#23 Is this really the end? Or just the beginning ...

Finito! I have really enjoyed doing the Learning 2.0 program. At first I was a little apprehensive when told it would involve creating a blog, but I feel so much more confident now. I've discovered tools, both serious and fun, which I will be able to use in future. During these exercises, I have also included my family members in the process, so they have also made discoveries along the way.

Overall, this has been a very positive experience for me. I have to admit though, that I've had to do the bulk of it at home as it has been difficult to achieve much of it at work, with desk shifts and other tasks. The reading and exploring before the discovery exercises certainly took longer than 15 minutes. Aside from that, I have enjoyed it tremendously and tried out applications and tools that I probably would never have.

Thank you.

DD

#22 Audiobooks (or "The end is in sight ")

Audiobooks are fantastic and something that I've only recently got into. Our library patrons have been keen on them for quite some time but I've only just discovered the convenience of audiobooks. Absolutely fantastic.

From the recall perspective, I find that I am more likely to remember what I have been "told" by a talking book, than by having read it myself. Of course I still enjoy going to bed with a book, but you can't be reading while you're driving or doing certain other tasks. At work, I've found audiobooks invaluable when perfect ordering, a task which many of us abhor because it is so tedious. It has actually transformed my perception of the job. I don't mind it so much now.

DD

#21 Podcasts, Smodcasts!

I have decided to subscribe to The Library Survival Guide podcast which is about tips, shortcuts and techniques for library research from Emory University's Woodruff Library. I have added the feed to my Bloglines account.

Podcasts could be included on library websites to demonstrate as above, how to use a particular library's resources and perhaps even include interviews with authors, book reviews, or upcoming events just to name a few. Podcasts could also be used to keep patrons up-to-date with technological advances in libraries.

DD

#20 You too can YouTube

The video I have chosen is called Reading Rainbow: "At the Library" and is a short animation of a girl's trip to the library. The little girl enters the quiet library and sees other children totally absorbed in what they are reading. The animation shows well that each child is having a totally different experience and that their imaginations are totally engaged in the books they are reading.

The girl approaches the librarian for help choosing a book. The little begins reading the book suggested by the librarian, but it frightens her so she snaps it shut and pushes it away. She reaches for another book which does interest her and it brings a smile to her face as well as new imagery in her mind. She proceeds to borrow the item and sneaks another peak as she is leaving the library. The animation demonstrates that our tastes are particular and varied. The pleasure that can be gained from reading is limitless and the library is a place where everyone is welcome.

What I find interesting about You Tube is that many different types of videos can be found, from simple entertainment to educational. As mentioned in an earlier post of mine, I found one of the instructional videos extremely helpful in grasping a concept. Perhaps in future, similar types of videos could be applied to library websites, demonstrating the use of online catalogues or online bookings. Another video I came across offered recommended reading material for young children and demonstrated the types of activities or games which could be played during the reading of the books. Many people could benefit so much from visual instructions as written guides can sometimes be a little tricky to follow.

DD

#19 Discovering Web 2.0 tools

The site I have chosen is from the video category and is the well known and very much used site of You Tube. Looking around my blog it is obvious that I have been to You Tube before and I can tell you that I could spend hours looking at other peoples' uploads. You Tube offers something for everyone's taste (you can see by the beagle videos which I have added to my blog that beagles are an interest to me). If beagles are not your cup of tea, hunt or sniff around You Tube a bit because I know you will stop and find something that interests you....guaranteed!

In a library setting or anywhere, You Tube fascinates because its content is so broad and caters for all. I have seen instructional videos during the course of this online program which have been extremely useful in demonstrating how to use certain web based applications the concept of which I would probably not have grasped quite so quickly otherwise. I love You Tube for the fact that it can be used recreationally as well as could be used in the workplace for training purposes. Go You Tube - you're the one for me.

DD

#18 Web-based Apps: They're not just for desktops

For this discovery exercise we were asked to create a Zoho account which I have done. I've had a play with Zoho features but can't really see myself using Zoho. I can understand why someone might want to use Zoho. Zoho saves space on computers by not having to have certain programs installed, but still being able to access them. An internet connection is still required though.

Personally I'd rather keep my personal stuff to myself and not have it floating about the internet somewhere. I realize documents can be made public, or not public, or you can specify who can view your documents, but I know now I will never use this in my personal life. In work however, is a different story and may be useful in that several people can view the same document without having it saved on their computers....such as the Staff Tracking Log which was created with Google Docs.

DD

#17 Playing around with PBWiki

I have now added my blog to the Favourite Blogs page. At first I wanted to add my blog title and create a link to the url, but for some unknown reason to me, it wouldn't work. So I decided to just add my url and again, I had a little trouble, even though I thought I was following the instructions. In the end, I managed by following the instructions found in a colleagues post about this discovery exercise, about entering at the end of the last blog link and typing in my url without brackets....and yes it works....

DD

#16 So what’s in a wiki?

The Youtube video by Commoncraft videos, demonstrating wikis made the idea of wikis extremely easy to understand. Wikis are useful for organising information in a central location for contributors to refer to, add to, edit and update.

In a library setting, book reviews and suggested titles with links to catalogue records, I think many people would find very useful. Could it work the other way with catalogue records linking to wikis?

When you mention wikis, people often think of Wikipedia. My concern with such a site is that anyone can edit it, so how accurate is it? Many school children may accept it as an encyclopedia, when infact it is not an authoritative reference. It could be useful for searching for new ideas but not for a source of accurate information.

DD

#15 On Library 2.0 & Web 2.0 ...

The Away from the “icebergs” perspective, reminded me of the time when recently I was doing a spring clean and deciding whether to let go of certain books which were taking up space on my bookshelf. Some of them were perfectly good books and I felt I should keep them. I took a rather hard stance (for me, a hoarder) and told myself, "I can access any of the information contained in these books, on the net." So off they went into the Brotherhood bin. Boy it was hard, but to be absolutely honest, I hadn't picked up many of those books in ages, perhaps never since placing them on the shelf!

As a library patron, I decide at home whether a trip to my local library is necessary. Perhaps if I didn't work in a library I'd visit more often, but I find that I do much of my browsing online. My local library often has items my workplace doesn't, so I find it rather convenient to check online. The catalogues have become easier to use over the years. The displays have become much more user friendly.

The library users are the ones that are shaping the future of libraries. The needs of the community guide the library in the direction it takes and even though many of the library 'visits' happen online, some libraries are becoming increasingly busy. Some patrons arrive with a sense of purpose, knowing where to go because they've already seen what they want online. Self-suffiency seems to suit many. I know, I love it.

DD

#14 Getting not-so-technical with Technorati

For this discovery exercise, we're asked to search for "Learning 2.0" in blog posts, in tags and in blog directory and see if the results are different. Well, yes they are. Searching blog posts or keyword, certainly brought back the most results.

A bit more exploring got me totally sidetracked. After listening to Helen Blowers on a You Tube video talk about the wonderful tools available on the web and the Learning 2.0 project being a great form of team building in the workplace, amongst other things, I somehow ended up at non-surgical nose jobs - the adjustment of the appearance of a nose, by injecting what is usually used for filling wrinkles! This sniffer dog is obviously on the wrong track!

I feel a little overwhelmed by Technorati. There are obviously heaps of blogs out there, but whether I would use Technorati? I don't think so, as I feel I would probably waste more time with distractions that actually finding relevant information.

DD

#13 Tagging, folksonomies & social bookmarking in Del.icio.us

Similar to LibraryThing, Del.icio.us offers us a way to view other people's choices, introducing us to new ideas or more of what interests us, simply by following other people's favourites. Del.icio.us however, is not just limited to book titles and authors, but any subject matter. It is a nice way to share interests. The "portability" of favourite links is also a good idea. I know I can't remember all of the sites I have bookmarked over time, and I have even lost all of my bookmarks at times for reasons such as getting a new computer at home, or computer update at work. At least this way, I can take my favourites with me wherever I go. A person could easily get carried away with the exploration aspect and the discoveries that are there to be made.

DD