Sat. 9/5/09

It turns out that I am using some of the things I learned for personal use at the moment. It isn't really my current responsibility to do social networking types of activities for my job. I am getting on facebook fairly regularly although it seems like the friends I have are not that active. I don't get e-mail from them either so I guess I should expect that. I have found something I want to put on Google reader so I can get to it from wherever. I've forgotten my login info. attached to my work e-mail, so I may go ahead and set up a personal account instead and get rid of the work e-mail. Anyway, just wanted the powers that be to know that I am using some of what I learned so that going forward I may have occasion to use it to promote libraries.

#18 - Wiki

The Wiki set up for us to use with wetpaint was quite easy, and I can see the value in creating that sort of thing, if you really wanted to develop a layered set of information. I'm afraid thinking of anything very interesting or deep is beyond me at the moment. I neglected to write anything on my first page, but did manage to create two secondary pages.

#9 - More Facebook

Well, I definitely am more comfortable with Facebook the more I use it, however, I should have gone to bed ages ago!!!!! I became of Cystic Fibrosis organization and already received a post from them. Re. groups, I joined a vegetarian recipe, a knitting and two North Texas gardening groups. Was distracted by photos of a friend who I already invited me to join as well as my daughter's info. She is a massage therapist and I did not realized she had created her own "business" group for developing a home business. I joined that group as well.

I am interested in the folks I went to high school and college with, but have not delved into that very much yet. I do recognize names and will be interested to see what comes up over time.

Thing #8 again - Facebook

Finally set up a facebook account. Guess there was something going on. Invited three people I know already have accounts. Not sure I'll be on it very much. Still think e-mail is adequate for almost all communication, especially since most of what I have to say is for one person at a time.

Do see the application for a library, however. I know our city has a facebook page now, so I don't see why the library could not follow suit. We do tweet already and I would imagine facebook would reach many more people than can be imagined.

Thing #20 - YouTube

I think everyone is familiar with YouTube at this point. There was a library that used it for a regular weekly (I think) newsletter. I believe they had a grant for the equipment to create their videoblog. It was humorous to watch and informative...Arlington Heights Memorial Library...Library Vlog. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-qujBrz8W4 I love that they use staff and patrons to promote the library, its collection and services. Very forward-looking, cutting-edge library. Anyway, I'm even on YouTube through our city http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q_z9yp5fdg&feature=channel_page; I'm the narrator.

Recent favorite for fun: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cM4mBMvKIiI

Thing #11 Instant Messaging

I already had instant messaging set up with Yahoo Messenger because I am talking to my out-of-state family using the internet and a webcam...although we've only done it once successfully. Haven't been able to coordinate too often when both parties are on. So I have an Yahoo Instant messenger. My user name is my home e-mail address: dmbatich@sbcglobal.net. I can't see that I have any other user name unless it is Dorothy. So, go ahead an instant message me if you find me on at the same time.

Thing #12 - Twitter

Successfully set up a twitter account, but must have accidentally asked to have certain profiles put on my home page and can't seem to figure out how to get rid of them. I really could not care less what Ryan Seacrest has to say, no offense. Could not find anyone to add to it. Know of one person who tweets but her name did not turn up. Did protect my tweets. Will have to play with it more when I find out who might be on it. I don't think my 20 yr. even tweets.

Thing #8 - Facebook

Trying to set up a facebook account but not having any luck. First, I was repeatedly asked to enter a valid e-mail account even though I had and tried all three (2 personal, 1 work). Arrived at the security screen and entered the words but after much churning, it came back with the same message - please enter a valid e-mail address. Do I need a yahoo e-mail?

Will come back to it later. I am interested in having a page since I know of several friends who already do, but am concerned about privacy.

More Flickr

For staff following my blog (why are you?), I've posted a few more photos in Flickr for your viewing pleasure.

Thing #7 - RSS Feeds

Rss feeds are fairly understandable, just finding/limiting the ones you are interested in is key. I don't believe our library has an RSS feed, but can see that it would be useful for communicating and for announcing events. I know we are using Twitter to do that now. I may be misunderstanding the intent of some these "things". There seems to be overlap as well as connections. I assume that only I can read my Google Reader?

Thing #6 - Google Reader

At first I did not feel like Google Reader would be all that useful to me. I receive so much on e-mail that I either want and read or don't want and feel wastes my time. I don't know where people get the time to read all this stuff. I truly feel like my head will explode. I did get a feel, however, after adding the North Texas 23 site and my blog that this might be a one stop way of getting to information that I've pre-selected & organized. I have been having to open additional windows because every time I go from the North Texas 23 to a "thing" I leave the North Texas 23 site. From Google Reader, I think I can get everything.

Thing #5 II

This is sort of fun...good for a variety of announcements for work or personal use. Not too hard to use, although I probably did not use to the full extent available in terms of editing, etc.

Thing #5

This was fairly easy and I can see how it would be useful to make announcements, etc. I think this is what they call a widget?

Trying to play catch-up on North Texas 23. Uploading to Flickr is no problem. I don't get mashups (purpose) except to create things like cd covers, but why would I want to post them to my blog? I'm about to do that anyway? Tried the spelling thing...fun to select different letters, but saw no where to save or upload, etc. so ended up saving html link to my desktop which I am fairly certain isn't what was intended. Okay, so I guess the letters were saved as images - but oddly enough they were not the ones I selected. I've managed to upload them into this blog post but am having some difficulty arranging them as I'd like...no big deal. They may be too big...was able to resize them, but still can't arrange in a line. Oh, well.

Thing 3: Flickr

Well, I went ahead and set up a Flickr account because I figured that was the best way to "get it". I posted some photos that I enjoy from my computer, however, after the fact read the "Do's and dont's" and realized that some of what I had posted were little treasures I had kept from messages that were sent to me. Don't know the actually origin, but someone posted them somewhere and they ended up in one of those pass-it-along e-mails. Too bad, because they are kind of cute. I want to obey the rules, however, and definitely don't want to take credit for someone else's photo.

I definitely see the value to libraries of posting their photos out there, although many libraries already post their programming photos to their own website, so Flickr seems to be more useful on a personal basis. But, it is free, and I'm not sure if some of the other photo posting sites are.

Thing 2: Learning about Learning 2.0

Well, I listened to/mostly read all four items in step Thing 2. Some of it is sort of old news...IM, for example. There is no reason at all that every library isn't doing IM for reference, except for those who are afraid. Certain precautions can be put in place, such as response time expectations, and restrictions on the depth of questions, hours of operation, etc. I have been a proponent of that type of reference for a long time.

I have been in at least one, maybe two sessions on Web 2.0 already, and I am overwhelmed by the terminology on a lot of the other stuff and why I would need it. Don't know what a ning is and don't know if I want to know (but I guess I'm going to find out when I get there). I understand what flickr is, but hesitate to put my personal photos out there for anyone to find. On the other hand, I can see library program photos out there for everyone to enjoy. I do understand it all has to do with communicating continuously and in every possible way, and that is what libraries need to be doing so that we don't lose everyone to their home computer.

On the other hand, I'm not sure that that will really happen. I am not inclined to think that there will not always be books, or that there will not always be people who need someone to guide them to information. Especially in a community like ours, there are many people (including librarians) who just aren't into it. On the other hand, more and more are, across the age spectrum and certainly the younger, youngest and future library users.

All of that said, I think it is important for librarians to be as savvy about these things as possible. It is, of course, always nice to know what someone is talking about...a good reason to do this exercise in and of itself. The world has also become a 24/7 world and these tools enable libraries to be 24/7 institutions also along with e-reference books, downloadable audio, and databases.

E-mail vs. Blogging

Thursday, June 11, 2009
I still don't get how this works exactly and why is this better than e-mail? Do I really want to have everyone knowing my thoughts on everything? E-mail is more personal. If someone doesn't want to read it or doesn't want to respond, they can choose to not read or delete or not answer. I need to get busy and do another "thing". I know there are a lot of folks out there who are into this sort of stuff so I would like to understand why it is so great. Here's hoping I will discover the answer.

The beginning

Good morning 23 Things participants. Taking the challenge/plunge late but better late than never? Thank my boss. Usually have a lot to say about many things, but not when I don't know who I'm talking to. Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.