Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Goodbye

It was fun learning the 23 things. There were things I haven't looked at before. It wasn't too hard to learn them and I think I'll explore later on and see what else it entails. I think if there is another program similar to this one I would take it. I haven't had many requests to use these 23 things at the library, but am glad I know about them.

Project Guttenburg

Today I looked at Project Guttenburg. It is a free site that has books to download and read or listen to. I like how you can search for an author and they have an article on that author. Then they have several sites that provide that book. I chose a small poem by William Blake. I was able to download and listen to it being read. I think most of the books don't violate any copyright law so have fun.

Podcasts

Today I explored some of the Podcasts available. Unfortunately I was unable to view or listen to most of them. I did hear a podcast of a children's program that the Denver library created. Podcasts remind me of radio programs that anyone can create. I will try to post a podcast to my bloglines soon.

You Tube

Today I explored the wonderful world of video downloads. People put lots of videos on this site. I looked at Star Wars parodies. I think the library could use this technology to have anybody submit a library program. A person could film their program, upload it to the library webpage, and presto, a library program a person can participate in anytime.

Google Maps

Today I looked at the award winning Google Maps. It won an award for the best mapping software. I typed in Glenwood Library. And it displayed all the Glenwood Libraries in the nation. Then I was able to select the one I wanted and I could look at the map by satellite too. It looked similar to the area, but may be outdated some. But from the map, I could get driving directions and have the directions sent to my phone. It looked a little more sophisticated than Mapquest.

Zoho

Today I looked at online production tools. These are tools that can be used for producing things like spreadsheets, databases, and word processors. The one I looked at at Zoho had all these things plus they incorporated tools for creating blogs, wikis, and some of the other things I have looked at. They have all the things a person would find in an office program. Perhaps the office program would have more business related software, but this is good for basic work.

Monday, September 24, 2007

Playing in the SandBox

This exercise was challenging. I tried to submit my blog to the favorite blogs, but nothing on that page made much sense. There wasn't a spot for Howard Participants. And I wasn't sure how to add the blog to the Wiki anyway. So I added a comment to the favorite's page. That was easier because I just clicked on the Comments tab and added my comment.

Thursday, September 20, 2007

Wiki

Wikis are ways for people to submit articles on the internet. It seems similar to a blog, but it doesn't seem like a written response to someone's article as much as articles on a topic. I thought the idea of using the Wiki for book reviews was interesting. Anybody could write a review on any genre of literature. I think book reviews would be a good way the library could use Wiki. For example in the summer reading program, adults fill out written reviews, but using a Wiki, they could submit it electronically. Also reference articles like study guides or an encyclopedia, the library could use Wikis.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Web 2.0

Today I read about Library 2.0 and how the futurists think this will affect libraries. Web 2.0 is a way of incorporating many different formats into one place. Library 2.0 would be a library that was more online and geared toward users of the internet. The futurists are scared. Libraries that use such antiquated devices such as books will go the way of the eight track player and be obsolete. We need to change with the changing times before we're left by the side of the information super highway. But not all futurists are running around like Chicken Little, some think that what the library does right now, they do right. Libraries provide more than just materials. They provide a people element that computers can't duplicate. My thoughts are that the future will be somewhere in the middle. There will be people that want online information and there will be some that just want a person to speak to. And libraries will be ok.

Technorati

Today I explored Technorati, a website that searches blogs. Its similar to Google for blogs, videos, and other media. I searched the regular search, tagging, and the directory for "Library 2.0" For the regular search I received 25,449 searches. In the Directory, I received 644 searches. And in tagging, I received a variety of blogs, videos, and photos. Its difficult to find the directory and tagging search, but its located under advanced search. I explored the popular searches and found there was popular searches for blogs, videos, news stories, tagging, and movies. It was more information about movies than actually downloading the movie. But it was interesting.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Tags

Today we looked at Tagging. Its a way to categorize links online so they are easier to search. I looked at an account on Del.icio.us. There were several links and they had comments from other users who have used those links. I think this service will be helpful to librarians who love to categorize things. They could categorize the links they use day to day. And then other librarians could comment on those links. Other library systems could share those links too. Then there would be harmony in the library world and everyone would be happy.