Thursday, May 31, 2007
Note to Infopeople
As a staff member of the Calif State Library, I cannot accept any gift from Infopeople for completing the 23 things, or be included in a drawing. Thanks!
#23 Summary
Kudos to Infopeople and the original developers of the list of 23 things. It is a nice intro to "Web 2.0."
The theme in most of my posts is: find the right technology tool or tools to accomplish a goal or resolve a problem.
As you can see from my posts, I am not a particular fan of most tools that are considered to be part of Web 2.0. Does that make me a Luddite? No.
When I think back over the years, the tools that have become part of my personal life are tools that fit my needs:
- TiVo
- Netflix
- digital cameras
- Google
- Online banking
- cell phones
- The Web
- email
All of these were "wow" experiences from the start. They instantly enhanced my life. I didn't have to try to find a reason for using them.
As a librarian who works in IT, I believe my task is to help my library identify those tools that, in the end, are the most beneficial to our users. They may be tools that our customers use directly or they may be tools that are behind-the-scenes and help our staff perform their duties.
It is my responsibility to stay abreast of new technologies, analyze the costs and benefits of new technologies, and recommend options to library management without being seduced by new, cool things.
The theme in most of my posts is: find the right technology tool or tools to accomplish a goal or resolve a problem.
As you can see from my posts, I am not a particular fan of most tools that are considered to be part of Web 2.0. Does that make me a Luddite? No.
When I think back over the years, the tools that have become part of my personal life are tools that fit my needs:
- TiVo
- Netflix
- digital cameras
- Online banking
- cell phones
- The Web
All of these were "wow" experiences from the start. They instantly enhanced my life. I didn't have to try to find a reason for using them.
As a librarian who works in IT, I believe my task is to help my library identify those tools that, in the end, are the most beneficial to our users. They may be tools that our customers use directly or they may be tools that are behind-the-scenes and help our staff perform their duties.
It is my responsibility to stay abreast of new technologies, analyze the costs and benefits of new technologies, and recommend options to library management without being seduced by new, cool things.
#22 Teaching Twitter
OK, I have to admit that by picking Twitter, my least favorite of all 23 things, as the tool to share with a friend, I was not giving this exercise a fair try.
Last night I showed my wife Twitter and had her create a Twitter account.
My wife is not a techno-phobe. She's loves her PDA (she's in medicine and subscribes to a couple of expensive services that keep her PDA up to date with the latest formularies, etc), has used email and PC's for years, etc. As I showed her posts on my Twitter account she rolled her eyes and couldn't believe people actually broadcast their daily activities.
I then showed her my blog of the 23 things and she looked at me like I had gone to the other side.
I think the lesson here is that a tool has to be relevant to an individual's problems/challenges. And this lesson can/should be applied by libraries each time we evaluate a potential tool.
Too often, people are seduced by a new technology/tool and then try to find a way to use it. This isn't the way to approach technology when you have limited resources. Instead, you have to define your problem and define how you'd measure a successful resolution. Then you look at the potential tools and evaluate them in that context.
Of course this means you must be able to identify the potential tools. That is why librarians should be aware of new Web tools, such as these 23 things. If the tools don't help reach the goals of your library, then you shouldn't be trying to implement them. But if they help you provide services to your clientele, then by all means the tools should be used.
Last night I showed my wife Twitter and had her create a Twitter account.
My wife is not a techno-phobe. She's loves her PDA (she's in medicine and subscribes to a couple of expensive services that keep her PDA up to date with the latest formularies, etc), has used email and PC's for years, etc. As I showed her posts on my Twitter account she rolled her eyes and couldn't believe people actually broadcast their daily activities.
I then showed her my blog of the 23 things and she looked at me like I had gone to the other side.
I think the lesson here is that a tool has to be relevant to an individual's problems/challenges. And this lesson can/should be applied by libraries each time we evaluate a potential tool.
Too often, people are seduced by a new technology/tool and then try to find a way to use it. This isn't the way to approach technology when you have limited resources. Instead, you have to define your problem and define how you'd measure a successful resolution. Then you look at the potential tools and evaluate them in that context.
Of course this means you must be able to identify the potential tools. That is why librarians should be aware of new Web tools, such as these 23 things. If the tools don't help reach the goals of your library, then you shouldn't be trying to implement them. But if they help you provide services to your clientele, then by all means the tools should be used.
#21 Podcasts
The Librarians' Internet Index has a nice listing of podcast resources for beginners, including Podcast Alley: http://www.podcastalley.com
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
#20 YouTube.
YouTube - the ultimate in channel flipping.
Just like the next guy, I love to channel flip with the remote. Drives my wife crazy.
YouTube let's you do it at your PC.
Just like the next guy, I love to channel flip with the remote. Drives my wife crazy.
YouTube let's you do it at your PC.
#19 My Maps on Google
Google is so great. I had lots of fun adding a photo and text to create a "My Library" map. And I was amazed at how it was indexed immediately.
#18 Online Productivity
Google's online document and spreadsheet feature is kinda interesting but seems very beta. Limitations on document size, formatting, etc, are problematic but if you and your sibs all wanted to work on a poem for Mom together, it could be useful. Or, if you wanted to give an entire community a chance to edit your document or web page before you made it "live" ... maybe these tools would do the trick.
It is nice how it keeps multiple versions (better than Bill's tools!) and appears to allow multiple people to edit simultaneously.
It is nice how it keeps multiple versions (better than Bill's tools!) and appears to allow multiple people to edit simultaneously.
#16. Wikis
Wikis, another Web 2.0 tool, is an option anytime you have multiple "authors" and/or want to encourage collaboration. I can see that a wiki could be used for internal communication among staff, communication with customers, collaboration among staff for customers, collaboration among staff and customers for customers, ...
Should you use a Wiki? I think it all depends on what you want to accomplish.
The only wiki I use is www.wikipedia.com . I find it useful as an unauthoritative summary on new technologies and current trends.
If a library is considering a wiki, I'd recommend that staff think about the time line of the product they're trying to create. If you hope to build a large resource that will be used for many years to come, you should take into consideration the upgrade path and costs over the long haul. A wiki also needs to be managed to keep it on track if it was created with a specific topic/objective in mind.
Should you use a Wiki? I think it all depends on what you want to accomplish.
The only wiki I use is www.wikipedia.com . I find it useful as an unauthoritative summary on new technologies and current trends.
If a library is considering a wiki, I'd recommend that staff think about the time line of the product they're trying to create. If you hope to build a large resource that will be used for many years to come, you should take into consideration the upgrade path and costs over the long haul. A wiki also needs to be managed to keep it on track if it was created with a specific topic/objective in mind.
#15. Web 2.0
I've been a big fan of Walt Crawford's writings on libraries for many years and I think his article on Web 2.0 http://citesandinsights.info/v6i2a.htm is a classic. His measured approach to the topic is a calm breath of fresh air when compared to the tons of hype that's that's being tossed around as gospel.
I see Web 2.0 as a collection of tools. Each library needs to clarify its mission and goals before it can evaluate how any particular Web 2.0 tool can help. What makes this so hard is that most libraries are stretched for resources (both dollars and staffers) and must prioritize all those things it could do.
One of my favorite articles on the difficulty of prioritizing projects, particularly IT projects, was written by Karen Schneider, IT and Sympathy : http://www.techsource.ala.org/blog/2007/01/it-and-sympathy.html
This article should be a must-read to all library managers with long IT wish lists!
I see Web 2.0 as a collection of tools. Each library needs to clarify its mission and goals before it can evaluate how any particular Web 2.0 tool can help. What makes this so hard is that most libraries are stretched for resources (both dollars and staffers) and must prioritize all those things it could do.
One of my favorite articles on the difficulty of prioritizing projects, particularly IT projects, was written by Karen Schneider, IT and Sympathy : http://www.techsource.ala.org/blog/2007/01/it-and-sympathy.html
This article should be a must-read to all library managers with long IT wish lists!
#14 Technorati
Technorati is for the real web2 enthusiast. But IMHO, the website's purpose is not obvious when you first view the home page and it overstates its achievements.
Deep in the FAQ's there is this clarification:
What about an RSS search engine? Is that different from what Technorati does?
Yes. RSS feeds are a subset of the World Live Web. An RSS search engine searches only content structured in specialized XML formats such as RSS and Atom but does not look at a site's HTML or other markup. Not all blogs have RSS feeds, and some sites that are not blogs (such as The New York Times or some online event calendars) do have RSS feeds. Many blogs only send out a small portion or summary of their full postings and leave the full postings on their sites as HTML. Technorati specializes in searching all blogs, not merely those with RSS feeds, and instead of only indexing the RSS feed (often the first few hundred words of an article), Technorati reads all of the HTML code in a blog posting, and also tracks all of the activity around a blog or post such as inbound and outbound links.
Technorati's claim that it "searches all blogs" appears to be hype. I searched for a number of names and subjects and was very surprised by the limited hit list. Then I found this in the FAQ:
Make sure your blog is pinging Technorati. Technorati does not index a blog unless a ping is received from the blog to initiate our spiders to visit the site.
Deep in the FAQ's there is this clarification:
What about an RSS search engine? Is that different from what Technorati does?
Yes. RSS feeds are a subset of the World Live Web. An RSS search engine searches only content structured in specialized XML formats such as RSS and Atom but does not look at a site's HTML or other markup. Not all blogs have RSS feeds, and some sites that are not blogs (such as The New York Times or some online event calendars) do have RSS feeds. Many blogs only send out a small portion or summary of their full postings and leave the full postings on their sites as HTML. Technorati specializes in searching all blogs, not merely those with RSS feeds, and instead of only indexing the RSS feed (often the first few hundred words of an article), Technorati reads all of the HTML code in a blog posting, and also tracks all of the activity around a blog or post such as inbound and outbound links.
Technorati's claim that it "searches all blogs" appears to be hype. I searched for a number of names and subjects and was very surprised by the limited hit list. Then I found this in the FAQ:
Make sure your blog is pinging Technorati. Technorati does not index a blog unless a ping is received from the blog to initiate our spiders to visit the site.
Also, if blog entries have been archived, Technorati can't see and index them. No wonder I'm not finding "all blogs".
Also, it seems curious that I can't easily find info on the lag time between a blog post and Technorati's indexing. It seems that this would be crucial, since you'd probably search blogs for just-happened news that hasn't yet hit websites.
Technorati and libraries? Seems it is another reference resource (when all else fails).
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
#13 Del.icio.us
I can see lots of potential use for teachers/profs, posting resources for classes. Of course this also can be done on a simple html page too.
#12 Rollyo
I created a very brief, very non-comprehensive search engine of selected California state government procurement sites, California Buys. (To bad the title field is so limited.)
Rollyo could be a useful tool for libraries. Search engines can be created that are limited to specific websites that have been vetted by the library. Such engines could be shared with library patrons seeking to explore a specific topic .
This is an area where librarians can really add value for the user, but it would be a costly service to maintain if the scale grew to more than just a few websites.
Rollyo could be a useful tool for libraries. Search engines can be created that are limited to specific websites that have been vetted by the library. Such engines could be shared with library patrons seeking to explore a specific topic .
This is an area where librarians can really add value for the user, but it would be a costly service to maintain if the scale grew to more than just a few websites.
LibraryThing
I spent many a year as a cataloger and enjoyed it as a profession. Not my cup of tea for fun.
LibraryThing could be used as an easy way to maintain bibliographies for libraries, although I think it is more useful to have them linked more closely to the ILS.
LibraryThing could be used as an easy way to maintain bibliographies for libraries, although I think it is more useful to have them linked more closely to the ILS.
Image Generators
Ah...more fun with image generators.
Although there are many legitimate uses, image generators are a great way to waste time while at work and still look productive!
#10 Image Generators
Online image generators seem like a great tool for generating graphic materials for a library, such as announcements and brochures.
Decades ago, in another life as a children's librarian, these resources could have saved me lots of time.
Here's the URL I used: http://tarot.card.reading.txt2pic.com/
Decades ago, in another life as a children's librarian, these resources could have saved me lots of time.
Here's the URL I used: http://tarot.card.reading.txt2pic.com/
Sigh.
I guess if I was fifteen again and was fascinated by the daily activities of my friends, then Twitter would seem really nifty.
Out of principle, I will not "track my activities using Twitter for a few days".
A colleague speculates Twitter may be a push by cell phone companies to increase revenue. I wouldn't be surprised.
Libraries have lots of objectives and Twitter may help some libraries meet thier objectives.
Research libraries within government are just one type of library and offhand I don't see twitter as a technology that is worth pursing with limited resources, particularly when compared to RSS and improving Web content.
I guess if I was fifteen again and was fascinated by the daily activities of my friends, then Twitter would seem really nifty.
Out of principle, I will not "track my activities using Twitter for a few days".
A colleague speculates Twitter may be a push by cell phone companies to increase revenue. I wouldn't be surprised.
Libraries have lots of objectives and Twitter may help some libraries meet thier objectives.
Research libraries within government are just one type of library and offhand I don't see twitter as a technology that is worth pursing with limited resources, particularly when compared to RSS and improving Web content.
#8 Library Blogs
Included in my RSS subscriptions are Andrew Pace's Hectic Pace (one of my favorite library-related authors) and LC's. Often I end up connecting to the content by a means other than reviewing my Bloglines account.
RSS Feeds - Why do they bore me?
For more than a year I've subscribed to a half dozen RSS feeds and often I completely forget about them. Some are work-related and some are entertainment-related. Weeks will go by and they don't cross my mind and then I'll see all their names scattered across the top of my browser and I look at them again and usually yawn. I have not yet found any reason to prefer it over plain old email.
Podcasts, RSS and e-resources.
#6 of 23.
The four sample public libraries on Infopeople's listed under step 6 use Web2 tools to promote and enhance services pretty effectively.
For a special/corporate library, I think RSS feeds can be used as a good method for disseminating content.
The four sample public libraries on Infopeople's listed under step 6 use Web2 tools to promote and enhance services pretty effectively.
For a special/corporate library, I think RSS feeds can be used as a good method for disseminating content.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Captioner
Captioner, a mashup that allows you to add balloon boxes to Flickr photos is an easy tool for developing simple PR graphics. But the URL's get to be a bit much!
http://shadydentist.com/captioner/captioner.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fkevinyezbick%2F48847573%2F&saved=1&text1=Does%20working%20in%20a%20library%20make%20you%20smaller?&t1=59&l1=487&text2=Is%20turning%2057%20special?&t2=221&l2=521
http://shadydentist.com/captioner/captioner.php?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.flickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fkevinyezbick%2F48847573%2F&saved=1&text1=Does%20working%20in%20a%20library%20make%20you%20smaller?&t1=59&l1=487&text2=Is%20turning%2057%20special?&t2=221&l2=521
Flickr
Flickr is one of many photo utilities.
Personally, I like imagestation for posting digital photos and for ordering prints. Then again, I don't post photos to share with the world; just photos for friends.
If you're looking for a big audience, Flickr appears to be the place to post.
Personally, I like imagestation for posting digital photos and for ordering prints. Then again, I don't post photos to share with the world; just photos for friends.
If you're looking for a big audience, Flickr appears to be the place to post.
The beginning is the end.
There I've done it - added to the useless blather that streams around the globe.
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