MySpace's "garish fonts and epilepsy-inducing images" -- one of the many reasons I never liked MySpace: its lack of aesthetic appeal. The only reason I ever do use MySpace: to check out new musical artists!)
In addition to allowing ways for folks to maintain connections to friends and acquaintances near and far, Facebook has expanded its user base to organizations, groups, small (and large) businesses, and beyond in ways I don't think anyone ever could have conceived. I thought hell froze over a couple years ago when one of my closest, and oldest (freshman, junior, and senior-year college roommate), friends grudgingly joined, unjoined, then rejoined Facebook. He has never been one to follow trends, but I welcomed his presence there as it allowed us yet another way to connect (classically, we've been intermittent phone buddies). But, hell really did freeze over when I received an email notification a month ago that my sixty-three-year-old, technology-reluctant mother, requested my friendship on FB! Granted, her impetus to join was really great for her -- to stay in contact with friends from her high school (they'd had a recent collective reunion that she enjoyed) -- but I just about fell out of my chair before quickly accepting her friend request! From its humble beginnings as a social network for MIT students, Facebook's ubiquity has virtually made it the de facto standard for social interaction, be it personal or professional.
Like listservs have (and continue to) serve as resources for current and future library professionals, Facebook groups can serve as an additional means of communication among those in the field regarding job searching, current topics of interest, extracurricular organizations, etc. Following the guidelines of NEFLIN's recommended FB groups for librarians, I joined Library 2.0 Interest Group and Future Librarians and Those Who Love Them! (which has the best "profile picture" ever -- an anime-style librarian illustrated with the text "She Blinded Me With Library Science"). It's interesting to note that NEFLIN's blog as of March 2009 proclaims that "MySpace is the most used social network, but Facebook is currently the fastest growing social network": anyone can tell you that technology trends can change in a heartbeat, and here, 21 months after this statement, I think anyone could guess that Facebook has far surpassed MySpace's popularity. This entry from Newsweek's 20/10: The Decade in Rewind reinforces this opinion, stating that Facebook's membership now doubles that of MySpace. (I particularly appreciate the writer's comment on MySpace's "garish fonts and epilepsy-inducing images" -- one of the many reasons I never liked MySpace: its lack of aesthetic appeal. The only reason I ever do use MySpace: to check out new musical artists!)
In addition to allowing ways for folks to maintain connections to friends and acquaintances near and far, Facebook has expanded its user base to organizations, groups, small (and large) businesses, and beyond in ways I don't think anyone ever could have conceived. I thought hell froze over a couple years ago when one of my closest, and oldest (freshman, junior, and senior-year college roommate), friends grudgingly joined, unjoined, then rejoined Facebook. He has never been one to follow trends, but I welcomed his presence there as it allowed us yet another way to connect (classically, we've been intermittent phone buddies). But, hell really did freeze over when I received an email notification a month ago that my sixty-three-year-old, technology-reluctant mother, requested my friendship on FB! Granted, her impetus to join was really great for her -- to stay in contact with friends from her high school (they'd had a recent collective reunion that she enjoyed) -- but I just about fell out of my chair before quickly accepting her friend request! From its humble beginnings as a social network for MIT students, Facebook's ubiquity has virtually made it the de facto standard for social interaction, be it personal or professional.
#17
Podcasting is but one component of the ubiquitous "on-demand" nature of media these days. The quality distinguishing it from the crowd is the fact that its existence is what seems to have ushered in the move to on-demand. We see it from cable companies, streaming services on the web and web-ready devices, and it's manifested in a number of other outlets in a less extreme way (satellite radio, Netflix). Podcasting came into existence after iTunes and the iPod revolutionized the (digital) music world (podcasting is not named so because of Microsoft's Zune!), allowing radio broadcasts, educational lectures, how-to instructions, and anything else that can be recorded or broadcast to be saved as a file and loaded onto a portable digital audio device.
Libraries can (and do) use podcasting to their benefit, but I'm dubious as to how many potential targets they actually reach. In a cursory Google search, I found that the Denver Public Library has podcasts on their site of interviews with children's book authors, as well as story readings. These are great ideas, but is anyone really checking these out? I certainly support the presence of these media, but I wonder how well they are marketed to library users, and whether users care enough to check them out even if they are aware of them.
Being a big fan of my iPod, I am unsure why I haven't previously checked out podcasts much at all. I plan on doing so, especially when considering the breadth of content available via this medium. Determined to play catch-up in reversing this trend of mine, I've subscribed to an awesome sixties soul show that airs on New York's WFMU entitled Downtown Soulville with Mr. Fine Wine, which proclaims it airs music from the DJ's personal 45 RPM record collection. Quite a cool find for anyone who's into obscure music from a bygone era. (I tried searching for many of the titles via the handy playlist that accompanies each podcast, and found the majority of the titles completely out of print, even in digital formats!) I think a cool idea for libraries could be having podcasts of readings from rare books (possibly ones unique to that library's collection), although this may be a more apropos recommendation for archives or museums. Since rare books' accessibility by the public is limited if possible at all, this would be a great way for people to have access to something they wouldn't normally.
Libraries can (and do) use podcasting to their benefit, but I'm dubious as to how many potential targets they actually reach. In a cursory Google search, I found that the Denver Public Library has podcasts on their site of interviews with children's book authors, as well as story readings. These are great ideas, but is anyone really checking these out? I certainly support the presence of these media, but I wonder how well they are marketed to library users, and whether users care enough to check them out even if they are aware of them.
Being a big fan of my iPod, I am unsure why I haven't previously checked out podcasts much at all. I plan on doing so, especially when considering the breadth of content available via this medium. Determined to play catch-up in reversing this trend of mine, I've subscribed to an awesome sixties soul show that airs on New York's WFMU entitled Downtown Soulville with Mr. Fine Wine, which proclaims it airs music from the DJ's personal 45 RPM record collection. Quite a cool find for anyone who's into obscure music from a bygone era. (I tried searching for many of the titles via the handy playlist that accompanies each podcast, and found the majority of the titles completely out of print, even in digital formats!) I think a cool idea for libraries could be having podcasts of readings from rare books (possibly ones unique to that library's collection), although this may be a more apropos recommendation for archives or museums. Since rare books' accessibility by the public is limited if possible at all, this would be a great way for people to have access to something they wouldn't normally.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
#16
I've used YouTube intermittently since it became enormously popular several years ago, mostly for finding and listening to music and music videos. Of course, it's a perfect outlet for humor videos, segments from Saturday Night Live, and home videos -- but quite a viable resource for instructional and educational videos as well (something I really had not considered until recently).
Until a couple weeks ago, the concept of "flash mobs" was completely foreign to me. My wife and I were watching the November 17th episode of Modern Family on ABC that features a flash mob segment, when I turned to my wife and asked "what the hell is a flash mob?!" She laughed not so much in response to my question, but more so to the look of utter bewilderment I'm sure was plastered on my face. With this in mind, I am sharing below a video someone just sent to me the other day of a flash mob segment recorded earlier this month at the Columbus Metropolitan Library. I'm not much for dance routines, but this is pretty fun.
And, here's another cool video I found on YouTube that is sure to evoke a chuckle or two. Enjoy!
Until a couple weeks ago, the concept of "flash mobs" was completely foreign to me. My wife and I were watching the November 17th episode of Modern Family on ABC that features a flash mob segment, when I turned to my wife and asked "what the hell is a flash mob?!" She laughed not so much in response to my question, but more so to the look of utter bewilderment I'm sure was plastered on my face. With this in mind, I am sharing below a video someone just sent to me the other day of a flash mob segment recorded earlier this month at the Columbus Metropolitan Library. I'm not much for dance routines, but this is pretty fun.
And, here's another cool video I found on YouTube that is sure to evoke a chuckle or two. Enjoy!
#14
There are several online productivity tools I have been employing for quite some time (though I never thought to label them as such!), so I will keep this entry fairly concise while listing and describing how I use them.
- While I still do not love Gmail as an email application, there are a couple of its (well, Google's) features that I do enjoy quite a lot: Google Docs and Google Calendar. I previously mentioned Google Docs as an application I've used frequently in collaborative settings, specifically for class group presentations or assignments that have necessitated more than one person having access in order to edit/add content. The spreadsheet tool has been quite useful during past holiday shopping seasons -- I have been known to use this in order to keep track of gifts purchased, gifts intended to purchase, where to purchase them, who the gifts are for, the best prices available, and other miscellaneous gifts for backup use. This is nice because, again, I can access the document from any computer with internet access (this would be infinitely more nice if I had a smartphone!), and update and edit it as I progress. It helps that the tools possess the expected Google slickness we've all come to know and appreciate. The calendar is what one would expect it to be, but is very user-friendly and easily accessible -- I don't use it all the time, but it's a handy way to keep track of appointments, work, assignment due dates, events, trips, etc.
- TinyURL is another tool mentioned by NEFLIN that I have used for some time. There are oftentimes laboriously long URLs present after one has been digging deeper and deeper into a website (they get especially long and convoluted in product searches on Amazon and other retail sites), so TinyURL can be used to convert them to a short, concise little piece of code that can be conveniently included in an email text or website as a link that won't take up an entire paragraph and throw off all your tabs.
- An online to-do list called Todoist has been recommended to me by my wife. It seems to be useful in that you can prioritize tasks at hand, sort by date and category (personal, professional, kids, etc.) -- but I've honestly only given it a cursory glance and found it a bit confusing to get underway. I trust my wife, though, when it comes to things like this, so I will keep toying with it and may try to utilize it in the near future if my life gets more complicated as I expect it will!
Lucky Library Thing
Library Thing is completely new to me. I believe I'm a cataloger at heart, and a tool like this is great at allowing its users a quick overview of their book collection (as well as records of books read, to be read, etc.). A great aspect of it is the social connectivity it allows. Unlike our typical social networking sites previously discussed here, LT is a very specific forum to connect people with similar tastes. (I'm a big music nerd, so I'm tempted to see if there's something similar out there beyond the likes of personal streaming sites like Pandora and Last.FM. Of course, there I could run into the danger of "sharing" my music library, even though I'd be just sharing a list of what I have, as opposed to sharing actual mp3s.) I imagine that Library Thing is viewed as a bit more of a high-brow way to connect with other readers -- and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
When adding titles to my library, I began with stuff I've most recently read, and progressed into old favorites and other titles that just came to mind. The most recent book I finished (Dave Eggers' Zeitoun) showed that around a thousand other users also had the title in their library. It was interesting to compare that with a graphic novel (Batman: Hush) with very low numbers and a popular fiction title (each of Stieg Larsson's Millenium trilogy books) with numbers upwards of ten thousand. These numbers are predictable enough, based on book selling trends and knowing what is new and hot, but even so, still telling. Not everyone who reads popular fiction will feel compelled to share that they do so on a site like Library Thing, much like graphic novel fans probably choose to share their reading habits elsewhere. But I like seeing the potential connections that can be made with other readers, as well as the potential for recommendations of things I may enjoy. It's fun to come across a user who read and loved Chuck Klosterman's Downtown Owl (like me) who is also interested in reading the newly published Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol. One. What title have they read that might also be my next new favorite book (and vice versa)?
I can see how libraries could really extend the connection to their patrons (and among patrons) by using Library Thing. Already, many larger public libraries like the Columbus (OH) Metropolitan Library allow users to review, tag, and rate titles -- finding a way to integrate links to librarians' and users' Library Thing pages would be an even greater advancement. I think that public and school libraries could most benefit from something like this, but many academic libraries are already exploring the potential in this type of communication with interactive LibGuides and the like. If one student finds a particular resource helpful, they can comment on it allowing a fellow student to see that a particular resource may be the exact one they need to explore in finding their desired information.
When adding titles to my library, I began with stuff I've most recently read, and progressed into old favorites and other titles that just came to mind. The most recent book I finished (Dave Eggers' Zeitoun) showed that around a thousand other users also had the title in their library. It was interesting to compare that with a graphic novel (Batman: Hush) with very low numbers and a popular fiction title (each of Stieg Larsson's Millenium trilogy books) with numbers upwards of ten thousand. These numbers are predictable enough, based on book selling trends and knowing what is new and hot, but even so, still telling. Not everyone who reads popular fiction will feel compelled to share that they do so on a site like Library Thing, much like graphic novel fans probably choose to share their reading habits elsewhere. But I like seeing the potential connections that can be made with other readers, as well as the potential for recommendations of things I may enjoy. It's fun to come across a user who read and loved Chuck Klosterman's Downtown Owl (like me) who is also interested in reading the newly published Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol. One. What title have they read that might also be my next new favorite book (and vice versa)?
I can see how libraries could really extend the connection to their patrons (and among patrons) by using Library Thing. Already, many larger public libraries like the Columbus (OH) Metropolitan Library allow users to review, tag, and rate titles -- finding a way to integrate links to librarians' and users' Library Thing pages would be an even greater advancement. I think that public and school libraries could most benefit from something like this, but many academic libraries are already exploring the potential in this type of communication with interactive LibGuides and the like. If one student finds a particular resource helpful, they can comment on it allowing a fellow student to see that a particular resource may be the exact one they need to explore in finding their desired information.
#12
Wiki is one of those Web 2.0 terms that just seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Like Google, it seems to be just been one of those forces of nature that most everyone, everywhere knows about and uses on a regular basis. I don't know precisely when I began referencing Wikipedia. With it being a regular at the top of my Google search results when researching various topics, it just somehow made its way into my (and everyone else's) online subconscious.
I've only recently accurately discovered what exactly the term "wiki" means -- content which is created by anyone, that can be edited and shared by anyone (provided they've been granted access). With this light shed, I realize that I've been using wikis for some time without even knowing it. For a class I took in Spring 2009, my preassigned group had a collaborative document due along with a presentation. Without any deliberation, a member of my group recommended typing up the assignment via Google Docs. (Once again, Google takes the credit here, though it's apparent this method of communicating probably wasn't originated by them!) Being that the group size was three, and the assignment was in three parts, we would each take one part, type up our findings separately, then post them to the final document we could each access and edit at any given time.
As is demonstrated in the Common Craft video on wikis, having a shared document or web page for communication purposes is much more efficient than the inevitable roundabout of emailing every party within a group would. In my past jobs, whether or not someone's email address was carbon copied or included in the 'to' column could result in a line of confusion not easily resolved. For instance, I may email my direct supervisor and cc the president of the company on an email regarding a problem that needed addressing, but then get a response from the supervisor without the president being return cc'd (a simple oversight that may or may not be deliberate). In the haste of obtaining a resolution to the problem at hand, the president of the company may be inadvertently left out of the loop of communication, not knowing the status of the potential resolution at hand. With something like a Wiki, this confusion or lack of information would be eliminated, because everyone with access to the page would, literally, be on the same page.
There is a certain amount of trust inherently involved in working with wikis, and in a library setting this would be of utmost importance. When various library staff are able to contribute different aspects to, say, their library's blog, and notice an erroneous item someone else may have posted, they can easily correct it without much ado (having to contact an administrator, or the author, to have it corrected, etc.). In this realm, wikis would most certainly result in the most accurate information, provided in the quickest, most accessible way.
I've only recently accurately discovered what exactly the term "wiki" means -- content which is created by anyone, that can be edited and shared by anyone (provided they've been granted access). With this light shed, I realize that I've been using wikis for some time without even knowing it. For a class I took in Spring 2009, my preassigned group had a collaborative document due along with a presentation. Without any deliberation, a member of my group recommended typing up the assignment via Google Docs. (Once again, Google takes the credit here, though it's apparent this method of communicating probably wasn't originated by them!) Being that the group size was three, and the assignment was in three parts, we would each take one part, type up our findings separately, then post them to the final document we could each access and edit at any given time.
As is demonstrated in the Common Craft video on wikis, having a shared document or web page for communication purposes is much more efficient than the inevitable roundabout of emailing every party within a group would. In my past jobs, whether or not someone's email address was carbon copied or included in the 'to' column could result in a line of confusion not easily resolved. For instance, I may email my direct supervisor and cc the president of the company on an email regarding a problem that needed addressing, but then get a response from the supervisor without the president being return cc'd (a simple oversight that may or may not be deliberate). In the haste of obtaining a resolution to the problem at hand, the president of the company may be inadvertently left out of the loop of communication, not knowing the status of the potential resolution at hand. With something like a Wiki, this confusion or lack of information would be eliminated, because everyone with access to the page would, literally, be on the same page.
There is a certain amount of trust inherently involved in working with wikis, and in a library setting this would be of utmost importance. When various library staff are able to contribute different aspects to, say, their library's blog, and notice an erroneous item someone else may have posted, they can easily correct it without much ado (having to contact an administrator, or the author, to have it corrected, etc.). In this realm, wikis would most certainly result in the most accurate information, provided in the quickest, most accessible way.
#11
Thing 11 encompasses rating and recommending sites or links to specific content via social media. This is something I've only done on occasion (primarily on Facebook) with the public (well, my public "friends"), probably because I figure people can filter out and find whatever they're looking for themselves. But, this is incredibly useful for bringing an issue or topic to someone's attention who may not be aware of it, or sharing something so completely off-the-wall or amusing that you just can't help yourself. But, doing this via Facebook, is much more of a direct interaction than the following four sites I checked out.
I looked over Mixx, Digg, Newsvine, and Reddit, and opted to try Mixx, based on its readability. (I typically gravitate towards that which is cleanly designed, user-friendly, and aesthetically appealing -- Mixx topped the list for me here.) Mixx was easy to register with (using my Google account), and recommending a New York Times story I found on Swedish singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez's recent performance with the band Junip was similarly easy. However, I am not sure that I find recommending a story on Mixx to be quite as useful as simply perusing Mixx for news. (I was the first person to "mixx" that article, and I'm sure I will be only one of a few, at most.) Where I believe this would be a more profound location for friends and others I associate with to recommend it would be on Facebook. Those people know me and can see precisely something I recommended; whereas, if I recommend something on Mixx, it merely shows as being recommended by one person. I'm not sure accessing it via Mixx would garner any more traffic for the article than simply being on the NY Times' website would.
Sites such as the four listed I believe are most useful when it comes to breaking news or issues regarding a more serious, newsworthy topic. Of course, that does not preclude folks from recommending a story regarding the latest Kardashian hubris, but users can filter through those recommendations as well.
I looked over Mixx, Digg, Newsvine, and Reddit, and opted to try Mixx, based on its readability. (I typically gravitate towards that which is cleanly designed, user-friendly, and aesthetically appealing -- Mixx topped the list for me here.) Mixx was easy to register with (using my Google account), and recommending a New York Times story I found on Swedish singer-songwriter Jose Gonzalez's recent performance with the band Junip was similarly easy. However, I am not sure that I find recommending a story on Mixx to be quite as useful as simply perusing Mixx for news. (I was the first person to "mixx" that article, and I'm sure I will be only one of a few, at most.) Where I believe this would be a more profound location for friends and others I associate with to recommend it would be on Facebook. Those people know me and can see precisely something I recommended; whereas, if I recommend something on Mixx, it merely shows as being recommended by one person. I'm not sure accessing it via Mixx would garner any more traffic for the article than simply being on the NY Times' website would.
Sites such as the four listed I believe are most useful when it comes to breaking news or issues regarding a more serious, newsworthy topic. Of course, that does not preclude folks from recommending a story regarding the latest Kardashian hubris, but users can filter through those recommendations as well.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Decadent and Delicious
Tagging is yet another way to categorically organize blog entries, photos, music, books, and various other media. I just went through and tagged ("labeled," in Blogger) my previous blog entries to quickly be able to reference each entry a specific theme or topic arose in. Tagging is ubiquitous on the web. On my local public library's website, users can save or tag items for check-out, either for quick reference at a later time (I have saved lists entitled "Books to Check Out," "CDs to Check Out," etc.) or in assisting themselves or other patrons with finding titles that may suit their interests. For instance, I decided to search for a popular audio item (Taylor Swift's second album, "Fearless") certain to have been reviewed or tagged, which resulted in the unsurprising "country" and "taylor," along with the hilarious, unsubtle "blah." Out of curiosity, I clicked on "blah," figuring this to be a tag utilized by one individual user, and sure enough, found this to link to titles by other country recording artists. I think it's safe to deduce that specific user is not a country music fan. For someone with similar tastes, this particular tag would be useful in advising on titles to avoid (assuming "blah" is unfavorable!). The converse effect can be assumed for titles tagged as "awesome," "enthralling," or "inspiring." Tagging and reviewing products on Amazon (or any other online retailer offering these capabilities, for that matter) serves the same basic function.
Delicious is a tool I haven't previously used, understood, or cared about, to be quite frank. I was skeptical, but after giving it a cursory once-over, I think I may love it. A problem I have constantly come across this past year after beginning to use Chrome as my browser is not having access to my bookmarks when using another computer where I've had to use a different browser. When it's been one of my family's computers (we have an old desktop, my wife's laptop, and a netbook), the solution has been simple: install Chrome and sync my Google account so that my bookmarks are all right there. (I also did this with my work computer at my old job. On my last day there, I promptly un-synced [de-synced?] that machine, and uninstalled Chrome to ensure that the person hired to replace me there wouldn't have access to any of my private information that may have been saved on that computer.) It becomes a problem, though, when you're using someone else's machine, or a public machine such as at the library or a cafe. I have occasion to use a computer at my practicum where I don't feel justified in installing new software, so accessing my bookmarks becomes a bit troublesome. Not a big deal, as I usually remember the URLs I may need while there with ease (save those that are overly long and specific), but it's been problematic at times. With Delicious, this problem is erased!
I can see how Delicious can be a wonderful way for librarians to communicate resourceful links to one another without having specifically communicate a new discovery to one another. If it's something where immediacy or urgency is a non-issue, adding a Delicious bookmark can be the perfect method for a colleague who may only check for new additions periodically. Obviously, if it's something more time sensitive, an old-school-style email will suffice in getting the information to that colleague in a timely manner! With my enlightenment to Delicious, I feel more informed, as well as more confident, in how I choose to find and share information and resources online. As I've learned recently, library users want to access information in their preferred method -- and this applies to me as well. (Duh.) Just because there are all these different ways to share with others doesn't mean that I have to use all these resources. Of course, being well-versed with the available options is great (and encouraged), but knowing what you like and how to use it best to your advantage is a luxury, not to mention the ultimate goal.
Delicious is a tool I haven't previously used, understood, or cared about, to be quite frank. I was skeptical, but after giving it a cursory once-over, I think I may love it. A problem I have constantly come across this past year after beginning to use Chrome as my browser is not having access to my bookmarks when using another computer where I've had to use a different browser. When it's been one of my family's computers (we have an old desktop, my wife's laptop, and a netbook), the solution has been simple: install Chrome and sync my Google account so that my bookmarks are all right there. (I also did this with my work computer at my old job. On my last day there, I promptly un-synced [de-synced?] that machine, and uninstalled Chrome to ensure that the person hired to replace me there wouldn't have access to any of my private information that may have been saved on that computer.) It becomes a problem, though, when you're using someone else's machine, or a public machine such as at the library or a cafe. I have occasion to use a computer at my practicum where I don't feel justified in installing new software, so accessing my bookmarks becomes a bit troublesome. Not a big deal, as I usually remember the URLs I may need while there with ease (save those that are overly long and specific), but it's been problematic at times. With Delicious, this problem is erased!
I can see how Delicious can be a wonderful way for librarians to communicate resourceful links to one another without having specifically communicate a new discovery to one another. If it's something where immediacy or urgency is a non-issue, adding a Delicious bookmark can be the perfect method for a colleague who may only check for new additions periodically. Obviously, if it's something more time sensitive, an old-school-style email will suffice in getting the information to that colleague in a timely manner! With my enlightenment to Delicious, I feel more informed, as well as more confident, in how I choose to find and share information and resources online. As I've learned recently, library users want to access information in their preferred method -- and this applies to me as well. (Duh.) Just because there are all these different ways to share with others doesn't mean that I have to use all these resources. Of course, being well-versed with the available options is great (and encouraged), but knowing what you like and how to use it best to your advantage is a luxury, not to mention the ultimate goal.
Number 9, Number 9, Number 9...
I've had my Flickr account for some time, but haven't used it in a while (as previously mentioned). With that in mind, presenting a badge or slide deck was something completely new for me. Please see the badge below for a set of photos of mine called Flowers that I took a few years back.
People love pictures, and technology has allowed photo sharing to become virtually instantaneous. Even though libraries have classically been aligned with the power of the word, visual stimulation is key, especially when considering a public or school library where children (who generally gravitate towards what visually attracts them) are prevalent. A website such as that of Columbus, Ohio's award-winning public library is bright, cheerful, and instantly engaging to the digital user. The same goes for the physical library: its open floor plan is inviting, sedated lighting calming, displays eye-catching, and staff ready to assist and plentiful.
In being a digital equivalent or companion, a badge or slide deck could be a very useful way for libraries to replicate thematic library displays. Simply putting together a badge of selected books' covers, which would link to the book's synopsis and/or library status upon clicking, can be yet another engaging way to get users interested in a book or resource they may not have previously been privy to.
(PS - Props to those who recognize this post's title as a Beatles' reference!)
People love pictures, and technology has allowed photo sharing to become virtually instantaneous. Even though libraries have classically been aligned with the power of the word, visual stimulation is key, especially when considering a public or school library where children (who generally gravitate towards what visually attracts them) are prevalent. A website such as that of Columbus, Ohio's award-winning public library is bright, cheerful, and instantly engaging to the digital user. The same goes for the physical library: its open floor plan is inviting, sedated lighting calming, displays eye-catching, and staff ready to assist and plentiful.
In being a digital equivalent or companion, a badge or slide deck could be a very useful way for libraries to replicate thematic library displays. Simply putting together a badge of selected books' covers, which would link to the book's synopsis and/or library status upon clicking, can be yet another engaging way to get users interested in a book or resource they may not have previously been privy to.
(PS - Props to those who recognize this post's title as a Beatles' reference!)
#8
Based on my practicum experience at Denison University's Doane Library, it seems that Web 2.0 tools such as instant messaging (IM), SMS/text messaging, and web conferencing, though implemented and widely available, still are not utilized much in this particular academic library's setting. I imagine that this lack of utilization is due mostly to Denison's small size, both in terms of geography and population. Being a four-year residential school on an intimate campus means that the library is a merely a hop, skip, or jump away! Only once in the two or so months of my service there have I witnessed someone contacting a librarian via the Meebo chat tool -- and that was a hoax or miscommunication of some sort. To be fair, though, I imagine it probably does get more use at night and during the cooler seasons when a student may be less inclined to leave their dorm room.
Beyond circumstances such as these, I think another occasion where chatting and text messaging can be useful are when a student may be ill -- able to do work in their room with a laptop, but physically unable to venture out for various health reasons. As far as web-conferencing or webinaring are concerned, I believe undergraduates would be less inclined to pursue such an avenue of communication, but for graduate students potentially exploring research topics at remote campuses this could be quite fortuitous. I believe the classic librarian would likewise eat up this format because it replicates the face-to-face encounter of the reference desk interview, an experience that has been hugely dwindling in numbers for years.
I'd be interested to see how an academic library at a larger university incorporates these useful communication tools. I don't see any problems with the usefulness of Web 2.0 communication tools in any type of library; where I see the problem is in the utilization. Despite the technological advancements we've seen arise in recent history, there is still a substantial deficit in exploration of these tools on both the user and administrative side.
Beyond circumstances such as these, I think another occasion where chatting and text messaging can be useful are when a student may be ill -- able to do work in their room with a laptop, but physically unable to venture out for various health reasons. As far as web-conferencing or webinaring are concerned, I believe undergraduates would be less inclined to pursue such an avenue of communication, but for graduate students potentially exploring research topics at remote campuses this could be quite fortuitous. I believe the classic librarian would likewise eat up this format because it replicates the face-to-face encounter of the reference desk interview, an experience that has been hugely dwindling in numbers for years.
I'd be interested to see how an academic library at a larger university incorporates these useful communication tools. I don't see any problems with the usefulness of Web 2.0 communication tools in any type of library; where I see the problem is in the utilization. Despite the technological advancements we've seen arise in recent history, there is still a substantial deficit in exploration of these tools on both the user and administrative side.
Monday, October 25, 2010
#7
I toyed around with a few image generators, but the one I found by far to be the most useful (and fun) is a color palette generator from BigHugeLabs. This tool takes any photo you upload and analyzes the colors in the photo to create a color palette. As is stated on the site, this would be most useful to graphic designers or others who may have a website or art/design project they're working on. For instance, it's a quick and easy way for an ad agency to come up with a color scheme and identity for a new business that will be located in a well-known, historic building where the new business owner wants to maintain the integrity of the original building while incorporating it into their new endeavor. The business owner could take a few photos of the property as it exists, hand them over to the agency, and voila! -- instant color palette. I'm sure that most ad agencies have plenty of resources at their disposal to accomplish such tasks, but for someone on a shoestring budget or a do-it-yourselfer, this could be a great tool. Being no stranger to budget cutbacks, libraries could be said DIYer: I could see a budget-conscious librarian utilizing a tool like this for special themes (books and materials related to Halloween, for instance) in which displays and other promotional materials would be created to grab library patrons' attention. The library staff would be able to incorporate the colors on the book covers when creating customized backdrops or displays to tie in with the actual materials being promoted. The library could be its own, self-sufficient, marketing firm.
#6
It's a good thing I'm doing this blog, as it's forcing me to check out a variety of resources and utilize different tools I never would have sought out otherwise. There's a lot of goofy stuff on the internet, but I have to admit that Thing 6 (image mash-up/manipulation) got me giggling. Below is a pic my wife took of me a year-and-a-half ago during her sister's wedding rehearsal in which I was ordained to do the service. Obviously, we were taking a break when this candid shot was captured, but don't you think it's a fitting image to grace the cover of Esquire? Yeah, me neither. But, it makes me laugh. I found this on PhotoFunia, which has some nice tools like photo cropping that I didn't see much of on other mash-up sites. I was able to crop the photo to get my moment of glory just right! (It would be better, though, if I could insert another photo in place of this dude to make it appear I'm reading a magazine article about myself.)
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Flickr in the Pan
It's interesting to explore Flickr now, when photo sharing on the web has become nothing if not ubiquitous; everyone and his uncle has a digital camera, many of which are merely a component of smartphones that enable instantaneous photo uploading to the internet. When Flickr began in 2004, Facebook wasn't yet Facebook (anyone seen The Social Network?), and the idea of photo sharing I think was more about folks (mostly amateur or aspiring photographers) getting their photographs out into the world in a new and exciting way. I may be totally uninformed with that statement, but based on personal experience that seems to be the case. That's when digital cameras were emerging into mainstream consumerism, yet were still expensive enough that I think only those serious about photography (or those with some disposable income) indulged and did away with their film counterparts.
I started a Flickr account a little over three years ago, posting some photos I'd taken on a beautiful fall afternoon, and thought "I should make it a weekly activity/challenge for myself to post at least one new meaningful or artistic picture a week" to reignite my photography hobby. I'd begun a new Facebook account a few months prior to keep in touch with folks who came to our wedding, and it seemed like whenever I, or anyone for that matter, posted pictures online, it was on Facebook. I told myself that I would post pictures from trips and fun events on Facebook, while maintaining my Flickr page for more artistic or "photography for the sake of photography" pictures. A pipe dream, I guess, because I didn't keep it up.
One cool thing about Flickr is that it seems to have remained largely unaffected by the epidemic-like spread of folks sharing everything with everyone on the internet. Looking at it for the first time in a couple of years, it looks virtually the same. I know many bloggers use Flickr for hosting their embedded photos, and others have groups organized on Flickr itself. I explored this feature, simply searching "Columbus, Ohio" and found a really cool group called Not There Anymore that posts photos of buildings or other public fixtures that have changed or been destroyed. (One contributor used this outlet for a bit of commentary on how society largely does not value buildings and other structures of historical nature and/or value, which I think is great.) Flickr is yet another great tool to link folks together through an artistic medium. Not surprisingly, librarians and library lovers alike use Flickr to connect, as I found here!
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
#4
As one may surmise from reading my previous entries here, I'm not much of an internet hound. With that in mind, figuring out what exactly RSS (Really Simple Syndication -- a surprisingly straightforward name and acronym) feeds are was somewhat of a daunting task. Sure, I've seen the little three curved-line, rectangular orange symbol on various and sundry sites, and heard grad-school friends/pros mention catching up on their RSS feeds all morning, but did not really understand how it works or its purpose until a few weeks ago (I should tag this "delayed blog post").
So, I did what any non-RSSer would do, and ran a Google search for "RSS" -- which, unsurprisingly listed Google Reader as the first recommended RSS site...which I, also unsurprisingly, enlisted as my inaugural RSS feed. Dubious as to what this would result in, I actually have found it to be fairly useful, although not to the extent (yet) that so many others have. I elected to subscribe to the website Columbus Underground and a friend's Live Journal blog entitled Watch Out For Snakes. Columbus Underground is a great "here's what's going on in the city that you may or may not already be aware of and would possibly like to do" resource -- it digs a little bit deeper than the local newsweekly and discusses indie rock shows that may have fallen under the radar, among other cool, "alternative" endeavors. My friend's blog is something I've seen him link to via his Facebook page and thought I'd check out -- his writing is witty and subversive, and he can elaborate hilariously on some of the most mundane activities (his most recent post detailed his being bumped into by three different individuals in a four-block walking span).
Using RSS for both of these sites (along with the three other blogs on Blogger that I commenced following when I began this project, AND which automatically linked into my Reader feed thanks to the incestuous nature of Google...not to mention the internet at large) has proven very handy; it's a concise way for me to keep up with the sites I want to all in one location. Although my wife is a blog enthusiast, she is someone who I believe does not do any kind of RSS feed to keep track of their updates. I know she spends a considerable amount of time going from blog to blog, quickly moving on to the next one should the current one not have new content for her to explore. I'm sure an RSS feed would be useful to her, but I also know that going from one blog to another is part of the appeal -- it's a passive and pleasurable way to spend some down time, and a few seconds here or there don't make much of a difference to her. For myself, I may have only used RSS marginally thus far, but I certainly do see its value, and more than likely will continue to utilize it as I tune in to more and more library resources while progressing through my studies.
So, I did what any non-RSSer would do, and ran a Google search for "RSS" -- which, unsurprisingly listed Google Reader as the first recommended RSS site...which I, also unsurprisingly, enlisted as my inaugural RSS feed. Dubious as to what this would result in, I actually have found it to be fairly useful, although not to the extent (yet) that so many others have. I elected to subscribe to the website Columbus Underground and a friend's Live Journal blog entitled Watch Out For Snakes. Columbus Underground is a great "here's what's going on in the city that you may or may not already be aware of and would possibly like to do" resource -- it digs a little bit deeper than the local newsweekly and discusses indie rock shows that may have fallen under the radar, among other cool, "alternative" endeavors. My friend's blog is something I've seen him link to via his Facebook page and thought I'd check out -- his writing is witty and subversive, and he can elaborate hilariously on some of the most mundane activities (his most recent post detailed his being bumped into by three different individuals in a four-block walking span).
Using RSS for both of these sites (along with the three other blogs on Blogger that I commenced following when I began this project, AND which automatically linked into my Reader feed thanks to the incestuous nature of Google...not to mention the internet at large) has proven very handy; it's a concise way for me to keep up with the sites I want to all in one location. Although my wife is a blog enthusiast, she is someone who I believe does not do any kind of RSS feed to keep track of their updates. I know she spends a considerable amount of time going from blog to blog, quickly moving on to the next one should the current one not have new content for her to explore. I'm sure an RSS feed would be useful to her, but I also know that going from one blog to another is part of the appeal -- it's a passive and pleasurable way to spend some down time, and a few seconds here or there don't make much of a difference to her. For myself, I may have only used RSS marginally thus far, but I certainly do see its value, and more than likely will continue to utilize it as I tune in to more and more library resources while progressing through my studies.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The Magic Number
To be quite honest, I don't spend much time on the internet. I go through phases where "wasting" a couple hours here or there looking at, well, whatever, is completely appealing and fulfilling...in some ways (for many people, anyway), it's the modern-day version of channel clicking while lazing about on the couch. Most of my internet time is spent looking for, listening to, and reading about new music. I never have been much of a blog follower, either, but for this assignment (checking out blog search tools), I decided to search for music blogs using Technorati.
In the past, I've had habit to visit Carrie Brownstein's Monitor Mix on NPR.org, and Ted Leo's blog on his website, as they are musicians (intermittent, and current, respectively) whose music I am a fan of, and whose opinions and insights I mostly enjoy (and agree with). But, honestly, that's about it (besides Muzzle of Bees, a local Madison music promoter/blogger that I no longer follow due to my having left the area a few months back). Most other blogs I have ever looked at have actually been linked to from those pages, or have been emailed to me from my wife or friends who happened to come across something they think I would be interested in.
At least part of my lack of interest in searching for music blogs, I believe, is the simple fact of music being such a popular pursuit (particularly in the digital world, with the promise of free mp3s and torrent sites abound) -- there's just so much information out there, it's too much to bear to try and filter through it all. Congruous to my thoughts, I ran a test search on Technorati for "music blogs" which found over 53 thousand results! Out of curiosity, I ran another search for "library blogs," which unsurprisingly returned much fewer (2,834, to be exact). The obvious reason for this is, though libraries are quite ubiquitous, blogging about them is quite the niche market -- one that is growing, I'm sure; but one that can't even compare number-wise to a topic such as music. And -- drum roll, please -- this is a big reason why (along with the fact of librarianship being my impending career!) searching library blogs is infinitely more appealing to me than looking at those dedicated to music will ever be.
With my brief exploration of using a blog search engine, I've found a few library-inspired blogs that I may just decide to keep up with: Free Range Librarian and The Unquiet Librarian, to name two. From this experience alone, I'm already realizing the usefulness of blog search tools, and am sure to continue sifting. As with any topic these days, there is much information to sift through to locate what is really pertinent to one's interests. If I discover any that prove to be the glue that draws me to my computer more often than usual, I will be sure to comment further on them, and even place them on my blog roll!
In the past, I've had habit to visit Carrie Brownstein's Monitor Mix on NPR.org, and Ted Leo's blog on his website, as they are musicians (intermittent, and current, respectively) whose music I am a fan of, and whose opinions and insights I mostly enjoy (and agree with). But, honestly, that's about it (besides Muzzle of Bees, a local Madison music promoter/blogger that I no longer follow due to my having left the area a few months back). Most other blogs I have ever looked at have actually been linked to from those pages, or have been emailed to me from my wife or friends who happened to come across something they think I would be interested in.
At least part of my lack of interest in searching for music blogs, I believe, is the simple fact of music being such a popular pursuit (particularly in the digital world, with the promise of free mp3s and torrent sites abound) -- there's just so much information out there, it's too much to bear to try and filter through it all. Congruous to my thoughts, I ran a test search on Technorati for "music blogs" which found over 53 thousand results! Out of curiosity, I ran another search for "library blogs," which unsurprisingly returned much fewer (2,834, to be exact). The obvious reason for this is, though libraries are quite ubiquitous, blogging about them is quite the niche market -- one that is growing, I'm sure; but one that can't even compare number-wise to a topic such as music. And -- drum roll, please -- this is a big reason why (along with the fact of librarianship being my impending career!) searching library blogs is infinitely more appealing to me than looking at those dedicated to music will ever be.
With my brief exploration of using a blog search engine, I've found a few library-inspired blogs that I may just decide to keep up with: Free Range Librarian and The Unquiet Librarian, to name two. From this experience alone, I'm already realizing the usefulness of blog search tools, and am sure to continue sifting. As with any topic these days, there is much information to sift through to locate what is really pertinent to one's interests. If I discover any that prove to be the glue that draws me to my computer more often than usual, I will be sure to comment further on them, and even place them on my blog roll!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
It's A 2.0 Thing
I feel a bit late to the party in addressing the topic of Web 2.0 (about six years late to be precise), but I will do so in this post in beginning my conquest of the 23 Things assignment for LIS 635. I won't attempt to define the term "Web 2.0" at this time, because, even if you don't know what it means, you more than likely have engaged in some form of Web 2.0-ing whether you knew it or not. This term basically refers to the ways in which users digest and interact with content on the internet - "interact with" being the key here. Whether it be posting an inane comment on a Yahoo! Sports article to "liking" a NY Times article that then posts to my Facebook account, the fact of interaction with content on the internet qualifies it as Web 2.0.
In most ways, this not-so-new wave of interaction on the web is harmless. Even though I use it very little, there is a tinge of gratification I feel (wait, which everyone feels) when I (they) get an email from Facebook stating "Friend X wrote something on your wall..." WOO-HOO! Yes! I am worthy! It's nice to be thought of, isn't it? Social networking through Facebook and other sites like it (I know MySpace is one, and I'm sure there are others, but I don't keep track) allows people who may be more of a casual acquaintance to keep in touch with you and be aware of what's going on in your life without having to send you an email or call (wait, TEXT) you on the phone. I may sound cynical when discussing this (part of me is, though I do concede the usefulness of FB), but there really isn't anything wrong with me hearing about tidbits ranging from one of my oldest friend's firstborn child's first day of school/word spoken/tooth sprouted, to what a classmate from high school whom I never talk to did over the weekend, on Facebook. If the old friend and I want to talk, we step it up and do just that. Anyway, off the soapbox. Many other ways of sharing information and interacting with it on the web are fun: photo sharing on Flickr, recommending a song to a friend on iTunes, posting a YouTube video of a friend's wedding reception; but there are also many that are not fun, or are downright tedious and annoying. I won't go into that here, but the aforementioned user comments on sites like Yahoo! Sports are just another showcase for so many people to spout off who really have nothing of value to say. It's a mild form of narcissism just to see your profile up on the screen, even if all you said was "Pujols is on the juice!"
You know the notion of how everything that is perceived to be a good thing can be abused and made into a bad thing? Well, that's the main facet of Web 2.0 that I find detrimental. Save those who are really careful and don't do this (probably the minority of folks), most everyone's online profile on one site tends to be the same or a variation upon the original identity on another, and another, and another, and so on...PLUS many of these accounts are (or at least, have the potential to be) intertwined. You know, you can have your Twitter update your Facebook...you can have Google Chrome remember your password...you can set up a universal password on your browser so that you never have to remember that your password for your Walgreen's account no longer has to have "underscore 14" at the end of your pet's name. Yes, this universality and intertwined nature make things easier, but there's a sinister aspect to all of it when you think about identity theft and the like. To a lesser degree, maybe you post something on your Twitter about someone you maybe don't care for, but then they happen to be a Facebook friend, and your Twitter updates your Facebook, and then that person sees your comment about them that they wouldn't have normally seen had you not interconnected the two accounts...and you see where I'm headed with this. I'm sure I'm not the first to have these reservations, but people just need to be smart about how they handle their online lives.
But, back to the good: the pursuit of knowledge in this way can really be rewarding. Say I'm reading a blog, and the author is discussing something I'm curious about and hyper-links to another online resource where I can learn more about the topic at hand - how is this bad? It's not. Though hyper-linking and following and liking and friending and all the other terms described with obscure and trendy verbiage can lead one down a bit of an information black hole, there is really something great about how reading one thing can lead to looking at another, and possibly discovering something you never knew before existed. And it's really great how users can come back to the original source and pay gratitude and share comments, or partake in polite debate and make corrections. This is where the issue of Library 2.0 comes into play. As I'm quite the novice at all things library at this time, I plan to explore the topic of Library 2.0 more in detail as I continue working on the 23 Things; however, I believe that the inevitable movement toward Library 2.0 results from all the good aspects of Web 2.0.
In most ways, this not-so-new wave of interaction on the web is harmless. Even though I use it very little, there is a tinge of gratification I feel (wait, which everyone feels) when I (they) get an email from Facebook stating "Friend X wrote something on your wall..." WOO-HOO! Yes! I am worthy! It's nice to be thought of, isn't it? Social networking through Facebook and other sites like it (I know MySpace is one, and I'm sure there are others, but I don't keep track) allows people who may be more of a casual acquaintance to keep in touch with you and be aware of what's going on in your life without having to send you an email or call (wait, TEXT) you on the phone. I may sound cynical when discussing this (part of me is, though I do concede the usefulness of FB), but there really isn't anything wrong with me hearing about tidbits ranging from one of my oldest friend's firstborn child's first day of school/word spoken/tooth sprouted, to what a classmate from high school whom I never talk to did over the weekend, on Facebook. If the old friend and I want to talk, we step it up and do just that. Anyway, off the soapbox. Many other ways of sharing information and interacting with it on the web are fun: photo sharing on Flickr, recommending a song to a friend on iTunes, posting a YouTube video of a friend's wedding reception; but there are also many that are not fun, or are downright tedious and annoying. I won't go into that here, but the aforementioned user comments on sites like Yahoo! Sports are just another showcase for so many people to spout off who really have nothing of value to say. It's a mild form of narcissism just to see your profile up on the screen, even if all you said was "Pujols is on the juice!"
You know the notion of how everything that is perceived to be a good thing can be abused and made into a bad thing? Well, that's the main facet of Web 2.0 that I find detrimental. Save those who are really careful and don't do this (probably the minority of folks), most everyone's online profile on one site tends to be the same or a variation upon the original identity on another, and another, and another, and so on...PLUS many of these accounts are (or at least, have the potential to be) intertwined. You know, you can have your Twitter update your Facebook...you can have Google Chrome remember your password...you can set up a universal password on your browser so that you never have to remember that your password for your Walgreen's account no longer has to have "underscore 14" at the end of your pet's name. Yes, this universality and intertwined nature make things easier, but there's a sinister aspect to all of it when you think about identity theft and the like. To a lesser degree, maybe you post something on your Twitter about someone you maybe don't care for, but then they happen to be a Facebook friend, and your Twitter updates your Facebook, and then that person sees your comment about them that they wouldn't have normally seen had you not interconnected the two accounts...and you see where I'm headed with this. I'm sure I'm not the first to have these reservations, but people just need to be smart about how they handle their online lives.
But, back to the good: the pursuit of knowledge in this way can really be rewarding. Say I'm reading a blog, and the author is discussing something I'm curious about and hyper-links to another online resource where I can learn more about the topic at hand - how is this bad? It's not. Though hyper-linking and following and liking and friending and all the other terms described with obscure and trendy verbiage can lead one down a bit of an information black hole, there is really something great about how reading one thing can lead to looking at another, and possibly discovering something you never knew before existed. And it's really great how users can come back to the original source and pay gratitude and share comments, or partake in polite debate and make corrections. This is where the issue of Library 2.0 comes into play. As I'm quite the novice at all things library at this time, I plan to explore the topic of Library 2.0 more in detail as I continue working on the 23 Things; however, I believe that the inevitable movement toward Library 2.0 results from all the good aspects of Web 2.0.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
1 Thing
Welcome to my blog, We 23 Things, which I have created in accordance with my enrollment in Reference and Information Service (LIS 635) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The goal of this blog is to serve as a record of my experiences exploring Web 2.0 and the implications that technological advancement has had on the library field, as well as chronicle any topics of interest that arise for me while working through my practicum assignment at Denison University's Doane Library. This is my inaugural blogging experience (despite one previous abandoned attempt), and I'm excited to get it underway. (I'm a bit late in getting this started, so I will be rapidly adding posts in the coming week to get up to speed!)
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